Review Roundup
Here's a collection of quick reviews of a bunch of recent films I never got around to writing full pieces on. Hope you enjoy!
First Reformed
Ethan Hawke delivered an extraordinary performance in this stunning depiction of a priest's inner turmoil and religious angst as he battles against both his inner demons and the wider issues within his church. A slow burn thriller with a brilliant script that delicately teased out the gradual meltdown of troubled protagonist Toller (Hawke), First Reformed was an incredibly intelligent depiction of one man's struggle to fight for his morals and also proved to be a subtle expose of blindly diligent religiosity. Director Paul Schrader (writer of Taxi Driver and Raging Bull) also delivered two of the best opening and closing shots of this year, with the ending being both shocking and deeply provocative.
Leave No Trace
One of this year's standout hidden gems, Debra Granik's (Winter's Bone) tale of a troubled father and his thirteen year old daughter seeking to escape civilization by living in a national park and subsequently struggling to remain hidden was a powerful and often moving depiction of the paternal bond and the lengths some are willing to go to escape their past. Two extraordinary central performances from Ben Foster as father Will and Thomasin McKenzie as daughter Tom drove this intimate journey of self-discovery and facing one's fears, with McKenzie in particular dominating every scene in an extraordinary role (hopefully the first of many). Coupled with incredible use of the gorgeous American landscape and a beautifully observed ending, Leave No Trace stuck with me for a long long time.
Hereditary
Hereditary was a horrifyingly unique experience that deservedly became an instant horror classic the moment it hit cinemas. Whilst the plot may sound somewhat cliched, the tale of a family torn apart by the death of their grandmother, Hereditary was all but familiar. A stellar cast of Toni Collette, Gabriel Byrne, Alex Wolff and brilliant young actor Milly Shapiro delivered a terrifying mix of bubbling tension and horrific scares without sliding into the lazy jumpscare trap of many recent horror releases, matching the mastery of 2015's The Witch. With a haunting score and wonderfully understated cinematography, Hereditary was another A24 stunner and definite film of the year material.
Unsane
Stephen Soderbergh, prolific director of the Ocean's trilogy, Erin Brokovich and one of my all time favourites Sex, Lies, and Videotape, delivered a bold statement on the future of filmmaking with Unsane, a project shot entirely on an iPhone. While Soderbergh managed to avoid this becoming little more than a gimmick, Unsane faltered disappointingly quickly, building up its gripping psychological thriller atmosphere only to let proceedings slip into an uninspiring string of gory action setpieces. The other major issue was that the film often felt rather unsuited to its phone camera format, with the many interior shots looking noisy and distorted through the comparatively weak iPhone lens. If phones are the future of filmmaking, Unsane was not the trendsetter.
On a side note however, points to Soderbergh for managing to include the most bizarre Matt Damon cameo ever. A very odd inclusion.
Isle of Dogs
Wes Anderson's canine charmer marked his second foray into animation following 2009's excellent Fantastic Mr Fox and the Japan-set Isle of Dogs saw Anderson once again hit his wonderfully kooky stride. A stacked voice cast that included Bryan Cranston, Edward Norton and Bill Murray brought to life a brilliantly witty script that did well to never fell back on lazy dog puns, while Anderson's characteristic taste for off the wall visuals and fast pacing shone brightly throughout every scene. Charming and endlessly charismatic, Isle of Dogs deservedly captivated audiences and proved that animation can still be a creative gold-mine.
Quickfire Round
Love, Simon - Somewhat likeable tale exploring the difficulties of coming out as gay that ultimately became bogged down by cliche after cliche and cringe-worthy contemporary references.
Beast - A gripping, unpredictable little British thriller that boasted two fantastic central performances from Johnny Flynn (Lovesick) and Jessie Buckley (War and Peace).
Mission Impossible: Fallout - The best action flick in years saw Tom Cruise and crew pushing the limits of the series' penchant for insane stunts and preposterous plot-twists with jaw-dropping results.
The Tale - Laura Dern gave a powerful performance in this deeply shocking but incredibly vital depiction of director Jennifer Fox's real life child grooming experience.
A Quiet Place - The husband and wife team of John Krasinski and Emily Blunt delivered one of the most inventive and radically different horror films of recent memory, utilising incredible sound design to deliver smart thrills aplenty.
First Reformed
Ethan Hawke delivered an extraordinary performance in this stunning depiction of a priest's inner turmoil and religious angst as he battles against both his inner demons and the wider issues within his church. A slow burn thriller with a brilliant script that delicately teased out the gradual meltdown of troubled protagonist Toller (Hawke), First Reformed was an incredibly intelligent depiction of one man's struggle to fight for his morals and also proved to be a subtle expose of blindly diligent religiosity. Director Paul Schrader (writer of Taxi Driver and Raging Bull) also delivered two of the best opening and closing shots of this year, with the ending being both shocking and deeply provocative.
Leave No Trace
One of this year's standout hidden gems, Debra Granik's (Winter's Bone) tale of a troubled father and his thirteen year old daughter seeking to escape civilization by living in a national park and subsequently struggling to remain hidden was a powerful and often moving depiction of the paternal bond and the lengths some are willing to go to escape their past. Two extraordinary central performances from Ben Foster as father Will and Thomasin McKenzie as daughter Tom drove this intimate journey of self-discovery and facing one's fears, with McKenzie in particular dominating every scene in an extraordinary role (hopefully the first of many). Coupled with incredible use of the gorgeous American landscape and a beautifully observed ending, Leave No Trace stuck with me for a long long time.
Hereditary
Hereditary was a horrifyingly unique experience that deservedly became an instant horror classic the moment it hit cinemas. Whilst the plot may sound somewhat cliched, the tale of a family torn apart by the death of their grandmother, Hereditary was all but familiar. A stellar cast of Toni Collette, Gabriel Byrne, Alex Wolff and brilliant young actor Milly Shapiro delivered a terrifying mix of bubbling tension and horrific scares without sliding into the lazy jumpscare trap of many recent horror releases, matching the mastery of 2015's The Witch. With a haunting score and wonderfully understated cinematography, Hereditary was another A24 stunner and definite film of the year material.
Unsane
Stephen Soderbergh, prolific director of the Ocean's trilogy, Erin Brokovich and one of my all time favourites Sex, Lies, and Videotape, delivered a bold statement on the future of filmmaking with Unsane, a project shot entirely on an iPhone. While Soderbergh managed to avoid this becoming little more than a gimmick, Unsane faltered disappointingly quickly, building up its gripping psychological thriller atmosphere only to let proceedings slip into an uninspiring string of gory action setpieces. The other major issue was that the film often felt rather unsuited to its phone camera format, with the many interior shots looking noisy and distorted through the comparatively weak iPhone lens. If phones are the future of filmmaking, Unsane was not the trendsetter.
On a side note however, points to Soderbergh for managing to include the most bizarre Matt Damon cameo ever. A very odd inclusion.
Isle of Dogs
Wes Anderson's canine charmer marked his second foray into animation following 2009's excellent Fantastic Mr Fox and the Japan-set Isle of Dogs saw Anderson once again hit his wonderfully kooky stride. A stacked voice cast that included Bryan Cranston, Edward Norton and Bill Murray brought to life a brilliantly witty script that did well to never fell back on lazy dog puns, while Anderson's characteristic taste for off the wall visuals and fast pacing shone brightly throughout every scene. Charming and endlessly charismatic, Isle of Dogs deservedly captivated audiences and proved that animation can still be a creative gold-mine.
Quickfire Round
Love, Simon - Somewhat likeable tale exploring the difficulties of coming out as gay that ultimately became bogged down by cliche after cliche and cringe-worthy contemporary references.
Beast - A gripping, unpredictable little British thriller that boasted two fantastic central performances from Johnny Flynn (Lovesick) and Jessie Buckley (War and Peace).
Mission Impossible: Fallout - The best action flick in years saw Tom Cruise and crew pushing the limits of the series' penchant for insane stunts and preposterous plot-twists with jaw-dropping results.
The Tale - Laura Dern gave a powerful performance in this deeply shocking but incredibly vital depiction of director Jennifer Fox's real life child grooming experience.
A Quiet Place - The husband and wife team of John Krasinski and Emily Blunt delivered one of the most inventive and radically different horror films of recent memory, utilising incredible sound design to deliver smart thrills aplenty.
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