stonedfilmclub Reviews

Weird: The Al Yankovic Story (2022)

The greatest film ever made

[8/10 · 23 November 2022]

Wow - what an absolute landmark of a film. Considering it's the entirely true story about a real life God, who blessed us mere mortals with some of the most revolutionary music that will ever exist, it's only fitting that his film would be known to us all as the greatest ever made. I wept uncontrollably during every scene and from this day until the day I die I shall thank the lord for allowing me to exist at the same time as this film, and at the same time as the great Weird Al Yankovic.

In all seriousness, this is a hilarious and well needed parody of a sub genre which has grown very stale and predictable over the years. There were plenty of memorable moments that made me laugh out loud and the daftness seems to grow exponentially. The recurring jokes of Weird Al's unparalleled greatness and the way the film pokes fun at the many cliches of music biopics never grew old for me. The fact that I was already a Weird Al fan made it all so much more funny and satisfying, but you could easily still enjoy this film if you'd never even heard of him. Daniel Radcliffe is absolutely perfect in the lead role and the supporting cast is also great, jam-packed with cameos and jabs at other famous figures (mainly Madonna, who has a comically large role in the plot despite Weird Al's admittance that he only ever met her once for 45 seconds). I'd highly recommend this and I can't remember the last time a new film made me laugh so much - I can definitely see myself rewatching it many times in the future.

Under the Banner of Heaven (2022)

Andrew Garfield gives such a great performance

[7/10 · 19 November 2022]

Based on the true crime book of the same name, this miniseries follows detectives Jeb Pyre and Bill Taba as they unravel the brutal double murder of Brenda Wright and her 15 month old daughter, Erica. Taking place in a devout mormon community in 1984 Utah where almost every inhabitant is a dedicated member of the LDS religion, the detectives' investigation focuses on the Laffertys; a highly reputable LDS family that Brenda unfortunately married into. The best thing about the show is undoubtedly Andrew Garfield's Emmy nominated performance as detective Pyre, conveying him with so much heart and sensitivity that make it all the more satisfying when he's forced to turn up the volume. His arc was so satisfying to watch unfold and his dynamic with Gil Birmingham's detective Taba really tied the whole show together. There's essentially two plots, as it constantly flashes back and educates the audience on how mormonism began (spoiler alert, it was founded by sociopathic murderers and paedophiles). Whilst I definitely found it interesting to learn about, it does tend to take you out of the action a lot of the time, and that leads me to the show's biggest problem: a very disjointed structure. Flash backs are overused in the telling of the story and, whilst they are often necessary to depict key events in the lead up to the murder, they could have been fitted in better. Every character under investigation delivers a million monologues so we can flash back to either the beginnings of mormonism or to key events regarding the murder. It's not smooth and soon grows tedious - all the characters withhold details they should have revealed many monologues ago, just to service the progression of the story. Often, I was thinking 'why didn't they already mention that part the last time they were questioned?' To fix this, I think it would have been way more seamless to mix the flashbacks in without all the painstaking monologues. Other than that, I'd recommend this show, especially if you're a fan of true crime stories and Andrew Garfield. Wouldn't recommend if you're a mormon.

The Black Phone (2021)

I'll be by the black phone

[8/10 · 9 September 2022]

The children of a small American town in the 70s are being terrorised by a mysterious figure nicknamed 'The Grabber'. When Finney is taken by The Grabber, he finds himself receiving phone calls from the ghosts of past victims who try to give him clues on how to escape. Damn, I was hooked. The Black Phone plays like some kind of horrific, supernatural escape room and the way it continuously builds tension had me nervous and on the edge of my seat throughout. It paints a convincing picture of 70s Denver and packs an emotional punch too, adding a bit of realism and leaving me with watery eyes more than once which really helped the film reach another level for me. The young lead actors playing siblings Finney and Gwenny delivered great performances (I really felt Finney's emotions during his imprisonment) and Ethan Hawke's turn as The Grabber was practically faultless. The character continues to be captivating through the whole film thanks in no small part to Hawke, but also thanks to the constant mask changes based on his current personality or mood. An unwavering element of mystery also propels him, as the audience is kept a satisfying distance away from understanding him or his motives, giving him the allure of some sort of myth or urban legend. I saw a review that compared the character's quality to iconic horror villains such as Freddy and Jason and I have to agree - The Grabber is good enough to carry an entire franchise, but that would be unnecessary as the impression he leaves here is more than enough and it would be a shame to dampen it, yet it would also be a shame if we don't get to see him again.

All in all, The Black Phone had me in the palm of its hand and completely succeeded in making me suffer every reaction it intended. An absolute triumph from Scott Derrickson and one of my new favourite horror films.

On the Count of Three (2021)

A severely underrated, emotional, dark comedy (kind of)

[9/10 · 9 September 2022]

Two childhood best friends decide to kill themselves together and the film takes place during the day which they plan to be their last. For such a dark premise that deals with issues surrounding trauma and mental health, there is a surprising and impressively interwoven degree of levity to be found, turning what could have been an extremely depressing affair into something of a black comedy. The plot, by design, maintains an explosive level of uncertainty that grabs you with both hands and forces you to laugh, recoil and cry - what more could you want? It is undeniably dark and deals with distressing subjects but, at its core, it's a melancholic tale about life and friendship. I was already familiar with Christopher Abbot and he was perfectly cast, delivering the powerhouse performance that I've come to expect from him. On the other side, I didn't really know who Jerrod Carmichael was before watching this but I'm definitely going to be keeping a keen eye out for him in future - he firmly establishes himself as a creative force to be reckoned with by directing and starring in this intense exercise in the hopeless absurdities of life. On the Count of Three deserves so much more attention than it has received, I'm so glad that I came across it and I implore you to seek it out too.

Brian and Charles (2022)

A lovely oddball comedy and a great showcase of David Earl's talents

[7/10 · 9 September 2022]

Brian, a lonely man in a lonely Welsh village, turns to creating weird and mostly useless inventions to pass the time, eventually building Charles the robot in the hopes of having some company. The film is very sweet and full of laughs that come mainly thank to Brian's eccentric personality, the strange, child-like behaviours of Charles and the pair's father/son dynamic. After seeing him in supporting roles in Ricky Gervais shows such as Derek and After Life, it's really refreshing to see David Earl take the reigns as the lead in a story that perfectly fits his oddball charisma (he actually co-wrote it). I couldn't see anyone else playing the role more believably as he embodies Brian with heart and endearing vulnerability - you can't help but root for him. It does feel slightly conventional and the plot never particularly surprises you but it knows it's strengths in the characters and works to them really well. It's filmed as a mockumentary which does help sway it from feeling TOO conventional but personally I would have liked to see this device utilised a bit more as it seems like the film picks and chooses when to use it. It's kind of only half a mockumentary.

The best word to describe this film is sweet and it's a really nice watch if you're looking for something light hearted. I had a lovely time watching it and it was a nice breather to take amidst the horror binge I've been on.

Border (2018)

I loved stumbling upon this film

[8/10 · 9 June 2022]

I watched this film not long ago and I'd never heard of it before starting this film account but from seeing others post about it I was instantly intrigued. It's centred around an extremely unusual looking woman, Tina, who works as an airport security guard and excels in her role due to her extraordinary ability to smell fear, eventually leading her to meet the similarly unusual looking Vore and from there the film follows the strange relationship that they form. At the beginning I felt like I was watching a black comedy but as the plot unraveled it got a lot more bleak and serious. Border pulls you in all sorts of directions along the way, making you cringe, laugh, cry and convulse in horror. The premise remains extremely unique throughout the entirety of the film, with many twists and turns that change your perspective on everything that came before and keep you engrossed in the ever evolving story. Ali Abbasi always maintains a great understanding of the emotions and themes he's portraying, such as isolation, social rejection and self-acceptance. Because, at its core, this is a sensitively made fairy tale about a woman undergoing a journey of self acceptance, learning to understand herself and her place in the world.

Border is a beautifully strange film and I wish there were more like it. It's probably one of my favourites to come out of 2018 and, for better or worse, a lot of the film is now permanently engraved in my memory (especially the weirdest sex scene I've probably ever seen). IG - @stonedfilmclub.

Halloween (1978)

Watching Halloween for the first time in 2021

[5/10 · 9 June 2022]

Although this film completely revolutionised the slasher genre and has had lasting influence on horror that remains today, I felt like I was watching Halloween 40 years too late. The tropes this film introduced have become the genre's biggest cliches and, although unfairly, I couldn't shake their annoying overuse in the years since out of my mind, nor did I think they were done well enough to allow me to. I thought the opening scene was gripping and exciting; a continuous POV shot of a young Mike Myers committing his first murders, introducing the monstrous character and setting up the events of the film really strongly. However, from there, it went downhill for me. Every character in the film was borderline intolerable - most of them I thought were arrogant and annoying - and the stupid decisions they made when being faced by a psychotic killer were beyond infuriating. Even the killer himself was making decisions as if he was in a horror parody rather than an actual horror. Myers' victims may as well have been politely asking him to murder them and at times his decision making skills made it questionable whether he was even willing to. I found myself shouting at the screen multiple times and maybe that's meant to be part of the fun and I'd be lying if i said it didn't make me laugh but I don't watch a horror movie to laugh. Jamie Lee Curtis' iconic performance was good and she was easily the least annoying character but, admittedly, I didn't love her either. I had a good time watching this but for the wrong reasons.

I can't disrespect this film too much as I've watched it through a biased modern lens and it's influence on horror is absolutely undeniable. Mike Myers and Laurie Strode will never not be iconic and as I watched it I did get a strong sense that I was witnessing horror history. That being said, I still found the film more infuriating and cringe than tense and chilling. It's a shame I couldn't forget everything I knew about the genre before watching this, but Halloween hasn't aged well in my opinion.

Crash (1996)

A unique experience to say the least...

[7/10 · 9 June 2022]

A prequel to season 8 of the office, Crash depicts Robert California's descent into bizarre fetishism as he... Joking, obviously. Crash is an extremely twisted and difficult watch that I could only appreciate once it had ended, when I could stop intermittently looking away from the screen and my stomach finally stopped sinking in the way it does when you witness something truly disturbing. To summarise the film in an undignified way - it's a car crash sex film. Our main character, James Ballard (James Spader), is a pretty kinky guy from the start; him and his wife get off on telling eachother about their sexual experiences with other partners. However, his extreme fetishes evolve dramatically after he's involved in a head on collision which kills the other driver, an event that ultimately introduces him to an omnisexual group of car crash victims who gain sexual pleasure from violent and often fatal road collisions. The narrative leaves a lot to unload but, to be honest, I don't think I'm fully equipped to unload it. I didn't enjoy this film, I endured it. Roger Ebert admired Crash and essentially called it pornography devoid of anything a viewer could consider remotely erotic, therefore creating a pure and abstract observation of the human mind and sexual compulsions. I was able to gain a greater understanding and appreciation of the film after reading his insights, allowing me to make some sense of the sickening sequence of events I'd just reluctantly witnessed. The cinematography and script was impressive but definitely didn't make it easier to stomach; again, this is a far cry from a conventionally enjoyable viewing experience.

Crash completely disturbed me as I watched it and when the credits finally rolled I had no idea how to feel about the challenging weirdness of it all. I probably wouldn't recommend this film to anyone I know. That being said, once my initial shock and disgust wore off, I was able to better appreciate its boldness and production. Cronenberg is a one of a kind director who never fails to evoke a perverse excitement from a viewer through his presentation of the grotesque.

Last Night in Soho (2021)

Edgar Wright does another great job

[8/10 · 9 June 2022]

I'm a huge Edgar Wright fan so I was really excited to see what he'd do with a mind-bending horror film like Last Night in Soho and I wasn't disappointed at all, completely engaging throughout thanks to it's cool story, strong script and gripping performances. Thomasin McKenzie was likeable and sympathetic as the lead, playing the shy Eloise who moves to London from Cornwall to study fashion but soon finds herself in a 60s soaked living nightmare. I loved McKenzie in Jojo Rabbit so I was looking forward to seeing her in this and yeah I thought she carried the film really well. Anna Taylor-Joy and Matt Smith were also brilliant in this film, delivering magnetic performances which commanded the screen and left me wanting more. Although slightly more conservative than usual, a lot can be said for Wright's direction, just not from me, as I'm tired and saw the film probably over two weeks ago so I can't remember all the details right now. Trust me it was good. Everything else was good too and all the 60s flashbacks/visions were either charming, terrifying or a neon tinted mixture of the two. The film also did a great job of presenting a powerful feminist message through the narrative, telling a tale of misogyny, manipulation and rebellion against the patriarchy.

I'm being lazy with this review but it was a lot of fun to watch and delivered some genuine scares along the way too. Edgar Wright never fails to entertain me and this new outing into psychological horror was one that really paid off. I hope he keeps experimenting with new genres like this in the future.

Dune (2021)

Masterful visuals but slightly unsatisfying

[7/10 · 9 June 2022]

I finally saw Dune on the weekend and it was quite a hefty watch. The film follows Paul Atreides (Timothée Chalamet), the son of a noble family who move to a dangerous planet in order to mine "spice", the most valuable substance in the universe. Chalamet was good in the lead role but I never felt particularly close to him and that's a problem I had with all of the characters. Although most of them appeared cool, I felt like I was only ever given the chance to get to know them on a surface level. I really liked Stellan Skarsgaard as the disgusting and evil Baron Vladimir Harkonnen and a couple of his scenes were some of the scariest moments in a non horror film I've ever seen but I still didn't feel like I got enough of him. The world-building in this film is great and I'm looking forward to going back there for the sequels but at times it did feel like they were focusing too much on setting up said sequels rather than making a great film that can stand on its own two feet. This was especially apparent in the final act, where I felt like they were setting up an epic ending which never came and instead the film just kind of ended out of nowhere. I did also think that it could have trimmed off some fat to be more focused; I found myself zoning in and out a bit and it definitely dragged towards the end. That being said, there was still a lot to love. Visually, this film is a 10/10 masterpiece. I saw it in IMAX which is definitely the way this film deserves to be seen as every single frame looked like a work of art. It also had an incredible score from Hans Zimmer and featured loads of gripping action sequences and dramatic moments to enjoy.

Despite its flaws and slightly anticlimactic ending, Villlieneuve delivers an immersive cinematic feast which is a visual masterpiece that you can't help but appreciate. Although I wasn't always completely engaged (admittedly I wasn't in the most patient mood), it left me looking forward to rewatching it and seeing the sequels down the line.

Ghostbusters: Afterlife (2021)

Surprisingly fun

[7/10 · 9 June 2022]

The new Ghostbusters is a fun, light hearted reboot that borrows iconic elements from the original films to create a new but familiar story for the fans to enjoy. It's the kind of film that you can have a really good time with if you go in with no expectations and don't take it too seriously. The young new cast feel like a good fit for the tone and the adults are great too. Paul Rudd's involvement in anything makes it better and this is no different - his Gary Grooberson is a hilarious presence every time he's on screen. Other standout performances were Mckenna Grace as science nerd Phoebe and Logan Kim as conspiracy theory obsessed Podcast; the dorky kids make a wholesome and entertaining pair. Old characters make welcome returns too and the original lore is built on in a way that stays grounded and never feels too derivative; sure, there's cheesy call backs but it's self aware and not exactly forced down your throat - I actually liked these moments. Despite the fate of the world hanging in the balance, the stakes of this film never felt too high, and I didn't feel like they needed to. Yeah, it's not really breaking any new ground but that's not what it's trying to do - it's just a harmless and enjoyable blast of nostalgia and ghost busting. I hadn't been looking forward to a new Ghostbusters film but I'm glad I saw it.

C'mon C'mon (2021)

Heartfelt and quite beautiful

[8/10 · 9 June 2022]

C'mon C'mon is a sensitive and emotional film with a lot to say about love, family, responsibility, the frustration of being a child, the frustration of being an adult and just life in general. A blossoming uncle/nephew relationship lies at the heart of the story and all the actors involved do an impressive job of sucking you into their world. Joaquin Phoenix plays the lead in a vulnerable and realistic performance and the young Woody Norman plays his nephew so believably that you'll forget he's acting. Interwoven into the narrative are readings from books and essays and also interviews with children about their lives and the future, creating a poetic style which invigorates the film with strong cathartic purpose. My favourite thing about C'mon C'mon, however, is by far the cinematography. It's shot beautifully in black and white which captures the intimate story perfectly and I often found myself in total awe of the visuals, somehow zoning out from Mills' wonderful script in admiration. Another thing I thought the film did a really good job of was presenting the emotionally immature and confused psyche of a child and the way in which an adult may consider approaching that. The delicate relationship between adults and children in general is explored really well through this. There were a couple moments towards the end that I worried were becoming slightly pretentious but anytime I felt like that the film would ground itself again and take away any concerns.

Mike Mills has delivered a sensitive and thoughtful observation of life which never runs out of things to show you and is bolstered greatly by its talented cast and beautiful cinematography.

John Dies at the End (2012)

Love this underrated gem

[8/10 · 9 June 2022]

I absolutely love this insane and underrated blend of slacker comedy, sci-fi, fantasy and horror. Okay, some of the special effects leave a lot to be desired (as you'd expect when you consider the film's high ambitions and low budget) but that doesn't take anything away from everything it does right. The plot just gets crazier as the street drug known as "Soy Sauce", which grants it's users supernatural, inter-dimensional powers, becomes popular and threatens an apocalypse that only two slackers named Dave and John can prevent, a responsibility they are woefully unprepared for. If you zone out for two seconds you'll forget what genre you were watching, as it switches from being goofy fun to genuinely creepy at it's own leisure. Chase Williamson's deadpan and cynical performance as Dave offers a hilarious perspective to tell the story from and his chemistry with best friend John is so much fun to watch. A few years ago I went through a phase where I would put this film on every time I got stoned and I just found it funnier every time (catching jokes and plot points I'd missed from hazy viewings prior). It also offers a cool splattering of existential observations for you to wrap your head around.

John Dies at the End's unrelenting commitment to absurd humour and all things random lends itself perfectly for a stoned viewing. This used to be my favourite film to watch stoned and writing this has gotten me so excited to rewatch it for the first time in years tonight. It's trashy but it's fun.

tick, tick... BOOM! (2021)

Great musical I didn't expect to like so much

[8/10 · 9 June 2022]

I was scrolling through all the rubbish on Netflix looking for something to watch about to switch to prime when I stumbled on the trailer for this. I'd heard a tiny bit about it and hadn't thought it would be my kind of thing but the trailer looked decent so I thought I'd give it a try and wow I actually ended up really enjoying it. The events of the narrative are embedded within a musical being put on by Johnathan Larson about his life and this form worked excellently, constantly switching from the exaggerated showmanship of stage performance to the naturalism of real life. The film undeniably belongs to Andrew Garfield, who commands the screen with a level of flamboyant charisma seldom seen anywhere else. He also flexes some serious singing muscles in my favourite performance of his yet (I still haven't seen Silence) and I wouldn't be surprised at all if he gets nominated for the Oscar. My two favourite songs were definitely 30/90, a song detailing Jonathon's angst about turning 30 which opens the film with an electric energy, and Therapy, a jolly sounding song about the difficulties of modern romance interspersed with a tense argument between Jonathon and his girlfriend Susan (this is done so well and works as a masterful juxtaposition). Whilst I found just a couple moments to be a bit on the nose (a close up of Michael's crying face as he repeatedly sings "is this real life" definitely didn't have its intended affect on me), overall I had tonnes of fun watching this film, often rewatching songs and consistently enjoying the company of the characters (Garfield's Larson stole the show but Alexandra Shipp and Vanessa Hudgens as Susan and Karessa were also quite memorable).

You should definitely check out tick, tick...BOOM! - if it's not what you'd usually go for you might be pleasantly surprised, like me. In quite a stacked year for films, this one definitely stands out as one of my favourites of 2021.

Master of None (2015–2021)

Season 1 & 2 review

[8/10 · 9 June 2022]

The best way to describe it is that it's a relatable and hilarious show about the trials and tribulations of life in your 30s (but also just life in general) as experienced by Dev. Every episode contains multiple moments or situations that you will have experienced in some way in your own life which makes for an incredibly personal viewing that you can't help but appreciate. I'm not usually an Aziz Ansari fan but his acting and writing in this is nothing short of superb; the way he balances different themes and genres excellently reflects life itself and colours reality with a newfound poetry. All of the side characters are fully realised and entertaining too, with my personal favourites being Dev's season 1 girlfriend Rachel played by Noël Wells (her chemistry with Aziz is intoxicating) and his goofy best friend Arnold, played by the always hilarious Eric Wareheim. It also features one of the greatest soundtracks I've ever heard which introduced me to more than a few quality songs.

If I ever made a TV show this is very close to the kind that I'd want to make and I think it will be remembered in the future for the impressive way that it captures the zeitgeist of our time. Highly recommend to anyone.

Spencer (2021)

Kristen Stewart's best performance yet

[8/10 · 9 June 2022]

Spencer is a lovingly made character study focusing on three days in the life of the troubled 'people's princess' Diana. A fable about real people, the story is largely a work of fiction, using a mixture of facts, rumours and commonly held beliefs to create a coherent narrative attempting to represent this pivotal point in Diana's life. Whilst films like this aren't going to be loved by everyone, and I've heard massively conflicting opinions from people I know, I thought that it was an extremely compelling piece of cinema. Kristen Stewart is in basically every scene, working as the centre point of the whole film, and she proves herself to be more than capable of the challenge, easily giving the performance of her career so far. Her sensitive, nuanced approach when portraying Diana does a great job of evoking sympathy from an audience and positioning us with her through all of the anxieties and personal rebellions. I'm slightly surprised she lost the oscar to Jessica Chastain after just recently watching both performances but who cares about the oscars anymore anyway. The other main attribute besides Stewart that makes this film so enjoyable is the absolutely jaw-dropping cinematography. From the first few shots I already knew I was in for a visual treat beyond what I'd initially expected. Captured magnificently in film, every frame is utterly beautiful and kept my attention firmly on the screen. The lighting and set designs only make each shot even more exciting, and that's without even mentioning the thrilling costume design. The mise en scène of this film in general is simply just awe-inspiring. Another element of Spencer which took me by surprise was the way it presents the story; there were plenty of moments that honestly wouldn't have been out of place in a horror movie, with suspenseful violin music consistently heightening the tension throughout. This approach was intriguing and somewhat historically accurate considering the assortment of violations Diana supposedly suffered during her time as a princess.

Fresh (2022)

Great film with great performances

[8/10 · 9 June 2022]

This is the type of film that's best to go into completely blind, so I want to say as little about the plot as possible. What I will say is that I thoroughly enjoyed it and I'm already looking forward to rewatching it. Every scene in the film seems to ooze a certain level of style underpinned with simplicity, always seeming to know exactly what it is and what it wants to achieve within the pretty tight story. Accentuating this style is a cool soundtrack mainly featuring a variety of indie pop/rock music that always feels fitting and often finds ways to morbidly echo the film's events. Easily the greatest thing about Fresh, however, is the two mesmerising lead performances from Daisy Edgar-Jones and Sebastian Stan. This is potentially my new favourite performance from Stan who I've been a fan of for a while and yet I still probably enjoyed Edgar-Jones the most in this film which says a lot; I am definitely going to have to go and watch her in Normal People now. Regardless, they are both nothing short of hypnotic here and their chemistry together is superb, leaving you craving another pairing of the two in future projects. The cinematography is surprisingly good too and, overall, Mimi Cave should be applauded for a very impressive directorial debut - I can't wait to see what she does in the future and how she might develop as a filmmaker.

Moon Knight (2022)

Enjoyable but inconsistent - Some sprawling, spoiler free thoughts

[7/10 · 6 May 2022]

The first word that comes to mind when I think of this show is inconsistent. I was so excited for this from when it was announced and after seeing the trailers I thought it had potential to be one of if not the best Marvel Disney + show yet. Whilst I thought the first episode set up the story incredibly well and created so much intrigue, I sensed it going downhill in the second episode - Stephen Grant annoyed me so much in that final sequence which was messy as a whole. From then on, I found the majority of the show messy. The CGI ranged from decent to distractingly dodgy throughout. The humour was very hit or miss and, for me, so was the rather pivotal character of Stephen Grant. I didn't care massively for Layla either - I didn't think she was necessarily bad but I also didn't find her super interesting. Ethan Hawke's performance was actually really good (I thought he made for an incredible villain), as was F Murray Abraham's voice acting for Khonsu. Oscar Isaac was pretty awesome too and often hit it out the park with the dual personality performance but, as I said, I didn't always appreciate Stephen. That's the thing - when things worked they worked brilliantly, which made it more jarring when other things didn't land so well. I mostly loved the blending of horror with fantasy, comedy and mystery but yeah not always. I wish there were more genuine horror elements throughout because these moments were stand outs. My favourite episodes were the first and the fifth which I undoubtedly found to be the most consistently enjoyable. The finale had some really epic moments but also some really rubbish moments, making for a bit of a disappointing and disjointed ending - although the post credits scene left it on an incredibly high note.

So basically, despite giving us a lot of brilliant moments, elements and concepts and being an overall decent show, I thought Moon Knight was ultimately inconsistent and a waste of massive potential, if not still enjoyable.

Rating - 7/10.

The French Dispatch (2021)

Another great Wes Anderson film

[8/10 · 5 December 2021]

As should be expected with any Wes Anderson film, The French Dispatch is packed with that unique charm you can't quite find anywhere else. It's a love letter to journalism, consisting of three short stories within the film which were reported by The French Dispatch Magazine. All of the stories are shot mostly in black and white with the occasional flicker of colour that really takes some moments to the next level. The cinematography is quirky, symmetrical, tirelessly consistent and bursting with life. The cast is great, with Anderson main-stays such as Bill Murray and Owen Wilson making welcome appearances and first time collaborators like Timothée Chalamet and Benicio Del Toro proving themselves to be a perfect fit for the director's trademark offbeat style. My favourite of the three stories was definitely the first one starring Del Toro as Moses, a talented painter serving a life sentence for murder, Léa Seydoux as Simone, his muse, love interest and prison guard, and Adrien Brody as Julian, an eccentric art dealer. Everything in this one just felt right; the humour, drama, performances and direction were all perfect and I felt like I was experiencing an artist's uncompromising vision. I also really enjoyed the second story starring Chalamet as Zeffirelli, a moody student revolutionary in a hilarious presentation of the 1968 student protests in Paris, and Frances McDormand as Lucinda Krementz, a journalist failing to maintain "journalistic neutrality". This one definitely delivered some of the film's funniest, most absurd and memorable moments, with a standout performance from Chalamet. The third story was great too and featured an epic animated chase sequence but, as a whole, this one may have been the least memorable for me. The story revolved around the kidnapping and subsequent rescue of the police Commissaire's son and, although it had a few stunning moments, it couldn't completely maintain my interest. I couldn't help but wonder whether I would have liked it more if it hadn't been the last one. Maybe i was slightly Wes Andersoned out by then.

Valhalla Rising (2009)

Mixed feelings

[6/10 · 21 September 2021]

The always brilliant Mads Mikkelsen plays a mute, one-eyed slave, constantly forced by his captors to fight for his life in brutal hand to hand combat against other slaves. After escaping in a fittingly violent fashion with a young boy, One-Eye crosses paths with and subsequently joins a group of crusaders headed to Jerusalem. The film is extremely quiet, only featuring approximately 120 lines of dialogue, creating a very slow pace which became a struggle for me to engage with. Whilst I really enjoyed the opening which introduced us to One-Eye and his maniacally somber life (a couple fight scenes really stood out for their impressive choreography and cinematography, not to mention their intense level of violence), once he met the crusaders the film massively slowed down for me. The cinematography remained inspired throughout (an extremely important quality for a film so light on dialogue to maintain) but the narrative dulled. The further the film went on, the more I found the long camera shots more pretentious than thought-provoking as the pacing became meandering and lethargic. I felt like slightly more could have been done to accentuate the themes of isolation and a loosening grip of sanity, despite a couple memorable moments which I believe did achieve this.

Perhaps I felt misled by the brutal promise of the film's opening but as the character's grew lost, so did I. Admittedly, I don't think I'm best equipped to dissect this film, as I was slightly stoned and playing with a kitten for most of it, so I'll give it the benefit of the doubt. Valhalla Rising definitely had its moments but, for me, Nicolas Winding Refn didn't do quite enough to keep my undivided attention for an hour and a half.

Babyteeth (2019)

Beautiful and heartbreaking

[9/10 · 19 July 2021]

Babyteeth is a quietly beautiful film that shook me to my core. The brilliantly offbeat comedy/drama introduces Milla in the first scene, a seriously ill teenage girl feeling isolated, and we soon witness her meeting Moses, an older, small-time drug dealer. Their unique relationship grows and spirals throughout the film, creating a whirlwind romance at the plot's centre. The entrancing cinematography and soundtrack do an amazing job to hold the viewer's attention, but the heart of this film unmistakably lies in the raw, realistic writing and the extremely believable performances delivered by the two main actors; Milla and Moses are polar opposites, making for exciting chemistry as they both seem completely fascinated by the other's personality and lifestyle. Ben Mendelsohn and Essie Davis also shine with their own comical and gut wrenching performances as Milla's dysfunctional but lovable parents. I knew nothing about this film going in and it took me completely by surprise, gripping me from the start with the chaotic yet intriguingly recognisable reality of each character.

I went through a rollercoaster of emotions whilst watching this film and by the time it had finished it felt like I had undergone an extremely personal experience. I would recommend this movie to absolutely anyone.

Zack Snyder's Justice League (2021)

Justice for Snyder

[8/10 · 5 April 2021]

Found time to watch Zack Snyder's Justice League over the weekend and wow, what a film. Like most people, I really wasn't a fan of 2017's Justice League - it was an incomplete mess that didn't know what it wanted to be. Thankfully for the fans, The Snyder Cut restores the directors original vision over a whopping 4 hour runtime. All the trailers looked awesome but I still wasn't sure if I'd enjoy it - BvS wasn't great but Justice League was worse and this is still Justice League - but, even within the first half an hour, the differences between this film and 2017's poor offering are instantly recognisable. It just feels like a whole new film, from start to finish. The additional footage does an amazing job of building on characters like cyborg and the flash (who I felt I knew nothing about after 2017) as well as allowing the story space to breathe, making the plot feel way more coherent and understandable. Snyder has definitively fixed the messy tone of the original film too, eliminating all of Whedon's awkward, forced humour which makes for a darker, more consistent experience. WB also let Snyder give the film an R rating and this only made the film better for me. Action scenes are brutal, bloody wars and Batman even drops an F-bomb at one point so it's pretty wild. The cinematography this time around is phenomenal too - this film is absolutely beautiful to look at and the 1.33:1 aspect ratio only makes it better. By the time it was finished I was actually gutted that we'll probably never see the Snyderverse fully realised, which I definitely wasn't expecting.

Whilst the film isn't perfect and does still feel disjointed and cheesy in places (+ it's overlong runtime is definitely exhausting), I left the film feeling like I'd watched something way closer to Watchmen than Sucker Punch, which is how i want to feel after every Snyder film! After 4 hours, Zack Snyder's Justice League still left me wanting more. Burn every remaining copy of Justice League 2017.

Jackie Brown (1997)

An underrated Tarantino classic

[8/10 · 5 April 2021]

I finally got round to watching Tarantino's third film, Jackie Brown (1997), for the first time the other day and, as always, he did not disappoint. The dialogue, as expected, was always either funny, tense, exciting or a combination of the three and the ensemble cast work exceptionally well together. Though it's hard to narrow it down, the two highlight performances of the film are definitely Pam Grier's sympathetic antihero Jackie Brown and Sam Jackson's charismatic arms dealer Ordell. Both actors embody their roles with so much charm you'd hardly need any more standout characters, but Robert Forster, Michael Keaton and De Niro are all there threatening to steal the show in their supporting roles. I can't think of much negative stuff to say about the film. The pacing felt right, the dialogue was great, the acting was first class and the soundtrack invigorates the whole thing with an epic disco vibe. If you like a good crime film with a strong story, solid script and awesome performances then look no further.

Jackie Brown seems underrated compared to most of Tarantino's other films and it definitely deserves more attention today, especially for Grier and Jackson's unforgettable performances.

Spontaneous (II) (2020)

David Cronenberg meets John Hughes

[6/10 · 5 April 2021]

I watched Spontaneous (2020) the other day, the debut film of Bryan Duffield. It's basically an extremely standard coming of age high school rom com with a ridiculous twist - students of one year group at one school keep spontaneously blowing up. It's absurd but unique and engaging, taking an overdone genre and turning it on its head. The tone bounces from funny and endearing to brutal and heartbreaking at its own leisure and that's really what keeps the film alive. Katherine Langford and Charlie Plummer play the students who fall in love during this chaos, but I found both characters and their relationship more cringe than cute. I was also quite unconvinced by both performances and the whole dynamic felt more like someone's fantasy of an edgy teenage relationship rather than a real one. That being said, I still really enjoyed the film, and the strange concept was more than enough to keep me entertained and guessing across the 1 hour 40 min runtime. Knowing that any of the characters on screen could potentially explode at any random moment definitely makes for an interesting watch.

Despite my lack of appreciation for the two main characters, Spontaneous gave me enough comedy, blood and suspense to have a good time. It's David Cronenberg meets John Hughes.

The Peanut Butter Falcon (2019)

Wholesome heartwarming entertainment

[8/10 · 10 December 2019]

This film has officially reinstated my trust in Shia LaBeouf as a reliable, strong performer ahead of the release of his new film "Honey Boy".

This film takes us on a journey with Tyler (LaBeouf), a mechanic on the run after setting fire to the docks owned by Duncan (Hawkes), and with Zak (Gottsagen), a 22 year old down syndrome boy also on the run, chasing his dreams of becoming a professional wrestler and following in the footsteps of his idol "The Salt Water Redneck" (Haydn-Church). The pair soon find themselves crossing paths and, after a brief adjustment period on Tyler's part, become inseparable, as they run from their pasts in seek of a brighter future.

The chemistry between Zak and Tyler is perfect, with each actor giving fully realised and believable performances in their very different respective roles. Thanks greatly to the strong screenplay and incredible performances given, the audience has no trouble whatsoever in rooting for the strange pairing across the hour and a half runtime. With each step they take away from their past lives we get to know more about the two men, their blossoming relationship and their subtle nuances, with the film succeeding in allowing the audience to be a part of their strange, beautiful journey.

The film maintains a beautiful balance of drama and comedy throughout, with some moments leading me to literally laugh out loud (mainly moments of Tyler and Zak just harmfully goofing around), with others leading me to lean forward in suspense and panic. After the film ended, I felt such a genuine connection to both LaBeouf and Gottsagen's characters, which in itself speaks volumes of their very human portrayals of characters in the film.

Oh and this film made me realise the sheer talent of Shia LaBeouf in this post Michael Bay Transformers era. I've still not seen many of his other critically acclaimed works such as "Fury", however, so maybe I'm a little late to hop on the LaBeouf bandwagon. Even so, I can't wait to see more great work from the actor, especially his upcoming performance and screenplay in Honey Boy.

To conclude, this film is tense, hilarious and beyond heartwarming. Like a modern "Stand By Me", maybe. Come for the outlandish premise, but stay for the exceptional and oftentimes surprising character study of Tyler and Zak.