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CINEMA REVIEW: CIVIL WAR (2024)

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CINEMA REVIEW: CIVIL WAR (2024)

Directed by Alex Garland

Written by Alex Garland

Produced by Andrew Macdonald, Allon Reich, Gregory Goodman

Main Cast: Kirsten Dunst, Wagner Moura, Cailee Spaeny, Stephen McKinley Henderson, Sonoya Mizuno, Nick Offerman, etc.

Cinematography by Rob Hardy

*** MAY CONTAIN SPOILERS ***

Alex Garland has an impressive literary, cinema and televisual curriculum vitae. He gained acclaim as the writer of the novel, The Beach, before moving onto screenwriting duties with fine films such as: 28 Days Later (2002), Sunshine (2007), Never Let Me Go (2010), and under-rated Dredd (2012). He made his directorial debut with Ex Machina (2014), which earned him an Academy Award nomination for Best Original Screenplay. His second film, Annihilation (2018), garnered further acclaim, so much so, FX bypassed a pilot and went straight to series for his science fiction TV narrative, Devs (2020).

While I am a massive fan of Garland’s work, I wasn’t too enamoured of Annihilation (2018). I found it brilliantly made with some fantastic concepts and incredible moments, yet overall it was too slowly paced. With eight superlative episodes of Devs (2020), Garland delivered a story which really connected with me by merging a compelling technological espionage plot to an intelligent exploration of philosophical thought and human behaviour. Where Devs (2020) presciently examined the impact of artificial intelligence, Garland’s new political thriller, Civil War (2024), prophetically imagines an apocalyptic America in the throes of war between combined California and Texas state rebel forces and the current President’s (Nick Offerman) retreating army.

With the ‘January 6 United States Capitol attack’ in mind, Garland opens up a “what if” narrative where the whole of America is conflicted and consuming itself from within. At the heart of the violence is the war photographer, represented by Lee Smith (Kirsten Dunst) and Reuters journalist, Joel (Wagner Moura). Their journey to Washington to photograph the President reveals confusion, destruction and further bloodshed. Generically speaking, a road movie meets dystopian thriller, Civil War (2024) contains thought-provoking themes and incredible cinematography, but with shaky writing in places.

Films about war photographers and/or journalists can be problematic for me. Such characters lend themselves to heroic and the anti-heroic. The writing has to be right because I can lose empathy between such crusading journos and the narcissistic adrenaline junkies looking to deflect their own loathing and self-destructive tendencies. Civil War (2024) struggled to get me onside with the lead characters, although Dunst’s characterisation of Lee Smith is superb. However, her mentor-apprentice relationship with Cailee Spaeny, Jessie Cullen, was under-developed. Spaeny’s “innocent” being used more as a suspense device as opposed to learning the true horrors of humanity and war. Perhaps Garland intended for her to be a sociopath without depth just looking for blood? She finds it!

Moreover, Jessie’s journey from a political perspective was weak as there was no real sense of development in her character. That’s where the decision not to overtly take political sides causes a lack of sociological depth. War films such as Salvador (1986) and The Killing Fields (1984) are more successful as Civil War (2024) loses political impact by not choosing precise sides. But I guess whether they are Democratic or Republican is the whole point. Garland is saying that political parties are all as bad as each other, with human beings their own worst enemy. Politics, like football, gender, sexuality, and religion, are propellants for humans to fight each other.

For a film about photographers, the images on show are incredible and Rob Hardy’s work is genius. Fire, blood and war have never looked so brutal and aesthetically impressive. As well as Dunst, Wagner Moura and Stephen McKinlay Henderson are terrific in their respective roles. Further, there are some nail-biting and suspenseful scenes, notably one involving a film-stealing performance from Jesse Plemons. However, many of the characters’ decisions were weakly written for me. This is surprising given Garland’s prodigious literary and screenwriting talent. Civil War (2024), however, remains another stunning addition to his oeuvre and for all my perceived script weaknesses, the hell of war has never been so artistic and artful.

Mark: 8 out of 11

Cinema, New Releases, Oscar Bingo, Reviews

CINEMA REVIEW: POOR THINGS (2023)

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CINEMA REVIEW: POOR THINGS (2023)

Directed by Yorgos Lanthimos

Screenplay by Tony McNamara

Based on Poor Things: Episodes from the Early Life of Archibald McCandless M.D., Scottish Public Health Officer by Alasdair Gray

Produced by Ed Guiney, Andrew Lowe, Yorgos Lanthimos and Emma Stone

Main cast: Emma Stone, Mark Ruffalo, Willem Dafoe, Ramy Youssef, Christopher Abbott, Kathryn Hunter and Jerrod Carmichael.

Cinematography by Robbie Ryan

*** MAY CONTAIN SPOILERS ***

I have now seen all of Greek filmmaker Yorgos Lanthimos’ most recent directorial works, namely: Dogtooth (2009), Alps (2011), The Lobster (2015), The Killing of a Sacred Deer (2017), and The Favourite (2018). Collectively they defy conventional film styles and tropes to deliver absurd, surreal, funny, disturbing, thought-provoking, erotic and imaginative visions of human behaviour. Also, let’s not forget the writers too; so kudos to his writing partner Efthymis Filippou, and latterly Tony McNamara, who have combined with Lanthimos to create such memorable cinematic offerings.

The director’s early lower-budget dysfunctional comedy-dramas such as Dogtooth (2009), and Alps (2011) are unforgettably strange films to experience. They feature uncomfortable depictions of family, sex, death and relationships. While offbeat, you sense they are from the mind of a filmmaker seeking to provoke thought rather than exploit. While equally dark and strange The Lobster (2015) is clearly more comedic, even though it probes strange love, fascism and violence within romantic relationships. Further, in The Killing of a Sacred Deer (2017), Lanthimos and Filippou, in Godardian fashion, constantly called attention to cinema form; especially with a strangely effective form of anti-acting within the arguably more conventional revenge narrative. Whereas in The Favourite (2018), Lanthimos’ delivered a unique period satire, with the language and behaviour of the characters often crude and shocking. His visual choices are always fascinating, with his use of the fish-eye lens creating a distorted effect that made the characters seem trapped by their surroundings and circumstances.

With the success of The Favourite (2018), both critically and commercially, Lanthimos has of late been given an increased budget, reported as $35 million. His bold choice, along with screenwriter Tony McNamara is to adapt award-winning novel, Poor Things: Episodes from the Early Life of Archibald McCandless M.D., Scottish Public Health Officer by Alasdair Gray has produced by far the most originally conceived and fantastic genre-bending comedy, drama, horror, rites of passage and salacious film of many a year. If there is a more bizarre, enthralling and enjoyable film of 2024, than Poor Things (2023) then this will be a most excellent year for cinema releases.

Set in Victorian London, we are introduced to the rather eccentric household of Dr Godwin “God” Baxter, an expert but secretive surgeon whose home hides bizarre animal experiments, and the beautiful but frankly odd human specimen, Bella Baxter (Emma Stone). Entering this weird abode of pig-hens and goose-dogs, comes innocent medical student, Max McCandless (Remy Youseef). “God” asks Max to assist with the childlike Bella’s development, charting her daily physical, speech and mental growth. Now, if you think the chimeric beast experiments are disturbing then brace yourself for the events of Bella’s ‘Frankensteinesque’ happenstance. I am not going to spoil it here, but it truly is a fantastic concept as invented by the author, Alasdair Gray, to contemplate. I was teetering on the fence with the film until this stunning reveal was given, but then I was committed to this medical oddity.

The first act finds Bella developing her speech, emotions and intelligence, as if a young child growing within this woman’s body. Bella also locates her libido and begins experimenting with her lust to great pleasure. Here Lanthimos continues exploring the themes of previous films with sex not only a natural expression of humans, but also an act used to control and drive people mad. Enter Mark Ruffalo’s caddish lawyer, Duncan Wedderburn who spirits a willing and rebellious Bella on a European trip. One where she truly discovers and satisfies her continual carnal desire or “furious jumping” as she hilariously calls it. Bella’s rites of passage, frankness and rapid growth threatens Duncan’s masculine insecurities and he finds it difficult to control her. Here the hilarious screenplay shows Bella and Duncan becoming more and more fraught until she craves further independence from his cloying envy. The central theme of Bella overcoming the chains of controlling masculinity dominates right up until the extremely dark final act.

While there is a lot of sex and nudity in this film, I felt that Lanthimos balances the exploitative nature of such material by contextualising it within Bella’s fascinating character arc. Emma Stone also provides a complex performance, funny and moving, as the woman-child discovering her mind, body, soul and the world. Ruffalo is particularly over-the-top as the sneaky but pathetic reprobate, Wedderburn. While Remy Youssef’s young medical student adds some compassionate balance within the ensemble, Willem Dafoe gives his customary brilliant turn as the tragic man of science. He himself had his childhood tainted by a father determined to use Godwin Baxter as a human guinea pig.

With a spectacular production design that employs a rich palette of colours, sets, lighting and immaculately furnished rooms, Lanthimos, stamps his authorial style along with genius cinematographer Robbie and his array of lens. Such creative choices evolve a spectacularly hyper-real vision of Victoriana. Indeed, the form and style coalesce with the content and themes in Poor Things (2023) to create what could already be the favourite film of my year. The screenplay dares to provoke the audience with gender political, sociological, historical and hysterical analysis as Yorgos Lanthimos again proves himself to be one of the most original filmmakers of his generation. Owing much to the imagination of Alasdair Gray’s source book, this is a shocking and explicit Frankenstein’s monster of a film. Lastly, it had me consistently thinking and laughing throughout, testifying to the power of family, however dysfunctional that Victorian household may be.

Mark: 10 out of 11

Netflix, New Releases, Reviews

NETFLIX WINTER FILM REVIEWS including: MAESTRO (2023), LEAVE THE WORLD BEHIND (2023), SOCIETY OF SNOW (2023) etc.

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NETFLIX WINTER FILM REVIEWS

Good day! I have spent the last week or so concentrating my viewing around some recent Netflix releases. These films could be seen to be as Oscar-worthy products from the streaming behemoth. So, here are my reviews with the usual marks out of eleven.

*** MAY CONTAIN SPOILERS ***

BARDO, FALSE CHRONICLE OF A HANDFUL OF TRUTHS (2022)

Directed by Alejandro G. Iñárritu
Written by: Alejandro G. Iñárritu and Nicolás Giacobone

A slightly older new release on Netflix’s roster which I avoided watching due to the close-to-three-hour-running time. Plus my instinct it could be a pretentious and indulgent arthouse project by a brilliant director, Alejandro G. Iñárritu. Centring on Silverio Gama (Daniel Giménez Cacho), a Mexican journalist turned documentary filmmaker living in Los Angeles with his wife who reflects on his own life, job, politics, relationship and past. We are very much in the realms of Federico Fellini’s 8½ (1963) and Luis Bunuel with this surrealist and intellectual existential crisis film. Containing some incredibly imaginative visual sequences and thoughtful themes, the relentless stream-of-conscious ultimately bore me down and worst of all I just did not care about the main protagonist. Ultimately this proved to be a pretentious and indulgent arthouse project by a brilliant director.

Mark: 6 out of 11

LEAVE THE WORLD BEHIND (2023)

Directed by Sam Esmail
Screenplay by Sam Esmail – Based on the book by Rumaan Alam

Brilliant cast including Ethan Hawke, Julia Roberts and Mahershala Ali star in this anxiety-building-first-world-problem-apocalyptic-drama which finds middle class winners and their kids trying to overcome a series of strange events, such as no Wi-Fi and staring deer, while staying in a posh AirBnB holiday home. All empty suspense and chatter without much of a dramatic punchline overall. This only really comes alive cinematically with a neat Tesla pile-up set-piece and a slice of Kevin Bacon. Other than that, it is essentially a stage play on the big screen with pretty bland characters suspecting and accusing each other, for various reasons, with stunning cinematography. I enjoyed the production, but I didn’t care about anybody. Why the hell Kevin Bacon’s survivalist-scene-stealer was only given one major scene in the film is beyond me.

Mark: 6.5 out 11

MAESTRO (2023)

Directed by Bradley Cooper
Written by Bradley Cooper and Josh Singer

Clearly a labour of love to bring the life, relationships and music of Leonard Bernstein to the big screen by Bradley Cooper, Maestro (2023) contains some stunning filmmaking set-pieces, imaginative scene transitions and obviously a wonderful musical score. Cooper and Carey Mulligan are cast as Felicia Montealegre and Leonard Bernstein respectively, and both give compelling performances. Mulligan’s more so emotionally when compared to Cooper’s expert mimicry. The film’s structure is mainly bullet-pointed around their blossoming and then strifeful relationship during the later years. Bernstein’s music successes punctuate the ups and downs of this first world couple who I found difficult to warm to. Several grandstanding scenes with Mulligan galvanising feeling from her sheer acting craft do not save the film from lacking dramatic momentum. It is so well crafted that it is difficult not to admire everyone involved in the making of Maestro (2023). I just wanted more about the Bernstein’s way of working rather than who he had been sleeping with.

Mark: 7.5 out 11

SOCIETY OF THE SNOW (2023)

Directed by J. A. Bayona
Screenplay by J. A. Bayona, Bernat Vilaplana, Jaime Marques & Nicolás Casariego
Based on La sociedad de la nieve by Pablo Vierci

This expertly produced survival thriller centres on the tragic events of 1972, when a Uruguayan rugby team’s plane crashed in the Andes. Claiming the lives of twenty-nine friends and family with the survivors somehow managing to cling on to dear life for seventy-two days in freezing and deadly conditions. J.A. Bayona directs the action superbly in what must have been testing conditions for cast and crew. Further, the screenplay contains a certain poetry within the soothing delivery of the Spanish language voiceover. Obviously though there is nothing soothing about what happened to the human beings involved in the plane crash and the horrific choices they had to make to survive. It’s a true testament to the strength of the human spirit and will to live despite the freezing conditions and lack of food. Not the film’s fault but while dramatically compelling, it lacks narrative surprise for anyone who has seen Alive (1993). If you haven’t then Society of the Snow (2023) will have you psychologically gripped, eating away at your very emotional core.

Mark: 8 out of 11

Cinema, horror, Reviews

13 HORROR FILMS FOR CHRISTMAS – Some alternative festive reviews!

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13 HORROR FILMS FOR CHRISTMAS!

Dear Reader,

As an alternative to the usual Christmas films that are on our TVs, streaming platforms and cinemas now, I have spent the last few weeks watching many recent horror film releases. Like a big, black Christmas stocking I present to you some quick reviews of said bloody entertainment with the usual marks out of 11.

Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year to you and your family!

BIRDBOX BARCELONA (2023)

Spanish sequel to the Netflix original and it’s not quite as good. Some excellent filmmaking and deadly set-pieces are hamstrung by poor structure and over-familiarity with the central alien-suicide concept. The themes of religion, sacrifice and guilt are well explored and the pacey death rate make it worth watching though.

Mark: 6.5 out of 11

BULL (2021)

Brutal British B-movie with Neil Maskell on deadly form as a vengeful career criminal killing off his former gang members after they left him for dead. There are better revenge films out there, but there is some bone-crushing gore to please horror fans like me.

Mark: 6 out of 11

THE CLOVEHITCH KILLER (2018)

Slow-paced but suspenseful rites-of-passage-horror with Charlie Plummer’s teenager suspecting his father (Dylan McDermott) may be a notorious serial killer. Inspired by the evil crimes of BTK murderer, Dennis Rader, this compels throughout until the slightly unbelievable ending.

Mark: 7.5 out of 11

CONTAINMENT (2015)

Low-budget British horror-thriller set in a tower block during a viral outbreak and deadly lock-down. A prescient and chilling film which finds authorities attempting to stop the contagion by all means necessary. Some nail-biting suspense ensues and decent ensemble cast drive a film where chaos and paranoia feel all too familiar to recent global events.

Mark: 7.5 out of 11

EL CONDE (2023)

Pablo Larrain’s horror-comedy-satire is based around a very funny one-joke premise. The gag is Chilean dictator General Pinochet was in fact a blood-sucking vampire draining the life out of the common people. After a really powerful and amusing opening twenty minutes, the film devolves into a Pinochet family drama that runs out of steam until the frankly insane ending which has to be seen to be believed.

Mark: 7 out of 11

EVIL DEAD RISE (2023)

Some fantastically horrific and bloody gore cannot save this Evil Dead reboot/sidequel from feeling both redundant and unnecessary. Contrived plot, paper-thin characters and so badly lit I could hardly see anything. I recommend you watch the original films or the series Ash versus Evil Dead instead, with the awesome Bruce Campbell kicking Deadite ass!

Mark: 6 out of 11

INFINITY POOL (2023)

Another off-the-chart offering from Brandon Cronenberg after the spectacularly grim sci-fi horror of Possessor (2020). Infinity Pool similarly deals with themes of alienation, identity and duality as a writer, portrayed by Alexander Skarsgard, ends up on the holiday from hell. With obnoxious characters and a screeching Mia Goth going full gonzo I almost turned this film off, but such is the misery heaped upon the privileged James Foster, I eventually felt sorry for this tortured narcissistic soul. Trippy and bloody thrills contrast the luxury of the beautiful coastal resort with Cronenberg convincing us there is only ever trouble in paradise.

Mark: 8 out of 11

LUTHER: FALLEN SUN (2023)

Idris Elba returns in this big budget Netflix film version of the BBC maverick cop drama. Stylish, moody and effective thriller with a scenery-chewing turn by Andy Serkis as the nemesis from hell. Favours pace and action over plot consistency, Elba is always excellent value for money even if the Luther character has always been quite slight. Serkis’ fiendish plan is written for shock value rather than actually making any sense.

Mark: 7 out of 11.

PEARL (2022)

Prequel to Ti West’s porno horror X (2022) (see mini-review below), this establishes the early years of Mia Goth’s eponymous anti-heroine, Pearl. As a young woman in 1918 she dreams of escaping and becoming a silent movie star. Yet her dominant mother cannot contain the passionate darkness within Pearl. I much preferred this stylish period and character horror to the exploitative and nasty X (2022). There remains much gruesome violence here but Mia Goth finally convinces me as Pearl, delivering one the best film monologues I have seen in some time.

Mark: 8 out of 11.

RENFIELD (2023)

This vampire story from the point-of-view of the familiar, Renfield, contains the most horrific filmmaking in the very worst way. With a hopeless script, terrible acting and bad CGI it wastes the talent of Nicholas Hoult and Awkwafina. While I expected Nicolas Cage’s Dracula to be over-the-top, the film direction is so tonally awful that I have to say this is one of the worst films I have seen all year.

Mark: 3 out of 11

THANKSGIVING (2023)

A very effective by-the-numbers grind-house slasher film from Eli Roth. Set around the eponymous American holiday period, a masked killer starts murdering a small town’s occupants a year after a Black Friday sale turns into a mall riot. The functional script and generic teenagers lack the spark of the classic Scream (1996), however, Thanksgiving (2023) has some highly imaginative murder scenes, with Roth respecting both the genre and audience. A bit more social satire about greedy capitalism would have raised my mark.

Mark: 7.5 out of 11.

VIOLENT NIGHT (2022)

Die Hard (1988) is NOT a Christmas movie, but a film set AT Christmas. Here Norwegian genre movie director, Tommy Wirkola, unofficially remakes Die Hard/Die Hard 2 (1990), with Santa (David Harbour) replacing John McClane fighting criminals and mercenaries robbing a rich businesswoman’s house. Wirkola made an even better version of the violent home invasion comedy in The Trip (2021). But this rattles along, rings a lot of bells and crunches enough calcium and funny bones to make it worth a watch. David Harbour as Saint Nick sleighs us with his usual fine character acting work.

Mark: 7.5 out of 11.

X (2022)

I know he is a very well respected low-budget film director, and I should like Ti West’s work. Yet, for some reason, I have never enjoyed his previous horrors or Western that much. I feel like his previous films lack pace, contain unsympathetic characters and his horrors lack actual suspense. X (2022) finds a number of unlikable characters setting out to make a porno film on a rural farm, only to encounter danger lurking in the woods, lake and the farmhouse. I really wanted to enjoy this more than I did because Ti West has such control over exploitative material that delivers some genuinely sickening moments of horror. Mia Goth is the standout and West certainly casts her imaginatively, but I just did not connect with this expertly made Texas Chainsaw Massacre (1974) homage.

Mark: 6.5 out of 11.

** HAPPY HOLIDAYS! **


Cinema, New Releases, Reviews

CINEMA REVIEW: NAPOLEON (2023)

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CINEMA REVIEW: NAPOLEON (2023)

Directed by Ridley Scott

Written by David Scarpa

Produced by: Ridley Scott, Kevin J. Walsh, Mark Huffam, and Joaquin Phoenix.

Main Cast: Joaquin Phoenix, Vanessa Kirby, Tahar Rahim, Rupert Everett, Ben Miles, Ludivine Sagnier, and more.

Cinematography by Dariusz Wolski

If you didn’t know, Napoleon I, was also called Napoleon Bonaparte. He was a French military general and statesman and played a key role in the French Revolution (1789–99), before serving as first consul of France (1799–1804). Napoleon was also the first emperor of France (1804–14/15) and given his many years of military campaigns in France and overseas, striving to build an empire for France, he is now widely considered one of the greatest generals in history. I don’t purport to be a history buff, but I was intrigued by the release of Ridley Scott’s latest directorial epic cinematic behemoth, Napoleon (2023). This almost-three-hour release comes to the screen courtesy of Sony and Apple TV with Joaquin Phoenix in the titular role.

Opening in 1793, a young, but up-and-coming army officer Napoleon witnesses Marie Antoinette get her head cut off at the guillotine, followed quickly by one of the many thrilling battle sequences in the film at the ‘Siege of Toulon.’ It was during this siege that young Napoleon first won fame when his strategy, forced the Anglo-Spanish fleet to withdraw. After which David Scarpa’s adaptation and Scott’s editing team rattle through the battles, romances, trials and decades of Napoleon’s life so breathlessly, as an audience member, I felt like this film was more of a “Now That’s What I Call Napoleon!” greatest hits package rather than a compellingly intense drama and study that really delves into the complex psychology of Napoleon’s character.

Ridley Scott, at 85 years old, brings his masterly cinematic experience to many explosive battle sequences in Egypt, Austria, France and throughout Europe. The stunning cinematography by Dariusz Wolski supports Scott’s vision and it is safe to say the production design and costumes are par excellence for this massively budgeted production. However expertly shot, edited and rendered on screen the battles are, they often feel rushed through at times, providing jarring punctuation to the central human focus of the film, the love story between Napoleon and Josephine (Vanessa Kirby). I feel like I would have preferred a deeper analysis of Napoleon’s military strategics and perhaps a more serious approach to his importance to France through his victories on the battlefield.

Vanessa Kirby, as Josephine, brought a class, elegance and intelligence to the role and gives a standout performance. Joaquin Phoenix, who is one of the finest actors around, however, gives us a misfiring characterization as Bonaparte. I just felt it was too knowing and flippant throughout. I am not averse to humour in serious dramas, but I just did not warm at all to his portrayal. Scott’s director of Phoenix plus Scarpa’s screenplay only touch the surface of Napoleon’s character. I mean here is a historical figure who has an incredible series of chapters in his life, but there is no major journey or arc in his story. At times I even felt there was ridicule for Napoleon, but if you wish to critique him, then why not make him more dangerous, a monster even. Especially given his predilection and desire for war and sending thousands of lives to their tragic end.

Like I say, Scott and his amazing creative team deliver a greatest “hits” of Napoleon’s life and some spectacular cinematic moments. But quite often I was bored and questioning why I should care about any of the characters on screen. Scott and his screenwriter have been stung by criticisms of historical inaccuracies. That doesn’t bother Scott at all and would not bother me if such changes enhanced the drama. Yet, the compression of certain scenarios seem to be more for pacing reasons. Lastly, there is apparently a four-hour directorial cut of the film so perhaps that contains more depth, emotion and psychological analysis of Napoleon, rather than the paper-thin filmic treatise delivered here.

Mark: 7 out of 11

Articles, Cinema, New Releases, Reviews

CINEMA REVIEW: KILLERS OF THE FLOWER MOON (2023)

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CINEMA REVIEW: KILLERS OF THE FLOWER MOON (2023)

Directed by: Martin Scorsese

Screenplay by: Eric Roth and Martin Scorsese

Based on: Killers of the Flower Moon by David Grann

Produced by: Dan Friedkin, Bradley Thomas, Martin Scorsese and Daniel Lupi

Main cast: Leonardo DiCaprio, Robert De Niro, Lily Gladstone, Jesse Plemons, John Lithgow, Tantoo Cardinal, Scott Shephard, etc.

Cinematography: Rodrigo Prieto

Edited by: Thelma Schoonmaker

*** MAY CONTAIN SPOILERS ***

Who can tell how the world and society as we know it would’ve evolved if Christopher Columbus, the explorer credited with finding the Americas in 1492, had not landed and begun the first steps toward colonising this uncharted part of Earth. Of course, there were existing natives in the Americas and over time they would experience first contact with Spanish, Portuguese, British and other European, predominantly white, settlers. It may be that the natives would have had equally difficult experiences, and colonists brought with them many positive things. But one has to surmise they would not have had their land and lives gradually taken from them over the centuries without the European invasion.

The violent theft of land and wealth from Native Americans forms the bedrock of the narrative of Martin Scorsese’s latest epic drama, Killers of the Flower Moon (2023). Adapted from David Grann’s critically acclaimed nonfiction book, the film centres on the series of murders of wealthy Osage people that occurred in Oklahoma in the early 1920s. The motive for the heinous culling was the greed of white men. Such individuals lusted after the richness present after big oil deposits were discovered beneath the Osage people’s land. Whereas Grann’s book is a monumental study of the murders, perpetrators, the Osage culture, politics of the era, and how the newly formed FBI delved into the crimes, Scorsese’s incredibly slow and long adaptation does all that, while also exploring the romance and murderous treachery between Osage native, Mollie (Lily Gladstone) and war veteran, Ernest Burkhart (Leonardo DiCaprio).

Opening by establishing how the oil erupted and blackened the green land, the film then firmly sets up how the American businessmen used the legality of the headright system to manipulate the flow of sudden wealth that came to the Osage people. One such man is William King Hale (Robert DeNiro) who presents himself as a benefactor to the Osage, but truly speaks with a forked tongue. Having left the infantry unit after World War One, Hale’s nephew Ernest joins him to work and ultimately do his bidding. Hale cajoles Ernest to romance wealthy Mollie and get further feet under the table and closer to that beloved black gold money. Yet, enough is never enough for the likes of Hale and driven by another formidable Scorsese directed performance, De Niro delivers a deviously evil characterisation.

DiCaprio here takes the less charismatic role as the doltish Ernest. As Hale urges him to do further misdeeds the banality of everyday evil is palpable in Ernest’s actions. Along with a litany of professional and thuggish cowboy types Ernest and Hale’s other minions wreak havoc on the Osage people, committing arson, murder, poisonings, robbery, and shootings. All just for more money. The tragedy is that Ernest clearly has feelings for Mollie, serenely portrayed by a revelatory Lily Gladstone, but he just cannot stand up for himself against his wicked uncle. So much so that I just wondered why the hefty runtime was concentrating on Ernest’s character. I mean, Scorsese and DiCaprio give us little in the way of anti-heroism to bounce off, or even some cathartic sense of redemption. Ernest starts out as a loser and finished the story the same. Over three hours spent with a gurning idiot left me frustrated.

Directed, as one would expect with a masterful hand, mind and eye by Scorsese, who once again surrounds himself with an incredibly talented cast and production crew. Not to forget the unbelievable $200 million budget. But Scorsese’s movement of late to ultra-long and methodical cinema is an artistic choice that requires much patience. While Killers of the Flower Moon (2023 is thematically very powerful, beautifully filmed, and contains a number of exceptionally impressive sequences, there was genuinely not enough story to justify such a long running time. Whereas The Irishman (2019) was slow, it was methodically thrilling and absorbing throughout. Killers of the Flower Moon (2023) on the other hand becomes repetitive in its reveals of greedy Cowboys breaking bad and raising hell to the cost of the Osage. The introduction of the FBI and their subsequent investigation comes way too late to save the over-bloated length and pace. However, there is no doubt, the film remains vital in highlighting the historial horror perpetrated upon the Osage land and people. Perhaps Apple TV should have just given the money to the Osage descendants as reparation?

Mark: 8 out of 11

New Releases, Reviews

CINEMA REVIEW: THE CREATOR (2023)

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CINEMA REVIEW: THE CREATOR (2023)

Directed by: Gareth Edwards

Screenplay by: Gareth Edwards and Chris Weitz

Story by Gareth Edwards

Produced by: Gareth Edwards, Kiri Hart, Jim Spencer, Arnon Milchan

Main Cast: John David Washington, Madeleine Yuna Voyles, Gemma Chan, Ken Watanabe, Sturgill Simpson, Allison Janney, Ralph Ineson and Marc Menchaca.

Cinematography: Greig Fraser and Oren Soffer

*** MAY CONTAIN SPOILERS ***

The Creator (2023) is Gareth Edwards first directorial release since the tremendous Star Wars prequel Rogue One (2016). Of all the Disney-funded Star Wars products that remains my favourite. Overall, Rogue One (2016) is not just a great Star Wars film but a brilliant movie too, as it transcended the franchise while delivering a pulsating, heroic, nostalgic and emotional film experience. It also had an influence on the stunning visual look, action, and effects of The Creator (2023) too. So much so, The Creator (2023), in terms of style, often felt like a Star Wars film in all but name.

With The Creator (2023), Gareth Edwards and his talented production and effects team have invented a continually innovative futuristic look based around Artificially Intelligent robots and technologically modified humans. Indeed, based on all his directorial works, jaw-dropping visuals and themes of humans overcoming machines and monsters are always very much to the fore. But in The Creator (2023) one of the major themes poses the question – who are the real monsters? The humans or their computerised creations? As the narrative begins, in 2055, with the machines detonating a nuclear attack on Los Angeles the Americans declare war on the robots. More specifically, Southeast Asia, who still utilise A: I technology. Fast forward several years and John David Washington’s Joshua, remains part of the U.S. military plans, as they attempt to finish off the A: I threat for once and for all.

As Joshua is manipulated by the US Government, through a past romantic connection with Gemma Chan’s Maya, he is dropped behind “enemy” lines in Asia to destroy the A: I’s secret weapon called, “Alpha-O.” Along, with a paper-thin characterised group of U.S soldiers, Joshua finds the mission going south and ultimately goes on the run with “Alpha-O.” Edwards and his writers humanize the dangerous processor by giving it the body of a young girl portrayed by Madeleine Yuna Voyles. Despite the powerful visuals of the film, I found The Creator (2023) buckling under the wright of over-used ideas from other films. The cute “genius” kid being just one of those.

It’s The Terminator (1984) meets Artificial: Intelligence (2001) meets Avatar (2009) meets any number of action-hero-saves-young-child narratives. I mean can at least one film TRY and make the American warmongers more nuanced? Yes, the action, cinematography and sound design are especially impressive and thrilling and there is certain emotion on screen. However, I personally did not feel much emotion in my heart, unfortunately. Watch it on the biggest screen you can, because what The Creator (2023) lacks in original narrative and character elements, it more than makes up in nifty robotic concepts and visual cinematic grandeur.

Mark: 7 out of 11

Classic Film Reviews, My Cinematic Romance, Reviews, Under-Rated Classics

MY CINEMATIC ROMANCE #25: BURT LANCASTER

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MY CINEMATIC ROMANCE #25: BURT LANCASTER

Without planning it I watched a number of Burt Lancaster films over the last few months. It gave me a chance to reflect and re-evaluate this giant of the screen. I say “giant” because not only was Burt Stephen Lancaster physically a big guy, he also had a giant of an acting career. One which spanned fifty years in the business.

From his memorable first screen appearance in noir-classic The Killers (1946) to final performance in Field of Dreams (1989) he appeared in seventy films, as well as many television roles. Lancaster was a formidable actor, film star, producer and political activist. His fierce personality, intelligence and passion often explodes on the screen in so many classic films. But he was also capable of quiet and subtle power too. In keeping with the rules of the ‘My Cinematic Romance’ remit, here are just five of those said memorable acting performances.

** CONTAINS FILM SPOILERS **

SWEET SMELL OF SUCCESS (1957)

While this is not based around actual gangsters or career criminals you won’t find a bleaker or more cynical film noir. Morals are in short supply as Tony Curtis’ pushy press agent attempts to work his way up the greasy media pole in New York. His and many a character’s nemesis is Lancaster’s media kingpin, J.J. Hunsecker, who can make or break a career with the click of a finger. Hunsecker’s unhealthy obsession with his sister drives the downfall of all the characters where no one gets what they want. Lancaster is never afraid to play a flawed and complex personality. Razor-sharp dialogue and James Wong Howe’s stark photography, allied with Lancaster’s dominant presence, the Sweet Smell of Success (1957) is a striking morality tale warning of the perils of greed, fame and ambition.

ELMER GANTRY (1960)

Wow! I’d never seen this incendiary film adaptation of the Sinclair Lewis’s 1927 novel. Starring Lancaster, Jean Simmons, Arthur Kennedy, Shirley Jones and Patti Page, Lancaster is electric as the eponymous anti-hero. Gantry is a travelling salesmen-turned evangelist, who is down-on-his knees when he sees a golden opportunity to sell God instead of vacuum cleaners. Jean Simmons has never been better, but Lancaster delivers a devilishly complex characterisation of a man seeking wealth, sex, and adulation but without true belief. His firebrand sermons are powerful but without substance, and Gantry soon realises he cannot escape the emptiness of his soul. He preaches God without soul in a scathing damnation of organised religion set during the depression. Lancaster unsurprisingly won an Academy award for best actor in a risky role and intelligent film that rarely gets made these days.

BIRDMAN OF ALCATRAZ (1962)

I recall watching Birdman of Alcatraz (1962) when a teenager with my dad and being entranced by Burt Lancaster’s thoughtful, yet powerful performance of dangerous prisoner, turned ornithologist, Robert Stroud. Off-screen Lancaster rallied against the death penalty and argued for rehabilitation over eye-for-an-eye punishment. Thus, this story of a complex, rebellious personality who attempted personal absolution via education certainly would have had creative and thematic merit in Lancaster’s mind. From research the actual Robert Stroud was reported to be a brutal psychopath and beyond redemption. Yet, it’s a noteworthy film and stirring performance from Lancaster about a human paradox. Indeed, when did Hollywood ever let the truth get in the way of a great story. What is the truth anyway?

THE SWIMMER (1968)

Well, this was something of a surprise. I had never watched this adaptation of John Cheever’s short story, The Swimmer (1968) until I recorded it on Talking Pictures TV last month. At fifty-five, Lancaster is in incredible shape as middle-class American alpha-male, and seemingly popular, Ned Merrill. He decides one day he can “swim” across a series of Connecticut pools and back home to his wife and children. It’s certainly an original premise and peculiar take on the road movie subgenre. Merrill’s journey is peppered with both friendly and unenthusiastic meetings with his neighbours, friends and former lovers. Although it soon becomes apparent that something, despite his carefree confidence, isn’t quite right with Merrill. A progenitor to John Hamm’s Don Draper, Merrill is such a nuanced iceberg of a soul; charismatic yet with dubious ‘of-the-era’ morals. I think this could be Lancaster’s finest performance in a truly memorable masculinity-in-crisis cult character study. It’s an odd film, but worth staying with until the incredible ending.

ATLANTIC CITY (1980)

As he aged, Lancaster’s continued working with abandon. He wasn’t averse to taking a paycheck in B-movies such as The Cassandra Crossing (1977) and The Island of Dr Moreau (1979), but he also struck critical gold in Louis Malle’s romantic crime drama, Atlantic City (1980). Both Lancaster and Susan Sarandon are impressive. They have an intense chemistry in this ‘May to December’ love story, as two characters thrown together amidst the malfeasant underbelly of the gambler and gangster strewn ocean city. It’s a morally ambiguous, powerful and complex story of two characters fighting their way out of a dangerous place. Again, Lancaster proved he wasn’t fearful of taking risky roles, even in the latter stages of his career. Atlantic City (1980) would deservedly receive several Oscar nominations, including Lancaster for Best Actor.

Cinema, New Releases, Reviews

CINEMA FIX SEPTEMBER FILM REVIEWS including: A HAUNTING IN VENICE (2023), DUNGEONS AND DRAGONS (2023), NO ONE WILL SAVE YOU (2023) and more. . . .

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CINEMA FIX SEPTEMBER FILM REVIEWS

Life and work have been extremely positive and busy of late, but I have still found time to watch a number of films during September. Here are some quick reviews of just a few of the ones I have seen.

** MAY CONTAIN SPOILERS **

65 (2023)

How could a sci-fi-creature film with Adam Driver battling dinosaurs sixty-five million years ago be so uninspired? This probably would have been amazing with Arnold Schwarzenegger in the lead and John McTiernan directing in the nineties, but the limp father-daughter narrative propellent and severe lack of dinosaur carnage left me feeling disappointed.

Mark: 5 out of 11

CINEMA REVIEW: A HAUNTING IN VENICE (2023)

I love Agatha Christie and I love Poirot. The recent renditions from Kenneth Branagh have been mixed. Murder on the Orient Express (2017) was fantastic, especially for a very familiar murder mystery, while Death on the Nile (2022) was overcooked with a number of miscasts. A Haunting in Venice (2023) is a return to form and a real Halloween treat. The murder mystery isn’t the most interesting part as the plot points, apart from one decent twist, are mostly obvious. But the spooky lighting, eerie sound, imaginative use of lenses and camera angles, plus the claustrophobic and spooky atmosphere created within the Venetian palazzo are extremely impressive. I actually wanted more supernatural scares. The cast are great, although Tina Fey was glamorously miscast as the author, Ariadne Oliver. The ITV/David Suchet version was more faithful and had a better story, but I really enjoyed this excellent piece of comfort cinema.

Mark: 8 out of 11

APPLE TV REVIEW: CAUSEWAY (2022)

Jennifer Lawrence produces and stars as a U.S. soldier/engineer blown up in Afghanistan who, while suffering from PTSD, struggles to get her life back together in New Orleans. A lower-budget and lower key drama that clearly gave Lawrence a change of pace from the blockbusters she has been starring in for years. Causeway (2022) reminded me how great an actress Lawrence is and also, how brilliant Bryan Tyree Henry is. But the character study meanders with a lack of narrative drive, clarity and dynamism Lawrence showed in Silver Linings Playbook (2012). Indeed, while a worthy advocate for a soldier’s suffering, there wasn’t much Joy (2015) to be found here.

Mark: 6.5 out of 11

SKY CINEMA REVIEW: DUNGEONS AND DRAGONS: HONOR AMONGST THIEVES (2023)

I missed this at the cinema as I was probably washing my hair at the time; what there is of it. However, this latest uber-budgeted attempt to breathe life into the table-top-dice-throwing Dungeons and Dragons game is actually really entertaining. Chris Pine, Michelle Rodriguez and Hugh Grant lead the energetic cast in a series of fantastically funny and frenetic action set-pieces involving magic, monsters, wizards, castles, stolen booty and of course, dragons. Pine and Grant are always very watchable, but Michelle Rodriguez steals the film with smashing physicality and deadpan humour as the barbarian, Holga Kilgore. The script has many fine gags throughout, as the likeable characters and pacey heist plot rip along wonderfully. You cannot go wrong with a ragtag group of outsiders finding community while fighting against a pernicious foe. Well, actually you can. But, Dungeons & Dragons: Honor Among Thieves (2023) does not!

Mark: 8 out of 11

DISNEY+ REVIEW: NO ONE WILL SAVE YOU (2023)

Kaitlyn Dever’s Brynn exists in a town where no one seems to speak to her or each other. But suddenly the place is overrun with aliens and Brynn must fight for her life while still not uttering a word. Hmmmm. . . in between the no dialogue cinematic contrivance becoming a bit of a bore, Brian Duffield’s excellent B-movie has some terrific action and a committed lead performance from the sensational Kaitlyn Dever. Since her breakthrough appearance in Short Term 12 (2013), she has gone from strength-to-strength as a performer. As a work of pure suspense cinema the film works mostly because of a weaponised Dever, the dynamic camerawork and the cracking sound and editing. However, the story has a number of holes, especially toward the end, which is frankly ridiculous. But Brian Duffield is a very talented writer and director and it is great that he strived for some formal originality in a familiar genre. Even though there was (yes I know it raises the tension) no organic narrative reason for the lack of speech throughout.

Mark: 7.5 out of 11

Cinema, Reviews

CINEMA REVIEW: Mission: Impossible – Dead Reckoning Part One (2023)

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CINEMA REVIEW: Mission: Impossible – Dead Reckoning Part One (2023)

Directed by: Christopher McQuarrie

Written by: Christopher McQuarrie and Erik Jendresen
Based on: Mission: Impossible by Bruce Geller

Produced by: Tom Cruise and Christopher McQuarrie

Cast: Tom Cruise, Hayley Atwell, Ving Rhames, Simon Pegg, Rebecca Ferguson, Vanessa Kirby, Esai Morales, Pom Klementieff, Mariela Garriga, Henry Czerny etc.

Cinematography: Fraser Taggart

*** MAY CONTAIN SPOILERS ***

To be honest, I did consider just cutting and pasting my review of the previous Mission Impossible film here again and changing the title. Such is the familiarity with the franchise’s stylistic tropes. Would my seven loyal readers or the odd random one who visits by mistake actually notice such devious self-plagiarism?

https://thecinemafix.com/2018/08/14/mission-impossible-bingo-incorporating-fallout-2018-movie-review/

But then I decided that I would not do my usual hack job. Surely I must have something new to say when reviewing the latest Tom Cruise/Christopher McQuarrie spy action genre masterpiece? After all, Tom Cruise himself has been portraying the same character for years in Ethan Hunt and still has so much energy to give. Furthermore, with Christopher McQuarrie as writer-director, Cruise has managed to breathe fresh inspiration into this well worn franchise, which as been on the go since the 1960’s television show screened.

While the films follow a certain formula, McQuarrie and Cruise don’t appear to have succumbed to the lure of using artificial intelligence to write the screenplay for Mission: Impossible – Dead Reckoning Part One (2023). In fact, rather cleverly they have made a sentient computer programme and ever-developing algorithms the enemy of the story. Of course, humans are the ultimate evil as they did create the devious A:I code called ‘The Entity.’ But, along with insane acolytes, arms brokers and various government agencies searching for ‘The Entity‘, the IMF team are faced with defeating a power which can track their every move, listen to and imitate human’s voices and also control thousands of digital systems worldwide. Well, it isn’t called Mission: Impossible for nothing!

Along with stalwarts of the series in Cruise, Simon Pegg, Ving Rhames and Rebecca Ferguson, the ensemble are joined on the mission by Hayley Atwell’s arch-thief, Grace. In keeping with the themes of shifting identities in the film and TV series, Grace may or may not be her actual name. Atwell is very effective in the role. But she doesn’t have the stunning physical ability or magnetic allure of Ferguson’s Ilsa Faust, who is arguably under-used in this film. Of the rest of the cast, Simon Pegg again delivers some brilliant zingers and balances out Cruise’s “Übermensch” persona. But, of course, Cruise again steals the show with his coolness, wit and sheer physical bravado in many high-octane stunts. So much running too. Tom Cruise’s running is almost as iconic as the M:I theme tune.

‘The Entity’ itself as an over-arching nemesis is impressively zeitgeist, but Esai Morales as Gabriel is a pretty good human baddie too. He is backed up by two-dimensional, but seductive hench-person, Paris, rendered by Pom Klementieff. Thus, the IMF, CIA, Entity fanatics, and various other agencies chase the (McGuffin) dual-key system which unlocks ‘The Entity.’ In turn, Mission: Impossible – Dead Reckoning Part One (2023), follows the structure of: spectacular action set-piece followed by IMF talking in darkened-safehouse followed by negotiated meetings between adversaries ending in fighting, double and triple crosses, followed by another spectacular action set-piece with much Tom Cruise running interspersed etc. all set in various fascinating global destinations.

Overall, Mission: Impossible – Dead Reckoning Part One (2023) is overlong with many dialogue scenes which could have been shaved or combined with action. However, the action sequences again are of the highest standard in terms of cinematic blockbuster grandeur and invention. Cruise, McQuarrie and his production team deserve all the plaudits they can carry for the funny and suspenseful airport set-piece. Moreover, the final act extended action sequence set on the Orient Express is one of the most exhilarating I have experienced in a cinema. To write, design, choreograph and deliver a series of astonishing stunts and create such kinetic suspense must be commended. Such breath-taking work is the peak of blockbuster action cinema and something artificial intelligence can never reproduce. Eat your heart out ChatGPT!!

Mark: 8.5 out of 11