Tuesday, 4 July 2017

Manchester by the Sea (2016)

http://www.imdb.com/title/tt4034228/

Brooding, brutal and  incredibly depressing, Casey Affleck is excellent as a broken man forced to care for his nephew after his brother's death. The supporting performances, bleak backdrop and superb direction add to both the quality and the melancholy of the movie. A great watch.

Four stars

Sunday, 11 June 2017

Wonder Woman (2017)

http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0451279

Finally a female-led superhero movie that totally nails it! Earnest, honest and totally badass, it's impossible not to love Amazonian princess Diana. With superb direction, the best fight scenes I've seen in AGES, a great supporting cast and even a tolerable romance it's very close to five.

Four stars

Saturday, 10 June 2017

Alien: Covenant (2017)

http://www.imdb.com/title/tt2316204

Unless it's your first Alien viewing you'll be disappointed. Lazy storytelling with too many characters that die at such a rapid pace it's hard to keep up (or care). The aliens are gnarly and Fassbender is great but with only one scary scene overall it's very forgettable.

Two stars

Friday, 9 June 2017

Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 2 (2017)

http://www.imdb.com/title/tt3896198/

With the near-impossible task of following its five-star predecessor, Vol. 2 did incredibly well to stick to the winning formula whilst offering something new. Although not quite as hilarious, it is every bit as sharp, mean and sarcastic, and the novel plot is action-packed enough to keep it exciting throughout.

Four stars

Moana (2016)

http://www.imdb.com/title/tt3521164/

Nicey nicey Disney film with fun songs, great animation and an excellently written protagonist. Missing quality comic relief, captivating plot threads or any scary characters but enjoyable enough if you want a feel-good, beautiful, light-hearted couple of hours.

Three stars

Wednesday, 12 April 2017

Get Out (2017)

http://www.imdb.com/title/tt5052448/

Black guy goes to visit white girlfriend's family for the first time and weird shit goes down. Creepy and thrilling with great acting and a super edgy soundtrack, this sinister drama borders on horror and is tinged with dark humour. Recommended watch for anyone into alternative films.

Four stars

Thursday, 23 February 2017

Arrival (2016)

http://www.imdb.com/title/tt2543164

Fantastically minimal in its treatment of a gigantic theme, this beautifully nuanced sci-fi treats an alien landing with a sense of contained realism that is very rare. A slightly flat finale lets it down but overall this is a hugely enjoyable think-piece with impressive lead acting and direction.

Four stars