My Top 10: Live Action Disney Films

When some people hear Disney, they immediately think of animated films. But it's easy to forget that the same studio have produced some high-quality live-action films that have become as much of an instant classic, as their animated cousins.

Disney have been doing live-action films almost as long as their animations. While most of their productions look rather dated these days, there's still enough that have stood the test of time.

My top 10 I feel has a nice range both in terms of genre and of release date.

I must mention that I initially had Bridge To Terabithia in my top 10. But as it's distributor for the UK is Icon Film Distribution, it's not in my list. It's seen as a Disney production only in America.

Narrowly missing out on my top 10 that deserves honorable mentions, is Bedknobs And Broomsticks and Swiss Family Robinson. The former is a 1971 animation live-action hybrid is still loved by many. It has catchy songs, a great story, nice use of animation and a terrific mix of history, comedy, fantasy and all suitable for family viewing. Even typing this now makes me want to re-visit it.

As for the latter, this is a thrilling adventure story that I loved as a kid and for me still has the same credibility for today. It has the Caribbean as a backdrop, dangerous pirates and a great family to lead the way.
I must mention that some of the imagery may feel dated and occasionally unsettling, including what may look like animal abuse. But trust me when I say this, all of what you see is due to top animal training and the magic of editing and sound design

But sadly, I felt there were 10 films better than this, and here they are:

10) The Jungle Book (2016) - The live-action remake of the 1967 animation and one of the few that manages to not only work, but surpass the animated version.

The wonderful CGI, well executed story with added depth and the changes made mixed with homages to the animated original.
This is for me is clearly the best of the recent remakes.

9) Saving Mr. Banks - The story about how Mary Poppins was made through two different timelines.

Say what you want about the historical inaccuracies, the emotions it gets out of you makes you forget abut that.

This is a wonderful story with top performances and certainly makes you want to watch the film its covering straight after.

8) Pirates Of The Caribbean: The Curse Of The Black Pearl - The one that started one of the most successful franchises from this studio.

It sees eccentric pirate be hired by the blacksmith to save his love from a band of undead pirates.

It's great fun, has everything you want in a pirate adventure film and introduces to one of Disney's most iconic characters.

7) Miracle - The biographical drama of the American Ice Hockey team looking to topple the dominant Soviet team at the 1980 Winter Olympics.

Whether you know the story, it does everything you want from an underdog sports film.
It's fronted by a good performance by Kurt Russell, and while my love for the Mighty Ducks trilogy is unparalleled, this is the best Ice Hockey film.

6) Pirates Of The Caribbean: Dead Man's Chest - The second installment of the POTC franchise, and controversially the best in the series in my view.

It's multiple story lines for me works and all came to an epic climax. It introduces a terrifying villain and expands the world so beautifully.

This is a pure thrill ride that proved to me that is franchise can go far.

5) The Greatest Game Ever Played - We continue the sports thread with my favourite Golf film, that is also a Disney production.

It tells the true story of the 1913 US Open Golf championships that focuses on a caddy that is looking to fulfill his dream to take on the world's best.

It has a strong Shia LaBeouf performance, has all the underdog magic and a highly emotional moment in the final act.

4) Remember The Titans - The third sports film based on a true story within this list, and the most impactful.

This wonderful story is developed so well, it gives loads of highly engaging characters and that is all lead by Denzel Washington with one of his best performances.

You may need to know American Football to get the full experiences. But the strength of the themes can please anyone.

3) Mary Poppins - What else is there to say that hasn't been said about this 1964 family classic?

This was the film that introduced us to Julie Andrews, and her performance is astonihsing.
Also, the music is wonderfully written and it deals with topics that you can see in a different way the older you get and has the most joyous vibe you could possibly imagine.

If you haven't seen this, then how have you missed this?

2) Bridge To Terabithia - A wonderful and moving fantasy drama that sees a boy become friends with the daughter of a family that have recently moved next door to them.

It tells a great message of friendship, childhood and individuality and is told in a very mature way. The performances are great and is one of the only film that makes me cry every time I watch it.

1) Return To Oz - Long-time followers of mine will have probably have guessed that cult classic would at least be high up on this list.

This unofficial sequel to the 1939 classic, sees Dorothy return to the land of Oz six months after the first visit. Much has changed, and Dorothy along with new friends must take a dangerous being.

While some may deem this too scary for family viewing, the mature themes and more in depth plot to its predecessor gives this a wonderful vibe for any group. Plus, it's truer to the books and has wonderful practical effects that still haunts me to this day in one particular scene.

Review: Togo

My first viewing of probably many Disney+ originals to come.

With Disney now putting their name into the streaming wars, it is important for them to bring out strong original content to show that it's not just about the classics.

So with this having a Call Of The Wild, White Fang or Eight Below vibe about it, I was certainly expecting some entertainment and emotions through the eyes of some sweet looking dogs.

In terms of the story, it's a safe and winning formula that is perfectly fine in its execution. But it was the use of the emotional side of the story was where it succeeded. Even if you probably know how certain parts of the story are going to turn out, the way it pulls at your heart strings, don't be surprised if a tear or two is shed.
Also with these type of films naturally involving huskies, I liked that they involved the mystical element to the dog and its history of being used within the snowy mountains.

Willem Dafoe does a great job in the leading role. His chemistry with the titular character is authentic and you believe in their friendship throughout. The last few years has reminded us why Dafoe is a terrific actor and I would see some of his back catalogue from 2017 onwards.

While I'm glad it is getting a lot of really high praise from the audience as well as the critics, I'm not quite up there with them.
It is most definitely an enjoyable watch that is based off an iconic true American story. But I think the formulaic story is something that I have seen done better such as Eight Below.
But what makes it a memorable viewing experience is the emotions it gets out of you, and it would take a really cold person to not be effected by it.

With this being a Disney+ original, I cannot see the quality of these films matching their cinematic releases. But if you have a rainy day or a quiet afternoon for some pleasant family viewing, then I can see Disney+ having some original content that fill that gap and this film could be the first of many to do that.

Rating: 7/10

Review: Motherless Brooklyn

I was fairly excited to see this as it was bringing out a genre that is almost becoming a myth for many demographics. That genre is film-noir.

Plus, I knew I was expecting a lot of passion to be presented on screen as Ed Norton was playing the lead as well as being director. Norton is certainly the type of guy that puts their heart and soul into their projects and make sure it's as authentic as possible.

When seeing it, you certainly feel you have been to transported to 1950's New York. The smell of the streets, the noise of the cars and the general New York hustle and bustle. So in terms of the production design, it's of the highest quality.

As for the story, it's a pretty solid one and felt refreshing enough to be a pretty engaging three act structure. It might feel old fashioned for some. But for others, it's a nice re-visit to a genre long forgotten.

Ed Norton goes a good job as the lead. He gave himself a nice challenging addition to his character and feel it enhanced the character rather well, both physically and in his dialogue.
His chemistry with Gugu Mbatha-Raw was brought into the story at the right time and really helped the second half move along.
The support did a handsome job by helping the story and never feel they were phoning it in. So props to this high-calibre ensemble cast such as Alec Baldwin, Bobby Cannavale, Willem Dafoe, Bruce Willis and Ethan Suplee.

The negatives never really detracted my views on the positives. But there are some. The duration is rather lengthy at just under 2hrs 30mins as you do feel it in part. Also as mentioned before, I can see the old fashioned vibe about it might not work with some members of the audience.

But I managed to enjoy it more then I expected. I was fearing this would be a well-produced slog. In parts, I got exactly that. But overall, I feel the story is engaging enough to be a worthy watch and that is thanks to the performances and Norton's passion that you can feel as the film moves along.

Rating: 7/10

Review: Parasite

Every few years, a film not in the English language does seem to stand out so much that it becomes an Oscar contender.

We've had it in the past with Roma, Amour, Pan's Labyrinth, Crouching Tiger Hidden Dragon to name but a few.

Now we have a feature from South Korea coming into the mix from a brilliant director Bong-Joon Ho. Some of you may be aware of his work from films such as Okja, The Host and Snowpiercer.

With many people calling it his masterpiece, I was certainly intrigued to see what all the fuss about. I think putting the film on such a pedestal, there is that high amount of expectation. So after seeing that, a part of me was disappointed not to initially join that bandwagon. However, not only is there a lot to love and appreciate. But I can certainly see myself labelling it as a masterpiece on future viewings.

The best way to see it is knowing as little as possible about it. It covers the expected topics that you get from a Bong-Joon Ho film. The pacing of the film brewed up the story nicely and made the unexpected twists a joy to experience. I noticed the precision of the story's development. It was like watching a Swiss watch at work.
The ending might not be your typical Hollywood ending and it might not satisfy general viewers. But I think if you know what type of films Bong-Joon Ho, then you will see it as a very satisfying one. It does give a sense of depression and melancholia. But it is a very rewarding final act that completes the overall themes of the film.

All the performances played their part well and gave us a very strong ensemble. All of that was lead by Bong-Joon Ho regular and Korean acting legend Kang-Ho Song. I hope this gives him projects outside of his home country, because he deserves mainstream appeal.

The production design of this is of a high-quality. The cinematography capitalises on its various environments well to get the message across. Also, I noticed the score by Jaeil Jung showed a lot of variety and made this film go through multiple genres.

While it may take multiple viewings for me to discover more of its layers and possibly call this a masterpiece, this is most definitely a well crafted and gripping piece of work.
So much of the story and its development just felt like pure cinema to me and whether you end up liking it or not, it is certainly a film we should all experience.

There's plenty of characters to get invested with, the themes in its are relatable and topical and the twists this film takes catches you off guard virtually every time.

I hope people give this film a chance as I feel it can break barriers with certain demographics with their assumptions on films with subtitles. Bong-Joon Ho is a masterful director even before making this, and it would be a shame for people to never experience any of his back catalogue.
I remember Pan's Labyrinth doing that for people in the last decade, Parasite may have done it at the end of this one.

Rating: 8/10

Review: Weathering With You

Since having a highly memorable cinematic experience in 2016 after seeing 'Your Name', I have been catching up with the rest of the back catalogue of director Makoto Shinkai.

'Your Name' further branched my knowledge of anime and manga and for me is one of the best films of the decade.
Now with this new film, my anticipation was as high as you could imagine.

The story is a very interesting and engage one for the most part. I enjoyed the characters and believed in their sympathy. The beautiful animation Shinkai gets in his films continue to be as beautiful and detailed as ever with many gorgeous sequences further enhancing the imagery.
While it does have its moments of magic and joy, it doesn't reach the heights of 'Your Name' by a comfortable distance. The characters aren't rich enough, the story doesn't move along as well and it is nowhere near as satisfying in its ending.

I think riding on the coat tails of 'Your Name' will make seem like a disappointment for some people. I'm kind of in that same ball park. However, I still enjoyed this. The story makes it worth your time, has many memorable moments, the animation is gorgeous and the characters are likable. The final act is somewhat confusing as it feels it's trying to get multiple emotions out of the viewer all at once. While I wasn't sure what to make of the ending, I hope multiple viewings will rectify that.
For now, I will say this is an enjoyable watch with some flaws along the way.

Rating: 7/10

Review: 1917

Not only a new Sam Mendes film, but what looks to be the Oscar front-runner. Two big reasons for not only to get me excited, but a whole lot of other people.

Mendes is a strong film-maker and certainly one to be cherished every time a new project of his arrives. Especially when he seems to make a new film every three years on average when you look at his filmography.

I must say this is definitely up there with his best work, and some will see it as most rewarding project.
The look and vibe of it reminded me a lot of Gravity and Dunkirk. It's all about the spectacle and the event, but has little in the way of character development.  Thankfully, it still hit me as hard emotionally like the aforementioned films did.
Plus, there is also similarities to Birdman in regards to its cinematography. That means that this film is made to look like one continuous shot. I'm always a sucker for this concept as I want to see how creative the director and their team can be with this.
The cinematography is terrific. It's done by the incredible Roger Deakins and he is certainly on his way to another Oscar nomination and maybe his second Oscar win. Some of my favourite scenes were due to the cinematography that made a surreal experience. They really show off the details of the production design and chose wisely the angles they were shooting at to execute certain reveals in a particular way.

As for the story, it's a simple one to follow and to some people it will play out like a video game, which could divide some of the audience. But I was honestly fine with it, as it never detracted my enjoyment.
Plus, the strong performances made up for it and enhance other aspects. It's all thanks to George MacKay and Dean-Charles Chapman. Them carrying the film is essential to its success and they pull it off nicely. I'm a big fan of MacKay and he continues to never fail me in his talents.
There are big A-listers doing small roles, and Colin Firth, Daniel Meys, Mark Strong and Benedict Cumberbatch certainly most of their short time on-screen with memorable scenes.

Yes with some character development, it could have been the total package. But I will still settle for an emotionally charged ride with some jaw-dropping set pieces and making the viewer constantly on the edge for the entire duration.
This film for me really captured the vibe of that lost generation that fought for this country, and I hope it does to you to.

Rating: 8/10

Review: Little Women

I remember seeing the 1994 version, really enjoying it and seeing it as one of the few period dramas that I genuinely believe can appeal to everyone. I think it is due to the story, the engaging characters the general joyous vibe you can get out of it.

Now this latest version sees Greta Gerwig at the helm, and basically Hollywood's best female actors in their 20's playing the iconic four March sisters.

I can safely say that I got all the feelings that I felt during the 90's version, and then some. There is a great deal of charm, warmth and just pure happiness coming from it. I also admired the changes to the structure Gerwig gave to this to shake it up. It was perfect balance of remembering how good this story is whilst making it as refreshing as possible.

The performances across the board were all tip top. Saoirse Ronan continues to be as great as ever and the lead the film with great maturity. Florence Pugh really shone and easily stole the show as best of the supporting cast. I expect her to be involved in the awards season.
It was great seeing Emma Watson back on screen as I know she does not do as many projects since Harry Potter and Eliza Scanlen really made of the most of her opportunity to show the world what a promising talent she is.
Laura Dern used her experience well to help her younger cast control the screen. I'm glad to see Dern virtually have a second wind in her career as some people will still know her for just Jurassic Park.
There were also memorable performances by Timothee Chalamet, Chris Cooper and Meryl Streep.

I honestly don't have any notable negatives to speak of. So it just depends on the strength of my enjoyment and where I rate this.

For me, this is a very strong adaptation that has you feeling all the emotions. People who know the story will fall in love with it all over again, and first timers will have a great time and be introduced to many rich characters.
It's well directed, the cast are absolutely spot on and it gives you an experience that makes you want to actually be there. Whether or not you've seen previous version, it's just a joyous watch. Despite it being a period drama, there's a great modern touch to it. It's also shot beautifully and the production looks fantastic.
I did have a worry that with the current climate we're in, all the moments of feminism would feel forced. But I'm so happy to say that it never felt preachy and felt integral to the story. I'm glad I was proved wrong. This is a definitely the perfect recipe if you need your spirits lifted.

Rating: 8/10

Review: Cats

My expectations for the film have changed dramatically since first hearing about it.

When I heard that Tom Hooper, the director of The King's Speech and Les Miserables would be direct this, I just knew I had to check this. My Oscar contender hype went up higher as the cast list was gradually being announced.

But then as soon as I saw the trailer, I wasn't sure. I certainly still had hope compared to the majority that was instantly quashing this project.

After seeing it, I can certainly find some positives. So I'm not totally on the bandwagon that is labeling this one of the worst films of the decade.

All I knew about this story was the clips I remember seeing of the iconic theatrical production during my childhood. I recall being intrigued by the choreography, costumes and the songs. But I never knew what it was about. While the plot may sound completely outlandish, I could find a story that I could get behind with.
But sadly the approach to the whole project just felt they missed the mark. The lack of a practical production just felt as if the magic was missing. Plus, the lack of commitment with certain aspects of the story for me felt as if they were hesitant and not going all out with this.
However, I have to agree with everyone that visual effects were off-putting. As I much respected their choice, the inconsistency on the scale of sets in line with the people/cats, and their faces not quite always in line with the actual bodies of their characters just made it a constant distraction.

Not even the power of the songs and the choreography could completely redeem it's problems. It did up to a point, as someone who has not heard the complete soundtrack, the songs on the whole were
very enjoyable.

There were some good performance in the middle of all of this. With Francesca Hayward having more of a dance background, I felt she did a good job as the lead. I can say the same for Robbie Fairchild who had some memorable moments in the opening act with Hayward.
As for singers involved, I feel Jason Derulo did a decent job. But I feel Taylor Swift had a scene-stealing scene by executing what was my favourite song in the film and pulling off a British accent extremely well.
The best from the legitimate actors for came from Ian McKellan. It's a small role that is only used for one song. But I think his physical aspect showed great commitment to the cause and it paid off well.
Jennifer Hudson did a great job in carrying the most iconic part of the film and continues to show how fantastic of a singer she is.

Sadly for James Corden and Rebel Wilson, they both looked to be in a totally different film and were just basically playing themselves. Whenever they were on screen, it took me right out of the film  and Wilson's introduction scene in particular was totally unforgivable.
I could kind of say the same with Idris Elba and Judi Dench. But I think they were just not the right casting choice.

While I feel this was a bit of a dud. I did find enough redeemable features that I could walk away from with great fondness to not make this a total waste of my time.
There is a good film in here. It seems that it needs a particular visionary director that will fully commit to the strangeness and make it accessible.
The songs are bulletproof, a more practical approach can make this more pleasing for the eyes and you can definitely add to the mythology with a strong script.

Sadly for Tom Hooper and his team, it just didn't work as an overall product. It is a shame. But I know how good Hooper has been and I will continue to be on the lookout for his next venture.

Rating: 6/10

Review: Star Wars: The Rise Of Skywalker

The supposedly final chapter in the Star Wars main saga, and saying it's been a wild ride through this current phase of the franchise would be an understatement.

For me, I think the journey Star Wars has taken is one of missed opportunities when it comes to the main saga. Saying I have preferred the spin-offs of Rogue One and Solo should be enough to say why.

Don't get me wrong, there has been many enjoyable moments from The Force Awakens and The Last Jedi. But I have also seen many 'what could have been' opportunities missed. I won't go into detail as I'm not in the mood to write an entire essay on it at the moment. But all I'll say is once I saw The Last Jedi and the articles relating to how it was made gave me enough evidence to suggest that the studio never had a plan as to where this new trilogy was going. It ended up with different directors having different ideas giving us conflicting films. But with Force Awakens director J.J Abrams back, I'm seeing this final chapter as more of a clean-up operation then an epic conclusion to the most beloved film franchise of all-time.

From the start, I could already see decisions being made that would please certain fans. For me, I was on board with it and willing to see where it went.
The action was moving along nicely with some enjoyable set pieces and I was pleased that we got to see the bulk of our younger cast actually work together rather than being spread across the galaxy. Seeing that showed off some great chemistry that we have yet to see.
I was also enjoying some of the new characters and destinations that were being introduced.

I did notice the pacing of the movie was pretty fast. So fast in fact, that you don't have time to instantly notice the incoherent parts of the film. Whether that was done on purpose, I don't know. But what I did notice the longer the film went, was that some parts of the story were noticeably becoming unnecessarily complex in its execution. There were also a fair few moments where logic went out the window. Thankfully, I went with it for the most part and there was a fun vibe throughout it, and that's what kept me engaged.
I think if you can do that, then you will get the best enjoyment possible from this particular feature. While the final scene did its best to make me disagree with it, my care levels weren't that high by the end as I knew this trilogy was already off the rails.

The performances were very good on the whole. Daisy Ridley continued to show great strength in her character and despite her story arch not quite fully fledged in my opinion. I've always appreciated her physical acting especially and in this film it remains her strongest quality in my opinion.
I have the same feeling towards Adam Driver. A terrific actor who did the best he could with the content given to him. His career elsewhere has flourished, and it's all thanks to the people of Star Wars giving him his break.
Another similar case and the biggest one, looked to be John Boyega. He's giving his absolute best to his character. But I felt him to be a forgettable side-note in this one. So despite him being billed at the start of the trilogy as a major character. I honestly don't know why we needed by the end of it. I could see his use for Force Awakens. But not for the rest.
Oscar Isaac was well utilised and his performance matched the fun vibe rather well. His chemistry with Ridley and Boyega really made him work well in this feature.
Anthony Daniels was a real star in this for me and I will we had vintage C-3PO action. For me, that means annoying but entertaining at the same time.

I liked the clever use of the late Carrie Fisher in her scenes. It reminded of how they finished Oliver Reed's scenes in Gladiator.
One nice surprise was Keri Russell. I had no idea she was in this until I read the credits. But the character she played was a nice addition, had a cool look about her and had a strong physical presence.
As for Domnhall Gleeson's character. I have nothing but high praise for him as he is a great actor and have seen him contribute well in many films. Sadly, his character in this franchise just hasn't sat well with me. His tone came across for me more as a pantomime villain and felt very non-threatening and rather useless. The way his character was used in this I hope was intentionally a mickey-take as there is one unforgivable moment that is unintentionally funny as just sums up his character.

From a technical perspective, the effects both digital and practical were tip-top. The visual effects especially felt the strongest within this trilogy. The sets as you would expect were very impressive. The style in particular location was very effective as it actually made everything look quite scary in some scenes, which is something rarely feel in a Star Wars film.

So despite the decisions made in the story and the messy execution, purely on the spectacle that it gave itself, I had a lot surprising fun with this. Yes the film further cemented for me that they had no plan how to conclude this story from the beginning. But I think what we got was a fun experience with a story that was messily told.
With Marvel showing how to properly make a modern franchise work, the end result of this trilogy will hopefully make it the beginning of a brighter future for Star Wars.
I'm glad there are plenty of people out there that have really enjoyed this era. For me, I will always have Rogue One to fall back on with the rest being good at best with enough noticeable flaws.

Rating: 7/10

Review: Jumanji: The Next Level

I'm so happy that we are in this situation with this franchise.

I still remember expecting its first sequel to be the absolute worst. The trailer looked like it went in the wrong direction and the over-blown comedy would fall flat.
But I was proved so wrong and 'Jumanji: Welcome To The Jungle' managed to be such a fun watch whilst also making it feel like a genuine sequel with nods and references to the 1995 original.

Now we have a third installment and everyone is back after the success of 2017. So all I wanted was another fun time at the cinema and a worthy addition to what is now a trilogy.

I feel I mainly got that in the end. The aftermath of Welcome To The Jungle was noticeable in our characters and I was fine with additions and twists they decided to make it as refreshing as possible.

Once the action got going, I was enjoying what I was seeing. Our returning cast were having to show their range and the task they were given was one that I was happy to get on board with.
However I think by the time the second half came round, they kind of lost their commitment and went back to their safe place even though it didn't look like they needed to in my view.
It did make sense with the story. But it did somewhat feel like a step back.
There was one moment at the very end that I'm happy I spotted. If you're big fans of the original. You might see a cool homage to the original for a certain character.

All the cast did a solid job as ever. Dwayne Johnson continues to be as charismatic as ever and charm his way through. Kevin Hart and Jack Black still show great chemistry with Johnson and the rest whilst executed the gags well throughout, and Karen Gillan is as strong as ever in her authenticity of her physical acting.
It was nice to see Awkwafina be added. I've really warmed to her acting over the past year or so and I'll be on the look out for her in any future projects.
As for the other additions, I feel Danny DeVito, Donald Glover and Rory McCann all added their touch to enhance the overall viewing experience rather well.

As mentioned before, the only negative aspect I had with it was showing signs of the novelty wearing thin in the second half. Some of the decisions made did partly detract my overall enjoyment. But thankfully, I still came off satisfied enough.

I had nothing but a good time, and that is all you need with a Jumanji film. I'm happy where this franchise is at this stage given that as a kid I felt the 1995 original and animated TV series was all we were going to get.
It moves along well, the action is fluid and entertaining, the performances and the gags all worked for me. This is recommended family viewing and a while it doesn't break ground within the franchise, it's still a worthy addition.

I must mention that there is a mid-credits scene that is basically a hint of where they could go next. To be honest, they made the only choice they could if they want to keep this franchise relevant.

Rating: 7/10

Review: Knives Out

It's been far too long since we've had not only a 'who dunnit'. But one that has a high calibre cast and lead by an accomplished director.

Some people may see this sub-genre as one that is past it or ran out of ideas. But I think with the right people and the right script, these type of films could keep going forever.

In the director's chair is Rian Johnson, a man that I think will forever be remembered as the director of Star Wars: The Last Jedi, which for some people is the most divisive film in recent memory. But I think we all know that Johnson has the talent to bounce back with something that is not part of a franchise.

That is exactly what he's done, and he has given us and wonderfully exciting story and putting these type of mystery dramas back on the map of mainstream culture.
The way this story is constructed, developed and executed was like watching a complex machine working and seeing all the various sized cogs play its part.

What helped make this story move along so well was the script. It is extremely sharp with many gags that are not equally shared by all the main and supporting characters, but are executed well to make this a stronger comedy then most actual comedies.

The strength of the dialogue needed great performances to make those words shine on screen, and there are plenty of strong characters to get invested with.
The cast had quite a variety. From classic A-listers, to current stars to some of the best young actors around.

I think Daniel Craig will get the biggest plaudits from the majority of the people that check this out. You can tell he's having fun with this role as soon as you hear his stereotypical deep south American accent. He commits to it throughout and it was worth it. I think after his efforts in Logan Lucky a couple of years, Craig seems to like this particular accent.
I was pleased to not only see Ana De Armas be part of this film, but play a significant part. I've been a big fan of her since first seeing her in Blade Runner 2049, and it seems plenty more opportunities are coming her way. De Armas carries the film well and bounced off well with the seasoned veterans.

It's always strange seeing Chris Evans be in a film where he isn't Captain America. But he managed to make me see his character and not the Marvel superhero, which is enough to say how well he performed. Also like Craig, you can totally see Evans is having a lot of fun with this role.
Virtually all the other supporting cast had their moments on screen and all shone perfectly. So props especially go to Jamie Lee Curtis, Michael Shannon, Toni Collette and Christopher Plummer.

Despite not being a literal character, there is a large gothic house that a lot of the film takes place in. It's design as well as the way it's shot certainly gave it a personality that made you know it as well as the people inside.

While due to personal taste, I'm not quite going to totally nuts over it like some people. But this is most certainly a highly entertaining strong piece of work that can work on multiple viewings.

This is a great modern portrayal of the classic Agatha Christie style mystery thriller and can see this being enjoyed by all demographics. It's great to see that this sub-genre can still work with today's audiences.
All of that has to go down to Rian Johnson and his team, but particularly Johnson. After the fall-out of The Last Jedi and to come out with this, shows that there is a fantastically talented film-maker at work and we should applaud this latest project of his and be excited for any future films he is set to create.

Rating: 8/10