hock

[hock]

Nope

Jordan Peele turned heads with his last film, Us.  Unfortunately he turned them away.  The promotion of that film set it up to be something that it wasn’t.  The irony in that is that it was so much more than what the casual viewer wanted.  Repeated viewings of Us show it to be as good as his Academy Award winning debut, Get Out.

Sticking with the short titles, Nope is a slightly different affair to his earlier films.  Both Get Out and Us, along with many projects on which he has acted as producer are dripping with social conscience.  Nope is closer to his other love, The Twilight Zone. That is not to say there are no messages here but they are much harder to spot and are certainly not the core of the film.

Ottis Haywood Jnr (Daniel Kaluuya) has taken over Haywood Hollywood Horses after the death of his father, Ottis Snr (Keith David).  Providing horses for Hollywood green screen projects is not the same game his father played and he finds the going much tougher.  Especially when his only helping hand is that provided by his sister Emerald (Keke Palmer) who is more determined to see her off ranch career take off that she is to see Haywood Horses return to profitability.  The only way Ottis seems to be able to make a little money is to sell the horses off to a local carnival owner (Steven Yeun) The going get tougher still when a mysterious object appears in the sky.  It comes and it goes but when it goes it does not leave empty handed.  The questions become, what will it take next, what till it take to make a little money out of it and who will make that money.

Peele does not care what you think of his films and that is a wonderful thing.  It gives him the freedom to do what he does best.  To make weird, wonderful films that twist and turn in every direction.  Nope looks fantastic.  CGI is minimal but what there is looks as alive as every actor on screen.  The Californian desert with its dust, blood and money is the perfect setting. Costuming and set design is as good as you will find.  As are the performances.  Kaluuya will have a Best Actor Academy Award within the next 5 years.  It won’t be for this but it is coming.  Michael Wincott provides what amounts not not much more than a cameo but it was great to see him asked to step out of his usual typecasting.

Peele is a director of significance.  His films deserve to be considered events and will hopefully continue to be treated that way.  But his films are an acquired taste.  If you want to switch off for two hours do not spend your money on a Peele film unless you are happy to let the twists and turns wash over you.  If on the other hand you want to delve deeper into the more subtle elements of his work, to see what is happening between those twists and turns then I can’t recommend Nope, Us or Get Out highly enough.  All three are worth your time.

[hock]

Everything Everywhere All at Once

I knew going into Everything Everywhere All at Once that it was going to be pretty wild.  While I have avoided spoilers, I had read enough to know that it is not your run of the mill film.  What starts out as your typical tale of an unwitting laundromat owner saving the multiverse (it’s 2022), becomes a rumination on love, family and the meaning of free will. That in itself it a lot to unpack and I am not going to try.

Evelyn Wang (Michelle Yeoh) is struggling.  Her laundromat is a shambles, as is her marriage to Waymond (Ke Huy Quan) and her relationships with her daughter (Stephanie Hsu) and father (James Hong - who at 93 years of age I was shocked to discover is still alive. 451 acting credits and counting). The IRS is on her door and it looks like they are coming all the way in. Things take a sharp turn when a Waymond from another universe takes over Waymond’s body and reveals that Evelyn that she is the only hope the multiverse has.  This is not a super hero movie.  It does not take the Marvel path.

There are many joys to be found here but the performances are close to the main attraction.  Yeoh is always good but catching up with Ke Huy Quan for the first time since The Goonies was wonderful. Hong feels like an old friend while seeing Hsu bring her Mrs Maisel snark to a staring role is fun.  They are all great and worth the price of admission.

Directors Dan Kwan and Daniel Scheinert (collectively credited as Daniels) have produced something that is quite visionary.  Whether they can do that on an ongoing basis is yet to be seen  but they will certainly get the opportunity.  They’ve shown an ability to impressively direct action and then change gears to something far more subtle.  Not too many would try that in the one film.

Fair warning that this is not going to be for everyone.  The pace shows dramatically in the second half but you had better have your brain in gear to keep up with it. Take your eyes off the screen for a moment and you may well think you have landed in another universe yourself.

[hock]

This is not your fathers Batman.  Although, if your father and grandfather were into comic books maybe it is.  Far darker than any other live action Batman, director Matt Reeves has produced a film that is as close to Seven and Saw as it is the 1989 version or the Nolan films. Some of the more grotesque facets of Batman lore have been made dramatically real on the big screen.

The Batman is not an origin story.  Batman (Robert Pattinson) is well and truly established as Gotham’s masked vigilante and has a trusted working relationship with Jim Gordon (Jeffrey Wright).  As is fairly typical of most Batman stories, these two are the only good men in a rotten town. Batman spends his nights doing what he can and his days hiding away from what little light still shines on Gotham and his family name. He’s more detective than he is caped crusader though the mask is still in place to protect those few that he lets get close. He now faces a new terror as The Riddler (Paul Dano) works his murderous way through a list of Gothams’s most high profile individuals. 

Gotham is a city of perpetual darkness which makes the casting of Pattinson as the darkest of knights a particularly strong choice.  He’s as dark as the sky on the surface and in his soul and appears to be channelling Brandon Lee’s The Crow for much of the film.  That is appropriate inspiration.  Dano’s Riddler (not your fathers Riddler) is damaged and devastating. His screen time is limited but very effective.  There are a range of other players including Zoe Kravitz as Selina Kyle and an unrecognisable Colin Farrell as Penguin but both of those characters, while effective, are played pretty straight.

Corporate Gotham is gone to be replaced by the traditional gothic design. The overall look of the film is understated but perfect. There are plenty of Batman tropes but blink and you will miss them which seems intentional.  This film is too serious to be giving winks and nods. The action scenes are very well done and brutal at times.

The 175 minute running time had me a little apprehensive going in. This does not feel like a 3 hour film but you have to be prepared for some downtime and what that time represents.  The music and what it represents (and Pattinson) will carry you through those moments.

Matt Reeves does not make a lot of films.  Only three in the last ten years (this release was delayed by COVID) but what we have here is evidence of his willingness to produce quality if given the time and resources to do it. Let go of any misgivings you have about Pattinson.  He’s been great for a long time (see Good Times and The Lighthouse) and is a very worthy successor to the dark knights of the past.

[hock]

Mortal Kombat

Hopes have been high that Mortal Kombat will deliver in a way that game adaptions have failed to in past. Judging by the reaction at the screening I attended I am guessing that first time director Simon McQuoid has seen those hopes fulfilled. I can only guess though as I am an observer who has lost all knowledge of the world of Mortal Kombat. My ancient knowledge has left me without the insights required to really immerse myself in the film. Without that, Mortal Kombat is an incoherent mess.

Performances all around with perhaps one exception are poor but when your performance is based on computer pixels you’ve not got much to work with. Josh Lawson as Kano is the one bright spot bringing irreverence and humour that is absent everywhere else. It would not surprise to learn that he improvised most of his dialogue. His performance is just about worth the price of your ticket. The fight scenes, supposedly the films highlight, are too few and though the highlight, are not up to the standard of films that have come before this one. I shouldn’t be too harsh. There are a few good moments and those will get McQuoid more work.

The pacing is inconsistent. Mortal Kombat starts strongly but quickly loses it’s way and gets bogged down in exposition that it does not do well. Much of the character development is comically bad. It essentially is based on a comic of the playable variety but there have been plenty of characters developed from much less in past. Much has been made of filming taking place in South Australia but none of the images on screen are recognisably South Australian. Location scouting looks like it was done on the cheap as it the set decoration is average at best.

I cannot recommend Mortal Kombat for the average punter. If you want solid character development and quality fight scenes I still recommend The Raid and its sequel. If you are a gamer familiar with Mortal Kombat and you care none for the finer things I highly recommend you head to Mortal Kombat as soon as you can.

[hock]

Nobody

Hutch Mansell (Bob Odenkirk) may be the perfect nobody.  He looks like you or I and he sounds like you or I.  He just isn’t like you or I.  We’ve seen this dozens of times over the last ten years ever since Liam Neeson made that first phone call in Taken.  The retired veteran who has given the quiet life a try but has now been sucked back in through chance as much as through fate.  None of those previous efforts have been quite like this though.  Tongue is firmly planted in cheek throughout with cliche after cliche thrown in for a laugh with a definite wink. Nobody is extremely violent and very funny though your sense of humour probably needs to be pretty twisted to see the funny side in much of the violence, dialogue and plot points.

A few familiar faces pop up in smaller roles.  The ever old Christopher Lloyd is wonderful as Mansell’s father and it was good to see Michael Ironside for the few brief moments he was on screen.  I’d like to see him more often. After seeing this it is hard to comprehend that Lloyd’s next role is playing King Lear on Broadway. 

Production values are fairly typical for this sort of thing.  Set decoration and costuming etc does what it needs to do.  The script is well written and adds to the comedic value of the cliches though maybe plays for the laugh a little too much on some occasions.  It’s fair to say that director Ilya Naishuller probably should have reined things in on a couple of occasions, particularly with the script but Nobody is short, sharp and bound to entertain.

[hock]

Nomadland

Chloe Zhao’s films are about ordinary people.  Simple people doing extraordinary ordinary things.  Her penchant for using untrained actors adds an authenticity to the ordinary that brings heart that you rarely see.  With Nomadland she has strayed a little from that by bring in one of the greatest actors, Frances McDormand to play Fern who has lost everything but who is revelling in the opportunity that has bought her. I had doubts about how a highly skilled actor would mix with the rest of the cast who are all untrained except for David Strathairn who has a relatively small but pivotal role as another nomad wandering the land. The mix works though and that is all down to the authenticity of McDormand.  The script is well written but sparse.  What McDormand is offered to work with is exactly the right amount in this story but I can’t think of another actor who could do as much with it as she has.

I am not sure what is Zhao’s greatest skill.  Making the entirely unremarkable seem far more or the framing of her shots. No doubt she has a skill for choosing location, but her ability to frame those locations at their best sets her apart.  Maybe only Ang Lee can match that. There is also something to be said for her ability to direct untrained actors and her willingness to let them be themselves in a way that works cohesively in the story. These medications on life that she makes are well served by that, certainly better served than using actors who want to do more than they are capable of. A small but notable performance comes from Derek Endres who appears to actually be playing himself. He has a real screen presence so it would not surprise me if he gets some film work.

There were two aspects of this film that did slightly disappoint.  The first was that there was only one male in the cinema watching this film and that was me.  I’d love to see other men embrace Zhao’s work.  The second I will let you work out for yourself.

The images here deserve to be seen on the big screen. McDormand deserves to be seen on the big screen.  Some of her moments reminded me of some of her early work.  Perhaps in some ways this is her story too.  In small ways this is a story that many of us will relate to.  Don’t let it pass you by.

[hock]

Minari

“A Korean family starts a farm in 1980s Arkansas.” That is the simple advertised premise of Minari.  All films can be dumbed down to a simple premise but to complicate it with all else that is going in this family drama belies the fact is a story about an average family trying to make their way in the world.

Jacob (Steven Yeun) and Monica Yi (Yeri Han) earn their living sexing chickens (the males are destroyed) but it is Jacob’s American Dream to have their own Korean vegetable farm. They’ve purchased some land in hurricane prone Arkansas and have moved with their children David and Anne. In debt to the bank for more they can afford, Jacob needs the farm to start producing in quick time. Continuing to work in the chicken farm means that they need help looking after the children so Monica’s mother has soon moved in to provide the “support” they need.  Grandma (Yuh-jung Youn) is certainly a character.  Not quite the cookie baking grandma that her American grandchildren, who she has never met, were hoping for.

The joy in this film comes from the comedic moments.  Many of them come through the interaction between grandma and David. Jacob’s relationship with neighbour Paul (Will Patton - somewhat reminiscent of an ageing Robert Duval) also provide some great moments.  Things are not going to be all sugar and spice for the Yi family but their struggles and their solutions do come from some surprising places.

Performances all around are excellent.  Steven Yeun surprises so often that his performances should no longer be a surprise.  For a guy that started as a bit player in The Walking Dead he has come a long way.  He will go much further. Yeri Han is equally as impressive as is the supporting cast.  The script is simple and well written.  The images captured represent 1980s America well.

Director Lee Issac Chung has based this story on his own upbringing.  No doubt it was a tough one but if Minari is anything to go by it was also full of love and very rewarding.  At almost 2hrs long, films of this type can drag.  Minari never does.  It might be hard to find but if it has a successful Oscar run it will get a wider release.  Take the opportunity to track it down. 

[hock]

The Dry

Australian cinema is in the midst of a mini resurgence and if The Dry is anything to go by it is a resurgence that is worth paying attention to.  That is not to downplay what Australian cinema has been doing in recent years.  It might just be that the situation we all find ourselves in may result in some of our bigger names returning to our local screens more often.

The Dry in a way highlights that idea when Aaron Falk (Eric Bana) returns to his hometown of Kiewarra following what appears to be a brutal murder suicide committed by his childhood friend Luke Hadler. Kiewarra is a fictional town but appears to be set in the Victorian mallee region.  It has suffered through 300 plus days without rain and now the tragedy of the loss of three loved members of the community looks to be pushing the town in a downward spiral.  At the behest of Luke’s parents, Aaron stays on in Kiewarra despite protestations of community members who are wary of Aarons own history.  As a decorated member of the Australian Federal Police, Aaron is soon using his experience to uncover truths that most would rather be kept secret.

The Dry is loaded with Australian talent both old and new.  Bruce Spence only has a few minutes on screen as Luke’s father but you feel every one of them.  Genevieve O’Reilly continues to put in solid performances regardless of the subject.  Seeing her in this after watching her in something like Tin Star is eye opening.

The Dry is well written though in a particularly Australian way.  It does not shy away from its location from a language perspective nor from a visual perspective.  The opening scenes of the dry Australian wheat fields are very well done.  The straight lines visible in those opening moments belie the twists and turns this story finds its way through. If The Dry does have a weak spot it is in the overly simple nature of those twists and turns. Some of them feel like they were plucked straight from a Choose Your Own Adventure. They are a little out of place in a story enveloped in this much dread.

The Dry has more than enough going for it to overcome that though. The performances, score, cinematography and direction from Robert Connolly (who should be getting more looks from overseas) are all first class. If you give it the chance The Dry will stay with you long after the rains have come.

[hock]

Mank

David Fincher does not need to work. His reputation and wellbeing have been firmly established by films like Seven, The Social Network and his last film, 2014′s Gone Girl.  With such a long time between films you can be sure that when he does work he is going to invest himslelf in the project and ensure every aspect of it meets his perfectionism.

He’s returned to his less visceral style of filmmaking with Mank. More reminiscent of the the feel of Benjamin Button it concerns itself with the life of screenwriter Herman Mankiewicz (Gary Oldman) particularly around the time he was writing Citizen Kane. I thought this might have been a film about the filmmaking process but am happy to report that it is much more than that, focussing also on Mank’s personal motivations and the politics of the day.

Visually Mank reminds me just a tiny bit of the Oscar winning film The Artist. While not trying to replicate film making from the 1940s he has produced something that at least nods towards it.  The black and white photography is beautiful and the audio also reminds me of a time gone by.  If you are sometimes frustrated by modern day dialogue that can barely be heard you’ll appreciate that every spoken word in Mank is crystal clear. You’ll appreciate it not only because you can hear it but also because of the quality of the screenplay. It’s probably a must to tell the story of one of the greatest screen writers of all time with a quality script but it should not be taken for granted. The screenplay and Oldman’s delivery of it is the films finest quality.

Oldman is fine as Mank though we have seen this performance from him before. There are several other well known performers, most notably Amanda Seyfried who never seems to get the credit she deserves in the more dramatic roles she takes. Charles Dance pops up several times throughout the film, once again playing Charles Dance.

Despite its obvious quality, Mank will not be for everyone. The focus is on filmmaking and 1940s American politics. If that subject matter is going to bother you then just move on to something else.  If subject is unimportant and you want to admire some quality filmmaking then set two hours aside, put your phone down and get to know Mank.

[hock]

Tenet

Christopher Nolan is developing a reputation that I did not expect. It is one of a filmmaker who shoots for the stars but who would be better off aiming a little lower. For the first time, with Tenet, I am beginning to agree. That’s not to say that Tenet is not a good film or that the concepts he is trying to show are not worthwhile, it’s just an awful lot to pack into two and a half hours.

The Protagonist (John David Washington) finds himself at the forefront of an effort to save humanity after discovering that the CIAs suicide pill is not an end, but a gateway to a secretive organisation known as Tenet. Tenet is charged with protecting the present day from future threats and the most pressing threat is that posed by Andrei Stor (Kenneth Branaugh) who receives information and items from the future which will allow him to destroy mankind. Aiding The Protagonist is British agent Neil (Robert Pattinson still in fine form) and a mysterious Indian arms dealer. No one’s motivation is clear except for that of Stor’s wife Kat (Australia’s own Elizabeth Debicki) who is determined to release herself and her son from her husband’s grasp.

There were times when I was watching Tenet that I felt I was observing it rather than watching it. The distinction being that the film was going on around me, rather than immersing me in it. It is certainly a spectacle. If there is anything Nolan does well it is scope. The visuals and soundscape are second to none and they hit you from the first minutes. I did find the score a little grating at times. After the traditional Nolan opening set piece the film would have benefitted from a few more minutes exposition. We are given some basic crumbs as to how it all works but with those crumbs scattered across time it is difficult to put them together in a satisfy meal.

The performances are all very good but a little more work on the script may have given Washington a bit more of an opportunity to spread his wings. It really is only his character that could do with a bit more development. That in itself may be an issue as he is the central character.

Despite the few misgivings I have I will probably go and watch this again in an attempt to really immerse myself in it. There is quality here but it may work better as a ten episode series than as a stand-alone film

[hock]

Knives Out

Knives Out is the film this I have been anticipating most in 2019. Director Rian Johnson only has a few films on his CV but he is building a reputation for being genuinely creative and unique.  With Knives Out he is incorporating some old tropes into that creativity with the result being an entertaining mix of classic murder mystery in a modern setting.

Millionaire author Harlan Thrombey (Christopher Plummer) has met his end. What at first appears to be suicide on the night of his birthday soon appears to be something more sinister as the questioning of Poirot style detective Beniot Blanc (Daniel Craig), reveals some inconsistencies in the tales told by the party guests. Blanc, Lieutenant Elliott (LaKeith Stanfield) and Trooper Wagner (Noah Segan) lock arms with an enticing array of actors with Jamie-Lee Curtis, Don Johnson, Michael Shannon, Toni Collette and Captain America himself, Chris Evans all playing members of the Thrombey clan, suddenly needing to clear their name in the murderous affair. The only help that Blanc can rely on is that provided by Harlan’s trusted nurse Marta who possesses an unusual inability to hide a lie.

Set almost entirely indoors, the setting chosen and created by Johnson and his team is perfectly described by Elliott when he says “He lives inside a Clue board”.  Approach Knives Out with this in mind and you’ll enjoy it immensely. There is a Clue/Cluedo vibe to the entire production that never becomes tiresome. Craig is perfectly ridiculous throughout and he is nicely balanced by the calmness of Stanfield who is one of the more watchable actors working today.  The rest of the cast of B listers all perform well.  Evans in particular looks very comfortable in his new suit. Johnson can claim the lions share of the credit as his work in writing the script is also very good.

Knives Out is not going to win Best Picture.  I doubt it will be a nominee but what it is, is the most entertaining film I have watched to this point of 2019.  There are some laugh out loud moments, some moments of real tenderness and a smartly told story.  You’ll get more out of all of those if you take the time to watch it in your local cinema.

[hock]

The Irishman

Netflix is making a significant investment in prestige cinema with Martin Scorsese’s The Irishman being the latest. Over the past few years “A” list directors like Alfonso Cauron, Steven Soderbergh and now Scorsese have all released Oscar bait via Netflix.  I’m yet to be convinced that this trend will continue but the days of assuming that the Netflix logo signifies a lack of quality are gone.

The Irishman is a throwback to the great gangster movies of the 70′s, 80′s and 90′s.  Reminicient of Copola’s The Godfather and Scorsese’s own Goodfellas, there is an element of nostalgia here that will be hard for fans of those films to deny. Technology employed to de-age Robert De Niro, Al Pacino and Joe Pesci make it a throwback in another way with the great actors of gangster movies past coming back into the fray in serious film making for the first time in some years.  As I was watching The Irishman I couldn’t help but think that this is the last big effort that these guys will have in them.  Pesci’s came out of retirement to make this film. 

Frank Sheeran (De Niro) paints houses.  Russell Bufalino (Joe Pesci) tells him which houses to paint. It’s no spoiler to say that “painting houses” is a metaphor as so much language in the gangster genre is. Bufalino and other organised crime figures ask Sheeran to provide protection for well known union official Jimmy Hoffa (Al Pacino).  While Sheeran’s relationship with Bufalino and other crime figures was important it is his relationship with Hoffa, famously missing and presumed dead since 1975, that impacted him most and perhaps defined him. Pacino, De Niro and Pesci are all outstanding with all support actors around them also performing strongly. Credit to Scorsese for drawing these performances from them.

The Irishman has an imposing 3 hr 29 min running time. It’s a long haul but it did fly by.  I had an unintended 30 minute break mid way through but I’m sure that worked to my advantage.  If you can put aside a full four hours I think you will be rewarded.  I was engrossed throughout.

The production is impressive. I was sceptical about the de-aging employed to return Pacino, Pesci and De Niro to their glory years but it is convincing. In the entire running time there was only 1 or 2 moments when you see it for what it is but I was really looking out for it. Those 1 or 2 moments detract nothing from the film. 

A film like this does cater to a certain audience.  If you enjoyed films like The Godfather, Goodfellas, The Departed or dare I say it, Joker, then The Irishman was made for you.  Joker fans in particular may find this a gateway to the gangster genre and some of the greatest films of all time.  With a few films on the horizon that may surpass it, including some Netflix releases, The Irishman currently sits on the top step as the best release of 2019.

[hock]

Ford v Ferrari

I got annoyed in the cinema when I heard a patron wander in and suggest that all the rev heads, himself included, were at the cinema to see Ford V Ferrari. This is serious cinema. People should be here for the overall quality of the film. They should come for the cinematography and the acting skills of Matt Damon and Christian Bale. As I departed I couldn’t but help remark at how Ford v Ferrari is perfect for rev heads. Boy is this film about cars and the people that make and drive them.

By the mid 60′s, Ferrari had won 7 of the previous 8 editions of the Le Mans 24 Hours. Ford had been making cars for 60 odd years but had not found any success in motor sport. To remedy this they set their sights on Le Mans as the perfect vehicle for establishing their racing credentials. They were given extra motivation when a cash strapped Ferrari rebuked their takeover bid in favour of an offer from a rival Italian manufacturer. Famed driver and car designer Carroll Shelby (Matt Damon) was given the task of building Ford’s program from the ground up. Already famous as a driver, himself a Le Mans winner and Formula 1 driver, he would go on to become perhaps the most famous designer in history.

Working with Shelby was British expat Ken Myles (Christian Bale) who was not only a talented driver but also played a major role in the development of Shelby’s cars. Myles is the first driver in years to have a genuine chance of beating the Ferraris.

This film will always be remembered as Damon’s and Bale’s. They are both at their peak with Damon in particular giving what may be my favourite performance of his. Ford v Ferrari should be remembered though because of the work of director James Mangold and cinematographer Phedon Papamichael. Both have a history of excellence behind them but Ford v Ferrari is their best work yet. They’ve left no stone unturned in the finer details.

As great as the filmmaking might be, that does not make it a great film. It’s worth seeing Ford v Ferrari for the art but if you are hoping for a major emotional payoff you might be disappointed. Yes it does have some moments of real emotion but it’s the story itself that fails to have a lasting impact. It’s interesting sure, but interesting and on screen quality is not enough to make a film great. It may well get a Best Picture nomination which at this stage it probably deserves. It won’t take home the statue though. If you love your cars, definitely go and see Ford v Ferrari. If you love a quality production, go and see Ford v Ferrari. If you need an emotional payoff, Marriage Story should be out on Netflix in a week or so.

[hock]

Doctor Sleep

The Shining it isn’t, but then not much is.  Doctor Sleep, the sequel to The Shining is set around thirty years after the original. Based on the Stephen King novel of the same name and in part on Stanley Kubricks 1980 original, we now find Danny “Doc” Torrance (Ewan McGregor) struggling to cope with the demons that he has carried through the years. He’s self medicating with booze and women but through the luck of a kindly soul and with advice from Dick Halloran (Carl Lumbly), who was killed in The Shining but still visits Danny, he finds his way out of the darkness and into a life of meaning.

That life of meaning is soon under threat when he starts to receive messages from fellow shiner, Abra Stone (Kyleigh Curran). Abra is being pursued by Rose the Hat (Rebecca Ferguson) and her accomplices who are keen to absorb the power that allows Abra and those like her to shine.  Danny can’t stand idly by and is soon on the road with Abra searching for a way to defeat Rose and her cohort. The destination they finally arrive at and the course of action they choose won’t come as too much of a surprise but the various twists in their journey will certainly entertain.

A good portion of the entertainment here comes in the form of The Shining easter eggs.  Depending on how familiar you are with the original you may spot several small images paying their respects to the original. The 1980 film differed quite a bit from the original novel so it’s natural that Doctor Sleep had to follow on from the original film and novel while also following the story of the Doctor Sleep novel which was a sequel to The Shining novel, not The Shining film.  That is a delicate balancing act that director Mike Flanagan as pulled of impressively. There are some elements of the story that don’t really work for me but they were clearly part of the King story.  I just prefer my horror a little more subtle and psychological.

The is a fine production overall.  The acting is very good, particularly from McGregor and Curran while the set decoration, although understated, is also very good. If you are a fan of The Shining, Doctor Sleep is a must though don’t expect it to live up to the original. I recommend a rewatch of The Shining beforehand. If you are just a fan of Stephen King and his particular style of story telling and horror then you’ll probably enjoy it even more.

[hock]

Terminator: Dark Fate

I have a bad habit I need to break. That habit is watching films to complete a collection.  I should have known before I watched X-Men: Dark Phoenix and I should have known after I watched Terminator Genisys.  I urge you to break your habit and not see Dark Fate just to complete the collection.  You’ll be better off without it.

The series to this point has been centred around the survival of John Connor, the last hope for humankind.  His mother, Sarah Connor was the target in T1.  He himself was the target in T2 and T3 and he was the central character in Terminator Salvation.  I cannot remember much about Terminator Genisys.  Here in Terminator: Dark Fate he is not the target and that is the first of many decisions made in the making of this film that does not work. Linda Hamilton returns as Sarah Connor and it is she who is to protect Dani Ramos (Natalia Reyes) who is now identified as the great hope. Also in Dani’s corner is Grace (MacKenzie Davis), an augmented super soldier from 2042, come back through time to provide what resistance she can.  Also on the scene is the original Cyberdyne Systems Model 101 played by Arnold Schwarzeneger.  How he happens to be here defies suspended belief even in a time travel film.

The latest terminator is Rev-9 played by Gabriel Luna.  Although he’s playing a robot he does well and along with Davis and Reyes make the best of their opportunities.  Schwarzeneger does Schwarzeneger about as well as he ever has but the material he is given is some of the worst he has worked with in a while.  The return of Hamilton to the franchise is somewhat disappointing but I’m not going to lay blame at her feet for that.

The set pieces have always been a highlight of the Terminator series and there are some great ones here but a few become tiresome. Likewise, the dark humour of the series has also been good at times but are jokes here are ten seconds gone before you realise they were jokes.

Trying to make sense of time travel films can be fraught with danger but the paradoxes in Terminator: Dark Fate are so overt that they are a real distraction.  I recommend you get distracted by something other than Terminator: Dark Fate.

[hock]

Joker

No need to overthink this. Do not get too caught up in the controversy or criticism. Joker is a well told story of a man afflicted by mental illness who ultimately descends into a life of violent crime. At its centre is a wonderful performance from Joaquin Phoenix, bringing to vivid life the Joker character we have seen on screen so many times before. He’s never been more real. The fact this is an origin story helps in that regard.

Arthur Fleck (Phoenix) is a wannabe comedian earning a living as a poorly paid clown for hire. He’s soon out of work as his odd mannerisms and inability to interact with those around him drawer complaints from those he’s been hired to entertain. As his life continues to spiral he learns that comedy is not his forte but may become his calling. His is a deadly form of comedy.

Director Todd Phillips is best known for The Hangover and it’s sequels but also had some success with the underrated War Dogs. After War Dogs it should come as no surprise that’s he’s been able to bring Joker together. This is a much bigger scale than what he has done before but his success here will undoubtedly see him get more opportunities. It’s hard to fault any element of the production.

It all comes back to Phoenix but debate will rage in comparing his performance to that of Heath Ledger in The Dark Knight. Phoenix has been asked to do much more than Ledger was. The physicality he brings to the screen is impressive but in coupling that with his understanding of the character and his ability to bring it to life Phoenix may just have the edge. Pretty sure I will change my mind on that next time I watch The Dark Knight.

[hock]

Once Upon a Time in Hollywood

I still eagerly anticipate the arrival of a new Quentin Tarantino film but am starting to wonder if that anticipation is justified. While I did enjoy Once Upon a Time in Hollywood and will no doubt watch it several times more, the first two hours plus is hard work. The dialogue over that portion of the film is snappy and well written but in the whole scheme of things it does not seem to have a lot of meaning in terms of the story that everyone is there to see.

Rick Dalton (Leonardo DiCaprio) is a once popular TV star now in the twilight of his career and is finding that that twilight is not the future he had always anticipated. Acting somewhat like his manservant is his long time stunt double Cliff Booth (Brad Pitt). Cliff’s career has been in decline for years, in part due to the unexplained death of his wife but also due to his obstinate way.  Their tale is set against the backdrop of the Charles Mansion murders. As neighbours to Roman Polanski and Sharon Tate (Margot Robbie), Rick and Cliff have a unique view of the events taking place at 10050 Cielo Drive.

Once Upon a Time in Hollywood is a well made film. It is very well written, wonderfully acted and the production design in general is of a very high quality. The music choices are great but some of them have been squeezed in. Once Upon a Time in Hollywood is let down by the fact that much of the first two hours just aren’t that interesting. 

In terms of Tarantino’s form, this is a far superior film to his last effort, The Hateful 8 which felt at times like it had been written on the go. Yes the first two hours plus is dull but the final twenty minute is classic grandiose Tarantino and that 20 minutes alone is worth the price of admission.

If you are a Tarantino fan you should definitely see Once Upon a Time in Hollywood.  You will find yourself talking about and remembering favourite scenes that are worthy additions to Tarantino’s finest.  If you are not a fan of Tarantino give it a miss.  If you are new to Tarantino, this is not the place to start.