Well, here we are again, another year, another summary. This year's post is obviously going to be slightly different, but there has still been a fantastic selection of great films to watch, albeit from my sofa rather than a multiplex.
Loosely based on the classic H. G. Wells novel, ‘The Invisible Man’ is that rare film remake that actually works. By adapting its source material to fit its modern surroundings, it is a smart, thrilling and chilling horror that says as much about domestic abuse as it does for fun sci-fi thrills. After escaping from … Continue reading “He said that wherever I went, he would find me…” (The Invisible Man review)
From the actor behind ‘Billy Maddison’, ‘Grown Ups 2’ and ‘Jack and Jill’ comes an unbelievable 180 degree-turn. Directed by The Safdie Brothers, 'Uncut Gems' is the breakout serious role Adam Sandler needed to put him back in the hearts of audiences and critics alike. Presented as a two-hour anxiety attack, the film is a … Continue reading “This is how I win…” (Uncut Gems review)
From Robert Egger, director of the acclaimed 2015 horror ‘The Witch’, comes a new terrifying horror: ‘The Lighthouse’. A classic tale of isolation and madness, it’s a Herman Melville inspired version of ‘The Shining’, with equally haunting results. In the late 19th century, Ephraim Winslow is sent to an isolated island off the coast of … Continue reading “Why’d Ya Spill Yer Beans?”(The Lighthouse review)
After the… disappointment (utter car crash) that was Suicide Squad, the best part of that movie finally has her own solo film. Margot Robbie brings the same chaotic energy as the movie’s title character, though the film’s title is far more complex than the final product itself. After the events of Suicide Squad (I think, … Continue reading “Whoa, you’re that psycho chick…” (Birds of Prey and the Fantabulous Emancipation of One Harley Quinn review)
In an age where sexual harassment is finally beginning to be addressed in the highest places, ‘Bombshell’ tells the accounts of several women at Fox News who set out to expose CEO Roger Ailes for misconduct. Shot like a documentary, it’s a film that is stylistically reminiscent of last years ‘Vice’, though it’s not quite … Continue reading “Someone has to speak up. Someone has to get mad…” (Bombshell review)
After practicing with the opening sequence of Spectre, director Sam Mendes brings us a relentless WWI film that appears to all take place in one shot. A breathtakingly visceral film, it proves what an accomplished voice in cinema Sam Mendes is.
Years in the making and decades in the narrative, The Irishman (titled onscreen as “I Heard You Paint Houses”) is Martin Scorsese’s latest epic crime drama, telling the life and confessions of Frank “The Irishman” Sheeran. Though it doesn’t feel it’s 3 ½ hour run time and the drama is beefy enough to fill it, it also never feels like enough excitement or emotion occurs within the film to justify it’s length.
From Bill Condon (director of Mr Holmes and Beauty and The Beast) comes The Good Liar, a dark crime thriller based on the novel of the same name by Nicholas Searle. With an intriguing but weird story, this film walks dangerously close to mediocrity and is only saved by two fantastic performances.
Rian Johnson is one of the hottest filmmakers of recent years. His take on Star Wars with ‘The Last Jedi’ utterly divided critics and fans, as he proved he could do something different with the seemingly formulaic nature of the franchise. With his new film Knives Out, he again proves a master of subversion, this time taking on the murder mystery genre.
Daniel Robinson: From Reel to Real 