US

Released: 22/03/2019

Director: Jordan Peele

Starring:  Lupita Nyong'o, Winston Duke, Shahadi Wright Joseph, Evan Alex 
Rating: 8/10

I saw US a little over a week ago now and wanted to give myself some time before uploading this review so I could fully take in the majesty of this film and connect all the dots I might not have realised whilst watching it.

Now, I knew this movie was going to be something altogether new going in, I only saw Jordan peele's last film (get out, 2017) earlier this year and I couldn't believe what I was missing out on so I was incredibly glad that I was able to see it in a theatre.

In all honesty, the story is quite simple, Adelaide Wilson and her family are on vacation but due to a traumatic event in her past, old anxieties resurface and begin to make their life a living hell. The simplicity here is great and help the film flow well, not letting the film get bogged down by details and exposition that doesn't matter, obviously it ramps up significantly after the "tethered" family Makes their presence known, but it's a very well crafted story that is satisfying at it's end.

I had this film on the brain for quite a few days after seeing it. It's like my mind was trying to piece together all the little bits hidden things that connect everything together. Despite saying that, the film can be watched with friends as a horror flick but for those of us who like to delve a few levels deeper into the "what does it all mean?" territory of films, US certainly has got it covered.

I'm not usually the biggest fan of Awards shows but god Damn, Lupita Nyong'o deserves an award for her dual performance as Adelaide a Loving Wife and a protective mother who, even though you can tell she's quite hesitant about it, Will shed some blood should she need to in order to protect her kin, by the end of the film, she's quite the force to be reckoned with, And Red, her "tethered" shadow (or shadow-laide, if you will) who's impeccable upright posture, unnerving stare and incredibly chilling hoarse voice,Places her into the status of a Horror Icon in my book.

It's a beautifully shot film with the cinematography and lighting just absolutely killing it, it really added to some scenes (the hall of mirror's in the opening scene definitely comes to mind). The sound track has some great stuff on it and really works within the context of the film.

This is defiantly a film that the more you see, the More you'll notice, so I'm Looking forward to watching a second time to see what I missed!!

Not just a great Horror film, But a great film nonetheless.

Akira Toriyama mini film festival

This past weekend I had the privilege to attend a mini film festival dedicated to the films of Akira Kurosawa. It was my first time seeing a Kurosawa film but I knew this was an opportunity not to be missed , Especially due to how much I’d heard about how much of an inspiration he was on filmmakers and film itself.

It was a great day and I’m very glad I got to see these films on the big screen. my reviews for each film are below.

Yojimbo

Released: 25/04/1961

Director: Akira Kurosawa

Starring: Toshiro Mifune, Tatsuya Nakadai,

Daisuke Katō, Takashi Shimura 

Rating: 9/10

The first film was Yojimbo and this was my favourite film of the day. Toshiro Mifune is just perfectly cast as the Nameless Ronin (samurai with no master) who wanders into a town during the middle of an intense gang war and begins to mess with either side to get as much money as he can from them for his services as a body-guard. played mostly straight, though there are a few laughs to be had as Mifune’s ronin and Daisuke Katō, (playing the strong yet dim brother of one of the gang leaders). The ronin gives a distinct persona of calm and chilled out but structured and calculating when the situation calls for it. mifune’s body and facial expressions brilliantly portray this and really help you get into the setting and world of the film. I really enjoyed this picture, It’s been on my mind since I saw it and I can’t wait to watch it again!!

Sanjuro

Released: 01/01/1962

Director: Akira Kurosawa

Starring: Toshiro Mifune, Tatsuya nakadai,

Yūzō Kayama, Takako Irie

Rating: 7/10

Released only a year after Yojimbo, Sanjuro is a great sequel and addition to the tale of the nameless ronin, again played brilliantly by Toshiro Mifune. the Ronin finds himself helping a young group of samurai who are trying to rid their clan of corruption and deceit and save the chamberlain in the process, but due to being young men, often act before thinking and end up unable to meet their goals due to mishandling themselves. The ronin decides to help them and teaches them along the way, as well as deciding that maybe violence isn’t the answer to life’s problems (as told to him by the wife of the endangered chamberlain (Takako irie) who somewhat plays the voice of reason and is quite funny thought the film). this film contains much more comedy than the previous film but has it’s serious moments too. For a film that was produced, shot and directed in less than a year, it’s a stunning achievement that I enjoyed only slightly less than the original but would gladly watch over and over.

Rashamon

Released: 25/08/1950

Director: Akira Kurosawa

Starring:Takashi Shimura, Minoru Chiaki,

Toshiro Mifune, Machiko Kyō 

Rating: 6/10

First off, I understand how this film brought Kurosawa into the western film world and took it by storm. I can see how it has had an influence on film and media with it’s dynamic storytelling. the basic premise is that a samurai and his wife are travelling through the woods and the samurai is killed and his wife raped and we see four different perspectives of what happened relayed to authorities as told by a bandit, the Wife, the samurai (via a medium) and a woodcutter. it’s a good plot and definitely something that I can see directors like Tarantino being inspired by, as it clearly laid the groundwork for non-linear storytelling. I enjoyed this film but it wasn’t exactly my cup of tea. Don’t get me wrong, the cinematography is great and the use of the rain is a wonderfully subtle addition to the dark and foreboding tone, but there was just something about it that didn’t fully grab me and immerse me in the film. The acting however, is quite well done, with Machiko Kyō portraying the wife with a haunting creepiness/insanity that was quite chilling. Toshiro Mifune was quite good as the bandit, Tajōmaru. I found myself really impressed by a handful of scenes that had next to no dialogue and were quite tense as the silence was filled with body language which got across more than words could in these particular scenes. I think this film is most certainly deserving of it’s place on many “best films” list. But maybe I was just tired after a day of films so I need to give it another watch to fully take it in and see things I may have missed the first time around. overall, despite not being as enjoyable as yojimbo or sanjuro, I did still enjoy it for the most part.

Midnight in Paris

Released: 20/05/2011

Director: Woody allen

Starring: Owen Willson, Rachel McAdams, Marion Cotillard

Kathy Bates, Carla Bruni

Rating: 8.5/10

This film is simply a joy to watch, from the beautiful streets and alleys of Paris to the captivating meet up’s with some of history’s greatest writers and artists. Owen Wilson aces his role as Gil Pender, A man who just wants to get away from it all, and eventually finds a way to do so, By Magically travelling to 1920s Paris at the stroke of midnight. Also worth a mention is Marion Cotillard who is great (as always), playing Gil’s love interest in the 20’s. 

As stated before, the film’s many scenes of Gil meeting famous writers and artists are incredibly fun and enjoyable to experience, however short some of them may be. I enjoyed that there was no subtitles for the french as it Puts us in Gil’s shoes of being transported to this incredible era, but not being able to actually speak the language and so must rely on his english speaking friends to help him interact with his idols.

I loved this film and Woody Allen did a great job with it. It’s definitely something I can see myself watching again in the future.

"Anomalisa"

Released: 10/10/2015

Directed by: Charlie Kaufman, Duke Johnson
Starring: David Thewlis, Jennifer Jason Leigh, Tom Noonan 

My Rating: 7/10

At first glance, I didn’t know what to make of Anomalisa, as a lover of stop-motion it was great but I was unable to tell what was going to happen as I had kept myself in the dark about the plot before watching it, despite it being out for a few years.

We follow Distant and often Mundane customer service expert Michael Stone, portrayed by David Thewlis, who pulls off Michael’s frustrated and anxiety/ridden voice wonderfully.

Michael, who has travelled to Cincinnati in order to promote his latest self-help book is clearly bored and depressed with life and we soon realise that everyone else has the same face. male, female, adult and child. All the same.

At first I thought that some characters might be transgender due to this, in particular, one character who used to date Michael and meets up with him. They talk about life and how Michael has a wife and son now. It soon clicked to me that it was intentional for the storyline that everyone else looks the same, everyone else except for Lisa, that is.

Lisa is voiced by Jennifer Jason Leigh who does a great job of playing a quirky young girl who despite her personal hang-ups, is still quite positive about Life.

There is a dream sequence that is very well executed and makes you feel just as confused as Michael is in regards to what is happening. It reminds me a bit of the tunnel sequence in “willy Wonka and the Chocolate Factory” (1971).

This is a truly unique film, even down to the stop motion being done with 3D printed models, which gives it a unique style. Having only 3 voice actors throughout the entire film is certainly an interesting idea, and makes you really notice when Michael or Lisa say something as it’s not just the monotone voice that everyone else has (Tom Noonan is credited as “everyone else” and is able to make these background characters feel different but very much the same to great effect.)

Anomalisa is a very Human film and goes through many emotions, from subtle humour, to the bleakness Michael seems to have constantly with him, and eventually, the romance that Michael finds with Lisa. It’s Definitely a film that’s a bit different, but I recommend giving it a watch.

"SOLO: A star wars story"

Released: 24/05/2018

Directed by: Ron Howard

Starring: Alden Ehrenreich, Woody Harrelson, 

Emilia Clarke, Donald Glover, 

Thandie Newton, Paul Bettany

My Rating: 8/10

Summed up in a word, “Solo: A Star Wars story” is fun. Part Mad Max, part Indiana Jones but all fun. Alden Ehrenreich is great as Han, looking the part as well as having perfected the mannerisms and demeanour that Harrison Ford originally brought to the role, the same can be said of Donald Glover, playing lando calrissian flawlessly with all the style and flair he exudes.

I really enjoyed the sci fi western feel and It’s the little things like seeing han’s lucky dice for the first time, or the moment we first see the millennium falcon that really Harken back to those first memories of Star Wars and the sheer wonder on the screen that pulled us into the universe. The plot works well on its own, alluding to events to come but never going out if it’s way to pander in references. It’s nice to see the world view of someone who’s not a skywalker or force-sensitive. It really shows how much else is going on in the galaxy and gives the galaxy some fullness. and there’s a great train heist sequence that’s indicative of a classic western train robbery. all in all, I loved “Solo: A Star Wars story “and it’s now in my top 5 Star Wars films and my favourite that’s not a main series film!