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S T A R  W A R S  :  T H E  L A S T  J E D I  -  R E V I E W

‘The Force Awakens’ relaunched the Star Wars franchise with a burst of new characters, stories, and plenty of things for both fans and cinemagoers alike to look forward to. Director Rian Johnson (Looper, Brick) steps into this sequel and really solidifies his vision into the universe and uses it to take the series in a fresh direction that will definitely surprise everyone, for better or worse? In the case for this character driven, beautifully shot, action-packed extravaganza? Absolutely for the better.

Although the overarching story of ‘The Last Jedi’ is as the point of Star Wars is; good versus evil or in this case, the Resistance versus the First Order, this film is most definitely a character driven film. Maybe even more-so than previous Star Wars installments. From scene to scene, Johnson gives veteran characters and those who debuted in ‘The Force Awakens’ enough screen time to showcase them at their best (particularly incredible performances from Mark Hamill and Adam Driver) while also introducing compelling new faces (including Rose Tico, a heroic maintenance worker played by Kelly Marie Tran, a serene and tough vice admiral in the Resistance played by Laura Dern, and a sort of “safecracker” character played by Benicio Del Toro). Though this movie most definitely takes much inspiration from what previous films have already established, the direction you thought the series was heading in after ‘The Force Awakens’ becomes completely turnt it on it’s head into an unexpected path. Despite being comprised of variations on things we’ve been experiencing directly (in “Star Wars” films) and indirectly (in “Star Wars”-inspired entertainment) since 1977, ‘The Last Jedi’ still manages to maneuver in unexpected ways, starting with the decision to build a whole film around a retreat where the goal is not to win but to avoid being wiped out. Along that narrative backbone ‘The Last Jedi’ strings what amount to several tight, often hastily devised mini-missions, each of which either moves the heroes (or villains) closer to their goals or blows up in their faces. Though some of the side-plots occasionally tanked the story’s pacing, it resolves in lengthy, consecutive climaxes which, refreshingly, don’t play like a cynical attempt to pad things out. Old business is resolved, new business introduced.

Poe Dameron (Oscar Isaac) is put in a particularly well written character art about leadership and making the right decision in the heat of war. However the character highlight is the chemistry between Rey and Kylo Ren, and what stands between them. During the film they are able to communicate through the ‘force’ and as they try to get into each others heads we also get to better understand both of their perspectives. It’s a clash of the minds that flows through the whole film, it leads to some very unexpected twists and decisions as well as a very intriguing ending of “what the f**k will they do now?”. Speaking of the force, this new trilogy has gracefully buried the “midichlorians” stigma that George Lucas introduced in the prequels. We finally go back to the idea that the force is the energy of life itself rather than cells in a jedi’s body, and visually the force is beautifully told by Rey as Luke is helping her begin to understand that it’s more than “lifting rocks”.

‘The Last Jedi is by far the most visually stunning of the series, and one of the most visually stunning films of 2017. There’s far greater attention paid here to color and composition than in any entry since “The Empire Strikes Back.” Particularly dazzling are Snoke’s throne room, with its Dario Argento-red walls and red-armored guards (which really shines during the gorgeous lightsaber duel between Rey, Kylo, and several guards), and the final battle set on a salt planet whose flat white surfaces get ripped up to reveal shades of crimson. (Seen from a distance, the battlefield itself seems to be bleeding.) The architecture of the action sequences is something to behold. A self-enclosed set piece in the opening space battle is more emotionally powerful than any action sequence in any blockbuster this year, save the “No Man’s Land” sequence of ‘Wonder Woman’, all while going beautifully along side John William’s once-again incredible score.

However, this film is not without its faults. The one major negative is an entire side plot involving Finn (John Boyega) and newly introduced Rose going to an intergalactic casino to find a codebreaker that will allow them to sneak on board the First Order’s biggest ship. This entire scene completely tanks the pacing of the movie and unfortunately really takes the focus away from Rey & Luke. In the end, the codebreaker they find ends up betraying them and the only real pay-off from the whole scene is that we are introduced to a child being used for slavery who helps Finn and Rose escape. He then appears at the very end of the movie and uses to the force implying that there are force sensitives still alive in the galaxy. Though the chase towards the end of the arc is entertaining to watch and the child using the force at the end a satisfying spot to end the movie on, I feel that the scene could’ve cut out more than a half of what we got and it still would have had the same effect. In a later scene during the battle on the salt planet Krate, Finn is about to sacrifice himself by flying directly into a giant cannon that would blast open the Resistance’s base, however Rose intervenes crashing both their ships and saving Finn. When Finn asks Rose why she did it, she exclaims “That’s how we’ll win, not by fighting what we hate, but saving what we love.” right before giving Finn a kiss. Now look, Star Wars has never been shy from being cheesy, but this moment honestly made me cringe a little and it ruined what could’ve otherwise been a very powerful death of a major character. My only other real gripe is a time or two, the humour can feel misplaced. One moment being when Rey communicates with Kylo while shirtless and she asks him to put a shirt on. For the most part the humor works well but this moment and one other really feel forced in.

Despite the dragging side plot in the first act and two or three awkward moments, this film was a delight from start to finish. Star Wars is my absolute favourite film series and Rian Johnson has really shown how capable he is of handling so many characters in such unique ways in which we’ve not seen from Star Wars before. Though we see things that we are more than familiar with, ‘The Last Jedi’ feels as fresh as an eighth movie in a series can possibly be and doesn’t show any signs of slowing down. It’s compelling characters, gorgeous cinematography, riviviting story-telling, jaw-dropping twists and overall emotional weight really accumulates to an incredible Star Wars movie that will be talked about till even after Episode 9 is on Blu-Ray.

- 9/10 -

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J U S T I C E  L E A G U E  -  R E V I E W

Oh boy, I’ve been waiting for this one for nearly two years. ‘Justice League’ was one of my most anticipated movies of the year. As far as comic book fans were concerned, there was a whole lot hanging on ‘Justice League’ being good and successful especially after the beautiful taste that ‘Wonder Woman’ left in our mouths. The future of DC’s cinematic universe was finally looking strong after the absolute bomb of ‘Suicide Squad’, however by some black magic, Warner Brothers were able to take the greatest superhero team-up in existence and release one of the most disappointingly throw-away, average superhero movies of 2017.

As a loyal comic-book fan, and the Justice League being my all time favorite superhero team, the end result of this film rested quite deeply with me. So before I discuss the film’s flaws, I feel it would do it some justice (no pun intended) to first talk about the positives.

The absolute best aspect of this film are the fantastically strong performances from the whole league. Ben Affleck dons the Bat suit once again and he seamlessly flows between Bruce Wayne and Batman, proving to me once again that he is without a doubt the best cinematic representation of the character to date. Gal Gadot also returns with another strong endearing performance as Wonder Woman, and Henry Cavill makes a fantastic return as Superman with this particular performance giving us a far more happy and upbeat Superman that we’ve all wanted to see. New to the table is Ezra Miller as the Flash, Ray Fisher as Cyborg, and Jason Momoa as Aquaman.  Despite 3 of 6 league members being introduced in this film, the short run time of just over 2 hours, and the choppy editing of the final product; the team has absolutely brilliant chemistry with each other, in particular Gadot and Affleck have some great personal scenes which really portray them as strong leaders that at the same time help each other through their more personal struggles. On a whole, I found myself absolutely loving each character and how they were portrayed immensely.

As far as the action goes, most of it was total superhero eye-candy. I can’t deny that I was smiling from ear to ear as I watched the league work together. The battle sequences in the Gotham Waterworks and the small fight between the league and an aggressive Superman particularly looked absolutely phenomenal.

However this now segways into the negatives. More often than not, the CGI looked cheap and unfinished; and for one of the most expensive film ever made at a staggering $300 million to make, this is just unacceptable. In some cases the CGI looks brilliant, for example the motion capture on Cyborg looks absolutely stunning throughout, as does some of the action (particularly one memorable moment of Aquaman surfing atop one of the villain’s minions). It is true that Justice League was in production hell for quite some time, and it’s possible that when Joss Whedon replaced Zack Snyder in the director position these last minute changes to the special effects were made, resulting in an unfinished looking movie. As is evident in some of the obvious re-shoot scenes where the green screen behind the actors looks just awful.

I honestly wish I had more to say about the story but I really don’t because of how plain, predictable, and rushed it is. It’s your standard “they come to together to defeat evil” scenario. Given the run time they had to work with, they did an acceptable job of introducing the remaining league members while setting up the villain, although overall this still doesn’t help how rushed the plot felt and how they ham-fisted so many major moments in and out of the film in a flash (no pun intended). The resurrection of Superman was brushed over so quickly that its almost like it never happened, and that’s one of the biggest problems with this movie. Things are just happening so it feels so soulless and run-of-the-mill, and once again considering the fat budget this film had, the editing feels so chopped together at the last minute. This is also most likely because of countless Joss Whedon re-shoots.

The biggest problem this movie faces is it’s inconsistent tone. Warner Bros took the criticism of ‘Batman V Superman’ being too moody and dark and decided to completely flip it around. But as a result, we’ve got some kind of Zack Snyder / Joss Whedon hybrid film, and the two director’s styles absolutely do not mesh well together. In my opinion, the tone in ‘Batman V Superman’ was not the issue at all, it was the script. But regardless, WB have taken criticism as advice to the max and we now have a cinematic universe that really doesn’t know what kind of universe it is. This unusual tone really doesn’t help the consistency of returning characters either, in particular, Batman. In ‘Batman V Superman’, Bruce Wayne is established as gritty, gruff, and quite brutal, and it really worked for the dark character we know from the comics. However in Justice League, his already established characteristics are completely pushed aside for the sake of Batman making a few unfunny quips (by the way, most of the jokes in this film are ridiculously forced and unfunny).

Oh, and the villain? Not even worth talking about, just an uninteresting soulless CGI monster. Which is real shame as he is portrayed by the incredibly talented Ciarán Hinds, who does the best with what little he’s got, which is next to nothing.

I wanted to come out of this movie with a smile on my face, the concept alone should’ve set sails for something truly great. But despite the great performances and entertaining chemistry from it’s cast, and some brilliant action sequences; in the end this film severely suffers from an inconsistent tone, awful pacing, and some half-hammed re-shoots that are so obvious you can literally see Ben Affleck’s Bruce Wayne wig change length from shot to shot.

5/10

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T H O R  :  R A G N A R O K  -  R E V I E W

With the exception of a few stand-outs such as ‘Guardians of the Galaxy Vol 2′ or ‘Captain America : Civil War’, Marvel movies are becoming quite cookie-cutter to me. The first two Thor movies being prime examples of easily forgettable, bland, and depending how much of a comic-book fan you are; wasted potential. However along comes New Zealand director & screenwriter Taika Waititi, who’s recent notable works were the likes of ‘Hunt for the Wilderpeople (2016) or ‘Boy’ (2010), to completely flip everything you think you understand about Thor the God of Thunder upside down. This latest Marvel Cinematic Universe installment has been getting an uncanny amount of praise from critics and audiences everywhere and depending on how much you like Waititi’s style, this film could go either way for you. For me personally, it was a mixed bag.

Without too heavily describing the plot, par a few surprises it’s fairly predictable, but that isn’t what truly hinders the movie. What hinders this story is the overall lack of weight to any of the events unfolding, and the motivations of quite few of the characters. Like previous Marvel installments, personally I feel that sometimes the jokes or quips can ruin a potentially powerful moment. There are quite a few event’s in this film that completely turn the tides in the MCU, such as the total destruction of Asgard, or the death of Odin (Anthony Hopkins). Yet these events feel so breezed over, and I honestly didn’t feel that there was any emotional heft to any of these tragic events because the film as a whole leaned so heavily on comedy.

Certain character motivations were fairly jarring and constantly changing, in particular Loki (Tom Hiddleston) and Valkyrie ( Tessa Thompson). Though both actor’s play their parts fantastically, it felt as if their motives were in constant change to be convenient for the plot. Loki for example betrays his brother several times and it seems to carry no weight or consequence for his character. The chemistry and head-clashing between Thor & Loki is one of the strongest aspects of the Thor films, however in this film it feels so washed over that it’s almost as if any previous events from other films didn’t happen. On the other side, Valkyrie goes from being an enemy of Thor to an ally in the space of one exposition flashback where we see the battle that turned her into the character we see on screen. Another example of the lack of weight and inconsistency is one particular scene when Bruce Banner and Thor are trying to escape the planet. Bruce explains that if he were to turn into the Hulk one more time, his consciousnesses would not return. However later in the movie during the final battle he becomes Hulk and seems to be in complete control. All of these points could be turned around by saying that it��s a comedy and is intentionally more Saturday morning cartoon-like but this is just my perspective of the film.

Anyone going into this movie expecting a firmly serious story with deep characters that really delve into the lore of Thor and his world will be severely disappointed. This movie is a straight up comedy, which isn’t a bad thing at all. In fact this is probably the funniest Marvel movie to date, and it’s fair to expect that given the film’s tone. One of the strongest aspects of this film by far is it’s hilariously charming performances from it’s cast, Chris Hemsworth’s comedic Thor is always enjoyable to watch and Mark Ruffalo finally returns with a strong performance as Hulk/Bruce Banner, and though she could’ve benefited from more screen time,  Cate Blanchett does a fantastic job of portraying the intimidating and ruthless Hela, Goddess of Death (unfortunately like 90% of Marvel’s villians, she is a throw-away villain however). But the stand out aspect of this film is absolutely the newly introduced character Korg ( Played brilliantly by Taika Waititi), obviously made purely to add to the comedy but it certainly works. Nearly everything he said had me legitimately laughing in seat. Character’s like Korg is where Waititi’s comedy style really shines and it’s definitely one to admire.

The humor works well for the most part, it can also hinder it from becoming more than what it is, which is a slightly throw-away fun popcorn flick. Though through all my complains, Thor: Ragnorok is a solid action comedy. With some fantastic looking action scenes, endearing characters, and hilarious dialogue. However as a comic book fan, it just simply isn’t the Thor film I was hoping for.

6.5/10

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M O T H E R !  -  R E V I E W

Darren Aronofsky’s “mother!” is one of the most unusual yet compelling film’s I have watched in recent years. Aronofsky has never shied away from controversial film-making, but this deep dive into metaphorical horror really puts cinema-goers to the test. In an already notable career, the peak insanity set piece of “mother!” may be Aronofsky’s most remarkable accomplishment to date. If I could put it as simply as I could, this is a film that you will leave the cinema with full understanding of what you’ve just watched, or you won’t get it at all...or maybe you’ll just think it’s pretentious art-house eye-candy. I won’t use this post to discuss the themes and metaphors that have earned this movie it’s polarized reception, rather I’m just going to speak about my experience watching it and what I took away from it.

In terms of set-up, the film is pretty simple; it begins with a secluded couple who live in their newly renovated remote home.  One night, there’s a knock on the door. As far as we can tell, these two people are miles from civilization. Aronofsky does an incredible job of making the home feel dangerously remote, and it’s clear that Mother (Jennifer Lawrence) isn't expecting or wanting a visitor, but Him (Javier Bardem) jumps to answer the call. To say things get stranger from here would be a massive understatement.

Aronofsky makes it clear from early on that he won’t be playing by the rules, and he uses that freedom to examine gender roles and the differences between artistic and literal creation. Bardem’s writer character regularly states that he is inspired by other people, but he’s more of a taker than anything else, someone who thrives on encouragement as much as he does emotion. Lawrence’s wife character is always cleaning up after the people in her house, working to build a home instead of just a showcase for her husband’s career. 

Anyone who watches this film should be warned that this movie is far from a traditional horror. Aronofsky shoots the film’s majority in close-ups. We are on top of Lawrence and Bardem for most of the film, which not only amplifies the claustrophobia effect but allows Aronofsky to play with a limited perspective and only add’s to the confusion; which some people may think is unique, and others may find nauseating (I for one thought that although at times it would absolutely play with my eyes. It completely worked especially when events in the house become more intense). The lack of establishing shots keeps us off the game when it comes to a typical horror experience. We often spend horror films looking for answers—Who's the killer? Who's going to die? Who's going to live? "mother!" changes the genre rules. It thrives on horror of confusion and tension, which is the main currency of the film. It’s a visually gorgeous film, although we shouldn’t expect anything less from Aronofsky.

“mother!” is a film that feels like it was intentionally made to be divisive. It is  completely unapologetic and unrestrained in terms of its creator’s vision, and for that, I adore this film. It’s definitely not for any kind of audience that cannot pay attention because there are so many details that further add to this experience. Like this movie or not, there is a lot to talk about.

9/10

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T H E  L I F E  A Q U A T I C  W I T H  S T E V E  Z I S S O U  -  A N A L Y S I S

The Life Aquatic With Steve Zissou is a peculiar divisive dramedy about a depressed, over-the-hill deep-sea explorer-documentarian (Bill Murray) who seeks revenge on the infamous jaguar shark that ate his friend, while he also befriends Ned Plimpton (Owen Wilson), who believes Zissou to be his father—a belief that Zissou gradually comes to share. It was Wes Anderson's biggest-budgeted production, and his biggest disappointment in relation to cost. 

If The Life Aquatic were actually about the filial relationship between Murray & Wilson’s characters, it would indeed be a disappointment, as its exploration of Zissou and Ned’s tentative bonding feels oddly skeletal and unpersuasive. By film’s end, however, there’s more than enough evidence to suggest that this is very much by design, and that the entire “Zissou has a son” subplot functions as a crafty red herring. (For example, the seemingly arbitrary ways that this subplot is resolved.) It’s no coincidence that Anderson, who usually crams his soundtracks with an eclectic mix of classic-rock needle drops, here has Seu Jorge performing Portuguese covers of virtually the entire David Bowie catalog, at a time when Bowie was touring with Nine Inch Nails and Moby.

There’s a lot to love about this film and there are plenty of delightful diversions on the surface, from the script girl who’s constantly topless for no apparent reason (unremarked upon by anyone) to Jeff Goldblum’s flamboyant but endearing performance as Zissou’s much wealthier rival Alistair Hennessey, making the most hilarious fold in the history of poker. The Life Aquatic is a comedy, albeit one with melancholy and darker undertones, and it’s hard to imagine anyone watching the Bond Company Stooge rescue scene as Zissou and his team execute hilarious looking “stealth” moves in ridiculous wetsuits without breaking into a big goofy grin. 

Although it is certainly not one of Anderson’s best films, it works simultaneously in multiple aspects such as it’s endearing characters and it’s very cartoon-ish quirks. Some would definitely use the phrase “style over substance”.

6/10

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A M E L I E  -  R E V I E W

Amélie is a romance film above all, but as the plot unfolds you may forget what genre it falls into because it’s a beautiful blend of so many. It is a charming story of a quirky, introverted, strange young woman falls for an equally strange young man. Amélie (Audrey Tautou) lives her life as quietly and as easily as possible, taking refuge in solitude and her own imagination. This changes when, on the night of Princess Diana’s death, she discovers a little boy’s lost treasure hidden in her apartment, which then seamlessly spirals into a chain of events that sets an endearing path for our young protagonist. Jean Pierre-Jeunet brilliantly keeps our main character in the spotlight while introducing us to the world around her. As Amélie begins, the narrator introduces its characters in the simplest terms. He gradually reveals new layers, until by the end of the film, we know all about them. The plot is among the most simple ever devised, but with some of the most original and unusual characters ever created.

What makes Amélie so endearing is its whimsical mix of live action and animation. Throughout, there are scattered animated sequences, including animals from Amélie ’s imagination, talking photos and paintings, as well as various scenes that further illustrate characters’ feelings. For example, Amélie literally dissolves into a puddle when she fails to muster the courage to speak to Nino, and there is a touching scene where a blind man’s heart warms before our very eyes when Amélie describes the street that surrounds them.

The animation adds an element of escapism to the film, and really adds to its character, too. Another nice touch is the role of the narrator, an omniscient storyteller who gives us a further insight into the characters’ lives and feelings. It adds yet another dimension that steers the film as far away from reality as possible, without leaving it behind completely.

Another note-worthy aspect is the film’s cinematography and it’s carefully constructed colour palette that usually ranges from burgundy red to earthy green. Even the most boring area’s seen in the film such as the staircase to Amélie’s apartment or the back alleys of Montmartre really gets a sense of richness and character that fits with the universe surrounded by the character of  Amélie.

8/10

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‘Pitch Black Heist’ is a 2011 short film starring Michael Fassbender & Liam Cunningham as two professional safe crackers who meet on a job. Both actors share great chemistry together and the scenes of them bonding together at the pub are entertaining. Just watching them talk to one another and share drinks while playing pool was reason enough for me to enjoy the film. But there is also a surprise twist at the end that worked well and made the experience all the more gratifying. Filmed beautifully in black and white, and sometimes as the name would suggest, just black, it crams a lot of humor into its 13 minutes and is well worth your time.

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B L A D E  R U N N E R  2 0 4 9  -  R E V I E W

With the original being one of my favourite and most treasured movies of all time, I have been eagerly awaiting this latest installment into the Blade Runner universe. Now I could spend this review comparing and seeing how it fairs in comparison to the original, but this is absolutely unnecessary; in fact even if you have never seen the original, this film is still nothing short of phenomenal. It not only succeeds at feeling like a necessary franchise revival, it also makes for a captivating standalone work of science-fiction noir.

This is one of the best-looking movies I have ever seen, Roger Deakins shows once again that he is truly a master of cinematography. There is something to appreciate in every single frame of this gorgeous sci-fi eye candy. The sound design is also breathtaking (sometimes literally), the eerie atmosphere created in every scene with total silence is spine-chilling. That’s not to say that Hans Zimmer & Benjamin Wallfisch’s score channeling Vangelis’ iconic Blade Runner leitmotifs will go unnoticed.

As beautiful-looking as the film is, in some ways Blade Runner 2049‘s screenplay is more ambitious by comparison. The script written by original Blade Runner screenwriter Hampton Fancher and Michael Green (Logan) effectively pushes its predecessor’s ideas about the nature of emotion, consciousness, and what it even means to be human/alive forward, in a way that makes sense given the pre-established “rules” of the Blade Runner universe. Like in both the original Blade Runner and his own previous directorial efforts, Villeneuve prefers to use slow-burn drama in Blade Runner 2049 as a way to build up tension (aided through very precise use of sound and silence) before delivering more intense bursts of action and/or violence.

Fans of the previous Blade Runner will not leave the theater disappointed, and many of them will almost undoubtedly come to rank Villeneuve’s movie as being one of the best sequels ever to boot. Blade Runner 2049 works as both a self-contained narrative and a continuation of its predecessor. It is a visually stunning masterpiece. Villeneuve and Deakins at their very best. A rare sequel on level with a cult classic.

- 9/10 - 

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‘Submarine’ is an endearing coming-of-age comedy-drama directed by Richard Ayoade. It tells the story of Oliver Tate who is caught at the junction between childhood and adulthood as he struggles with his first feelings of love, desire, and heartbreak.

Ayoade has taken strong influence from directors such as Wes Anderson in the style of this film and it clearly shows. The dry humor and inventive visual wit matched with some very strong and quite frankly relatable performances from its cast. But what also deserves credit are the poignant score by Arctic Monkey's singer Alex Turner, the cinematography that effortlessly shifts between comic framing and beautiful imagery. The first thing that really grabbed me during this film is the visual tone and what it meant for the characters, the film’s decade setting (presumably the 80’s) is taken advantage of to the fullest extent. Oliver’s house is mostly beige and rather dark apart from the fish tank which more than occasionally appears in the background mostly behind his depressed father (this could be taken as a visual metaphor for him ‘sinking’ into his depression).

 Though some would say the film’s overall tone is slightly dark, the comedy is definitely there and it never feels forced, maybe slightly cringe-worthy at times but in the best and probably the most realistic way. One of the main strengths of the film is it's awareness of slipping into cliché. Oliver fantasies that he is in a film, and that the film will end up with him searching for Jordana on a beach and how it will end in an arty-farty, pretentious manner aimed to encourage discussion among chin-strokers. It's a great little trick and you have to admire the film's refreshing self- assurance.