Film Reviews by Tommy

This for me is what you expect from Chris Nolan and a biopic. It is an incredible film but kinda by the numbers as most biopics are. But because it's Nolan it is exceptional. He knows how to handle the process and drive a film. The visuals and tension Nolan gets from a story of physics, ethics and politics, which are all as relevant as you can get, but to the majority of people these subjects in a film could be boring. Never a chance for me but to a lot of people, probably is. No doubt though, a story that needed to be told. This was anticipated by most people who stormed to the cinemas, with Barbie's help of course but unfortunately this is mostly due to the high budget, it looks amazing and expensive so people who aren't passionate about films and stories get drawn to it.

Anyway i digress but my point is considering the lack of obvious action Nolan does great with getting the tension palpable. The long run time shouldn't put anyone off, the pace is both high - the score helping, but not rushed. The time is taken to get into Oppenheimer's life. It is not overly complicated - a good thing for a global audience and focus on other areas but that means some details may be left out, or some science and math needed be explained more. I like the science but this was about the man then the science, to be fair, so it's never going to be a physics lesson. This is about the ethical use of something that importantly develops technology but should it be used to end people's lives, possibly the world. We know it didn't but the fact that they thought it could've is a remarkable. The aftermath of the court hearing too is something unsurprising to the cynical / realists considering what Oppie had just done. I was hooked. This was all lead by his inner thoughts and opinions while we watch him struggle fighting the morale ambiguity. Cillian Murphy without doubt deserved the Oscar. He is as good as you'll get for this role. He doesn't over act despite some quirks, i can imagine other director/actor combos where it would be OTT. This is a story not many of us could ever be in, Oppenheimer was a genius but we are feeling with him. Nolan's style can be too down the middle, politically and emotionally. This isn't different but Murphy takes that over, his performance giving at times both raw and determined, subtle emotion.

This is a Nolan film, it has what you expect, the score, visuals, themes and story telling devices all there throughout. It goes back and fourth to the court room which is in black and white - something i am a sucker for. Can't help it, i love monochrome when used right ... yes in modern films too. This isn't a perfect film despite my 5 stars. Like i said it's kinda by the numbers, especially with out the flashbacks/forwards and the clever perfect use of camera work, editing, score etc. Broken down it is a high budget biopic by Hollywood so you know, the protagonist has a challenge/ambition and works hard to overcome it despite their flaws and conflict with others. But this is really, really good at it.

Really? Michael Bay has become a caricature of himself. Stupidly over the top. I don't mind minimal plot but there has to be character narrative, some drive, some motivations, a theme etc. I watched this for Jake Gyllenhaal, Yahya Abdul-Mateen and Eiza Gonzalez despite knowing this would Bay going full Bay, but i thought this would be fun. It isn't.

The director gets hold of too much money. Wow. It is such an arrogant film by an arrogant director, obviously. I am not a fan but his films can have a time and place. For some people they're great to watch, that's fine but come on he isn't Tony Scott. He can direct action like anyone but there isn't any effort to blend it in a story with characters. There has to be some point to it, some character drive. A theme perhaps. Sure, respect for the military and the sacrifices they make, some can be looked after by society more after service but he needs to put this in a story better and add something else to it. Some subtlety can have it's time too. He isn't that director or writer, fine, then he needs to recognise he needs a writer to add what he doesn't have.

Gyllenhaal is bad. Abdul-Mateen is not that bad. Gonzalez is innocent - "the best in the world paramedic" LOL. I can't be bothered to write more. For how to do action heavy films see Mad Max Fury Road etc. This ain't that. I hope the cast and crew got paid well for this nonsense.

I can't imagine anyone who is a film buff, cinema lover and passionate follower of greats like the Godfather who wouldn't be excited to watch this series. It is about one of the greatest films ever made with a back story and production (supposedly) as unpredictable as the plot itself, with mafia getting involved in production, determined to not have the film made. So this Paramount film was made into a series ... by/for Paramount. Basically, overall, this feels a bit too much of a pat on the back by the industry and studio for them.

The characters are motivated to make this film because of the story and characters after Mario Puzo wrote the book. Great. Miles Teller in charge with backing of eccentric Matthew Goode, awesome. He comes up against resistance of Goode, money men and the actual Mafia, with . That happened? This story must be told. But, and i did really like it, it's worth watching, i do concede there is too many smug nods and a feel "boy, we made history, producers are the best". You can imagine some suits giving the go ahead for this just like in the series. Watching filming, "this is so us" etc. I don't know anything about the creators, writers, producers etc but you can't help thinking it. Particularly at the beginning while it get's going and you get to know the characters.

That's my only criticism and stops it being great. I did thoroughly enjoy it. If you are cynical going in you're going to think the above all the way through. The actual story is very good but not great. It feels stretched out and forced. Too many episodes, or chunks of the episodes are the same. It's not slow paced but actual story development doesn't move along enough. There feels like repeated scenes at another location or from an earlier episode. Not literally but it's seems that way, or putting it bluntly it they are basically the same scenes the way all Fast and Furious and Mission Impossible films are the same - when broken down. They are small complaints but i know it's not exceptional. Gladly these don't over shadow the series.

This by far is held together by the likability and performances of the cast, albeit too on the nose and safe. Particularly Juno Temple and her character Bettye who i can't overstate how good she was and how important her character was too the series. But i give credit to the writers because the character is irreplaceable to Albert S Ruddy played by Miles Teller, who leads with presence and diligence. Bettye is integral to the production and getting the film made, with Ruddy doing anything to get his film made including standing up to gangsters and money men. In fact this has every character has their moments of a wall stopping them making the GOAT of movies, including Italians, Brando, erratic producers, Sinatra and lunatic gangsters. Giovanni Ribisi as Joe Colombo is showing range but repetitive. However his relationship with Ruddy shows some genuinely nice moments as it goes. Dan Fogler as Francis Ford Coppola deserves a mention, i don't know how accurate the performance is but he kinda sums up the series. Not especially notable but a character who puts the ideals of film making first, refusing to compromise, and providing some comic moments and a decent dynamic with Mario Puzo (Patrick Gallo) that i would've liked to have seen more of. Matthew Goodes' Robert Evans is also memorable, eccentric but unlikable and yet gripping to watch with charisma.

In my opinion these are the only reasons for it not being a great, memorable series. The other could be the plot which depends on you. I liked it and looked forward to the next episode. There are plenty of reasons why i liked it. I love films for one and i'm not cynical enough to let it be on my mind the whole time. I was with it the whole way. I was with the characters as they tirelessly strive to make an exceptional picture, putting the ideals of movie making first, the characters, themes, story etc. And to be fair The Godfather is a special film.

A great director led by a great actor with a very interesting premise. It intrigued me, watching the trailer and reading articles and interviews about this film, a movie i was looking forward to. The appeal - a mix of artificial intelligence vs humans and the philosophical questions around the subject, i.e. what is means to be human, and a story of major potential consequences during a war. There was focus of a human special forces agent involved with AI. Something we've seen but a different take. This looked a big sci fi with action and all possibilities were there. Space ships, futuristic weapons, robots! But crucially the director appealed and was the main selling point for me. Gareth Edwards i knew would focus on something meaningful and original. He has proved he'll balance the high concept and characters. The pursuit of pushing special effects, new images of something that's only in our imagination, and pushing the emotions and relationships between the characters. Asking some questions as the humans and AI come together, whether they like it or not. From his perspective, crucial, being a director involved in most things during production. One known for science fiction.

This did have everything i expected but didn't disappoint in giving new visuals to the sci fi genre, in the images, action and sound. All with obvious quality, hard work and expertise. However i still wanted more. I expected more originality. More unseen visuals and a story firmly giving the genre something new. My attention fluttered in and out, as inconsistent as the scenes between flat out action and emotional character development. My attention was fully on during the inevitable plot reveals and the action was exceptional but it kept circling back to Star Wars. It did it's own thing with it so i'm not complaining for the decisions but i lost interest during these moments. Not for long though, gladly. John David Washington is a charismatic lead in the characters gritty, determination. And the child actor playing Alphie was amazing. An AI child who has natural instincts to be one but is being used as a weapon. There wasn't all obvious special effects everywhere which is welcome and used where needed. A lot was needed but totally justified, visually stunning and intriguing. World building done with a decent pace and wasn't under done. This had the usual inspirations for a future changed by technology and questionable political motivations but for the better, mixed in with real beautiful East Asian locations.

A big let down for me was a story driven by sentiment and romance. It really made the film to cliched and annoying, to be blunt. It let down the impact of other elements. The emotional scenes not always hitting. Ultimately it finished as Star Wars and didn't have the unique elements it seemed to have but the final few images used this in a positive way, just only after using it in a predictable action favoured way. However i wouldn't hesitate to recommend.

Indiana Jones is what it is, we all know that. An entertaining adventure with Harrison Ford normally directed by Steven Spielberg with the balance of humour and fighting the nazis. Not to be taken seriously but thoroughly fun. I didn't expect too much from this film especially after the last one but knowing this was the last and without Spielberg i was looking forward to seeing what they did. This was way better than i thought. I didn't think it would be bad but i expected average.

An aging Harrison Ford, no master Spielberg ... hmmm. But no this was such fun and i'm not particularly into them, i find it too hammy and don't take it seriously but get the appeal, as an adult, as a kid i loved it obviously. This ticked along nicely, the plot not over the top, complicated or silly, and the action was great with the usual humour and peril consistent with the previous films. Crucially for me this lacked sentimentality but did have some heart and good reasons for Indy to get back in the treasure hunt to stop the greedy bad guys using the irreplaceable artifacts for themselves.

Like i saw in previous reviews i agree the de-aging was amazing on Harrison Ford in particular. For some skeptical viewers about Ford being too old this was perhaps crucial in getting them on board, because from the start in classic Indy style, straight in the middle of a fight. A flashback, with the ever awesome Toby Jones, scrapping with wit and improvised tactics for an ancient Greek artifact. I won't go through the plot or what he's after, others have done that. The story flashes back to Indy's present where the pace doesn't feel like it drags. It skips forward in a way these films should. It feels like Spielberg.

James Mangold was a perfect choice. He may not be the best director or original in artistic style or has made the best films but he can certainly direct, a solid film maker who hasn't made a bad film. OK Knight and Day maybe is bad. Girl Interrupted, Walk The Line, Logan, Ford V Ferrari among others he has made various films but every time, like Spielberg, he gets the tone, pace, etc spot on. This is no exception.

Phoebe Waller-Bridge was great, for me. I have seen others less keen on her, fair enough. Particularly with comedy not everyone is going to have the same view. She is great at timing and as Fleabag showed she does it, normally, with a dark shadow behind the character. This is toned down but she has the anti-hero vibe. She is the emotional motivation for Indy, a link to Toby Jones who sadly isn't in it much, just flashbacks. And to be fair to Phoebe you need to watch Flebag for more than 10 minutes or accept there are different dark comedies that aren't for everyone, it doesn't make the actor bad. She can act and write for sure. Mads Mikkelsen is as always brilliant.

A let down is the a CGI is too obvious during action scenes, a point another reviewer(s) made. Second is that is there any memorable moments? I don't think there is. I remember the film well, i really enjoyed it. I recommend it. But a scene, a moment of classic Indy history, i don't know. The whole film is historic, it's the last one! Ford's final outing with the hat and whip. It has a nice unsentimental but heartfelt moment to end with. Not over the top but just the right touch.