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Reviews
Kill (2023)
Bloody relentless
Kill is a disgustingly violent and tightly contained thriller that's unrelenting in its bloodshed. It's going strong from the start with no filler whatsoever but after a shocking title drop 45 minutes in, it really hits its stride. It becomes a film that's completely unafraid to do seriously nasty things as the body count keeps rising and the emotional beats only get more tragic.
Lakshya Lalwani uses words less and his fists a lot more as it goes along, making him a thoroughly convincing action star fueled exclusively by rage. The villains are really good too thanks to the interesting decision to make them all family in some way. It makes them all feel a little less one note as every death has at least one of them in a devastated state and keeps the stakes high.
Nikhil Nagesh Bhat's direction shines brightest whenever a fight is happening, which is almost always. The confined spaces are only used to its advantage and really enhanced by sound design that's crunching and squelching with every blow. Ketan Sodha's score rejects subtlety in favour of a diverse soundscape that can be everything from badass to moving with ease.
Kinds of Kindness (2024)
The most Yorgos
Kinds of Kindness is off putting by design. A film about the twisted lengths people go to for the ones they love that practises what it preaches by being a nearly 3 hour anthology film that tests if you can truly love Yorgos at his most everything. The first 2 stories are really strong and the third nearly destroys all the good will they've built up, so it averages out at really good overall.
The cast includes first time and frequent collaborators who are all able to be the right kind of peculiar here, regardless of previous experience. Jesse Plemons is the best by far. He's already a natural at being incredibly awkward and unsettling so his collaboration with Yorgos is a match made in heaven. It's no coincidence that the weakest story of the three also happens to be the one he's in the least.
Yorgos Lanthimos directs with self indulgence. He's still gifted at getting fearless performances from his cast and continues to make films that are unapologetically uniquely him. This film is a statement confirming that despite his critical and commercial success reaching new heights with Poor Things, the old Yorgos who loves to show humanity at its most peculiar and least humane isn't going anywhere.
Robbie Ryan's cinematography turns the everyday locations into gorgeous backdrops that begin to feel as strange as everything else with a saturation that's uncharacteristically vivid. Jerskin Fendrix's score is initially hard to listen to but quickly finds its place as it twangs its way through all three stories with the same level of off kilter tragedy.
Beverly Hills Cop: Axel F (2024)
A welcome return
Beverly Hills Cop: Axel F uses the Top Gun: Maverick formula to make a legacy sequel that can easily leap past the weakest chapter in this franchise without coming close to the Oscar nominated original that started it all. It's filled with callbacks to the original whilst nobly attempting to acknowledge the age of its characters and how times have changed since their last outing.
This is the most animated Eddie Murphy has been in one of these since the first instalment. His ability to create a character on the spot and his fast talking nature make a triumphant return but are very front loaded so there's room for him to grow once he reunites with his daughter. Whilst Axel's journey isn't on the level of other recent returning characters, it's still a solid arc.
It's nice to have Judge Reinhold & John Ashton back with Ashton in particular really making up for his absence in the last one. It gives equal screen time to its newcomers with Taylour Paige taking the thankless job of having to be the straight one, Joseph Gordon-Levitt being as likeable as always, and Kevin Bacon entertainingly playing a villain so obvious the film doesn't bother hiding it.
Considering he's making his feature film debut with a $150 million franchise film, Mark Molloy does a good job overall. There are lulls in both the action and the comedy without it becoming boring and it's really satisfying to see the bottomless pit of Netflix money employed on some large scale practical destruction and impressive helicopter stuff.
Composer Lorne Balfe finds greater success than his immediate predecessor in his attempts to remix Axel F throughout the film. In the rare moments it's not playing with that masterpiece, it's still keeping the synth elements alive and well with a soundtrack that's on hand to cover any nostalgia that's been missed by reusing most of the songs from the first film.
Beverly Hills Cop III (1994)
Franchise fatigue is setting in
Beverly Hills Cop III is noticeably lighter on laughs and quality action than both of its predecessors. The long gap between sequels is noticeable on screen and something generally feels off. However, it still knows how to move efficiently with a pretty short run time which makes it undemanding entertainment relying on its lead to carry it more than ever before.
Eddie Murphy isn't as funny as usual, though not without his moments, so for the most part there's a believable seriousness to Axel this time which fits naturally considering why he's on this mission. Judge Reinhold still pairs really well with Murphy but he's not in this one enough and John Ashton is sorely missed despite Hector Elizondo's best efforts to fill the gap.
John Landis is a comedy director who's already worked with Eddie Murphy multiple times and therefore a natural fit for this initially. However, this is mostly serious with lacklustre, small-scale action so his direction ends up being competent and nothing more. Composer Nile Rodgers attempts to put some new spins on Axel F which do their job even if they aren't as strong as the original version.
Meet the Fockers (2004)
Bigger and cruder
Meet the Fockers is broader and cruder than the original which keeps proceedings fresh even as it goes through a lot of the same motions. It's very satisfying to see Robert De Niro be the odd one out here and this new dynamic combined with a greater selection of stars makes it a funny clashing of cultures as the old fashioned Byrnes meets free spirited Fockers.
Ben Stiller plays it mostly straight in this one aside from the one standout truth bomb sequence, which nicely balances out all the insanity around him. With De Niro only committing to the bit even further and Dustin Hoffman & Barbara Streisand turning into a pair of loveable caricatures, it really feels like these films are a great place for dramatic actors to let loose.
Jay Roach's direction mines the word Focker for every ounce of humour that can be mined from it and generally tones down the slapstick whilst dialling up the stupidity. There are definitely some luls between the good jokes however, the film has an overall warmth that allows it to coast between them easily enough and the jokes that do land really benefit from their unpredictability.
Beverly Hills Cop II (1987)
Better looking sequel
Beverly Hills Cop II isn't as strong as the first despite improving in a few departments but it really doubles down on the banter between the core trio and that is more than entertaining enough to sustain this one. It knows it doesn't really need to change the structure of these films and has a plot that's good enough to warrant a reunion for Foley, Taggart, and Rosewood.
There's some massive overconfidence from Eddie Murphy and he doesn't reach the same level as last time. However, he still brings his livewire energy with enough jokes that land. Doubling down on his rapport with Judge Reinhold & John Ashton really helps to make up for anything that doesn't land and bringing them along for the entirety of the adventure pays off wonderfully.
Tony Scott brings his trademarks as director by massively dialling up the amount of aviators and golden skies which makes this a nicer looking film than the original. Even if the action here isn't his best, the car chases, shootouts, and explosions still pop. Returning composer Harold Faltermeyer is content to just reuse Axel F for any remotely significant moment and it's good enough to work.
Werewolves Within (2021)
Best video game adaptation
Werewolves Within is a whodunnit that's so strong it can have its cake and eat it too when it comes to the commentary on how quickly people can turn against each other as well as just being a solid creature feature. It's constantly laying traps that are easy to fall into and it's so focused on doing all of this that it casually becomes the best video game movie to date.
This is a fantastic collection of suspects who all show their true selves in satisfying fashion. As the nicest person in the film by far with an endearing awkwardness to boot, Sam Richardson is an ideal lead who's outsider perspective leads to natural exposition dumps. Everyone else gets more heightened and funny as it goes along with Milana Vayntrub and Harvey Guillén having the most effective wit.
Josh Ruben's direction handles the merging of horror and comedy nicely, even if it's one sided. It's not scary but the humour can land so constantly in ways that don't undermine much which prevent the scare free endeavour from being an issue. It's clearly got a low budget, hence the singular werewolf and transformation sequence, and it uses that to its advantage.
A Quiet Place: Day One (2024)
A prequel worthy of A Quiet Place's humanity
A Quiet Place: Day One is a beautifully tender drama in which two people find solace in each other's company at the end of the world whilst still delivering all the expected tension and increasing the scale by bringing its fearful silence to one of the loudest cities on the planet. It's the best kind of horror prequel that can bring new ideas to the table without forgetting what the greatest strengths are.
Without the ability to speak, Lupita Nyong'o does some incredible eye acting with good reason to be so closed off at first. Joseph Quinn is so precious as someone who is infinitely more scared because of how far from home he is yet still does the right thing. Together, they are the heart of this film with a relationship that grows in ways that are always extremely emotional.
Writer & director Michael Sarnoski accomplishes the difficult task of massively increasing budgets between films and moving into a franchise without losing his unique sensibilities. There's only one cheap jump scare that feels like a studio note and everything else prioritises the human element just like he did in Pig whilst showing a talent for crafting intense sequences with scarily close calls.
Composer Alexis Grapsas doesn't use any of Marco Beltrami's work for his score and creates something just as beautiful. Like everything else here from the setting to the characters, the score is distinct from the previous ones and yet it stays true to what this franchise has always been about. This may be the end times, but the humanity of it all has always been the focus.
Beverly Hills Cop (1984)
An ideal action comedy
Beverly Hills Cop is an action comedy that moves at a nice speed whilst always being highly entertaining and lighthearted despite the violence of the inciting incident. It has everything you expect with destructive action, some memorable jokes, one-note baddies, and a leading man so talented that he makes the whole thing fall into place.
This is a perfect showcase for Eddie Murphy's leading man talents which are so good that everything else is built around them. His comedic timing is impeccable and it's really impressive how quickly he can change all of his mannerisms. It's even better because he's got strong support in the form of Judge Reinhold & John Ashton who slowly warm to him in satisfying fashion.
Martin Brest's direction peaks with the opening car chase that has an incredible amount of carnage and he always keeps a nice balance between the action and comedy after that. Harold Faltermeyer crafts an amazing central theme that's instantly iconic and the film is fully aware of how good it is because it's utilised at every possible turn without it ever becoming stale.
Horizon: An American Saga - Chapter 1 (2024)
Old school western
It's nice to see a western on the big screen again, especially one that's so unashamedly old fashioned and sentimental but Horizon: An American Saga - Chapter 1 is a three hour first act that doesn't even feel like it's out of act one by the time the credits roll. It's a noble attempt to provide a more balanced perspective on frontier life combined with gorgeous vistas and vignettes that remain really engaging in spite of the glacial pace.
Kevin Costner doesn't show up until an hour into the film so his long gestating passion project doesn't feel overly vain even with some self indulgent decisions. When he does turn up it offers a reminder that he's a movie star like no other with a roguish charm who feels so comfortable in this genre. Plus his outfit here looks really good on him.
There's a strong supporting cast too who probably get more screen time than Costner himself. The blossoming relationship between Sam Worthington and Sienna Miller is endearing, Luke Wilson displays a commanding yet kind presence and Jamie Campbell Bower & Jon Beavers are a pair of villains who are generically evil in satisfying fashion.
It would take real skill to squander the beautiful practical locations on display and as a veteran of the genre, Kevin Costner certainly doesn't waste this opportunity with his direction. This is stunning to look at from the very start and even if it operates like television, its clear why it's on the big screen instead. John Debney's score sounds very similar to Titanic which really works since this almost as long and sweeping.
Kynodontas (2009)
A dark and uncomfortable tragedy
Dogtooth is provocative and unsettling by design. It's all about the power dynamics as the parents control and contort every aspect of the lives of their children in very dark ways with unusual punishments delivered in the most uncomfortable fashion. It shows a distinct vision from director, producer and co-writer Yorgos Lanthimos.
Everyone in this small cast are 100% on point when nailing the unusual tone and delivery that this is going for. Everything is delivered with a straight face no matter what's being said or done which makes it feel so surreal and certainly makes it a lot more uncomfortable when the film starts to get really dark and twisted.
Yorgos Lanthimos directs with a cold hand, going to many places other films wouldn't even attempt with a dark sense of humour. It's an ugly looking film by design that's deliberately desaturated and bleak enough to match its characters intentions. The sound design only adds to the disturbing nature by bringing the most uncomfortable sounds to the forefront with no escape.
The Mask of Zorro (1998)
A level of fun rarely achieved
The Mask of Zorro is so much fun, proving that being a fun blockbuster is nowhere near as easy as it looks because a lot of films that go for the same thing struggle to elicit such excitement and joy. It's exactly the kind of swashbuckling adventure that's never seen these days and sorely missed. A true rollercoaster ride in cinematic form.
Antonio Banderas has chemistry with anything he wants here whilst showing off a rare skill by being able to swap between being the parody of his stoic hero and the self serious version with ease. Anthony Hopkins has never been more dashing as he shows no signs of phoning it in, committing wholeheartedly to what this is going for with a healthy dose of dry wit.
Catherine Zeta-Jones might not get much to do other than one really cool sword fight but she still gives it her all with a lot of energy and plenty of chemistry with Banderas. As far as villains go, Stuart Wilson is a pretty great antagonist who's ambitious and cunning but by no means a heartless psychopath, instead feeling like an actual human being.
Martin Campbell knows how to reboot a franchise and his direction here is wonderful. The swashbuckling is inherently thrilling thanks to the impeccable speed and choreography plus the film is satisfyingly practical. The way the action moves between the straight faced swashbuckling, almost slapstick humour, and tremendous stunt work is endlessly entertaining.
Limbo (2020)
Quirky and tender comedy drama
Limbo lays on the quirks a little too fast, too early on but after the extended dance number this quickly becomes a heartfelt, funny, and sincere comedy drama about the experiences of refugees. It makes sure to never sacrifice the drama for cheap laughs and wisely splits itself into two halves where most of the humour is front loaded and the most tender dramatic moments are saved for last.
Amir El-Masry gives a wonderful lead performance that truly anchors everything. His constantly mournful face enhances the comedy with the deadpan nature and makes his phone calls to his family all the more emotional. Vikash Bhai's Farhad is a strong supporting character for El-Masry by contrasting his presence with a very upbeat attitude designed to hide a very real pain.
Ben Sharrock's direction really finds its footing after the initial stumble. All the quirks and the overall deadpan nature slot into place nicely with an even stronger grasp on the emotional beats which use a dreamlike nature to add further heft. Nick Cooke's cinematography prioritises tightly composed frames that are massively helped by the aspect ratio which makes everything feel even more contained.
Team America: World Police (2004)
Painfully funny from the start
Team America: World Police is one of the most painfully funny comedies ever made and it hits its stride straight away. Nothing is safe from scrutiny here with the real strength coming from how it criticises most of the worst tendencies of blockbuster filmmaking. The film has aged even better because some of the tropes it's lambasting still occasionally creep up.
Trey Parker and Matt Stone successfully cover the majority of the voices themselves. Some of the characters sound exactly like their South Park creations which isn't a problem since the reused voices work for what the film is going for and the celebrity impressions range from surprisingly accurate to hilariously awful.
Trey Parker's direction is fantastic with impressive model work and puppetry that accomplishes the unthinkable. The score by Harry Gregson-Williams works so well because it could be directly transposed onto any other straight faced blockbuster from the same time, aided by songs that are as catchy as they are funny.
The Outsiders (1983)
Moving melodrama
The Outsiders is a great story of aimless youth and class divide. It's melodramatic, tender and tragic with a collection of West Side Story similarities that enhance the film without taking away its ability to stand on its own two feet. It's also a surreal sight to see a cast of fresh faces who are almost all big names now, especially Tom Cruise.
That cast is the strongest aspect. Part of the appeal now is seeing a bunch of recognisable faces before they were famous and outside of that they all do a terrific job when it comes to the chemistry and knowing what kind of melodrama to play. C. Thomas Howell & Ralph Macchio are the heart of the film with a believable friendship that ensures the proceedings are investing.
Francis Ford Coppola's direction is beautiful. The transitions can move through the darkest parts with grace and Stephen H. Burum's cinematography finds beauty by being both sweeping and very intimate. The score by Carmine Coppola and the soundtrack certainly fits the overall aesthetic as well as the time period it's set in, even if they can stay easy going for a little too long.
Lara Croft: Tomb Raider - The Cradle of Life (2003)
Almost a superior sequel
Lara Croft Tomb Raider: The Cradle of Life is a sequel that might be better than the original. It improves upon the strengths but doubles down on some of the issues as well (bland villain, nonsense plot) which is the only thing stopping it from truly claiming that title. Still, it's another fun globetrotting action movie with an unexpectedly bold swing at the end.
Angelina Jolie is still flawless as Lara Croft. Her confidence, elegance and screen presence remain intact and she really shows how Lara genuinely enjoys her adventures, until they go wrong. Gerard Butler is a superior love interest compared to his predecessor, mostly because his dynamic with Jolie gets more focus and he gets to use his real accent.
Jan de Bont directs a better looking sequel, despite the bad day for night scenes. The action is better here with less distracting CGI and a standout practical wingsuit sequence worthy of Tom Cruise. Alan Silvestri's score almost entirely eschews the club anthems of its predecessor for a more generically rousing blockbuster score with a sense of adventure.
Lara Croft: Tomb Raider (2001)
Unashamedly 2000s
Lara Croft: Tomb Raider is unashamedly a product of its time which lends it a lot of charm. The nonsense treasure hunting plot stands out more than usual in these types of films but it's a fun time buoyed by the movie star carrying it and on stronger footing than most video game adaptations thanks to the framework of the films it's borrowing from.
Angelina Jolie is perfectly cast as the titular Tomb Raider, exuding elegant confidence effortlessly with a faultless accent. Daniel Craig, on the other hand, has a weird American accent and plenty of pre-Bond charm so he can still be a solid rival/love interest. Ian Glen knows how to make a one-note villain work, even when he's given nothing.
Simon West directs a globetrotting action film that moves quickly with acrobatic action at its strongest when at its most practical because the CGI is pretty rough and it increases in frequency as it goes along. With plenty of previous experience in action, he was a good choice for this. Graeme Revell's techno club anthem of a score really knows how to set the tone straight away.
Dead Man's Shoes (2004)
Sombre revenge
Revenge is a hard thing to get right and Dead Man's Shoes has noble ambitions in its depiction of small town revenge that it doesn't entirely succeed with but remains a really good revenge movie that doesn't offer easy answers and is unflinching in the various acts of violence. It can be tough to watch and the emotional heft here is potent from the opening montage.
Paddy Consadine has a rage that burns from moment one. He's a tragic character who can barely contain his growing anger and all of his threats have a real vitriol behind them. All of his victims act in a way that feels natural. Everything they do from their banter to their fear and anger avoids caricature by feeling authentic.
Director Shane Meadows frames the early acts of vengeance like a horror movie and there's some black comedy in how his victims freak out when they realise how screwed they are. There's a sense of realism thanks to the grainy camerawork and Aphex Twin's score has a lot of layers to it, there's plenty of tragedy to it as well as a biblical nature as it reaches the climax.
The Bikeriders (2023)
Great look at biker culture
The Bikeriders is a great look at male bonding and vulnerability, charting a familiar rise and fall narrative that's filled with strong characters from a big cast who fit into their roles so comfortably. It time jumps with ease whilst presenting a tragic look at how biker culture morphed from something carefree and fun into something much darker.
Jodie Comer finds another accent to conquer, Austin Butler proves he can remain magnetic even when he's barely moving and Tom Hardy mumbles his way through the film in a way only he could pull off. Despite focusing on fresh faces and big names, there's still time for frequent Jeff Nichols collaborator Michael Shannon to steal some scenes.
Jeff Nichols directs the film in a tactile way that's so engaging that the third act creeps up almost out of nowhere. It's not as fast paced as the plot implies and it's definitely not 'Goodfellas on Harleys' but it's just as entertaining as that, if not more. The soundtrack spends the majority of the film in an easygoing nature and is wisely toned down as things get darker.
Den skyldige (2018)
Tightly paced, well balanced thriller
The Guilty is a perfectly timed thriller that flies by because it's pure tension from the moment the plot kicks in, and even before that happens those opening minutes are used to set everything up efficiently. It's an impressive balancing act as the main plot and character beats can share screen time equally and then they both crescendo at the same time.
Jakob Cedergren is amazing as the person holding the whole thing together. He gets more and more invested in his job as it goes along and when he does finally have a rage filled outburst it's well timed and doesn't overdo it. The voice cast are all really strong as well, fully committing to their performances so their conversations with Jakob are completely believable.
Gustav Möller's direction thankfully avoids the urge to ever leave the call centre which helps the tension rise as only being able to hear what's going on makes everything even more uneasy. Being stuck in one location also doesn't hinder Jasper Spanning's cinematography which bookends the film on two equally striking shots and constantly keeps the proceedings intense.
The End We Start From (2023)
Character driven disaster movie
Like all the best disaster movies, The End We Start From understands that the most important aspect is making sure you care about the people who are trying to survive this possible apocalypse. Whilst it has its fair share of bleak moments, showing how quickly and violently civilisation can crumble, it's ultimately a hopeful disaster movie.
Jodie Comer is absolutely phenomenal in her finest cinematic showcase to date. She displays a whole range of emotions from the unbridled joy of having a child to the fear of never feeling truly safe in a constantly changing environment whilst having a really beautiful friendship with a super likeable Catherine Waterston. Her chemistry with Joel Fry is also endearing.
Mahalia Belo's direction can show the brutality of this changed world without wallowing in misery. The scale is pretty impressive, especially considering the low budget and it ends on a final shot that makes the whole thing coalesce. The score by Anna Meredith really stands out because it doesn't sound like anything else in the genre. It's so modern and understated.
Hearts of Darkness: A Filmmaker's Apocalypse (1991)
Could've gone on for 3 hours
Hearts of Darkness: A Filmmaker's Apocalypse is a fascinating look at when life imitates art. Pretty much showing first hand what it was like on the set of Apocalypse Now in a way that's so engaging it could've gone on for another 90 minutes at least. It very quickly summarizes the reception of the film at the end and instead chooses to focus on the incredibly tumultuous production of a masterpiece.
Eleanor Coppola feels like the ideal candidate to narrate the proceedings. She's close enough to the people involved to offer a first hand account whilst still having some distance as the person documenting the chaos. She's also able to offer a uniquely personal look at what was at stake by stating how much Francis put into this picture, including their own property, and how that affected her.
It's very poetic that despite having so much footage and a lot more ground to cover that this more is efficient than it's subject. However, for a production that went well over 200 days of filming and then took a further 2 years to actually release, it would've been even better to see everything after principal photography up to reception and release.
Human Traffic (1999)
Always inventive
Human Traffic successfully captures a moment. Both the anxieties of the time and the simple pleasure of getting to the weekend after an awful week at work. It has luls between its laughs but overall it has enough jokes to sustain itself and the constantly playful nature of everything is the film's greatest strength.
John Simm has a near infinite amount of energy here with loads of paranoia that makes him an endearingly vulnerable lead. He has a believable chemistry with the group (especially Lorraine Pilkington & Shaun Parkes) plus his paranoid tangents are almost as fun as Danny Dyer's hyped up rants, the Star Wars ones being the best.
Justin Kerrigan's direction always finds fun and inventive ways to structure the scenes. Almost every scene is made better by the way it's staged with a handful of fourth wall breaking character introductions, a sing along musical number, and some surreal flourishes that allow the cinematography by Dave Bennett to really shine.
Memento (2000)
Smart, tragic and twisty
Memento is a very smart thriller that's constantly shifting and piecing together all the answers with the film, at its own pace, makes you feel smart. It's definitely Christopher Nolan's darkest film with a bleak ending that eschews the hope that would permeate most of his later work for a world where neither people, pen & paper or memory can be trusted.
Guy Pearce has a convincingly excessive level of kindness to over compensate for Leonard's inability to remember others which hides a real darkness, making him a lot less clear cut than he initially seems. Carrie-Anne Moss does terrific work with one of Nolan's better female characters and Joe Pantoliano plays to his strengths whilst getting to be more subtle.
Christopher Nolan going from Following to this is insane. It's a huge leap in ambition and technical craft and he pulls it off flawlessly, restructuring an already twisty narrative in a way that's easy to follow and constantly transitions between colour and black & white with ease. Composer David Julyan crafts a fittingly repetitive score that's rife with tragedy.
A weaker version of this could've been incoherent but Dody Dorns's editing ensures that never happens. Effect happens before cause here and it's constantly engaging to witness the film working its way backwards, showing big events out of context and then gradually revealing more information until it all clicks into place in immensely satisfying fashion.
Rams (2020)
Overly long but still investing
Rams definitely delivers what's expected of it when it's needed most but it spends too much time wallowing in misery as it waits until well after the hour mark to get its official plot going. A helping handful of adorable animals and a completely capable leading man helps to make up for the fact that this should not be 2 hours long.
Even if it's too long, Sam Neill is more than talented enough to keep it investing throughout. He's so likeable which makes any scene where he's sad all the more emotional and he has solid chemistry with both Michael Caton & Miranda Richardson, the only downside being that he doesn't spend enough screen time with either of them overall.
Jeremy Sim's direction is fine. The film generally looks nice, helped by the natural beauty of the landscapes and even if its plot spends too long in the first act and too little in the third, some of those emotional beats early on are delivered with genuine sadness. Seeing how much they care about their sheep is undeniably impactful.