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Reviews
Bad Boys: Ride or Die (2024)
More of the same, which isn't a Bad thing
One of the Summer's biggest unknown blockbuster's, the fourth instalment of the Bad Boys franchise Ride or Die has become one of the surprise success stories of the up and down movie season, with it also becoming one of the rare examples of where not messing with the formula has once more served this newest entry, to become another highly entertaining and throwaway addition to the series.
Directed again by duo Adil El Arbi and Bilall Fallah, who back up their solid work from 2020's Bad Boys for Life, Ride or Die gives audiences more of what they will want from the exploits of BFF's and Miami detectives Mike Lowrey and Marcus Burnett with an adrenaline filled, Red Bull infused version of an action comedy that at the same time marks the return of Will Smith following "Slapgate", which based off the critical/audience reception and box off return of this feature suggest all has been forgiven for the shamed A-lister.
A remarkable story of resilience and staying power and now a bastion of old Hollywood franchises that have somehow managed to stay relevant and wanted in today's pop culture scene, Ride or Die continues to harbour the same amount of energy, chemistry and spectacle as past entries in the franchise, with the kicker this time around being that Smith's Lowrey and Lawrence's Burnett find themselves wanted men in a to be expected type of narrative that sees back and forth banter, snappy action kicks and pretty locales/stars remain front and centre throughout the films close to two hour running time.
Make no doubt about it, there's little in the way of subtilty, restraint or care of making an ounce of sense on display here but that's entirely to be expected with Ride or Die a film for the fans and a film best left avoided by anyone who has never enjoyed the one time Michael Bay lead property with there being little reason to expect this frenetic offering is going to change anyone's opinion of the Bad Boys property.
Key to the films perfectly adequate middle ground success is once more the comradery of Smith and Lawrence who ensure their having a blast together first and foremost while the sun-soaked locales of Miami and it's nearby surrounds goes hand in hand with Arbi and Fallah's directional sensibilities with the two directors paying homage to Bay's style over substance approach while at the same time infusing this latest addition with their own flavour that further showcases the directors as new kingpins of the Hollywood action event.
A pleasantly appeasing offering in a Summer season that has started to showcase glimmers of hope in what was initially a period of dark clouds and much talk of despair, Ride or Die may not break any new ground but it gives us all a perfectly good piece of popcorn entertainment as well as further evidence that this duo has more to still give.
Final Say -
For anyone that's ever enjoyed the Bad Boys series, Bad Boys: Ride or Die is going to be another winner making it one to avoid for haters and one to savour for the fans.
3 ex-series director cameos out of 5
Jordan and Eddie (The Movie Guys)
The Bikeriders (2023)
A good film that could've been great
Enduring a rough ride to cinemas after being completed all the way back in 2022 and then being dumped by Disney after they acquired its distributing studio 20th Centaury Studios, critical favourite director Jeff Nichols long-gestating passion project adapted from Danny Lyon's real life expose of an American Mid-western motorcycle club in the late 60's and early 70's finally has ridden into the public realm to a relatively muted response, a sad outcome for a film that's quality in many ways and close to greatness in others.
A star-studded affair that gives its lead trio Jodie Comer, Austin Butler and Tom Hardy further chances to showcase their significant talents, it's hard to explore The Bikeriders without focusing in on the fact there's a strange sense of what could have been, with this film that never outstays its welcome in a sub-two hour running time a work that comes perilously close to becoming a modern day classic but gets held back by weak and obvious components throughout.
Structured around an odd storytelling vision from Nichols that sees Mike Faist's journalist Danny hang around the club and mainly interview Comer's long-suffering Kathy (with Kathy becoming the heart of the otherwise male-dominated film) over a period of years, often taking us away from the engaging plotlines present, The Bikeriders never comes to grips with the way it wants to portray this story which in turn weighs down our investment in the stories characters who we never get to know or engage with in the way that would've allowed Nichols project to really soar on the open roads.
Full of charisma, smarts and nuance, Comer, Butler and Hardy (accents and all) would all have to try very hard to not be engaging screen presences and Nichols struck gold by getting them all on board for his vision of Lyon's tale, with Butler in particular once more adding to his recent works that all point towards him taking over Hollywood while Hardy and Comer are both awards circuit worthy as the well-intentioned club president and kind hearted but determined wife respectively.
With these performers all on song and great support from the likes of Nichol's regular Michael Shannon, Boyd Holbrook, Emory Cohen, bike fiend Norman Reedus and Australian expats Damon Herriman and Toby Wallace, The Bikeriders will likely go down as one of the best stacked ensembles of 2024, creating an experience that ends up becoming quite the moving one despite its shortcomings and an undeniably fascinating exploration of the biker culture that took over America in the period in which this film is set.
Undoubtedly suffering from a lack of a "genuine" plot or point A to B driving things along, with further fine tuning The Bikeriders would have likely been a breakout hit amongst mature audiences, critics and awards season voters, as it stands we have a good film that could've and perhaps should've been a great one, making this a watching experience you won't regret but will likely most ponder upon in a what could have been fashion.
Final Say -
Some great performances, an intriguing backdrop/subject matter and some fine craftsmanship ensures the oft-delayed/frequently unloved The Bikeriders is still a very good drama but one that also comes frustratingly close to being more.
4 broken windows out of 5
Jordan and Eddie (The Movie Guys)
Horizon: An American Saga - Chapter 1 (2024)
A big swing that misses as much as it hits
The last time I saw a western on the big screen was in 2007 when The Assassination of Jesse James by the Coward Robert Ford came and went from cinemas, making the opportunity to see a new western film on the big screen an exciting prospect indeed.
No one could accuse Kevin Costner of not putting his money where his mouth is with the divisive American star stumping up in excess of $30 million dollars of his own money to help fund his dream project, the proposed 4-part epic cinematic saga Horizon which begins here with Chapter 1.
A huge swing which sadly isn't a home run but also isn't a complete strike out, the three hour opener to Costner's expansive tale of the pre and post Civil War American west has moments of greatness and more than its fair share of moments that make you wonder why you should be investing yourself in this often muddled exercise, one whose poor box office returns suggests we may not ever get to see parts 3 and 4 and will be lucky to see part 2 on the big screen anytime soon.
A major problem for Costner's series opener, one in which he also stars in as the mysterious Hayes Ellison, a softly spoken Costner stereotype that finds himself in a life and death situation, is the fact even at three hours in length much of what occurs in Chapter 1 feels like an extended prologue and with so many story strands occurring and so many characters who appear in it to varying degrees of success, making it hard to ever get excited about much when things feel like they aren't getting a chance to breathe or evolve into the plan that makes itself apparent around the half-way mark.
It's hard to escape the feeling that things here may have worked better in a mini-series format, think Lonesome Dove or 1883, which is a shame as I like many others were excited for the return of the big screen expansive western that used to dominate cinema screens in times gone by and while everything here is watchable and even in passing moments emotionally powerful and thrilling, there's too much plodding and filler here that mixed with some extremely poor editing decisions and a lack of character engagement makes everything feel more like box ticking rather than advancement or a narrative that still has the potential to be something special if the stars align.
Amongst all the plot lines of grieving families, wagon trails, battles between natives and foreigners and manhunts Costner's talented and loaded cast do their best with sometimes limited and fairly generic material with Sienna Miller's recently widowed Frances Kittredge, Luke Wilson's savvy Matthew Van Weyden and Abbey Lee's Marigold making the strongest impressions while the films as expected stunning vistas and backdrop do make this experience one that suits the big screen format as one would have hoped for when paying for the price of admission.
Getting to the films final stages which then turn into an extended 5 or so minute trailer of sorts for what's coming next (with Part 2 already finalised in the editing suite, readying itself for its supposed August release timeframe), you can't help but escape the feeling there's not enough glue holding everything together in Costner's grand vision, no genuine plot line that grips us like it should've but there's still seeds of hope here, with reason to think Part 2 could be an advancement forward for what is an undoubtedly high-reaching but not entirely successful outing here.
Whether or not we get to see the next chapter in cinemas is still questionable along with whether or not we ever get to see Costner's risky venture finish up as intended, making this journey for both the makers and viewers an odd one, with hope and dreams much like the early settlers all we have to keep us going, with gold possible but not the likely outcome.
Final Say -
It's great to see a western of this scale on the big screen once more but unfortunately Costner's big gamble isn't at this stage a modern day genre classic, more so a solid attempt at something grand that never in this long-winded set-up gets going the way we would've loved it to do.
3 makeshift breathing apparatus out of 5
Jordan and Eddie (The Movie Guys)
A Quiet Place: Day One (2024)
The well has run dry on this concept
2018's A Quiet Place was one of the recent eras most surprising success stories.
Directed by The Office alumni John Krasinski and written by a writing duo who had previously only dabbled in low budget horror outings, the high concept thriller defined the odds to become a tension riddled exercise in white knuckle movie-making that helped ensure its financial success that spawned a direct sequel, an upcoming video game iteration and this prequel film Day One.
Helmed by Michael Sarnoski, the man responsible for the incredibly good Nicolas Cage drama Pig (please go and watch if you haven't previously done so), Day One ups the ante from the first two Krasinski overseen films by moving the action to the Big Apple as we follow Lupita Nyong'o softly spoken cancer patient Samira and her cat Frodo in amongst ground zero of the alien invasion that we know from the first two films decimated our planet.
There was so much joy to be found by this "silent" concept in the first A Quiet Place outing, a gimmick the film used to great effect to create atmosphere and suspense but as we saw with the second film that concept has started to wear thin and while in reality Day One is a well-made film, it struggles to do anything that will be remembered after the credits have rolled and at the same time struggles to justify why we should care too much for what's happening despite the best attempts of the always good Nyong'o and the solid support she gets from Stranger Things breakout star and future Fantastic Four key player Joseph Quinn as the kindly Eric.
The whole idea of an alien invasion lead by a species that acts entirely on their ability to hear sounds at a level that makes them a deadly threat to anyone and anything that makes even the slightest of noises (hay fever/allergy sufferers would not last long in this new world order) felt fresh and exciting in 2018 and made for some great shared cinema moments where audiences felt bad even shovelling some popcorn into their mouths but with Day One a lot of that movie magic has disappeared and what we are left with is a mostly generic genre offering that lacks any grand set pieces or smarts to make it stand out from the pack.
At a relatively brisk 100 minute runtime Day One can't be accused of overstaying its welcome and Sarnoski and his writing partners John Krasinski and Bryan Woods can at least be commended for trying their best to add some heart and soul to the carnage of a city under siege but again there's never ever any real sense of purpose to anything here and the film does suffer from a lack of engaging character elements that were present in the opening saga entries thanks to the Abbott family and our will too see them overcome the odds in an unforgiving world.
The other thing that certainly wasn't on my movie watching bingo card was the fact Day One virtually gives second billing to a feline.
Having deliberately avoided watching promotional materials for this film in hopes I could watch with fresh eyes, seeing Frodo the cat on a myriad of adventures in amongst all the chaos may at first be mildly enjoyable but as you realise just how much screen time and suspension of disbelief one needs to tolerate our furry friends antics, you wonder how this one got through to the final product with Frodo's oversaturated narrative time distracting your viewing rather than enhancing it, making things more comical than required for a film that is otherwise entirely po-faced.
Final Say -
A well-shot and performed film that struggles to ever become a gripping and memorable outing in its own right, A Quiet Place: Day One marks an intriguing moment in the Quiet Place extended universe, one that suggests the well may be dry on this concept that initially felt ripe for further exploration and adventures.
2 1/2 traumatic pizza trips out of 5
Jordan and Eddie (The Movie Guys)
Rye Lane (2023)
An entertaining modern day Before Sunset
A sleeper hit from the 2023 release calendar, the Disney+/Hulu original Rye Lane has marked down first time feature director Raine Allen-Miller and her two stars David Jonsson and Vivian Oparah as bright newcomers with their romantic dramedy that shares much DNA with the Before trilogy a fun and breezy watch that is sure to be enjoyed by a wide cross section of viewers who stumble across it.
The recipient of two BAFTA nominations and a huge swag of British Independent Film Award nominations and wins, Rye Lane is a small and intimate genre offering with a hip and charming energy that unwraps over an eventful day in the lives of Jonsson's Dom and Oparah's Yas as the two young souls connect over recent shared break up stories and wondering minds that are questioning their place in the wider universe of life.
With some unconventional and funky camera work from D. O. P Olan Collardy and fun score from composer Kwes, Allen-Miller's creative team instil a lot of extra ingredients to what boils down to be a rather familiar plotline with relatively as to be expected quirky happenings and conversations but the film constantly keeps things feeling fresh whether its backyard parties, karaoke drop-ins, meeting's with ex-partners or questionable art exhibitions, ensuring that Rye Lane adds its own flavour to a well-trodden pathway trodden out by genre heavyweights.
Helping the films cause greatly is the performances of Jonsson and Oparah, two performers prior to this effort that were best known for their work in British TV productions with Oparah in particular utilising her turn as Yas as a star-making vehicle, likely to see her in the Hollywood system in the very near future with industry players no doubt keen to tap into some of the charm, sass and vibrancy she brings to the feisty Yas here.
The more adventurous and spontaneous of the two potential lovebirds, Yas is a loveable creation that makes for a charming co-host on our trip around South-London and whenever the film starts to get bogged down slightly in its brief 80 minutes of runtime, Oparah is never too far away from stealing the spotlight once more and helping ensure that Rye Lane is a small film with a big heart and enough creativity to stand out from a crowded field.
Final Say -
An undeniable basic film with a small scope, Rye Lane manages to embed its familiar narrative hook/set-up with enough imagination and creativity to make this a memorable day trip in London as well as unearthing three new talents you'd expect to go onto bigger and better things in the not too distant future.
3 1/2 neck headphones out of 5
Jordan and Eddie (The Movie Guys)
Furiosa: A Mad Max Saga (2024)
A stunning visual feast that can't reach the heights of what's come before
Arriving almost a decade after the box office smashing, Oscar winning and critical and audience darling Fury Road roared into cinemas, there's no doubt that the odds stacked against the success of George Miller's latest bout of post-apocalyptic chaos were fairly significant but in good news for all, Miller's Furiosa: A Mad Max Saga is another highly entertaining blockbuster ride, even though in many aspects it lives in its predecessors shadow.
Clocking in at an epic 148 minutes running time, Furiosa is the longest Mad Max feature yet and when compared directly with Fury Road's tight and taut thrill ride offering, there's clear instances where one feels as though this relatively simple yet drawn out prequel tale of how wasteland warrior Furiosa became who she was (here played in equal parts by Alyla Brown and then Anya Taylor-Joy) could have been sharpened in the editing suite.
Broken up into five separate chapters, Miller gets stuck straight into things as a child Furiosa is kidnapped by members of Chris Hemsworth's Dr. Dementus's bloodthirsty clan and then subsequently introduced to the dangerous world at large that includes Immorten Joe and his Warboy tribe and while here there are all the typical car, truck and bike sequences that fans have come to expect and love from the Mad Max world, this time around Miller takes his foot off the pedal more than you'd expect to offer insight into the wider landscape and the characters within it to varying results of interest.
Judged purely on an eye-candy and set-piece factor, Furiosa is clearly ahead of most of the pack, even if this time around thanks again to Fury Road, much of what we see here doesn't have the same surprise or wow factor as what has come before and while you can't deny the craftsmanship and planning that has taken place to make everything happen here, when compared with new and older entries there's more of a CGI vibe and manufactured feeling than the prior Miller efforts that we can probably say now with a fair amount of assurance peaked with Fury Road and Road Warrior.
Spoiling us in the past with action affairs that pushed the limits of what we thought was possible for the cinematic medium, even now at the age of 79 years Miller's latest film is filled with some world-class moments and some fun acting turns, this time courtesy of a prosthetic-clad Hemsworth having a blast being the big bad and a mostly scrawling Taylor-Joy, who against all the odds manages to say even less than Tom Hardy did back in 2015.
There's potential here that if we were witness(me)ing Furiosa outside of having partaken in Fury Road we may look at it with a different lens and judged it differently and while in its own right we have an entertaining Summer blockbuster on our hands here, you can't help shake the feeling there's not a lot that occurs in Furiosa that is going to stick in the memory, no character moments or action set pieces that will live on long after the dust has settled, making this latest venture in Miller's demented version of the end of the world a fun but far from essential one.
Final Say -
Unlikely to create the lightning in a bottle magic of Fury Road's outstanding successes or the unexpected sights found with the 1979 original and its ground-breaking sequel, Furiosa: A Mad Max Saga is an above average Hollywood event film that fails to ever overcome the hardships of reaching the heights of what has paved the way for its existence.
3 1/2 freshly planted trees out of 5
Jordan and Eddie (The Movie Guys)
Gojira -1.0 (2023)
The Godzilla film we didn't know we needed
2023 didn't have a lot of cinematic stories to celebrate outside of the Barbenheimer craze that swept the cinema scene across the globe but one of the rare positives was the surprising success of the Japanese Oscar winning Godzilla Minus One which managed to secure over $100 million dollars the worldwide box office.
Working off a budget that has been estimated to be no more than $15 million, Minus One was virtually made for the catering budget of a big Hollywood monsterverse film with Takashi Yamazaki's passion project showcasing to all that there's life still in the Godzilla brand and that not every film needs to have exorbitant budgets allocated to them to make them feel like an "event" picture.
It's hard to say without doubt that the world needed yet another Godzilla film, with 38 officially sanctioned Godzilla films having made their way into the public realm since the first venture was released all the way back in 1954 but with Yamazaki and his team allowing their Godzilla offering to focus on and around the human element more than the eye-candy or giant lizard element, Minus One manages to (pardon the pun) breathe new blue life into a property that had long grown stagnant in many of its ideas and deliveries.
Set in the tail end of World War 2 and spanning the immediate years following the aftermath of Japan's surrender and rebuilding, Minus One covers a lot of ground in its two hour runtime as we are given significant time with Ryunosuke Kamiki's one time kamikaze fighter pilot Koichi Shikishima who is struggling to come to terms with his time in the war and new life, made all the more difficult by the arrival of a supercharged Godzilla who appears destined to cause more pain on Japan if he isn't stopped.
A film whose inventive almost Dunkirk like set-pieces and character beats are best left discovered by unsuspecting viewers, Minus One neatly balances spectacle with heart, no better displayed than a stunning segment featuring Godzilla's first large-scale public land appearance, offering up an experience that is sure to appease diehard fans and newbies alike while also gifting jaded Godzilla sufferers something to get excited about rather than more of Hollywood's recent lazy Godzilla entries.
There are clear flaws to this critical lauded and audience favourite, some of the films script work leaves a lot to be desired while some of the performances in the film are wildly overplayed but the flaws on display aren't enough to stop one from having a great time with a film that against all the odds proves there's more still to mine from the Godzilla space that for years has felt like it was entirely depleted.
Final Say -
A masterwork of low budget film-making masquerading as a major tentpole event, Godzilla Minus One isn't perfect but it's absolutely one of the best Godzilla films we've ever had and a far better example of savvy filmmaking than many recent Hollywood efforts that have been shown up badly by this surprising success story.
3 1/2 wooden boats out of 5
Jordan and Eddie (The Movie Guys)
Immaculate (2024)
A solid horror with a brutal final act
The type of horror film you would've been right in expecting from the 60's and 70's, the Sydney Sweeney starring Immaculate is an "almost" genre experience that provides some memorable individual moments and ideas around what is mostly a ho-hum by the numbers offering.
A long-gestating project that eventually saw Sweeney take charge and lead the film from development hell into fruition alongside The Voyeurs collaborating and director Michael Mohan, Immaculate can't be accused of wasting time or biting off more than it can chew but it's a shame it never eventuates into a genuinely terrifying or unnerving experience despite its chance.
Following the misadventures of Sweeney's newly minted nun Sister Cecilia, who accepts a dream job in a convent in the rural surrounds of Italy (this film once more proving that Europe is no place for an idyllic retreat or working arrangement) only to ""shock, horror!" discover not all is as it seems in the convent run by Álvaro Morte's shadowy Father Sal Tedeschi, Immaculate has a fairly familiar set-up that mostly plays to the confines of what we've all seen before until a rather unexpected finale ramps things up a notch to ensure that Mohan and Sweeney's film ends up teasing us with a what might have been.
Core to Immaculate's most memorable and heart-pounding moments is the performance of Sweeney, who based off her turn here as the determined Cecilia could have become one of the key horror leading ladies in the 60's and 70's of Hollywood with her late finale moments some of the best work the superstar has delivered yet, putting to doubt any of the doubters who have been denying Sweeney's talents across her rapid rise over the last few years.
Without giving too much away about the story movements Immaculate makes, Sweeney's late film moments ask a lot of the actress that she is more than able to come to grips with and while much of Immaculate's sharp sub-90 minute runtime doesn't allow for much in the way of outright scares outside of some gruesome body-horror, the last act is one of the more interesting horror segments we are likely to see in the 2024 release calendar.
It's not hard to see why Sweeney fought so hard for Immaculate to see the light of day, there's the bones of a fascinating and unnerving tale to explore here that is sadly only partly realised by this finished product, one that shows glimmers of a masterfully crafted tale of blind faith and the horrors many would go to for their firm beliefs but one that only feels like a tease of what may have been on end result.
Final Say -
Racing to the finish line with a suspense-riddled finale and gifting Sydney Sweeney a chance to prove she is more than what many want her to be, Immaculate has its moments but never eventuates into the end product it might have been had all the stars aligned.
2 1/2 poorly hidden carcasses out of 5
Jordan and Eddie (The Movie Guys)
Kingdom of the Planet of the Apes (2024)
A visually astounding new addition to the Apes series
First arriving on our screens in 1968, The Planet of the Apes series has been one of the most long-standing properties in Hollywood that has risen from the ashes on more than a few occasions (thanks Tim Burton), with newest addition Kingdom of the Planet of the Apes proving that you can never keep a good monkey down with another above average Summer blockbuster here for our viewing pleasure.
Set 100's of years after the events of the last entry into the series War for the Planet of the Apes, The Maze Runner and future Zelda movie overseer Wes Ball takes over the reigns here, introducing us to a whole new collection of primates and human, gifting us a visually masterful adventure film that is sure to please long term and new fans alike.
Filmed in Australia and bought to life magnificently by effects gurus Weta FX, Kingdom is one of the most visually stunning tentpole films since Avatar and its sequel upped the games across the last decade and there's no denying that Ball's film is one of only a handful of recent offerings that justify their hefty production budgets, putting such affairs as The Dial of Destiny and The Flash to shame with production values that are hard to find fault with.
From simple facial expressions, scarily accurate primate design to fully fledged The Last of Us settings, Kingdom absolutely demands the cost and effort it takes people nowadays to head to the cinema with Ball and his team creating a true feast for the senses that luckily includes likeable characters and a neatly designed story too boot, even if the films epic close to two and half hour runtime doesn't always tick along as effortlessly as you'd have liked.
Following the exploits of Owen Teague's young Noa on a cross country journey through an unforgiving and foreign landscape on a quest to rescue his fellow tribesmen and to in turn find answers about human "echoes" that become ever more real with the arrival of Freya Allan's Mae, there's nothing particularly new or ground-breaking about Kingdom's set-up/core themes but by ensuring his film doesn't just become a battle or set-piece fest, Ball has allowed his new take on the Apes formula to gestate into a different type of new addition that isn't always as predictable and formulaic as you'd expect.
Nicely building on her solid work in hit Netflix show The Witcher, Allan does fine work as the mysterious human element here but real notice must be given to the work of budding superstar Teague who excels as the softly spoken yet determined and capable Noa, while supporting turns from Kevin Durand as the films main "villain" Proximus Caesar and Peter Macon as the wise and caring Raka deserve special notice with their mo-cap work right up there with Andy Serkis and Toby Kebbell from the previous trilogy of films.
While it may not reach some of the memorable heights as the three films before it, there's no doubt that with this entry Ball and his team have created a fantastic piece of groundwork to continue on the Apes brand long into the future, while at the same time gifting us one of the most impressively put together visual delights of recent times.
Final Say -
Overcoming some lull points in its epic runtime and some characters that never feel like they are fleshed out the way in which they could be, Kingdom of the Planet of the Apes is a worthy new addition to the Apes world and a fine starting point to what is hopefully more of the same to come.
3 1/2 Roman history lessons out of 5
Jordan and Eddie (The Movie Guys)
Silent Night (2023)
A sad return to Hollywood for John Woo
An air of quiet excitement surrounded legendary Chinese action director John Woo's return to Hollywood with his first venture back in the system since his ill-fated Ben Affleck starring Paycheck from 2003 but that 20 year hiatus was one many wished would have continued with the lifeless and pointless exercise that is Silent Night.
A gimmicky mid-budgeted action thriller that sells itself on the fact its a film with no proper dialogue across its 100 minute runtime, one would expect with zero character development or very minor at best character investment that Woo would let his action shine but sadly for all the man that once gave us genre classics such as Hard Boiled, Bullet in the Head and cult favourites such as Face/Off can't even get that right in a film that feels past its use by date mere minutes in.
In a new age cinematic world that has been gifted modern action affairs like the double bill Raid films, the John Wick and original Jason Bourne trilogies and even The Mission Impossible brand that Woo once helmed, a stale and mostly mind-numbing genre effort like Silent Night feels like the exact type of straight to video release Netflix has made its name for over recent years with its action beats and pointless Xmas time setting unable to bring any goodness to a high-concept that fails to take off.
Front and centre to this generic revenge tale of an aggrieved father on a one man mission to murder his way through all those he perceived to have had a part in his young boys murder is the unfortunate Joel Kinnaman who keeps finding ways of signing himself up to lacklusture products and while every now and then he finds himself in a winner like 2021's Suicide Squad, Kinnaman's work outside of the TV realm has quickly established him as one of those names that has become synonymous with average to downright bad.
Joel, it might be time to find yourself a new agent buddy.
Taking forever to even get to the type of bullet filled material you thought you were signing up for, Silent Night cares little that its giving you nothing for a solid 30 - 40 minutes only to then unleash a solid hour of careless and mostly sleep-inducing action full of lots of empty cartridges and nameless goons, ensuring anyone that expected anything slightly close to the action goodness that Woo has produced in the past are going to leave this soulless exercise with nothing more than a lot of regret.
Final Say -
A unique on paper concept that gets quickly washed away by a lack of purpose, poor execution and overall blandness, Silent Night squanders its directors greatest strengths and yuletide setting on an experience that is akin to a lump of coal and empty shotgun shells in a smelly Christmas stocking.
1 bauble flashback out of 5
Jordan and Eddie (The Movie Guys)
Unfrosted (2024)
An extremely silly debut from Seinfeld
After decades in the industry and what feels like a rather long hiatus from high-profile projects, nobody can accuse comedic legend Jerry Seinfeld from going paint by numbers with his feature film directional debut Unfrosted.
A Netflix exclusive that out of all things sees Seinfeld explore the origins of Kellog's famed Pop Tart creation in the early 1960's, Unfrosted is very far from what you'd call a stereotypical biopic as Seinfeld takes things into the weird zone very quickly, with his whimsical and far-fetched offering becoming something more like a PC friendly Lonely Island comedy venture that's zany ambitions will alienate many viewers and have others clambering for more.
Far more outlandish than the comedy that made Seinfeld such a global superstar in his namesake TV show, Unfrosted follows Seinfeld's Bob Cabana, a Kellog's heavyweight who assembles a crack team of "experts" to help Kellog's create a dingus that would eventually become the global dominator that was the Pop Tart.
What seems like a relatively straightforward story is one Seinfeld and his writing partners Spike Feresten and Andy Robin turn into something that is anything but as sea monkey infused pastries, serious workplace accidents, commando James Marsden's and Bill Burr presidents take over and ensure that Unfrosted is as far removed from a serious exploration of food legend as you're likely to get and absolutely the type of film that only Netflix would dare finance.
With a name brand cast that includes more cameos than you can care too name (a particular cameo from two iconic TV actors/characters is sure to be a massive talking point), Unfrosted was clearly the type of project where Seinfeld was gifted the keys to the kingdom to bring his vision to life yet while there's a lot of fun to be had from anticipating who will come up next in proceedings, there's not a lot of glue holding everything together here as Unfrosted's flurry of ideas and gags get lost amongst each other with only a few key moments standing out from the crowd.
As was also the case with the iconic Seinfeld series, Seinfeld himself has never been what you'd call a good actor and his lack of performing smarts and odd charisma make you wish that there was another actor who could've fitted into Bob's shoes with Seinfeld relegated to a supporting role but alas this was always designed as a passion project for the legendary comic and there's undoubted love for the project here from its creator who almost wills Unfrosted into an existence where it works against the odds.
Final Say -
A totally unique comedy offering from an industry stalwart we don't see or hear from a lot these days, Unfrosted is far wackier than you'd expect and misses more often than it hits but there's enough goodwill and cheap laughs on offer here that will see it work to an acceptable level for most.
2 1/2 spy mops out of 5
Jordan and Eddie (The Movie Guys)
May December (2023)
An acting masterclass from the central trio
Inspired by the true life American crime case of school teacher Mary Kay Letourneau, Todd Hayne's latest slice of American life character study May December is another layered and complex feature that sits in the same wheelhouse as the directors most famed works Carol, Safe and Far From Heaven, even if its confronting subject matter and narrative never work to the levels of payoff one may be hoping for.
The textbook definition of a slow-burn, this Netflix original and likely large Oscar player is going to alienate some more casual viewers that have been lead to have a look at it thanks to Netflix's algorithms and recommendations as Hayne's is unafraid to tackle his films subject matter head on while at the same time giving May December a dark comedy like vibe that steadily morphs into something else entirely as our central characters begin to show their true colours.
Based around Julianne Moore's Gracie and her relationship with Charles Melton's much younger Joe Yoo with whom she had a much publicised and illegal relationship with when he was a 13 year old and she was a married mother, who find their long term relationship tested when Natalie Portman's actress Elizabeth arrives into their world while researching a role she is taking on as Gracie, May December is far from light viewing and unlikely to be a film fit for casual consumption.
Gifting its cast a raft of character driven material that would have had them licking their lips with anticipation of awards and critical plaudits, there's no denying that May December is an acting showpiece and while Julianne Moore and Natalie Portman are as typically commanding as you would expect from such seasoned performers its Melton who becomes the real star of the May December show in what's likely to be his star making and potentially Oscar winning breakout moment.
Prior to May December an actor best known for his turn in the cult TV series Riverdale, Melton is a revelation as the softly spoken but deep thinking Joe and while at first its hard to understand what's lead the young man to where he is today Haynes does a fantastic job of letting his story take hold around the presence of two women who aren't always as they appear to be and it's fascinating as a viewer to watch Melton overtake both Moore and Portman in a performance that has duly been regarded as one of 2023's best.
Overall while Haynes film doesn't quite pack the punch one might've hoped for this is another solid example of a filmmaker at work who has always managed to draw out memorable turns from his lead cast members, showcasing a director who knows and understands his performers and works with them to achieve some noteworthy outcomes while exploring often hard and complicated stories.
Final Say -
Not as incendiary or impactful as one might have hoped for considering the themes it's tackling, May December is nevertheless a fine showpiece for its central trio and a must-watch for the career making turn from Charles Melton.
3 1/2 Monarch butterflies out of 5
Jordan and Eddie (The Movie Guys)
Late Night with the Devil (2023)
A unique Australian horror with a great 70's feel
Premiering to rave reviews at the most recent SXSW film festival, Australian shot horror film Late Night with the Devil is a landmark moment for directing duo Colin and Cameron Cairnes, directors who showed so much potential with their early works 100 Bloody Acres and Scare Campaign, with their latest outing becoming one of 2024's most surprising success stories at both the international box office and more recently on horror streaming service Shudder where it has broken a raft of platform records.
Shot on a shoestring budget in Melbourne Victoria, Devil finds the Cairnes brothers transporting us all the way back to Halloween of 1977 in America where David Dastmalchian's determined late night talk show host Jack Delroy will stop at nothing to climb the ratings ladder with him and his team inviting an array of spooky themed guests onto the set of Night Owls in hopes of tackling taboo subject matters and gaining attention in the face of dwindling audience numbers.
Not knowing exactly where Devil will go and how it will take us there is half the fun of the film but suffice to say things on the set of this particular show don't go entirely to plan with the Cairnes's doing a fantastic job of capturing the time period and the late night talk show aesthetic to bring this relatively simplistic yet ingenious idea to life.
Gifting familiar face Dastmalchian with his best and most labour intensive role yet is a major win for the Cairnes's film with the well-liked but not entirely well-known character actor finally able to break-free from his supporting turns in the likes of Dune, Prisoners and The Suicide Squad to be given a chance to shine in this leading man role that is even more significant when you consider the actors own personal demons that had at times threatened to derail a career that had never really been allowed to thrive.
Full of self-assured arrogance, an undeniable charm and a dogged determination to continue on with his personal plight no matter the roadblocks, the performance of Dastmalchian and the character of Delroy is what makes Devil really tick even in the midst of a growing dissatisfaction for how the film unravels all the way too its poor attempt at a big bang finale.
Working so well early on establishing a significantly uneasy vibes and sense of intrigue to who is who and what is what, for much of Devil's early segments of its relatively brisk run-time there's much to grasp a hold of and enjoy but sadly towards Devil's big reveals and wrap ups, Devil starts to lose its way and its unique concept to an otherwise familiar feeling story is unable to take if over the finish line as it limps to its end credits that pale in comparison to its beginnings and it must be said, comically long production company procession early on.
No one can falter the brave attempt at a new way of producing a horror by numbers outing and it's undoubtable that the Cairnes's are set for a big role in future Hollywood productions from here on out but it's just a shame Devil's strong start and great delivery don't amount to the same strengths in its narrative and misguided finale.
Final Say -
A brave attempt at a low-budget horror that has some great production values, unique concept and a brave leading man, Late Night with the Devil is let-down by a mediocre finale and lack of scares that hold it back from becoming an instant cult-classic.
3 Theremin's out of 5
Jordan and Eddie (The Movie Guys)
The Fall Guy (2024)
A Disappointingly Forgettable Summer Season Kick-Off
Inspired by the Lee Major's starring TV show of the same name that ran for 5 seasons from 1981-86, David Leitch's modern take on The Fall Guy comes at a time when Hollywood is crying out for an American summer blockbuster hit that ignites box office booths when most others are floundering and while there's a chance this Ryan Gosling and Emily Blunt starring action comedy does make a decent dent at the global box office, Leitch's well-intentioned big budget affair is sadly another recent blockbuster that doesn't hit the mark.
An amalgamation of a bevy of ideas, Fall Guy acts as a crowd-pleasing action ride, a generic romantic comedy centred around Gosling's long-suffering stuntman Colt Seavers and Blunt's up and coming director Jody Moreno, a love letter to the stunt community and an underdeveloped mystery that see's Seavers enlisted to help track down Aaron Taylor-Johnson's missing Hollywood leading man Tom Ryder.
With this in mind, no one can accuse Leitch's film of resting on its laurels but despite appearing to have its heart in the right place, too much of Fall Guy feels forced, underdeveloped and at the same time overstated, making this a a film likely to appease easy going audiences initially but a film that disappears from people's memories before a second thought.
A one time stuntman himself, David Leitch has found success over the past decade with his ability to instil many of his films with the right amount of zany energy, comedic chops and action beats, with his work on successful outings such as Deadpool 2 and the highly underrated at the time Bullet Train perfect examples of the type of film Fall Guy wants to be and with it missing the mark in many of the elements that made those films so much fun, at the very least you'd expect the action heavy segments of Fall Guy too fly but even the key action moments here never take off, with no set pieces likely to be considered again once the next scene rolls around.
Trying to be so many things at any one time, there's a distinct lack of focus that embodies Fall Guy's long in the tooth runtime that runs out of steam early, picks up momentum when Seavers rolls into Sydney after a long term hiatus in the industry and then loses significant amounts of good will and energy when a quite terrible last act takes hold, with this lack of focus constantly bringing any wins the film has back to earth, no more evident than in the films constant back and forwards between events on the set of Seavers and Moreno's new movie, Seavers investigation into Ryder's disappearance and then Gosling and Blunt's forced feeling will they or won't they romance.
With so many things going on and film struggling to deliver on the spectacle front, hopes of Fall Guy being saved on the comedic front are not too be found with minor chuckles the order of the day as many of the films big set-ups and over-delivered back and forwards lacking the smarts or charms that could've made even some of the minor potential moments something worth celebrating with Fall Guy also in particular marking a moment in Gosling's career as it stands where his schtick that his finely attuned over the most recent parts of his career showing genuine wear and tear.
Not playing the exact same pretty dumb he did with The Nice Guys or Barbie or the sleek comedic charmer he did with La La Land or Crazy, Stupid, Love. There's still a sense of over familiarity with Gosling's turn as the potentially genius/potentially misguided Seavers and there's not many moments in Fall Guy where you feel Gosling is really owning proceedings here, marking this role down as a key career moment for the beloved star where he will either continue to bunker down with this type of project or start to recognise it is perhaps time he gave this version of Gosling the A-lister a rest.
A well-intentioned film and entirely inoffensive, there's glimpses of the film Fall Guy just might have been and there's going to be some fans of the film unearthed no doubt but overall this films the exact type of forgettable Hollywood film the industry really didn't need right now.
Final Say -
Failing to excel in the action or comedic stakes and unable to do much with the chemistry between Gosling and Blunt that could've been mined far greater than it was here, The Fall Guy is a disappointingly lacklustre and disjointed outing that has strangely been greeted with a far kinder critical reception than it deserves.
2 unicorns out of 5
Jordan and Eddie (The Movie Guys)
Candy Cane Lane (2023)
A bizarre Xmas themed affair
A part of the regular abundance of end of year festive themed films that come our way once the silly season in sight, 2023's Amazon Prime backed Candy Cane Lane may on paper appear to be a modern day take on the age old Christmas Vacation/Deck the Halls type affair but things get very weird very quickly in this Eddie Murphy starring oddity that is worth enduring purely to see how odd things can get.
Candy Cane Lane may be marketed around a streets annual Christmas decoration competition that Murphy's family man Chris Carver is determined to win finally but once he meets Jillian Bell's mysterious Pepper and the 12 Days of Christmas tale becomes all too real, Reginald Hudlin's feature isn't afraid to dive headfirst into the wild and wacky with shrunken humans, excessive cows milk, wild birds and fights with marching bands taking over in a family film that never really seems the type of heartwarming family friendly comedy you'd expect it to be.
Coming off a lean patch with You People and Coming 2 America after what appeared to be a nice renaissance off the back of Dolemite is My Name in 2019, star Eddie Murphy may be more enthused than you'd expect playing it mostly straight, giving some more effort than his notoriously bad days in the early 2000's with the likes of Dr. Dolittle 2, Pluto Nash and Daddy Day Care infesting our screens but not even his presence can stand-up to the oddness and bizarre antics of a film that never really comes to terms as a life affirming tale, an Elf-like X-mas comedy or a fantastical journey.
Unsure of where to turn its focus too throughout its close to two hour running time, there's undoubtedly the bones of a special yuletide tale somewhere in Hudlin's offering but the end product of the Lane we get always feels like its battling itself and with Murphy acceptable if reigned in, none of the films supports that includes bit parts by talent such as Nick Offerman or Ken Marino or the big budgeted spectacle on display matters much when we barely get a chance to feel any magic, intrigue, fun or emotion as we fly from sequence to sequence.
No one can accuse Lane of playing it safe, this is not your stereotypical family Christmas yarn with a tinge of the fanciful and there are likely to be a few that see this unashamedly bizarre affair but overall the entertainment value of this Prime original is mainly based around the fact the audience is anticipating what odd event is coming next without any sense of connection or investment.
Final Say -
Far stranger than you'd likely suspect from its basic synopsis, Candy Cane Lane sees a dialled back Eddie Murphy outshone by a wild narrative that moves from place to place with casual abandon for any sense of following a particular pattern, creating a Christmas themed feature that is worth exploring purely on the fact it's unafraid to embrace its strange nature.
2 Pentatonix members out of 5
Jordan and Eddie (The Movie Guys)
Rebel Moon - Part Two: The Scargiver (2024)
Makes Part One look like a masterpiece
There have been reports that maligned filmmaker Zac Snyder has plans to make six Rebel Moon films. Reports that should send shivers down the spine of anyone that appreciates feature films of quality if they have any validity.
The unwanted follow-on from last December's non-event that ended up being the much hyped and big budgeted Netflix original Rebel Moon - Part One: A Child of Fire, The Scargiver somehow manages to be much worse than its terrible forefather making one truly question if Snyder will ever be able to get back to the quality of films he use to deliver with the likes of Dawn of the Dead, Watchmen and 300.
Proclaimed to be Netflix's answer to the Star Wars cinematic universe, Rebel Moon has the bones of what might be an interesting and entertaining feature film world but as was the case with Part One, Scargiver is devoid of any spark or imagination to make it worth your time with one even beginning to wonder whether or not Snyder just wanted to showcase the joys of harvesting with most of Scargiver's first 30 - 40 minutes mostly made up of slow-motion crop work, making one beg for the end of the slow torture that if removed would have made this two hour "event" more like a 30 minute addition to the first outing.
Doing very little that justifies the decision to cut the two Rebel Moon films into separate parts, Scargiver repeats all the same mistakes as Snyder's first offering as we once more follow Sofia Boutella's Kora and her merry band of freedom fighters protecting some grain from Ed Skrein's seemingly inept Atticus Noble, promising an epic Lord of the Rings like siege battle that instead becomes merely a procession of loud noises and pedestrian fight segments that are welcomed in by one of the years most cringe-worthy scenes that acts like an amateur hour Dungeons and Dragons night where Kora and her comrades tell each other their backstories.
There's not a single character here we can really get behind, perhaps other than Anthony Hopkins woods loving robot Jimmy, there's no performance that appears to be having any fun in the whole po-faced event and the action space that Synder once owned early in his career has here become a sad self-parody of his best works that would be at home in the bargain basement bin offerings of long gone Blockbuster Video stores.
In many ways The Scargiver is both the worst example of Netflix's big-budget failures and original IP's that every now and then strike gold but for the most part flop like this and also the sad state of Snyder's current career that looks like its destined to be stuck in the doldrums for the long-haul from here on out.
While there's no doubt the Rebel Moon films were not supposed to re-write the rulebook and were designed with entertainment in mind, there's zero excuse for a film to be as bland and painful to endure as The Scargiver is making it an undeniable disaster and a new career low for a filmmaker who once promised to be one of the most enjoyable blockbuster voices in Hollywood.
Final Say -
If you thought Rebel Moon: Part One was bad you haven't seen anything yet! A slow-motion filled train wreck whose flying wheat is as interesting as its one-dimensional characters and yawn-inducing action scenes, Rebel Moon - Part Two: The Scargiver gives us very little to enjoyable no matter where you look.
1/2 a backstory powwow out of 5.
Jordan and Eddie (The Movie Guys)
The Road to Patagonia (2024)
A fascinating road-trip documentary
Collating 16 years worth of footage from Australian ecologist, director and star Matty Hannon's life as he looks to come to terms with his place in the world and accomplish a goal of surfing and exploring the west coast of the Americas from Alaska to Patagonia, The Road to Patagonia is a heartfelt and sincere documentary that is sure to be an audience favourite across the globe.
Stunningly captured by Hannon and Heather Hillier, who joins Hannon in his film and life journey here, Patagonia is one of the most visually incredibly and naturalistic documentaries of recent memories and easily one of the most impressive Australian backed documentaries of the modern era, joining the likes of Ghosthunter, Hotel Coolgardie, 2040 and Sherpa as one of the most quintessential docos to come from Australian voices in the feature film landscape.
His first feature film, Hannon showcases a deft hand at the filmmaking game, spending years (with help from veteran editor Harriet Clutterbuck) working through unnumbered hours of footage that totalled in the 100's of hours worth to edit Patagonia down to a brisk 90 minutes, a 90 minutes that at all times provides a feast for the senses, the heart and very spirit of what it means to connect with the world we live in, all heavy subjects and weighty themes that never feel heavy-handed or delivered in a manufactured way here.
Telling a story that unfolds as it goes rather than plays out to a certain design or end goal, Patagonia takes the audience on an adventure that will make them laugh, cry and ponder and whether its in precarious moments late at night in a tent surrounded by wolves, beautiful moments with Hannon and Hillier's horses (unfussy MVP's of the film) or quiet yet effective interactions with real life subject matters Hannon and Hillier come across on their travels, Patagonia succeeds in multiple facets and is sure to have something for audiences of all backgrounds and creeds.
Often supported by the music of Swedish singer/songwriter Daniel Norgren, whose haunting and touching songs made such an impression in last years mesmerizing Italian epic The Eight Mountains, Patagonia is that rare type of Australian backed film that has universal appeal to all areas of the globe and with it also becoming a likable love story amongst all its other elements, Hannon's films is a documentary that proves to be filled with as much content as any fictional narrative feature could conjure up.
Working on a storytelling level, a feast on the visual front and filled with soul, humour and insight, there's much to take away from Patagonia and many reasons as to why Matty Hannon's labour of love should be on your radar.
Final Say
A must-see independent Australian documentary that works in multiple ways, The Road to Patagonia is a hugely impressive debut feature and an early contender for the Australian film of 2024.
4 1/2 tubes of Vegemite out of 5
Jordan and Eddie (The Movie Guys)
Kaibutsu (2023)
A powerful piece of dramatic storytelling
Not to be confused with what some may potentially see as a horror or blood-curdling thriller, Kore-eda Hirokazu's critically acclaimed Rashmon inspired tale that takes place across three different viewpoints is a unique and effective examination of humanity and individuals circumstances that stands out as one of 2023's most memorable foreign offerings.
A winner of the 2023 Cannes Film Festival Best Screenplay award, Hirokazu's tale of single mother Saori, school teacher Hori and young boy Minato is a thorough examination of a set of circumstances that have lead Saori to believe that something horrifically amiss has occurred at Minato's school, with all signs pointing towards potential misdeeds at the hands of Hori who appears to show little remorse for the wrongs Saori suspects he is responsible for.
Starting out from Sakura Andô's Saori's POV as the film starts with a stunning shot of a burning mutli-storey building not far from her home she shares with Minato after her husband passed away years prior, Monster then gives equal amount of attention to Eita Nagayama's Hori and then Soya Kurokawa's Minato as we start to explore key incidents from the lives of each of these characters from their own perspectives and understandings.
Tackling the films weighty subject matters from this angle allows us and Hirokazu to wade through a raft of different emotions and ponderings and discovering just who or what's truly the "monster" of this film's narrative is one that hits hard when the truth becomes apparent with Monster morphing into a whole different type of beast than one might initially expect, showcasing the masterful skill Hirokazu has over his medium as his film unfolds.
Key to this beautifully shot and scored films success, thanks to D. O. P Ryûto Kondô and a moving score from the late/great Ryuichi Sakamoto, is the wonderful performances of its core cast that also includes a standout turn from young Hinata Hiiragi as the integral Yori, with all performers on top of their profession bringing heart, soul and humanity to their realistically flawed characters who all have reasonings behind their feelings and actions that come to light in a fluent and powerful way over Monster's two hour runtime.
Another impressive addition to Hirokazu's resume that concludes in an unforgettable and touching way, Monster is further reason to regard the talented filmmaker as one of the best directors operating in world cinema today.
Final Say -
Not the film one might expect and not to be viewed as a stereotypical thriller or mystery, Monster is nonetheless a powerful piece of human focussed storytelling that is worthy of being regarded as one of 2023's best dramatic features.
4 brass instruments out of 5
Jordan and Eddie (The Movie Guys)
Oleg: The Oleg Vidov Story (2021)
A solid examination of a remarkable life
A man who bore the media moniker of "the Robert Redford of the USSR", Russian screen actor Oleg Vidov lived a colourful and entirely stranger than fiction life that Australian born director Nadia Tass explores in her comprehensive documentary Oleg: The Oleg Vidov Story.
Narrated by screen legend Brian Cox and featuring a raft of talking heads that includes the likes of Roger Donaldson, Walter Hill and Joan Borsten, Oleg recounts the rise of Vidov from humble beginnings as a son of a school teacher, a teenager obsessed with the art of cinema and a desire to be front and centre to the medium through too a certified superstar of Soviet Russia that turned sour when he was forced to flee to America in search of a new life and a home out of reach of the KGB.
It's the type of true life story that would feel far fetched if someone were too conjure up such a narrative from their imagination, giving Tass a lot of ground to cover in a relatively short sub 100 minute documentary but for the most part Tass's workmanlike documentary should be seen as a key exploration of Vidov's life and times, if not exactly the quintessential one that long term fans of the Vidov story will be seeking.
Undoubtedly a small budgeted affair, Oleg does at times appear to be limited by its budget, with certain pieces of footage being reused throughout the film and an over reliance on still imagery giving off student film vibes in certain instances but there's a well-intentioned nature of Tass's films and the sincerity and generosity of Vidov the man goes a long way too ensuring that this unflashy documentary is an engaging viewing experience without ever being an utterly gripping one.
Unable to deep dive into some of the more complex issues that arose throughout Vidov's career, particularly when he defected to the United States to escape the KGB ruled Soviet Union, there feels like there was more to explore here in certain aspects of Vidov's up and down journey in the public eye but as an easy to digest expose on a man that has had much commentary directed at him and about him, Oleg is an undeniably adequate documentary.
Final Say -
Delivered in a workmanlike fashion, Oleg: The Oleg Vidov Story is far from a ground-breaking or revelatory documentary feature but it's an accessible examination of the extraordinary life of a figure whose life was entirely unique and fascinating.
3 Soviet animations out of 5.
Jordan and Eddie (The Movie Guys)
The Marsh King's Daughter (2023)
A missed opportunity to create something special
Not that there's any such thing as a certainty in life, all the stars were seemingly aligned to expect that director Neil Burger's decently budgeted and talent stacked adaptation of Karen Dionne's bestselling book would be one of 2023's dramatic hits.
Released unceremoniously in early November to avoid clashes with Taylor Swift's cultural phenomenon The Eras Concert, a global box office haul of under $3 million dollars and some diabolical critical reviews and cold audience reception showcased that best laid plans/expectations are never guaranteed with The Marsh Kings Daughter a mediocre and mostly lifeless offering that never had a chance to flourish into something more.
One of Hollywood's most curiously stagnant directors who constantly dabbles in films ranging from instantly forgettable to strangely irrelevant despite brief moments of popularity, Burger continues to operate in a very specific wheelhouse built on the likes of The Illusionist, Limitless, Divergent and The Upside with Daughter a film much like those he has delivered in the past, full of potential but unable to come together in a meaningful way.
Enlisting Daisy Ridley in the main role of Helena, a now grown woman who is haunted by her traumatic upbringing at the hands of Ben Mendelsohn's criminal father figure Jacob, Burger is never able to get Daughter into an engaging flow from our early times with Helena (here played by The Florida Project's breakout star Brooklyn Prince), Helena in the present day alongside Garret Hedlund as her caring husband Stephen or her battles with Jacob after he escapes from prison.
Each element of the film should provide both emotional connection and potent material for a thrilling game of cat and mouse both figuratively and mentally but despite a pretty gloss that comes from such well-backed dramatic exercises, Daughter remains a cold and unengaging experience throughout, constantly frustrating us with its lack of heart and soul and its sad inability to give its cast a chance to shine.
Struggling to find the right material post Star Wars, Daughter offers Ridley one of her most loaded screentime opportunities yet but despite her best attempts she never feels like a great fit for the role of Helena and with Mendelsohn's charismatic bad guy routine starting to wear thin and Hedlund once more anchored to a tame supporting role that barely gets him to raise a sweat, Daughter's talented ensemble can't gift the film any type of respite from its lacking delivery.
In multiple facets and angles Daughter might just have been a significant and memorable affair but in continuing on in director Neil Burger's career pattern, the film is one that barely scrapes by on its way to an inevitable future where few can recall or can be bothered to ponder its existence.
Final Say -
A 2023 film that came and went with little fanfare, The Marsh Kings Daughter has the core of something special but lethargic delivery, a sleepwalking cast and a strange sense of disinterest halt this dramatic affair in its tracks.
2 spreadsheets out of 5.
Jordan and Eddie (The Movie Guys)
Civil War (2024)
A confronting thriller let down by its human element
Studio darling A24's biggest budgeted and arguably biggest risk yet comes in the form of underrated filmmaker Alex Garland's explosive dystopian journalistic thriller Civil War, a no doubt controversial feature that is sure to stir debate within the boundaries of The United States.
Marketed as a guns blazing action thriller that follows an eclectic group of determined journalists and photographers, there's sure to be some jaded viewers who will feel duped by A24's marketing campaign that has cleverly honed in on the set piece aspect of Garland's offering, with Civil War hitting hard when the bullets fly but also becoming a film that is just as happy basking in the quieter moments, moments where it doesn't always come together the way you would have liked.
Built around Kirsten Dunst's wearied photographer Lee, Cailee Spaeny's upstart Jessie, Wager Moura's jovial Joel and Stephen McKinley Henderson's industry veteran Sammy (a key component of Civil War's most unforgettable scene), Civil War offers up some incredibly confronting and masterfully put together set pieces as it follows it's road-trippers on an explosive journey across the wilds of a country at war within itself, as the journalists attempt to make it to the gates of The White House in hopes of meeting with the under fire president, played by cameo master Nick Offerman.
Civil War is a very different film for Garland, a figure who made his name in the science fiction and horror space as a screenwriter and then the same genres as he morphed to a career behind the camera but he showcases himself as a deft hand in this more thriller oriented space with the gunplay and action segments of Civil War some of the most visceral and intense you're likely to see this year, while his unflinching look at a United States tearing itself apart from within is going to go down as one of the most realistic depictions of a potential future for the country many would be praying never comes to fruition.
Where Civil War finds itself lacking is in its character beats and curiously a script that doesn't quite come off the way Garland's best works have in prior projects such as Ex Machina or Sunshine.
Full of tension and horrifically viable situations, despite the solid turns from the core cast, which also includes an unforgettable segment lead by a Jesse Plemons cameo, Civil War is never able to unearth a heart and soul amongst all its many grand explorations and ideas and there's a distinct lack of character engagement and emotional resonance that would've made this impeccably made and staged film something that would have been entering through the gateways of greatness.
Filled with memorable individual moments of greatness, exploring topics that are both topical and worthwhile and gifting us a war set thriller with a totally unique core, it's impossible to deny much of Civil War but there's also a nagging feeling that there's a key ingredient missing here that makes Garland's incendiary feature a missed opportunity despite all its successes.
Final Say -
Delivering some thrilling white-knuckle cinematic spectacle and visual wins around some of the years most confronting narrative material, Civil War hits hard when it does but there's no getting away from the fact the human elements of Alex Garland's film leave much to be desired.
4 Canadian bank notes out of 5
Jordan and Eddie (The Movie Guys)
The Zone of Interest (2023)
A confronting WW2 film with a difference
One of 2023's most talked about features and the recipient of the Academy Awards Best International Feature Film award (as well as a well deserved award for Best Sound), Jonathan Glazer's first film since his controversial 2013 film Under the Skin is a World War 2 film with a difference, a haunting experience that explores the mindset and everyday occurrences that often go hand in hand with the horrors and atrocities of a period of war.
Based on the true story of Nazi family the Höss's, who lead by husband/father and Auschwitz commandant Rudolf and fiery mother/wife Hedwig lived a seemingly idyllic lifestyle in the heat of the WW2 period where their family home was stationed right alongside the Auschwitz concentration camp that saw some of the most evil acts ever committed against humanity take place within its confines.
With Glazer's production team shooting the film in a hidden camera format with no crew visible on set when the actors were at work, being described as "Big Brother" like by Glazer, Zone of Interest is unlike any such film I can recall seeing and while much of what horrifies in the film remains off screen, with the films unique sound design playing a major part in proceedings here, there's a constant feeling of unease on display here at just what these humans were able to look past as they attempted to do their jobs and live out their lives around the trauma of what surrounded them.
Utilising this approach that includes a distinct lack of cinematic flourishes and spectacle allows Interest to play out in an organic and often memorizing fashion that allows Friedel and Anatomy of a Fall breakout star Hüller to bring the Höss's to life in ways you wouldn't expect possible, transporting us back to a time and place history will never forget and allowing us to examine it in a whole new way than we've done before.
If there was an obvious element to focus in on with Glazer's film that perhaps weakens the experience overall, it's that from very early on we are abundantly clear of the naïve and terrifying mindset of our main characters and then for the next hour and a half we cover familiar ground and while the film still has some shocks and surprises within in, a terrifying fade to red and some haunting segments that take place utilising infrared spring to mind, there is a feeling that creeps into Glazer's feature as time wears on that we begin to get caught in a loop that in its later stages looses some of its power.
Culminating in one of the most memorable and shattering final segments of any film of the recent era, Interest is still a film of much power and harbours an important message all told by a director who constantly surprises in his approach to the craft of filmmaking and how we tell and consume stories.
Final Say -
An entirely unique approach to telling what could have otherwise been a straightforward World War 2 biopic/historical drama, The Zone of Interest may not be an easy watch but it's a powerful one, exploring topics in a fresh and important light.
4 family picnics out of 5
Jordan and Eddie (The Movie Guys)
Monkey Man (2024)
The Raid and John Wick with a Mumbai flavour
Originally destined for a Netflix streaming debut before Hollywood heavyweight Jordan Peele and his Monkeypaw Productions stepped in and secured distribution rights to Dev Patel's debut feature, Monkey Man is an impressive next evolution for the actor turned director/writer who here gifts us The Raid meets John Wick all awash in a distinctively Indian undertone.
Inspired by the Hindu character Hanuman, Monkey Man allows Patel to showcase his Indian heritage (as well as his not too shabby butt-kicking abilities) in a low-budget affair that feels much bigger than its budget constraints as Patel's nameless "kid" lives out a loveless existence as an underground masked fighter hellbent on revenge against the criminal and upper class that played a hand in the destruction of his childhood village and murder of his beloved mother.
At it's core a film we've seen done countless times before, jaded anti-hero takes up the mantle of one man army to bring corrupt and evildoers to a bloody justice but Patel ensures that Monkey Man does enough in the originality stakes to be considered a fresh take on a well-worn formula and while not everything he attempts to achieve pays off, when Monkey Man hits it hits hard and provides an undoubtedly wild time for viewers that can out up with its shaky cam action, far to frequent and intrusive flashbacks and narrative lulls that are particularly apparent in a sagging mid-section.
Far from a fight a minute exercise that was prevalent in the aforementioned Raid and John Wick films and the Korean action films that helped inspire Patel's debut, Monkey Man isn't going to appease those wanting two hours plus of relentless and unwavering action violence but being built around two key action segments that are both extended in length and impressive in execution, the action in Patel's feature is memorable and frenetic and is likely to place Monkey Man firmly in the conversation for the action film of 2024.
Filled with moments that require viewers to forgive curious coincidences and leaps of faith, there are elements of Monkey Man that frustrate and hold it back from potential greatness but there's enough here to suggest that Patel has showcased enough here in front of the camera and behind the camera to be very excited about the birth of a unique directional talent that can hopefully learn from his experience here to continue his progression in the industry.
In an age where many films feel like mere imitators or box ticking exercises, Monkey Man feels like a fresh twist on a stale formula, making it a film that should be on the radars of genre fans and those looking for fun and often exciting cinematic experience.
Final Say -
A brutal and inventive action film with an Indian vibe, Monkey Man's social commentary and narrative may not always gel with its confronting bruise-filled violence but Dev Patel's notable filmmaking debut is sure to win over its fair share of passionate fans regardless.
3 1/2 passionate drummers out of 5
Jordan and Eddie (The Movie Guys)
Godzilla x Kong: The New Empire (2024)
Great CGI can't save us from poor humans
The fifth feature film in the "MonsterVerse" series that kicked off in 2014 with the oddly serious Godzilla, The New Empire see's returning director Adam Wingard (last seen helming 2021's Godzilla vs. Kong) back in the directors chair and overseeing this newest big budgeted exercise in CGI and monster mayhem that provides exactly what you'd expect from such a film and nothing more, marking down another forgettable if slightly passable attempt at giving two of cinemas most iconic creations more time in the spotlight.
Achieving far greater financial success across its first official week of release in a global box office receipt point of view, Empire has clearly managed to release at a time and place in the cinematic landscape where viewers are content to be taken away on a mindless blockbuster journey but it's a shame Wingard and his team that includes very capable performers such as Rebecca Hall, Dan Stevens and Brian Tyree Henry aren't able to give us more than a film that has some decent eye candy but little else.
Proving even more so that the Monsterverse's biggest problem since its inception a decade ago has been creating a human element worthy of all the city destruction, animal grunts and CGI work, Empire struggles in its two hour time whenever the title characters aren't front and centre and without any human glue holding everything together there's only so much Kong and Godzilla can do, especially when Godzilla feels like more of an afterthought here with Kong taking up most of the screentime in a titan point of view.
Appearing to be nothing more than exposition mediums or fact mouthpieces, the journey of our central characters venturing into Hollow Earth that Kong now calls home to investigate a potential new threat to mankind never gets out of first gear and while through this time we get to witness such cinematic greatness as Kong using a "mini-kong" as a makeshift weapon or Dan Steven's Trapper performing a very unique type of dental procedure, there's a lot of downtime in Empire that can't be saved by a whirlwind finale that is decent but far from the final act saviour that Empire was in need of.
Judging off what we see here it appears as though the MonsterVerse in its current format is starting to desperately struggle with maintaining narrative momentum or a reason for these crossover spectacles to exist and it's hard for us viewers to look at what we've seen here and be excited about what comes next as it's likely we've seen about all we can see from these behemoths over the past decade.
With some strong audience sentiment and a likely healthy end box office haul, there's no doubt we are going to see more of what's been on offer here, lets just hope that if it's to be the supports that work alongside our title characters are far more thought out and interesting as without growth in that area, future instalments of this shared universe are going to get harder and harder to endure.
Final Say -
If you've yet to enjoy the modern day MonsterVerse it's unlikely Kong x Godzilla: The New Empire is going to change your mind, providing much of the same of what has come before, it appears as though this series has ran out of ideas to keep it moving forward, offering up some decent spectacle around a lot of forgettable and regrettable filler.
2 alive improvised weapons out of 5.
Jordan and Eddie (The Movie Guys)
Priscilla (2023)
A difficult story makes for a difficult film to love
An understandably difficult true life romance story to recreate on the big screen due to the glaring age gap and uniqueness of the whole affair that was the famed relationship of Elvis and Priscilla Presley, Sofia Coppola's stunningly staged but emotionally cold and narratively disjointed adaptation of Priscilla's own memoirs makes for a frustrating watch, one filled with lots of small wins but too many misses to call the film a success.
Starting back all the way when the teenage Priscilla Beaulieu first met a far older and already superstar monikered Elvis Presley in Germany during his service in the United States Army, Coppola's film starts out well enough as a fever dream like experience where a wide-eyed girl is swept up in the presence of a man that was the equivalent of a living breathing God amongst men, with this early stretch of the film feeling almost like a home movie of the late 50's and early 60's era in which it takes place in but as things between Priscilla and Elvis ramp up, the film ramps down struggling to hold our attention.
Falling into what feels like a series of repetitive scenes and random interactions rather than a fluid narrative or an engaging expose, Coppola's film starts to run out of steam way before the one hour mark and despite a noticeable ramp up in the latter stages to try and compensate and cover a huge period of time in the two lovers lives, Priscilla feels like a wasted opportunity to utilise its two talented leads by never capturing their potential chemistry or gifting them the material that would've elevated their strong turns.
A career making turn for lead Cailee Spaeny who is deserving of the attention she garnered for her role her and an unexpectedly strong iteration of Elvis by Australian acting giant Jacob Elordi, who gets stronger and more "Elvis like" as the film draws on, Coppola's two committed leads both deserved a stronger focussed film that would've allowed them to maximise their time in these characters shoes but despite their best attempts, that supposed magical bond of these two famed lovers never comes to great fruition in this cinematic exploration.
Operating in a rather ho-hum period for a number of years now, sadly Priscilla isn't the film to get Coppola back on the esteemed ground she once found herself in with her earlier works and while there's a strong look and feel to this drama there's something very forgettable about a story that is anything but, for reasons both good and bad.
Final Say -
A tricky tale to navigate through that makes a film that is hard to love, Priscilla shows signs of something special but despite the good work from its core duo, Sofia Coppola's pretty but cold romantic biopic is hard too love.
2 1/2 lavish wedding cakes out of 5
Jordan and Eddie (The Movie Guys)