Don’t Worry Darling (2022)

Alice (played by Florence Pugh), lives a seemingly idyllic life with her husband, Jack (played by Harry Styles), in a spotless community dubbed The Victory Project stranded in the middle of a desert. The inhabitants go about their perfectly synchronised routines every day. The wives kiss their husbands goodbye every morning. The men head off to work in an area out of bounds to their female counterparts. The wives stay where they are told to and fill their days with chores, dance lessons and gossip until their husbands return just in time for dinner. 

The film has a talented cast and crew to work with, specifically in its lead Florence Pugh, who once again proves that she is one of the most reliable and powerful young working actresses of this generation. Chris Pine, who plays the head of the operation, was able to balance the repugnance and charm that befit a cult leader. Even Styles, who has been brutally criticised online after clips of the performance leaked, was able to play a serviceable role, despite his struggles with the more poignant moments. Coming off of the positive buzz of Booksmart, Wilde’s intention with the film this time around is as clear as ever. But even the collective effort of all players involved couldn’t save the film from its simplistic philosophy and flimsy characters.

Don’t Worry Darling demands the audience to patiently watch the exposition unfold without placing the trust in them to discover the horrors with the protagonist. The humdrum of the didactic narratives is simply tedious to any discernible audience who is already acquainted with the trope of suburban dystopia — the immaculate picture of domestic bliss hiding a twisted reality. The rewards for their patience are hardly enough to justify the over-elaborate set-up. Without the backbone of a substantial plot and an enthralling journey of suspense, the twist at the end and the abrupt demise of the antagonist evokes laughs rather than satisfaction. 

What made Don’t Worry Darling lacklustre is certainly not because of a mediocrity or the abhorrence that one would associate with a film currently labelled “rotten”, but it is more so that despite the intellectual posturing, it simply lacks bite and doesn’t have anything impactful to say. It’s obvious that the twist of Don’t Worry Darling is an attempt to address the very real gender issues vexing the current generation. In fact, Wilde herself openly admitted that the professor turned incel hero Jordan Peterson was the inspiration behind the head of the Victory project. Yet, the film doesn’t have anything deeper or new to add into the sphere of conversation that is already happening across different mediums. No new questions were posed and no new challenges were raised. No matter which point of the spectrum you sit on, you won’t be able to produce a response that you haven’t already had about the subject matter.

That is not to discredit the talent of Olivia Wilde and her potential for greatness as a director. In fact, the film is far from the failure many are claiming it to be. But as an audience, we like to be challenged and want to be a part of the cinematic experience as more than mere passive spectators, and one should hope that Wilde can learn the right lessons from the criticisms and learn to demand more from her audience.

The Worst Person in the World (2021)

From Norwegian director Joachim Trier comes a new coming-of-age story, The Worst Person in the World, which endeavours to capture the messy peaks and pitfalls of a woman in her late twenties and early thirties. 

The film starts off by introducing us to Julie, who at the beginning of the narrative is a medical school student who decides to break up with her boyfriend and pursue photography as a new career path. Over the course of the action, Julie’s impulsiveness and aimlessness lead her to fumble through her youth on self-destructive paths. Yet, despite her recklessness and what the film’s title suggests, Julie is far from being the worst person in the world. Told in twelve chapters and bookended with a prologue and epilogue, the film shows captivating moments that epitomise the protagonist’s playful, flaky, and nonetheless genuine nature. The narrative deals with a comprehensive range of topics including the mounting pressure for women to enter motherhood, sexual pleasure from women’s perspectives, relationships with estranged parents, impulsive career decisions.

Trier’s remarkable even-handedness in handling the characters’ circumstances and fates is what saved the film from being trite. In each chapter of the film, Julie is confronted with issues faced by a wide spectrum of millennial women today. It’s true that the film does have feminist undertones and feminist buzzwords like mansplaining do come up in the film, but worry not, you will not find any hollow feminist statement here. The character of Julie provides a far more ambitious and compelling vantage point a person who has grown up but not quite matured yet. The film never downplays the fact that her womanhood is a significant part of and at the same time manages to highlight a more universal futility of youth. The film’s most hard-hitting moment takes place when Julie discovers that her ex-boyfriend, Aksel, is diagnosed with terminal cancer. He is grappling with the inevitability of death as someone without a future. And it is in Julie’s response to Aksel’s melancholic monologue that shows the true strength of her character. In the midst of uncertainty and fears, she chooses to commit to herself and her passion, finally ridding herself of being the supporting role or the spectator in her life.

The Worst Person in the World is a pensive reminder us that every choice you make can lead you to where you’re meant to be even if you can’t see where you’re going yet, and how quickly something can fade into nothing more than shadows and memories. It’s all a part of your evolution, even the sorrow, there is nothing to do but to go on and all the wandering is worth celebrating.

Spencer

When a creative work is based on a beloved and widely revered real-life figure, the minds behind it almost inescapably get accused of “disrespecting” the subject’s legacy. Many attempts have been made to depict the strife of Princess Diana’s life within the royal family. More than a typical biopic, Spencer respects Diana’s humanity by capturing her vulnerabilities and struggles to find her place as the Princess of Wales. 

The casting of Diana is key. In Pablo Larraín’s Spencer, Kristen Stewart gave a career-best and revelatory performance as Princess Diana. Instead of competing to be the best impersonator of Princess Diana, Stewart’s performance is bold and refreshing in that she is able to make the character completely her own. 

In fact, Stewart’s performance works splendidly in concert with the other elements of the film. Opted out of doing a point-by-point retelling of Diana’s life, the filmmakers took creative license and prioritised capturing the interiority of the character, The narrative of the film spans across three emotionally harrowing days at the Queen’s Sandringham Estate where the events unfold like a fever dream clouded in fog and looming tension. It centres on Diana's internal turmoil, rendering the other royal family members as background. This makes room for a more intensely intimate character study of a woman who feels misplaced and misjudged and who is running away from being erased. Spencer is tinged with elements of a psychological thriller. Screenwriter Steven Knight included Diana’s hallucinations of Anne Boleyn, which further hyperbolizes Diana’s internal turbulence by drawing comparisons to the two women’s life and fate. 

With few other ways to express her individuality, Stewart’s Diana dazzled in iconic costumes by Jacqueline Durran that evoke, rather than replicate, many fashion moments of the Princess Diana many know and love. The moody and sensational score by Radiohead guitarist Jonny Greenwood contributes to the emotional core of the film. Greenwood's magnificent work accentuates the spinning chaos and dysfunction throughout.

Spencer by Pablo Larraín is an unconventional and exquisite surrealist fable with a distinctive artistic approach. The aptly titled Spencer remembers Diana as, not a currency, but a human like any other who just wanted to live.

West Side Story

Steven Spielberg proves to the world that he knows how to direct a musical with the incredible showing of West Side Story.

The original musical, inspired by Romeo and Juliet, features a young romance between Tony and Maria who are divided by the racially charged rivalry between two New York gangs in the 1950s. Right from the first shot, the energy of the sweeping performances is felt instantly. The ensemble cast across the board gave their very best in their roles. With the immaculately choreographed camerawork, Spielberg guides you to travel across the dreamy, violent and romantic streets. The film features stunning shots by the virtuoso and his long-time collaborator and cinematographer Janusz Kamiński. 

This Spielberg-helmed version is most likely a welcomed addition to the canon of West Side Story. But if you are someone who doesn’t have easy access to Broadway musicals or Shakespearean stories, it would naturally take a little bit more to get swept off your feet by the rapture and urgency of the new-found love between Tony and Maria. The development of their romance could benefit from a little reframing in a modern adaptation of the story. The writers could have clued in the audience more about how the recklessness of the two plays into a conflict that has been brewing since way before their romance. In fact, their romance only heightens the long-existing chaos, and catalyses the fatal “rumble” in the climax of the film. The exuberant musical numbers work as a showcase to filmmakers’ artistry but the translation of this classic tale does leave something to be desired here. 

Even if there are moments in the film which make it hard for the audience to suspend disbelief, Steven Spielberg’s mastery, along with his dedicated cast and crew still made West Side Story a gratifying experience on the whole.

The Eyes of Tammy Faye

While the subject of The Eyes of Tammy Faye is certainly captivating, the rough rehashing of tried-and-true biopic tropes and story structure make for a rather predictable film.

This year’s Oscars marks a very special year in which none of the Best Actress nominees is derived from any of the ten Best Picture picks by the Academy. And after watching The Eyes of Tammy Faye, it’s not hard to understand why this particular film is recognized solely for the sensational performance from its lead and completely overlooked in most other categories. A big portion of the story beats is reminiscent of its recent predecessors along the likes of Judy (2019) and Rocketman (2019). Even without such comparisons, the script lacks much depth regarding the film’s subject and the company she surrounds herself with. The plot and characterization mostly serve as a checklist of requirements of a biopic that wants to be taken seriously in the sphere of awards conversations, without any organic development. With that being said, a Best Actress win for its lead Jessica Chastain would not come as a surprise and would very much be well-deserved, given that her performance is the beating heart of this film and is more than able to hold the audience’s attention throughout the entire runtime.

The Oscars have always been known, and perhaps infamous, for favoring safe and formulaic dramas, so one could only hope that the lack of recognition for this film save for the acting indicates that a certain step towards some vaguely new, if not the right, direction.

Emma.

Music videographer turned filmmaker Autumn de Wilde dusts the Jane Austen Classic, Emma, with a sprinkle of sugar.

“I am going to take a heroine whom no one but myself will much like,” Jane Austen said of the film’s titular heroine. True to her words, Taylor-Joy’s misguided yet well-meaning Emma is both hard to love and hard to resist. Accompanying her on this journey to self-awareness is a cast of eclectic supporting characters, including Bill Nighy’s pitch-perfect portrayal of the hypochondriacal Mr. Woodhouse.

In this confection-like period comedy, production designer Kave Quinn and set decorator Stella Fox enliven the charming Highbury with pastel hues and a creamy elegance that serve as the ideal backdrop for our heroine to indulge in romantic reveries. The bright-coloured and joyfully decorated locales make for an inviting and tangible quality that is reminiscent of Wes Anderson’s trademark twee. Music video veteran de Wilde makes great use of her expertise in the blocking of the film. The scene-stealing ensemble flits across the screen like an exquisitely choreographed dance. Coupled with the off-beat humour, this new spin on the classic exudes much charm and glee.

The enticing puffs of whimsical air in this 2020 version of Emma is a much-welcomed relief in these arduous times. This is guaranteed to satiate the appetite of many devoted Austen fans.

(Originally posted on 25 July 2020 @projectunwrapped)

Da 5 Bloods

Spike Lee’s potent new “joint” Da 5 Bloods is a powerful negotiation of American history on behalf of the downtrodden. The story traces a band of Black Vietnam war veterans who return to the battlefield to uncover buried treasures and come face to face with their perpetual psychological trauma.

Lee has always been bold when diving into the insidious chapters of our history. The director does not veer far from the recurring themes from his previous works here. Intermittent with authentic images from ongoing racial equality movements and the Vietnam war, the often violent film tactfully forces audiences to confront the corroded and uncomely side of these lived realities.

At any rate, in these times of anger and confusion, Lee’s passionate sentiments will surely be echoed in the chamber of many battered hearts. Be that as it may, you can trust that the auteur would not resign himself to tautology and sweeping statements. He delicately weaves the perception of Blackness, masculinity and patriotism into the tapestry of the narrative.

Lee’s passion may come on strong but they are always judiciously executed. The towering passion of the film culminates in a Shakespearean, fourth-wall breaking soliloquy in the last act delivered by the deeply troubled, MAGA hat-wearing Paul (Delroy Lindo). This moment exemplifies best the convergence of judgment, sympathy and resoluteness which makes Lee’s works worth seeing.

(Originally posted on 24 July 2020 @projectunwrapped)

Little Women

“Women, they have minds, and they have souls, as well as just hearts. And they’ve got ambition, and they’ve got talent, as well as just beauty. I’m so sick of people saying that love is just all a woman is fit for. I’m so sick of it! But I’m so lonely.”

Greta Gerwig has done it again.

In both Gerwig's directorial efforts, there seems to be an indescribable sense of motion that is brimming in every frame and every dialogue. Gerwig’s sensibility breathes an enveloping sense of warmth into this thoughtful and modern adaptation.

It’s not easy to find a director whose work makes you feel heard. Little Women is of course a splendid adaptation of a novel that is perhaps targeted towards a younger audience, but Gerwig treats the thematic elements with such nuance that the film is bound to appeal to audiences of all ages. The film uplifts those who yearn for independence but also makes a point to show the plights that come with one’s choice of independence. What makes the message of empowerment more genuine is that this same level of respect and sympathy are also extended to characters who face very different choices across the board.

Little Women reconstructed the classic story beats into separate timelines which at first can be muddled but as their distance closes, the sprawling episodes came to echo one another beautifully, like strings of memories spontaneously called upon one’s thoughts. These memories are adorned by bright spots of colour and dashes of childhood naivete. Watching them play out feels like we are at once looking in from the outside of the March house’s misty windows as a passive observer of their lives, while feeling like the warmth that radiates from within is just within our hands’ reach. Whether it’s an unread letter, an unfinished piece of writing, an unrequited love or an unsaid truth, Little Women makes you feel that all these fragments are tangible.

Thanks for making me feel alive again.

(Originally posted on 2 Jan 2020 @projectunwrapped)

Good Boys

From the creative team of Superbad, comes another raunchy studio comedy. Good Boys follows the scandalous adventures of three sixth grade boys.

If you are already a fan of films in the same repertoire as Superbad, you will definitely get a kick out of this one. Even for those who find the profane humour in Superbad intolerable, Good Boys will be a slightly more digestible alternative thanks to the delivery of its much more likable young cast. Leading the charge of the Beanbag Boys is Jacob Tremblay, who starred opposite Brie Larson in the 2015 Room. While Tremblay continues to shine just as bright as he did in his breakout role, it is Keith L. Williams’ Lucas who indisputably steals the show here.

The over-reliance of vulgarity is almost an inescapable flaw of every comedy in the same vein as Good Boys. As the shock value provided by the juxtaposition of crude r-rated jokes and the innocence of sixth graders wanes, the film starts to feel like a prolonged and gimmicky comedy skit. Other than the trope of “kids acting like adults”, there really isn’t enough material to sustain an entire arc or to make the world of this story feels lived in. In this case, Good Boys leaves a lot to be desired because we know from this year’s Booksmart that it is absolutely possible to maintain the outrageousness of it all and still leave room for the more delicate storytelling moments. •
Good Boys is a solid fun time if you enjoy watching sweet and mischievous kids cussing and getting themselves involved in taboo scenarios. It just doesn’t quite reach its full potential to make a lasting impression.

(Originally 8 Sep 2019 @projectunwrapped)

Toy Story 4

Back when Toy Story 4 was first announced, it was met with a considerable amount of disappointment. Such skepticism is perhaps legitimate, given that the last time the studio revisited the world of a beloved classic resulted in the forgettable Incredibles 2. Yet, despite the hesitation that a new installment may tarnish the perfectly wrapped-up trilogy, Toy Story 4 turns out to be a worthy story to tell.

There is a big difference between family-friendly films and family films. The former refers to films that is functionable enough to pacify kids for 90 minutes or so, whereas the latter refers to films that universally appeal to, and often inspires, their audiences regardless of their age. Toy Story 4 clearly belongs to the latter repertoire where it pushes the boundaries of what so-called “kids animation” can be.

In Toy Story 4, Pixar has stayed true to its commitment to innovation, something that is imbued in the DNA of most of the studios’ films. On the surface, the Toy Story films work as a metaphor to teach kids to cherish their possessions but we know the series has never been just about that. It creates a space where old meets new and explores how the two clashes to challenge the very existential part of ourselves. It uses the characters’ journeys to pose difficult questions about abandonment and belonging — what are we when we become dispensable? How do we move on with our past trailing behind us?

While previous installments all share a laser focus on identity, Toy Story 4 provides the most profound answer by far. Toy Story 4 signifies a period of essential transition. As a continuation of story arcs spanning across two decades, Toy Story 4 is a reminder that we are always allowed to rediscover ourselves and find new purposes. One might even interpret this as Pixar’s answer to its own transition in creative and executive power after the disgraceful departure of John Lasseter. In that case, Toy Story 4 tells us that a newer and more promising era is to come.

Toy Story 4 is an ambitious film that will take its audience to infinity and beyond.

(Originally posted on 9 July 2019 @projectunwrapped)

Spider-Man: Far From Home

The web-slinging hero returns after the MCU milestone Avengers: Endgame, putting the final puzzle piece of the 23-film Infinity Saga into place.

The release strategy is pretty much in the same vein as how the first Ant-man was released after Avengers: Age of Ultron as a palette cleanser. As expected, Watts followed closely the blueprint of meta-humour that was established in Spider-Man’s last solo endeavour. As far as the story goes though, the results are a mixed bag. The much anticipated antagonist Mysterio is captivating the moment he arrived but falls short due to an awkwardly handled twist. Through his character, the film offers insights into the MCU post-Endgame and ties his motivations with moral issues brought on by technology. The MCU has done so brilliantly before (à la Captain America: The Winter Soldier), and we see a glimmer of that happening in Far From Home. Sadly, the philosophical discourse here often has to make way for flashy action sequences. And because of a muddled second act, we aren’t really sure how Peter learn his lesson, we should simply be satisfied with knowing that he did.

The most glaring problem with this iteration of the Spider-Man/Peter Parker character in the MCU is that even as a top tier character of all comic book history, he is still playing second fiddle to Iron Man who was at best a B-list superhero prior to the MCU. With Far From Home, I was ready to see MCU Spidey be free from the crutch of Tony Stark. Instead, with him wearing Tony’s glasses, playing around with Stark technology, and even picking up Tony’s mannerisms, it only intensifies the concerns that this Spider-Man is simply Iron Man Jr. To retain his pseudo-family dynamics with the Iron Man characters, they even squeezed in an inconsequential romance between Happy and Aunt May. Having said that, Holland’s impeccable portrayal of the character is admirable. Plus, we get to watch Holland’s Peter and Zendaya’s MJ fall in love with each other.

As a fan of the character and Holland’s portrayal, I don’t want to see him as the shadow of a ghost, I would much rather see Peter Parker stand on his own like he has many times before.

(Originally posted on 29 June 2019 @projectunwrapped)

Parasite

With a series of drab blockbusters underperforming in critics’ and audience’s word of mouth, Director Boon Joon-ho has come to our rescue with a near-perfect masterpiece in Parasite.

The Palme d’Or winning film centers on a poverty-stricken family of four living in a basement. The four trick their ways into working for an obscenely rich family. Their sly get-rich-quick schemes soon fall apart as they unlock an unforeseeable danger which threatens to consume their lives.

Boon Joon-ho is no rookie in dealing with matters concerning class inequality and the grotesque greed of the upper class, as seen in his Dystopian thriller Snowpiercer. Despite the similar themes, Parasite manages to be so much more than just “Snowpiercer without the sci-fi elements”. Even with a grounded reality built into Parasite, it still feels like a massive undertaking in terms of its tone shifts, emotional resonance and social engagement. Boon’s sensibility and skillfulness in melding all the tones here is nothing less than a stroke of genius. Parasite begins like any other dramedy with an ironic and comedic touch. With the help of the likeable ensemble of characters, audiences are immediately lured into a false sense of security right from the start. In revealing the twists and turns, Boon borrowed classic techniques seen in horror and action films that enhance the immersive experience. As it draws to an end, the rightful anger that is seeping through the shots will take you apart like a gut-wrenching punch to the heart. But Boon, being as ambitious as he is, seems to think that even marrying humour and anger together flawlessly runs the risk of trivializing the issues at hand. As the family muses drunkenly about their future plans, their hopes of overcoming their disadvantage are devastatingly materialises into a sense of wistfulness and a longing that, we know, will never be fulfilled. This is exactly where Boon’s gentle and contemplative touch comes through and shines.

As the half-year mark approaches, it might indeed be too early to give out the title of “best film of the year” but Boon’s Parasite might just be the film for us to break the rule.

(Originally posted on 25 June 2019 @projectunwrapped)

Rocketman

After their initial collaboration in the sports biopic Eddie the Eagle, Director Dexter Fletcher forges his cinematic partnership with actor Taron Egerton ahead to capture yet another extraordinary figure of the world, Elton John.

The resurgence of the musical genre over the last few years has introduced an array of real and fictional music personalities to the big screen treatment — some remarkable and some less. Critics and audiences have surely made their complaints of the genre’s garden-variety entries — “if you’ve seen one, you’ve seen them all” — known. In the case of Rocketman, audiences can rest assure that Fletcher and Egerton have wasted no time to put their own mark on the genre.

In Rocketman, every swirl and sweep of the camera, every uproarious dance move and every melodic tune come together splendidly make a bona fide of a film to respectfully honour its inspiration. Even with Elton John’s personal stamp of approval and producing role, the film does not feel like a watered down version of the real story which serves as a testament to Fletcher’s directorial instincts. Fletcher makes no attempt to shy away from the singer’s sexuality and addiction struggles. Still, the triumphant moments roar just as intensely to dazzle its audience and to counteract the darkness. In this character-centric piece, the centerpiece of the film is rightfully the inspired casting of Egerton who not only oozes charisma and talent every second he is on screen but also in the recording studio belting out every note. Egerton is clearly aware of the responsibilities in delivering a career-defining performance in this career-defining role.

Rocketman firmly stands as one of the more noteworthy efforts among its peers within the genre. It’s a must-see for all Elton John fans and even casual filmgoers, and if Fletcher and Egerton want to team up again in the future, you will hear no complaints from me.

(Originally posted on 24 June 2019 @projectunwrapped)

A Star is Born

Hollywood has always been tirelessly obsessed with telling stories about itself and this particular one just beckons to be told and retold, time and again. This fourth rendition of A Star is Born, brings us the respective directorial and acting debut from Bradley Cooper and Lady Gaga.

As perhaps the biggest intrigue of the film, Gaga’s first official outing on the big screen fares way better than most might imagine, owing to her natural charisma as a performer and a phenomenal musical talent. As expected, the film does feature some vivacious and thrilling musical numbers, resembling the energy of a live stadium.

Undeniably, Cooper and Gaga have palpable on-screen chemistry together. Disappointingly though, the film pretty much just coasts on this easy rapport to convince us that this is a be-all and end-all love story. The emotional disconnect becomes more apparent as the film progresses, when the focus of the story shifts from the discovery of Ally as an up-and-coming star to Jack’s inner demons. The story offers many opportunities to deal with the dark side of the music industry that Ally faces but were brushed over to make way for Jack’s character arch. The development of Ally is then stalled and molded around her association with Jack but never through her own identity as an artist or person. She barely shows any sense of agency towards her own career which is antithetical to the film’s message about the authenticity of an artist. The lopsided perspective of this romance and the film’s abandonment of Ally as a character are frustrating to say the least. So by the time we get to the closing number of the film, which is supposed to be the emotional crescendo of their relationship (and the entire film), the drama sadly dissolves into overripe melodrama.

A Star is Born is a proficiently made film which many will enjoy. But its inability to practice what it preaches and its treatment to its pivotal female character, considering that this is the fourth remake of the story, makes the film fall victim to its own hype.

(Originally posted on 22 Oct 2018 @projectunwrapped)

First Man

La La Land alumnus Ryan Gosling teams up with director Damien Chazelle once again, this time, for a journey to the moon.

The cinematography in First Man is absolutely top-notch which makes the film pleasurable to watch all around. Audience will no doubt be pleased with this clear, relentless thoughtfulness that is consistently shown in Chazelle’s films.

In First Man, Chazelle chapters the years in Armstrong’s life circling his giant leap to the moon. There are family and marital drama in the midst of the space missions to flesh out Armstrong’s motivation and sacrifices. But even with the aggrandization of a magnificent score, it just wasn’t enough to keep the tension afloat. When the film goes through its story beats, déja vu is unavoidable by avid fans of the space genre. The characters are all there, the ambitious but tortured spaceman, the worried wife, the tight-lipped NASA employees. The leads, Gosling and Foy did the best with how little they were given. All that aside, the curiosity to witness Chazelle’s unfaltering execution of this time-tested story is somewhat enough to make this experience worthwhile.

With each feature-length addition to his résumé, Chazelle shows that he is clearly unafraid to tread into unexplored territory, demonstrating his razor-sharp vision each and every time. The technical achievement of First Man should make Chazelle proud in that respect. But as someone who has once been thoroughly impressed by Chazelle’s talent as a storyteller, one can only wish that First Man contains a stronger story.

(Originally posted on 17 Oct 2018 @projectunwrapped)

Peter Rabbit

Following the success of the Paddington films, the latest British children’s literature character to get the live-action/CGI hybrid treatment is Peter Rabbit.

It’s almost impossible to talk about about this movie without using the word “cute”. But, yes, this was indeed very, very cute. The character designs and CGI work in Peter Rabbit are really well-done, capturing the likeness of the animals without bordering on creepiness. The film is supported by a cast of actors with great comedic timing which supplies the film with plenty of delightfulness.

What prevents it from achieving the greatness of Paddington though is that it simply lacks the ambition to be anything more than a good “kids movie”. The message about responsibility is delivered in a pretty clean-cut way but any moral depth is deemed too sentimental here. What you will find though is elaborate sequences of hijinks, sarcastic quips and slapstick humour. Still, it’s hard to fault the film for something it wasn’t designed to be.

Peter Rabbit will probably not go down in history as one of the best family films but it is a bright and vivacious adventure that many will be happy to go on.

(Originally posted on 2 Apr 2018 @projectunwrapped)

Unsane

Steven Soderbergh’s Unsane, tells the story of a woman who is wrongly admitted into in a mental institution, and discovers that she is trapped in the same facility as her stalker.

Shot entirely on iPhone, simplicity is key in Soderbergh’s psychological thriller. The iPhone cinematography really works in the film’s favour and accentuates it with a layer of intimate and high-strung tension. The harsh and grainy visuals lend the film a low-budget aesthetics and make the horror feels particularly grounded. Through the voyeuristic and shadowy gaze of the camera, Soderbergh turns the location of horror into a labyrinth of frustration and paranoia. The film also touches on themes about the corruption of American corporations, but the true genius of the film lies in its take on the complex psyche — the violence, invasiveness and manipulation — of assault. Claire Foy’s central performance in the film grippingly conveys the many levels of trauma, anger, self-doubt and despair of assault victims. The inevitable confrontation between Foy’s Sawyer and her stalker will induce unease in the most satisfying manners.

(Originally posted on 1 Apr 2018 @projectunwrapped)

Ready Player One

“Does it look like I’m trying too hard?”
“Yes, listen to yourself.”

Perspective is everything and Ready Player One is just a sad sight. If you’re wondering what trying too hard looks like, Spielberg’s long-awaited return to the sci-fi genre, Ready Player One, is the cinematic equivalent of exactly that. Ready Player One is a celebration of pop culture and human imagination that lacks any imagination in itself.

It would almost be funny, if it wasn’t so infuriating, that Steven Spielberg managed to combine possibly every annoying thing about male-centric nerd culture into two and a half hours of lifeless dialogue and mind-numbing action sequences. The narrative unfolds in the blandest fashion possible — white nerdy male hero saves the world and gets the girl.

The sense of adventure we have come to expect from Spielberg movies is nowhere to be found. The world-building is so carelessly done that it’s hard to buy into any of the drama due to lack of tension between the real world and the Oasis. Spielberg never told us whether activities in the Oasis have any impacts on the real world. When the point of view switches back to the real world and you see people on the streets wobbling back and forth with their headsets on, you’ll realize how pointless it all is. It’s the absurdity of every online argument ever, epitomized. And if he can’t tell us why the Oasis is so important to the real world, why not destroy it altogether?

The writers made sure to cram in easter eggs of almost all of 80s pop culture, but they have little to do with the context. It feels more like a parade of knowledge, bloated with self-aggrandisement, rather than an expression of genuine passion. The film’s strange notion that somehow we are supposed to take the hero’s extensive pop culture knowledge as a emblem of honour is just laughable.

If Ready Player One is intended to be a cautionary tale, then it certainly did its job. Because if that’s a glimpse into the future ahead of us, it’s a future I want no part of. I get it, seeing your favourite robots and monsters fight each other on the big screen is cool, but to call that a good story? No, thank you.

(Originally posted on 1 Apr 2018 @projectunwrapped)

Goodbye Christopher Robin

Before Winnie the Pooh became a Disney favourite, there was A. A. Milne. Inspired by the relationship with his own son, the author created the beloved children’s books series, Winnie the Pooh, whilst dealing with PTSD from World War I.

In this adaptation of Milne’s life, Director Simon Curtis combines contrasting themes about war, family and childhood fame together, and it all sounds reasonably interesting. However, the disjointed points of view show that the film clearly has a difficult time meshing these elements together into the same narrative flow. The characters’ demeanors and moods shift so abruptly, it’s as if we’re introduced to an entirely different being each turn. When it comes to moments of excessive sentimentality, it’s intentions are more obvious than anything else but the overall indecisiveness of the film makes even those moments seem forced and artificial.

There may be a good story somewhere on the page but the end product is unremarkable at best, it makes you wonder why they bothered with this in the first place. It’s just one of those movies that i will gladly forget.

(Originally posted on 25 Mar 2018 @projectunwrapped)

Game Night

The crime comedy Game Night, starring Rachel McAdams and Jason Bateman, follows the story of a group of board games enthusiasts who find themselves trapped in a murder mystery game gone wrong.

The film itself is a literal mixbag and full of wild cards. The directors borrow much influences from the comedy, rom-com, crime and horror genres. Throw in a couple of pop culture and film references, the film successfully channels the broad appeal of most contemporary comedies. The establishing shots are thoughtfully crafted through the use of miniatures to mimic the look of board game pieces.

Like any comedy, the jokes are hit-and-miss but when necessary it can still ride on the charm of its lead, Rachel McAdams. Jesse Plemons, who plays the newly divorced next door neighbour, is a definite standout in the cast of supporting characters with his deadpan delivery. As for the story, there are enough twists and turns to throw unsuspecting audience off. But by the time it reaches the third act, it becomes quite noticeable that the runtime is only prolonged by retracing the same steps and beats they have already hit before.

Though hardly a game changer for the genre, the goofiness of Game Night is nonetheless hard to resist and a blast to laugh with.

(Originally posted on 19 Mar 2018 @projectunwrapped)