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Kingdom of the Planet of the Apes (2024)
No One Can Stop the Reign
After 7 years since the release of "War for the Planet of the Apes" Wes Ball takes over from Matt Reeves with his new instalment in the Planet of the Apes franchise and did not disappoint. While "Kingdom of the Planet of the Apes" is a continuation of the recent trilogy, it does a great job at setting up for a new storyline and a new world to be visited. Visually this film is beautiful which is no surprise since the franchise has always been on point when it comes to CGI and set design. The last 30 minutes was the best portion of the film and really helps to push this to a 4/5 for me. Tension, action and emotion topped with a good score is everything one can ask for. Overall I was very pleased to see some of the concepts from the original film return into the new era of franchise and I am so excited to see what's to come next.
Rebel Moon - Part Two: The Scargiver (2024)
Zack Snyder, What Were You Thinking Here?
I find it sad to state that the reason the films aren't getting great reception is because the studio wanted their version released and your own has been vaulted. It may have worked for "Justice League" but I don't find that any version can save these. The screenwriting was tough and lacked a lot of depth, and I found it so easy to not care for a single character. Zack Snyder attempts to bring heavy emotion into the story and characters but it never lands. The editing was painful especially with the use of slow-motion and how overused it is, I got to the point where I was ready to turn the film off multiple times.
Overall, there is very little to say of this film that I enjoyed if anything at all. A lacklustre, poorly inspired, wannabe Star Wars that I never had the time to care for, was just a disappointment.
Civil War (2024)
What's so Civil 'bout War Anyway?
Alex Garland's fourth feature length film "Civil War" was a haunting look into what could be America at any point. A 2 hour tension building film filled with intense scenes, great sound design and big production value allowed for this to feel as though you were side by side with the journalists. Great performance from the entire cast led by Kirsten Dunst, Wagner Moura, Cailee Spaeny, and Stephen McKinley Henderson all providing believable performances. Alex Garland's writing choice of a nonpartisan and vague civil war was interesting as it led to more of a creative take on America, but sadly led to constantly asking the questions like "why was there even a civil war and which side we were supposed to be rooting for, if any?". The big payoff in "Civil War" is the final 20 minutes where Alex Garland puts you in the front seat of the anxiety driven climax. Thankfully, there was a lot more pros than cons for this film which led to a 4/5 rating.
Dune: Part Two (2024)
Long Live the Fighters
Can a sequel surpass the original? YES IT CAN! "Dune: Part Two" delivers in so many ways, making this one of the greatest science fiction films ever. With a runtime of 2 hours and 46 minutes, you can easily see that not a single second was wasted. Sound design was a key factor as it produced such an immersive experience, feeling every single bit of bass in the seats. Visually this film was spectacular thanks to some stunning cinematography. The cast was phenomenal, providing some of their best performances to date and can easily see some Oscar nominations incoming. Especially when it comes to Austin Butler stealing the show taking on the role of Feyd-Rautha, one of the best villain performances in a while. To top that all off, Hans Zimmer continues to prove he is one of the greatest composers of all time with such a powerful and emotional score. "Dune: Part Two" is an easy reminder as to why I love films so much and Denis Villeneuve blessed us with such a beautiful and powerful cinematic experience.
Madame Web (2024)
Her web connects them all
Sony's latest installment into their Spider-Man Universe was a tough watch. While I can admit the concept of the film was one that I did enjoy but the execution was poorly done. From the opening scene to the end credits, it was just constant bad dialogue, choppy editing, poor acting, and brutal CGI. Felt more like a comedy about someone who can see the future than a superhero film. I think the standout actor in this film goes to Adam Scott as Ben Parker with his character feeling the most authentic with very little screen time. Lastly, I must say that Tahar Rahim (Ezekiel Sims) was one of the worst villains in film history and easily will be one of my most forgettable ones.
"Madame Web" ended up feeling like a rushed project and landing as the worst film of the year. Probably one of the worst comic book films ever made. The only hope is that "Kraven", and "Venom 3" can provide some redemption back to Sony.
I.S.S. (2023)
The War on Earth will be Decided in Space.
"I. S. S." follows U. S and Russian astronauts aboard the International Space Station as a conflict breaks out on Earth. They each receive orders from Earth to take control of the station by any means necessary. I have always been a sucker for science fiction films, and after seeing the trailer for "I. S. S." I will admit I was intrigued to see an original story being developed. However, this film managed to pique my interest within 25-30 minutes before completely losing me for the rest of the film. Sadly, the acting was very flat (even Ariana DeBose couldn't help this film) and the CGI was rough to look at. For me this was one of those films where I didn't care what happened to any character as I didn't feel the film allowed to connect with anyone. Overall, this is set to be one of the most disappointing films of the year for me.
Argylle (2024)
The Greater the Spy, The Bigger the Lie
Argylle was one of the biggest releases this year, especially with such a star-studded cast. Matthew Vaughn brought his unique style from "Kingsman" into a new take on a spy thriller. When Elly Conway's fictional espionage novels begin to mirror the covert actions of a real-life spy organization, quiet evenings at home become a thing of the past. This being such a bland take as it was a story/concept we have seen before and felt reused. Pilled on with unappealing action sequences, that tried to carry off "Kingsman" success but failed to do so. However, I must say thank goodness for Sam Rockwell otherwise this film could've easily been lower rated. Every second he was on screen added enough redeeming points as he was the true star of this picture. Overall, with the slight plot twists here and there as well the cast, it was enough to provide just an ok watch. Hopefully the next Matthew Vaughn project goes back to his original roots.
Orion and the Dark (2024)
Hello Darkness, My New Friend.
DreamWorks Animation's most recent release follows Orion, a boy with an active imagination who faces his fears on a journey through the night with some new friends. Written by Charlie Kaufman, the mind behind "Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind" and "Being John Malkovich" I was intrigued to view his first animated film. Sadly, I will admit that this was kind of a letdown in the aspect of it not feeling original whatsoever. It did however illustrate kids struggling with fear and anxiety, and ways to face such fears. An ensemble of talented actors such as Jacob Tremblay, Angela Bassett, and Paul Walter Hauser would bring much attention to any film, however they couldn't do much to save this from just being an average film. Overall, this was nowhere near DreamWorks Animation's best work but was not there worst either.
Mean Girls (2024)
Plastic is Forever
Talk about a disappointment. For a film based off a broadway show, it should've stayed on the stage. From acting not being great, to majority of the musical numbers not hitting this was a painful 1 hour and 52 minutes. A lot of the time it felt like I was watching music videos more than a film, which threw me off. A few pros that come from this version of Mean Girls was Damian(Jaquel Spivey) who was great in this and Reneé Rapp playing a decent Regina George, but no where near as good as Rachel McAdams. Honestly Jon Hamm should've been utilized more, as he was the best addition to the cast by far. At least they kept the classic lines from the original film.
Overall this was a disappointing reboot/remake and the few good points could not save this from a low rating sadly.
He Went That Way (2023)
Crimes on 66
Never hearing of this being made and a surprise to see the cast involved, I was definitely disappointed in this watch. The story was very slow, the acting wasn't all there and I don't wanna even talk about Spanky. After a great run in 2023 with "Priscilla" and "Saltburn" I was excited to see the next performance from Jacob Elordi, but this sadly was not one of his best. Leaving Patrick J. Adams to be my favourite part of this film, even with the minor screen time.
I've always been a sucker for crime/thriller films, and after reading the plot summary I was intrigued. But this was very far from a thriller with any suspense, not a single time did I feel nervous for any characters on screen.
Overall probably one of the worst of the entire year and we've just started.
The Iron Claw (2023)
Sons. Brothers. Champions.
What an emotional ride this film was. I mean never letting off the breaks and making you feel so many things. Another A24 production that was outstanding in both visuals and story telling. Zac Efron gives his greatest performance of his career and was so pleased to see him approach a serious role. However this was one of those film where every single person put on a great performance and would love to see them all get the recognition they deserve. One of the only downfalls of this film was runtime. They could've easily utilized a 3 hour window to deliver so much extra in respect to story. Especially in a time where films are becoming longer in runtime as an average. "The Iron Claw" had one of the hardest hitting endings I've seen and still feel the impact to this day.
Overall an amazing job from the entire cast and crew on this project and a well deserved spot in my top 5 of the year.
Poor Things (2023)
She's Like Nothing You've Ever Seen
"Poor Things" directed by Yorgos Lanthimos is definitely a bold and interesting original film. Probably the most unique film to be released this year and provided a surprising watch, I often found myself laughing out loud more than I had thought I would've. The film showcases personal transformation and finding one's self through rapid growth and character development with Bella (Emma Stone). As we see her transition from being told where to go and what to do, to ultimately deciding her own path. Emma Stone displayed one of her greatest performances to date and heavily carried this film on her shoulders. The supporting ensemble was outstanding as well with Mark Ruffalo, Willem Dafoe, and Christopher Abbott all giving exceptional performances. Beautiful cinematography, set design, costume design and makeup were very unique and help elevate this bizarre and over the top piece of cinema to be one of the best films of the year.
Ferrari (2023)
The Man and the Machine
Michael Mann provided a gripping take on the life of automotive icon Enzo Ferrari and his wife Laura Ferrari following their son's death, and on the verge of bankruptcy in 1957. The strong points from this film are from great performances from both Adam Driver and Penélope Cruz showing much emotion at an intense time in their lives. As well as the incredible sound design and set design, now for set design it was not hard as Italy is just so beautiful anyway so all shots were very appealing. But the sound design was the show stealer in this. Now while there was some high points there was some lows, primarily being Shailene Woodley's performance being the least impressive and at some points just not great. Overall an enjoyable watch that illustrated one of the most important/emotional times in Ferrari's life.
Gojira -1.0 (2023)
Postwar Japan. From Zero to Minus
This easily snuck its way into my top 5 of the year and it's not hard to see why. Takashi Yamazaki created one of the greatest films of 2023 and one of the greatest Godzilla films. He managed to balance everything that makes a great film without missing the mark at any time. This film takes place a year after the events of WWII, showcasing Japan trying to recover and rebuild from the devastation left behind. While doing so they now are faced with an even bigger issue, as Godzilla has awakened. While the visuals, sound design and score were fantastic, the strongest feature of this film goes to the character work. This was the first time I've felt fully invested into the stories of each character, not like past releases of "Godzilla" films where the characters have felt dull. With such a strong foundation and never failing to impress for the entirety of the film this was a great surprise and cannot wait to dive back into this film.
The Hunger Games: The Ballad of Songbirds & Snakes (2023)
Everyone Hungers for Something.
I am genuinely surprised with how much I loved this film. I adored the characters, the story, the songs and so much more. The Ballad of Songbirds and Snakes displayed the importance of the opportunities given and the choices we make, shape the world around us and who we become. Francis Lawerence provided a fantastic sequel based off Snow giving more depth to the future president of Panem. The cast was by far the most infectious part of the film, with everyone providing great performances, especially from our leads Tom Blyth, Rachel Zegler and Viola Davis. Tom Blyth (Coriolanus Snow) had such a powerful performance here and must say I'm excited to see where his career goes from here. Rachel Zegler (Lucy Gray Baird) sang her heart out in this roll and will say I absolutely adored her character, and the songs she sang were perfect. James Howard Newton wrote and composed a great score for this film setting the tone for every scene perfectly.
Overall was very pleased with this film and easily landed as one of the best in the Hunger Games franchise.
Wonka (2023)
Every Good Thing in this World Started With a Dream.
"Wonka" directed by Paul King (the incredible mind behind the Paddington films), is a story of how Willy Wonka chased his dreams and became the chocolatier the world came to love. I had zero doubt in Paul King as I had recently watched the Paddington's and instantly adored them, I knew he could create such a magical film and wow what a world of pure imagination this film was indeed. As I am someone who has not been a huge fan of the past Wonka films with "Willy Wonka and the Chocolate Factory" and "Charlie and the Chocolate Factory", I actually found myself quite enjoying this and leaving the theatre with a smile on my face. Timothée Chalamet absolutely crushed this role and provided such a refreshing take on a version of Wonka we have never seen before, he was charming, delightful and had so much character. As well as the supporting cast did not disappoint either. The story had much emotion allowing us to connect to Wonka himself so much more. The score was great, and the songs/musical numbers were wonderful and very catchy. This definitely being a saving grace from the Tim Burton adaptation and overall was a very impressive film and up there as one of my bests of the year.
Priscilla (2023)
Wife to the King. Icon to the World. Destined for More.
I must admit that after seeing "Elvis" last year I was very skeptical when I heard they were releasing a film called "Priscilla". However. Sofia Coppola did not disappoint in adapting "Elvis and Me" into "Priscilla". Where Baz Luhrmann's "Elvis" was a bright, energetic biopic of Elvis and his life. Sofia's "Priscilla" was a darker, heavier tone of a film displaying the behind scenes look of Priscilla and her relationship with Elvis we never got to see. Scenes that showcased intense, manipulative, and controlling sides of their relationship along with some of the good moments of their time together. The best part of the film is obviously Cailee Spaeny and Jacob Elordi who did not disappoint once and provided equally outstanding performances. The only issues I get from this was pacing seemed to struggle in this film and never feeling like a fluent story, more like random scenes placed together without structure sometimes. Overall, a good watch and would recommend.
The Creator (2023)
Humanity Evolves
Coming off of Gareth Edwards "Rogue One: A Star Wars Story" I was actually excited to see his latest releases in the sci-fi genre, even despite having the lead played by John David Washington (Just personally not a fan of his). "The Creator" played off the theme of Humans vs. AI and did so in a way that wasn't new sadly, often finding moments easily predictable and as if I had seen this many times before. However, where "The Creator" stands out is that it is visually a spectacular piece. Compared to what some powerhouse studios have been producing recently it was nice to see a film with good CGI and beautiful visuals once again. To top things off with a beautiful composed score to bring so much emotion when needed, but is no surprise when you acquire Hans Zimmer to the picture. The biggest issues came at the cost of character development, story and overall timing. Never spending enough time to absorb or explore what was scene, the viewer is immediately pushed off to another scene with major outcomes. Also causing for no development of characters in a film where we need connect with AI's the humans provide no time behind the film some times.
Overall this was a good sci-fi film especially with the spectacular visuals and art design, and could definitely see myself watching again.
Napoleon (2023)
HE CAME FROM NOTHING. HE CONQUERED EVERYTHING.
Ridley Scott's most recent epic Napoleon was a beautiful film when it came to visuals, set pieces and overall cinematography. Joaquin Phoenix and Vanessa Kirby share the screen perfectly and show a lot of talent(which comes to no surprise) and amazing chemistry. From a story standpoint, I can understand that it is tough to illustrate all aspects of Napoleon's life into a reasonable length film, and I am pleased with the outcome and highlights they decided to showcase (his rise to emperor and fall to excile while dealing with his love, Josephine). However I will state that if they were to release an extended version, I will not hesitate to watch that. The visuals from this film were outstanding, especially when it came to the battle sequences. The feeling of being close to the battles and witnessing the gore and violence that followed was breathtaking. The score and the cinematography were used brilliantly and at some points I had chills. Now the obvious issue spotted in the film that Im sure most people are talking about, goes to the lack of accents to help with the authenticity. The fact that we were in France and not a single person spoke with a French accent was kind of a letdown.
Overall the film was a beautiful film that showcased some key moments in Napoleon's life and was entertaining to watch. I can see the rating possible going up after a rewatch or if an extended version gets released to expand more on the life and events of Napoleon.
Killers of the Flower Moon (2023)
Martin Scorsese Strikes Again
I think there is no argument that Martin Scorsese is the greatest director in cinema history and of course he continues to impress with ever film he makes. "Killers of the Flower Moon" is most definitely a passion piece for Martin, and you can tell with how intensely driven the picture is. Now yes, this film had the crime/violence flare Scorsese is known for, but it did establish more of a romantic take on the story to help establish deeper connections with the characters and the events that took place on the land of the Osage Nation. With strong themes of greed and betrayal, I found myself fully emersed in this story and the authenticity of the characters in every scene. With the power duo of Robert De Niro and Leonardo DiCaprio performing at their typical standard and giving great performances, you'd think there wasn't anyone who can outperform them; however, Lily Gladstone was able to match their level with ease, and I was blown away with her amazing performance every time she graced the screen. Moreover, visually the film was beautiful with set design and cinematography it produced a stunning piece of art.
For me personally the only issue from this film was that the 3-hour and 26-minute runtime was felt the whole way through. As much as I was engaged the entire time and enjoyed this film, it was one that I can easily tell was long. While not my favourite Scorsese film, still easily one of his bests.
Barbie (2023)
She's Everything. He's Just Ken.
Greta Gerwig's "Barbie" is a stunning piece of cinema when it comes to costume and set design which blew me away with. Also had good songs and catchy musical numbers but was not as good as expected. With a film being called "Barbie" Margot Robbie was great as usual, but Ryan Gosling's Ken was the one who absolutely stole the show with it being his funniest role to date. Now the first 10-15 minutes were rough to get through for myself with the introduction to Barbie world, which is understandable considering what it is. But then even leading into the "Real-World" part of the film some of it still had the cheesy bits that I didn't like. From that point on though I did end up enjoying most of the film and the performances from everyone on screen. Overall, the good moments outweigh the bad ones and it ending up being a good fun/comedy film.
Oppenheimer (2023)
The World Forever Changes.
Christopher Nolan gave cinema one of the most powerful and stunning biopics in history. In his 12th feature length film, Nolan takes on J. Robert Oppenheimer and his story leading, building and the aftermath of the atomic bomb. Definitely one of the best visual films in Nolans filmography and in recent cinema, "Oppenheimer" manages to turn one of the worlds most destructive weapons, into a mind-blowing, beautiful masterpiece. Nolan used two styles of visuals to portray the story, a first person perspective when the film was in colour and a third person perspective when it came to the black and white scenes, this helped to distinguish the difference between events for viewers especially with how much information was in the picture and really immerse the viewer in J. Robert Oppenheimer's position as these events unfolded and what he now carried with him as "The Father of the Atomic Bomb". I can easily say that Cillian Murphy and Robert Downey Jr. Are clearly in the running for Best Actor and Supporting Actor as they both provide some of their best performances to date. However I will add that the entire cast was on their A-game anytime they were on screen. The fact that Nolan has addressed that there is no CGI used in this picture is phenomenal and after watching this film you can appreciate that so much more, everything was visually beautiful and the sound design on top of that was amazing. I have never watched a film and physically felt the magnitude of what was on screen. Every single explosion was felt as if you were in the observation area with the cast. My only issue that came with this film was the 3 hour runtime actually felt like 4. As some films manage to speed through 3 hours and leave you wanting more, this did not have that affect for me. However it is still a 5/5, it is in my top 3 for Nolan films and is definitely one I can rewatch no problem.
Asteroid City (2023)
You Can't Wake Up If You Don't Fall Asleep
As I recently went on a binge of Wes Anderson films I was genuinely excited to see what "Asteroid City" had to offer. That being said I ended up feeling slightly disappointed by the end of the picture. While the cast was stacked to the brim with amazing talent it wasn't even to peak my interests at times. The most astonishing aspect of this film by far was the amazing set design Wes and his team created, I found myself fully immersed every time Asteroid City was on screen. They story however is what actually lost me throughout this watch, it felt to scattered with cutting back in fourth and at some points just didn't seem to make sense to me. Definitely not Wes Andersons best work but not his worst, maybe another watch will change my mind but for now I stand with a 2.5/5.
Mission: Impossible - Dead Reckoning Part One (2023)
We All Share the Same Fate
"Mission: Impossible - Dead Reckoning Part One" while not a perfect film is still a great follow up to a "Fallout." While yes it is hard to carry the weight of that film and surpass it, this was only the first half which means jobs not done. Ethan and his IMF team have their toughest challenge in-front of them and is shown throughout the film. "Dead Reckoning Part One" had great action sequences, great score, great acting by original cast and new additions into the franchise and your typical spectacular stunts that leave you in awe that Tom Cruise still manages to pull these things off. Overall I really enjoyed this film and am excited for where the finale goes, just can't say this film was better than "Fallout". Tom Cruise may be the king of making action films.
Indiana Jones and the Dial of Destiny (2023)
A Legend Faced his Destiny
In this final adventure and farewell to our beloved Indiana Jones, the Dial of Destiny follows old timer Dr. Jones as he races against time to retrieve a legendary artifact that can change the course of history. From beginning to end this was sometimes lacklustre and had me loving and then disliking the film. The opening sequence provided some of the best deep faking I have seen and had your traditional action sequence that had me fully engaged. From that point on I will admit the film slowly fell off, introducing a character I struggled to enjoy on screen in Helena with her sidekick Teddy and a story that was dull. Mads Mikkelsen played his typical villain role and didn't fail to impress. The comedy was not all there and at some points very cheesy and annoying. However, the final act helped slightly save this film as I quite enjoyed where the film went. Overall a good send off for one of the most iconic characters in cinema.