Director: Agnieszka Smoczynska Stars: Michalina Olszanska, Marta Marzurek, Kinga Preis The prospect of an independent horror movie being seriously about mermaids is a lure in and of itself. Make it Polish and also a musical and curiosity goes into overdrive, especially with the striking artwork that accompanied promotion of Agnieszka Smoczynska's 2015 debut feature. And … Continue reading Review: The Lure (2015)
Director: Taika Waititi Stars: Chris Hemsworth, Tom Hiddleston, Cate Blanchett Depending on how you land on Thor: Ragnarok, this is either where the lumbering Marvel Cinematic Universe really starts to unshackle itself from so much box-ticking, or the installment at which the franchise tips and, if not exactly jumps the shark, at least gets ready for … Continue reading Review: Thor: Ragnarok
Director: Dean Devlin Stars: Gerard Butler, Jim Sturgess, Abbie Cornish What about sunrise What about rain What about all the things that you said We were to gain What about killing fields Is there a time What about all the things That you said were yours and mine Did you ever stop to notice All … Continue reading Review: Geostorm
Director: Christopher Landon Stars: Jessica Rothe, Israel Broussard, Ruby Modine Another year, another slim collection of studio horrors timed to land around Halloween, and none of them ever seem to cut the mustard, right? I mean, fuck, Jigsaw looks terrible. We were all pining for a seventh (eighth? I lose track) run around the torture porn bases … Continue reading Review: Happy Death Day
Director: McG Stars: Samara Weaving, Judah Lewis, Bella Thorne Joseph McGinty Nichol is a 49-year-old white man who insists on referring to himself as 'McG'. Well, all right then. Maturity isn't a necessary trait in a person, and there's something to be said for embracing your inner child. And you have to admire the consistency. … Continue reading Review: The Babysitter (2017)
Director: Noah Baumbach Stars: Ben Stiller, Adam Sandler, Dustin Hoffman Noah Baumbach's oeuvre is white middle class New Yorker comedy with an ear for the screwball and occasional - almost happenstance - wisdom. Of late it has benefited greatly from his proximity to Greta Gerwig (Frances Ha is this writer's go-to feel good-movie on a … Continue reading Review: The Meyerowitz Stories
Directors: Charlie Bean, Paul Fisher, Bob Logan Stars: Jackie Chan, Justin Theroux, Dave Franco This review is written from the perspective of my addled mind. The LEGO what Movie? Hang on a sec, let me Google this thing. Nin-ja-go. Ninja-go? Let's see what the website has to say.... Well... okay. So it's like an Asian-inspired catch-all of … Continue reading Review: The LEGO Ninjago Movie
Director: Denis Villeneuve Stars: Ryan Gosling, Ana de Armas, Harrison Ford While it took some tweaking in the editing room to secure its legacy, Ridley Scott's 1982 film Blade Runner was about as influential a piece of science fiction cinema as the decade would ultimately see. With his team of designers, Scott - ever the … Continue reading Review: Blade Runner 2049
Director: Amat Escalante Stars: Ruth Ramos, Simone Bucio, Jesús Meza The strange mysteries and preoccupations of our biology as human beings are investigated through this striking familial drama from Mexican director Amat Escalante; a film which has gained a level of notoriety for how this is achieved by integrating an unusual and perverse alien influence … Continue reading Review: The Untamed
Director: Dustin Daniel Cretton Stars: Woody Harrelson, Brie Larson, Naomi Watts Cretton turned heads at the tail end of 2013 with his little indie charmer Short Term 12, a heart-wrenching peek within the world of temporary foster care. The film showcased a host of up-and-coming talents (see Lakeith Stanfield, for example) and provided Brie Larson with … Continue reading Review: The Glass Castle
