KILLERS OF THE FLOWER MOON - Review by Lachlan Thiele

INT. GANGSTERS IN OKLAHOMA - DAY

Film students, film lovers, cinema-goers, and reviews rejoice! Martin Scorsese's latest film is excellent! The Irishman might have been his last 'gangster' film. Still, the apple doesn't fall far from the tree, Killers of the Flower Moon might not be a gangster film, but there are many 'mob' elements within it. 

The biggest fear people had going into this film was the runtime. Weeks before the release, speculations came out about the length of this film. I saw an article stating it would be 4 hours long! Alas, it's only 206 minutes long, not even coming close to the longest film here at Cannes. I can confirm that the film never drags its feet for too long; there are times when it slows down, but this is only during the film's opening hour. Thankfully it quickly picks up the pace and goes by fast once the whole ensemble is introduced. Jesse Plemons is a late bloomer in the film, only being introduced 2 hours in; as I said, this is where the film starts moving. 

The story is simple: During the 1920s, oil was discovered on Osage Nation Land. Turning them into the richest people per capita in the world! Ernest Burkhart (Leonardo DiCaprio) returns to work for his uncle, William Hale (Robert De Niro). Ernest meets Mollie (Lily Gladstone), and they marry. However, slowly many of Mollie's friends and family are murdered, with those who married into the family taking ownership of the land—eventually, the FBI steps in to investigate. 

Lily and Leo have excellent on-screen chemistry, with Lily performing phenomenally. I hear talks about the Oscars for her, which is entirely valid. De Niro steals many of the scenes he's in, often providing the most laughs. He is ultimately the most 'mob-like character within the film, never pulling the trigger but commanding the troops. Jesse Plemons is the final major character within the story as Tom White. Unfortunately, Plemon's isn't that interesting; I wonder if Plemons wasn't given much direction or if he decided to make the character this way. Still, White moves from scene to scene without much interest. He's just there, leading the FBI but never being an individual; I didn't remember his name after the film; I just referred to him as 'FBI guy.'

Technically, Killers of the Flower Moon is a marvel (Not that Scorsese would like me saying the word 'Marvel'), but just like all of his films, everything is great. Nothing stands out as 'excellent'; the score, editing and cinematography are at the level you'd expect from the mind of Scorsese. 

This leads me to my final thoughts on the film; recently, Martin has been talking about his age and his ability to make films like he used to. Scorsese is 80 years old and doesn't believe he has the same drive as Ridley Scott. Suppose this is to be his final film. In that case, I'd be happy knowing it's not a significant departure from what made him the famed director but a story worth telling from a creator who will continue to be studied and praised for the next many decades. 

FADE OUT.

FIREBRAND - Review by Lachlan Thiele

EXT. FIREBLAND (AT TIMES) - DAY 

Here we are again, another retelling of the King Henry VIII story, this time told from the perspective of Catherine Parr, played by Alicia Vikander. Jude Law plays her husband, the famed King, and they have enough chemistry on the screen to hold the fort down. While the story is the film's weakest point, the performances that come out of it are excellent. 

Top marks are given to Law, who commands scenes with his presence. Unfortunately, there are 30-45mins without him at the start, which goes by VERY slowly. However, tension is formed between Henry and Catherine once introduced, keeping the audience engaged. During those opening moments, Catherine's motives are unclear; she seemingly moves through each scene without a goal, severing that connection that should have been established immediately. But thankfully, the film makes up for it in the final hour. 

As per my title, the film, at times, is bland, presenting nothing to stand out against the competition. The costumes are good, and the cinematography is excellent, but the poor overdone story brings this movie down. 

FADE OUT. 

ANATOMY OF A FALL - Review by Lachlan Thiele

INT. THE ANATOMY OF ANATOMY OF A FALL - DAY

Anatomy of a Fall is an excellent film crafted from the mind of Justine Triet. It’s beautifully acted, shot, scored and edited together. So let’s look at the Anatomy of Anatomy of a Fall. 

Story:
The story revolves around the unconfirmed cause of death of Samuel, who has fallen out of his attic window. The only person in the house was his wife Sandra, Sandra Hüller, the prime suspect. Their son Daniel, blind from an unfortunate event, is the only witness. The story is from the perspective of Sandra, and just like any courtroom drama, details are revealed over time. Fortunately, it’s at a steady pace, never announcing too much or too little, giving us the correct information at the right time. While I’m mostly positive about the story, some moments slow right down, and we come to a standstill; overall, thanks to the following few components, they considerably make up for the story's flaws. 

Performance: 
Anatomy of a Fall’s greatest asset is its lead, Sandra Hüller. She is tremendous, pulling no punches in the role of Sandra, the deceased's wife. For the rest of the cast, no one is ever greater than Sandra, well, except the dog! 

Cinematography: 
The camera in this film is on a swivel, always moving, keeping us engaged. Visual humour is used quite a bit with the camera, which is always great to see too. Finally, the colour grade felt natural and, at times, warm, giving a homely vibe. 

Score:
There is a simple piano piece that plays throughout the film; it is excellent. 

Finally, the editing:
This was a stand-out for me. It was cleverly cutting at points to hide us from the horrors but holding onto moments before it became too much.  

There’s a lot of love about this film. A highlight of the Cannes 2023 run. 

FADE OUT.

BANEL & ADAMA - Review by Lachlan Thiele

EXT. DESTINY - DAY

Banel and Adamas is a story about destiny, loss and sacrifice. Luckily Banel and Adama doesn’t sacrifice anything to present us with this story. 

Narratively it flows, opening on the love of our two protagonists: Banel, a woman who recently lost her partner and Adama, who has recently lost both father and brother (FYI, his brother was Banel's partner). With that recent loss, they are brought together out of, at least at the beginning, love and responsibility within the community and religion. 

Banel and Adama have a great score matching fantastic cinematography a the start and end, relying upon the story to keep you engaged throughout. Thankfully that story unfolds truths about their relationship and forces them to fulfil birthrights and responsibilities. 

Unfortunately, the believability of their relationship is thin, and what’s even harder to believe is the twist of how they came together, which is so quickly thrown in with minimal set-up and then so forgotten to make it seem like it’s a plot line that was pulled last minute. 

The first and final 20 minutes are its most
outstanding moments, visually, narratively and audibly. Making it worth your time. 

FADE OUT.

MAY DECEMBER - Review by Lachlan Thiele

INT. MOCKING-MOORE - DAY 

May December is an excellent satire with incredibly dark themes at times. Portman's Elizabeth is an actress tasked with researching her next role, a movie based on the massively dramatised life of Julianne Moore's character. Moore and Portman shine in their roles, and both can create believable characters whilst still pushing the unbelievable humour and situations they are put in. Portman, mainly with her fascination with making an actual 'true-to-life' performance as Gracie, copies her quirks and tendencies, providing the audience with laughs. 

Primarily the humour lies in the dark aspects of the film. The funniest, without spoiling, Gracie’s relationship with her husband. It continuously evolves over the film, and we finally reach a satisfying conclusion. It’s interesting how out of all of the dramas that premiered at Cannes, the comedy-drama has the best character arcs. 

Overall, May December lands on both feet, standing tall against the competition. Satirical, well-acted and entertaining. 

FADE OUT

STRANGE WAY OF LIFE - Review by Lachlan Thiele

EXT. STRANGE INDEED - DAY

Indeed a film worth seeing. Don't take it seriously, as at its core; it's just a lot of fun. I can see Pedro and Ethan having the time of their lives with this short. Think of this film as a more campy Brokeback, where the humour grows on you, like our protagonists budding love. 

It would work as a YouTube video. The internet would go wild, especially with the current 'Daddy' love for Pascal. 

FADE OUT.

ONLY THE RIVER FLOWS - Review by Lachlan Thiele

EXT. WHERE DOES THE RIVER STOP - DAY 

Only The River Flows is my first Wei Shujun film, and it is now someone I'd like to explore as there were many elements to this film that I absolutely adored. 

First, it's shot on film 😍 which builds a beautiful atmosphere solidified through noir-style lightning and heavy smoking. I'm already on board any time a film noir style is present; only The River Flows is solid throughout the first 80 minutes of the film, as it's fully engulfed in that Crime Noir storytelling. A Cop hunts down a killer, and when an arrest is made and the case can be shut, a thought of 'why' lingers on the officer's mind. 

The plot intrigued me as it flowed into a psychological thriller, sometimes reminding me of Twin Peaks, which is a tremendous compliment for me. However, there is a literal 'BANG' at the minute 80 mark, and the final 20 minutes start going all over the place. I love where the film went during the final moments, involving a 'Twin Peaks' style dream sequence, but the apparent lack of cohesiveness in this last act ultimately disappoints. Pulling my review from a solid 4 stars into a 3. 

FADE OUT.

HOW TO HAVE SEX - Review by Lachlan Thiele

INT. HOLIDAY HORRORS - NIGHT

Tara, Em and Skye have all come to party, and party HARD. The story consists of these 3 friends on holiday that are down to fuck; Tara, in particular, will be her first time. This coming-of-age story is entirely a downer, but with some of the most exciting dance and party scenes with music that goes hard, it's impossible to look away. With Em and Skye, Tara has an Angel and Devil on her shoulders telling her what to do, think and feel. Badger, her love interest, starts as a rave-head looking to bang but grows into a compassionate friend amongst these horny young adults. 

Hats off to the performances of Tara (Mia McKenna-Bruce) and Badger (Shaun Thomas), and the wicked soundtrack. 

FADE OUT.

THE ZONE OF INTEREST - Review by Lachlan Thiele

INT. GARDEN OF EDEN - NIGHT

Auschwitz is the location of the world's most unforgivable crime. A place where humanity lost itself. An area forever marked with the horrors of xenophobia and a story that filmmakers continuously attempt to display on the screen. While holocaust cinema isn’t being worked into the ground like other genres, there hasn’t been a breath of fresh air for a while. 

The Zone of Interest is that breath.

From the get-go, you're engulfed back into Auschwitz, except in this film, there is a gorgeous house bordering the concentration camp. Immediately this large grey wall hiding the atrocities is juxtaposed with the family's beautiful garden, which their mother wishes to continue improving, never mind the continuous screaming and low rumbling furnace present within the area. What Johnathan Glazer does with the sound design of this film is incredible; through audio alone, you're left with a sense of dread; how could you sleep when all you can hear are screams? The film opens with a black screen and an audio scape immediately setting the tone. 

The Zone of Interest layers many elements to create a narrative worth seeing. A narrative we know but in a brand new presentation. 

FADE OUT.

INDIANA JONES AND THE DIAL OF DESTINY - Review by Lachlan Thiele

EXT. INDIANA JONES AND THE TEMPLE OF THE LOST DIALS SKULL – DAY

Indiana Jones and the Dial of Destiny is more closely related to its recent sequel than its distant cousins of the original trilogy. It attempts to take the franchise's formula and shake it up; it throws in cameos, call-backs and references but suffers the same issue every recent Lucasfilm movie has. 

It's another modern Disney reboot sequel with legacy characters left in the dirt, and a 'quirky & quippy' new character is presented to us. You know this character type when in the face of fear, they will make fun of the villain's Lactose Intolerance or something random because this character is flawlessly confident. They are knowledgeable on every subject relevant to the plot, smartasses because they are always correct, sassy when held hostage and always have an escape plan. This is Helena (Phoebe Waller-Bridges), and she might be the only consistent character in the film. For the rest of the ensemble, Boyd Holbrooks Klaber speaks once in the movie and then chases after Jones in each scene; Mads Mikkelsens Jürgen Voller is the most forgettable antagonist of the franchise, Antonio Banderas is out of the film faster than he's in it and finally, Harrison Ford as Dr Jones is unfortunately back for what seems like a pretty good paycheck.

I have nothing against the performances themselves. The cast is incredibly talented, but this skilled team cannot hide the terrible dialogue reinforcing the rather forgettable story. Ultimately, Indiana Jones has one of the greatest trilogies of films with a distance spin-off universe of sequels. Lucasfilm, post-2008, has not been your era.

FADE OUT.

LE RETOUR (Homecoming) - Review by Lachlan Thiele

EXT. HOW TO MAKE A CANNES MOVIE – NIGHT

Homecoming (Le Retour) was my final screening on the second day at Cannes 2023, and I had yet to be blown away by a film, but Homecoming had a premise that interested me. A woman flees her home due to 'tragic circumstances' but returns many years later with her two daughters. This 'circumstance' intrigued me; the film opens with that moment, Kheídidja and her two daughters leave Corsica, but the reason isn't presented to us; this motive was to be developed and revealed over the 2-hour run time.

Homecoming's most significant strength is the relationship between the two daughters, Jessica and Farah, and their mother. While I thought this film would be a character piece focusing on Kheídidja' tragic circumstance' for leaving, the film moves on from that very quickly, completely losing focus on the mother and fixating on the coming-of-age tropes for her two daughters. The film isn't about Kheídidja coming to terms with her loss and reason for initially leaving it all behind. Instead, it's about two young adults navigating the island to discover who they are. The trio of actors who play these characters do an excellent job of building a beautiful relationship. However, under that immensely incredible bond is a story that doesn't know where it wants to go. Still, somehow these performers have created something from that mess and formed a believable family dynamic.

Remember the first paragraph about the 'tragic circumstance'? Yeah, just like the film, I will entirely skip over it and forget that was the mystery we set up in the first place. Let's talk more about the girls. This review is titled 'How to Make a Cannes Movie' because all the elements are there, French (tick), LGBTQIA+ (tick), minority (tick), and societal issues (tick); all the boxes are there, and it's a stock-standard Coming-of-Age film for Cannes. But no matter, this film had massive strengths but some hard weaknesses. Leaving me with a clean 2.5-star film. Stay for the performances; ignore the plot. 

FADE OUT.

Lachlan's Letterboxd: https://letterboxd.com/thiele/

OCCUPIED CITY - Review by Lachlan Thiele

EXT. IT BELONGS IN A MUSEUM - DAY

Occupied City is redefining the 'Documentary' genre. This film is a series of stories passed onto Steve McQueen, now passing them onto us. It narrates those stories whilst giving us a glimpse into the current affairs in Amsterdam. This pure juxtaposition shows how far we have come yet how quickly we can turn back. The reason I've titled this review "It's Belongs in A Museum" is not because I have a ticket for the new Indiana Jones film here at Cannes (but it has little to do with that). This film isn't something to watch during a visit to the cinema; it should be on display somewhere, a four-and-a-half-hour loop of each moment, story, fact and stunning cinematography that this film has to offer. 

Suppose I explain why I'm so optimistic about this film yet only giving it 3.5 stars. In that case, it's because, as a film, anything more than 4 hours without a narrative flow is a complicated watch. Still, as I said, this belongs in a museum or an art gallery on display for you to sit and watch for a moment; when you're ready, you can leave but come back anytime. Yet I was in a cinema for more than 4 hours. This film would still be compelling at 2 hours long, yet McQueen leaves nothing on the cutting room floor. There were moments in which I wanted it to be over, but then another story or particular shot would drag me back in. But within this film, there is a tighter, more cohesive narrative where the simpler/less impactful stories are excluded. But it seems that McQueen wanted a leg in the race for the longest film of the Decade award. 

Overall, if you can watch this film, maybe not in cinemas but divide it up over four nights, giving you enough time to take in each story this film presents.

FADE OUT. 

Added Shout out:
Thanks, Mr McQueen, for giving us an intermission; long, long films need to start having these baked in.

Lachlan's Letterboxd: letterboxd.com/thiele/

MONSTER - Review by Lachlan Thiele

INT. COOKIE MONSTER – NIGHT

Monster is the latest entry in the Kore-eda filmography (a filmography I still need to dive deeper into). Still, just like his previous films, It's a deeply personal look into a character, their motives but most importantly, how that motive affects those around them.

Monster is a multi-layered beast; it retells one story from multiple perspectives giving us the whole cookie instead of just the crumbs. Usually, I'm a crumb kinda guy; I like to figure things out myself, putting them all together to get my cookie. Still, Kore-eda gives me the cookie; at points, he just hands the cookie over when instead I would have preferred the traditional 'show, don't tell' filmmaker mentality. Yet, without that one little critique Monster would have shot right up to a 4-star thanks to its standout performances from Sakura Ando as the mother and excellent direction (especially when it comes to blocking actors within a scene, yeah, I know a weird thing to point out but something I wrote down while watching) 

Anyway, please head out and see this one. It's worth the spoon-feeding.

FADE OUT.

Lachlan's Letterboxd: letterboxd.com/thiele/

The Tragedy of Macbeth (2021)

INT. A STARRY CAST - NIGHT

Joel Coen is already a great established director with the combined work alongside his brother Ethan. But this is the first time Joel is dropping solo into the big bad battle royal world that we call ‘Cinema.’ Joel strikes gold with his retelling of Shakespeare’s beautiful story, fantastic cinematography, and, above all, a perfect cast.

I first want to prise the use of light in The Tragedy of Macbeth. Black and white films are renowned for shaping and folding light for different effects. But I think of more recent B&W films such as The Lighthouse, I see how simply this film uses its lighting. While I still believe that The Lighthouse has overall a better aesthetic than The Tragedy of Macbeth, the overall simplicity of this film shows how if you have a great story, you don’t need anything too flashy.

While everything is simple, there’s nothing simple about the cast. Denzel Washington, Frances McDormand, Brendan Gleeson, Alex Hassel, Cory Hawkins & Harry Melling. Each character feels perfectly cast (even if one of them is your wife) and they all perform the most confusing but beautiful dialogue of recent memory.

I don’t blame Denzel’s action fanboys for skipping this one. Joel and Ethan Coen are well known for that Coen brothers’ style and while it’s not present here, Joel tells a phenomenal story without anything too flamboyant–dramatic sure, but not over the top ridiculous like Buster Scruggs in The Ballad of Buster Scruggs. Let’s hope that it’s not Joel’s last solo adventure because more films like this would be great!

FADE OUT

#82 - The Tragedy of Macbeth & The Lost Daughter

Spoiler Review: 43:53

Halloween Kills

INT. HALLOWEEN: MICHAEL STRIKES BACK - NIGHT

Michael Myers is back and he’s mad as all hell.  I’ll start off by saying, I’m not a horror guy. The list of my favorite horror films is a small one: The Texas Chainsaw Massacre, Alien, Midsommar. But for me, sequels that ‘bring the heat’ will always be rated higher. Halloween Kills is the Aliens in this rebooted trilogy. Spooky, tense, action-packed and it’s the sequel to a horror movie, after watching this movie you’ll see what I mean. Michael Myers is still the horror icon he has always been, but someone has been watching John Wick.

While Halloween (2018) might be the horror reboot, and the start of this trilogy. Halloween Kills, the ‘second act,’ as I’m calling it, shows us the terror/power Michael has, setting up the final battle between him and Laurie which we’ll hopefully see in Halloween Ends. Speaking of Laurie, she’s become the Sarah Connor of this universe, which we saw in the previous installment, but in this film, she’s the one on the sideline. Laurie is just spilling exposition, we often cut back to her telling another character how ‘Michael is “MORE THAN A MAN”, He’s transcending into something more’ speech. While many hardcore fans might be disappointed that she’s not going head-to-head with Michael again, I’m not, because this film isn’t about their epic battle. We learned what Laurie can do in Halloween (2018) and we learned what Michael can do in Halloween Kills. Setting up a massive conclusion for Halloween Ends. No pressure to the filmmakers.  

For those not enjoying this film, maybe not every ‘reboot’ should follow the same structure as the original (look at the latest Star Wars movies) Halloween Kills stands on its own two feet, it’s the action-horror it can and wants to be. Michael is terrifying, Laurie is a backbencher, Allyson takes the fight to Michael, legacy characters you’ll have to make your own opinion on, but I liked their inclusion.  If you want horror, it’s there, but go in wanting action and you’ll love it.  

Review on QOS Podcast: HERE
Halloween (1978): 46:42

Halloween (2018) / Halloween Kills

Non-Spoiler Review: 59:36 - Halloween Kills: 64:15

Spoiler Review: 67:38

Ratings: 83:49

The Green Knight is the best film of 2021

INT. WHEN HONOUR IS EVERYTHING – DAY 

The Green Knight isn’t another retold Arthurian tale on its 10th remake. This is the intimate tale of Sir Gawain, the not-yet-honorable and not-yet-a-knight nephew of King Arthur, and his journey into a world full of mystical challenges and honorable ones too, to complete The Green Knights seemingly impossible to cheat challenge. 

We start within Camelot’s walls, perfectly protected from the evil and folklore surrounding it nothing is out of the normal here. Like any Arthurian legend, Camelot is safe, but The Green Knight is a world of magic and eccentricity, by easing us in we too experience this journey that Gawain embarks on. We thought we knew the rules of the world, but Camelot is a haven compared to the world we enter together.
We have a backdrop; the stage is set. The Story?...

During the Christmas celebrations, The Green Knight appears to set the challenge.

Should he land a blow, then one year hence, he must seek me out, He shall find me and bend a knee and I will return what was given to me. (Paraphrased) 

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Minor spoilers to follow.

Gawain accepts and this is the story we follow. We understand the outcome that is to take place and we follow Gawain to the honorable yet expected death that awaits him.

This film knows what it is, something rare to find these days (Unless it’s an A24 film.) The style, tone, and atmosphere are confidently displayed in every scene, shot, and line. Performances are top class; Dev Patel holds the film together like glue, with one of his strongest performances to date. Minor roles are handed out to established talent, Joel Edgerton, Sean Harris, Alicia Vikander. Nothing ever feels undercooked when it comes to the characters and their performance, and no character feels over-the-top in this over-the-top world. 

The world-building is epic, in both scale and in how fucking cool it is. It doesn’t diverge from established Arthurian ideas and themes but modernises them in classic indie style. We ease our way into it from the norm set in Camelot to Giants walking across large plains and this is where I can separate audiences that will love or hate this movie. Spirits or warfare, pick one. Because the film has both, however, it will use one as a backdrop and one to continue Gawain’s journey. People either want action or a mystical adventure and as I said earlier this is an intimate tale, so don’t go expecting an Arthurian John Wick (although hit me up when that movie exists.) 

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Gawain knows the challenge set, The Green Knight will return what was given, and Gawain straight up decapitated him. The end of Gawain’s journey will hit you, depending on how much you enjoyed this film you’ll either be amazed or just pissed off. But this film stands on its own two feet saying, ‘this is the story we want to tell’, and for me at least, it left me thinking about it for the rest of the week. The Green Knight, right now, is my favourite movie of the year. I challenge another movie to knock it off, but it might make it into my Letterboxd favourites, yet it could be the high I’m on from it. Another sitting will be necessary. 

If you didn’t believe that Dev Patel wasn’t already a king, this movie will help you reinforce that message. 

So, if you couldn’t tell, I loved watching The Green Knight. 

5/5

FADE OUT

Pig (2021)

INT. PORKCHOP – DAY

This film, like many others, has the potential to be a great movie, but it also has the characteristic of a flop. You have, first and foremost, Nicolas Cage. An actor who stereotypically doesn’t play tame, slow roles. You also have a very small budget with a very large-scale idea and, at least according to IMDB trivia, an untrained pig. If I told you these things without showing you a trailer or any screenshot of the film, imagine what that film would be.

That image in your head is from alternative universe because in this reality, it’s a fucking hit.

All the pieces are laid out and putting it all together seemed near impossible, there can be some pieces missing here and there however, the overall picture is clear.

Cage pulls out one of his best performances, one that doesn’t reach the same level as ‘Joe’ but comes very close. The smaller budget required excellent storytelling to be front and centre, and whilst originally having a runtime of two hours, cutting it down to the 90-minute runtime was again another very good move.

Cage is the glue to hang the picture on the wall. He captivates every scene he’s in, drawing me in with what mysteries he’s hiding. There were so many times I thought, this can’t be the same guy from, most recently, ‘Willy’s Wonderland’ (which I watched about 40 minutes of and had to turn off) or even ‘The Wicker Man.’ It is a brave performance, reminding me that we need to give this man another Oscar.

Alex Wolff holds his own too. Not his strongest performance to date, however I can see Alex rising over the next few years, after all every actor needs to have a fun role occasionally and Nic Cage has been doing fun roles for a very long time.

Finally, a word of warning, many of my friends who saw the trailer and read up about the film thought this would be a ‘Nic Cage – John Wick’ movie, and while yes, the trailer gives that vibe, it’s nothing like John Wick. So please, don’t go into this movie wanting that, you’ll come out disappointed. Go in expecting to see a well-crafted film and be surprised with the journey it takes you on.

Because honestly, if Nicolas Cage wanted his pig back, I wouldn't care who he is, I’m giving him his fucking pig back.

FADE OUT.

Sonic The Hedgehog

INT. HOW IS JIM CARREY MORE OF A CARTOON THAN SONIC - DAY

Sonic, The Hedgehog is yet another video game to movie adaption with so many bugs. The film follows Sonic (Ben Schwartz) and Tom Wachowski (James Marsden) on a road trip to San Francisco to collect Sonics rings (those rings being the way that all intelligent life travels in the universe, duh.) The Two, are hunted down by Doctor Robotnik AKA Doctor Eggman (AKA Jim Carrey) aided by his army of drones, multilevel cars, super-intelligence and sex appeal (I may have made that last part up, but it’s Jim Carrey in a suit and he dances really well in one scene.) Sonic, the (re)animated wonder of the internet, is a loveable protagonist who, as I stated before, is a character that has adapted really well to the big screen. Tom Wachowski, played by James Marsden, is a small-town cop who wants to live his dream of being a city cop even if most of his dreams probably come from his love of 90s action flicks. Yet, the character is stale and boring. But the standout performance is the animated (not that kind of animated) Jim Carrey as Doctor Robotnik AKA Doctor Eggman, who just seems to be having fun with the role. Sadly though I believe his performance doesn’t fit the film, while it’s a delight to watch and you can see him enjoying the character, his ‘cartoony’ performance doesn’t match the tone of the film. This is in no way Carrey’s fault, I can’t see anyone else playing this character, it’s the fact that the film is slow, has no style and has a number of basic continuity issues that were very jarring. But to tear this film apart I think we should start at the beginning. Yes, all the way back to trailer number 1. 

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Sonic in the controversial old design from the trailer back in April 2019

For those who missed it, this film originally had a different design for Sonic which caused the internet to literally lose their shit at Sega and anyone involved with this film. The film went away for a while to redesign Sonic and later returned to the praise of the internet for listening. Sadly though a point that’s often missed, is that the animators and team behind the reanimation were underpaid and overworked and ultimately the VFX studio shutdown. I think that while the film was being ‘recooked’ they should have also looked at it as a whole, but they seem to have just fixed the singular problem of Sonic not looking like Sonic. In turn, the film suffers from a few editing issues, mostly related to continuity with the jarring moment coming from shots, seemingly taking place multiple seconds one after the other. For example, there’s a small drone from Dr. Eggman that is slowly removing the roof of the car that Tom and Sonic are in with a laser; in one shot the drone is halfway through the front and then in the next shot, it’s on the driver’s side door. This error was very noticeable to me (obviously as a filmmaker you pick up on these things, however, people I was with didn’t pick up on it until I brought it up.)

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Fixing the visual look of the character seems to be the only thing they focused on because while Sonic is fun and so is Dr. Eggman, the film isn’t. It’s a slow drag and fails to grab you at any point throughout its runtime. We have no stakes so I really couldn’t care if Sonic doesn’t get his rings and I couldn’t care less if Eggman gets Sonic, the only reason I care isn’t from anything the film sets up. It’s because I’m a fan of the games. Similar to how Birds of Prey kept me engaged by breaking peoples knees (yes, I’m that easily entertained), Sonic is a fun, exciting character and I think that the kid inside of me is remembering all the ‘Sonic Unleashed’ memories. Fans will get excited to see Sonic on screen, and they should be proud that their character is the best adaptation of a video game character to date. 

While having a slow and boring story, jarring continuity issues and a no stakes, Sonic and Eggman make it fun, most scenes with Carrey are a delight to watch and it’s enjoyable to see my childhood memories on the big screen. I wish I could give it a higher rating but as a film, it’s bad, as a kids film, it’s bad, but as a love letter to Sonic, it’s still pretty bad but at least they made Sonic look like Sonic. 

FADE OUT. 

★★☆☆☆

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Release Date (Switzerland): 12.02.20

Release Date (Australia): 13.02.20

Film Data: Director: Jeff Fowler '- Writers: Josh Miller, Patrick Casey, Oren Uziel, Van Robichaux, Evan Susser - Cast: Ben Schwartz, James Marsden, Jim Carrey, Tika Sumpter, Lee Majdoub, Frank C. Turner, Adam Pally, Natasha Rothwell - 99’ - USA - 2020 - Paramount - Sega

Photo and Video: © 2020 Paramount Pictures. All Rights Reserved.

• Ewan Graf
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The Gentlemen

INT. GUY RITCHIE AT HIS MOST GUY RITCHIE - DAY

The Gentlemen is a fun, thrilling and mostly enjoyable 2 hours but, it isn’t without its flaws. After all, it is a Guy Ritchie film. The Gentlemen is a current-day view at British gangsters funnily enough run by an American marijuana kingpin, wow, twisty. Let’s start at the beginning, where most of his films are the weakest. In true Ritchie style, it’s a mess because of the non-linear style. 

We don’t necessarily start at the end or in the middle. What we are treated to is Charlie Hunnam and Hugh Grant bantering and narrating the story but mainly Grant flirting with Hunnam. These two are the main source of context in the film. They explain what’s happening while Grant acts as a slight antagonist, however, the line is blurred between the good and the bad at times.

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Colin Farell as Coach and Charlie Hunnam as Ray

While this is happening Grant tells the story. In fact, he’s written it as a script and if Charlie doesn’t buy the script off him, he’s gonna sell off the story to Miramax. Yes, Miramax the company making the movie, maybe I forgot to say this film is slightly meta. 

We follow the story along learning that the big boss Matthew McConaughey wants out. He’s built himself an empire from nothing and now he wants to just live a normal life. This news gains the interest of a number of different rival gangs, after all, he’s the biggest drug lord and marijuana is popping, so everyone wants a piece. 

Matthew McConaughey’s character is similar to Daniel Craig’s character in ‘Knives Out’.  However, instead of putting on the accent, Matthew can just use his natural one and it’s already out of place. His accent throws you off at the start but quickly becomes one of the best components of the film, until Colin Farrel enters the film. So you probably don’t know yet, but there’s a little soft spot in my heart for Colin Farrell. When I say little I mean like my whole heart. Especially when he’s also using his normal accent, it gives me In Bruges memories. 

Each character seems to be an archetype; Colin Farrell’s Coach is a tough softie looking out for his kids, Hugh Grant’s Fletcher is a cocky and confident private investigator and, obviously, McConaughey’s Mickey Pearson is the cool, calm and collective drug lord who’s always two steps ahead. While I’m not usually a fan of characters I’ve seen before, this film has such a complex plot, that it would be too difficult for this twisty story to involve twisty characters so this seemed like a necessary evil.

Henry Golding as Dry Eye and Tom Wu as Lord Gerge

Looking at The Gentlemen’s filmmaking techniques, it does use a variety of visual cues but again, it’s Guy Ritchie we’re talking about here. The fast and witty script combined with Ritchie’s visual humor style, keeps the audience entertained even during monologues and exposition. It’s the reminders from Fletcher (Hugh Grant) that the whole story hasn’t actually been told yet and that he’s holding it back that entices you. Ritchie wants you to guess and then when you think you know, he pulls the rug from under you. It’s Michelle Dockey’s character Rosalind Pearson, Mickey’s wife, who puts it perfectly: “There’s fuckery afoot.” 

Without getting too much into spoiler territory, the ending is satisfying. Ritchie brings it all together with very little loose ends. It’s not until the last 20 minutes that the confusion stops and you can get a full grasp of everything. I think that this film would have been better when told in order, yet I don’t think anyone else could have pulled off this screenplay than the guy himself, Guy Ritchie, but, that is a benefit of also being the screenwriter and the director I guess. You can do what you want. 

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Eddie Marsan as Big Dave, Matthew McConaughey as Micheal Pearson and Charlie Hunnam as Ray

Should you see this film? If you like a crime mystery with a comedic thread holding it together, or if you just want 2 hours of Hugh Grant flirting with Charlie Hunnam, 2 hours of Matthew McConaughey being Matthew McConaughey supreme drug lord and Colin Farrell in a matching jumpsuit, go see this movie.

FADE OUT

★★★☆☆

Swiss Release Date: 27.02.2020

Australian Release Date: 01.01.2020

Film Data: Director: Guy Ritchie - Writers: Guy Ritchie, Marn Davies, Ivan Atkinson - Cast Matthew McConaughey, Colin Farrell, Charlie Hunnam, Michelle Dockery, Henry Golding, Hugh Grant, Jeremy Strong, Brittany Ashworth, Jason Wong - USA - 102’ - Miramax

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