Film Reviews by TB

Brendan Fraser was for me, like many people my age, a part of my childhood. Whilst I never saw George of the Jungle, I loved the first two Mummy films. And whilst I did notice that he was not appearing in movies the last few years, it was only recently I found out about his personal and health difficulties which led him to take time away from acting. The only reason I mention this is because his performance as Charlie is so incredible, so heartfelt and so filled with pain that it really opens a window into the agony he has been through. This film would have totally failed without Fraser in the lead role and I struggle to think of anyone else who could even come close to what he achieves.

But as much as Fraser dominates this film, Hong Chau equally holds her own and her performance is another of power, beauty and desperation. Her character feels that she is the only one who can “save” him, whilst at the same time knowing that the point of no return was passed so long ago she probably has forgotten what it looked like when she passed it. You feel the deep sense of pain and hurt, whilst also trying to contain the anger which she feels at Charlie for destroying himself, despite her super-human attempts to help him.

Another incredible part of this film is Rob Simonsen’s soundtrack. Stunning strings and brass, when matched up with the images on screen, push the atmosphere into the next level. The prosthesis is also incredible. Unfortunately, that’s where the positives end, and the flaws of the film are so great that it actually exacerbates the faults.

The main issue is that this is so clearly adapted from a stage play and despite the technical wizardry, it never gets above that. The whole film feels constricted and also, even though it has a moderate running time, bloated. And there is a sub-plot regarding a missionary and Charlie’s daughter Ellie which for the most part seems to have been shoe-horned in to extend the running time and try to build character. And speaking of Ellie, whilst she is played as best as can be with the material by Sadie Sink, she is so horrible a person that by the time you get to the end and witness her so-called “redemption,” you are not left in any way convinced. Whilst there is clearly a little child hurting within her, it is in many ways nails-down-a-chalkboard character.

Finally, the hysteria from some in the media/social media regarding the subject of this film (a morbidly obese man) being exploited and the use of this as the main source of trauma, is to me completely disingenuous. Charlie’s size is never mocked and it is so clearly shown how he is a prisoner of his mind & body. One review criticized the film for not showing the stigma attached to his size, somehow totally missing the fact that Charlie can’t bear to see anyone who doesn’t know him well/is his carer. Charlie also knows that what he is doing will lead to his death and cannot face up to this reality, showing the complexity within him.

I absolutely recommend people watch this film, for Fraser and Chau’s work if nothing else. But don’t be surprised if when it finishes, you wanted more.

Pixar seem to be going through a very mediocre and somewhat rocky patch at the moment and I take no pleasure in writing that sentence. It is very frustrating to see the studio that released the first 2 Toy Story’s, and my own personal favourite WALL-E, now coming up with films like Luca. There is so much potential which just feels squandered by the end.

But in no way should this detract from the 2 main enormous positives. Firstly, the world that has been created by the animators, sound designers and artists is a thing of beauty. The colour palette is almost pornographic in its impact and wonder. The underwater scenes are lovely to behold. And on land is even better. As with Call Me By Your Name, the importance of food is front and center, meals loving imagined and cooking scenes plentiful.

And secondly, Jacob Tremblay’s voice acting is superb. It is said by some that voice acting within animation is some of the most difficult acting that can be done, as you only have one thing to be able to convey every emotion. I really felt the pain and frustration of Luca throughout the film.

But the rest of the film is in every way a clichéd coming of age film 101. It is almost like the director and screenwriter sat with a checklist of every trope in existence and went down it, ticking them all off. And having all of these clichés makes the film boring and monotonous. How many times does it need to be said in the same way by the same types of films about how to deal with the difficulties of growing up and spreading your wings.

And I so wanted it to be more. Whenever I criticise a film like Luca, which is clearly made with so much love and passion, as well as countless hours of meticulous work by thousands of staggeringly talented people, there is no pleasure in it. But Pixar have set the bar so high, when they fall short, it is much more noticeable. Whilst I wasn’t ever bored, it’s full potential sadly wasn’t realised.

A flat-out masterpiece.

As with my review for Silence of the Lambs, there is so much I could say, but quite simply, this is one of the best films ever made. Even today its effects are still being felt and influencing film.

The cast are uniformly perfect, the atmosphere nerve-shredding, the music outstanding.

And on 4K, which I rented to see the remaster, this is elevated in every way.

See it on the largest, highest-quality TV you can, in the darkest room you can.

I’ve never been a huge fan of Marion Cotillard in the films I’ve seen her in. For example, in Inception, she came off as rather annoying and her character not relatable. I found myself wishing that Kate Winslet had been cast instead. Although I haven’t seen La Vie En Rose, after her Oscar win, there were a huge number of plaudits for her, and I had waited for the film where I could see why there was a huge fuss about her.

From the Land of the Moon is absolutely her film. She is the best thing in it and I was absolutely convinced by her character and acting, even though at times how it was written didn’t make her particularly likeable. I especially appreciated the complete fearlessness which she approached Gabrielle’s more extreme traits, giving a very vulnerable and unvarnished performance. It’s just a shame that the film itself is not deserving of her talents.

The worst thing about this film is that it takes an unbelievably long time to say not very much. There are flashes of brilliance, some beautiful landscapes and a good performance by Louis Garrel. But for me, the slowness never turned into a slow burn. It is simply a long drawn-out film. I will absolutely admit I was happy to keep watching, but there wasn’t the compulsion to want to get to the end, it was more simply to see where the film went.

I do appreciate the chances it takes and there absolutely will be an audience for it, but sadly the best I can say about it is that it was the first film which actually had a Marion Cotillard performance I enjoyed. I only wish the rest of it had lived up to this.

A really nasty, verminous film with no redeeming qualities whatsoever.

When it first starts, the opening hints at a dark story, with no-holds barred. But it just nose-dives into souless, blank, empty characters, who you don't care about, in a relentlessly depressing and grim Soviet-era city.

Jim Carrey, who whilst I didn't expect the usual goofiness associated with him, I did want SOMETHING to like or root for, is just a blank heartless policeman.

Apparently further on in the film, he commits some shocking acts of violence, which may have in some way worked towards the story/character. Unfortunately I didn't get further than about 40 minutes in. The nihilism in this film makes Nil By Mouth look like Mamma Mia.

For dark and gripping police detective stories, watch Hyena, Insomnia or the first series of True Detective. Just avoid this.

Such is the continued draw of The Silence of the Lambs that this specially made behind the scenes documentary was released to DVD.

Whilst there are some great behind the scenes clips and also interviews with all the key cast and crew, I did have one very big frustration with it: despite being almost 90 minutes long, I felt that there was a huge amount of padding in terms of content that had been put in which wasn't interesting, at the expense of genuinely fascinating moments which were cut.

An example of this is that although the director Jonathan Demme appeared, to me it seemed there was so much that he said that didn't make the final cut. Having seen other interviews with him, talking about not only Silence of the Lambs but other projects he has done, he is an incredible raconteur and storyteller. And I wanted to see and hear this genius director be allowed to talk much more freely about this masterpiece, along with the other actors. But he along with others only gets small little snippets of screentime. Ted Levine welcomingly is allowed to speak at some length about the creation of Buffalo Bill, but it's a rarity sadly.

If you are a Silence fan, then there is absolutely things here you'll want to see. But you almost certainly will be left wanting more, and with the access that this documentary team clearly had, it's a travesty this wasn't fully explored.

Ambulance is Michael Bay's version of a "small/micro-budget film," which still manages to pack a lot into a tight running time.

In many ways, it is very much action-picture fare, with the standard moral situations, uneasy-buddy friendships and destruction aplenty. But this also has some strong things going for it to elevate it above its competitors. For one, as much as it is far-fetched, it is always engaging. The stunts are also absolutely incredible, the standout one being a chase between the titular ambulance and 2 helicopters which rivals Spectre's opening scene for nail-biting and edge-of-your-seat action. The action cameras employed, as well as the set-up of different action shots, is also breath-taking. Irrelevant of the many fully justified criticisms of Michael Bay, there are few directors who can rival in any way how he orchestrates and pulls off action scenes and car chases.

Another reason for the success of this film is down to the casting. Jake Gyllenhaal does his best with the material he is given, but unfortunately his performance is in many ways very one-note. Playing an out-and-out psycho is in many ways one of the most difficult roles to play, because as the stakes get higher, the only way to go is up in terms of temperament. And the crazier you go, the more the performance strays into hammy and pastiche. For every perfect performance, like Daniel Day-Lewis (Bill the Butcher) or Anthony Hopkins (Hannibal Lector,) you have 20 hammy or terrible ones (Brian Earl Thompson in Cobra springs to mind.)

This film does have an ace up its sleeve in the form of Yahya Abdul-Mateen II. He really really is good, his battle-scarred ex-soldier fighting to scrape together the money to pay massive medical bills for his family. His decency and morality, as well as his horror at the situation he is effectively forced into by his brother, makes you root for him the whole time. Abdul-Mateen II is also great at the action scenes, fully believable in the chaos surrounding him.

This is in many ways a film which, depending on your mindset at the time, will dictate your experience of it. It won't change your mind, make you look at the world a different way, or convince you that the world this film is set in is in any way comparable to the real one. But, as a mindless action thriller, it does the trick and also welcomingly, really gives credit to and elevates the role the emergency services play in helping people. Just don't look too far into the fact that the main plot line is a man having to go and commit a robbery in order to pay for treatment because of the obscene cost in the US...

This is perfect drama. As in, flat-out masterpiece. From the opening scenes, I was totally hooked and marathoned the whole series in one go. The writing was excellent and also really challenged some of the wrong narratives which were allowed to be said about the circumstances surrounding the Lawrence murder. Whilst it has been said to be a sequel to the Paul Greengrass film The Murder of Stephen Lawrence, you don't need to have seen that to get the full impact from this film. Even knowing the bare-bones details of the case is enough, plus there is a recap of the facts early on in the first episode.

Whilst Steve Coogan is the big-name draw to this series, for me he was absolutely eclipsed by Sharlene Whyte as Stephen's mother Doreen. Coogan does elevate his character above the standard police-series tropes, but Whyte is incredible. Dominating scenes with a burning sense of wanting justice for her son, who was repeatedly failed by the Met police, Whyte really makes you feel this agony.

As mentioned in the title, this series pulls no punches, and nowhere is this more so than in a scene within the first episode involving a reconstruction. I don't want to give any more details about this so as not to take away the impact, but it is really, really nasty. A skin-crawling and horrific look at the pure and abhorrent evil committed against an innocent and unarmed teenager on a night out with a friend.

Finally, the other element where no punches are pulled is in the devastating portrayal of the Met Police. This review was written in the week where the Casey review was published. It is disgusting that, in the 30th anniversary year of Stephen's murder and after the highly critical MacPherson report, there is still the deep-rooted issues within that police force. Hopefully there will now be deep and meaningful change.

The hype was stratospheric. The haul of Oscars enormous. The praise pretty much universal. And then I watched it...

Within the first 5 minutes, this film started to grate on me. It was like watching the most out of control art experiment gone wrong I've ever seen. But it had the effect of being so over the top, that I literally didn't care about anything within it. So much effort had been put into what for me was just a complete and utter mess. Whatever this film was trying to build in terms of worlds, for me it totally failed. And the harder it tried, the worse it became.

As someone who loves Michelle Yeoh and always wants to experience new films and try different things, I went into this fully open and wanting to be blown away. Instead, I sat and waited, and waited, and waited, whilst every possible random thing happened on the screen. None of it connected, none of it worked and I just sat waiting for something to happen to engage me in it and for it to make some kind of sense, or even to be able to enjoy it.

I have no doubt that for many many people, this movie is great. My best friend adored it. But for me, it was just an exercise in getting through it, so I could get to the end, say I'd seen it, then never watch it again. I fully appreciate I'm in a minority, but it was seriously how I felt. Afterwards I watched the 4K remastered film of Heat, and was able to enjoy a proper masterpiece. Amusingly, Heat is half an hour longer than EEAAO, but the time flew by.

I really enjoyed this film. It is in many ways everything I love about movies: a strong story/script, a simple but powerful journey, a micro budget/small film where every little thing has been thoughtfully considered; and finally great performances, especially from Anjorka Strechel.

The story itself is about a woman called Mel who is extremely masculine looking, who forms an extremely strong and close bond with a girl called Jenny, whom she rescues one night. Whilst the trajectory of the story is in many ways the classic LGBTQIA one, this film elevates this with simple dialogue and exceptional and moving acting, especially by Strechel.

Although there are some strange narrative choices, this make for an interesting watch and a memorable one. Although, if you really want an incredible film which deals with this type of subject matter, once you've watched this, rent Tomboy. That is a masterpiece and one of the best and most moving films I've seen in recent years

The best thing I can say about this film is that is has a very large number of genuinely inspired visual flourishes. The cinematography and colour palette, alongside other zany moments, really give the film a shot in the arm and keep the momentum going.

As much as I wanted this film to be more, sadly the rest of it is extremely schlocky. The world the film creates is very uneven, with random and not always good choices. It also, for all its good points, does sometimes get lost and stretch the patience. But this is a solid 3 star film.

Finally, this film contains another memorable Cage performance, part freak-out, part profound, part crazy. But again, he is never anything less than committed, never winking at the audience or coasting through. We are very lucky to have Cage as an actor working today, and I'll always be grateful that he takes the chances that he does, even if not all of his attempts pay off

A flat-out masterpiece.

As with my review for Silence of the Lambs, there is so much I could say, but quite simply, this is one of the best films ever made. Even today its effects are still being felt and influencing film.

The cast are uniformly perfect, the atmosphere nerve-shredding, the music outstanding.

And on 4K, which I rented to see the remaster, this is elevated in every way.

See it on the largest, highest-quality TV you can, in the darkest room you can.

The Last Duel was extremely well-hyped and for understandable reasons: this was the first film co-written by Matt Damon and Ben Affleck since their Oscar-winning screenplay for Good Will Hunting many years ago, as well as starring in it; it marked another return to the swashbuckling movie that has before served Ridley Scott extremely well and finally had a killer cast.

As mentioned, Damon, Affleck, Adam Driver and finally Jodie Comer all star; many of Scott's repeated collaborators behind the camera as well as in front are back and there is a large budget. But unfortunately, the promise is not particularly fulfilled.

Far and away the best thing about this film is Jodie Comer. Red-hot after the success around the world of Killing Eve, Comer was the natural choice for this role. In fact I'd go so far as to say that it's almost impossible to imagine anyone else in it. The film's subject means that this character is by far the most crucial part to get right, and make no mistake: this film really would have not worked/tanked were it not for Comer.

Frustratingly, for me the worst performance was Damon's, which gives me absolutely no pleasure in saying that, as he has always before been good and sometimes even elevated mediocre films. But he was totally miscast in this film and at times seemed to be struggling to carry it, which when you consider the meaty scenes within it, really sticks out. For me, the actor who this film was practically written for and has also been a recent collaborator of Scott's (in Exodus: Gods and Kings) is Christian Bale. He would really have made this character extraordinary.

Adam Driver fares a bit better and also manages to add some genuine menace to the film. In particular, the rape scene, shown from three different perspectives, is highly distressing and deeply unpleasant. This in part is due to the repugnance and evil Driver is able to portray. It is also quite astonishing in another sense: Driver's previous role before this was in another Ridley Scott film, House of Gucci. To go from luxury designer to Middle Ages warrior/rapist was certainly impressive.

Another negative of this film, as well as a frustration, is just how long it is. As much as I am a fan of letting characters breathe and actors act scenes out fully, you really feel the nearly 2 and a half hours runtime. By the time we finally arrive at the much-hyped duel, so much of the momentum has been lost that for me, it never managed to get this pace back. The duel itself, as well as the fight scenes, are absolutely well shot, but don't fit well in the narrative of the film.

This film, with some story changes, stronger editing and recasting, could have been so much more. Unfortunately, it has some flourishes of greatness which are never really capitalised on. Alongside this, it absolutely tanked at the box office, significantly reducing the likelihood of other films like this being made.

A genuine feel-good film. Great care is taken not to mock Maurice Flitcroft and all of the laughs are genuine and good-humoured. The basic message throughout is never let anyone stop you going for and trying to achieve your dreams. This is delivered in a wonderful and warm way.

The true life story of Flitcroft, nicknamed the world's worst golfer, is in parts so outrageous, you feel it is being embellished, until it is confirmed in the credits.

Mark Rylance is extraordinary, fully inhabiting the role and elevated it from what could so easily have been a one-sided performance. Sally Hawkins as his devoted wife is also wonderful, being able to make a real impact and not just relegated to the clichéd and schlocky wife role.

The soundtrack, both the instrumental score as well as the classic hits, works perfectly. Similarly, the cinematography is spot on.

I watched this with my best friend and within 5 minutes, we both absolutely loved it. Essential viewing for a great afternoon with genuine laughs

Stanley Tucci and Colin Firth have been close friends for over 20 years and had really wanted to work together for some time. In many ways, they couldn’t have picked a more perfect film. This two-hander is enhanced in so many ways by the clear love, respect and friendship they both have for each other. You totally believe the deep, heartfelt love the characters have, as well as the personal agony that both of them are suffering from, with one of them losing their memory and the other trying not to have the wonderful experiences they had together being destroyed by this new demon that cannot be reasoned with entering their lives.

One thing which has been noted by other reviewers, but which I would have mentioned anyways, is the total lack of any attention/focus on the fact that it is a gay couple. If you are looking for a film which bangs a drum and shouts about the difficulties and challenges of being part of the LGBTQIA+ community, along with the associated baggage, you won’t find it here. This is very welcome. To add that into what is deliberately a small-scale film which is tackling heavy subject matter anyway would totally overload and ruin the world that this film beautifully creates.

The cinematography, sound and quiet moments are all perfect. There are several great cameos, including James Dreyfus, who in 5 minutes manages to give a devastating look back to how things were before Tucci’s character started suffering from dementia.

Whilst the 2 performances were great, it was for me Stanley Tucci who made the greater impact. Interestingly enough, originally the roles were switched, with Firth taking the role of Tusker. But Tucci himself asked to swap and it was so good that he did. Tusker embodies the traits that so many suffers have: fear, acceptance and a refusal to be beaten. But in no way is Firth relegated to the background. His pain and love for his partner is so profound and moving. When I put myself in his place, I saw myself having the exact same difficulties that he did, but probably in no way being able to cope with them like he does.

Finally, Harry Macqueen is shaping up to be an incredible director. His way with actors as well as the handling of scenes makes me very excited to see what is in his future. If Supernova is this good on only his second film, it will be a bright future.