Yesterday
2019
**½
Director: Danny Boyle
Cast: Himesh Patel, Lily James, Kate McKinnon, Ed Sheeran, Joel Fry, Meera Syal, Sanjeev Bhaskar, Lamorne Morris, Sophia Di Martino, Ellise Chappell, Sarah Lancashire, Robert Carlyle
Jack Malik, a struggling English singer-songwriter, wakes up to find that he is the only person in the world who remembers The Beatles and their music. Although Jack becomes a star, he struggles with guilt over taking credit for the band's work and his unspoken feelings towards his best friend/manager Ellie. Danny Boyle's musically flavoured fantasy comedy wants us to believe that all you need to succeed in the music world is some good tunes. The Beatles songs may be timeless, but some of them could also feel dated. I'm not convinced that naive and innocent love songs like I Want to Hold Your Hand or She Loves You would go down a storm, or that Back in the U.S.S.R. would make much sense to today’s generation. Implausible though it may be, this is the clever and original part of the film, which on the whole is a massive missed opportunity. Richard Curtis, who rewrote Jack Barth's 2012 script, gradually turns this intriguing scenario into one of his formulaic and indistinguishable romcoms, which includes bumbling characters, public declarations of love, and even the obligatory end credit montage to show us what happens to the characters in the near future. Despite all of the flaws, Himesh Patel does give a very charismatic lead performance.
Deadpool & Wolverine
2024
**
Director: Shawn Levy
Cast: Ryan Reynolds, Hugh Jackman, Emma Corrin, Morena Baccarin, Rob Delaney, Leslie Uggams, Aaron Stanford, Matthew Macfadyen, Dafne Keen, Jennifer Garner, Wesley Snipes, Chris Evans, Channing Tatum
Wade WIlson is captured by the Time Variance Authority, who inform him that his timeline is collapsing because of the death of Logan, a.k.a. Wolverine. Wade takes matters into his own hands and travels the multiverse in search of a suitable living Logan variant. The third Deadpool feature, which sees the hero team up with Wolverine and join the Marvel Cinematic Universe, has similar prerequisites to The Marvels, the most recent flop in the MCU's Multiverse Saga. To make any sense of the plot and jokes, you need to have seen at least Deadpool 1 and 2, Logan, and two seasons of the Disney+ TV show Loki, and have basic knowledge of Disney's takeover of Fox, and how it affected the rights to various Marvel characters displayed here. The end result is a breezy movie, where all the gags are self-referential and metatextual. When Deadpool and Wolverine, two characters with healing abilities, bash each other for minutes, not once but twice, to me that is the definition of pointlessness. As we've come to learn, actions have no consequences in the multiverse, and even if they did, Deadpool would crack jokes about it and remind us that this is just a movie.
Dual
2022
**
Director: Riley Stearns
Cast: Karen Gillan, Aaron Paul, Beulah Koale, Maija Paunio, Theo James, Kris Gummerus, Sanna-June Hyde, Andrei Alén, Paavo Kinnunen
Sometime in the near future, a terminally ill woman decides to clone herself to spare her loved ones, but things get complicated when she makes an unexpected recovery. Riley Stearns' somber and glacially paced science fiction drama starts exactly like Swan Song (2021), but the second half takes the cloning scenario in a different and less interesting direction. Thanks to the stilted dialogue and robotic performances, the film doesn't make any emotional impact.
Bottoms
2023
**
Director: Emma Seligman
Cast: Rachel Sennott, Ayo Edebiri, Ruby Cruz, Havana Rose Liu, Nicholas Galitzine, Marshawn Lynch, Kaia Gerber, Dagmara Domińczyk, Punkie Johnson, Miles Fowler
To gain the attention of their crushes, two queer and unpopular high school students start a self-defense club under the guise of empowering women, but their plan quickly spirals out of control. With its wacky, socially progressive, and violent premise, Emma Seligman's crass and subversive comedy is like a 21st century version of Heathers. However, I found her film to be dull, pointless, implausible, and completely devoid of laughs. The satirical elements lack bite when the jokes are based on the age-old high school comedy tropes.
Between Two Ferns: The Movie
2019
**
Director: Scott Aukerman
Cast: Zach Galifianakis, Lauren Lapkus, Ryan Gaul, Jiavani Linayao, Edi Patterson, Rekha Shankar, Mary Scheer, Mary Holland, Matt Besser, Phil Hendrie, Paul Rust, A. D. Miles
Between Two Ferns (2008-2018) is a comedic talk show in which Zach Galifianakis interviews celebrity guests in an antagonistic fashion while sitting between two potted ferns. In this spin-off, Zach takes his ragtag film crew on a cross-country road trip to produce ten new episodes in order to get his own talk show on national TV. The original show, with its deadpan humour and uncomfortable conversations, was enjoyable in small doses. The film, however, runs out of steam after 10 minutes and for the rest of the time I felt as awkward as the guests on the depicted show. Dozens of celebrities (Will Ferrell, Paul Rudd, Brie Larson, Peter Dinklage, John Legend, etc.) appear as themselves.
The Endless
2017
***
Director: Justin Benson, Aaron Moorhead
Cast: Justin Benson, Aaron Moorhead, Callie Hernandez, Tate Ellington, Lew Temple, James Jordan, Shane Brady, Kira Powell, David Lawson Jr., Emily Montague, Peter Cilella, Vinny Curran, Glen Roberts
Two brothers return to Camp Arcadia, a cult from which they escaped years earlier. They discover that something genuinely strange and mysterious is taking place in the commune and its surroundings. This interesting but somewhat frustrating indie flick starts like a reverse Martha Marcy May Marlene and ends like Lost compressed into 110 minutes. Justin Benson and Aaron Moorhead not only produced, directed, wrote, shot, and edited the low budget film, they also play the leading roles.
The Gangster, The Cop, The Devil
2019
***
Director: Lee Won-tae
Cast: Ma Dong-seok, Kim Mu-yeol, Kim Sung-kyu, Heo Dong-won, Yoo Seung-mok, Kim Gyu-ri, Choi Min-chul, Oh Hee-joon, Cha Sun-bae, Yoo Jae-myung, Lee Seo-hwan
After surviving a brutal stabbing, a ruthless crime boss learns from a determined detective that he was attacked by a serial killer. The two form an unholy alliance and agree that the killer belongs to the one who finds him first. Lee Won-tae's second feature is a well-directed, visually stunning, and brutally violent action movie. Although the story is twisty and entertaining, it doesn't add up to much.
Totally Killer
2023
**½
Director: Nahnatchka Khan
Cast: Kiernan Shipka, Olivia Holt, Charlie Gillespie, Lochlyn Munro, Troy L. Johnson, Liana Liberato, Kelcey Mawema, Stephi Chin Salvo, Anna Diaz, Ella Choi, Jeremy Monn-Djasgnar, Nathaniel Appiah, Jonathan Potts, Randall Park, Julie Bowen
When an infamous serial killer re-emerges in 2023, 17-year-old Jamie travels back in time to 1987, where she attempts to play a matchmaker to her own parents, catch the killer, and find her way back to the present day. Nahnatchka Khan's horror comedy delivers a likeable but desperately unoriginal mix of Scream and Back to the Future. There are some nice fish out of water elements about a woke 21st century teenager being stuck in the unPC 1980s, but the time travel part of the story is poorly conceived (two different high school girls build time machines) and the film's influences are a bit too obvious.
The Burial
2023
**½
Director: Maggie Betts
Cast: Jamie Foxx, Tommy Lee Jones, Jurnee Smollett, Alan Ruck, Mamoudou Athie, Pamela Reed, Bill Camp, Amanda Warren, Dorian Missick, Lance E. Nichols, Billy Slaughter
When his family legacy is in jeopardy, an amiable Mississippi funeral home owner sues a powerful corporation for contractual breach and decides to hire a flashy personal injury lawyer to try his case. Although this drama was inspired by true events documented in Jonathan Harr's 1999 New Yorker article, the screenplay by Doug Wright and Maggie Betts turns the source material into an overlong and incredibly formulaic court procedural with (literally and figuratively) black and white characters, and dramatic twists at predictable intervals.
Hodejegerne (Headhunters)
2011
****
Director: Morten Tyldum
Cast: Aksel Hennie, Synnøve Macody Lund, Nikolaj Coster-Waldau, Eivind Sander, Julie Ølgaard, Reidar Sørensen, Kyrre Haugen Sydness, Mads Mogeland, Baard Owe
A successful corporate recruiter makes most of his money as an art thief. His seemingly perfect life falls apart when he steals a valuable painting from the wrong guy. This entertaining Norwegian crime comedy is a breath of fresh air. It's well-acted, funny, surprising, and extremely gory. The twisty story is based on Jo Nesbø's novel.
Pig
2021
****
Director: Michael Sarnoski
Cast: Nicolas Cage, Alex Wolff, Adam Arkin, Nina Belforte, Gretchen Corbett, Darius Pierce, Elijah Ungvary, Brian Sutherland
A grieving recluse lives in the Oregon wilderness with his beloved truffle pig. When the pig is kidnapped, he must confront his past and return to Portland to find her. Michael Sarnoski's unusual but charming drama starts as a conventional revenge story, but it doesn't end up where you would expect. Nicolas Cage gives the most understated performance of his career.
The Instigators
2024
**½
Director: Doug Liman
Cast: Matt Damon, Casey Affleck, Hong Chau, Paul Walter Hauser, Ving Rhames, Alfred Molina, Michael Stuhlbarg, Ron Perlman, Jack Harlow, Toby Jones
Two troubled and cash-strapped Bostonians join a heist to steal the cash bribes from the city's corrupt mayor during his post-election party. When the plan falls apart, the men are forced to go on the run. This likeable but forgettable heist comedy was scripted by Chuck Maclean and Casey Affleck, and Doug Liman is unable to breathe life into the unoriginal premise. The lead characters are uninteresting, some of the supporting players are horrible caricatures (Michael Stuhlbarg and Ron Perlman, in particular), and the events on screen lack credibility and stakes. In his action scenes, Liman smashes police cars like it's 1980 all over again. Affleck and Damon, who starred in Ocean's Eleven 23 years ago, could play these roles in their sleep.
Dogman
2023
**
Director: Luc Besson
Cast: Caleb Landry Jones, Jojo T. Gibbs, Lincoln Powell, Christopher Denham, Clemens Schick, John Charles Aguilar, Grace Palma, Iris Bry, Marisa Berenson, Emeric Bernard-Jones, Alexander Settineri
After an abusive and desperately lonely childhood, Doug has grown to a man who can only rely on his beloved pack of stray dogs. With their help, he plans to protect the weak and exact revenge on those who wronged him. Luc Besson's drama feels like dumb origin story for a second rate comic book villain. Caleb Landry Jones gives a decent performance in the lead, but Besson's abysmal script is too silly to take seriously.
The Fabelmans
2022
*****
Director: Steven Spielberg
Cast: Michelle Williams, Paul Dano, Seth Rogen, Gabriel LaBelle, Judd Hirsch, Mateo Zoryan Francis-DeFord, Keeley Karsten, Julia Butters, Sophia Kopera, Jeannie Berlin, Robin Bartlett, Sam Rechner, Oakes Fegley, Chloe East, Isabelle Kusman
This absolutely delightful coming-of-age story chronicles the journey of Sammy Fabelman, a young aspiring Jewish filmmaker, from the early 1950s to the late 1960s. With the support of his complicated but loving family, who are divided into artists and scientists, Sammy aims to find his path and eventually work in film. This heavily autobiographical drama is one of Steven Spielberg's most personal and finest works. It's funny, moving, and poignant, and it perfectly captures the power of cinema. From the first scene, Spielberg is in supreme storytelling mode, and 151 minutes pass in a flash. The performances are brilliant, but Michelle Williams is the clear standout as Sammy's fragile mother. Scripted by Spielberg and Tony Kushner.
Manbiki Kazoku (Shoplifters)
2018
*****
Director: Hirokazu Kore-eda
Cast: Lily Franky, Sakura Ando, Mayu Matsuoka, Kairi Jō, Miyu Sasaki, Kirin Kiki, Sosuke Ikematsu, Naoto Ogata, Yoko Moriguchi, Aju Makita, Yūki Yamada, Moemi Katayama
A ragtag Japanese family live on the margins of society and make ends meet by collecting the aging matriarch's pension, working odd jobs, and committing petty thefts. They jeopardise their delicately controlled existence when they decide to take in an abused and neglected young girl. Hirokazu Kore-eda's drama is a wonderfully warm and compassionate portrayal of a family. The gut-wrenching revelations in the last third force the audience and the characters to ponder the true meaning of family. The performances are just great.
My Policeman
2022
**½
Director: Michael Grandage
Cast: Harry Styles, Emma Corrin, Gina McKee, Linus Roache, David Dawson, Rupert Everett, Jack Bandeira
In the late 1950, Marion, her future husband Tom, and his friend Patrick become inseparable. However, Marion is unaware that Tom and Patrick are secretly having an affair (in a period when homosexuality was illegal). This romantic drama was adapted from a 2012 novel by Bethan Roberts. It has all the required elements for a thought-provoking tearjerker, but Ron Nyswaner's script never gets under the skin of these people, and the film ends up offering only surface-level drama. The story is framed in the present tense when the three characters are bitter 60-somethings, but these glacially paced scenes add nothing.
Napoleon
2023
**
Director: Ridley Scott
Cast: Joaquin Phoenix, Vanessa Kirby, Tahar Rahim, Rupert Everett, Ben Miles, Ludivine Sagnier, Matthew Needham, John Hollingworth, Youssef Kerkour, Sinéad Cusack, Julian Rhind-Tutt, Phil Cornwell
This biographical drama explores the rise and fall of the French military and political leader Napoleon Bonaparte (1769-1821), and focuses on his military achievements, political ambitions, and the complicated relationship he had with his wife, Josephine. Stanley Kubrick researched Napoleon for years, but never got his project financed. David Scarpa's script squeezes the man's personal and professional life into 157 minutes. The film predictably feels rushed but also consistently unengaging. I won't try and write a history essay based on this film, because most of the time it's impossible to follow who, where, and especially why he is fighting at any given moment. Epics like Gladiator, Kingdom of Heaven, and Robin Hood have shown us that Ridley Scott knows how to stage a historical battle, but even those feel a bit mechanical this time.
Femme
2023
***½
Director: Sam H. Freeman, Ng Choon Ping
Cast: Nathan Stewart-Jarrett, George MacKay, Aaron Heffernan, John McCrea, Asha Reid, Peter Clements, Charley Palmer Rothwell, Moe Bar-El, Nima Taleghani, Jackson Milner
Jules, a drag performer who becomes a victim of a horrific homophobic attack, unexpectedly encounters his assailant in a different setting. A simple act of revenge turns into a deadlock when Jules gets to know his attacker. Sam H. Freeman and Ng Choon Ping make their feature debut with this unusual thriller, which subverted my expectations in both good and bad ways. The story definitely has more depth than it first seems, but it comes at the expense of watching Jules suffer physical abuse time and time again.
A Haunting in Venice
2023
**
Director: Kenneth Branagh
Cast: Kyle Allen, Kenneth Branagh, Camille Cottin, Jamie Dornan, Tina Fey, Jude Hill, Ali Khan, Emma Laird, Kelly Reilly, Riccardo Scamarcio, Michelle Yeoh, Rowan Robinson, Amir El-Masry
Semi-retired detective Hercule Poirot reluctantly attends a séance at a haunted palazzo in Venice, where a young woman took her own life. When one of the guests is mysteriously murdered, Poirot must determine whether the culprit is human or a supernatural being. Following Murder on the Orient Express (2017) and Death on the Nile (2022), Kenneth Branagh's third Agatha Christie adaptation is loosely based on her 1969 novel Hallowe'en Party. It offers less star power than the first two films, but manages to maintain their low quality standard. This is another complex murder mystery with a large cast that plays out in front of my eyes, but, like previously, I am not engaged in the events or invested in the characters for one moment.
Madres paralelas (Parallel Mothers)
2021
****½
Director: Pedro Almodóvar
Cast: Penélope Cruz, Milena Smit, Israel Elejalde, Aitana Sánchez-Gijón, Rossy de Palma, Julieta Serrano, Pedro Casablanc, Adelfa Calvo, Ainhoa Santamaría, Daniela Santiago, Ana Peleteiro
Janis and Ana share a hospital room while they are both about to give birth. This brief encounter leads to an unexpected shared journey as they deal with the joys, surprises, and challenges of motherhood. Despite a somewhat soapy plot, Pedro Almodóvar's latest melodrama tells a rich and deeply emotional story about two strong women and mothers. Penélope Cruz gives one of her performances as Janis.
Past Lives
2023
*****
Director: Celine Song
Cast: Greta Lee, Teo Yoo, John Magaro, Moon Seung-ah, Ji Hye Yoon, Choi Won-young, Min Young Ahn, Seung Min Yim
Nora and Hae Sung, two childhood friends, lost contact when Nora's family immigrated from South Korea to Canada. They momentarily rediscover each other online and finally meet in New York City for the first time in 24 years. Celine Song's semi-autobiographical feature debut is a moving and intimate drama about two people with a shared past and unresolved feelings, who discover that they are old friends and complete strangers. Song's romantically tinged film presents a what if scenario, but it goes deeper than that. The wonderfully directed debut delivers subtle and poignant observations about the choices that shape our lives.
The Square
2017
***
Director: Ruben Östlund
Cast: Claes Bang, Elisabeth Moss, Dominic West, Terry Notary, Christopher Læssø, Lilianne Mardon, Lise Stephenson Engström, Marina Schiptjenko, Elijandro Edouard, Daniel Hallberg
While Christian, curator of the X-Royal art museum in Stockholm, prepares to launch a new installation called The Square, his personal and professional life begins to unravel. Ruben Östlund's darkly comic satire exposes the hypocrisy and absurdity of the art world and Christian's private life. The superficiality and pretentiousness of the modern art scene may be an easy target, but Östlund makes some clever and poignant observations. However, at 151 minutes, this is an unwieldy and scattershot film, which often doesn't know when to cut away from a scene.
Copshop
2021
*½
Director: Joe Carnahan
Cast: Gerard Butler, Frank Grillo, Alexis Louder, Toby Huss, Chad Coleman, Ryan O'Nan, Jose Pablo Cantillo, Kaiwi Lyman-Mersereau, Robert Walker-Branchaud, Tracey Bonner, Christopher Michael Holley, Marshall Cook, Keith Jardine
A police station in Nevada becomes a battleground when a shady criminal intentionally gets himself arrested to stay safe. A rookie officer caught in the middle of all this attempts to survive the night. This action film kicks off like a poor man's Rio Bravo remake with second rate Pulp Fiction characters. In all honesty, the premise has some potential, but the events get increasingly stupid. Like he did with his previous film, Boss Level, Joe Carnahan is so busy with action that he forgets to make a good case why all of this is happening.
Furiosa: A Mad Max Saga
2024
***½
Director: George Miller
Cast: Anya Taylor-Joy, Chris Hemsworth, Tom Burke, Alyla Browne, Lachy Hulme, George Shevtsov, John Howard, Angus Sampson, Nathan Jones, Josh Helman, Charlee Fraser, Dylan Adonis
The young Furiosa is kidnapped from the Green Place of Many Mothers and thrown into the harsh wasteland ruled by warlords. In the years that follow, she grows up to be a fierce and determined warrior who plots revenge on her kidnappers. The final scene of this prequel, which is set some 15 years earlier, brings us right back to the opening of Mad Max: Fury Road. The enthralling 2015 film was a critical and commercial hit, but it didn't leave me curious as to how Furiosa lost her arm or why she cut her hair. In terms of story, that is pretty much all this needlessly long and occasionally confusing spin-off has to offer. Nevertheless, the action set pieces are once again absolutely spectacular, even if they rely a bit more on CGI and don't really offer much new. Anya Taylor-Joy and Alyla Browne are great in the title role, but Chris Hemsworth is a bit too camp as Dementus.
No Hard Feelings
2023
*½
Director: Gene Stupnitsky
Cast: Jennifer Lawrence, Andrew Barth Feldman, Laura Benanti, Natalie Morales, Matthew Broderick, Scott MacArthur, Ebon Moss-Bachrach, Kyle Mooney, Hasan Minhaj
Maddie is an aimless and promiscuous 32-year-old native of Montauk, Long Island who accepts a wealthy couple’s peculiar offer. In exchange for a car, she is to seduce and deflower their socially awkward 19-year-old son before he heads off to Princeton. Whoever thought this baffling and ill-judged premise would work, should be hanged. This is a typical modern day comedy that starts with a raunchy and irreverent concept. However, Maddie is never forced to question the moral implications of her actions, because the movie ultimately lacks the courage to follow through with its central conceit. The humour is consistently cringey rather than funny. Jennifer Lawrence tries her darndest in the lead, but her character is annoying and unpleasant, until the sickeningly sentimental ending turns her into a saint.
I, Daniel Blake
2016
****
Director: Ken Loach
Cast: Dave Johns, Hayley Squires, Briana Shann, Dylan McKiernan, Kate Rutter, Sharon Percy, Kema Sikazwe, Steven Richens, Gavin Webster
After suffering a heart attack, Daniel Blake, a 59-year-old joiner from Newcastle, is caught in the clutches of the bureaucratic welfare system. Amidst his struggles, Daniel befriends a young single mother with problems of her own. Ken Loach's fact-based working class drama tells a moving and anger-inducing story about a small guy in a buraucratic hell. Daniel is not allowed to return to work, but he must actively seek employment (which he cannot accept) in order to receive Employment and Support Allowance. The system is cold and inhuman, but the people caught in the middle remain warm, compassionate, and good-humoured.
Talk to Me
2022
****
Director: Danny Philippou, Michael Philippou
Cast: Sophie Wilde, Alexandra Jensen, Joe Bird, Otis Dhanji, Miranda Otto, Zoe Terakes, Chris Alosio, Marcus Johnson, Alexandria Steffensen
A group of Australian teenagers organise parties where they use a mummified hand to communicate with the dead. They become addicted to the thrilling experience, and take it a step too far. YouTubers Danny and Michael Philippou make their directorial debut with this short, smart, and powerful horror movie. The usual horror tropes are always nearby, but the Phillipous tell the story with dynamism and lovely visuals. Sophie Wilde gives a strong lead performance as Mia, a young woman who is grieving her mother.
65
2023
**
Director: Scott Beck, Bryan Woods
Cast: Adam Driver, Ariana Greenblatt, Chloe Coleman, Nika King
65 million years ago, a spaceship from Somaris crash-lands on Earth. While the two survivors attempt to trust each other and reach the escape shuttle, they must navigate a landscape swarming with dinosaurs. As if that's not enough, they are also incredibly unlucky with timing. This high concept science fiction movie offers a silly and dull mix of Journey to the Center of the Earth and After Earth. The formulaic script by the directors doesn't contain enough material even for the 93 minute running time.
Ferrari
2023
***
Director: Michael Mann
Cast: Adam Driver, Penélope Cruz, Shailene Woodley, Sarah Gadon, Gabriel Leone, Jack O'Connell, Patrick Dempsey, Michele Savoia, Lino Musella, Domenico Fortunato, Jacopo Bruno
In the summer of 1957, Enzo Ferrari is faced with mounting personal and professional challenges. While the Ferrari car company is running out of funds, Enzo must keep his wife and mistress happy, and prepare his racing team for the Mille Miglia race. Michael Mann's well-made biographical drama concentrates on a short period in its subject's life. Although the racing scenes are exciting, the film as a whole never feels particularly captivating or important. It is unclear why this story is told in English. Now the Italian characters are played with a fake accent, real accent, or no accent at all. Troy Kennedy Martin scripted from the 1991 biography Enzo Ferrari: The Man, the Cars, the Races, the Machine by Brock Yates.
Don't Breathe
2016
**½
Director: Fede Álvarez
Cast: Jane Levy, Dylan Minnette, Daniel Zovatto, Stephen Lang, Franciska Törőcsik, Emma Bercovici, Christian Zagia, Katia Bokor, Sergej Onopko
Three young thieves break into the home of a blind war veteran, who allegedly has $300,000 in the house. What should be a walk in the park turns into a deadly cat-and-mouse game. Despite the compelling premise, Fede Álvarez's short and tense horror movie doesn't lead to anything particularly original. The burglars predictably become idiots and the old blind man turns out to possess super speed, strength, and senses. The questionable twist in the second half transforms the old man into a monster, so that we would root for the hapless and helpless home invaders. Followed by a 2021 sequel.
Blue Ruin
2013
****
Director: Jeremy Saulnier
Cast: Macon Blair, Devin Ratray, Amy Hargreaves, Kevin Kolack, Eve Plumb, David W. Thompson
A vagrant living out of his car learns that the man who murdered his parents is being released from prison. He sets out to exact revenge, but the plan quickly escalates out of his control. Jeremy Saulnier's second feature is a grim and stylish neo-noir that explores the psychological impact of revenge and the cyclical nature of violence. The film is short, gripping, and beautifully shot by the director himself. Macon Blair gives an understated and believably vulnerable lead performance.
Capernaum
2018
****½
Director: Nadine Labaki
Cast: Zain Al Rafeea, Yordanos Shiferaw, Boluwatife Bankole, Kawthar Al Haddad, Fadi Kamel Youssef, Nour el Husseini, Alaa Chouchnieh, Cedra Izam, Nadine Labaki, Joseph Jimbazian, Farah Hasno, Boluwatife Treasure Bankole
Zain, a 12-year-old street kid from the slums of Beirut, who has suffered incredible hardship, sues his parents for bringing him into the world. Through a series of flashbacks, we learn why and how he ran away from home and ended up caring for the infant son of a paperless Ethiopian refugee. Nadine Labaki's gritty and thought-provoking drama draws attention to child poverty and social injustice. Like Brazilian classics Pixote and Central Station, Labaki's beautifully directed film feels natural, authentic, and utterly believable. Zain Al Rafeea gives an incredible performance as Zain, who is not a helpless victim but a smart, resourceful, resilient, and compassionate boy. What Boluwatife Treasure Bankole does as the infant boy may not be classified as acting, but she is a terrific screen presence.
Shotgun Wedding
2022
*½
Director: Jason Moore
Cast: Jennifer Lopez, Josh Duhamel, Jennifer Coolidge, Sônia Braga, Cheech Marin, Callie Hernandez, Desmin Borges, D'Arcy Carden, Lenny Kravitz
Darcy and Tom have invited friends and family to their wedding on a picturesque island in the Philippines. Their special day takes an unexpected turn when the entire wedding party is taken hostage by a band of pirates. This action comedy has a cute premise, but the film itself offers forgettable set pieces and very little to laugh about. The story is stupid and formulaic, the characters feel incredibly sitcommy, the dialogue is clunky and unfunny, and the performances apart from Jennifer Coolidge are dreadful.
Air
2023
***½
Director: Ben Affleck
Cast: Matt Damon, Ben Affleck, Jason Bateman, Marlon Wayans, Chris Messina, Chris Tucker, Viola Davis, Jay Mohr, Julius Tennon, Dan Bucatinsky, Gustaf Skarsgård, Jessica Green
In 1984, Nike's basketball shoe division is a distant third behind Converse and Adidas. To turn the tide, the company's talent scout bets the entire annual budget to try and sign a promising rookie named Michael Jordan. This dramatised true story about the creation of the Air Jordan shoe line was released almost simultaneously with two other buyopics, BlackBerry and Tetris. Unlike those two, this one deals with a product that is still relevant, so in essence this is a two-hour Nike promotion. This is certainly the most enjoyable film about a shoe I have ever seen, but its story doesn't offer much suspense unless you've been locked in a basement for the last 40 years. The performances are great, though.
Tytöt tytöt tytöt (Girl Picture)
2022
****
Director: Alli Haapasalo
Cast: Aamu Milonoff, Eleonoora Kauhanen, Linnea Leino, Sonya Lindfors, Cécile Orblin, Oona Airola, Mikko Kauppila, Amos Brotherus, Bruno Baer, Nicky Laaguid
Alli Haapasalo's delighful comedy drama tells the stories of three girls on the verge of adulthood. While Rönkkö attempts to have a satisfying sexual experience, her best friends Mimmi self-sabotages her own happiness with Emma, who must juggle between her budding romance and her athletic ambitions. The script by Ilona Ahti and Daniela Hakulinen is raw and authentic, and it beautifully captures the curiosity, vulnerability, and emotional intensity of the late teenage years. The dialogue is lively and the three ladies in the lead are terrific.
