Review: Armageddon Time

Most mainstream cinema-goers won't really know the name of director James Gray. But they may know his back catalogue.

He began life with middle-of-the-road crime dramas such as 'The Yards' and 'We Own The Night'. However, Gray started to be given bigger projects recently such as the underrated 'The Lost City Of Z' and the mixed bag 'Ad Astra'.

Now it seems Gray has gone back to his roots.

It's clear from the tone that it is coming from a personal story from the director's life. There is a lot of heart and detail in the emotion, and that is something we as an audience can easily understand.

When it comes from something you have experienced, you can see the passion in the detail. It paints a great picture of not just the first changes of modern America, but the evolution of its continuing issues.

Child actor Banks Repeta was great in the leading role. There was real authenticity and he had a natural innocence that worked perfectly. A great bit of casting.

Anthony Hopkins is great in this. The way he uses the dialogue that he has been given made everything he said highly profound. He felt constantly comforting in this.

Anne Hathaway gives a lot to her character as well. You can feel her characters struggle and is a solid support whenever it is required.

If I was being harsh, I would say this is not as profound as it should be. But I remained surprised at how much I liked this. This was a well put together coming-of-age drama. I liked the personal and intimate touch director Gray has given to this story. You can feel it in the conversations the characters are having and the emotions that is coming from Repeta's performance especially.

These are the type of films that you can't go wrong with as the person at the helm is the one who experienced it first hand.

Rating: 7/10

Review: The Menu

What made me excited about seeing this the most was that it contained some acting favourites of mine and certain combinations of actors that I haven't seen before.

Plus, the concept looked very interesting and the trailers gave it a lot of energy and potential.

But while the marketing seems to hint more of a horror comedy. It's more of a satire on the fine dining experience, class, chefs and food critics.

There's an Agatha Christie vibe to the initial set-up. From the remote location to the number of curious characters from different backgrounds. However, the restaurant setting gives us something a little different to the atmosphere.

There is a constant unsettling feel to everything and the story develops, we start more shock content and the sort of ideas that I am usually up for being explored.

I also liked at its silly moments that never went over board and was only teased for a moment. While the final act didn't quite go all out, it decided to give us the thing it intended to finish with and it remain as satisfying.

Anya Taylor-Joy did a good job at basically playing the audience. Her attitude and elegance was a deadly combination and she continues to show why Tayloy-Joy is one of my favourite female actors right now.

Ralph Fiennes is great. His natural intimidation makes this a perfect casting choice for the character he has been assigned to play. That mystery intensity he has whilst seeming kind of the surface was rewarding to see at work.

Nicholas Hoult gives a good amount of obnoxious to his character that gives us some memorable moments. As does John Leguizamo who is making a solid resurgence within the industry, Hong Chau, Janet McTear, Paul Adelstein and Arturo Castro.

The camerawork uses the space very effectively. There are a lot of pleasing wide shots that gives the audience a great scale of the characters environment whilst also doing these close-ups of the food to make them inviting and desirable.

Colin Stetson's score helps with the tone and gives you a fun piece during the end credits that is great to experience after just witnessing the film itself.

There are moments however towards the end where it's stretching out its ideas. But other than that, this was a very entertaining and effective piece of work that will work well with multiple demographics.

Its dark humour is consistently funny, has a good amount of effective thrills and I liked the direction it takes when it plays around with its ideas to see its message from different perspectives. That exploration of the plot is even greater when you see that majority of the film takes place in one room. That showed a lot confidence in the concept for me.

In other hands, it could have forgotten about its central premise for its final act and give us some middle-of-the-road action sequence to please its audience. But no, they fully commit to it and give us quite the memorable viewing experience that I would happily re-visit.

I've noticed it's been quite the year for films the are making fun of the mega rich, elite or privileged. We've had 'Bodies Bodies Bodies', 'Triangle Of Sadness', 'Glass Onion' and now this. With this now in the mix, I think it's safe to say there's plenty of options available if you are up for watching this sort of thing.

Rating: 8/10

Review: Bones And All

A new Luca Guadagnino film should never be ignored. You always get amazing looking films from him and his team. But it is the way he tells his stories that for me walks a fine line about whether it's the complete package or not.

There is always this sense of spectacle. But the pacing of the story is usually delicate and gentle and I feel it doesn't always fully work.

This latest project is kind of the same. But there is something here to be admired. 

It starts off by giving you enough of an appetiser of where we're going with this and how violent it's going to get.

I liked at how it softly pulls you in with its coming-of-age story and then in sudden bursts we get brutal violence that makes you see why it has been given an 18 certificate. That weird mixture I think worked for the most part. 

There are some cool and bizarrely interesting individual scenes that build up the tension. Plus the ideas of coming-of-age and having the brutal violence be a metaphor for addiction was perfectly fine. But I was still waiting for something else to make me see what all the fuss was about from the major festivals.

Taylor Russell did a really good job in this. I remember first seeing her in 'Waves' a few years ago and she has gone from strength and strength. The performance is effectively subtle. But there was a natural vibe to her that will make it easy for the viewer to be confident in her carrying this story.

Timothee Chalamet is great as always and was effective support for Russell. Mark Rylance was at his most creepy as was Michael Suthlbarg and David Gordon Green in their one scene in this film.

I'm not sure what to think of this one. Like with all Guadagnino films, you can see the craft and it has to be appreciated. The story is interesting, I never knew what to expect next, Russell and Chalamet work well together and there are some effectively creepy and gross moments. It's atmospheric and the imagery and sound design really transports you to its locations. You can feel the dirt, blood, dust and even smell.

But I still felt that something was lacking. It didn't have the emotional impact that I feel it should have. It goes along at a gentle pace and it tells the story at that speed throughout. I think it just needed a bit of punch to make it more than just good, because that's what it is.

Doing that I think would have not make it drag at times and give it some energy. The potential is there for something great and I still would recommend it as it has its strengths in particular aspects. But it's not the masterpiece that some have labelled it during its festival run.

To be honest, a better version of this is 2016's 'Raw'. It has similar themes of coming-of-age. But it has much more depth, the violence has more meaning to it and explores its themes better in a shorter runtime.

Rating: 7/10

Review: She Said

As a film fan, the Harvey Weinstein scandal was a story that I was keeping a close eye one.

I have never been a fan of the man before these events, let alone after. Despite his name always associated with successful films or as a produce or sorts, he's been more of a promoter than a genuine filmmaker.

It was only a matter of time before this became a film in itself.

With the setting being in a newspaper office and centred on journalists, this is a narrative foundation has a good track of record within the film industry.

I'm not sure how, but this is type of story and setting seems to work for a lot of people including me. I think it's just that tense environment, seeing the methods of a journalist and the determination of getting the juice of the story. It rewards the viewer with shock value and has a natural tension build that generally makes it a highly satisfying watch. A classic example would be 'All The President's Men' and a more recent example is Oscar Best Picture winner 'Spotlight'.

I like how it starts as you can tell the main story is actually not going to be about the scandal. That's just background noise. It's focus is on other perspectives. After that, it's then vintage investigative journalism action and the information unearthed and pacing of it is fairly gripping.

There are moments where you can feel the stakes and danger our characters are putting themselves in. While the ending does go we all know, the culmination of the journey we have just gone through still gets you hooked in to see it happen.

The cast are pretty good on the whole. The always great Carey Mulligan and Zoe Kazan serve their purpose well. They might not feel as dynamic as Dustin Hoffman and Robert Redford. But they move the film along nicely and they are genuine together.

It was great seeing Samantha Morton be a part of this who has an amazing moment in her short on-screen time. As does Jennifer Ehle. Those two really give the film its emotion despite it being in small doses. It was also cool seeing actual Ashley Judd playing herself.

On the face of it, a lot of the film is just people talking in offices, phones or people's front doors. But sometimes you don't always need striking imagery or experimental camerawork to enhance the situation.

This film just needs the story. There are even cool uses of actual recorded footage that was used in the scandal case which gave the film solid authenticity.

I liked how the film never over dramatizes the content, because it doesn't need to do that. The strength of the story speaks for itself and the team behind the camera just the story tell as it is, because it's strong enough to give you a piece of work that can grip audiences.

While some may see that as a lack of creativity on the director to not give their style to the story. There are times when you are given something that telling it in a straightforward is the best option.

I thought they did a great job with this. Yes it is a story that most of us know due to the heavy news coverage. But it is the journey getting there and the way it focuses on the people that helped expose this story that gives the audience something new to understand.

This is a pretty good piece of work that works not just for today's audience. But it is told in a timeless way that will make people understand this story for people who will discover this in the future.

Rating: 8/10

Review: Matilda the Musical

While I was somewhat excited to check this out, I feel it would have been best to see the stage show first as that was this version it is based off rather than solely on the Roald Dahl story.

In the opening act, I was already see a production design that sadly wasn't agreeing with me.

It felt like a poor man's Tim Burton with the bright colours and fantasy like architecture. But of the casting choices, their performances and the creativity of the songs were keeping me partly invested.

I had a strange feeling throughout this as if something always felt off for me. Yet it was still giving content with a positive energy that you can't help but enjoy. The whole look of it didn't feel like it belonged on the big screen. It was like I just watching a recording of a stage show. But aspects of the story did feel cinematic.

But thankfully, it does end on a strong note both positive and heartfelt that should give everyone a spring in their step when leaving their screening.

Like with any musical, a big thanks go to the ensemble cast. Alisha Weir gives so much energy to give in the lead role and her determination is infectious. Emma Thompson is as great as you would expect. That almost pantomime villain is something she can do in her sleep and yet she still gave it more than just being bad.

It was nice seeing Lashana Lynch in a role of this kind as we normally see in something serious or killing bad guys as a secret agent.

Stephen Graham's hot streak continues as he and Andrea Riseborough worked great together in their exaggerated roles.

I also have to give a mention to the entire cast of kids who gave us some memorable choreographed sequences including one particular showstopper to end the film on a high.

So while I did have mixed feelings towards the film, I remain up for seeing it on the stage as I think this is where this version of the story should be.

The songs are solid and smart and there are some good performances in here. But a lot of felt too theatrical for my liking, the general look of it felt more like it was made for TV and not the cinema.

Also, it cut out or glossed over important parts of the '1996' version that made it work so well. Seeing this has certainly made me appreciate that 90's family classic a whole lot more.

There's enough good in it to get a pass off of me, and the energy and vibe is hard to be sniffy at. But I cannot see myself watching this again. However, it hasn't changed me wanting to see the stage show. I know I'll be in the minority with my issues as I am confident this will do well with kids and families. The tone is joyful and there is enough emotion that sticks at the right time. It just simply wasn't the complete package for me. I'll stick with Danny DeVito and Pam Farris.

Rating: 7/10

Review: Glass Onion: A Knives Out Mystery

It's crazy that it has been 3 years since Knives Out came out. Not only did this rejuvenate the murder mystery sub-genre back into modern films. It also reignited Rian Johnson's career after what he did as director for the extremely divisive Star Wars: The Last Jedi.

It gave me great reassurance that Johnson is a genuinely talented filmmaker with the right material. So when I heard that a sequel was in the works, I was very excited to see if the momentum can continue and it wasn't just a novelty comeback for the modern whodunnit's.

It certainly sucks you in straight away with a frenetic and intriguing opening. Then we get you're expected set-up of of a murder mystery and the gags and engaging characters pretty much guarantees your investment for the rest of the film.

I liked how certain information is revealed. There are non-linear moments, flashbacks, reveals that change their meaning and importance later on and it builds up to a satisfying climax.

The cast for this film may not be stacked with classic stars like in the original. But this impressive ensemble is an interesting mixture of stars that are established, rising and ones that some may have not seen for quite a while. Daniel Craig does another great job as Benoit Blanc. That awkward accent remains consistent and entertaining and his Bond experience is put to good use. His is definitely this generations Hercule Poirot.

Janelle Monae makes great use of how her character is used and by the end of it has many memorable moments and solid chemistry with Craig. Ed Norton is having a great time with his role and it was great seeing Kate Hudson given something worth our time for once and be in a role that isn't in a rom-com.

Dave Bautista continues to extend his character range, Kathryn Hahn continues to be nothing but fantastic and there are also some fun cameos to surprise you all.

Like its predecessor, the production design as a character in itself and gives clues hidden in plain sight that will be rewarding on multiple viewings.

I honestly did not have complaints with this one. So it's all about personal taste now whether how much I liked it.

For me, just like Knives Out this was a really enjoyable watch that kept you highly engaged throughout with many unexpected twists and turns, a solid amount of comedy and a narrative that mixes in the old school and the new style of the whodunnit' genre.

While there are obvious similarities with Knives Out in terms of the basic structure, there is plenty of aspects that makes stand on its own. I can see many having this as their favourite of the two. The pacing is solid, the imagery is pleasing and there's cool sub-plots that I can see being more memorable the more times you watch it.

I love that this has become not just a franchise, but a successful one. I am aware that a third one is already in production and I am certainly excited for of what Johnson has in mind.

Rating: 8/10

Review: Pinocchio

It's not totally uncommon to have two films of the same story be released in the same year.

I can recall seeing two 'end of the world' films be released at the same time and two Snow White films be released close to each other. Now we have our second Pinocchio film to be released and our third in the last three years.

To be fair, the story itself is profound and an easy bit of money for a studio to acquire. But as the Disney live-action re-make is still fresh in our memories, I wasn't sure if the more hyped of the two being released last would get the success it deserves. The reason for the superior hype is purely that Guillermo Del Toro is at the helm of this passion project.

We know his love for film and for particular genre's. Also, with this version being stop-motion animation, I was naturally excited as this art form is most patient of them all.

So while I was obviously loving the animation and the almost haunting production design, the themes coming through were surprising me. The themes of loss and needing to move on, fatherhood, love, death and war gave them the type of maturity that you rarely in animations that have a rating that is suitable for kids.

The setting is totally different and while the structure is very similar, some of the characters are different despite performing roles in this story that we know from another version. I felt this was working well and should keep a mass audience fully engaged despite the changes made.

There is also some spiritual moments that were glorious to experience. The design and overall vibe felt very satisfying for me. I just wish we got more of that. But I do that would have detracted our attention from the main story at hand.

I also liked that they committed to its ending compared to the recent Disney re-make. This kept to its ideas and whilst it isn't a happy ending, it focuses on a more realistic and truer outcome which I appreciated.

The voice cast on paper is incredible and so many I didn't realise were involved until I saw their name in the credits. David Bradley was a particular highlight as you could feel all the emotions he was giving to his character, and it made for probably the best Geppetto we've ever had. The same could possibly be said for Ewan McGregor who voices the Cricket. With the combination of the fantastic design and McGregor's voice, it gave us a very engaging character. I also have to give props to Burn Gorman, Gregory Mann, Ron Perlman, Christoph Waltz, Cate Blanchett, John Turturro and Tilda Swinton. They all did a great job.

There are also a few songs in this and while they were nice and fitted the tone well, they weren't wholly memorable to be honest. But it wouldn't surprise me if some got an Oscar nomination for 'Best Original Song'.

I will admit that were moments in the second half of the film that slowed the pace down a bit. That could lose the attention of younger viewers.

So did we need this so soon after the Disney release? Absolutely. This is the version of the two you need to see. The animation is glorious, the story is heartfelt and mature in its telling and doesn't hold back from its darker subject matters.

I don't feel it's scary enough to emotional scar younger viewers. So I think if your kids can cope with films such as Coraline and Kubo And The Two Strings for example, then they'll be engrossed by this.

While I still feel the Disney animated classic from 1940 is still the best version and remains an animation triumph. This is a notable version that stands alone with a refreshing look at the story that was most definitely needed to keep this celebrated tale alive with creativity.

In fact, this could hurt the Disney re-make even more than the critics and general consensus has already done.

Rating: 8/10