matt-27634 Reviews

Dicks: The Musical (2023)

Random, offensive and hilarious!

[9/10 · 31 December 2023]

'Dicks: The Musical' is a film based on an off Broadway play by Josh Sharp and Aaron Jackson. Here, the story tells of Craig (Sharp) and Trevor (Jackson) who meet at work and realize they are identical twins. After they make sense of the situation, they realize that their parents separated right after they were born and each took a child to raise on their own (If you hadn't guessed, the film borrows a lot of its earlier storyline from 'The Parent Trap' film). This then prompts the twins to come up with a plan to get their parents back together so they can be one big happy family. The problem is that their father is now gay, their mother is agoraphobic, oh and more importantly, their father has two sewer monsters captive, and their mother has no vagina (Yes, you heard that right!). To top it off, the film is also a musical.

This film is hilarious and so random. I laughed out loud several times and clutched my metaphorical pearls even more. Its a very unexpected, offensive and controversial film, but i really enjoyed it.

Sharp and Jackson are great as Craig and Trevor, and you can tell that they've worked together as a comedy duo for some time now. They are able to bounce off each other quite well. Megan Thee Stallion plays their boss Gloria, however whilst she may be a current power player in the music industry, she isn't going to be winning any acting awards any time soon.

Whilst the leads are very funny, Nathan Lane and Megan Mullally are absolute scene stealers as their parents Harris and Evelyn. The chemistry between them is great, and every scene they share looked extremely fun for them to be a part of. Lane is brilliant and flamboyant as usual, but it was Mullally who really surprised me. I had no idea she was so talented. She's always been a great character actor, but her voice is also incredible, and to be able to sing with a strong lisp too shows how much of a talent she really is.

The songs are funny too and make sense storyline wise. A lot of the songs are the type I would listen to again and again (and since watching, have). The best song is 'Lonely' by Mullally and Lane, followed closely by 'Out Alpha the Alpha' by Megan Thee Stallion. 'All Love is Love' gets an honorable mention, and whilst its catchy, it's probably one of the most offensive songs I've ever heard.

The costuming is another highlight, capturing the essence of each character and showing how eccentric they are. Set design is another strength too, especially the scenes in the sewer, and in Harris and Evelyn's homes.

The ending takes a wild turn, and it's certainly one that I did not expect, but given how random the film was overall, I adapted quickly.

During the credits, the audience gets to see behind the scenes footage of the cast during filming, and this made me like the film even more. Seeing Nathan Lane and Megan Mullally struggle to deliver such offensive and inappropriate lines given their age and reputation as actors/performers showed how professional they were and I liked that they were such good sports about it all. I also liked seeing original footage of Sharp and Jackson from the off Broadway play, because it showed how far the idea has come since then.

For a musical film that centers around incest, sewer boys and a detached yet flying vagina, I absolutely loved it!

Saltburn (2023)

Crazy, sexy, cool (and that's just Jacob Elordi)

[10/10 · 25 December 2023]

Barry Keoghan plays Oliver, a quiet introvert on a scholarship at Oxford University, who becomes enamoured by the cool and popular guy on campus Felix (played by Jacob Elordi). A chance encounter allows the two to meet and become friends, and when a family tragedy strikes Oliver, he is invited by Felix to stay at his family's manor 'Saltburn' over the summer break. There we are introduced to Felix's' eccentric but equally alluring family. Oliver is intimidated by each of them, but desperately wants to fit in too, and over the course of the film, his character and values change as the debauchery increases. The film includes plenty of sex, drugs, death and twists to keep the audience both entertained and intrigued throughout, but there is also a high level of shock value that may put people off as well.

I'd briefly seen the trailer when it was first released, but had soon forgotten about it, and since the film's official release, all I've heard is how wild and unexpected it is. Of course I had to give it a go to see what all the fuss was about. I must say, i agree with all the comments, but aside from how wild it is, its actually an amazing film, full of complex characters.

Rosamund Pike is a great actor, and she's chosen some pretty iconic roles in her career. Her portrayal of Felix's mother Elspeth continues that trend, and the character was worthy of her own film. Elspeth reminded me so much of Belinda Bromilow's Aunt Elizabeth from 'The Great' and her accent was positively delightful. She delivered some scene stealing one liners, and I really hope she garners more than a few awards for the role.

Jacob Elordi is proving to be a versatile actor, and although his English accent wasn't a complete fail, it sounded obviously put on. He also looked 5 meters tall next to the vertically challenged Barry Keoghan. Felix was the epitome of a golden boy, who had everything. Girls want to date him, guys wanted to be him (and let's face it, date him too) and he was effortlessly charming.

At first, Barry Keoghan looked too old to be playing a college student, and although in real life he is 31, if I were told he was 51, I'd believe it. I was impressed by his acting, and he played the shy and eager-to-please character so well. I really connected with Oliver when he first arrived at Saltburn, as it reminded me of being invited on holidays with a friend's family and wanting to be accepted by them. When Oliver's character suddenly changes half way through the film, it was unexpected and a little unnerving. There were some subtle hints at a werewolf or a Jekyll and Hide story that didn't eventuate, but the film could have easily taken either direction. Oliver was such an interesting character who evoked empathy from the audience for most of the film. It was a real ballsy (pun intended) performance from Keoghan, one that he will be remembered for throughout his career.

Alison Oliver as Felix's sister Venetia gets an honourable mention, as she was one of the more complex characters who was given some tough material to work with.

One of the many highlights for me was the film's cinematography. It's choices of colour, lighting and setting showed romance, grandeur and so much emotion. There were several shots that would make amazing pieces of art as stills, and I enjoyed the symbolism throughout such as the frequent use of mirror images and reflections. The costuming was also great, especially those worn by the women. There was an awesome soundtrack too from the early 2000's, and the use of Sophie Ellis-Bexter's hit 'Murder on the Dancefloor' in the final scene was the icing on the cake.

The only negatives I had with this film were some of the more controversial and graphic scenes (the details of which I will not spoil), which I understand added to the tone of the film, but to me, were a bit too gross and confronting. The other negative I had was how they used (or didn't) the brilliant Carey Mulligan. Her character of Poor Dear Pamela looked to be just as iconic as Elspeth in her first scene, however it was her only scene, and she was quickly written out of the rest of the film. I understand cameos, but don't give such a celebrated actor a great role, only for it to be 20 seconds of screen time or less.

Saltburn stands as a testament to the artistry of modern cinema, radiating an aura of darkness and mystery, with a narrative that is as seductive as it is intriguing and shocking. It embraces its provocative nature but gives its characters purpose as well as beauty that shines through.

Five Nights at Freddy's (2023)

Lost its way based on basic game

[4/10 · 15 December 2023]

Down on his luck and recently unemployed Mike (played by Josh Hutcherson) takes a job as a security guard at a closed-down children's restaurant called Freddy Fazbear's Pizza. All Mike has to do is sit in one room for the duration of the night shift and watch the security cameras to make sure none of the run-down animatronic mascots in the restaurant are vandalized. These mascots include Freddy, Chica, Bonnie, Foxy and Mr. Cupcake. The job seems too easy at first, however we soon learn that Mike has past trauma that haunts him. Speaking of haunting, there is something not quite right with the mascots who come to life during the night and wreak havoc on anyone who crosses paths with them. Mike must not only survive the night but overcome his trauma whilst protecting his younger sister who he has no choice but to bring along to one of his shifts.

I was expecting this to take a horror comedy route, and given its source material I could understand why. Given that the game is very basic, the film needed to flesh it out a lot and give characters more backstory to make it entertaining. They successfully gave backstory, but it felt forced from the beginning and muddied the main idea. As there are a bunch of the games, there was opportunity to explore the lore and many different characters (which they did). Elizabeth Lail as Vanessa was a nice addition which offered Mike some much needed connection and dialogue.

Seeing Josh Hutcherson play a father figure seemed so weird, even though he is 31, he will always be young Peeta from The Hunger Games to me. Matthew Lillard is such a great character actor and he played his role perfectly. It wasn't all good in the acting department though, Mary Stuart Masterson was awful and her acting brought down every scene she was in.

As a lover of the computer games, the Easter eggs made me very happy, and they are instantly recognizable to any FNAF fan. I appreciated the overall effort and creativity that went into making this film, but I don't think it translated well.

There were a lot of things that I didn't like about this film, including the lack of blood and gore (which is a common problem for horror movies lately that want to target a younger audience), the jump scares that felt forced and unnecessary, and also Freddy and his friends' costumes. Foxy's appearance was fine as they have a more robotic and slim frame, however Freddy, Chica and Bonnie were strangely muscular, and looked like gym bros wearing diapers/nappies who never skip leg day. Comparing them to the original videogame looks, there was definitely an opportunity to make them less bulky and stay true to their original appearances.

The other weak point was mostly the plot. About half way into the film it took a strange turn away from the horror genre and into a more family comedy vibe, but then it pivoted back to horror. It felt random, and confusing but obvious that it was to fill time and flesh things out. The last third of the film was extremely messy and felt like the film makers were writing the script as they were filming it.

Whilst I did appreciate the use of practical effects, puppeteering and animatronics instead of CGI, sadly this is another film that I really wanted to love, but didn't. Upon release, it quickly made up its budget and then some, so expect at least a couple of sequels to come soon.

Saw X (2023)

ALOT more successful that Spiral

[8/10 · 18 October 2023]

Saw X is the tenth film in its franchise; however, it is set between Saw I and Saw II, technically making it Saw I.5. It sees the infamous John Kramer seeking medical treatment for his advanced brain tumour. He is accepted into an experimental treatment run by a Norwegian doctor and is taken to a clinic in Mexico and introduced to the daughter of the doctor, Cecilia. After the surgery, John confirms the money has been transferred to Cecilia, and is ushered to his room to rest. Later when he wakes up, he removes the bandage from his head only to reveal no evidence of surgery at all. Upon further investigation, John comes to the realization that he has been scammed by Cecilia and her team, who have taken his money, faked the surgery and left him in a now abandoned clinic. This urges John to do what he does oh so well, and with the help of his protégé Amanda, Cecilia and her team are kidnapped, and placed in traps that will not only teach them a lesson but also test their will to live!

As a huge fan of Saw, and after the utter embarrassment that was 'Spiral' in 2021, I was looking forward to this as I felt the franchise needed redemption. Was it successful? Hell yes!

This was the only film not to have some sort of police/detective involvement, and I liked that they didn't waste time on any sort of investigation when the fanbase just wants to see the action! This was also the first film where John wasn't the villain. In other Saw films, the audience has seen him this way, and rooted for those in his traps, but this film was different where John was very much the protagonist and his victims were deserving of their fate.

For the Saw fans, there is everything. There's John, there's Amanda, there's Billy the puppet. There is plenty of blood and gore, but not in a torture porn type of way that some of the previous films have had. The traps were great, and pretty realistic too. I think audience members watch the Saw films wondering if they could go through with a particular trap themselves, and in this one, I think I could do at least two.

As with most Saw films, there was a twist, and I did pick it. However, it didn't ruin anything for me because it was layered.

The film has been successful so far, both in the box office and critical response, so it'll only be a matter of time before another film is greenlit, and Jigsaw's reign of terror continues. I personally cannot wait!

By the way, there is a mid-credit scene, so make sure you stick around to see that!

Bottoms (2023)

Reminiscent of old school teen comedies

[6/10 · 11 October 2023]

Bottoms sees two unpopular queer high school besties PJ and Josie organize an after-school fight club/self-defence class in order to gain popularity and get closer to their crushes who are all about female self-empowerment. With neither PJ or Josie knowing anything about fighting or self-defence, they wing it as well as make up elaborate stories about the two of them spending their summer break in juvenile detention, learning all the skills they need to defend vulnerable girls at their school. This boosts their 'street cred' along with their popularity, and their connections with Brittany and Isabel strengthen too.

Rachel Sennott is great as PJ, and I can see big things coming her way, both as an actor and as a writer. Ayo Edebiri is proving to be a very versatile actor herself with several credits over different genre's the last year or so, and here she played an awkward teenager well.

I loved that a majority of the characters were a caricature, and some played into their stereotypes, whereas others had a modern-day twist. The teaching staff and parents were exaggerated stereotypes, which reminded me of films like Heathers (1988), Jawbreaker (1999) and Mean Girls (2004).

The plot was fine, but it lost me during the middle third where it became a bit predictable. It managed to turn things back around in the final scenes though with an epic choreographed fight scene, which was surprisingly bloodier than I was expecting. I can see why it got an (R) rating.

The film also had a great soundtrack, which included classics from Avril Lavigne and Bonnie Tyler that captured the tone of the film well. After watching the film, I found out that British pop sensation Charlie XCX created the film's score, which was pretty cool.

I personally enjoyed it, but don't think it quite holds up to the above-mentioned classic teen comedies.

Theater Camp (2023)

Funny with tongue-in-cheek humour.

[4/10 · 28 September 2023]

Theatre Camp is a mockumentary-style film that tells the story of a run-down theatre camp in upstate New York that is usually run by Joan Rubinsky (played by Amy Sedaris), but due to unfortunate circumstances, is placed in the inexperienced hands of her son Troy (Jimmy Tatro). Troy is a typical man-child frat boy, and knows nothing about theatre, so relies on the camp's existing staff to run the place and put on a successful show for the camp's summer season. The staff include former campers turned theatre directors Amos (played by Ben Platt) and Rebecca-Diane (Molly Gordon), technical director Glenn (played by Ben Platt's real-life partner Noah Galvin), Janet (Ayo Edebiri) who greatly embellished her skillset on her resume, Clive (Nathan Lee Graham) and Owen (Owen Thiele). As well as the eccentric camp staff, is Caroline (Patti Harrison) who visits the camp with hopes of taking advantage of Joan's absence by purchasing it and turning it into a luxury resort. With the camp being in foreclosure, Troy hides this from the staff and campers and hopes that a successful show will please investors and save the camp.

I appreciated that the film was originally a short film that has now been made into a feature-length one and it was good to see a majority of the cast return.

I understood the vibe that they were trying to go for with the mockumentary style, and there were many comparisons to films like 'Drop Dead Gorgeous' 1999 or the television show 'The Office'. I personally didn't enjoy the grainy 70's film style, and I think that it would have been just as successful without it, but I did get used to it after a while and it wasn't too distracting. Initially, it was a little confusing though and I was surprised to learn that it was set in the present date.

It was obvious that they were poking fun at the stereotypical drama teacher troupe, and although I didn't like Platt's character of Amos and found him to be unfunny, he had good chemistry with Gordon's Rebecca-Diane. I liked Tatro's Troy, and felt that he captured the feeling well of needing to keep it all together with a smile on his face whilst not knowing anything, and the addition of his frat boy personality added some much-needed humour.

The performances were good by the child actors, especially as they were acting in a film where they were mostly acting on stage. It really felt like the children were typical 'theatre kids', so because of that, it was cast well. There were some funny performances and scenes, such as how one theatre kid was addicted to a 'tear stick' that brings on tears to aid in their performance, and another theatre kid who was hiding being straight from everyone and eventually had to 'come out'. The dialogue was successful and there were many unexpected laugh-out-loud moments, but a lot of the film felt like improv, which mostly worked well given the subject matter, and there were many 'I can't believe they just said that' moments too which I enjoyed.

Song-wise, they were comical and very tongue-in-cheek with their lyrics and performances. I thought the finale song 'Camp isn't home' was great and the message was nice, but there weren't any songs I would be tempted to listen to again.

I really wanted to enjoy this film more than I did, as I am a lover of musical theatre, but sadly it was disappointing.

Haunted Mansion (2023)

Haddish steals the show for me

[6/10 · 10 September 2023]

20 years after Disney's 'The Haunted Mansion' starring Eddie Murphy was released, Disney has decided to remake and reboot the story. Why? Because it can, that's why!

This iteration sees single mother Gabbie (played by Rosario Dawson) and her son Travis (Chase Dillon) purchase and move into a decrepit old mansion with the hopes of renovating it and turning it into a bed & breakfast. Unlucky for them, the property is haunted. They enlist the services of a Priest (played by Owen 'WOW' Wilson), a psychic medium (Tiffany Haddish) and a recently widowed astrophysicist moonlighting as a ghost tour operator (Lakeith Stanfield). Together they are tasked with cleansing the spirits from the mansion, but soon discover that it is no easy feat, as there are dozens of ghosts all being controlled by a larger entity known as 'the Hatbox Ghost' (played by Jared Leto) who wants to claim one last soul in order to escape the dwelling and wreak havoc elsewhere.

The film is cast well. Tiffany Haddish steals the show in my opinion and has some great dialogue that brings in the laughs. Owen Wilson is also enjoyable, and even Jamie Lee Curtis (or should I say Jamie Lee Curtis' floating head) is great in her small role as Madame Leota. It's a stacked cast, although, there are some incredibly random and unnecessary cameos from Winona Ryder and Dan Levy who together have around 30 seconds of screen time.

I was a little confused about two things in particular. One was the time period that the film was set in. It seemed to be set in the present year, yet both Gabbie and Travis' hair and wardrobe were from the 1970's. I half expected there to be a twist and that they'd be ghosts too, but that wasn't the case. The other was the film's release date. This would have been more suited to a Halloween release, especially as it's based on a Disneyland theme park attraction and having its release be part of the popular Halloween season events would have been a perfect marketing strategy, so it was a bit of a missed opportunity there.

I enjoyed some of the Easter eggs spread throughout the film, and excitedly recognized some of the set and scenes from the actual theme park attraction which I've been to at Disneyland Paris. I also liked its costuming and use of CGI as well as special effects makeup.

Haunted Mansion was meant to be a blockbuster, with plans to make sequels and usher in the future reboot of fellow Disneyland theme park attraction 'Pirates of the Caribbean'. Sadly, I don't think it reached its desired outcome, but a fun film nonetheless.

Past Lives (2023)

A quietly calm and romantic film

[8/10 · 6 September 2023]

In Celine Song's writing and directorial film debut, Past Lives tells the story of Korean children Na Young and Hae Sung who are crushing on each other hard, but neither one is willing to pursue things further. Opportunity passes as Na Young and her family emigrate to Canada, leaving their lives in Korea behind. Things end on an awkward note between the two and they exchange a cold goodbye.

Flashforward 12 years, Na Young- now going by Nora Moon (played by Greta Lee) is a writer living in New York. On a whim with her mother during a phone call, she googles her childhood crush Hae Sung, and is pleasantly surprised to find out that he's been searching for her via a Facebook page. She realizes that due to her name change, his search was unsuccessful, so decides to contact him. Once they reconnect, Nora learns that Hae Sung (now played by Teo Yoo) still lives in Korea, and is studying engineering. Their connection is just as strong as it was when they were children, but due to their physical distance and different time zones, they decide to keep their relationship confined to Skype as well as via email. Things become strained as the difficulty becomes too much for Nora who feels the two will never meet in person again, so she requests that Hae Sung doesn't make contact with her anymore. Reluctantly, Hae Sung agrees, so another 12 years passes and both move on with their lives.

Nora has met and married fellow writer Arthur (played by John Magaro) and Hae Sung has continued with his engineering education. Nora and Hae Sung finally get the chance to reconnect when Hae Sung contacts Nora telling her that he's finally coming to America for a holiday. They make a date to catch up over a weekend, and it is then that we get to see how much they've missed and longed for each other over the past 24 years.

On the surface, Past Lives is a film about long lost almost lovers meeting again later in life, and them reflecting about what could have been. However, it's so much more than that. It delves deep in to that feeling and purposely sits in the uncomfortableness.

Something that really stood out was how much silence and tension there was between the leads, especially between Nora and Hae Sung, but it was in no way awkward. Whilst the two often stared at each other in silence for upwards of 10 seconds, its what wasn't said that was probably the most powerful. The connection that they had was beautiful, and even though the two lost touch and moved on with their lives, the feeling of 'What could have been' was obvious.

I personally found the relationship between Nora and her husband Arthur intriguing. We learnt that although the pair were very happy together, their marriage was also a matter of convenience so Nora could obtain a green card. There's no doubt that they were in love, however Arthur knew that Nora was meant to be with Hae Sung and not him. He knew that Nora only shared a particular part of herself with him and that no matter how much time passed, and how much he tried to connect with her (even learning how to speak Korean), he could never break through her wall. There was a line that Arthur said about halfway through the film, "You make my world so much bigger, and I'm wondering if I do the same for you..." I think that perfectly captured that feeling, and when the line was said, it was with such melancholy, but also with acceptance from him. Arthur was a good person, and at no point does the audience dislike his character. He made such an effort to get to know Hae Sung and to be polite to him for his wife, even when they excluded him. He sensed their connection but didn't feel the need to threaten Hae Sung by telling him to stay away from Nora.

Performances were great from the cast, especially Greta Lee whose real-life family were apparently surprised that she even knew how to speak Korean before signing up to the film. Usually known for her comedic work, it was nice to see her in this type of role too.

Lastly, I must give props to the music used throughout the film. Although it was mostly background music with no lyrics, it was so calming and peaceful, which i think allowed the audience to focus on the story more but disappear into the moment too.

Overall, a well-written film with a story that I think many people can easily identify with, that shows how connections from your childhood can have such a profound impact on who you are later in life, and that there are many different kinds of love connections that don't necessarily lead to romance.

Meg 2: The Trench (2023)

Where were the Megs!?

[4/10 · 23 August 2023]

Our favourite eco warrior and occasional shark hunter Jonas Taylor (played by Jason Statham) is back for another encounter with the Megalodon. Jonas is asked to board the Mana One's new high tech underwater research facility, but this time, he is surprised to see that the scientists are doing research directly on a female Meg named Haiqi who freely swims around its waters. Also on board are some familiar faces: Mac (Cliff Curtis), DJ (Page Kennedy) and the now teenage Meiying (Shuya Sophia Cai) who have all been assisting Meiying's uncle Jiuming (Jing Wu) train Haiqi. Notable additions to the cast are analyst Jess (Skyler Samuels), and wealthy financier Hillary Driscoll (Sienna Guilroy).

Jonas and his colleagues obviously haven't learnt their lesson about going down to the Mariana Trench and through the thermocline, as they decide to explore it yet again, this time in submersibles that are eerily similar to the ill-fated OceanGate one that imploded in June 2023. Whilst down there, they encounter 2 Megs, an enormous male alpha and a slightly smaller (but still quite large) male. Little do they know; it is mating season and their friendly pet Haiqi has escaped captivity so she can have some fun with the boys (wink wink). Tragedy occurs on the sea floor, leaving Jonas' group no choice but to abandon their vehicles in search of safety. Luckily there is an illegal mining operation in a station not far that the group can aim to seek shelter in. The group's efforts are foiled by bad guy Montes (Sergio Peris-Mencheta) and his team of mercenaries who plan to kill Jonas and his remaining crew in order to keep their mining plans a secret. When the groups are finally able to reach the surface and find a heavily populated island, the Megs follow them (along with some other deep-sea hitchhikers), resulting in chaos.

This film is silly, and it really leans into that. Comparisons could be made between it and terrible sci fi channel shark films like the Sharknado franchise and the more recent and similar The Black Demon (2023), but thankfully, what sets this apart is its amazing graphics and CGI. Instead of using awful stock footage and replaying video of sharks swimming from multiple angles, this film's big budget is put to good use. The water effects are extremely realistic, and the texture and overall look of its prehistoric creatures was akin to those of Jurassic Park. The giant octopus' CGI was less successful though, but I understand that it would have been a challenge to animate it with what it did.

I loved that Jason Statham was able to show off in this film, and the fact that he did all of his own stunts was impressive, but not surprising given that he's a previous Olympic diver! There were some fun Easter eggs too, like the little dog Pippin and its owner from the first film having a cameo, but it was a bit strange that it wasn't pointed out at all (I mean, what are the chances of a woman and her dog encountering Megalodons twice in the span of 5 years? Talk about a coincidence!)

There was a lot about this film that frustrated me, and although it was a fantasy film, the level of realism was almost laughable. Some examples of this were how characters were able to be over 20,000 meters underwater and not feel the effects of its temperature or pressure, and there are even scenes where no diving gear was used. Now I'm no diving expert but even I know that's impossible. I also hated how there were several 'at the last second' moments throughout the film, from oxygen almost running out, to doors closing just in time and bombs going off just as every one of the main cast is safe. There were too many of these moments to count, but after two or three i started to roll my eyes.

Sadly, almost everything was spoilt in the trailer for me, so there were no surprises. I felt like the eventual villain was obvious from the start, and I could have done without several unnecessary characters including Montes. Guilroy and Samuels' acting skills belonged in a sci fi channel low budget shark movie, and not in this multi-million dollar blockbuster. Neither of them was successful in their character, and although Statham played his character well, the script was weak with some atrocious dialogue. There was one scene where a character notes that something is worth a billion dollars, and Statham responds with "A billion with a B?" C'mon man...

Ultimately, Meg 2: The Trench was more of an action spy thriller than a horror film like its predecessor, and it sidelined the Megs to be secondary characters in order to focus on the action going on with the human characters. There was also a notable absence of blood and gore which felt like a missed opportunity to give the fans what they wanted, but I understand that it helped them achieve the MPAA rating that the film had by doing this. If there is a third film to come in the future, i say more blood, more gore and most importantly, more Megs!

Elemental (2023)

A lovely wholesome film

[8/10 · 22 August 2023]

Elemental is Disney Pixar's latest animation and is set in a world where elements of fire, water, earth and air all live together. The story is centred around the fire element Ember (voiced by Leah Lewis) who works in her family's convenience store. Ember's elderly father Bernie (Ronnie Del Carmen) is preparing for her to take over, however, Ember has a fiery temper which she has difficulty controlling, especially when customers test her patience. When Ember loses her temper, she explodes into a ball of damaging fire, which isn't great for business, but I think that anyone who has worked in hospitality or retail can relate to it. When Ember's father tests her by putting her in charge for one day, she feels a meltdown coming on, so runs down to the basement where she blows up, this time resulting in the bursting of several water pipes.

This is where we are introduced to Wade (Mamoudou Athie), a water element who is also a safety inspector. Wade doesn't make the best first impression, immediately issuing Ember with dozens of citations, meaning that her family's business will surely be shut down. After explaining how crushing that would be for her and her parents, Wade is overcome with sympathy for her and offers to help her fix things. Whilst the two get to know each other on their quest, they realize two things: one- there is a bigger threat to the family business than just citations, and two- the opposing elements are rapidly forming a love connection.

I loved the concept of living elements and them not mixing well depending on which group they belong to. The idea of fire and water being opposite elements yet forming a bond was loosely based on Romeo and Juliet, but there were also references to classic films like Guess Who's Coming to Dinner (1967) with more of a modern twist.

Whilst this is a film aimed at children, I enjoyed some of the clever references that could go over a child's head such as how all the characters have their element's theme as a name (Cinder, Brook, Gale, Fern etc.), and even some of the cheeky dialogue like when a fire element yells to another "Get up off of your ash". It helps adult audiences connect with the film more.

One thing that this film excels in is the animation. Disney Pixar films are always notable, and this one is no exception. It intertwined 2D and 3D animation styles, and some of the backdrops looked like real life. I swear Disney and Pixar have some sort of witchcraft involved when they create things like water and hair. This film also has great use of colour, texture and lighting that complement the scenes well. The score and music choices were lovely too.

The plot was a bit predictable from the beginning and I knew where the story would eventually end up. My critiques would be that air and earth weren't featured enough and that the film got a bit confused by having elements be people, but then also having elements as well, eg. There was a flood, and steam which made me question why some elements had consciousness and others did not.

Overall, Elemental was a feel-good, slightly romantic and extremely wholesome film. I loved finding out that it took 7 years to make, and it makes me wonder what other films are currently being developed that we won't get to see for several years.

Strays (2023)

Hardly original but had a few laughs

[6/10 · 19 August 2023]

Strays tells the story of Reggie (voiced by Will Ferrell) and his dirtbag owner Doug (played by Will Arnett). Doug doesn't call his dog Reggie, he calls him numerous swear words and doesn't actually like him or want him. After driving 3 hours out of town, Doug abandons Reggie. Seems awful right? No, not according to Reggie. Reggie thinks he's playing a game with him. However, this time he's so far from home, that he may need some help. Enter Bug (voiced by Jamie Foxx), Hunter (voiced by Randall Park) and Maggie (voiced by Isla Fisher). When Reggie comes to the realization that his loving owner isn't so loving, together with his newfound friends, he decides to make the journey back home to seek his revenge on Doug.

I enjoyed playing the game of 'Where do I know that voice from?' and I was able to pick some straight away, even those who only had a few lines like Sofia Vergara and Josh Gad.

Ferrell played Reggie well, with a sweet naivety that hasn't been seen since his Buddy character in Elf (2003). Foxx's Bug reminded me a lot of Kevin Hart's Snowball character in The Secret Life of Pets (2016) and I could not get over how amplified Fisher's Australian accent could be when only hearing it next to American voices. I personally liked Park's character of Hunter the best. Park is such an underrated actor, and I've enjoyed his voice work in Netflix's Human Resources recently, it's just such a shame the series was cancelled.

There were a lot of funny moments that I think were aimed directly at dog owners who could relate to what was going on in the scene, and I loved how the film poked fun at other talking dog-centered adventure films like Homeward Bound, A Dog's Journey and A Dog's Purpose.

The theme of animal abuse made my dog-loving heart hurt, and I'm sure Will Arnett had a hard time portraying the mean animal-abusing villain in this. The other theme that dealt with being in an abusive relationship was more metaphorical, but I liked that it added some more depth to the overall storyline.

Strays is a fine film, with enough humorous moments to keep the audience entertained, however, the overall plot has been seen dozens of times, and although it tried setting itself apart by making it aimed at adults, it was constricted with how far it could go before it became too crude.

Insidious: The Red Door (2023)

Top billed actors are movie bait

[4/10 · 5 August 2023]

It's been almost 10 years since we last saw the Lambert family, and although there have been two films during that time, The Red Door is technically a direct continuation of their story.

Dalton is now off to college, and reluctantly agrees to have his father go with him and help him settle in. Once he leaves, Dalton's trauma is triggered, and he must confront his past in order to put it behind him. Josh (Patrick Wilson) also experiences his own trauma whilst back home and investigates this before needing to reconnect with Dalton in order to save the both of them.

I've been a fan of Patrick Wilson for a long time, and he usually is a great actor. However, in this film, it was the opposite. He had zero chemistry with any of the cast, and even though they were meant to be estranged, it was like they were meeting for the first time in this film. Was happy to see Rose Byrne return, but sadly. The audience was baited into thinking she would be a prominent character in the film. She has very little screen time and having her attached to the film was probably no more than to attract more viewers.

Speaking of cameos, I was happy to see Lin Shaye who has been the real MVP of this franchise return for a very small role.

Scare-wise, sadly there wasn't much of it. There were lots of ominous figures in the distance or out of focus during several scenes that were intended to be chilling but without a chilling score or sound effect, the ominous figure is nothing more than a houseplant in the corner of your eye.

Overall, an unnecessary sequel, that may have been more successful if it were released about 5 years ago when the franchise had momentum.

Oppenheimer (I) (2023)

Strong middle, first and third acts are a bore

[6/10 · 22 July 2023]

Oppenheimer tells the story of Robert Oppenheimer (played by Cillian Murphy), creator of the Atomic bomb and the role he played in WWII. Whilst I wasn't familiar with his backstory, I had to jump on the bandwagon and see what all the fuss was about.

Cast wise, it was packed! However maybe too star-studded to the point where I found myself questioning why certain big-name actors were involved in the film given how little screen time they had. Florence Pugh's character was unnecessary, and whilst she may have meant a lot to Oppenheimer, they could have just referenced her instead. Whilst I personally found Cillian Murphy to be emotionless and monotone, I'm not familiar enough with the real life Oppenheimer to know if that was accurate or not.

Emily Blunt and Robert Downey Jr. Have strong performances, and Josh Hartnett deserves a special mention for not aging a day since 1998.

It's a long film, and there was a lot of dialogue. During some scenes, I felt like I was in a science lecture and had to try not to doze off, and as for the timeline, it was a bit confusing with black-and-white scenes and coloured ones representing various times that didn't make sense.

There's no doubting that this film is great, however I just don't think I'm the type of person who would appreciate it in its finest.

Barbie (I) (2023)

Robbie is perfection, Gosling is 'just okay'

[6/10 · 21 July 2023]

Barbie begins in a bubble-gum-coloured world of fun, fashion and perfection. Although Barbie is played by dozens of actors, 'Stereotypical Barbie' is played by Margot Robbie. Perfection in Barbie land doesn't last long though, as Barbie must travel to the real world to solve her sudden existential crisis. She meets both friends and foes along the way.

As Barbie and her new girl gang return to Barbie Land, they are horrified to see that it is now renamed 'Kendom', after Ken (Ryan Gosling) who initially tagged along with Barbie has discovered the patriarchy of the real world and wants to be seen as more than 'just Ken'.

With a star-studded cast full of cameos, Barbie's Margot Robbie is stunning, and I think the perfect choice for the title role. On a side note, it was nice to hear her not doing a Boston/New York accent for once. Ryan Gosling however took me out of the Ken fantasy. Character-wise he was great, but I see Ken as more of a Travis Van Winkle or Trevor Donovan type. Goslings' portrayal of Ken looked a bit sleazy, and the bleach-blonde hair did him no favours.

There is a lot of lore and fun easter eggs throughout the film that both young and old can recognize, and even if you don't have a history of playing with Barbies (which I cannot confirm or deny that I did), there is a sense of nostalgia too.

Bonus points for the phenomenal set and costume design, and a killer soundtrack too! I'd be disappointed if this film isn't up for any major awards for the above-mentioned.

Barbie was super fun! It's also a movie that can be watched for many years to come and still seem current and relevant.

#barbie #barbiethemovie.

Asteroid City (2023)

Visually stunning, good distraction from the rest

[8/10 · 15 July 2023]

When I first saw this film advertised, the incredible use of colour, which is something writer/director Wes Anderson is known for immediately pulled me in. What is equally as incredible is the cast, with at least a dozen A-list actors on its roster.

Asteroid City sees a group of quirky strangers gather in a small town and witness something that keeps them from leaving, giving them the chance to get to know one another in different ways.

Cinematically it's so artistic, with perfectly framed central and symmetrical shots and interesting camera movements. I felt that you could pause the film at any time and the still could be hung in an art gallery.

Its desert setting reminded me of the Road Runner cartoon, and a lot of it reminded me of one of my all time favourite movies 'When Mars Attacks'.

I have to mention the exaggerated colour and lighting again, as it really is the standout in the film. The contrast between pastel blue and bright orange makes everything else pop and is straight out of a 1950's postcard.

I enjoyed Its fast paced dialogue and dry sense of humor, and whilst the plot was a little strange and confusing, there's enough to distract from that.

No Hard Feelings (2023)

Lawrence is a physical comedian!

[8/10 · 8 July 2023]

Much like 2006's 'Failure to Launch', this film sees a woman who is paid to date a couple's son. Where the two films differ is that in 'No Hard Feelings', the son is an awkward shy teenager, and the woman is a hot mess!

Jennifer Lawrence is amazing in the role of Maddy, whose goofiness is so attractive. I was reminded of how great an actress Lawrence is, but what surprised me is how much of a successful physical comedian she can be. It looked like she had a lot of fun in this role.

Andrew Barth Feldman is just as endearing (and side note, quite musically talented), playing the role of socially awkward Percy well. The pair have great chemistry together, as does Lawrence with the other supporting characters.

There are several laugh out loud and giggle moments in the first half, when Maddy throws everything she thinks she has at Percy in order to bed him, whereas there is a tonal shift in the second half that's less funny but still very watchable.

It's a sweet and heartwarming comedy, reminiscent of the early 2000's, and whilst hardly original, and predictable in parts, it was a really enjoyable film.

Beau Is Afraid (2023)

Truly a fever dream

[6/10 · 25 June 2023]

I went into this film knowing very little other than what I gathered from the poster, Joaquin Phoenix plays multiple versions of his character. Joaquin Phoenix, whilst very talented, isn't my favourite actor, and since by the look of it, it's a bit of an artsy drama, I didn't think I would enjoy it.

Beau's story starts out with him hiding from the world, riddled with anxiety (and for good reason, given his surroundings!). After a tragedy, he's placed in an unfamiliar setting with a family who act perfect, but are unhinged which triggers his childhood trauma. What follows next seems like it may be a break from the tension, but is just as crazy in a different way. The final act once again takes on a different tone, and the ending is a straight up fever dream.

The score and cinematography are interesting and adds to the films unsettling tone throughout.

Joaquin Phoenix really shows off his acting chops here, but I feel he needed to take a well deserved holiday after what this film would have done to him, both mentally and physically.

It's an extremely bizarre film, and quite confusing from start to finish yet oddly intriguing the whole time. Some of it is thrilling, some of it sad, and some of it felt like a trippy art exhibition.

Robots (I) (2023)

Not a bad green screen double movie

[6/10 · 11 June 2023]

Shailene Woodley and Jack Whitehall star as womanizer Charles and gold digger Elaine, whose robot stand ins fall in love and steal their identities. Adventure, road trip and chaos ensues from there on, as they realize they have to do the work themselves instead of relying on their robots.

Casting wise, both leads are good, although I feel the movie would have been a lot more successful if A listers were cast instead (nothing against Shailene and Jack though).

Seeing Shailene in the "hot bitchy girl role felt like a strange choice for her, as she usually chooses more gritty dramas lately, but I'd happily see more of Shailene in this type of role in the future. Jack Whitehall is funny and charming as ever and I look forward to seeing more big films from him. Check out his Netflix comedy special if you're looking for more laughs.

Overall, it's an enjoyable and inoffensive film, with some funny scenes and clever dialogue.

One of the better green screen double films I've seen in recent years.

The Little Mermaid (I) (2023)

Controversies aside, a great film

[8/10 · 3 June 2023]

The Little Mermaid, my all time favourite childhood Disney princess!

Casting was mostly great. I thought Daveed Diggs was an excellent Sebastian, and Halle Bailey made the role of Ariel her own. I was disappointed in Javier Bardem's wooden performance, and I wasn't sure about Melissa McCarthy as Ursula, I personally feel that someone like Glenn Close would have suited the role better, or maybe even Kathy Bates.

I loved all of the Easter eggs and cameos from the original cast, I recognized them the second I heard them speak.

I get that they wanted to give Halle more of a chance to sing, and add more songs to the film, but I didn't like that Ariel sung songs in her head whilst she had no voice.

I also wasn't a fan of the CGI, specifically the underwater scenes. The hair and its movement was great, however everyone's skin looked completely dry, and because there were no air bubbles or ripples on their skin, it took me out of the underwater fantasy.

I thought Ursula and King Triton being siblings was a weird addition, as was Prince Eric being adopted, and whilst I understand why they made Scuttle a gannet instead of a seagull, changing the breed of Prince Eric's dog was unnecessary.

All my favourite songs were there, with some new ones too. I loved 'Part of your world' and I got goosebumps towards the end with the vocal choices Halle made. I was also surprisingly impressed with Jonah Hauer-King's singing voice in 'Wild uncharted waters', and I'm glad he got one of the new songs. It was amazing.

It's not a perfect film, but it's a worthy addition and holds up well amongst the other live action Disney classics.

A Good Person (2023)

A quiet, yet powerful film

[8/10 · 12 May 2023]

A Good Person' follows Allison (played by Florence Pugh) whose life spirals out of control after a fatal car accident.

The film boasts a great cast, which includes Molly Shannon and Morgan Freeman. However both Morgan and Florence stand out in their lead roles. On a personal note, I'm so excited for Florence's career.

She's had some great roles in her career so far, and I can see her doing amazing things in the future.

Quite the moving film due to its subject matter, It depicts the difficulty of wanting to make a positive change but having the weight of addiction and grief pushing down on someone, making it so much harder to succeed. It also shows how such themes can negatively impact the lives of loved ones, but also through trauma bonding, sometimes have a good effect.

I found myself really rooting for Allison, even when she made poor choices throughout the film, and many of the scenes were really gut wrenching.

I really liked this film, in spite of how sad and tragic it was. I was also pleasantly surprised that funny man Zach Braff from 'Scrubs' wrote and directed it. He does drama well!

Evil Dead Rise (2023)

Didn't respect the original films

[4/10 · 12 May 2023]

Went into this film having high hopes, as I'm a big fan of the original films and its iterations. Evil Dead Rise, yet another reboot unrelated to previous films takes a different approach with its setting, and cast.

Having the majority of the cast being children was a bold move, and having the bulk of the film take place in an inner city apartment instead of the iconic cabin in the woods was a risk. Unfortunately I don't think it paid off.

I felt that Evil Dead Rise didn't honor the history of the original story enough, and modernized it too much.

The use of DJ equipment to hear the summoning incantation felt disrespectful and whilst there were minor Easter eggs, there weren't enough. I was disappointed that none of the classic scenes from previous films were referenced (deadite under the floorboards, hand being chopped off etc.) and for an R18+ film, it wasn't scary. Yes there was blood and gore, but with the dim lighting, a lot of it wasn't shown properly, and what was shown during the action scenes was so over the top that it was more funny than horrifying.

The acting wasn't terrible, and for a mostly Australian cast, they did American accents well. However, I felt a lot of the backstory certain characters were given was unnecessary and added nothing to the film.

Sadly this is probably my least favourite Evil Dead film, but I remain hopeful for its future.

Mafia Mamma (2023)

Inoffensive, but cringeworthy

[4/10 · 6 May 2023]

Mafia Mamma tells the classic story of an uptight and highly strung housewife who learns to let loose by being forced to step out of her comfort zone in another country. In this case, out of her comfort zone means taking over the family business as a mafia boss.

Toni Collette plays the role well, and manages well with the heavy amount of dialogue she has. Her character is fun and exactly what you'd expect coming into the film.

With a mostly Italian cast and setting, the film leans heavily into stereotypes and caricatures. Some of the characters were a bit silly and unnecessary and a lot of their dialogue was stupid and felt cheap.

The first half of the film is better than the second, and the final act was unrealistic and very cringeworthy.

Overall, It wasn't as predictable as I thought it would be, however there's a lot of things that were set up earlier in the film that were obviously going to teature later on, and they all did.

On a side note, there was a weird sexual chemistry/ tension between Monica Bellucci's character Bianca and Toni Collette's Kristin which doesn't get explained at all.

For me, this film would have been more appropriate to release on a streaming service instead of in theaters, but I don't think I was the target audience of this film. I'm sure middle aged women loved it!

Dungeons & Dragons: Honor Among Thieves (2023)

Lacking chemistry, but enjoyable

[6/10 · 6 May 2023]

This latest adaptation of Dungeons and Dragons felt very reminiscent of the Monty Python films and The Princess Bride. It had a good mix of fantasy, adventure and comedy.

Chris Pine is a decent enough actor, but I wasn't a huge fan of him in this role. I also found that he and the rest of the main cast had zero chemistry together.

Hugh Grant did a good job in his role as the villain, however it's the same character he's played for the last 10 or so years.

I was a bit confused as to why American actor Justice Smith spoke in an English accent (which needed a lot of work) and everyone else was American.

There were some funny scenes, especially the graveyard scene with the corpses.

Good costumes and set design, and I did like that they didn't rely solely on CGI. Some of the practical effects and makeup were done really well, however some of the creatures looked like mascot costumes and the CGI that was used wasn't great.

I'm unsure if there will be sequels from this, but I for one see it having more potential as a television series rather than a film franchise.

65 (2023)

Bit confusing but watchable

[6/10 · 23 April 2023]

Having watched the trailer to this film and seeing the dinosaurs revealed there, I thought it was a bit of a missed opportunity and that it should have been a surprise to the audience as they watched the film instead of having it spoiled in the trailer.

The CGI used in the space scenes isn't great and the spaceship itself in the beginning scenes reminded me of a cheap knock off Star Wars ship. Thankfully, the CGI used for the dinosaurs is a little better, although it's hard not to compare a dinosaur film to Jurassic Park/World. The set design and location are impressive and it adds a lot to the film.

Although Adam Driver isn't the best actor in my opinion, he does a good job as the lead and plays well off of promising young actress Ariana Greenblatt who has a mostly non-verbal role.

One thing that confused me was the fact that the film is meant to be set 65 million years ago, and the main character is from another planet yet conveniently speaks American english and wears 21st century clothing.

Overall, not a bad sci-fi film, but I think it could have been more successful with a larger cast and a less predictable plot and ending.

The Super Mario Bros. Movie (2023)

Any fan of the video game will love this

[8/10 · 15 April 2023]

First up, this film is jam packed with easter eggs and nostalgia that caters to anyone who is a fan of the video game. I loved the soundtrack that modernized the original game music, but also threw in some iconic 80's and 90's songs too.

The plot and storyline were pretty simple, and I felt they took the predictable safe path for this film. There's lots of potential for sequels though which gives me hope on a more complex plot in the future.

Seth Rogan and Jack Black were cast perfectly, and controversies aside, I didn't mind Chris Pratt as Mario (he didn't really have that much dialogue to be fair). My issue was with Anya Taylor-Joy as Princess Peach. I didn't mind Peach being less of a damsel in distress and more a heroine, but it was the voice itself. They needed to cast an actress with a quirky character voice like Drew Barrymore, Zooey Deschanel or even Emma Stone instead of the rather 'normal' sounding Anya.

Bonus points for superb graphics and animation, the way they made the backgrounds and water scenes look so real was incredible and the colour choices and details added so much.