If you have ever visited my blog, you know I am game for pretty much any Star Wars stuff (I won’t use the word “content” because I hate describing movies and TV shows as that, just a personal preference), and therefore I watched all the Star Wars: Visions. And as with anything collaborative and short-based (it’s only nine episodes, where the longest one, I believe, is shy of just 20 minutes), you get a mixed bag. And this mixed bag is worth it.
Star Wars: Visions gives us a look at our favourite galaxy far, far away in a new light. Every episode focuses on different characters/stories, and most importantly, is animated in a different, unique style. And because there are various studios behind every episode, you get a variety of animation styles. Some of them are gorgeous, some are more “kids friendly”, but all will catch your eye as it’s not something you would be used to (unless you are watching plenty of anime shows, which is something, I need to get into).
I liked the aspect of “getting back to the roots”, as we all know Star Wars was… let’s just say inspired (quite heavily) by The Hidden Fortress (1958). So it was only a matter of time before Disney would acknowledge that and let some other artists play in this sandbox too. Especially if the idea pretty much came from their sandbox, it is more than fair. And to tell you the truth, if people and studios behind some of these episodes (The Duel, The Twins or The Ninth Jedi) were given a season or two to develop its own Star Wars-themed show fully, about the new characters in their animation style, I would love that. Those episodes were my favourite ones. Especially the first episode (The Duel) aesthetically, I liked that one the most. Yes, there are questionable things about this episode (lightsaber umbrella…?), but that animation style was pleasing and stunning to look at.
That is the thing about all these episodes, to be honest. Even the better ones always have something you can pick apart, or they are not fully developed. So I wouldn’t say either one is “perfect”. But I don’t think it would be fair to judge this show based on that, as that wasn’t the assignment, I don’t think. I believe, and I might be completely wrong here, the purpose behind this show was to give us, the fans, something from this vast universe from a different perspective. Seeing the galaxy far, far away through a new lens, with a different animation style for each episode. And don’t get too bogged down with a story. This show almost felt like a “demo” of what could have been, in the best way possible. And if you approach it like that, you will have fun with these shorts.
Will it blow your socks off? Do you absolutely have to watch it? No, is the short answer to both of these questions. But you still should, as you would miss out on something unique. And I think in the world, where even the “top tier” animation studios have “figured out” their style, and you can tell just based on a single picture from the movie what studio is behind what film, this show felt refreshing. It really felt great seeing lightsabers designed differently or stories we would never get or action sequences that are so crazy they simply work. And the fact all together these episodes are about three hours or so also helps.
Overall, Star Wars: Visions is an experiment that mostly worked. Not every episode will be your favourite, and some are 100% more tailored towards kids, but you still should have a good time with them. If for nothing else, you should watch this to see how uniquely different animation styles can be and how things can look so much more interesting if we let people from different cultures/backgrounds into a sandbox that’s been heavily dominated by white males. And this isn’t some crusade against white males (I am one too, so I won’t crucify myself), just a simple fact that we’ve seen this universe a lot throughout the years from one perspective. I think it’d be awesome to invite some companies behind a few of these episodes back and give them resources to produce a show or animated movie. I would be definitely watching it, and I can guarantee you I wouldn’t be the only one.
⭐⭐⭐⭐
Rating: 4 out of 5.
That’s all for this one! Did you see it? What did you think about it? Let me know!
I would love to know how the creators of Only Murders in the Building pitched this show. Because every time I tell someone to watch it and name the brilliant leading trio of actors (Steve Martin, Martin Short and Selena Gomez), most of the time they’d look at me weirdly. As obviously, one name in here is not like the others. And that is the exact reason this show works so well.
Only Murders in the Building gets you from the very first episode. It hooks you in with a chill vibe, colourful characters, and you stay for the mystery element that is done very well. It also mixes and blends genres flawlessly – everything from comedy, crime, drama; this show has it all. And it’s not afraid to take some risks (for example, the episode from the perspective of an actual deaf actor (James Caverly) was the highlight of this show for me) while still maintaining your attention and not “stopping” the main storyline.
That was something shows like these sometimes struggle with – they take risks and focus on a plethora of characters, so you’d get episodes centring on that new storyline altogether. And that is great for getting to know that particular character better, sure. But often, it’s done to the disadvantage of the “main” storyline that gets stuck for that episode or adds very little to it. For example – this show reminded me in many ways of Desperate Housewives (2004 – 2012). One of only two shows I have started and never finished. Because it wasn’t worth it for me, as the storylines fell into this trap – too many characters were given a lot of time/space, and the main story (or mystery) wouldn’t sometimes exist. I know a part of the reason for that was the “network construct”. They had to fill a “TV year” (10 months); they had to have at least 22/24 episodes a season so you would get these episodes.
And this is where Only Murders in the Building takes this concept (even though it’s an entirely different premise, but the vibe is the same) and makes it work brilliantly for today’s streaming audience, where there are no rules. Want to have a show with only six episodes? Or ten? Sure, go ahead; we won’t stop you. That is why any show nowadays can take much larger risks and still make it work for the overall story. When you have a storyline with a beginning, middle and end, and you don’t have to worry about spreading it thinly across 22/24 episodes, your show tends to become much more focused.
I’ve mentioned them at the start, so now, let’s talk about the casting and mainly our three titular characters. I haven’t seen Steve Martin in a while, so it was great seeing him in something new, showcasing he is still funny. I won’t spoil anything, but in the last episode of this show, there is a scene that had me almost dying involving his character being inspirational, let’s say. Also, is it just me, or does he look the same age for the last 30 years? Martin Short surprised me, as I have only known him for his “out there” comedic performances, where he didn’t get to showcase his other, more dramatic side. In this show, he starts like this too, but you quickly discover that every character isn’t just one thing. And scenes with him and his family were great. He undeniably nailed his performance too. And Selena Gomez is not only stunning but is turning out to be a great actress too! Believe it or not, I have not seen her in many things. I can only imagine how challenging this must have been for her – not only because her character is the glue that holds this show together, but to “step up” on the level of two comedy legends… I don’t know about her, but if somebody told me I need to act (and be funny) opposite Steve Martin and Martin Short, I would have been nervous… for the first five seconds. Then, once my brain would process it fully, I would be downright terrified. But not her, Selena came, was funny and conquered.
And to a certain degree, you could argue she is the main reason this show works as well. Without her, it would just be two old guys running around. She is not only decreasing the average age of this show (significantly), but she “gels” with both of her co-stars so well, it almost seems obvious this combination would work. But here’s the thing – it wasn’t obvious. I think this show took a risk that paid off massively, and the main stars clicked almost effortlessly.
One thing I need to mention is the self-referential nature of this show, its meta-ness. As they record their podcast about a murder that happened, they often discuss that episode’s twists and turns inside of it, as if our protagonists were talking about the episode they are in right now. But that’s because they are. I loved this effective fourth-wall break and how every episode starts with a “cold open”, then credits and then a podcast player. That not only indicates the length of each episode you are watching but shows you how much time has passed since the episode started. And it’s these tiny touches that make this show stand out.
What I will write next might shock you, given how positive I have been until now. I honestly hope there won’t be too many seasons. I know season two has been approved already, and I can’t wait to see it. But I truly feel this concept “we only investigate murders that happen in our building” can’t be stretched (at least sensibly) too far. I would hope that we would get solid three, maybe four seasons maximum. Because I don’t think you can fully replicate this almost lighting in a bottle feel. Precisely the same issue that happened to Desperate Housewives – each season felt the same, even though the mystery was different. And at a certain point, there is only so much you can do with a show like this. But that’s a concern for the future. For now, I have enjoyed Only Murders in the Building and can’t wait for the next season.
Overall, Only Murders in the Building felt like a breath of fresh air. In today’s day and age, where shows are either too dramatic, there is no joy, or too comedic where there are no stakes or character development, comes this “little” (at least in scope), show that mixes several genres and does it well. The central trio should not work as well, and yet, somehow, it does, and it’s a joy to watch them act opposite each other. And the meta-ness of this is just a cherry on top of a pretty sweet cake. Is that the best TV show that’s currently on? Probably not. But it’s certainly up there, and it shows some promise for the future. The future, I hope, will be on the shorter side, as I would hate to see this show overstay its welcome.
⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
Rating: 4.5 out of 5.
That’s all for this one! Did you see it? What did you think about it? Let me know!
Oh boy, where to start with this one… Let’s take it from the beginning. I have seen the “original” Justice League (2017) and thought it was a pretty average film. I knew about the re-shoots that took place after Zack Snyder left due to his family tragedy. What I didn’t know, and nobody could at the time, was how much Joss Whedon left on the cutting room floor. That started the #ReleaseTheSnyderCut movement, which might have started with good intentions. But as with everything nowadays, it devolved into a mess, where people are afraid to say anything negative regarding Zack Snyder or this movie. I need to make something clear; as with any movement/fan base, call it whatever you want; there will always be minorities who will push everything too far. So, to make everything crystal clear, I am not saying everybody campaigning for this cut is a troll, but there is (what I would hope to be) a small minority of pretty loud trolls in this specific movement.
Let’s go back to this movie. The Snyder Cut for a while seemed to be this magical unicorn. Something, people almost wanted to exist because they were so disappointed with what we’ve gotten with Joss’ Justice League. And then, the man, the myth, the legend confirmed it himself – Zack said his cut exists. And that shifted this movement to new heights. They were larger than Mount Everest at that point. And this is where I have a tiny issue with the way this story goes – what we have gotten now, with Zack Snyder’s Justice League is his cut, no questions about that. But and this is the big point for me – this is NOT what we would have gotten, even if Snyder’s family tragedy didn’t happen. Had he stayed and finished the film, there was no way in hell studio would let him release an almost four-hour movie in a 4:3 ratio. But given everything that happened and the online support he managed to get from his loyal fans, the studio gave him money, freedom and he delivered… this. So, let’s talk about this without any baggage; let’s judge this film on its own merits, shall we?
Zack Snyder’s Justice League is a 100% better movie than the 2017 version. I can’t argue against that. Especially the Cyborg (Ray Fisher) character got more space. We saw what Joss left on the floor, and it made this character work better. And the final battle scene with all our heroes combined was also much better executed. But that is about it. And this is where we need to be objective – this was too bloated. There weren’t any reasons for this film to be almost four hours. Even when they (HBO) were planning to release this as a limited series, I had my doubts they had enough material, and sure enough, they didn’t.
Don’t get me wrong, they shot plenty of scenes, but editing is an art you only appreciate once it’s done badly. Or, like in this case, not at all, it seemed. I think Zack wanted to overcompensate for his fans and gave them literally everything he shot. It’s like he said to himself: “They want to see my version. They want to see what I shot. I will give them everything.” And as noble as it might sound (if this truly happened), it was 100% a wrong move. Because all this cut confirmed was just how much Snyder shot. Not that his film is much superior.
And yet, I believe we have a great film here. If somebody edited mainly the first two hours down and also worked on the end of this movie (that seemed to be going on forever!), into let’s say three hours, maybe slightly less, maybe slightly more, it might have been a great movie that would once and for all showcased, why you need to trust the process. Instead, once you finally finish this almost four-hour beast, you feel exhausted, but not in a good way. My initial thoughts were: “Sure, from what I remember about the previous Justice League, this was better, but was it really that much better?” Something in my head was contemplating why I couldn’t “push” myself to love this. And then it dawned on me – it is bloated. I have no issue spending a few hours watching a film or a great show. And it rarely feels like that if the show or a movie is brilliant. But with Zack Snyder’s Justice League, there are moments where you “feel” the length.
I hoped that in this version, they would (spoiler alert but not really) at least resurrect Superman earlier. But nope. As with the previous version, it takes way too much time to get him back. But I understand why, as this cut highlighted even more, how useless everybody else is, compared to him. Take the final fight against Steppenwolf; they all inflict some damage but struggle to do anything meaningful. Superman shows up and pretty much destroys him within five minutes…? That’s the paradox of Superman’s character in a nutshell – he’s all too powerful, there is no point for Justice League. Sure, some characters can go toe to toe with him, but let’s face it. Unless there is (his only weakness) Kryptonite involved, he will overpower anybody. In this cut, it was so painfully obvious he is “Justice League” of his own.
Also, the special effects/re-design of Steppenwolf were… ok? I know many fans were delighted with this change, how it looks so much better than the 2017 version and… does it? Yeah, he looked a bit shinier and “hornier” (not like that, you perverts, his armour had more horns/spikes), but was I so impressed by this change? Not really. The problem wasn’t (at least for me) the design of his character; it was more about his motivations. And in here, he is pretty much a slightly more powerful henchman for a boss he “video calls” way too often throughout the movie. I know why they have done it, trying to hype up his “boss” (Thanos style), but it didn’t work the way they intended.
I know this review might seem slightly more “all over the place”, and I think it’s because this whole thing (not just this cut) has been like that. Because of what the #ReleaseTheSnyderCut started, I am not sure; if I am on board with it. Am I happy that Zack Snyder managed to come back to something he had to quit because of an awful tragedy? Yes. Do I think it was necessary and might trigger countless other “#ReleaseThisCut” campaigns? Possibly, hell, we already have people calling for “the original” cut of Suicide Squad (2016) with #ReleaseTheAyerCut. But where do we draw the line? Instead of re-doing films that have already been done wouldn’t it be better to focus the money and the energy of those talented people behind those films on something new? Rather than going back? Because if Zack Snyder’s Justice League proved anything to me, was yeah, he had shot a different film. And yes, it is slightly better. But it still has its problems. Now, I, as a fan, have two choices.
Move on with my life, and understand that sometimes, things happen, and a director I like (and I do enjoy his work) has a mediocre movie. Which is fine; every director has at least a few movies they would rather forget.
Go and complain about it on Twitter, start the #RecutTheSynderCut, because I am so sure this will produce a masterpiece we deserve. And I honestly believe that had someone reduced the runtime of this monster, this could be a great film. But is that beneficial to anyone? Me, the filmmakers, the fans? Personally, I will say no, but obviously, that is up for debate.
I would rather choose option two. Listen, if you really enjoyed this film, I am happy for you. I honestly am. But would I prefer for the 40 million dollars they spent on “finishing” this cut to go to some smaller filmmaker for something new? Nowadays, you don’t even get anywhere near that amount for indie movies. And I know, this isn’t Zack’s fault, clearly. But all I am saying, the resources that went into this production could have given many filmmakers the much-needed resources for their smaller, not superhero-related, movies.
Overall, Zack Snyder’s Justice League is a complicated film for me. The story behind this film is a tragic one. And I rooted for Zack to deliver something that would be so much better than what we got in 2017. I rated that version 5/10 (or 2.5*). And this is a superior version, so my rating is higher. But would I recommend it? Even though it’s better, and it’s from a director I still like, I don’t know to be honest. If I were talking to a hardcore comic book fan, the answer would be yes; I would recommend them this film. But if they were more casual moviegoers, I don’t think I would. I don’t think there would be a point for your average movie-going audience to see this almost four beast, as they’d suffer through it. And that’s the ultimate paradox of this cut. After all this money spent, it might be the biggest blockbuster ever produced for a relatively tiny, niche group of fans. One thing you can’t deny though they are a loud and passionate bunch.
⭐⭐⭐⭐
Rating: 3.5 out of 5.
That’s all for this one! Did you see it? What did you think about it? Let me know!
There is a lot that I can simply copy and paste from my review of the “original” Dune (1984, my review here). Well, I could only post the stuff I wrote regarding my experience with the story itself and how I’ve always heard about these books being so complex. Because, as you might expect, the movie versions differ a lot, quality-wise. But there is one thing both versions have in common – they have assured me that I need to read all the Dune books.
I won’t compare these movies “like for like”, as that would be like comparing Skoda 105 (my very first car) to Skoda Superb I have briefly driven due to it being my work car. Yes, technically, both should be comparable, as both have the same brand, but everything is so different given one car was made in the 70s/80s, and the other was 2020 make. There is no point in comparing. It wouldn’t be fair to either and would just waste my time and yours, so let’s talk about this version.
Dune is quite simply an epic masterpiece. Denis Villeneuve had an uphill battle from the very start. The moment he managed to make a name for himself with movies like Sicario(2015) or Arrival(2016), he made a sequel to one of the most classic sci-fi movies ever, Blade Runner (1982, my review here). And did it very well as Blade Runner 2049 (2017, my review here) smashed all the expectations and was a great film. But after doing that, he said he wanted to remake Dune. And so he did. I still remember thinking that even though I believed in him, I wished he would go to something original and not remake films that already exist. I am glad to say I was wrong, and he proved me wrong. Because he made this film in a way, there can’t be any discussion about the simple fact he was the one to film this unfilmable sci-fi.
It has everything trailers have promised you – talented cast, stunning visual effects, and mainly the movie feels epic. It has scope like not many movies, especially in recent years I remember. Every planet we explore in the film felt unique; the scenes from dessert felt like you were there. And the worms truly had the “awe” moment. That one scene where you understand how big these creatures can get. And I haven’t watched this in IMAX, as there is only one in Scotland, and I don’t think it would be wise to travel just now. But if there were one nearby, I would love to see this again, in IMAX.
I won’t lie, when I saw the runtime of almost three hours (155 minutes), I was a bit afraid of how well would this movie be paced and yet again, I forgot who I was dealing with here. Denis Villeneuve doesn’t make boring movies. The runtime was not only justified; it never once bothered me as there was always something happening on the screen. But don’t get me wrong, Dune isn’t some action-packed film, even though there are some great action sequences here. No, you are sucked into the world, into the story, the general “lore” of it so much, you wish it would be twice as long. And that made me think whether a movie approach for something as complex as this is the correct way to go.
Wouldn’t a TV show, where each season = one book, be much better? The technology is there now, and if Game of Thrones (2011 – 2019) proved anything, people would tune in if you give them a great story. No matter how complex it is or how many characters there are. If you make it intriguing enough, they will come. And subscribe to your streaming service, I guess. I am saying this as a person who thoroughly enjoyed this film. I wouldn’t be surprised if five or ten years from now, we would get this as a big-budget show.
Also, we need to mention the cast. I think that’s the only thing I would compare against the Dune from 1984. Minus the insanity of some performers (cough, Sting, cough), I would say that is the only thing both movies got right. I wasn’t too convinced with Timothée Chalamet in other films, but in this one, he fits right in. I thought he gave a very understated performance, where even though he is effectively the titular star, he is not the focus of the movie for the most part. As arguably, you get more time with Rebecca Ferguson and Oscar Isaac, playing his parents. And what a power couple. Rebecca yet again proves she is one of the leading ladies of the 2010s and beyond. Because her performance in this film just made me love her even more if that was even possible. The same could be said about Oscar “I am in every movie now, because I am that awesome” Isaac – we live in his era, where every time you see his name on the screen, you know that no matter the movie, he will always deliver. I have seen him in many films, and I have yet to see him fail. And something tells me he won’t. And together, they form a believable power couple, where he is the wise king who needs to have somebody on his level. It’s hard to talk about the rest of the cast, as most of today’s Hollywood stars are in this film, but I think you’d struggle to find a bad performance here. The only negative (from my point of view) is Zendaya being in the film for not even ten minutes. Yes, I wanted to see more of her. I understand her character will be more important in the already announced sequel (Dune: Part Two (2023)), but it was funny to see how many promos and trailers were focusing on her.
Overall, Dune was a massive risk to make, given the history with this property, given the complexity of the story, how many characters we need to keep track of, what house controls what etc. But somehow, Denis Villeneuve managed to succeed against all odds. And yes, I understand what I will write next might sound too pretentious, but I understand and agree with him when he said the studio might have killed his movie by making it available on HBO Max. Luckily we now know it’s not the case, but if there was a movie to see in the cinemas for its scope this year, it is this movie. There is something about the cinema truly enhancing your experience, and Dune is the prime example. If you can and feel safe to do so, go and see Dune in the cinemas. It is worth it.
⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
Rating: 5 out of 5.
That’s all for this one! Did you see it? What did you think about it? Let me know!
I won’t lie, I have enjoyed the first Venom (2018) film. I thought it was something new Tom Hardy fit the role perfectly, and overall, I had a pretty good time with the movie. Although I have to admit, I haven’t seen it since the cinema (I’ve rated it 8/10, or 4*). So of course, we (my girlfriend and I) had to go and see Venom: Let There Be Carnage (quite a mouthful) in the cinemas again, as she was with me the first time too. And I still definitely enjoyed myself, the movie is so short it doesn’t have the time to bore you, but I felt like something was… missing?
Venom: Let There Be Carnage takes what worked from the previous movie and rolls with it. I enjoyed how they approached Venom’s and Eddie’s (Tom Hardy’s character) “relationship” with his… shall we say “unusual body mate”? That was definitely the highlight for me, to see their chaotic relationship, how they argued all the time. But since Venom is inside his body/head, nobody can hear Venom, so everybody only responds to Eddie and how he is “acting out”.
The movie itself feels almost “half-done”. What I mean by that – it flies by really quickly that is usually a big plus in my book, but in this specific example, it felt almost too fast. Like there was at least an hour or two of footage left someplace on the cutting room floor? The main reason I felt like this was except for the Eddie/Venom relationship, there were no other characters we could care about.
And that is a shame, as we have Woody Harrelson as Carnage and Naomie Harris portraying Shriek (a character I wasn’t familiar with at all). And they both get the bare minimum of character development to get the movie moving forward to its chaotic action sequences. Some of these scenes felt like Andy Serkis (yep, THE Andy Serkis directed this movie) chugged some Red Bulls alongside his camera operator, and they felt the need to go fast. But what might work for “some” hedgehog called Sonic doesn’t necessarily work for this film. Because for us to care about this film and the stakes, we need to know a bit more than the bare minimum?
The other thing that disappointed me was the colossal waste of Michelle Williams and Reid Scott. Both talented actors, both came back, and they have been given almost zero things to do. Sure, Michelle’s character yet again needs to be saved (spoiler, but not really as come on!), and Reid’s there for about five to ten minutes to be the “character who can’t believe what’s happening around him”. If you know him from the show Veep(2012 – 2019), you know very well what he is capable of, and yet, here he is wasted more than a condom machine in the Vatican. And don’t even get me started on Michelle’s character… Why even ask her to be back if you weren’t going to give her anything meaningful to do?
I think that was my main issue with the film. It’s trying to be an action-packed cool ride so much, it kind of goes there, and it doesn’t bother with anything else. Sure, we spend some time catching up on Eddie and Venom’s dynamic, but other than those two (and those are the protagonists!), we have zero other characters to be invested in. That reminds me – Stephen Graham is also a superb actor who tried something here, and the movie hints towards the end at him being “the big bad” in the possible next film…? But do we know much about him, except his hearing loss due to him escorting Naomie’s Shriek character that one time? Nothing.
Look, I understand this is still a comic book film, and trust me, I don’t expect a drama with fully fleshed-out characters like from a Stephen King book, no. But would it help if this movie took the time to establish the characters a bit more? At least our main villain (I guess) duo? Absolutely it would. Because once the movie is over, you realise that you have enjoyed the ride, but the moment you start thinking more about everything you’ve seen, the more you realise the things that bothered you while the movie was happening. The film manages to distract you with CGI fight scenes almost every five minutes, not giving you a lot of time to think about anything. But eventually, you will think about this film. And when I think about the first Venom, I think about a movie that had some issues, but I overall enjoyed it. When I look back on this film, I can’t help but think that the ride was pretty thrilling, but it could have been so much more than just a cool ride.
Overall, Venom: Let There Be Carnage is a decent enough film. The movie is lucky enough they cast Tom Hardy, who does his very best to keep you entertained and makes you understand his character and at the same time can act this chaotic energy so well, it never becomes tiring. I liked the action scenes, albeit some were too chaotic and too “rubber looking”, but at the moment, you are simply along for the ride. But that is pretty much it. When comes to any great villains, any character development for our supporting characters from the first film, forget about it. It will be interesting to see what is next for this franchise (?) and what the future holds.
⭐⭐⭐⭐
Rating: 3.5 out of 5.
That’s all for this one! Did you see it? What did you think about it? Let me know!
I need to show my cards here – I am a huge Edgar Wright fan. I have been ever since I have seen Shaun of the Dead (2004). I have learned a lot about him, mainly the fact, he’s an avid cinephile. I would imagine he’s the only one who comes anywhere near Quentin Tarantino and/or Martin Scorsese regarding the film knowledge, the passion for movies and how many films he has seen throughout his life. And Last Night in Soho might be his most “matured” film yet. Even though that feels wrong to say because it implies his previous films were not that. They were. But this one seemed so different, yet underneath it all, you could tell it was made by somebody, who is an incredibly clever, movie-loving person.
Last Night in Soho sold me when I watched the very first trailer, with “Downtown” playing underneath it. I knew two things straight away – I didn’t want to see anything else, as I wanted to avoid any potential spoilers, and I will be seeing this in the cinemas, if possible. Luckily, in Scotland just now cinemas are still open, so I took two of my friends and went to see this. And we all loved it. We all had different reasons for it because the movie has so much going for it.
First of all – if you are like me and have only seen the first trailer, you have been lied to… a tiny bit. And that’s good. Because I expected one type of movie, and what I got was something completely different. But guess what? I am glad that was the case. I was so relieved the trailer only showed you enough to get you intrigued, but not too much, so you’d know precisely what will happen and when. So once I realised the fact, this is not “just” a period movie set in the 1960s, I was surprised and intrigued.
Next thing I adored – just how clever and unique Edgar is, portraying the 1960s. Because you can tell instantly through this film (and if you follow him on Twitter @edgarwright) that even though he absolutely loves the decade, he doesn’t fetishes it. The movie starts like that, with Thomasin McKenzie‘s character being in love with everything from the 60s, just to slowly discover that it wasn’t all good. Well, scratch that many things weren’t great at all in the 60s. But here’s the thing – the movie understands that you can do both – you can still admire the films, the music, the fashion of that era and with the same breath admit, there were a lot of issues with… well, take your pick. This movie centres mainly on woman’s experience during that era, but I guarantee you any minorities at that time also didn’t have “a jolly great time”. At times, it felt like a sobering documentary picture, with some superb performances mixed in.
Yes, here’s the part where we will talk about the three ladies – the already mentioned Thomasin, Anya Taylor-Joy and Diana Rigg. Sure, we have a few other major actors in this (and let’s face it, both Terence Stamp and Matt Smith were great), but this isn’t their movie. They are almost props to our three leading ladies. Almost like the movie flipped it, as in the 60s, the ladies were the “props”? I am sure this was just a coincidence. 🙂 First of all, I completely forgot that Diana Rigg died in 2020, and this is her last performance. And what a way to go. Most people will recognize her mainly due to her role on Game of Thrones (2011 – 2019) playing Olenna Tyrell. But I hope that seeing her performance here will inspire moviegoers like me to get more familiar with her filmography. It sure inspired me, as she was a vital part of this film and gave a superb performance.
I have only seen Thomasin in Jojo Rabbit (2019, my review here), but I will correct that and get more of her movies watched. Because she is the lead of this film and she delivers. Her character is given a lot to do/deal with, and she nailed everything. At any given moment, you understand her, you sympathize with her, and you feel for her. I really hope this will be her breakthrough, and we will see a lot of her in the upcoming years. When comes to Anya… what else is there to say? You can’t convince me otherwise that she was the one whose career was raised above and beyond in 2020 and continues to strive and succeed. And not because of her beauty, but purely based on her talent. And you are telling me she can sing too? Ok, that’s just not fair; you need to leave something for the rest of us. Both Anya and Thomasin were spectacular in a different way. It almost felt like they were different sides of the same coin.
I always love that Edgar doesn’t “simply” make movies – he makes a movie almost as a way of paying homage to his heroes. Maybe this is me reading into this a bit too much, but Last Night in Soho felt like Edgar was confessing his love not just for the 1960s but also for the movies of that era and later, with two names coming to my mind throughout the film – Brian De Palma and Alfred Hitchcock. Let me explain – I thought the use of colour and the paranoia was really “De Palmaesque”, and certain mirror scenes to me felt really Hitchcockian. And the moment towards the end, where there is a knife involved, and we can hear violins in the soundtrack, reminding us of Psycho (1960)… Or I may be reading something into it that’s not there at all. But I wouldn’t be surprised, as that is almost his thing – to base his movies around genres, he loves and take something and put his own, unique twist on them. And the best part, it never feels cheap. It always comes across as a loving homage, rather than “Let me just steel this element real quick, because I know it works”.
The only thing (and this is not a criticism and is up for debate) is that I don’t consider this a horror film. I think this movie occasionally goes to horror territory, but for the majority of it, I got more of a psychological thriller vibes more than anything. The reason I am mentioning this – if you want to go and see this movie, you absolutely should. Because it’s amazing, stunning and clever. But don’t go expecting a straight-up horror film, as you might leave slightly disappointed by that. There are some horror elements (and jump scares), but not too many. Especially towards the end, I wasn’t even jumping out of my seat. I was glued to the screen and my seat, watching everything, not wanting to miss a single detail.
Overall, Last Night in Soho was one of my most anticipated movies of the year 2021. I went in hoping it would deliver something unique, clever and stylized. And I got that and much, much more. This movie might not be everyone’s cup of hot cocoa, and I get it. But it was sure enough mine. The film is clever in many ways; it pays homage to an entire decade without fetishizing it and addresses issues of the years past and today’s ones (the taxi ride at the very beginning.) If you can, please do yourself a favour and watch this in the cinemas. The movies like Last Night in Soho should be supported as much as possible. I can’t wait to re-watch it.
⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
Rating: 5 out of 5.
That’s all for this one! Did you see it? What did you think about it? Let me know!
As the old joke goes: “Squid Game. Squid Game is everywhere. I open Twitter – Squid Game. I open YouTube – Squid Game. I’ve bought a tin the other day. And I am afraid to open it.” So after this hilarious and pretty old joke that can be used for anything that’s currently trending, let’s talk about this show. For the past month or so, it was impossible to escape it. It seemed that everybody in my immediate surrounding was talking about it (friends, colleagues). I have seen countless memes about it (because that is one way, how you know what is currently hip and trendy, people immediately turn it into memes), so I have finally cracked. I had to see it for myself, what the hype was all about.
I won’t lie, from what I have heard, it seemed like Battle Royale (2000) that is an excellent movie and well worth watching, by the way, but instead of school kids being kidnapped and taken to an island to fight for their survival, it’s poor people now. And as far as over-simplifications go, it’s pretty accurate. Except, of course, not really, because there is so much more. Sometimes a bit too much for its own good. But I will get to that.
Squid Game definitely took some “inspiration” from existing properties, and the creator, Hwang Dong-hyuk, managed to put his unique twist on it. I liked the concept; I enjoyed the performances and the message/parallels about society, the class system. But I couldn’t help but feel that this show sometimes went a bit too much into the “let us explain this to you clearly, so you understand the message here”. Especially in the VIP episode, I understand what the intention was, what the show was trying to highlight, but sometimes a whisper is louder than yelling. Also, I couldn’t shake the feeling that the longer the show went on, the more predictable it became.
I think you know where this is going; I will have to discuss some spoilers, so before that, let me just say this. If you are like me and it takes you a while to watch the “trendy” stuff, give Squid Game a go. I would 100% recommend watching it in Korean with English subtitles, as from what I have seen, the dubbing is awful. So, with this out of the way…
Beware, SPOILERS are coming!
Let’s talk about the “twisty” nature of this show. In the second episode, where the survivors of the first game vote to leave, I didn’t expect them to vote to leave. It felt like a Brexit referendum – it was really close, it ended surprisingly, and, predictably, it still led to a disaster. Politics aside, I enjoyed that decision. Even though I knew we had to come back, it was interesting to see how many people managed to change their minds and came back when invited back. That was the first difference between this show and any other property dealing with “a bunch of people killing each other for a big reward”. They were given a choice to leave, and they left no strings attached. And yet, when they had the time to think about the reward (as the show states), 93% of people came back to compete, fully realising what they were in for. Even though the majority voted to leave at that moment. I liked that aspect.
But I felt like that was the last “big” surprise of this show. And not for the lack of trying on their part, definitely not. But the more complex the story has gotten (organ harvesting? VIPs? Looking for a brother?), the more predictable those twists and turns became. I didn’t mind it too much, as I still have enjoyed the show overall, but it sometimes felt like the creator put himself in the corner, and the only way he knew how to get himself out of there was via cliches. For example, I could do without the entire “Where is this random policeman’s brother?” storyline. And don’t even talk to me about the reveal who the Front Man was or the fact our policeman is not dead. That wasn’t confirmed yet, by the way, but I am telling you this as an avid TV/movie watching person, I have not seen a character to be “fake dead” like this in a long time.
The concept itself – “let’s make poor people play kids games, but if they lose, they die” is intriguing, as some games, we can all relate to (marbles, tug of war) and some, like the squid game itself, is… to be honest, I still don’t fully understand what is so appealing about it, but I think I get it…? Anyway, it’s not about the games; it’s about the metaphors. It’s about the age-old (or however many decades it’s been since we’ve invented currency and a proper capitalism) question: “How much would you sell your soul for? Would you kill or participate in an activity that kills others if it meant you’d be rich? Of course if you are “lucky” enough to survive?”
Because underneath all the games, all cliches, I believe the universal appeal of this show is how much we believe in ourselves. Respectively, in our inept goodness and that we would have made the correct decision. That we, faced with a massive amount of money in our faces, would have done the right thing. I can see a lot of people watching this show, asking themselves: “How much would it take for me to end up like this?” Because it’s easy to discuss morality, laws and all that good stuff from the comfort of your couch, in your flat, house, where presumable, you have heating that’s working, electricity, and your basic needs are met. And that is why I was surprised by the ending. Not so much about the “who was behind it” bit, but the fact the “good guy” won.
If you think about it for a moment, Squid Game presents a world where evil people come on top. A world where if you are good, that is great and all, but people will take advantage of you (see Ali’s character played by Rama Vallury). He was on the “too good” end of the scale, and that got him killed. So it would make sense for this show to have a darker ending. The ending that should have happened, in my opinion. Where the last two guys are fighting, everything happens precisely, as it had in the show, except Park Hae-soo‘s character doesn’t have the sudden change of heart. He takes the knife next to his head and kills Lee Jung-jae‘s character. As I believe that would have happened. Would I love it? No, but yes. Because that would make the most sense in the world and the story we’ve been presented thus far. And most importantly, it would be in his character.
Because this show managed to do one thing absolutely perfectly, and those were the characters – throughout the entirety of the show, you love people, you love to hate others, but even with them, you could see why they would act the way they had. And Park’s character had sacrificed his soul (or morals or whatever you want to call it) long before that fight. I know why they went with the more “viewer-friendly” ending because it ties everything up nicely with a bow and the scene in the very last episode with the drunk guy and whether somebody would help him. What I am trying to say is this – I honestly believe there are genuinely amazing people walking among us every day. Selfless, helpful people who want to make this world a better place. But this “change of heart” of this particular character… I just didn’t buy it. Within the show, he would have taken the opportunity to kill his friend; he would take the money and then try to be better, maybe use the money for charity purposes to make himself feel better, justifying the choices he’s made.
And I guess this right here – this is why Squid Game became such a phenomenon. It gave us something interesting to talk about, to examine one’s morality, our thoughts. Because here’s the thing – I know people will disagree with me, saying how I didn’t understand what this show is about, how I am wrong about Park’s character etc. And this, to me, is a fascinating debate. I can’t be wrong because I can’t be right. There is no right or wrong answer here. It all goes down to whatever your moral compass is set to, what your core beliefs are. Everything plays a part. Your upbringing, your experience… kind of like in these games, right?
Overall, Squid Game managed to do something I was positively surprised by. It managed to deliver on a massive hype. I tried to approach this show with no preconceived notions, as that is not the best mindset to see something that’s supposed to be “the best thing ever since the sliced bread”, even though that was difficult, as it was literally everywhere around me. What I have gotten was almost a perfect show that provided me with something new-ish to think about, offered me some cool visuals, and left me wondering about morality, humanity and all that good jazz. My only complaint was that sometimes, the less you tell us, the better and the more I think about how the “final game” went down, the more I am convinced the show should have had the balls to make the “antihero” the real winner. It will be interesting to see whether this will get any second season, what that might look like and more importantly, how it will be received. For my money, I wouldn’t be mad if there was never any other season. Sometimes, less is more.
⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
Rating: 4.5 out of 5.
That’s all for this one! Did you see it? What did you think about it? Let me know!
Everyone, who has ever talked to me about the Bond franchise, knows where I stand on Bond actors. I have always said that Daniel Craig is a great actor, but I didn’t like him as Bond. My argument always was that he looks too “Russian”, too cold for this spy. To my surprise, he’s grown on me, especially in this film. It wasn’t a big surprise for anyone when it was announced that No Time to Die would be his last Bond film. Because let’s face it, he’s getting there, age-wise. And before people start coming after me, that is what he said! If I looked like him in my early 50s, I would be delighted. But being Bond, staying in shape, shooting actions sequences takes its toll, so no wonder there will be somebody else. And if you need to finish, you should finish on a high note and boy, did that happen here.
No Time to Die is by far my favourite Bond film of his, even though I still haven’t seen Quantum of Solace(2008) or, and this might surprise some movie people, Skyfall(2012). But one of my movie goals for the year 2022 is to finally watch all the Bond films, starting with the early ones. But back to this film – I went into the cinema with some expectations – I knew this would be his last film, I knew the cast, I knew it’s a long film (2 hours, 43 minutes to be exact). But nothing else. And you know, I was slightly worried – again, he was my least favourite Bond, so to watch him for almost three hours, this might have gone badly. But I enjoyed this movie so much.
I enjoyed the beginning scene, which features no Bond, but we get to see Léa Seydoux‘s backstory, which, of course, will be crucial for this film later on. I loved (am I the only?) the Billie Eilish song. I loved seeing the name Phoebe Waller-Bridge as one of the screenwriters (only the second woman ever to be involved with a script for a Bond movie!) on this film. I loved the director Cary Joji Fukunaga, who understands how to stage action sequences, and here we get several set pieces. But each one felt different, which is the ultimate compliment. Some screamed “pure Bond” (like the armoured car in the beginning), and others were almost “Rambo like” (Bond in the woods, where he needs to rely on his wits and not just guns to survive and take his enemies down one by one). But the highlight for me came towards the end of the film. And this is no spoiler, at least not yet, where Bond is fighting/shooting his way towards the top of a tower. It’s all done in one, unbroken shot that might have had one or two “cheating” edits, but the entire sequence seemed to have lasted for a few minutes. Well done, sir.
But where the film won me over were the story and performances. Starting with “tinier” ones, like Jeffrey Wright to Ana de Armas. Don’t let the marketing fool you, she is in the film for about 15 minutes. Nevertheless, they were all great. But the heart and soul of this had to have been Craig and Seydoux. For them to sell the story, this movie decided to go with you have to believe both of them. This is where I need to delve into spoilers because there is no other way to talk about this, so…
Beware, SPOILERS are coming!
I have yet to watch all the Bond movies, as alluded to earlier on in my review, but if I am not mistaken (and please correct me if I am mistaken), this is the first time James Bond not only becomes a father (well, at least officially, who knows how many children he would have had over the 50+ years of his career, had he been a real person) but, more importantly, dies. And I mean no fake-outs, no chance of him surviving the blast, he’s finished. Before appreciating the actors, I need to mention the story.
I liked the fact how sneakily they alluded to this throughout the film, the whole back and forth with Lashana Lynch (who is the new 007, but not really, as she gives up the title the moment Craig is officially back working for the MI6) about how 007 is just a number. Therefore, it’s not “entangled” with the name James Bond, at least not in their (movie) world. So this will give the creators a nice, clean slate to take this franchise to new heights. Now, let’s talk about him being daddy Bond. I think that’s precisely, what I needed to connect with Craig’s Bond, as he always seemed too “cold”, even in moments where he wasn’t supposed to be. The fact he has (well, had, RIP James) child with Léa’s character, and how we were shown throughout the movie his genuine care for both of them, made him more human. And allowed Craig to ground this Bond in reality.
Yes, this is the part where I will praise them both. Sure, this movie has a lot of great supporting actors (I’ve already mentioned three names, but could mention pretty much anyone else involved), but, for the lack of a better word, the heart of this story is Léa and Craig and their relationship. That might sound weird because that is not why you’d usually go and see a Bond film. But it works. It simply works wonderfully with everything they set up in Spectre (2015), and it pays off here. Showing us how important especially Léa’s character is to Craig’s. And once he discovers he’s got a daughter…
If I had to be picky, my only gripe with this film would be that the technology seemed like something from a proper sci-fi, rather than a James Bond film. Yes, I am talking about the technology that kills anybody you program it to based on DNA. And how that technology is used against Bond at the end. But I understand that when comes to this franchise and technology, Bond films were always out there. So I can’t fault it “properly”.
Overall, No Time to Die is a perfect goodbye to Daniel Craig. He was somebody I didn’t care for when he started with this role. But I grew to appreciate him now 15 years later. A massive part of why I changed my opinion of him so much is because of this farewell piece. I have never felt this movie’s length, and again, it’s almost three hours long. That alone is saying something if a film can keep you interested for that long. It’s also packed with superb actors, sharp and quick screenplay and directing, close to perfection. I wouldn’t mind if Cary got an offer for the next Bond because I was impressed, mainly with the action sequences. If you consider (and feel safe) seeing No Time to Die at the cinema, I would strongly recommend it. It was a great time.
⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
Rating: 5 out of 5.
That’s all for this one! Did you see it? What did you think about it? Let me know!
