Review: Sing 2

It is hard to believe that it has been five years since the first 'Sing' film.

I do remember enjoying it. The amount of fun and energy it gave off made it a deserved crowd-pleaser.

But the rather large gap between the sequel and its predecessor had me concerned that its momentum and relevance might not be there to make this another hit.

This is the 11th feature to come from Illumination. Films from this studio are usually bright coloured affairs with enough noise and fast paced sequences purely on a surface level designed to distract young children.

Those types of films don't always work for me. On this occasion, it did. The timing of films like this is crucial I feel, and in the deep cold of January, this will be the warmth you will need to last you through to Spring.

Yes there is no depth or subtlety to the story, its themes or characters. But you can't help but accept how much fun it is to watch, how easily catchy their version of modern classic songs are and how pleasing and striking the visuals are.

The voice work as usual is a strong ensemble. All the original cast are back and do a grand job once again. Along with the solid additions of Bobby Cannavale, Adam Buxton, Eric Andre, Halsey, Letitia Wright and Bono, the cast really make this a really enjoyable watch.

So while there are big weaknesses in the writing department, everything else pretty much makes up for it. There are films like this that you need every so often for a pick-me-up and this does the job nicely. I would compare this viewing experience to going to a theme park. It's full of sugar and candy floss that rushes your adrenaline for a short period of time and that added concert vibe will have you re-living the soundtrack in your head for a while.

It doesn't have as strong of an emotional impact of the first one. But this a welcomed follow-up.

Rating: 7/10

Review: Nightmare Alley

Any new Guillermo Del Toro film is an instant 'must-see' at the cinemas. Especially lately with his previous film 'The Shape Of Water' winning Best Picture at the Oscars back in 2018.

His love of cinema, monsters, horror, the classics and his impeccable production designs makes it easy to see that he just adores this industry of story-telling.

Along with the star power involved, the momentum of that Oscar win as well as the timing of its release had me hoping for this to be another awards contender.

I can certainly see this being in the race in many aspects. I loved that Del Toro goes for a noir style of story-telling. It is a genre that is associated with films of the 1940's and it is a shame we don't see enough neo-noir films these days, as it is a style that I think is ready for a comeback.

The constant feeling of mystery, knowing who to trust and observing the dark side of human nature to name but a few examples of the genre. This has all of that, whilst also having that vintage Del Toro touch of a love of monsters, hinting at the realms of fantasy and the most amazing set designs.

The ensemble cast do a great job and it is fronted by a strong leading performance by Bradley Cooper. His level of charisma sucks you in perfectly for the ride and your initial investment had me gripped by this trouble character that we see both thrive and unravel in that wonderful way that a Greek tragedy would play out.

While we only encounter her in the second half, Cate Blanchett still gives a striking on-screen presence that you can't help but be effected by. That striking and almost sinister look she always gives along with that deep voice made her quite the match for Cooper.

I am been loving Rooney Mara more and more ever since seeing her in 2017's 'A Ghost Story' and her casting felt correct for the chosen time period and was the right amount of innocence to balance out everything else in this story.

There were also many strong performances in minor roles by the always great Toni Collette, a Willem Dafoe that is having a particularly memorable year, the underrated David Strathairn, the always reliable Richard Jenkins, Del Toro's regular collaborator Ron Perlman and a nice surprise of Mary Steenburgen.

As mentioned before, the production design and cinematography as a connected unit create this amazing mystical and deadly world that you can't help but appreciate. Del Toro and his team make beautifully looking films and this is the film's strongest aspect that deserves to be decorated with awards.

Also, the score by Nathan Johnson fits in really well and is aspect that should be not be over-looked.

However, I felt the whole film could have been a bit tighter. The duration felt a fraction too long and there were some sluggish moments.

But other than that, I really liked this one. It's not ground-breaking, it's just strong story-telling and film-making by a director this is a celebrated master of the industry. It is the type of story you don't often see these days, there are plenty of characters to be intrigued by and get invested with, the cast are as great as you would expect given the list of people involved and whilst the tone is far from feel-good, you will nevertheless be entertained and satisfied.

Rating: 8/10

Review: Mass

The amount of buzz this film was going in America had me constantly on watch for when this would be accessible for me to check out.

So I was disappointed to see that it ended up being distributed straight to on-demand rather than in cinemas. That being said, I remained excited to see why this was getting praise to a level of it being many people's favourite film of 2021.

From the very beginning, you can feel that something bad has happened or about to happen. The tension in the characters gives you a real sense of tension and intrigue as to what it could be.

Then once the details start to gradually become known to the audience, it becomes quite a gripping and emotional watch.

What I liked about it the most was the simplicity of the set-up. The strength of the content was through the characters, the dialogue and nothing more. It still amazes me that films like this can do that and still be as enjoyable if not more than a film that has a blockbuster type of budget.

The cast may be small in numbers, but the quality remains strong. Jason Isaacs carried great emotional weight in this and his energy worked well at the right times. Ann Dowd continues to show how much of a on-screen presence she can be and in this one she gives us a very relatable character that I'm sure at least one of us have encountered.

Martha Plimpton impressed me. Especially when I don't recall ever seeing her since Parenthood. Reed Birney certainly played his role well despite it being unlikable and yet relatable.

My only drawback towards it due to personal feelings. I can see why this has been heavily praised in America due to the relatable subject matter. While I agree it raises serious topics that need to be covered in any form, watching it just made me angry of how certain parts of the world allow this to happen. So while I most definitely appreciated the craft of the film, I found it hard to be completely moved by the story.

That being said, this is a very impressive piece of work. There's nothing flashy about it, it has a simple and effective idea and all it needed was four talented actors to make the script grip you.

As directing debuts go, this is a pretty impressive one. It is directed by Fran Kranz, who after reading up on him had me in complete shock as to where I know him from. If you have seen a particular modern comedy horror classic, you will be amazed as to Kranz is. 

So props to director Kranz and his team for giving a very impactful project that I can see effect many people's emotions.

Rating: 8/10

Review: Belfast

I have never been to any part of Ireland. But it is always been an island that I've wanted to see and experience at least once.

Seeing the opening scene already gives you an idea of the culture and vibe of the place as well as the characters you are about to be with for the next hour and a half.

I was really intrigued to see this as this looked to be a bit of a passion project for director Kenneth Branagh, who is partly portraying events of his childhood. With a strong cast involved, I felt this had potential to be a memorable watch.

I was aware of the infamous incidents that the film is portraying in its chosen time period. So I did feel emotionally prepared. However, I wasn't expecting the more happier and joyful moments to be so integral with the story. Whilst the tension and horror gradually rises around them, the spirit of the community we see as well as the cultural nods that it is using paints a great picture of that time period.

With the added atmospheric Van Morrison soundtrack and the stylish cinematography by Haris Zambarloukos, the entire production design was tip-top and a huge standout.

The story does have to go down expected routes in order to show the audience the troubles of the time. But with the added family situation, there was enough freshness to the plot that gives you something you weren't sure how it would end.

The cast all do a grand job. Child actor Jude Hill was a wonderful lead. He is sharp, witty and has the right amount of innocence and heart that makes this film work so well. An absolute star in the making and deserves all the plaudits he receives.

The support from Caitriona Balfe and Jamie Dornan gives the film the necessary emotional weight. You can feel how important the film is for them as it is probably what their grandparents experienced and they gave their performances justice.

Giving the film its wisdom is Judi Dench and Ciaran Hinds and they definitely have their memorable moments of contribution.

I really enjoyed this one. You instantly love the 60's community vibe and naturally get invested with likable characters. That early investment makes everything else that happens afterward very effective. With the addition of the general look being pretty eye-catching, I had a very pleasing viewing experience.

This will work for a mass audience. Films that have a grounded working-class environment usually fair well. This is a real labour of love for Brannagh and I feel many demographics with get attached to that passion and heart that is coming out of this story. I can also see this getting better on multiple viewings as there are plenty of small details all over the screen you could easily miss the first time round.

Rating: 8/10

Review: Boiling Point

I have always had mixed feelings about films that have a journey doing the festival circuit, have good buzz and yet still has little or no theatrical or even a streaming release. It just makes me wonder what are distributors looking at. Seeing films like this one makes me sad that very few get to experience it.

What attracted me to checking this out was the concept, the word of mouth it was getting from various festivals and that Stephen Graham was the lead. Despite being in the industry for over 30 years, it's only been until the last few when Graham's career has moved up a notch. Working with high-profiled directors, involved in multiple major studio releases as well as still going strong in his TV work shows that he still has plenty to give.

Was it worth trusting the word of mouth? Absolutely.

From the moment you enter this hectic world, the stress and anxiety levels are rapidly building up. It was reminding me of films made by the Safdie brothers, or Steven Knight's thriller 'Locke'. While those was more of a gradual thing, I was already fearing the worst for everyone involved straight away and it never gives you time or calm down.

This film has a lot of energy to it which naturally heightens your senses. But with the one shot concept and intimate camera tracking that makes you feel like part of what is happening, it really puts you off working in this sector or at least makes you understand how hard this line of work is that they are portraying.

The cast all do a great job and helped the experience all the more unsettling for the viewer. Despite recognising a whole bunch of the actors involved, I always saw them as their characters, never the person behind it which always confirms for me that the film works. Graham is as great as you expect. He gives us a very troubled character that is on the brink of giving up and his reactions to various situations made it incredibly authentic.

Vinette Robinson was a particularly strong support and gave us exactly what was required for the character. I also have to give props to Ray Panthaki, Hannah Walters and Jason Flemyng who I always enjoy seeing as I feel he doesn't get enough recognition.

Given that it is small film, director Philip Barantini and their team really make the most their obviously small budget. As mentioned, the cinematography by Matthew Lewis is very effective and really puts you into the story and makes you your own character. 

This is a pretty strong film. It's tense, chaotic and yet flows beautifully all at the same time. The cast are great, the set-up is simple and fully utilises its surroundings to give you a complete viewing experience. It also offers a great insight into a particular type of work that could give certain people flashes of bad memories for some people, or great appreciation for others. Whatever you get from it, it will certainly stay with you. This is one that deserves your attention.

Rating: 8/10

Review: The Electrical Life Of Louis Wain

Purely based on the star power involved, I wanted to check this one out. When a film that has Benedict Cumberbatch and Claire Foy as the leads in a film coming out in January, 'awards contender' is the only expectation you have on your mind.

Thankfully, it is these two that make this film.

I had no idea about the story, and it is really interesting if not depressing in its tone by the end of it.

The Victorian setting instantly looked great and remained that way. That as well as the pleasant and homely tone it had put me at ease straight away. I don't know what it is about a Victorian look, but it always seems to give off a charming and pleasant vibe.

With the film's central character being mainly associated with art, the film-makers utilise that in its style in certain sequences that give it a hint of fantasy about it that reminded me of Tim Burton's Big Eyes. Those moments showed some lovely imagery which I felt blended well with the time period.

However, there is a strangeness to it in every aspect. The pacing felt a bit jerky and the narrative felt it a bit all over the place. But it remained charming and intriguing throughout and I felt that was thanks to Cumberbatch and Foy when it's either or both.

While I don't think as it's moving as it could have been. It's a solid and entertaining watch that had a great Sunday afternoon mood to it. It looks great and the story was really interesting story and will most likely make you want to know more about it.

Once again, I have to mention that Cumberbatch and Foy are great together and give a very believable relationship. I must also mention Andrea Riseborough and Toby Jones who contribute to the film well in their supporting roles.

Despite portions of it being more a tragedy, it had a more whimsical edge that kept it uplifting which I think will help the viewing be more pleasing and comforting to a mass audience. I can see this doing well more of an older audience.

Rating: 7/10

Review: Licorice Pizza

I've always had a strange relationship with Paul Thomas Anderson's films.

I always appreciate his film-making as I will agree it is of the highest quality. But that is nearly always the only thing I go for. I don't know why his style of story-telling rarely had me going nuts compared to other people. But there were a few times when it was more than just the craft of his works that I got gripped by.

I really like Boogie Nights, There Will Be Blood, Phantom Thread and I love Magnolia.

So given the buzz his latest work was getting as well as the trailers suggesting something of a feel-good nature, my expectations were fairly high.

The general feelings I got from this were very similar to Quentin Tarantino's 'Once Upon A Time... In Hollywood'. While the story was certainly intriguing me and keeping my interest throughout, it was the setting, surroundings and soundtrack that I was absorbed by. The production design is once again of the highest order, and all the various aspects that enhanced the look of the film made more of an experience than anything else.

With the added use of real historic moments from America's past at that time, it did feel I was truly transported to the early 1970's.

Don't worry, there is a story here to enjoy. It is solidly developed coming of age story with a whole bunch connected sub plots that never make this narrative clear cut. This has been a regular style of Anderson that doesn't always work with me. But I was fine with this one. With some fairly random and unexpected tangents to the plot, it kept my senses fairly alert as I wasn't sure what would happen next.

The cast is pretty strong and is a great mix of new young stars and experienced ones. Alana Haim and Cooper Hoffman are wonderful together as the two leads. Their opening exchange sets the tone perfectly and certainly put me at east. Hoffman is the son of Anderson regular, the late Philipp Seymour Hoffman. His confidence and brashness for the character felt very natural and most definitely entertaining. His back and forth with Haim was also authentic and her screen presence was very strong-willed and both of their looks felt perfect for the time.

There was also some nice short-lived supporting moments by Skyler Gisondo, Sean Penn, Tom Waits, Benny Safdie and Bradley Cooper who produces a particular scene-stealing performance. We may have only seen Cooper for a few short scenes, but his impact was certainly a memorable one.

I didn't have major gripes with the film. Some of the random subplots I felt didn't do anything to the film. But I think on the whole, it was down to how much I liked it.

I certainly liked it very much. The story is very engaging, those themes of innocence and youth still work, there are a lot of characters to get involved with and the entire environment Anderson and his team creates is pure escapism.

It is certainly up there with some of my favourite films from Anderson and I would happily watch this again. It is also one of his more funnier films and while I wouldn't call this a comedy, it had me laughing fairly regularly.

Rating: 8/10