87/100
When talking about Pixar’s wide variety of titles, the one that often gets forgotten about or even slated by some is 2015’s ‘The Good Dinosaur’. I can only imagine this is due to some of its cliche elements with strong influence from ‘The Lion King’ among others. Also some have criticised how it feels like a Pixar short, this probably due to the lessened amount of dialogue and somewhat simplistic plot. Don’t listen to all this. ‘The Good Dinosaur’…
93/100
How on earth do people rate this film SO low?! This is the very definition of a hidden gem with it being sublime in so many aspects. 2018’s ‘Arizona’ follows Arizona (mild shock) real estate agent Cassie, played by Rosemarie DeWitt, who becomes entangled with a series of bloody crimes being committed in one of the gated communities she sells houses in. Firstly I have to discuss the maniacal performance of Danny McBride who plays the perfectly psychotic Sonny who…
88/100
A snowy ‘There Will Be Blood’. I jest of course but 2015’s ‘The Revenant’ in truth reminded me far more of ‘1917’ for several reasons. Firstly on a plot level, both films follow a character traveling through challenging and gruelling terrain. Yet the similarity regarding the technical side is there to be seen too with many long conscious shots featured throughout this film, similar to the “one conscious take” that ‘1917’ is know for. However like the other film,…
84/100
This film is the best contraceptive there is. ‘It Follows’ is a suspense, psychological thriller which is centred around a curse that is transmitted through sexual intercourse. Our protagonist, Jay Height (Maika Monroe), falls victim to the curse and is followed by a being which can shape-shift and will kill her if it catches up to her but crucially can only walk. This was a really fun concept but as many have pointed out including none other than Quentin…
82/100
Clint Eastwood gives us a strong performance in his very own directed ‘Gran Torino’. Korean War veteran turned old man, Walt Kowalski played by Eastwood, is a chewed up, bitter and racist person who wants to be left alone. When foreign neighbours move in next door and experience troubles from local gangs, Walt begins to rethink his morals and his assumptions about those around him while at the same time comes to terms with his dark war past. The…
86/100
So having seen all the other seven of Paul Thomas Anderson’s films in a short space of time in the latter half of 2020, it was finally time to watch the remaining picture which I had put off. 2014’s ‘Inherent Vice’, an adaption of Thomas Pynchon’s 2009 novel of the same name, was panned by the majority of critics and audience members alike. Reviews read that the film was convoluted, confusing and an outright mess. Reading through the same…
94/100
Guy Ritchie’s full-length directorial debut is a witty, snappy and punchy British crime caper which never takes a breath, resulting in a deliciously stylish adventure. ‘Lock, Stock and Two Smoking Barrels’ is an interwoven story of London crime which involves several main hitters, gangs and money which all become tangled together leading to often humorous and fatal circumstances. The plot is very tight and well thought out and in addition to this, the script also is just as snappy,…
88/100
After at long last watching ‘2001: A Space Odyssey’ earlier this week, I thought it only right to go and watch the only one of the main Kubrick five that I had yet to see, ‘A Clockwork Orange’. This film is very daring, controversial and uncomfortable for sure with the first 40 minutes being especially so at frequent points. Yet to criticise the picture for this would be sinful as it would be missing the point altogether. Kubrick presents…
91/100
Continuing my Paul Thomas Anderson adventure, I decided to pick his debut feature film over 2014’s ‘Inherent Vice’ (his only other film I am yet to see) to watch tonight. Many people rank this lowly and although I would say this is bottom out of the other six films of his I have seen, that is purely by default and by no means by entertainment or indeed quality. ‘Hard Eight’ tells the casino based story of Sydney (Philip Baker…
80/100
Don Siegel brings us a groovy 70s cop story featuring Clint Eastwood with 1971’s ‘Dirty Harry’. The original version of 2016’s ‘The Nice Guys’ if you will which was undoubtedly influenced by this older picture. Eastwood plays Inspector Harry Callahan who tries to track down and stop the “Scorpio” killer from sniping anyone in his sights. The film’s plot draws largely from the real-life infamous “Zodiac” killer with the San Francisco setting, serial killer notes and of course the…
90/100
I’d like to start off by saying yes this is amazingly my first time watching ‘2001: A Space Odyssey’ as shocking as that may be to my regular followers but it had been on my watchlist for eons. Right off the bat I want to outline and commend the film’s biggest strength, the visuals. My god Kubrick, this is a stunning film to look at with such vivid colours contrasting with the dark depths of space. The effects being practical…
96/100
With the obvious exception of 2004’s ultimately unmatched ‘The Incredibles’, Pete Docter’s musically themed afterlife adventure may be my favourite animated film of all time. That’s not an easy statement to make when the first two ‘Shrek’ films exist as well as 2009’s ‘Up’ but for sure is a wholehearted one. Pixar’s latest addition finds middle school music teacher Joe Gardner on the brink of finally making his big break in the musical world, only to be involved in…