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Phil_M_A_Kerr
Reviews
Alien: Romulus (2024)
Alien: Ravenclaw
I'm an old crusty who watched the OG Alien movie on the big screen circa 1980. After Alien 2 they've been progressively less tense but more perplexing.
Fede Alvarez's Don't Breathe was a nail-biting shocker so I gave this one a chance. Hesitant due to word of mouth that this was a "best of" collage from the franchise, I can confirm that I wasn't surprised then by what I saw. There is some of that trademark tension that Alvarez can build but I don't think big budget sci-fi is his cup of tea. He's a minimalist, just as Ridley Scott was when he made the OG mind you, but I swear that all the tropes of "world-building" (yawn) were shoved down our eyeballs at every opportunity.
I had hopes when the opening shot of the vessel in space was silent - as it should be. But they just couldn't maintain the discipline and not a minute later I could hear the ship's internal beeps through the vacuum of space. My heart sank.
The kids were too young! Surely the OG crew were significantly older. Alien should be adult horror sci-fi, not hardcore Harry Potter!
Props to the creature effects, CGI, & lighting crews. The cast are not short of talent but our familiar antagonists give the characters little occasion to rise to.
The Critic (2023)
Machiavellian MacLellan
This movie hits harder than it had any right to! How can these little gems sneak under the radar so?
Such was my reaction to seeing this old-school masterclass in acting. It's not just Gandalf either. Arterton, Strong, & company each had their respective A-games on show.
This is a devastating depiction of the human condition, mind you. It's no quaint whodunnit. MacLellan's skill and wisdom lift this piece into Oscar territory, for sure. Now, his performance may have come at the expense of Strong's character arc which could have used an inch or two more context but this quibble is a disservice to what he was able to achieve with his limited screen time and dialogue.
I'll watch this again at some point. Not coincidentally, another depiction of the brutal side of showbiz/life briefly crossed my mind during this The Critic - the recent Babylon.
The Substance (2024)
A Women Of Substance
Agree with most of the other reviews here but wanted to put my 2 cents out into the ether.
Demi Moore kicks butt in this one, for sure. Pleasantly surprised & happy to be reminded of her substantial screen presence I'd not seen in a good while (rewatched A Few Good Men a couple years back).
Margaret Qualley, who I eventually recognised from Once Upon A Time In Hollywood, was equal to the task.
Now, to the writer & director, well, full props for carrying the body horror torch with aplomb. A true cinephile wearing her influences - Lynch, Cronenberg, Carpenter - on her sleeve, brightly & boldly.
Some complaints about the ending but, hey, it's a genre piece. Dodgy endings are almost par for the course! In the overall body of the film is where ... the substance ... lies.
Sleeping Dogs (2024)
A Beautiful LA ConfeMento
Locks down the noir vibe with unnerving characters, shadowy cinematography, brooding score, and a slowly untangling plot.
Couldn't pinpoint the locale but I suspected it was Melbourne, Orstraylia, stepping in for Washington State, USA. The city does well for a detective thriller. The Interview is an Aussie classic that hails from Down Under, as does Lantana, so those Skippies know how to lens a whodunnit.
The cast are all top shelf. It's good to see Nebula throwing down some make-up-free acting chops. Crowe's Oscar wasn't handed to him accidentally as his performance is the frame over which this production is built. The script, and in fact the entire production, was worthy of a bigger budget but, you know, camp costumes & CGI overload is yet still where the big box office $$$ are at.
If you can be a little forgiving for some truncated "money" scenes & occasional verbosity, you'll be rewarded by this dalliance of wellness of the mind & detective film noir.
Deadpool & Wolverine (2024)
Reynolds our Leslie Neilson?
A cinematic sugar-hit, as many folks have said & they're not wrong.
Reynolds probably got everyone together whilst Huge Ackman brings the gravitas, the dramatic chops - call it what you will.
Cameo after cameo is true, but that you've got great actors filling out these tiny roles is the key to the funtastic successful stocking fillers. The new faces were 100% top shelf too!
I tapped out after Endgame apart from the big screen offerings of Dr Strange 2, Black Widow, & The Marvels. Would like to have kept up with Loki's timeline shenanigans on the Disney channel but I'm afraid of going down the Disney/MCU/Star Wars rabbit hole. My experience with Back To The Future, Terminator, Timecop (yes, you heard right) did suffice in helping to understand this movie's time alteration hijinks.
Most people will have fun with it.
[Edit: the closing credits montage of the early X-Men films was a fine reminder of how so very many of us have aged alongside Hugh's take on Logan - The Wolverine]
Trap (2024)
It's A Trap!
Harnett can act, let's get that out of the way.
As many have said, it's not a perfect film, but Shyamalan is so fluent in cinema language that even a middling effort from him is a cut above many others.
What the film has in spades is M Night's flair for the odd, for the slightly unhinged but in a mainstream setting. What an interesting way to introduce our good guy and bad guy into a movie. The tension is there throughout and it's in the extremes of normalcy and out-&-out madness.
What the film lacked to keep it from being a classic is, dare I say it not having ever written a screenplay myself, another layer of context to link our many interesting, key players. I believe the screenwriting books of old referred to it as a Through Line Of Action. I mean, we had the How down to a tee, but a more developed Why would have been a home run hit.
Longlegs (2024)
Perkins' spooky heritage entrances
The style is old-fashioned as it harkens back to film noir of the 50's & 60's. This is in terms of its minimal camera movement, pared back picture composition, and bare bones score. These elements it has in common with low budget filmmaking.
[Edit: But the cinematography is disciplined and the art direction spot on]
It's brutal at times.
February (Black Coat's Daughter) is director/writer Osgood Perkins' , THAT Perkins] earlier film that left a lasting impression on me. Holy bejesus I was not prepared for that & I've dared not rewatch it. Longlegs is a "bigger" film but you might say that its longer legs make it somewhat cumbersome & lanky.
[Edit: but the themes in Longlegs are more mature. Disturbing, yes, but with a depth that adds to the stifling mood]
The tension is on two occasions suffocating. I was reminded of Smile throughout, for the female protagonist with connections to the antagonist.
[Edit: but Smile has a late 80's/90's vibe whereas this one resonates 70's and earlier cinema]
It's a unique experience that could've used script refinement to bring it up to par with Perkins' peculiar & captivating directorial technique.
[Edit: It's tricky because it seems they wanted to keep the production "small" where the script probably needed "bigger". Hmmmm. Yes. Perhaps keep the script as is but expand the production values - a tough call in the horror genre.
Late Night with the Devil (2023)
The guest from hell
Writing this review on my phone, I was near done when I turned my phone horizontal & the page refreshed - I lost all of my concise insights & witticisms!!!
In short, the late 70's TV Show premise was set up perfectly & put to best use for a "single location" modest budgeted thriller.
Everything that you'd hope would be good for a period piece was - performances, costumes, set design, music & sound, and of course the visual aesthetic. Mixing the old style NTSC video look with the black and white behind-the-scenes documentary style is that perfect one-two punch of changing the visual tone AND the dramatic tone simultaneously. Works wonders on the big screen!
I believe this was a pandemic production so congrats to all for making it under difficult circumstances.
Is it scary? Yes. The special effects are creepy but because a tone of realism underpins the movie, creating an altered state of reality seems to have been equally as important as pure shock value.
And the ending? I've had to think about it a little. What about you?
Immaculate (2024)
Nunsploitation
Giallo style filmmaking (that's 60's-70's Italian psychological horror/slasher movies).
Look it up if you need to. This movie wore the genre on its sleeve, to both my surprise and morbid delight.
An innocent makes her way into a new culture with a heart full of hope and wonder. And from there it's all downhill. Not immediately, mind you. The descent is creakingly slow in the film's opening moments but the angle of descent increases exponentially. You won't even realise it. It's part of the charm of the movie, and descriptive of our heroine's predicament.
Religion gets a bad rap these days, along with many institutions of old. This movie does absolutely nothing to alleviate that. It is a committed tip of the hat to a lesser-known (unless you have hipster film snob friends) era of Italian cinema.
Wicked Little Letters (2023)
Not the tale letter-writing needs right now ; )
Interesting because it's based on a true story, engaging for the top notch performances, and funny for the written language at the crux of the tale and for additional comedic touches.
Beware, though, there's something lurking in the shadows of this lighthearted historical tale.
Whilst some of the criticisms about the casting are fair, IMHO, the performers themselves carried their respective roles with aplomb.
I was drawn in by the post-war setting and the related plot points.
It's a dark comedy and so many great funny movies are. There are no slouches in the acting department and the cinematography, set design, and costumes were top shelf too.
The Rooster (2023)
If a tree falls in the forest ...
A tough one to review because you know it's not going to be a box office hit.
Watching it, though, I was thinking how long it had been since I'd seen a real character piece. You know, I mean something that wasn't just quirky or dark or subverting expectations. This was a character piece of old. This was staring into the abyss (this is a Wall Street reference). It's a tale for those who've walked with the black dog, been at society's fringe, and/or at
some time been a pariah of the community - not a pillar.
I hate to say that it's probably a men's film because I'd surely not want to discourage the inquisitive minds of the fairer sex from having a look. Nor would I want to restrict the universal themes of the movie to a select audience.
Baghead (2023)
The cat's not quite in the bag.
In my experience dabbling in micro-budget movie making, I learned one key thing - you can't make a commercially successful movie on a micro-budget. Baghead had plenty more budget than my micro-budgets, I can assure you, but when you're playing with the big boys, even low-to-medium budgets make it tough going.
What's my point?
The makers of Baghead appreciate good movies. I can tell because there are some cracking shots and sequences in this little cellar dweller creepfest.
But as a whole the movie doesn't gel because there were too many elements but too few production dollars to tend to them all.
In the end it, to me, felt rushed & clichéd, despite many singular elements of true inspiration and talent.
Constructive criticism might be "Keep It Simple, Stupid" but there's no criticism from me, really - only admiration.
Argylle (2024)
Mega fun
It's so over the top and it just kept climbing.
More twists than something really twisty.
Ron Howard's daughter slaughters this role.
Henry Cavill and his high hair are comedy gold.
Sam Rockwell's acting chops are the anchor for this swinging chandelier of a movie.
Action-comedy rarely has it this good.
Dua Lipa meets MV Agusta (those who know, know).
John Cena underplays his role - there's a first for everything, right?
Some big names in small roles lifts the vibe.
You'll catch yourself laughing out loud (would've used LOL but wanted to reach the required character count quicker).
Great holiday fun! Great work night fun too!
Anatomie d'une chute (2023)
Gravity did it
I'm going to sound like a hetero, chauvinist, neanderthal, but I'm only being honest when I say that I notice the pace of many female directors is different to most male directors. I'll take the cyber hits for writing that but at least I was prepared for the languid pace. So much so that it didn't bother me at all. I thought of it as a slow burn movie. I wondered at the start whether Huller seemed uncomfortable with the direction but she settled in shortly after. Stylistic quibbles aside, it is a very solid entry into the genre of "forensics of justice". It's also a proper work of art, which is commendable above all else, especially any misgivings about pacing. When the dramatic moments come in the film, they hit just as hard. It's just a different style of takedown than what I'm used to.
Whodunnit? It is worth watching Anatomy Of A Fall to find out for yourself.
The Holdovers (2023)
Home Alone Together
I think it's fair to say that this is a slow burn movie. But it's more just to call it a slow starter. When it picks up the pace at halfway it comes home strong from that point on.
Honestly, I don't want to give anything away, so I'll write generally, to the point of vagueness.
Movies about geeks and oddballs are a cornerstone of any nutritious cinema diet. It's a movie made by a cast and crew with talent, experience, and a love of the craft. It's not perfect but it comes close. And it wouldn't want to be perfect, anyways.
You don't need to have had boarding school (or equivalent) education to appreciate this film, I hope. Just the experience of being left behind for a period of time during an important phase in one's life should qualify for appreciation of our characters' paths.
The good thing about accidental "mentor" movies is seeing the different trajectories our characters' lives are on after our two hours with them. To wonder, knowing what we know of them, how they will do in the subsequent chapters of their lives.
I'm hanging out for The Holdovers 2: Reunion.
Fast Charlie (2023)
Bayou Bond
Watched Remington Steele since back in the day.
Pleasantly surprised when he got the Bond gig.
So, Brosnan + Noyce + bonus (Warwick Thornton as cinematographer) was something I couldn't say no to.
Surprisingly he does a solid job of the accent. Actor's speak might be that in order to do an accent well you've got to find the character beneath it. He's done right here, I tells ya.
Phillip Noyce's experience as director kept me deep in the moment. It's the seemingly small things that eventually compound to create an authentic atmosphere. Like any good 90's director, his action chops are at par with his quality storytelling.
Caan, Baccarin, and a genuine supporting cast make this a good piece of entertainment.
My minor quibble is with the vehicle interior sequences. It must cost too much these days to rig up an actual vehicle with cameras & microphones.
Aquaman and the Lost Kingdom (2023)
Aquadude & the Psychedelic Seascapes
Bit of fun, really.
Needs to be seen on a modern mega-screen with Dolby Atmos.
The too-many new story elements lessen the chances of a singular dramatic impact. Conversely, however, it does give us an opportunity to see a plethora of imaginative aqua-cityscapes and creatures.
Momoa has loads of charisma and Wilson is quietly peerless in his multi-genre acting chops.
It's been a tumultuous time for the DC cinema franchise & some of that manages to bleed into The Lost Kingdom. It's self-conscious about its previous installment & uncertain about the next. For a genre that's been built on interlinking blockbusters, this one feels hampered, not freed, by its orphan child status.
(Let us not forget the impact that corona virus restrictions has had on films produced over the last few years).
I was hoping for more but I was still enthralled by the technical wizardry, enthusiastic performances, & out-of-this-world seascapes & creatures.
The Beekeeper (2024)
B(ee)-movie actioner
I knew what I was walking into. Director David Ayer & writer Kurt Wimmer are no novices to the B+ action genre.
John Wick has been taking up all the lone-killing-machine real estate of recent years. Where Wick leans into assassin/fantasy, Beekeeper does well to stay relevant. Turning on internet scams, dirty money, sketchy government officials, & family ties, it lays an acceptably current foundation. No, it's no Pulitzer, but heavyweights Statham, Rashad, Irons, Driver, Hutcherson, et al, & a competent supporting cast hit the right dramatic beats along the way. There's room for slightly better characterisation but one appreciates that the set armourer has priority over the acting coach in the high body count genre.
My minor quibble is with the "jello" effect video cinema cameras suffer from. Not really suited to action films but when you're shooting fast and lean, who can afford the crispness of the film (celluloid) frame these days?
Dream Scenario (2023)
Magical
Bursts with analog(ue) warmth of film (celluloid).
Nicholas Cage can character act.
Supporting cast sublime.
Ridiculous plot ... but ... reality IS stranger than fiction, which is why it works.
Saw the premieres of Eternal Sunshine OTSM and Being John Malkovich, did you? Take a break from your low cholesterol diet and enjoy some candy bar snacks with this one.
Is it a depressing tale of woe or a true telling of career trajectories, I asks ya.
Sad, serene. Mad, mercurial. Prehistoric, prescient.
Didn't think I could be so happy about being sullen.
Won't be for everyone, which is probably for the best, RIGHT?!
; )
The Marvels (2023)
Triple Threat, Triple Backstories
It's an interesting movie, even if you've not seen all of the many strands that lead up to it.
A lot of the key elements have no emotional resonance, though, if you've not seen, I suspect, the Ms Marvel small screen series, the Hawkeye small screen series, nor the Wandavision series. That's quite a bit of pre-reading, is it not?!
I'd seen all the stuff leading up to Endgame and then the Wandavision series ... I think. Quantumania I also saw, along with Black Widow. This big screen effort was just as entertaining as those two, thought I.
At worst there are far too many "in-joke" moments that fall flat for the uninitiated. At best, it is different having three lasses as your protagonists in a superhero movie. Each performer is committed to their respective roles, and the Big Bad does their absolute utmost with what material they had.
Danvers' main plot point is given an afterthought's treatment, although Larson makes even this go a long way. It's a sacrifice made for having 3 main characters - each only gets 1/3 of the run-time's worth of attention.
Look, it's a fun movie. I had no problem with it.
The Creator (2023)
Apocalypse 2065
The upside to modest films is that they don't get as much publicity as the tentpole blockbusters. Therefore, you're not saturated with plot details.
There were a few curve balls in this visionary sci-fi epic. The setting was one, and the emotional impact in the final act was another. It's a movie about conflict so in hindsight the geographical locales shouldn't surprise me, taking into account many a post 70's war movie.
As far as the emotional impact at the end, well, I shouldn't have been surprised at that either, knowing full well that director Gareth Edwards is a slow burn master. Early in the movie I actually thought to myself, "This is going to build into something quite large." There was drama early on, don't get me wrong, but it's possibly even more a documentary than melodrama in its observations of our characters.
Best you go in without knowing anything, says I.
Edwards' forte is the realism in his special effects design. But those who appreciate that kinda thing will already know this of him. He and Blomkamp are two of the best sci-fi filmakers of recent times. I hope it's not Gareth's last epic sci-fi, but if it is, he can go down smiling, that's for sure.
A Haunting in Venice (2023)
Thick atmosphere thin plot
The claustrophobia, the dread, the suspense, jump scares, and skewiff camera angles - it's all there. A great cross section of characters in the cast too.
I was disappointed with the way the plot wrapped up - the third act, I believe it is called.
I mean, ideally our suspicions are there from the start in these types of movies. But you want the plot to reveal layer by layer the true wickedness and/or utter misfortune that drove our killer to his or her murderous act. You've got to peel back scar after scar to find the underlying motive. Concurrently, you must piece together the "how". Best practice being revelations of chance and cunning that press further and further into the boundaries of belief. That's how you create the melodrama that keeps people pinned to their seats. Step over that fine line, though, and you'll quickly lose your hard won audience. It's an art, a gift, and an indulgence. And even when it's not great, it's good.
Rachel's Farm (2023)
Intro to Regeneration Farming 101
I don't have any substantial experience at all in growing my own food, let alone for any market. Now I have a basic grasp of the science behind healthy soil. I also have an appreciation of the weighty personal commitment required to have any measurable success at sustainable farming. There's no shying away from the initial financial toll here, either. The seemingly repetitive, mundane nature of much of the transformative work is, I suspect, evidence of the discipline required for the task at hand.
Obviously Rachel Ward is relaxed in front of a camera but the other key subjects are also engaging. I'm referring to both humans and animals in this regard.
The scenery is cinematic and seeing a doco on current and local issues on my neighbourhood cinema screen added much to the good experience.
The New Boy (2023)
Old tale, new telling
These personal films that directors get to make are both a struggle (to watch) and epiphanous (in the modern, non-religious sense) in the payoff.
The thing looked marvellous for the "magic hour" lensing of outback Australia. Sets, costumes, props were all legit for the era (mid-20th Century).
All the cast were top notch but one can't avoid the fact that almost everyone looked healthier than you suspect people actually did in the time and place of the film's setting. What can you do - starve the cast for months before the film's shoot? I suspect Christian Bale had the resources to get gaunt for The Machinist that were not available here. I digress.
The real magic happens when things get cray cray crazy on screen. Actually, these moments depict humans at their most vulnerable and strange. Our weird faith systems - Christian & Aboriginal (see Nolan's gargantuan Oppenheimer for faith in science) clash with serious, comical, frightening, & heartwarming results.
I'd like to watch it again, some day.
Mission: Impossible - Dead Reckoning Part One (2023)
MI7: Pandemic Filmmaking
The real mission impossible behind the scenes was creating an action/mystery spy caper during the coronavirus' global outbreak. I theorise its impact caused the static physicality of the exposition scenes juxtaposed with the conversly b*lls-to-the-wall action set-pieces. Ideally one has both the story & the dynamics unfolding simultaneously. Perhaps managing large sets adorned with extras, stuntfolk, crew, & onlookers for hours on end was too burdensome under social distancing & vaccination rules.
Nevertheless, the narrative thrust was intriguing & touched on ethereal concepts on a few occasions - no small feat for an actioner.
I wondered if the airport sequence was filmed pre-pandemic because it appeared to be such a lively, crowded set.
Tom is ageing gracefully (... not!) but is always cognisant of Ethan's risks & limitations. That is what delivers the payoff to these jawdropping feats.
Looking forward to Dead Reckoning Part 2. We'll learn more about Ethan's past, surely, when that hits the screens in 2024/5.
As always, the cast & crew delivered under what were trying conditions. Everyone looked handsome & delivered with aplomb.
It won't be regarded as the best MI in this series but it's definitely "out there" which makes it, to me, one of the memorable ones.