2020-2029, Film Review

Materialists (2025)

Posted on August 18, 2025September 9, 2025 by Martin: Through the Silver Screen

© 2AM, Killer Films, A24 and Stage 6 Films

Materialists – Film Review

Cast: Dakota Johnson, Pedro Pascal, Chris Evans, Zoë Winters

Director: Celine Song

Synopsis: In the hustle and bustle of New York City, a matchmaker finds herself torn between a wealthy and charming financier and her ex…

Review: What if two people who at one time in their lives were deeply in love and were seemingly destined to be together, only for their trajectories to split? This was the philosophical question that beat at the heart of Celine Song’s reflective and heart-achingly beautiful directorial debut, Past Lives, and how those two people reckon with what might have been had their lives taken a different direction. Love is very much at the centre of her follow-up, grounded in the world of dating and matchmaking, with the vibrant and lively atmosphere of the city that never sleeps again serving as the backdrop.

Lucy Mason (Johnson) is a self-proclaimed “eternal bachelorette” matchmaker working for ADORE, providing dating services for high-paying clientele. She has seen incredible success in her career, having matched nine couples who tied the knot. However, she insists she won’t walk down the aisle herself unless she meets someone wealthy. At a client’s wedding, she encounters the groom’s brother Harry (Pascal) and also runs into her ex-boyfriend, John, who works as a waiter for a catering firm while trying to become an actor. Lucy faces a dilemma between starting a promising new relationship with Harry or rekindling the romance with her old flame.

As was the case with her directorial debut, Song delves much deeper beyond the surface of what one might expect from a typical romantic comedy where two souls meet and fall in love with each other. This is encapsulated through an unconventional opening scene that is bound to catch some people off guard, yet it completely illustrates the nature of the story. Humanity’s age-old adventure to find connection, passion, romance and the hope of finding the special person we would like to fall head over heels in love with and wish to spend the rest of our lives with. Sometimes it’s a case of being in the right place at the right time and everything falls effortlessly into place.

However, in the modern world, finding a partner often reduces to persistent scrolling through apps, all in the hope of discovering that elusive dream match. But what truly defines the “perfect someone”? Is it their job, height, hobbies, or the music they listen to? Or perhaps even more specific criteria than that? The dating world is competitive and cutthroat, where everything on a profile has to be flawless in a world where people are filled to the brim with flaws and imperfections. Can a matchmaker really effectively use these various criteria to connect individuals with their ideal partners? This is the central question that Song addresses with unwavering honesty.

Johnson is an actor whose choice of projects (as she herself will tell you) has left a lot to be desired in recent years. It was clear that she had talent, but just needed the right script, and with those aligning, she gives one of her best performances as Lucy. Working in the field of matchmaking requires someone to be cool, calm and collected and the ultimate professional, even when dealing with picky and demanding clients. However, she remains unflustered in her attempts to find partners for that “check all the boxes”. Yet despite her success, she struggles to find the right partner for herself, even when someone as charming and downright handsome as Harry enters her life and goes out of his way to woo her. Pascal makes full use of his limited screentime and brings effortless suave and smouldering good looks. John may not have the same level of wealth as the other man trying to win Lucy’s heart, but Evans also brings charisma and charm aplenty.

When depicting love triangles on screen, human nature often leads us to root for one side to prevail over the other. However, Song’s script takes a balanced approach and allows the audience to understand the perspectives of all parties involved. It would be easy to assume Lucy would go for the man who has all the wealth in the world, but it is considerably more nuanced and complicated. There is, however, a subplot featuring one of Lucy’s clients, Sophie (Winters), which highlights the challenges and all too real dangers women, in particular, can face when dating a male partner and the risk of that partner getting abusive and or violent. While this may hit too close to home for some, it needed to be addressed, and more screentime could have been given to exploring this peril of the dating minefield.

It doesn’t quite pack the emotionally devastating punch as Past Lives, but take nothing away from what Celine Song has achieved. With only her second film, here is a director quickly gaining a reputation for bringing thoughtful and mature romances to the screen. Stories filled with resonant storytelling that make us pause and reflect on our lives, the people we love, and how do we possibly go about finding the one we are looking for in such a crazy, chaotic world where people are motivated by money and material possessions? A universal struggle that humanity has been grappling with throughout the aeons of human history, even for folks as mesmerisingly attractive as its three leading characters.

Bolstered by three excellent performances from its bewitchingly beautiful cast, Materialists offers a sincere and unflinching look at the complicated maze of online dating and humanity’s eternal quest to find romance in an increasingly avaricious world.

2020-2029, Film Review

Anora (2024)

Posted on November 2, 2024February 17, 2025 by Martin: Through the Silver Screen

**© Neon, FilmNation Entertainment and Cre Film**

Anora – Film Review

Cast: Mikey Madison, Mark Eydelshteyn, Yura Borisov, Karren Karagulian, Vache Tovmasyan, Aleksei Serebryakov

Director: Sean Baker

Synopsis: A young sex worker from Brooklyn begins a whirlwind romance with an extremely wealthy client…

Review: The filmography of Sean Baker has provided audiences with a usually fascinating and insightful glimpse of the pursuit of the American dream from the perspectives of people on life’s periphery who are often looked down on by certain echelons of society. An LGBT sex worker, a working-class family struggling to make ends meet, and a washed-up porn star trying to recapture his former glory. While the latter may have left a lot to be desired in how its lead character went about his ambitions, there’s an enduring appeal in seeing people looking to make their dreams become a reality in a society which promises anyone and everyone has the potential to succeed irrespective of their background, even more so when these people are marginalised. For his latest film, Baker returns to the world of sex work, in a vibrant and hilarious ride.

Opening with a line of sex workers entertaining their clients, set to the backdrop of ‘Greatest Day’ by Take That (an absolutely perfect needle drop), we meet Anora (Madison), or Ani as she prefers to be known. Ani lives in Brighton Beach in Brooklyn and works in an exclusive strip club in Manhattan, frequented by some extremely wealthy clientele. One day, as Ani is the only employee at the club who can speak Russian, she is introduced to Ivan Zakharov (Eydelshteyn), the son of a Russian billionaire. It doesn’t take long for Ivan, or Vanya as he prefers to be known, to become infatuated with Ani and he soon pays for several private encounters with her, which eventually leads to the two of them beginning a relationship that culminates in a spur-of-the-moment wedding in Las Vegas. Ani, with a beautiful ring on her finger and all the money in the world, is living in the most idyllic fairytale she could imagine. This is until everything comes crashing back down to Earth when word of this impromptu marriage reaches the ears of Ivan’s parents, who set out to do everything in their power to have the marriage annulled.

No matter who you are, everyone needs to find a way to earn a living, and sometimes sex work is the form of employment people choose as their source of income. Yet, even in the modern era, there is a frankly ridiculous taboo that comes with sex work that some may see as objectification. Baker humanises these people as people just looking to get by, particularly as they are ostracised by society due to the sexual nature of their jobs. While he wildly misfired with his previous film due to the predatory nature of a washed-up porn star’s quest to recruit an underage girl into becoming a sex worker, he strikes gold with his lead character this time around.

Having had memorable supporting turns as a Manson family member in Once Upon a Time… In Hollywood and 2022’s Scream, this is Madison’s moment to shine, and it is an opportunity she seizes in spectacular style as she is in scintillating form with a tremendous leading performance. Due to her line of work, she is endlessly charming and self-assured when it comes to wooing the club’s clients. Yet when she is with Ivan, it allows her to be more open and relaxed with the man she believes she will be with for the rest of her life. The romance between them could easily feel forced, but the chemistry between both actors is powerful and genuine. until her romantic bubble emphatically bursts in the latter half of the film when her fairytale marriage is not quite the happy ever after she thought it was going to be. Madison is the unquestioned star of the show, every princess in their fairytale needs a Prince Charming, and Eydelshteyn excels in bringing Vanya’s party animal antics to the core. Here is a kid who is determined to do whatever he can to cling to the life of playing video games, making love to his wife, and not having any responsibilities. Who wouldn’t want that lifestyle when you have that sort of money?

However, all of the fairytale and briefly blissfully wedded romance is rudely interrupted after Vanya’s furious father orders some of his enforcers to travel to the U.S to get the marriage terminated, which is made all the more difficult by Vanya’s decision to literally do a runner and leave Ani in the hands of his father’s goons. It is absolute chaos as the henchmen are left with no choice but to drag Ani along on a wild goose chase in the Big Apple, to locate one person in a city filled with more than eight million people. The heavy drama of the situation, combined with the hilarity of international henchmen desperately wandering around the city, while trying to act imposing and tough with anyone they come across, is a difficult balance to strike. It is a fine line that is walked almost perfectly, although you can’t help but feel as entertaining and chaotic as this frenzied search is, the film’s fast-paced and frantic energy wears off in the third act.

As a result, the film begins to lose momentum in its final stages. However, despite this minor issue, Baker continues to highlight and give a voice to those who through no fault of their own, find themselves marginalized in society. The Palme d’Or victory at the Cannes Film Festival suggests that this could be, to paraphrase the lyrics Take That, the greatest film of Sean Baker’s career.

With a star-in-the-making leading performance from Madison, Anora is an uproarious and compassionate depiction of an outsider’s perspective of the American dream, while flipping the classic fairytale story on its head.

2020-2029, Film Review

Challengers (2024)

Posted on April 26, 2024May 16, 2024 by Martin: Through the Silver Screen

© Amazon MGM Studios, Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer and Pascal Pictures

Challengers – Film Review

Cast: Zendaya, Mike Faist, Josh O’Connor

Director: Luca Guadagnino

Synopsis: A former tennis prospect turned coach must train her husband when he faces off against his former best friend…

Review: From the football pitch to the tennis court, to the racing tracks of Formula One, passion is usually never in short supply when it comes to professional sports. From the professional athletes playing the sports to the legions of fans in the stadium, and the countless millions watching on TV across the globe, there is a fervour for following our beloved team or individual player that cannot be outmatched. What if those feelings were not contained to merely the respective arenas on which the sports are played, and went beyond those and into the players’ personal lives? Relationships where the initial love and desire sour turn into seething resentment and acrimony in this steamy tennis drama from Luca Guadagnino.

Tashi Duncan (Zendaya) is a tennis prodigy, a star destined for the most unstoppable career trajectory to become one of the best players the sport has ever seen. She captures the attention of lifelong friends Art (Faist) and Patrick (O’Connor), who become instantly smitten by her and desperate to win her affection. She ensnares them both and lays down a tantalising gauntlet, that whoever wins in their upcoming match will be the one who gets Tashi’s number. This challenge to win Tashi’s heart is the first swing in a journey over multiple years in which romance blossoms, once promising careers are cruelly cut short due to injury, and Art and Patrick’s budding friendship in their youth irrevocably damaged. It all comes down to one specific Challenger tennis match, a grudge match in more ways than one, with Tashi watching on from the stands.

Sensuality, desire and seduction are three words inextricably linked to any film directed by Guadagnino. Even in films where you would have thought it would be near impossible to make these themes relevant, such as a story of two young lovers forced to live a life on the run due to their cannibalistic tendencies. It might have seemed impossible to match the sunshine-drenched seduction on display in Call Me By Your Name, but the tennis ball has the peach outmatched because this is arguably the most seductive and horniest film he has made to date. The desire to be the best in your profession, in this case, a tennis player, coincides with the pursuit of a romantic partner/relationship. In Tashi’s mind, tennis is akin to being in a relationship and requires two, or in this case, three people to make it work. It’s this relationship which takes centre court as the boys pursue Tashi, and the ensuing love triangle and the complexities and emotions that go along with their relationships only intensify as the years progress.

By the time the crucial match has come around, saying there’s no love lost would be a massive understatement. The stakes could not be higher, with much more than bruised egos on the line, it is utterly pulsating to watch. Justin Kuritzkes’s screenplay is sharp and fierce with ice-cold and devastatingly brutal jibes and insults, some of which should in time take their place in a montage of some of the best insults/rebukes in cinema. The piercing dialogue, combined with the fierce power struggles that ensue within this bitterly fraught love triangle makes for utterly fascinating viewing, and with three utterly magnetic performances.

O’Connor’s Patrick is exceedingly cocksure and with a smugness that by all rights should make you want to throw a racket, or fire a bunch of tennis balls out of a machine at top speed at him to wipe the smile off his face. Faist’s Art is considerably more withdrawn and focused on getting one over his former friend and arresting his slump in form. Yet the film’s ace is unquestionably Zendaya. She sets the wheels in motion, splintering apart the friendship between Art and Patrick like a tennis racket being mercilessly destroyed due to frustration. It’s a performance that serves as a reminder as to why she is one of the brightest talents in the industry and the best performance she has given on the big screen at least.

A cast fit and firing all on the top of their game is matched by their director. Guadagnino utilises several innovative style choices to illustrate the weight of the stakes that are riding on this match. Sayombhu Mukdeeprom’s cinematography utilises intense, sweat-dripping close-ups of the players in action where drops of sweat even drip onto the camera lens, as if there wasn’t enough sensuality on the screen to pump up the horniness, to wide shots and POV shots of the tennis ball as it is furiously smacked across the tennis court with intense feeling by both players. The tub-thumping disco vibes of the score by Trent Reznor and Atticus Ross only adds to the intensity of the rivalry being played out before our very eyes. Like a tennis rally constantly going back and forth, the film utilises a lot of time-hopping and non-linear narrative to illustrate the differing dynamics at various points in the lives of these people and how they go from lusting after each other to wanting nothing more than to go for each other’s throats.

It effectively illustrates how these emotions go from one extreme to the other over the course of many years, but with so much zipping around, the time jumps can get a tad confusing. Despite that minor fault, in a time when original ideas in Hollywood are certainly out there but don’t always come to the fore, it is refreshing to see such an exhilarating, original and thrilling piece of cinema be served up. Wimbledon and the other major tennis tournaments have a lot to live up to this year.

A fascinating and impassioned character study of desire, power and an insatiable hunger for success served with pulsating filmmaking and three electric performances. Game, set and match.

2020-2029, Film Review

Past Lives (2023)

Posted on September 14, 2023November 5, 2023 by Martin: Through the Silver Screen

Past Lives – Film Review

Cast: Greta Lee, Teo Yoo, John Magaro

Director: Celine Song

Synopsis: Two childhood friends in Korea reconnect years later after one of their families migrated to North America…

Review: As human beings, we have all likely gone through that moment where we have imagined what would have happened had certain decisions we made in our lives been different. Could certain events, or maybe even the whole direction of our lives transpired differently than how they turned out? Would we have lived in a different place, landed on a different career path or met and fallen in love with someone else entirely? These are the questions and ruminations which beat at the heart of this quiet, thoughtful and stunning directorial debut from Celine Song.

Growing up together at a school in Seoul, Na Young and Hae Sung were classmates and childhood sweethearts who seemed destined to spend the rest of their lives together. However, their lives are taken in two different directions when Na Young’s family emigrates to Canada. Flash forward 12 years and Na Young – now going by the name Nora – is a playwright living in New York, while Hae Sung remained in Korea to study engineering. A chance search on social media allows the two of them to reconnect online but, Nora chooses to cease contact so both can focus on their careers. After a further 12 years pass, Kae Sung travels to New York to meet Nora in person, where they contemplate their time together in Korea, how their lives have turned out and ponder what might have been had they stayed together.

For as long as cinema has existed, there have been countless films which have explored romance, relationships and the complicated emotions that can form when two souls who seemed destined to be together are torn apart. Celine Song’s semi-autobiographical screenplay approaches its subject matter in a way which feels uniquely original and accomplishes this without coming across as overly sentimental. The exploration of a Korean concept known as “in-yeon”, where two souls during a chance encounter might have meant something much more to each other in a previous life, sounds quite soppy. Song’s script adds rich layers of emotional depth with a tinge of melancholy, to this heart-achingly beautiful story of romance, longing for a life we’ve never lived, and a rumination of the events which shape our lives.

As the central character of this exquisite love story, Greta Lee is terrific as Nora. We see how throughout her life, she is resolute in her ambition to achieve her goals as a playwright and initially seemed sure of who she would marry in the early stages of her life. However, when it comes to her personal life, she becomes torn between her childhood crush and Arthur (Magaro), the man she married after the two met on a writer’s retreat. The scenes between her and Hae are tenderly portrayed with often periods of silent reflection between them because sometimes silence says more than words ever could. Crucially, the film never strays into any melodrama particularly where Arthur is concerned as he could have been portrayed as a villain. However, Magaro’s layered performance ensures that the audience views him sympathetically as he understands the connection that once existed between his wife and Hae when they were young and doesn’t get in the way of the tender moments between these two former lovers.

The poignant score by Christopher Bear and Daniel Rossen reinforces the wistful and moving nature of the central story, to which Song bides her time and paces things deliberately slowly to allow the relationships between the central three characters to take their course. Sometimes, the most powerful stories come from our own experiences that we encounter during our journey through this mad, crazy and sometimes beautiful world that we live in. Those complicated, layered emotions from those moments where we find pastures new, meet and fall in love, and through no fault of our own, are forced to part ways are captured so succinctly by Song. Like its central characters, this is a film which will likely leave audiences deep in thought and reflection on their own lives once the credits start to roll.

A beautiful and profound character study of the complexities of the emotional and romantic bonds which shape the course of our lives. A masterful directorial debut from Celine Song.

2020-2029, Film Review

Queen & Slim (2020)

Posted on March 1, 2020March 2, 2020 by Martin: Through the Silver Screen

**Image is property of Universal, Makeready and eOne Entertainment**

Queen & Slim – Film Review

Cast: Daniel Kaluuya, Jodie Turner-Smith, Bokeem Woodbine, Chloë Sevigny, Flea, Sturgill Simpson, Indya Moore

Director: Melina Matsoukas

Synopsis: A young couple’s first date takes a considerably unexpected turn after being pulled over by the police…

Review: It’s hard to look past the inescapable fact that the United States has had, and continues to have, a major issue with racism. Similarly, It’s also an inescapable fact that endless number of stories that emerge of police officers who will be instantaneously overly aggressive/hostile in the most minor of situations, especially towards people of colour. Given that incidents such as these have caused innocent black people to lose their lives, it’s ripe for a filmmaker to use these injustices as an inspiration for a thought-provoking, powerful statement.

A young couple that we initially only know as Queen (Turner-Smith) and Slim (Kaluuya) are on their way home after a first date. After being pulled over by police for a supposed infraction, it doesn’t take long for the officer to get aggressive towards them. After pulling his gun following a tense exchange, it has disastrous consequences as he is shot dead by Slim in self-defence. As the police launch a manhunt and arrest warrants for the pair, knowing that they face a very severe punishment if they’re caught, the two of them have no choice but to go on the run and flee for their lives.

As the pair of tragic lovers at the centre of this, Daniel Kaluuya and Jodie Turner-Smith both give layered, terrific performances. Kaluuya, following his Oscar nomination a few years ago, continues his hot streak with as he produces another sublime performance. Similarly, after a few bit part roles in a few films, this is Turner-Smith’s moment in the spotlight and she grabs it with both hands. Given that they’re initially on a first date, their chemistry isn’t exactly strong at first. However, as their journey goes on, you can feel these two grow closer together. Furthermore, if their characters not compelling on-screen presences, the film would run out of steam pretty quickly. However, they carry the film on their shoulders magnificently.

Matsoukas, having been quite prolific directing music videos, makes her feature film debut with real aplomb. She brings a bold vision to the film, that’s aided by some gorgeous cinematography. Whilst visually stunning, she imbues it with grittiness and realism, given that the events depicted feel very grounded in a 21st century America. However, the Achilles heel of the film is the script. Penned by Lena Waithe, while the film weaves important social themes into its script, it does suffer from pacing issues in a couple of places. There’s one intense scene in particular that puts the struggles that Queen and Slim, face into a much wider, and important context. Yet the decision made to pitch this side by side, with another scene that feels like a complete tonal mismatch, that adversely affects the pacing.

It would be easy for a film with subject matter like this to just rely on its timely, and urgent, social commentary. While that by itself is not enough to carry the film on its own, it simply doesn’t rely on these to tell its compelling story. Furthermore, the growing anger towards the treatment of African Americans at the hands of the police, that has fuelled movements such as Black Lives Matter gives the film some significant emotional significance. It’s powerful, for the simple reason that this is, inexcusably, an event that is all too common in modern day America.

Fuelled by extremely compelling lead performances, combined with powerful and relevant social commentary. Queen & Slim is tragic love story that is unequivocally unafraid to pull any punches.

2010-2019, Film Review

If Beale Street Could Talk (2019)

Posted on February 11, 2019February 11, 2019 by Martin: Through the Silver Screen

**Image is property of AnnaPurna Pictures and Plan B**

If Beale Street Could Talk – Film Review

Cast: KiKi Layne, Stephan James, Regina King, Ed Skrein, Brian Tyree Henry, Colman Domingo, Teyonah Parris, Michael Beach, Dave Franco, Diego Luna
Pedro Pascal

Director: Barry Jenkins

Synopsis: After finding out she is expecting a baby with her partner, a young woman and her family seek to clear her lover’s name after he is arrested for a crime he did not commit…

Review: What do you do when only your second feature length directorial feature wins you an Academy Award for its screenplay, as well as (eventually) the Academy Award for Best Picture? This was the quandary for Barry Jenkins, the writer/director of Moonlight, having been catapulted him into the spotlight by the film’s incredible success. The answer to that question, is to make something that’s cut from a similar cloth as Moonlight, a story that tells a very human, emotional journey.

Adapted from the novel of the same name by James Baldwin, we are taken back to 1970s Harlem, where we meet Tish (Layne) and Alfonso (or Fonny as Tish affectionately calls him), two beautiful young people who, having been very close as children, have since become a blossoming couple, seemingly made for one another. However, their romantic bubble is burst when when Fonny is arrested and charged with a horrific crime that Tish insists he is innocent of, and Tish and her family must do whatever they can to clear Fonny of these charges.

On the surface, this would appear to be a simple story about the love that two young people have for each other, and the desperate bid to prove her husband-to-be innocent of the crime he is being accused of. And while it is undeniably beautiful and romantic to watch these two fall in love with each other, much like his work with Moonlight Jenkins’s screenplay goes much deeper than that exploring a variety of themes such as racism, family and the brutal horrors of the justice system that can bring such an unfair injustices to Black communities and devastate these families across America, even when people may be innocent of the crimes they are being accused of.

As the main couple, KiKi Layne and Stephan James are both excellent. Their chemistry is just so honest and authentic that you completely buy them as a couple. You revel in their moments of love and affection for one another, and are equally devastated when they are torn away from one another. As Tish’s mother Sharon, Regina King is just utterly marvellous as she leads the fight to win her prospective son-in-law’s freedom, even in the face of extremely long and difficult odds, and indifference from some members of Fonny’s family to Tish’s plight.

The cinematography from James Laxton is once again sumptuous to look out, even when the circumstances may be extremely bleak, his cinematography shines a hopeful light on the situation of this couple. Nicholas Britell also returns to provide the score, and once again, the work he does to add to the romanticism and by contrast, the heartbreak of this story is remarkable. For those who might have had issues with Moonlight’s pacing, they could well run into some issues again here as Jenkins does take his time to slowly build up Tish and Fonny’s relationship. Though some scenes do feel necessary, others do drag on perhaps for a tad longer than they really need to.

For characters depicted in the 1970s, Jenkins’s characters feel very contemporary and the story and the themes are very topical, but the film never gets preachy with the events depicted on screen. It is above all else, a very sweet story about the love two people have for one another, and the challenge that the human spirit faces when facing the going up against the cruel nature of the world and its institutions, Barry Jenkins has once again crafted something that, in these very emotionally charged times, he has made a film that will speak something to everyone who sees it.

Beautiful and melancholic,sometimes in the same shot, with a fantastic ensemble of well realised characters, Jenkins once again crafts a moving tale of love and hope in the face of terrible adversity.

2010-2019, Film Review

A Star is Born (2018)

Posted on October 7, 2018January 28, 2024 by Martin: Through the Silver Screen

**Image is property of Warner Bros. Pictures, Live Nation Entertainment and Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer**

A Star is Born – Film Review

Cast: Bradley Cooper, Lady Gaga, Sam Elliott, Dave Chappelle, Andrew Dice Clay

Director: Bradley Cooper

Synopsis: Renowned musician Jackson Maine (Cooper) meets and falls in love with aspiring singer Ally (Gaga). As their romance blossoms, her career starts to take off, while his begins to falter…

Review: Hollywood right now certainly isn’t shy of remaking a great many films over the years. While some remakes can miss the mark, there are instances in which a remake can achieve something remarkable. No matter what is being remade, one has to take whatever was made previously and make it feel new something new and fresh, a story that deserves to be introduced to a whole new generation, and that is precisely what writer/director/producer/star Bradley Cooper does.

Cooper is Jackson Maine, a singer who is no doubt talented at what he does. Yet right from when we meet him, it is clear that he is battling some intense personal demons, and is in the twilight of what seemed to be a glittering career. After one gig, he find a bar where Ally is performing, and almost instantaneously he is smitten by her and her incredible voice. The two begin a romance and during one show he invites her onto the stage to perform, and as the title of the film suggests, a star is most definitely born as Ally’s career begins a stratospheric rise to the top. Yet it is not all good for Ally, as Jackson’s demons begin to take a toll on him, which threatens to tear their relationship apart.

Cooper has shown his versatility in recent years with a diverse range of characters that has seen him pick up four Oscar nominations. Still, his portrayal of this troubled singer is potentially some of his best-ever work in the acting department. You can just feel his anger at various things that have happened to him in his life, and the intense personal battles he is currently fighting that are just wearing him down. But it is Lady Gaga who is the real acting revelation. Though she has graced the silver screen before, her performance is astonishing. She captures the anxiety of a woman who wants to pursue her dream but is unsure of whether she really has the ability to make a success of it.

Given their relationship is a central piece of the film, Gaga and Cooper have excellent chemistry together, Like many relationships, they endure testing times, but you really feel their love for one another, even though they both have some concerns. For Jackson, it’s the direction that Ally’s career goes in, and for Ally, it is Jackson’s battles with addiction and substance abuse. The film has quite a bit to say about the modern music industry, that seems to favour extremely well-polished and aesthetically pleasing artists, over those who harbour real musical talent. While Gaga has certainly had her controversial moments in the music business thus far, her talent as a singer cannot be disputed and along with Cooper, there is a plethora of raw and heartfelt emotion behind these beautiful songs.

There is a lot happening here but the screenplay by Cooper, along with Eric Roth and Will Fetters, does a tremendous job of balancing things out as for every euphoric moment of joy, comes a moment of melancholic sadness, but the film does not allow itself to get too bogged down in either for any significant amount of time. For a directorial debut, there is a lot to admire as to what Cooper brings to the table, most notably when it comes to the live performances. The camerawork and cinematography really make you feel like you are at these gigs watching these talented performers bring these songs to life in a superb manner.

Remakes so often can feel like there simply was not a need for them to have been made. However, the sterling work of Cooper and Gaga especially ensure that although this is the fourth version of this story to be told, it feels necessary for it to be retold to a new generation. With such raw emotion packed into its story and characters, A Star is Born will almost certainly be shining very brightly when we get to the business end of awards season.

Combining beautiful music with a story that packs emotion with extremely relevant themes for 21st-century audiences, along with two electric leading performances, this is how you do a successful remake.

2010-2019, Film Review

Phantom Thread (2018)

Posted on February 26, 2018February 26, 2018 by Martin: Through the Silver Screen

**Image is property of Universal Pictures and Annapurna Pictures**

Phantom Thread – Film Review

Cast: Daniel Day-Lewis, Lesley Manville, Vicki Krieps

Director: Paul Thomas Anderson

Synopsis: Reynolds Woodcock is an accomplished dress designer, with a set daily routine and some extremely wealthy clientele. When he meets Alma, a strong willed woman, his daily life and routine is turned upside down.

Review: When it comes to actors and method acting, there is perhaps no one who does this better than the one and the only Daniel Day-Lewis. With every role he takes on, he goes to extraordinary lengths to get into character, and he has done so across his career. It is an approach that has served him well, becoming the only man to win three Best Actor gongs. Reuniting with his There Will Be Blood director Paul Thomas Anderson, for one last hurrah after he announced he would retire from the profession, it is safe to say that one of the most legendary actors to ever grace our screens has gone out on a very high note indeed.

Telling the story of meticulous fashion designer Reynolds Woodcock, living in 1950s London. He is a man who lives his life with a very strict routine and any break from that routine is most certainly not welcome. Yet whilst on a break from his daily life he meets a woman named Alma (Krieps) and falls head over heels for her. Before long the two of them are in a relationship with Alma assisting Reynolds as he makes his luxury garments. Yet while Alma’s arrival is initially a joyful one, things soon start to turn a little difficult as Alma’s presence starts to interrupt his fastidious way of life.

With this his swansong performance, he once again adopted his meticulous approach to the roles he takes on, as he learned how to create and design a dress all on his own, and it adds so much sincerity and conviction to his performance, you really get the impression that he’s a man who not only knows his craft, but is one of the best in the business. Of course by being so good at what he does, it does mean he comes into friction with people when his routine is disturbed. These people are mainly of course Alma, and his sister Cyril (Manville) who is an instrumental part of why Reynolds’s business is the success it is.

Opposite Day Lewis, who of course has landed a final nomination, both women really shine in excellent performances that earned Manville an Oscar nomination. Both have to wrestle with Reynolds’s stubborn mannerisms, but Krieps can count herself really unfortunate to not have landed one as well as it’s her relationship with Reynolds that becomes the spotlight of the picture. To hold her own opposite Day Lewis, and perhaps maybe even outshine him is an extraordinary feat that should see more scripts get pushed in her direction.

Like the process of designing and making an extravagant gown probably is, the film is written and directed meticulously and superbly by Anderson. He takes his time with his three principal characters and gives each of them their moment to really shine. All three are extremely well fleshed out and strong-willed and so to see the sparks fly between these very fierce personalities clash is almost always utterly compelling.

Something would have gone very badly amiss if the costumes on display weren’t absolutely sumptuous, rest assured that is simply not the case. The production design likewise is immaculate, as is the beautiful cinematography and Jonny Greenwood’s score is both beautiful and haunting in equal measure. The film does maybe suffer from a few pacing issues in part, but it remains an exquisite piece of cinema and if this is to be Daniel Day Lewis’s final bow, then this truly magnificently talented man has ensured that he leaves behind a legacy to the art form of cinema that will never diminish.

Immaculate production elements combined with three remarkable performances ensure that Day-Lewis is given a send off worthy of one of the finest actors to ever grace the big screen.

2010-2019, Film Review

The Shape of Water (2018)

Posted on February 24, 2018March 5, 2018 by Martin: Through the Silver Screen

**Image is property of Fox Searchlight Pictures and TSG Entertainment**

The Shape of Water – Film Review

Cast: Sally Hawkins, Richard Jenkins, Octavia Spencer, Doug Jones, Michael Shannon, Michael Stuhlbarg

Director: Guillermo del Toro

Synopsis: In the middle of the Cold War, a mute woman working at a top secret research facility develops a unique relationship with an amphibious creature that has been brought in for testing.

Review: Hollywood is certainly no stranger to stories about love, but when you have a director like Guillermo del Toro, here’s a filmmaker who’s certainly no stranger to making a couple of films about some intriguing creatures. Hence, to merge these together for a film with themes of love and acceptance at its core, and fuse these with some fantasy elements, it’s a unique mishmash of genres, the latter of which is right up del Toro’s alley. It’s most definitely bold film-making, but it also happens to be exquisite and beautiful film-making at the same time.

Set in Cold War 1960s USA, Elisa (Hawkins) is a mute woman working at a top secret research facility as a cleaner. She goes about her shift as normal with close friend and co-worker Zelda (Spencer). Their job is very unremarkable, about as mundane as it gets. This is until the arrival of an extremely rare amphibian creature that has been brought in to give the USA an advantage in the Cold War arms race changes everything for Elisa as she forms a very close relationship with the creature.

To have a leading role in a film and be a mute requires an actor to have extraordinary ability, and thankfully Sally Hawkins has that in abundance as she delivers a truly remarkable performance. Without saying a word she manages to convey the trauma that her past has clearly inflicted on her. Yet through it all she shows such raw and powerful emotion, about her life and her feelings for those around her, which is an extraordinary accomplishment. The way that del Toro builds the relationship with his leading lady and the creature (portrayed by GDT regular Doug Jones) is beautiful to watch and to do so without either character uttering a word is all the more remarkable. It serves as a timely reminder that love is such a powerful emotion that it transcends anything, be it disability, gender, race, religion.

Alongside Hawkins, Octavia Spencer provides excellent support as Elisa’s best friend and who also serves as her sign language translator. Likewise for Richard Jenkins as Elisa’s roommate who’s desperately trying to get back on the scene as an artist, who also has his own set of problems that he’s trying to fight. The two of them give Elisa the support she needs as she tries to build her romance with the creature. On the opposite side of that coin comes Michael Shannon’s Strickland, who definitely does not share the emotional connection that Elisa has for the creature. It’s a similar role for Shannon, this no nonsense mean-spirited bad guy, but he does it so well it’s undeniably intriguing to watch.

The work done by the make up team to create the creature is once again absolutely extraordinary, and with some absolutely mesmerising production design and cinematography. The film looks immaculately beautiful, which works to reflect the incredibly heartfelt and touching story that del Toro brings to the screen, which is boosted by an immaculate score provided by Alexandre Desplat. Not everything that you see on screen is pretty mind you, what with it being set in the Cold War, there’s a fair few agendas flying around.

The central themes that this film champions remain as relevant today as they did over half a century ago. Pitching this film was probably not the easiest film to have been given the green light, but when you have a director like del Toro on board you’ve got enormous potential for greatness, and this is his drenched masterpiece.

A beautiful blend of genres results in a touching and powerful story, soaked with gorgeous visuals and an absolutely stunning turn from Hawkins, this is cinema at its most majestic and magical.

2010-2019

Beauty and the Beast (2017)

Posted on March 19, 2017 by Martin: Through the Silver Screen

Image is property of Walt Disney Studios Motion Pictures

Beauty and the Beast (2017) – Film Review

Cast: Emma Watson, Dan Stevens, Luke Evans, Josh Gad, Kevin Kline, Ian McKellen, Ewan McGregor, Emma Thompson, Stanley Tucci,

Director: Bill Condon

Synopsis: A live action retelling of the story of a young woman who becomes the prisoner of a terrifying beast in a frightening castle, who’s running out of time to lift a terrible curse placed upon him…

Review: When as a studio you have made an extremely successful bunch of animated films, many of which truly are timeless classics, where do you go from there? The answer is simple really, bring said classics back to the big screen by retelling them via the magic of live action movie making. For Disney Studios, that certainly is the plan and they’re certainly going full steam ahead. First came Maleficent, then Cinderella, The Jungle Book, and now the tale as old as time has received the live action treatment. Disney’s 1991 animated classic is beloved by just about everyone with a pulse (probably) so the challenge facing the filmmakers cannot have been an easy one, but it is one that they rose to in magnifique style!

Given how beloved the animated version is, there’s much here that they have wisely decided not to alter with things too much. The story is essentially the same as the beautiful Belle, who’s not much liked by the other people in her sleepy little French village, except for Gaston (Evans) of course, who lusts after her. However Belle’s feelings for Gaston are not mutual, understandable given he’s an extremely pompous idiot. But when Belle’s father ends up imprisoned by the Beast, she offers to take his place, and of course they fall in love in true Disney fashion. The script written by Stephen Chbosky and Evan Spiliotopoulos does follow its predecessor for the most part, but does make the brave but inspired choice to add some new material, which adds just that little bit more depth to the story.

Watson really fits the role of Belle perfectly, she’s sweet, beautiful and certainly isn’t afraid to speak her mind when she has to. Dan Stevens also puts in a really solid performance as the eponymous Beast. His beastly appearance is achieved via motion capture and though is a little jarring to look at first, it is overall very well done, and when he needs to be scary, he certainly is scary, which may frighten some of the younger viewers. The leading duo certainly have the chemistry that is needed to ensure that this remake didn’t end up being a monstrosity of hideous proportions. The rest of the supporting cast is impeccably cast, Evans is tremendous as Gaston, with Ian McKellen as Cogsworth, Emma Thompson as Mrs Potts, and Ewan McGregor as the scene stealing Lumiere, and the CG for these guys is for the most part, really well done. The controversy surrounding Josh Gad’s LeFou has certainly generated a lot of attention, and though his character is obviously that way inclined, its not in-your-face in the slightest.

It wouldn’t be a Disney film without the music, and though there are a few new additions in terms of musical numbers, the standout (again) is Lumiere’s rendition of Be Our Guest. Watson too is able to hold her own on the musical side of things and though her versions of songs like Something There don’t quite match up to the versions performed in the animated predecessor, indeed all of the songs from said version are much better, but the tunes are more than pleasant to listen to. What is recaptured tremendously well is the magical nature of the story, which is no small part down to the gorgeous production design and set decoration by Sarah Greenwood and Katie Spencer. Jacqueline Durran’s costumes too are just beautifully recreated and extremely award worthy. Sales of yellow dresses are likely to go through the roof!

Whatever inspired Disney and their mission to recreate their animated masterpieces into live action we may never know, but what we do know is they’re pulling it out of the bag time after time. The key job of a remake is to take a story that audiences are familiar with and breathe new life into said story, and while the animated feature is and will always be an animated masterpiece, this re-imagining of the tale as old as time, is certainly worth your time.