Review: Midway

A new Roland Emmerich film these days largely ends up being an unremarkable missed opportunity despite the hype beforehand being rather big.

However, if this was a new release during the late 90's or even the early 2000's, it would be one of the most fun and action-packed films of the year.

Emmerich's sweet spot was certainly from Stargate in 1994 to The Day After Tomorrow in 2004, with the disappointing Godzilla being the only exception in that period. I think we can all agree that Independence Day is Emmerich's crowning glory.

With his latest project, I went in with a fair amount of hope given the subject matter. The Battle Of Midway has been portrayed fairly well over the decades and with today's technology, I knew this had great potential if it was done in the right way.

In the end, I felt it was nothing more than alright. It started with a lot of positivity. The action was thrilling, I could feel the stakes and was enjoying the characters and the vibe the film was giving off. But I think as the film went on, while it still maintained the same quality, it just felt tiresome and ordinary by the end.
While the script was like it jumped out of a 1940's comic book, it felt acceptable with the tone. But sometimes, I just couldn't forgive the corniness of it.

The performances were perfectly fine but never exceptional. I feel Ed Skrein did well in the leading role and I was pleased to see be the main character as he deserves it for previous work. But I think like with most War epics, the large cast list all do a satisfactory job and just let the story do the talking.

But clearly, the action sequences are the films biggest selling point. It does work on the whole. But it does end up being its own worst enemy. Its 2hrs 18mins duration began to show as there was probably one too many battle sequences and the thrilling action became somewhat tiresome. Yes, it was great to watch. But could we just have a bit of story development as well?

Despite the criticism I have given it, there was enough entertainment and engagement for it to be passable viewing. You can feel the passion Emmerich and his team are putting into this given it's a real story with a lot of tragedy. But it just never felt like a spectacle compared to War films of the past that covered similar important war battles.

I did appreciate that they wanted to show this event told from both sides and not just the allies, which reminds of what Clint Eastwood did in Flags Of Our Feathers and Letters From Iwo Jima. So I have to give some credit where its due.

But in the end, I can't see people remembering this film anytime soon.

Rating: 7/10

Review: The Peanut Butter Falcon

A film with a title like this certainly can't be ignored. But it was the buzz coming from the festivals that was gaining my interest in checking this out.

The feeling I got after seeing this, is the type reminds me why I love films. This film totally caught me off guard. It's is a wonderful American road indie flick that had me having a cheesy grin for pretty much the entire duration.
It manages to create that feel-good vibe from very early on and you just enjoy the ride till the very end.

The performances are very good on the whole. But there are two exceptions to this that go beyond that. Making his feature film debut, Zack Gottsagen gives a great performance. He was instantly likable, honest, very charming, got a lot of laughs out of me and he made his character very easy to root for. I don't think I've seen an actor with downs syndrome be given such a big role in any film. So for that reason, this needs to be seen as Gottsagen should be a pioneer for actors everywhere.
As for Shia Labeouf, I don't think I've seen him give a better performance. He gives wonderful support for Gottsagen's character and the strength of their chemistry and development makes this film a total joy to watch.
Dakota Johnson continues to excel in her performances post-Fify Shades with another memorable outing and completed the perfect trio to carry this film.

What I loved about this story is that it treated the topic of downs syndrome with respect. Everything about it felt believable and Gottsagen's character development as well as the script overall is the reason why.
Also, the camerawork is great and showcases the North Carolina swampy landscape so much that you actually can feel the environment the characters are living in.

A lot of the films style and tone reminded me of another indie flick back in 2012 called 'Mud'. If you've seen that and liked it, then this is a wonderful companion piece.

This was a real nice surprise in so many ways. I was not expecting this to be so joyful, inspiring and cover particular topics that were executed in the best way possible. It's a great film to watch that helps inspire you to really go for dreams, even when you just feel they're a fantasy. Definitely one of the big surprises of 2019.

Rating: 8/10

Review: Frozen II

It's amazing that it has been six years since the first Frozen came out and Disney's biggest success of the decade caught fire around the world.

Thankfully, I was never around people that constantly had the songs on all of the time. Therefore, I never became sick of hearing 'Let It Go' and it's many other instant classics.

A couple of shorts later, we now have a sequel. Trying to even match the most successful Disney animation in a generation must be quite a task to accomplish.

But with their record of live-action re-makes being a mixed bag in my opinion, I was going into this with some caution.
The one bit of faith that kept me going was that it certainly was not a forced sequel. Much like the Toy Story sequels, they wanted to make sure that they found the right story to prevent tarnishing the franchise.

I felt quite relieved more than anything else after seeing this, as I felt this to be a worthy sequel. However, I would not be surprised if some people didn't like it purely that it's not as good as its predecessor, which if that's case would be rather unfair in my opinion.
What I liked about it the most was how much they expanded the world outside of Arendelle and of its mythology and magical elements.

Also, the visuals continue to be very eye-catching, especially when the magical elements of the story are contributing.
In terms of the characters, it's playing to most of its strengths. The films most important cog from the first film is the sequels most important part of its machine, and that is the dynamic between our main characters Anna and Elsa. Their sisterhood chemistry is what makes the Frozen films great and without that, it would end up being rather hollow.
Olaf continues to get the biggest laughs be one of the films strongest aspects. Sadly, it felt it was lacking Kristoff. I didn't feel his story arch was interesting and he seems to be absent for a fair amount of the film that made no sense for him to be off-screen.

Another main ingredient to not just a Frozen film, but a Disney animation, is the songs. While new ones might not quite be on that instantly catching level, there are still pretty strong ones that I would happily listen too again. There was a song that looked to be intentionally identical to the style of a Michael Bolton video which was very funny. There is a big song that they are trying to push as hard as they did with 'Let It Go'. It's worth it of being the films biggest song and I would happily champion it to win Best Original Song at the Oscars.

The only negative that I feel was worth mentioning was that there is actually no villain. There is something we feel is a threat. But when you actually think about it, there is not real antagonist. As many people know for the art of story-telling, that for every strong hero you need a strong villain.

So while it might have the same level of emotional involvement or pure Disney magic, I was still really enjoying the story and it had me constantly engaged and invested throughout.
I will be interested in how I feel about this film on multiple viewings. Maybe I'm kidding myself, or I'm being soft on it and clouded by its flaws? Guess we'll have to see.

There is a post credits scene and it certainly is one that made me happy and continued my favourite gag from the film.

Rating: 8/10

Review: La Belle Epoque

This film really catches you off guard from the very beginning. It's frenetic pace and extensive plot and structure really forces you to pay 100% attention from the very beginning.

But once you understand what's happening, you get settled in for quite a quirky and emotional ride with plenty of laughs along the way.

It ends up being a really satisfying watch. It manages to hit the right notes of emotion and sentimentality without ever over-doing it. That's quite a skill to pull off. So huge props to director and writer Nicolas Bedos and their team for making this work.

One big reason that this film became so satisfying, was the growth and development of all the characters. From understanding themselves in a logical way, to perfectly executing the gags they were given in their dialogues.

The most notable performances were from Daniel Auteuil, Guillaume Canet and Doria Tillier. Auteuil had a very likable presence and with his character effectively being the audience, his level of authenticity was very believable and very engaging.
Canet gave great amounts of energy and an expected French touch to this film. His chemistry with Tillier was always a joy to watch and got a good amount of laughs. As for Tillier herself, I felt she stole the show and gave such a strong screen presence that her character's story arch managed to overshadow everything else.

Even from the technical side, there were many positive aspects that were easy to notice. The cinematography was adventurous and fitted the tone perfectly and the overall production design also never felt out of place with the type of story it was telling.

It all felt like seeing The Truman Show. But everyone knowing it's all fake, the themes being more layered and of course being very French.
It brings so much joy and due to its complexity, it gives it strong re-watchability. The performances are very strong, the story is so wild and crazy that if you give the attention it deserves, you will fall in love with it.

Rating: 8/10

Review: Jojo Rabbit

Taika Waititi has become quite the powerhouse director in recent years. After initial success with indie darling 'Boy', then to a breakthrough hilarious mockumentary with 'What We Do In The Shadows' and 'Hunt For The Wilderpeople' to direct a major superhero blockbuster in 'Thor: Ragnarok'. The New Zealand has certainly put his style of comedy and film-making on the map and create an ever-growing fan-base.

On paper, having a story involving the Nazi's and it being a comedy would have you naturally being unsure whether this would work. Missing the mark in its execution could ruin this film. But with a man like Waititi at the helm and the trailer selling it for me, I knew I was in for a comedic treat.

I feel I can confidently say I was very satisfied with what I saw. Right from the get-go, Waititi's style has already got me laughing and it just never stopped. Virtually every gag was working to the highest quality and had me and pretty much everyone else in my screening howling with laughter.
While the comedy was working, the story was gradually taking the limelight the longer the film went. Then it was the second half that was showcasing Waititi's intentions for this project and it ending it up rather delightful and sweet in its execution. I was almost getting a 'Son Of Rambo' vibe about it.

The performances overall were extremely strong in what was a high-calibre ensemble. Unknown child actor Roman Griffin Davis was a revelation as the lead. Big props to Waiti and his casting crew who found this wonderful talent. His performance felt pure, innocent, authentic and his execution of his comedic moments for me got the biggest laughs of the entire film. I would be hard to a find a better first ever acting role by anyone else.

I think it helped having Waititi himself play a big supporting role for Griffin Davis to bounce off and that lead to strong chemistry between the two.

Another child actor that did a great job was Archie Yates. Like Griffin Davis, Yates is a wonderful natural talent, has great chemistry with his fellow child counterpart and also got a lot of laughs.

I had no idea that Thomasin Mackenzie was cast in this. It was such a delight to see her be part of another project. If you haven't seen Leave No Trace, please do. Mackenzie is wonderful in it and it was a breakthrough role for her.

Sam Rockwell continues to be fantastic in another one of his many supporting roles. He fitted the tone perfectly and got a lot of laughs out of me.

I feared Rebel Wilson would drop the comedy down a bit as her style rarely works for me. But I'm glad she contributed well and got enough laughs out of me.

Another cast member that I wasn't sure would work, was Scarlett Johansson. It was certainly out of her comfort zone. But as her character was more for the heartfelt part of the story, it worked to her advantage.

It was also nice seeing Stephen Merchant make a small appearance and he certainly made the most of it with a very funny sequence.

I was surprised to notice that a lot of the cinematography, tone and even character tropes at times almost felt like I was watching a Wes Anderson film. I hope I'm not the only one that picked up on this.

I honestly don't have a notable negative to mention. If I was being nit-picky, then I think maybe the gags could have been sharper, wittier and then generally cleverer.

But while comedy may not be layered or deep in its themes and the gags may in the end be forcing cheap laughs. It made sense to me as the story was from a child's perspective.

This is an absolute hoot and great comedy with a lot of heart and playful mindset. The cast are nothing short of brilliant. Griffin Jones and Yates showed their talent to the fullest and I look forward to see their future blossom.
While a lot of people will remember this for the gags, there is a really sweet story that develops with a highly satisfying ending.

I can see myself and many others give this multiple viewings and the re-watchability factor may be the strongest part of the film. The talent of Waititi continues to grow and I cannot for his next project.

Rating: 8/10

Review: Genesis

It's not often that I don't go nuts for a film that is heavier on ideas then it is about its surface level and story-telling.
But this had me feeling that way.

The two stories it was focusing on were perfectly fine in terms of its pacing, development, execution and were carried well by the two leads.

Both Theodore Pellerin and Noee Abita showed great authenticity and innocence in their performance and perfectly enhanced the films themes of adolescence, and yet both were done in different ways.

Whilst Pellerin was expressing the more conventional way we see said themes, Abita's character went the more modern and alternative route. In the end, I felt Abita to have the more interesting content and dealt with it very well for a memorable performance. I hope to see of Abita in future projects.
As for Pellerin, there were a few memorable individual scenes where he could show his characters cheeky side, which certainly worked especially in the opening act.

While the performances do enough to keep me interested in what was happening, there was not much else that had me wanting to check this out again.
There's definitely nothing wrong with the film. I think it might be the pacing, tone and directors style that just lacks that re-watchability factor.

While it may be a good one to discuss as it projects its themes rather well on screen. As a piece of cinema and entertainment, it was a bit uneventful and at times too sombre for me.
It moves along at a pleasant pace. The performances had strong moments, particularly Abita with many memorable scenes that was purely to do with the look she was giving. But I didn't feel there wasn't any juicy goodness to get your teeth into.

The topics it covers such as teenage adolesence, young romance and puberty is a good one to go for. But I have seen it done better, covered more thoroughly and had a more impactful viewing experience with other films.
As for this one, it's perfectly fine. There's nothing bad about it. There was very little that made it live long in my memory and entice me to see it again.

Rating: 7/10

Review: Judy

The life of Judy Garland has been one that I have been fascinated by. Mainly due to the fact that I have always been intrigued by the life of a child actor, especially as far back as the 1930's.
The way they were treated would be seen these days like slave labour.

Stars like herself, Shirley Temple and Mick Rooney were the big child stars back in the day. But their life behind the camera is one that tries to get avoided being covered in a film. Seeing the release of this had me unsure the route the director and their crew would go.

While I was expecting more of a celebration of Garland actually turned out to be the story that I was not expected and very similar to that of Stan & Ollie from last year.

It moved a long at a solid pace and had a nice amount of comedy to not make the sombre tone completely bleak.

This film is all about Rene Zelwegger's performance. It is one of those transformation type of performances where you see the character and not the actor. From looking like Garland, to sounding like her, Zelwegger certainly did her homework to making the performance feel as authentic as possible.
Outside of Zelwegger, it was great seeing Jessie Buckley be heavily involved with this. After first encountering Buckley in the really good Wild Rose, I was pleased to not only see her be part of a film from a major studio, but play a character with a solid amount of screen-time. Buckley did a good job and very convincing American accent.
Not much else to talk about the acting aspect except for some nice comedic relief from Andy Nyman and Daniel Cerqueira.

Outside of Zelwegger, everything else I felt had a solid execution, never had me feeling bored and felt engaging enough to make it worth my time.

The story might not be considered glamorous, but it is certainly the type of one we seem to be getting in a lot of biopics lately.
Zelwegger is totally worth the admission. She more than carries the film and gives a strong performance that saw her fully absorb into the Judy Garland persona.
What I got from it the most was how much torture and struggle such a beloved film celebrity had during her prime and her latter years.
It might not feature high up in my films of the year list. But Zelwegger's performance is certainly worth a shout of being an awards contender.

Rating: 7/10