The movies of Wes Anderson have been solid 10/10 (or 5/5) since Fantastic Mr. Fox (2009). Sure, he “only” directed four movies since (five if you include Asteroid City), but that’s still an impressive feat. I should note that I am only talking about feature-length films, and I have yet to see The French Dispatch (2021), which is on my Disney+ queue and has been for some time. But, for some reason, his older stuff doesn’t “fully” click with me. Don’t get me wrong, I have seen most of them, and so far, I haven’t rated a movie of his under 7/10, but something inside is still “weary” of seeing his films because they are so quirky, unique and full of characters that must click with you, otherwise, you won’t enjoy the movie. And Asteroid City is no exception. So, I went to the cinema and… had a blast.

In my Letterboxd review (feel free to follow me there 😉 I wrote: “Finally, we have an answer to a question: What would it look like if Wes Anderson directed an existential movie about life, sadness and dealing with loss?” and I still stand by it. Asteroid City has all the trademarks we’ve come to expect and love (?) from Wes. From uniquely quirky, almost detached characters, to every shot framed in a deliberate way, to the use of bright pastel colours… And yet, this movie felt a bit different than the rest. The ingredients are the same, but this film feels like one of the most personal mainstream movies I have seen in ages, as it deals with loss and a sense of isolation. It almost felt like this was Wes’ response to the COVID-19 pandemic in his weird, quirky way.

If I were to list everyone I enjoyed in this movie, I would have to name half of the Hollywood; that’s how stacked this movie is. So, I will just mention some absolute highlights. Jason Schwartzman might have given his best performance ever; I enjoyed him in this very much. Scarlett Johansson has always been one of my favourites, and she yet again didn’t disappoint her scenes were funny at times and quite sad at others. But somehow, an actress who is only in this movie for one scene stole the entire film for me, and I debated whether this is a spoiler, but her name is on the poster, so here it goes. Margot Robbie plays Jason’s wife, who passed away (that is brought within the first five minutes of this movie, so it’s not a spoiler), and her only scene with him at the end “unlocked” the film for me. If there were Oscars for “Best Performance Under 5 Minutes”, she would have had it in the bag; that’s how much I loved her performance.

But I think it was also due to its placement that scene was smartly put towards the end, and we only see her due to some creative choices this movie makes in its last third. I won’t spoil what those choices are, but they also worked for me, and because of those choices, it made sense for her to be there. Most importantly, though, by that time, we have spent most of the movie with Jason’s character not letting himself grieve his wife, and that scene acted as almost this catalyst for his character. I liked that choice.

And that’s the thing with Asteroid City. Honestly, this might be the most Wes Anderson movie that has ever Wes Andersoned. Especially with his choice of us seeing two stories, and when we slowly figure out what is happening, we are either with it or not. From what I have read, many people were still not sure; whether they got everything this movie was going for, and I can say the same. But I can also see myself loving this movie even more on a future rewatch. Because I was so close to another 5/5 rating, but something stopped me. But that is something I would imagine will go away upon further rewatch, as I believe this movie will reward repeat viewings to catch more details and to understand everything better. And honestly, I can’t wait.

Overall, Asteroid City delivered what I expected and then some. Anderson is a king of his unique world full of quirky, witty characters that you can’t help but love for one reason or another. The movie also asks you to go with it and put everything else aside, and if you do that and immerse yourself in this half-abandoned, desert city where (almost) nothing happens only for there to be a week where everything seems to happen at once, you will love it. I had a good time with some fine actors, even if I am still not 100% sure I understood/got everything Wes wanted me to get. But I will return to Asteroid City at some point; I can guarantee that.

That’s all for this one! Did you see it? What did you think about it? Let me know!

Until next time,

Luke

The third film by Jordan Peele, and yet again, it’s something totally different to anything he had done in the past. And although Nope barely missed out on the full 5/5 rating, just based on the scale of this film, I can already say with confidence that Jordan is one of my new favourite directors, at least regarding the modern-day era. He must be up there with Nolan, Fincher and the rest of the directors who have helped reshape the cinema from the 1990s until today. And with only three films under his directorial belt… Not too shabby, Jordan.

I missed this movie in the cinemas, and now, I genuinely regret it because the scope is something I appreciated on my nice TV, but I can’t help imagining what it must have been like watching it in the cinemas. It’s hard to say this without sounding cheesy, but Nope is one of those big films that should showcase why the cinema experience is needed and should not go away. After the COVID-19 pandemic and people streaming more than ever, the cinema still has a place for some films, and this film is, without a doubt, one of them.

Everything in this movie simply fits together. But unlike with other films, you don’t have to “catch on” all the themes instantly to have a good time. This is why I am not shy to compare Peele to someone like Nolan, as both filmmakers make movies where they only explain the bare minimum. They still trust the audience to “fill in the gaps” because they both provide you with the necessary tools to understand what is happening. Sure, at times, it takes one or two rewatches, but everything is here. Nope comments on trauma, history and, in a bizarre way, the idea of organised chaos and how it’s acceptable, no matter how horrific it seems. Without giving anything away, there was a scene towards the end that reminded me of the quote from The Dark Knight (2008):

You know what I’ve noticed? Nobody panics when things go “according to plan.” Even if the plan is horrifying! If, tomorrow, I tell the press that, like, a gang banger will get shot, or a truckload of soldiers will be blown up, nobody panics, because it’s all “part of the plan”.

The Joker, The Dark Knight (2008)

Before continuing, I swear I had no idea I would reference Nolan and his movies that much that wasn’t part of my plan. 😉

And to a certain extent, Peele plays with that idea too. But I am sure I am only scratching the surface here, and just like with his other movies, the more you revisit them, the more things you will catch, knowing where the story goes. And that is one of the most obvious “tells” how to spot a director that plays on a different level. There were many times I watched and even loved a film, but when I rewatch it after a couple of years, it plays fine, but it’s not as exciting because it is precisely as I remember it. But I bet you when I rewatch Nope, I will notice more things, catch on to different ideas and read some scenes differently. And as Martin Scorsese famously said:

Another thing I loved was the cast. All actors were perfect, but we must address the two performers Nope relied on the most, Daniel Kaluuya and Keke Palmer. The fact Daniel “Oscar Winner” Kaluuya is a phenomenal actor isn’t really surprising unless you have never seen him act before; in that case, you are in for a treat. His performance might be his subtlest yet, as his character is going through a lot in this movie, both physically and mentally, and Daniel played it perfectly. Regarding Keke, I love the “resurgence” she’s been having lately, and it seems the world is entering its Keke era, and we are better for it. On top of that, they both had that instant brother/sister chemistry; I want them to star in more movies together.

Now, I also understand people who said that Nope was one of the biggest snubs of the 2023 Oscars. If for nothing else, the cinematography, the soundtrack and the directing, it felt like Nope should have been there. Regarding acting categories… as much as it pains me to say that, they were pretty stacked, so I am not necessarily arguing that, despite my enjoyment of our leading actors. The thing is, there is always one or two “obvious” movies that get snubbed each year, and in ten or twenty years’ time, film people will look back and presume Nope must have been nominated for this and that, only to discover that nope, nothing there.

I can also easily see Nope being much more celebrated in ten to twenty years, the same as what happened with most of the “bonified classics”. People often forget that many movies we now view as undisputed classics have flopped in the cinemas (for example, 2001: A Space Odyssey (1968), Blade Runner (1982) and many more), and I will make a bold prediction and say Nope will become a classic. And even though it’s hard to say how much has Nope flopped (but it seems it lost money), it does not matter, as only time will tell. Maybe I am totally wrong, and nobody will remember, let alone talk about this movie in twenty years, but something tells me that history is repeating itself again. Yet again, we have a high-concept film which, for a variety of reasons, has been ignored by the Oscars and didn’t do great at cinemas, but movie people love it. The only question is whether the “general public” will join them in the near future.

The only reason I can’t give this movie “the full 5/5 rating” is that something was holding me back, even if it was a tiny bit. But I am not worried I can easily see myself, upon a future rewatch, falling in love with the movie completely, discovering all the things/ideas I have missed on my first watch. I am already looking forward to it.

Overall, Nope is a straightforward movie told in a very deliberate way. Sometimes, the word “deliberate” has negative connotations, but I can assure you that’s not the case here. Jordan Peele knows exactly what he wants to say, and he does it, and while he does it, he remembers us, the audience members and gives us a good old fashion spectacle that needs to be on the biggest screen possible. This might be one of my biggest regrets of last year, the fact I didn’t watch Nope in the cinemas. Well, lesson learned, the next movie by Jordan Peele, I am there, no matter what the plot will be. I can’t wait to see what he does next.

That’s all for today! Did you see it? What did you think about it? Let me know!

Until next time,

Luke

This film may belong to the category of “little films that could”. You can tell the people behind this film shot it on a minuscule budget. And even though I can see how this could be an insult for almost any other movie, it is not for this one, as they have managed to put together something funny, interesting and oddly relatable. What do I mean by that? About 99% of people who will watch this film will never become a stand-up comedian, let alone attempt to become one. And yet, we can sympathize with the trials and tribulations of one of our heroes, who finally “makes it”, only for him to see how making it isn’t the hard part. The hard part is staying at the top.

You may think a movie about such a niche profession could become a bit too “inside baseball” to appeal to anyone outside the show business. And in another universe, or maybe with somebody else at the helm, it could have happened to this film. But Mike Birbiglia must have realised it and made sure this movie was, above all, funny and never too “inside baseball”. I don’t know that much about stand-up comedy; I have heard of certain comedy groups, but on a very surface level, so I am no expert, and yet, I never felt I wasn’t in on any joke or reference. Everything was tailored to the mainstream audience without seeming desperate or wanting to be relatable. And that goes back to the “captain” of this ship and the cast, and here, we have some of the funniest people available.

Keegan-Michael Key is probably the most known actor out of this bunch, and the movie plays into that smartly. In a film with no apparent lead, he is the one you will remember the most, but mostly because he is the best-known one. Who surprised me was Gillian Jacobs. I will be honest; she probably only surprised me because I still haven’t seen Community (2009 – 2015), so I don’t have much to go by for her, but she was the stood out performance for me. Especially; because her character seems to go one way, and then something happens, and she makes a different decision. And Gillian plays her character so earnestly; you are rooting for her, no matter what and understand her decision. Then we have Mike (yep, not only he wrote and directed this film, but he also stars in it), Kate Micucci, Tami Sagher and Chris Gethard and they all play their parts perfectly. That is probably this film’s biggest advantage, not having an obvious lead and instead having six people who are unique and yet, work so well together. And despite the fact you can tell where most of them are coming from within minutes (this person is wealthy, this one has this chip on their shoulder etc.), they play these archetypes well enough that you don’t care about that, and you are there to enjoy the show.

What may hit the hardest for some people is this film is layered and honest. The film is not shy to show us; how just because you are passionate about this one thing, it doesn’t mean you will be successful. I think this goes back to the relatability of this topic and how, even though it’s “just about stand-up”, it’s not just about that. In a very weird; and clever way, this film is more about life, growing up and realising some people can dream and achieve those dreams and some… will never manage to achieve them. No matter how many hours per day they spend doing the thing they love, how much they sacrifice, eventually, you have to face the music. That layer is something that makes the end of this film so bittersweet, where you see our heroes, and almost everyone is at a different place than they were when the movie started. Don’t Think Twice shows lifelike character growth, what it takes to succeed and what it takes to admit to yourself you “just don’t have it”. Whatever that “it” is.

I wouldn’t be surprised if, on future rewatch, this film climbs up even higher in my ranking, as it missed the “full” 5/5 by a smidge. I believe this film will give you as much as you are willing to “take in”; at the moment. If you watch Don’t Think Twice when you are around 20 years old, you may not enjoy it as much. But I would be willing to bet that if you watch it when you turn 30 years old (or around then), you will suddenly see it through different lenses, as by that time, many people have had their dreams crushed, hearts broken, hope lost, or they actually managed to succeed. But only they know how much they had to sacrifice. Again, this film is about stand-up comedy, but it’s hardly “just” about stand-up comedy.

Overall, Don’t Think Twice is an underseen and underappreciated gem of a funny, relatable and earnest movie. It is filled with great performances and believable characters and has this bittersweet ending that makes you realise how layered this movie is because, at its core, it’s about a group of friends going through life. The stand-up comedy part is just a bonus to keep us entertained. Also, I have to watch more films with Gillian Jacobs.

That’s all for this one! Did you see it? What did you think about it? Let me know!

Until next time,

Luke

When you have a career spanning over five decades, there isn’t much ground you haven’t covered yet with your films. But somehow, Spielberg manages to make a movie about his love of movies and how that started, alongside a family drama based on his own family. The brilliant thing about The Fabelmans is that it is both, the family drama plays a major part in his film journey, and that is what makes this film his most personal to date.

And that is the beauty of The Fabelmans. You can view this movie through the lens of how one of the best (arguably the best) directors of all time started and what inspired him. But it would be a shame to ignore that complex family drama with his parents, as that was something not showcased often. The idea that you can like somebody, even love them, and yet, you know there is somebody you love more. I don’t think that gets displayed in modern pop culture enough. And the fact this not only happened to Steven but that his parents stayed friends even after everything that’s happened, we barely see that in mainstream films.

You could argue that The Fabelmans is the least “Spielberg” film ever made. You can spot the “movie magic” he has, but the film doesn’t really follow one “concrete story” as it is more of a character piece, and Sammy (our protagonist portrayed by Mateo Zoryan and Gabriel LaBelle) is in the middle of everything. Sure, we mainly follow his journey as he is our main character, but often the film focuses on other events but from his perspective. I found those scenes fascinating because if you were to take this film literally, Sammy (therefore Steven) used filmmaking as his happy place, his escape when things weren’t going great. The scene where his parents were arguing, and he was just there filming it at first seemed odd, but the more you think about him and the fact we see everything from his perspective, the more it makes sense.

I never thought I would see the day when Seth Rogen, the “stoner in charge”, would appear in a Spielberg film. And not only he managed to do it, but he was also great in his role too. He doesn’t have the flashiest role, because his character had to be more subtle, but he can’t be “too subtle” because we need to understand that special bond he had with Mitzi, played by Michelle Williams. She and Paul Dano were the highlights of this film.

Paul has been an amazing actor for almost two decades, and it’s great that he is finally getting the mainstream recognition he deserves. His dad can seem “weak”, but the more time you spend with him, the more you understand his character and how strong he is. The same applies to Michelle’s character as she seems a bit “out there” at first, but soon you will start the cracks to appear, and you get where she is coming from. I love this part of Michelle’s career where she takes risks and plays these characters that are complex, often not too likeable, people. It would be easy to dislike her character, but she plays it so well she makes it impossible.

The only thing that goes against this film might be the length. I wasn’t sure whether we needed 151 minutes, but even that complaint I can see going away on future rewatches. As The Fabelmans is a film about cinephiles, for cinephiles and these kinds of movies have always been my weakness (please see if you haven’t Nuovo Cinema Paradiso (1988), you can thank me later). But in the hands of one of the most brilliant directors of all time, it is much more than just a “love letter to the movies”. If you listen to Steven talking about this film and remembering his childhood, you can feel how much this film meant to him to get those characters right. And it makes sense. I mean, can you imagine making a film about your family? I don’t know about you, but I would want to make sure my family was portrayed the same way I remember them whilst not judging them too much. And I think he nailed it.

One last note; there is an excellent cameo at the end of this film. I won’t spoil who it is, but the moment he appeared, I was living for that moment. Then you learn that the cameo isn’t there just for “shits and giggles”, but it actually happened, and it is almost word for word what John Ford said to the young Steven at the time. Yes, that is the only thing I think I can reveal the surprise cameo portrays the legendary director John Ford. And once you see who it is and how he delivers every single of his lines, I hope you will love it as much as I had.

Overall, The Fabelmans is the most personal film of Spielberg’s long career. He shows us what made him into the cinephile he is and allows us to peek at how he grew up. But most importantly, he makes it compelling, fun and uplifting. That might be a weird thing to write, considering this film has a family drama at its core, and many of this film’s characters are complex, to say the least. But that is Spielberg’s magic; I don’t think anybody can be in a bad mood when the moment the last shot happens and the film ends. And that is a sign of a remarkable film made by somebody who simply loves movies.

That’s all for this one! Did you see it? What did you think about it? Let me know!

Until next time,

Luke

This film had many things going against it before the cameras even started rolling. The biggest and most unfortunate one was the passing of Chadwick Boseman, the Black Panther himself. I can’t even imagine finding this charismatic actor who nailed his role in the previous films (all the way from Captain America: Civil War (2016) to Avengers: Endgame (2019)) and now, him not being there for the film that was built around his character, that must have been tough to cope with. So the film had to deal with that; on top of it, the pandemic happened, and not only that mean delays, but it also meant Letitia Wright (who plays a scientist in the MCU) started to “ask questions”. But she’s definitely not anti-vax just asking questions… Look, I don’t know, she denied it (even though she posted some questionable stuff about the pandemic on her Twitter) but for a big-budget production that already had to change everything because of their leading star passing away, this was the last thing anybody should have worried about. But somehow, Ryan Coogler stepped up and delivered this film that is very close to perfection.

Before diving into the film itself, we must address the elephant in the room – how this movie dealt with Chadwick’s death. I loved every single second of it. I thought Marvel’s logo in the beginning with just him was a sweet touch; I thought the beginning sequence was done well, and throughout this movie, you could feel that he was gone. I know some people didn’t like that about this film, but I thought they did the best they could. It was sad to see a tribute to such a talented, charismatic actor who was taken from us way too soon, but that tribute never felt too much nor dragged the film down. I also loved how they didn’t even attempt to CGI him into any part of the film, and I can only hope it will stay like that for future projects. It’s always striking when a big franchise does this (looking at you, Fast franchise), and I hope Disney has learned its lesson and won’t do that to Chadwick’s memory. This was the perfect send-off for him, let him rest in power now.

As far as the film itself, Black Panther: Wakanda Forever has piles of setups for many future MCU projects. Sure, you might say, but that’s not something new it’s been like that for ages within the MCU. Yes, to a degree, but since this movie marks the end of Stage 4, it seemed like the executives tasked Ryan to do so much more universe-building stuff than necessary; on top of dealing with Chadwick’s death. Did we really need Riri, aka Dominique Thorne? And her setting up Ironheart? Ok, let’s say she was so vital (she wasn’t) but ok. Did we truly desperately need Martin Freeman and Julia Louis-Dreyfus in this film? Both are great actors I usually love to watch in anything, but both felt as necessary here as a condom machine in the Vatican. Because that would be my only criticism of this film, it has too much going on. And I am not even talking about cutting anything; I didn’t mind the length, but the film has to focus on the core characters! Focus more on Shuri, Nakia or Queen Ramonda!

Speaking of the core characters, let’s talk about them. I hope Letitia has stopped “just asking questions” because I really like her character, and she seems to be a great actress. Shuri went on this painful journey, and Letitia displayed beautifully; what can happen if you don’t deal with your inner grief/demons properly; you may lose yourself. I was surprised to see so little of Lupita Nyong’o in this film, but she killed it in the scenes she was in. It also seemed they are setting her character to be more important later on (no spoilers, but just because of the ending). And Angela Bassett was great. But we need to talk about her Oscar nomination.

I have always liked Angela and believed she would get that Oscar one day. It seems that she is the front-runner for this role here, but instead of being happy for her, my emotions are mixed. Does she deserve an Oscar? Yes. Is she a phenomenal actress? Also yes. Was she Oscar-worthy in this film? She definitely gave the best performance here, but… Oscar-worthy? No. Especially in the category “Best Supporting Actress”, my vote would either go to Stephanie Hsu (for Everything Everywhere All at Once, 2022, my review here) or Kerry Condon (for The Banshees of Inisherin, 2022, my review here). Now, will I be mad if Angela wins? No, I would not; it would just feel like the Academy is “correcting” yet another mistake of not rewarding her sooner, the same they did with many artists before (Ennio, Leo, Scorsese, just off the top of my head). And again, to repeat, Angela Bassett is a phenomenal actress who deserves an Oscar. I am simply not sure whether this is the film she should get it for, that’s all.

Back to the film, MCU seems to have another great villain in Namor (played by Tenoch Huerta). That is something both this film and the original Black Panther (2018) have in common; they managed to have villains that you can see everything from their point-of-view. And how if they don’t take it too far, they are not villains. But of course, this being a comic book film, we can’t have any blurred lines here, so even Namor has to cross some lines to put him in the villain camp, the same as Michael B. Jordan‘s Killmonger. But I liked Namor, the whole secret civilisation living underwater, how they “linked” him with Kukulkan and the entire history of his society; I was in. But again, had we spent less time setting up everything and more time with this movie’s main characters, I would have loved to learn more about their race, that underwater society.

Also, before it slips my mind, you get many stereotypical MCU fights. So quite a few are cut to death, but in the beginning, there were two action sequences that were shot in a complete dark. I have a nice 4K OLED TV, I was streaming this 4K from Disney, and in those two sequences, neither I nor my girlfriend could see anything. She even asked me whether I could increase the brightness during the second scene because she thought there must be something wrong with our nice TV, given you can hear action happening but can’t see it. That is by no means a big complaint; the rest of the film was lit perfectly fine; just those two early action sequences being shot like that was definitely… a choice.

Overall, Black Panther: Wakanda Forever is a near-perfect film that plainly has too much going for it. I loved everything directly related to the film, from the villain to honouring Chadwick’s legacy within the MCU. I don’t think they could have done that part any better. It is just a shame that MCU is the big machine that needs to “keep trucking” no matter what, so this film had to spend a good chunk of it on stuff that could have been left to other shows/films. And again, I am not necessarily saying that the almost three-hour runtime bothered me; no. I just wished they would have built this world (and Namor’s world) better and spent that time with our main protagonists rather than characters you can cut out of this film, and honestly, you wouldn’t even know they were there in the first place. But I have to repeat myself; given everything that went against this film, this is an insane accomplishment and statement of how extremely talented Ryan Coogler is.

That’s all for this one! Did you see it? What did you think about it? Let me know!

Until next time,

Luke

Have you ever had a day where you just can’t catch a break? What about a shift where, no matter what you do, everything seems to go against you? Yes? Great; now take those things, put them in the busy evening kitchen environment, and you will get this movie. A tiny film that seems not many people saw, let alone talk about, and that is such a shame as it deserves to be watched. Why? Because this is one of those films that won’t allow you to “just watch it”; it pulls you in, so you experience it; it almost forces you to be there. And what a ride, a mostly anxiety-inducing one. The fact it’s shot in one take only underlines everything you feel whilst watching it and then multiplies it by ten. Yes, you read that correctly, this 92-minute film was filmed in one take.

Before proceeding, let’s be clear – Boiling Point isn’t the first film to do so. I know most mainstream audiences would think of the movie 1917 (2019) that tries to convince you it’s all in one take, but it is not; there are some cuts, albeit well hidden. I think the most famous example of a true “one take” film would be a movie I still haven’t seen called Russian Ark (2002) which is in the same vein as Boiling Point. No trickery, no hidden cuts, just one elaborate, continuous take and actors alongside the crew are playing/filming around it. It’s an incredibly difficult task, and to do it, requires planning to the tiniest detail, and when executed well, it’s mindblowing. And this film is that, to an extent.

As hinted above, we are following a troubled chef (and that’s putting it mildly) played by Stephen Graham. As a side note, I don’t think there is any better, most underrated British actor living today who has proven himself time and time again and is still not more widely recognised/honoured/talked about. Everything I saw him in, he kills it, and even though he has a decent career, he should be someone who is “Tom Hardy famous”. Back to the film, the film starts and focuses on him a lot, but I would struggle to call him the titular star. And this is where the one-take approach uplifted this movie to new heights, as we can’t cut/intercut scenes. So we spend some time with Stephen, but quite a lot of time with others, giving them their moment to shine.

Who impressed me, and I would love to see more of her, was Vinette Robinson as Stephen’s sous-chef, who wants to know whether a pay rise will happen or not as she has another job lined up. Her performance was on par with Stephen’s, and at times, I would say even better. Her takedown of the manageress (played by Alice Feetham) will stay with you. And after rewatching that scene on YouTube, I realised another thing, the one-shot aspect helps this film’s characters to sound like people. What I mean by that is it’s not uncommon for Stephen or Vinette in their “big scenes” to fumble a word or two, so they restart their sentence, but that only adds realism on top of the already realistic characters. People in real life often fumble their words or have to start their sentences again several times, and given they can’t restart any scene (because that would mean restarting the movie from the beginning), they just have to deal with any errors on the spot and move along as soon as possible. The more I think about it, the more I realise this one take decision wasn’t just to “be different”; it actually served the story and purpose of this film.

I don’t want to say too much about this story because there are some twists and turns I didn’t expect. That is why what pains me the most is I can’t give it the highest rating, albeit it was a tight one. The only reason for that was I felt the ending felt too rushed. When you watch Boiling Point, you have a hunch about this film’s end. And sure enough, I wasn’t wrong. I didn’t mind the “predictability” because that’s not the point, whether the story is predictable. What I did not care about about the ending was how this entire film, the movie felt focused, despite many things happening at once. And in the last ten minutes or so, it felt like we had to rush towards the place we knew we would end up in only to “tie it up”. Maybe this feeling will fade if I ever rewatch this film, but let me repeat myself; this is the tiniest gripe. Boiling Point is an underseen gem of a movie that has everything going for it, and it should be watched by many, many more movie fans. Everything from the style to the performances and the sharp dialogue works in perfect harmony because it has to, due to the one continuous shot. And it’s a stunning, anxiety-inducing ride I think I might go on again at some point.

Overall, Boiling Point is a near-perfect movie that you will appreciate whether you worked in the hospitality industry or not. Dare I say that if ever you worked in any restaurant, this might trigger some painful memories, so be advised. Every actor here does a spectacular job with Stephen and Vinette leading “the pack”, and even if we were to remove everything else (the script, the one-take approach), those two performances alone are worth seeing this film for. Luckily, we don’t have to remove anything, and I strongly recommend watching Boiling Point if you haven’t yet. You are in for a treat.

That’s all for this one! Did you see it? What did you think about it? Let me know!

Until next time,

Luke

The world we live in can be fascinating but also weird. I am a movie fan, so I try to keep up with release dates; I tend to know what is coming soon and who acts in it, and somehow, I had no idea this film even existed, let alone that it went straight to Disney+. So imagine my surprise when logging into Disney+ one evening and seeing this new animated feature there. And now imagine my surprise after finishing it, having a great time and seeing the 5.6/10 score on IMDb. Sure, the film doesn’t do anything new, but 5.6? Really?

I am a sucker for adventure films done right, and Strange World reminded me of the likes of Indiana Jones, The Mummy franchise and movies in that spirit when you have this one big adventure connected with family. And I think, for the most part, this movie does that adventure factor well. To be honest, I could probably do without the opening sequence; I think it tells us a bit too much, so we don’t have that many surprises waiting for us. I thought it would have been better to hint at this and start in the future, in this perfect world where everything seems peachy.

That utopian world where all our energy is clean, and we take care of our planet, being responsible… that world looked nice. Anyway, once the story gets going, and we go down under is when the main adventure starts, and I had a lot of fun. Firstly, the world was not only strange (so that’s where the title comes from :-D) but colourful and fun to look at. Once we realised what that world was, it also made sense retrospectively. Yes, it’s your “stereotypical” Disney animation of the last five years or so, but hey, if it works…

The voice casting was on point. From the parents (voiced by Jake Gyllenhaal and Gabrielle Union) to the main hero who stole the film for me, Jaboukie Young-White, whose performance was great, he nailed the comedic bits and the more dramatic ones too. But you also get others like Alan Tudyk (who I believe has appeared in every single major Disney animated film since Wreck-It Ralph (2012)) or Lucy Liu, who is always pleasant to listen to. What was funny is the fact we also get Dennis Quaid here as Jaeger Clade, dad of Searcher Clade, aka Jake Gyllenhaal, making this a second film for those two to play dad and son, the first being The Day After Tomorrow (2004). And given Strange World‘s environmental message, one could speculate whether this could be an unofficial sequel/spin-off or just a funny coincidence for them to meet up in the dad and son role almost 20 years later.

As mentioned before this movie doesn’t break any new ground, but I still liked the story and the message. Yes, you could see it coming, but it’s a kids’ movie, meaning I won’t deduct points for not having a stronger story or any big twists in a film that’s primarily aimed at young kids. Because let’s face it, Strange World isn’t Pixar, and it’s not trying to be Pixar. It’s a silly adventure film that is purely focused on the family, the environment and how we should all strive to be/do better. Does it sound preachy? Yes, it can, on paper, absolutely. But I thought Strange World never crossed into that annoyingly preachy territory once, and it was just a fun adventure for the entire family to enjoy.

Also, Splat is one of the most adorable side characters I have seen; in a while. When watching this film with my girlfriend, she instantly fell in love with Splat. Needless to say, we now have a Splat plush toy she loves, so I can only imagine actual children watching this and loving Splat when this adult woman melted because he was so cute. But, case in point, he was, and I loved him too.

Overall, Strange World is one of those “the journey is more important than the destination” movies. Is the message of this film deep? Not that much. Is the film doing anything new? No, not really. But did I have fun whilst watching it and was with it for the movie’s entirety? Absolutely. This film might not win any awards or even be remembered as much as it should, but sometimes all you need is a good old-fashioned adventure that is reshaped for the times we live in now. And that is something Strange World did well.

That’s all for this one! Did you see it? What did you think about it? Let me know!

Until next time,

Luke