I will show my cards early and say I loved this movie. And because this review will be gushing over many different parts of this film, I need to say something first – I wasn’t even planning on watching it in the cinemas! Yes, I loved Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse (2018), but it’s been a while since I saw it, so I have forgotten how unique that film was. But when Across the Spider-Verse started getting stellar reviews, I knew I had to watch it as soon as possible. The result… well, I already said I loved it, but what I haven’t said is I rewatched it in the cinema a few days later. And I rarely rewatch movies, let alone in the cinema! But in this instance, I wanted to collect my thoughts before writing a review because they throw everything your way and then some, and it’s up to you how much you take from it. Also, I rewatched it because I wanted to experience it again as soon as possible. And if anything, it improved on the second viewing, and my only slight problem with the ending was “fixed”, respectively, I no longer see it as an issue.

Let’s start from the beginning. As much as the first movie was awesome, Across the Spider-Verse easily dominates it and almost makes it redundant. Don’t get me wrong; I would still highly recommend that you watch it before this one, but I know it’s not needed as the movie recaps everything important that happened in the first film and does it in style. Also, for my second time watching this movie, I took my friend with me, and she didn’t see Into the Spider-Verse; she still loved this movie. And when we talked after it ended, she said she was not confused whatsoever, as the film gives you a handy recap. So yeah, Across the Spider-Verse is one of those rare sequels where you don’t need to be familiar with the previous movie to enjoy it. As always, you should watch it, as it will enhance your viewing experience; however, your potential lack of knowledge of the first one won’t dampen this experience either.

One of the main reasons I loved this movie was the different Spider-People (as not all were men) didn’t feel “jokey” they felt like some thought was put into all of the new ones (like Hobie, Pavitr) alongside expanding on the existing characters we knew from the first movie. Everyone from Miles to Gwen has matured in some fashion, but they are still young people with enormous responsibilities. And it was in those quiet moments when the characters would talk to each other about that and what it means to be Spider-Man/Woman that the movie shined. Sure, we have some excellent animated fight sequences (and I will get to those soon), but that was one of those things I noticed on the rewatch. The movie knows when to insert these quieter scenes for us to catch a breath because, with all the action, it could get overwhelming at times, but if you give your audience a chance to breathe whilst showing them what the characters are about, they will appreciate it.

The animation is… simply breathtaking. Somehow, the animators made it pop out even more than in the first movie. Across the Spider-Verse has at least five massive fight sequences (and it’s possible I am missing one or two), and each one would easily be a highlight, a key/highlight scene in every other movie. But this movie woke up and chose violence in the best way and gave us all of those in one movie, and I loved every single one. It’s hard to pick any favourites here because each is so different, yet they all fit. The action is so beautiful that despite the animators throwing everything and anything your way, it never feels like it was too much. It is also one of those “blink, and you will miss it” movies, where, in almost every frame, there is a reference or an easter egg of some kind. If Reddit survives the API pricing change (more here), this movie will “feed” the r/MovieDetails subreddit for months to come.

Another thing I loved was the main characters and how they all felt real. Everyone from Miles, Gwen to Miguel (voiced by Oscar Isaac) is going through their own thing, but you can tell why and most importantly, you can sympathize and understand them all, including the villain. One of this movie’s themes is creating your own villains and being responsible for your actions, and even if that’s not anything new, especially within Spider-Man films (after all, they have always been about great power and responsibility), Across the Spider-Verse felt like it approached these themes with care and nuance, which we have not seen yet. The idea of going your way, despite everyone telling you no, seeing people you thought were your friends and “good guys” do questionable things for “the greater good”… This film touches on a lot of these and does it flawlessly.

As hinted at, my only tiny gripe with this movie (during my first screening) was the ending. And I won’t spoil what happens, but I may hint at some things, so reader discretion is advised if you haven’t seen the film. I thought the movie ended in a weird place, almost like it was 10% in the third movie, and suddenly, the credits rolled. That was possibly my main thing upon my cinema rewatch, whether I still felt like this. And I can honestly say… I don’t anymore. The thing is, yes, there might have been other places when this movie could have finished, but from the story’s perspective, had it finished any sooner, it would have become an actual cliffhanger. The way it ends here, we have the perfect setup for the third movie, with most of the story elements finished or paused at a semi-reasonable place for us to pick up the next time. So even this tiny gripe went away, but let me tell you, I still rated it 5/5 stars after the first watch because everything that happened before the ending was just so good. Plus, there may have been another thing I might have been so sour about the end – I didn’t want this movie to end. I was enjoying myself too much.

And that brings me to my last point – this may be the best Spider-Man movie. Notice I am not saying the best “Spider-Man animated movie”. Yes, the film utilises the animation to its full extent, and it does things a live-action movie couldn’t do without costing $500 million to make, but thanks to the animators and them pushing the envelope of what can be done and how (different animation styles but they never clash) and story elements that go hand in hand with it, Across the Spider-Verse is probably the best Spider-Man film we have gotten yet. The only reason I say “yet” at the end is they may raise the bar with Spider-Man: Beyond the Spider-Verse (2024), and I would be delighted. Also, if they deliver another excellent film, this will have to be a serious contender in the “best movie trilogies of all time”. So far, we are two for two, and I hope the people behind these movies will deliver with the third one too. And believe me, when Beyond the Spider-Verse comes out, I won’t hesitate for a second and will try my best to see it on opening day.

Overall, Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse is a phenomenal success that throws everything in your direction, but it never feels overwhelming. It’s one of those rare sequels that not only surpasses the (already excellent) original film, it also works on its own without you having to see it. It’s a movie that deals with complex themes whilst giving your eyes and ears orgasms, and when the 140-minute movie finishes, you will wish for more. For now, this is my favourite movie of 2023, and it will be hard for any other film to take over that. I loved it and would strongly recommend catching it in the cinemas.

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

Until next time,

Luke

After delivering almost a perfect trilogy of action films (my reviews can be found here, there, and also here), John Wick is back and longer than ever. No, that’s not a euphemism (but it can be if you try hard enough ;-)) Chapter 4 is one hour longer than the first John Wick film. Therefore, despite the bad-ass trailers and my positive attitude towards these films (now I guess it’s a franchise), I was a bit worried. It is a fourth one; it’s almost three hours long; there is no way this film will deliver, right? All my worries disappeared when I finally sat in the cinema and caught this one (better late than never). And the further the film went, the more I loved it. And there are several reasons for that.

One of those reasons must be the casting. Sure, we can talk about the main stars like Keanu Reeves, Laurence Fishburne, Ian McShane or Lance Reddick, for whom this was his last fully filmed movie; may he rest in power. They all know their roles well, and despite some line readings that may be leaning too much toward them being bigger than life (mainly with Keanu and Laurence’s characters), it never distracted me. But this franchise knows how to cast the “side roles”, and this one might have been the best one yet. Everyone from Hiroyuki Sanada, Rina Sawayama and Shamier Anderson to our antagonists Bill Skarsgård and Donnie Yen were outstanding in their roles, each serving a different purpose; they never once felt like an unnecessary character. And especially Donnie’s character, one who can go toe-to-toe with John Wick himself; and survive… He might have been my favourite character in this film. I wonder whether they made him blind to equalise the “playing field”, as the real-life Donnie Yen is pretty much John Wick if you do some reading on him. I am not saying he is in some sort of mysterious world of assassins and kills people on the side; all I am saying is he could do that if he wanted to; that’s how good of a fighter he is.

Halfway through this film, when John survives yet another “how the fuck did he survive that?” moment, I began to wonder why am I not mad about it? It usually bothers me when our protagonist turns into a superhero, and there are no stakes. But then it hit me, or to be precise, they hit John again in another well-shot, well-edited action sequence. That is the key; I am willing to forgive a lot (and I suspect many others are too) as long as you give me something unique, like an action sequence shot from the top, with no (visible) cuts for a couple of minutes. Or your “standard” fight scene with slow and steady camera movements, where we cut only when necessary. Yes, I am describing what’s been the staple of the John Wick franchise since its first movie, but I feel like they have taken the action to the next level in Chapter 4. This movie has several long action sequences (after all, it is almost three hours long!), but they never felt the same. The one in Osaka feels different than the one in Germany or the other towards the end in Paris. They are specific to their location, to whoever is in them, but they have one thing in common, they are always well rehearsed, and you can tell they spend hours upon hours shooting them. And I appreciate it.

I think that is the main difference between this franchise and something like the Fast & Furious franchise. Both are “silly” movies on the surface, with regular people doing something special. But, and this is Megan Thee Stallion’s level of but(t), one franchise expects you to understand that all people within the universe are indestructible machines with a lot of CGI behind them. The other tries to justify most of its shenanigans (like bullet-proof suits and many different rules in the world of ruthless killers), and when it’s time to “let loose”, it gives you the unbelievable action of “hero beats 100 men” or “hero survives this and that!” scenes that feel real. They feel real, even though we all know deep down John Wick wouldn’t have survived 10% of what happens to him in this film, let alone all four movies combined, but the way everything is shot and edited, the way we can tell what is happening, where everyone is, that is where the cookie crumbles. So yeah, I am more willing to forgive some of these “there is no way he would survive that!” scenes as long as I can see everything happening clearly, without a headache or a pause button.

I also loved how this film ended. Without going into any spoilers, I don’t know whether we will get any more John Wick films. I know there are two TV shows in production right now (The Continental (2023) and Ballerina (2024) starring Ana de Armas), and I will be checking them both out; especially looking forward to Ballerina because Ana de Armas kicking ass? You don’t have to threaten me twice with a good time! But regarding any “official” John Wick films, they made it so the story is reasonably closed after this one, but I can also see how they could “reopen” it if they wanted to do John Wick 5. I wouldn’t mind if this were the end of the films, and they would just continue with shows. But, if we have to get a fifth one, they better bring back Chad Stahelski as a director, as he is currently one of the best (if not THE best) living directors who understand how to shoot compelling action sequences. He has proven himself several times now, so I am not afraid to make this statement; he gets everything, from making every sequence pop to understanding the audience is willing to accept (read: forgive) a thing here and there if you make it compelling enough.

Overall, John Wick: Chapter 4 is a blast. If you are worried about the runtime, don’t be. This movie justifies it, and I never felt it because the film feels like you are on several different rollercoasters throughout it. Each one is different from the last, but there wasn’t one that would bore you or leave you cold. To top it all off, we have gotten a plethora of outstanding supporting actors, who I hope to see more of in one of those TV shows. But most importantly, it is a satisfying conclusion (?) to this John Wick saga if the creators decide we won’t make any of these films anymore. I can’t imagine anyone who loved the previous three films being disappointed with this one.

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

Until next time,

Luke

We’ve had many cinematic duos, but I never thought I would crave more of this Nordic one, consisting of Thomas Vinterberg and Mads Mikkelsen. After The Hunt (2012) or Jagten, I was down to watch anything these two will decide to make next. And Another Round (or Druk) not only delivered, it reminded me why I love how much attention and well-deserved recognition movies from foreign countries are finally getting.

The story is pretty funny on the surface as the basic premise is; what if people were born with negative alcohol levels and we “must” drink a little every day to be… happier? More adjusted? More relaxed? Or all of these above? It isn’t as “random” as it sounds, as the film’s premise is based on a (now debunked) study (you can read it for yourself here) that explored that very idea. What is fascinating about this is you can immediately tell the difference between cultures and people from different backgrounds approaching the same thing. You can’t convince me that many American directors would have made this into this uplifting comedy with some dramatic elements. But in the hands of Europeans, this turns into a darker drama about life, alcoholism, almost this meditation of what it means to be alive. Yes, there are some purely comedic scenes, but Another Round is not a comedy; by any means.

One aspect of this film is the idea of enabling, what happens when this (slowly increasing how much you drink per day) goes too far. And this will hit close to home for many people, as alcoholism is, unfortunately, quite a universal problem; that knows no race, gender or border. It would be almost impossible to find a person who at least doesn’t know somebody affected by alcoholism. And since it’s such a prevalent addiction, it’s been put to film many times, but somehow, Vinterberg found a new “spin” on it and made a film that resonated with people everywhere. After all, he did win the Oscar for “Best International Feature”.

What I liked the most about this film was that it never came across as “judgemental” or “preachy”, despite having every right to be. All four characters start like extremely loveable people, only for pretty much all of them to descend into some sort of “hell”. They all hit bottom, and as it happens with alcohol, some take a while to get there, whilst others get there quickly. And for a few, there is no way back. Without going into spoilers, there is a clear “price to pay” for this experiment for all our protagonists; only some pay a much higher price than others. That brings me to this movie’s end.

Again, without going into spoilers, the ending is so beautifully bittersweet; I have heard some people were confused by it. And to a degree, I honestly believe it’s intentionally “vague”. Another Round managed to showcase all the dangers of alcoholism without any judgment, but it makes its stance clear. However, that doesn’t mean the character(s) will follow it. What do I mean? We all know what is good for us; we should exercise regularly, eat cleanly, sleep well, read, constantly educate ourselves… the list goes on and on, we all get the drill. However, how often do you do all of these? People take shortcuts and often don’t follow the “best advice” even if they know, deep down, they should. It’s the complexity of being human; we all know what is good for us, yet we don’t follow it, and sometimes we just straight up ignore it. Another Round encapsulates this uniquely human experience and gives it to us “raw”. It’s a complex film about complex characters, so no wonder the finale would also be complexly bittersweet. The end reminded me of the famous quote by Nietzsche: “Beware that, when fighting monsters, you yourself do not become a monster… for when you gaze long into the abyss. The abyss gazes also into you.” Just to be clear, I don’t think our main protagonists becomes a monster, it’s just a bit complicated than that. And you may watch this film and read this ending entirely differently, and that right here is the true power of art.

Overall, Another Round is an excellent film full of characters you may recognise. That is usually a good thing, but given this film’s topic, I don’t think anyone wants to recognise somebody they may know in this, or worse, realise one of those characters may be them. It is a more serious film than you may expect, but it is worth the watch. And that ending… is just an ambivalent cherry on top of this bittersweet cake. And you will hum (if not sing) “What a Life” by Scarlet Pleasure for a few months onwards, I guarantee it.

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

Until next time,

Luke

I am starting to get used to a world where due to the number of streaming services, I have no idea what is coming out, when and whether movies even get theatrical release anymore. This film is a prime example, as I had not heard about it until my girlfriend said she would like to watch it. I thought it looked good, so we went for it, and that was the last time the word “good” would be in the same sentence as the title of this film. Good Luck to You, Leo Grande is a minimalistic film that feels larger than it is. It is a film that talks openly about many things people are still nervous discussing (sex, pleasure at older age, sex work) and most importantly, it has two outstanding performers at its core.

It feels almost reductive to write Emma Thompson is a national treasure, but in this movie, she bares it all, both acting-wise and in the literal sense too. But the film goes about it in such a delicate and non-judgemental way the moment it happens; you understand why it had to be there. It doesn’t feel awkward, cheap or out of place. Emma has had many outstanding roles and won two Oscars (one for leading actress and one for adapted screenplay, both for Sense and Sensibility (1995)), but this role feels like she is loudly announcing: “Hey, I am not done yet!” Quite honestly, her performance in this film must be in her TOP 3 because it requires so much from her it must have been challenging. But as an actor, she could rely on an amazing script and her partner-in-crime, Daryl McCormack.

I was not familiar with him whatsoever, but goddamn, this guy can act. These intimate films built around two people only work if both performers complement each other, and somehow, Emma and Daryl found that connection and carried this film together. Good Luck to You, Leo Grande is that kind of “push and pull” movie, where one of our main heroes is always “king of the mountain”. There is an apparent power dynamic, but if you think for a second that dynamic will not shift throughout the film, you are mistaken. The movie switches genres and goes from light-hearted to darker places fast, but it never feels weird. Every scene and every turn in this film felt natural, and at times I forgot I was watching a movie and was just watching two very different people react.

If we put these two outstanding performances aside for a moment, you will notice how this film is told and shot meticulously. There is something about having women making films about these topics/themes, as the screenplay by Katy Brand feels so direct yet sure of itself. What I mean is the script talks about a variety of different, complex things, but I don’t think it ever gives you “one correct answer” to anything. Yes, this film is about empowerment and letting go of shame around sex/sex workers, but it never “fetishizes” the topic; it never skews one way because that’d be dishonest. No matter where you stand on this issue, if you say something like: “Well, this is easy, the solution is…”, you have already lost me. But not this film; Katy’s script navigates this minefield and makes it to the other side undamaged.

Now it’s the time to talk about the other woman behind the camera, the director Sophie Hyde. What I loved about her directing were two things – she made this intimate film feel larger than it was, and she shot the sex scenes realistically. Let me explain – these “small”, intimate films shot in (mostly) one room with a limited number of actors can sometimes feel stale, given the apparent limitation. After all, how many ways can you shoot one room? But Sophie cracked it; the film never felt trite or boring as she understood the assignment. It would be easy to get distracted and try to have some scenes with “cool-looking shots”. But this film stays true to what it sets out to do; it’s a quiet, powerful film about the world’s oldest profession, but with a dialogue from today, with a “fresh mindset”. You won’t find many clichés here; no matter where you stand on the “legalise sex work” debate, there is a nuanced “debate” happening in this film.

And this is where I need to go back to the beginning of my review. Because for a film I didn’t know existed until my girlfriend told me she wanted to watch it, Good Luck to You, Leo Grande surprised me, entertained me, made me think and, most importantly, it showcased two stellar performers. In one performance, we knew what the actress was capable of (and she still managed to surprise me), and in the other, I hope this performance will help Daryl to break through to more mainstream films/series. And both Emma and Daryl made this film work.

Overall, Good Luck to You, Leo Grande, is a mature film that knows what it wants to say. It never pretends to be something it’s not; it is an honest piece of cinema that feels big in its minimalism. For the better part of the film, we only see Emma and Daryl, but you will never get bored, despite seeing only those two interact for the majority of the runtime. I also wouldn’t be shy to write this must be one of the best performances of Emma’s career, and given her talent and longevity, that is saying something. If you are looking for something more adult-oriented without any sleaziness attached to it, something with comedic elements but also something with “a soul”, look no further. Good Luck to You, Leo Grande should not disappoint you.

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

Until next time,

Luke

I know I am beginning to sound like a broken record, but 2022 was a great year for movies. And this “late” addition (in the US, it premiered in September and in the UK in November) only underlines my previous statement with a bold pen. The most extraordinary thing about Aftersun is that if you were to describe it to somebody, it would probably sound like the most boring movie of all time. And it is anything but that.

Let’s have an exercise, shall we? Imagine if somebody tries to pitch you a film, saying: “It’s handheld footage of somebody’s holiday in Turkey. But nobody gets kidnapped; it’s a very simple story about a dad and his daughter.” You would (quite rightly) say: “Wait, that’s it?” And effectively, yes, that is it. Aftersun is as raw of a movie as they come, but because of its rawness, it hits you hard in certain moments. This film is one of those movies that will make you feel a certain way, and you may not even realise why you are feeling like it. You may not fully understand what happens at the end (because it is left to your interpretation on purpose), and the final scene will still hit you hard. You will also not be able to hear the song “Under Pressure” by Queen ft. David Bowie without thinking about Aftersun. That is how powerful this “little movie that could” is.

You might ask: “Hey, why are you calling this little movie?” Well, the budget was (probably) so minuscule I can’t even find an estimated one; the whole film is effectively about two people, the rest are “glorified extras”, and because of its premise, it’s shot in a very “amateurish” manner. That might sound like I am criticising the film, but no, far from it. It takes balls to take (what I can presume was) a little amount of money and for someone to have a clear idea of the story you want to tell and tell it in this beautifully raw, emotional way. Also, I have seen too many movies to know that the “amateurish” nature was far from it; the shots always served the story and never felt random. It takes a lot of talent to make something look amateurish, and Charlotte Wells nailed it. Aftersun is not only her feature debut as a director but also as a writer. And holy fuck, she nailed it out of the park.

The main reason this film resonated with me so much was how genuine it felt at every moment. There was a real “dad/daughter” chemistry between Paul Mescal and Frankie Corio (more about them soon), so you already won half of the battle. The rest was the story and whether it delivers everything you, as a director/writer, want it to deliver. And holy shit did it ever. I loved how Aftersun played around with the idea of memory and how fragile and unreliable it can be. Without spoiling anything, there are scenes where you think to yourself: “What is happening?” And as the film slowly peels every layer it has to offer, that is the moment you have to actively go back and replay some of those moments back and think about what you saw. It’s not a spoiler to say most of this film takes place in the past as Sophie (the daughter) reflects on/remembers this specific holiday she had with her dad.

And this is why Aftersun went full-on genius for me. You never get any hints as to why. Why does she go back to this holiday? Did anything meaningful happen before or after it? Was this their last holiday? Is her dad still alive? If he is, does that mean they had a falling out? If he isn’t, what happened? And the more you dive into the hints, you can make any theory you wish. There are no straight answers; everything is left up to you, so you can interpret it any way you see fit. You might have seen me, in the past, critiquing this very thing, not giving your audience enough to grasp. But no, you won’t hear me complaining about it here because there is a difference. Aftersun isn’t interested in “what”; it wants you to stop and think about “why”? You can almost imprint any of the past experiences you might have had with somebody in your past, and it would have worked because that is the purpose of this film. In its complexity, it’s relatable. And not “annoyingly relatable”, like that one person we all know who wants to relate to anything and anybody and fails. We all have had some relationships fall apart, whether it was family, friends or partners, and this movie acts almost as a catalyst for you. And I would argue it should also showcase to you that no matter how great you think your memory is, it can’t be trusted that much.

Let’s talk about the main stars, Paul and Frankie. As I have alluded to, they had the chemistry needed for you to believe these two were father and daughter. But on its own, that would still not be enough to carry this film, so they had to bring their A-game. And they both had. I wouldn’t be surprised if Charlotte Wells told them their backstory and “future”, gave them the arc we didn’t get as they both perform every scene with honesty, and never once you question why they are acting the way they are. I will give you a specific example of why I think Paul managed to get that Oscar nomination – his character is very complex. Think about it; he needs to play this cool, relatable young-ish dad who wants to be best friend with his daughter. But on the other hand, his character had other scenes throughout the film where you get the feeling something is seriously wrong with him, and part of the reason may be him being too young to be a dad. He is still “not ready” and has that level of responsibility. It’s an incredibly layered performance; I am not giving him enough justice by describing it, so I will write that there were many great performances in 2022; and Paul belongs in that conversation for “best of the year”. I can’t wait to see them both in more films/shows.

Overall, Aftersun is a film I could write thousands of words about, and yet; I could never do it justice. It is so unique, relatable and gut-punching that you may feel several complex emotions towards the end. But it is worth it. It is insane that we still have amazing artists who don’t need big budgets, CGI or, honestly, even big-name stars to make a powerful movie, and I am here for these films. I would be shocked if both Paul and Frankie didn’t become big-name stars because of this movie, and I wish them all success. And I am already anticipating the next film by Charlotte Wells. What a strong debut, what a fascinating movie, and what a holiday. Also, as sung by David Bowie at the end, “give love, give love, give love…” I swear; every time from now on, this song will hit me hard.

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

Until next time,

Luke

If it ain’t broke, don’t fix it, says the old proverb. So when Martin McDonagh heard it, he said: “Alright then”, and called his best mates Colin Farrell and Brendan Gleeson, the same duo that worked for him so well in his feature debut, In Bruges (2008). But this time around, they managed to create something that is the opposite of In Bruges. You see, In Bruges is a comedy first and drama second. The film is so good at combining these elements so elegantly that you will laugh, and then the dramatic bits hit you even harder. And this is where The Banshees of Inisherin comes in and flips it around; it’s a drama first with some funny moments. And it’s beautiful to watch.

One thing I loved about The Banshees of Inisherin is how complex this film is. Many dramas can be about “one big thing/theme”, but McDonagh likes challenging himself, so he came up with a simple storyline with incredibly complex themes that says a lot if you care enough to dig deeper. But here’s the kicker, you don’t have to. The magic of this film is it can be enjoyed on the most “primal” level, and you will still have a good enough time with all the performances, the story, the beautiful cinematography and the score without you having to go deeper.

It is the simplicity of the “main” story (what if your best friend suddenly stops talking to you) that allows this film to explore deeper themes, not only about friendships, but people, complacency, legacy, or what makes you a good person. All these themes are explored in this film, and they all get explored so effortlessly, at times, I thought to myself: “That’s not fair.” being as talented as McDonagh and firing on all cylinders, he makes it look that easy.

One thing I admire about this film is that there is no obvious “lead” actor. Sure, for the Academy Awards, it was decided that Colin Farrell was “the lead” actor and Brendan Gleeson was “the supporting one”. But honestly, watching the film, I wouldn’t blame you if you thought it was the other way around. I guess, technically, Farrell has a bit more screen time, but The Banshees of Inisherin is one of those rare films that have no apparent leading actor, and it’s all the better for it. What it has are four acting pillars the film stands on. The two actors I mentioned already, but we need to talk about Kerry Condon and Barry Keoghan as both were amazing too. Come to think of it, the dynamic Colin and Brendan have in this film, Kerry and Barry had their own dynamic ongoing.

It is only now, thinking back about everything I realise that the reason Kerry and Barry’s characters worked so well together is they are polar opposites. Kerry’s character is strong, clever, ambitious and willing to do anything, even if she may be afraid. Barry’s character is meek, with little to no ambition, and he isn’t “as bright”, to put it mildly. But the main difference is where their characters end up. Without spoiling too much, I will say one sees where they could end up, so they try to change it, possibly escaping their situation. The other, not so much. On a related note, there were many memorable scenes from many more unforgettable films last year (2022), but the “proposal” scene must rank high on everyone’s list. That was a masterclass on how to take a beautifully written scene, and perform it with the honesty, heart and charm it deserves. In any other film, Barry’s character would have been the funny “village idiot”. In this one, McDonagh gave him some character, and he delivered.

Do I even have to mention how outstanding Colin and Brenda were? We have known both to be reliably excellent actors; however, it seems both have pushed themselves even further in this film. All performances in this film are more nuanced; I don’t remember one scene that would be your stereotypical “I shout my lines, give me my Oscar now!”. The Banshees of Inisherin is a big film in scope, the cinematography looks amazing, and the score is stunning, but all performances feel earnest, raw and solemn. You don’t see this every year, that four people would get nominated across three different acting categories for the same film, and it happened here. And it is so deserved.

One thing I would “warn” everybody about before watching this film – please accept it on its own terms. Given the hype, Oscar nominations and overwhelmingly positive reviews, many viewers may go into this film expecting one type of drama and getting this quiet, deliberately-paced Irish drama with some humour instead. Even in my experience, after everything I’ve heard about it, I was still surprised and had to sit on this film for a bit to get my thoughts straight. But I believe this is one of those heartfelt films that will only get better on repeat viewings. Sure, it might seem the same as the climate of this film, cold and harsh. But look slightly deeper underneath, and you will see how much it has to say about many things with sincerity and honesty that is rarely seen.

Overall, The Banshees of Inisherin is a film that will sneak up on you. When I say I had to think about all the different stuff this film was talking about, I am not joking. But it is so worth it. This film continues McDonagh’s impressive streak of excellent movies, and I can’t see him missing any time soon. And if you add four outstanding performances and beautiful cinematography alongside a great score on top of this movie, it surely deserves the praise it’s been getting. In any other year, at least two of these four performers would be the frontrunners for the Oscars. And for my money, it doesn’t matter which two, that’s how strong they all were. I can’t wait to rewatch it.

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

Until next time,

Luke