The Dark Tower

Movie Name: The Dark Tower
Year of Release: 2017
Director: Nikolaj Arcel
Starring: Idris Elba, Matthew McConaughey, Tom Taylor, Dennis Haysbert, Jackie Earle Haley, Fran Kranz, Abbey Lee, Claudia Kim, Katheryn Winnick, Nicholas Pauling, Nicholas Hamilton, Jose Zuniga
Genre: Action, Adventure
Score out of ten (whole numbers only): 3
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Synopsis and Review

The adaptation of Stephen King's "The Dark Tower" book series was a long one, with many respected creative teams coming and going. Ron Howard, who stayed on as a producer in the project, was at some point going to direct, but the baton was passed on to Nikolaj Arcel, who achieved critical notoriety with the film "A Royal Affair". The film follows the story of Jake Chambers, a young boy living in New York with his mom and stepfather, who has visions of another reality/world, in which he witnesses a Man in Black destroying an immense Tower, while a Gunslinger opposes him. His family and his therapist dismisses the visions as nightmares related to the traumatic (and recent) death of his father. As it turns out, Jake's visions are illustrations of another reality, and a set of monsters from that domain crossover and pursue him. Jake manages to flee, and eventually finds his way to an abandoned house, where there's a portal to that world, a landscape that is named Mid-World. He soon encounters the Gunslinger, Roland Deschain, whom he saw in his visions. Roland is chasing the Man in Black, Walter Padick, who killed his father and other Gunslingers. Roland tells Jake that Walter has been abducting children with psychic powers for years, and using their abilities to destroy the Dark Tower. That tower is the only thing preventing monstrous beings from invading and destroying other realities. Roland takes Jake to a local village in order for his visions to be properly interpreted, but Walter soon realizes Jake is the key for destroying the Tower, and sends an arms of his acolytes to capture him and kill Roland. 

"The Dark Tower" is a series of books which has gathered a considerable following. It introduces a fantastical world, and a series of iconic characters that Stephen King has expanded across 8 novels, a novella and also a children's book. This project was originally going to be adapted as a TV show in order to properly represent the journey in which these characters go through, until it was decided upon creating a film that would be the first chapter followed by a subsequent TV show, however the critical and commercial failure of the film has hobbled that intent. The largest issues with the film lies with the fact that while explaining the parallel universe, and some of the "logic" that exists in the Mid-World, the whole justification for why characters do what they do, or even the logical aspects of why certain actions are occurring, they all lack substance or even reasoning (and logic?). For all his reptilian and darkly menacing actions, Walter Padick, the supreme villain of the narrative, has no demonstrable motivation for anything, other than just wanting to destroy or takeover other realities? It's unclear what the motivation for most of these characters actually are, while whatever is happening in Mid-World, it's presented/illustrated as a mix of retro and futuristic styles, at times alluding to some aspects of Frank Herbert's "Dune", and then shifting into this post-apocalyptic Suzanne Collins' "Hunger Games" type of communal villages. The film is all over the place, and while it tries to anchor itself on the relationship between Roland and Jake, both reeling from the loss of their fathers, not much is every volunteered on either one of their journeys, their motivations, or even who they essentially are (does Roland have a family beyond his father for instance, is Jake's "shining" limited to telepathy and what does that have to do with the Tower). There are so many questions that go unanswered, supporting characters who have very little to do, that the film ends up feeling like a stunted experience on something that just needed additional breathing room for actual storytelling to occur. The cast tries their best with what they have, and both Idris Elba and Matthew McConaughey are superb players, but even them can't quite elevate the material. The production team is solid, but highlights go to Tom Holkenborg's score and Trish Summerville's costume design. This was a missed opportunity to mine what could have been an introduction to an interesting universe. 

Companion

Movie Name: Companion
Year of Release: 2025
Director: Drew Hancock
Starring: Sophie Thatcher, Jack Quaid, Lukas Gage, Megan Suri, Harvey Guillen, Rupert Friend, Jaboukie Young-White, Matt McCarthy, Marc Menchaca, Woody Fu
Genre: Thriller
Score out of ten (whole numbers only): 5
Watch it on Amazon

Synopsis and Review

Writer/director Drew Hancock has had a lengthy career writing and directing TV series, music videos, and shorts, but "Companion" is his feature directorial debut. The film follows the story of Iris, whom we first encounter describing how she met her boyfriend Josh. She's apprehensive about an upcoming trip where they're going to be on a house by the lake with a group of Josh's friends. Upon arriving, everyone is very cordial, even if Kat disdains Iris, and states her type is competition for her. The following day while sunning herself by the lake, Iris is assaulted by Sergey, Kat's boyfriend and the owner of the house. She ends up killing him in self defense, and when she explains to everyone what has happened, Josh tells her to go to sleep, which turns her off. When Iris awakens, she's tied to a chair, and is informed by Josh that she is a companion robot, and that he is renting her from a company named Empathix. Josh established a link with her, and all her memories were automatically generated so that the bond between them is developed. Iris manages to break free, steals Josh's phone and runs away, checking the app on his phone that basically acts as a control panel for herself. She increases her intelligence level to 100% and tries to figure out a way to escape. In the meantime, the group of friends that stayed in the house has a discussion about their real intentions: Josh and Kat devised a plan so they could get rid of Sergey and get all 12 million he has stashed in the house. They got Eli and Patrick along, so they could be additional alibis. Josh got access to Iris core programming, and increased her aggression levels, so that she could kill Sergey. The group agrees to track and get Iris back, but not everything goes according to plan.

"Companion" starts very strongly, referencing certain aspects from Steven Spielberg's "AI", until it quickly descends into another version of Craig Zobel's "The Hunt", but with less irony and definitely with less of a point. Drew Hancock manages to create an interesting setup for the characters, for their interactions, and for why they're together. The hint of discomfort appears firstly with Kat's reaction to Iris, and the labeling of the latter as a sexbot. So much could have happened and the film could have gone in a very different direction, but instead the creative team behind it, decides to do more of a Agatha Christie inspired conspiracy, only in this particular scenario, the dunce/patsy for the plan turns out to have plans of their own, and progressively turns the tables on the offenders. There's a few critical aspects the films touches upon, namely gender, sexual and race dynamics, but it's done so inconsequently, that wherever the film was going and wherever it eventually lands, feels like a poorer version of Alex Garland's "Ex Machina". It also loses most of the subtlety that it had been building, and becomes more of a survival mode type of film, where the hero/heroine is hunted by the spineless and self-entitled "good guys" (the hunting of individuals for entertainment and then survival goes back to films such as John Woo's "Hard Target" for instance). The cast tries their best with the material, but the highlight is Sophie Thatcher, who really manages to show a range from blank slate to survival mode very credibly. She gets good support from Jack Quaid and Lukas Gage. The production team is solid, but not particularly inspired (the production design from Scott Kuzio is very representative of the "now," and not particularly futuristic or even representative of a distinctive style in any way). It's watchable, but also forgettable. 

Lucky Number Slevin

Movie Name: Lucky Number Slevin
Year of Release: 2006
Director: Paul McGuigan
Starring: Josh Hartnett, Morgan Freeman, Ben Kingsley, Bruce Willis, Lucy Liu, Stanley Tucci, Michael Rubenfeld, Peter Outerbridge, Kevin Chamberlin, Dorian Missick, Mykelti Williamson, Scott Gibson, Sam Jaeger, Danny Aiello, Corey Stoll, Oliver Davis
Genre: Crime, Thriller
Score out of ten (whole numbers only): 5
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Synopsis and Review

After breaking through with "The Acid House" and cementing his reputation with "Gangster Nº. 1", director Paul McGuigan started collaborating with actor Josh Hartnett, firstly with a remake of the French film "L'Apartement" which became "Wicker Park", immediately followed by "Lucky Number Slevin", all films that didn't entire work, either critically nor commercially, which followed by the underwhelming results of "Pusher", eventually landed this director on what has since been a string of directing gigs all for TV shows. The film follows the story of Slevin Kelevra, who is staying at his friend Nick Fisher's apartment in New York City. The apartment has a heavy foot traffic, starting with a neighbor by the name of Lindsey who wants to borrow some sugar, and who upon chatting with Slevin indicates Nick might be missing. Shortly after Lindsey leaves, Slevin is mistaken for Nick, and is taken by two henchmen who work for "The Boss". "The Boss" believing Slevin to be Nick, wants him to kill the son of his rival, The Rabi", in retaliation for the killing of his own son, whom he suspects was killed by "The Rabi". In the meantime more characters come into play, one a ruthless killer by the name of Goodkat, who is working for both crime lords, and who has tipped them on Nick's gambling debts, the other a Detective by the name of Brikowski, who is investigating the crime bosses. Brikowski believes there's a connection between The Boss, The Rabi, Goodkat and Slevin, but can't uncover what it is. Slevin and Goodkat kill The Rabi's son, and then kidnap him alongside The Boss. As it turns out, there's something in their past that does tie them together with Slevin and Goodkat, and Slevin in particular is intent on getting the closure he needs. 

Jason Smilovic's who wrote the script for this film, has since written for some TV shows, alongside for the film "War Dogs" from director Todd Phillips. "Lucky Number Slevin" has some parallels with the work from writer Elmore Leonard, screenwriter Christopher McQuarrie, and even Quentin Tarantino, at least certain aspects of the criminal underworld, and the labyrinths it constructs around the central characters. However and unlike the work of those creators, and in the case of "Lucky Number Slevin" in particular, the script has a fundamental problem, which if it had been addressed would have made it and the film itself far more memorable: the characters are all underwritten. This is a film that, much like Alfred Hitchcock's "North by Northwest" for instance, creates a sequence of events on the premise that its lead hero has been mistaken for someone else. The film tiptoes around the initial question if Slevin is Nick, the person that is being sought after, or is he in fact someone else and is merely the wrong person in the wrong place. And while the film starts strongly with this ambiguity, and some nice exchanges of Slevin with Lindsey, it quickly becomes noticeable that the characters don't have any particularly enticing details about themselves that are revealed. Most of the exchanges around the characters are fast paced, reminiscent of Elmore Leonard's prose, but one never truly understands much about the crime lords, Goodkat, Lindsey, or even Slevin for that matter. The blankness that exists around these characters could have easily been addressed, but the script chooses to focus on the "gotcha" moment, of connecting the introductory chapter with everything that happens subsequently, and eventually tying it all together with the final chapter of the narrative. There are indeed some good moments in the film, namely the exchanges of Josh Hartnett with Morgan Freeman and Ben Kingsley, and even the chemistry he has with Lucy Liu, but all those characters sadly feel stunted and undernourished. By the time the big reveal comes along, the film has flattened out, never achieving the pulp-like quality of Quentin Tarantino's films, nor the elegance of the crime twist of Elmore Leonard. The cast is great, as is the technical team, particularly Peter Sova's cinematography. It's ultimately a film that promises more than it delivers, but it's still watchable. 

A Million Ways to Die in the West

Movie Name: A Million Ways to Die in the West
Year of Release: 2014
Director: Seth MacFarlane
Starring: Seth MacFarlane, Charlize Theron, Amanda Seyfried, Neil Patrick Harris, Giovanni Ribisi, Sarah Silverman, Liam Neeson, Wes Studi, Christopher Hagen, Matt Clark, Evan Jones, Rex Linn, Aaron McPherson, Alex Borstein, Ralph Garman, John Aylward
Genre: Comedy
Score out of ten (whole numbers only): 3
Watch it on Amazon

Synopsis and Review

After the unexpected commercial success of "Ted" in 2012, alongside the continued success of his shows "Family Guy" and "American Dad!", Seth MacFarlane returned to the big screen with another comedy, this time around focused on the old west, but still with his very own perspective and brand of humor. The narrative focuses on the story of Albert Stark, who is a sheep farmer in the town of Old Stump, in Arizona in 1882. Louise his girlfriend, decides to break up with him due to his lack of backbone, and eventually decides to move to San Francisco, as he firmly believes the frontier is far too dangerous and it's not a good locale for him. While Albert is mourning the death of his relationship, and Louise's quick attachment to Foy, a local merchant who has a business catering to people with mustaches, the infamous outlaw Clinch Leatherwood dispatches his wife Anna and one of his right-hand men, Lewis, to Old Stump. Arriving as siblings, Lewis quickly gets into trouble by killing the son of the preacher, whereas Anna takes a shine to Albert, and his snarky sense of humor. Foy and Albert have an encounter at the county fair, and out of spite, Albert challenges Foy to a duel, even though he doesn't have a gun and doesn't know how to shoot. Anna decides to teach/train him for a week, and during that time the two get closer. Prior to the date of the duel, there's a dance in town, and Anna spikes Foy's drink with a laxative, which drains him before the duel even takes place. However during that same day, Clinch arrives in town, furious to know his wife had kissed a local man whose identity he demands to know.

The success of "Ted" which generated a less successful sequel and more recently a TV series, opened the doors for Seth MacFarlane to further expand his brand of humor into narrative films. However the rough reviews and even poorer commercial showings for "A Million Ways to Die in the West" curbed his prolific output, that has remained steady, but solely for the small screen. The film has an interesting premise, in the sense that it brings his modern type of humor and irreverence to the Old West, however and unlike what Mel Brooks so smartly did with "Blazing Saddles", Seth MacFarlane doesn't know what to do with the genre and its problematic clichés (the treatment of Women, minorities, racial issues and so on), preferring instead to essentially bring his vision, his jokes and his insights, which are visible on all his TV shows, to this film. There is only a thinly veiled idea of characters in this film, and they all basically spew out jokes around sex, bodily fluids, and the gotcha comedy gag of the entire film, the concept that basically at that time living in the frontier was basically asking to be killed at any moment. Part of the problem is that the film never truly builds situations or develops much of a scenario around these characters: they basically exist to support Albert's conundrum (an intellectual funny man in the Old West), and his deluge of jokes on everything that is taking place. The film feels like the Seth MacFarlane show on the Old West with a fantastic cast of guest stars, all of whom feel underserved and underused. The film does manage to have a few good moments, most of which involve Sarah Silverman and Giovanni Ribisi's characters, but they too are nothing but a blip in a film that ultimately feels undernourished and underdeveloped. Special kudos go out to Charlize Theron and Amanda Seyfried, both of whom are excellent performers in their own right, who sadly don't have much to do in this feature (talk about not knowing how to write women's roles), but still bring an air of lightness and easiness whenever they're onscreen. The technical team is competent, particularly Stephen J. Lineweaver's production design and Cindy Evans' costumes. It's a mediocre vehicle for a talented comedian, who should have sat and developed this material for a while longer. 

Home Alone

Movie Name: Home Alone
Year of Release: 1990
Director: Chris Columbus
Starring: Macaulay Culkin, Joe Pesci, Daniel Stern, Catherine O'Hara, John Heard, Roberts Blossom, Angela Goethals, Devin Ratray, Gerry Bamman, Hilary Wolf, John Candy, Larry Hankin, Michael C. Maronna, Kristin Minter, Diana Rein, Senta Moses, Kieran Culkin
Genre: Comedy
Score out of ten (whole numbers only): 5
Watch it on Amazon

Synopsis and Review

One of the films that is now synonymous with the Christmas season is in fact Chris Columbus' "Home Alone". The film which premiered towards the end of 1990, turned out to be one of the biggest hits of the year (only behind Jerry Zucker's "Ghost"), and went on to generate a franchise of its own, that never reached the heights of popularity and success of the first film. The narrative focuses on a young boy by the name of Kevin McAllister. Being the youngest in a big family, Kevin has plenty of personality in order to deal with his older siblings, but this time around he has a fuller house, as his uncle's progeny is also staying with them, since they're all going to Paris to spend Christmas with another part of the family. When there's a mini-meltdown during dinner time, Kevin is banished to sleep in the converted attic. The following morning the entire house is awoken by the transportation service - they all slept in due to a storm and power outage. In the chaos of getting to the airport on time, everyone is accounted for, save for Kevin, who was still asleep in the attic. One of the neighbors' kid got mistakenly counted as him. During the flight, Kate, Kevin's mother, suddenly realizes something is wrong, and is crushed upon realizing they forgot the youngest at home all by himself. Kevin in the meantime initially thinks he made his entire family disappear, and decides to indulge in doing everything he always wanted to. However things take a darker turn, when he realizes that some less than reputable individuals are circling the houses in the neighborhood, which he gathers to be for looting. He has to devise a plan to prevent a plan from preventing the same from happening to his place, at least until his parents get back.

John Hughes' script for "Home Alone" was both economical and ingenious in its premise. Young boy with a resourceful mind puts two inept criminals through a wild ride. That premise summarizes what happens during the entire film. What he does however manage to bring as additional layers of interest, includes nuances to some of the lead characters, which makes them that much richer than say, a cartoon character that is being played by a human actor. The film aims to be somewhat of a universal tale of a kid who is always in trouble and deemed the black sheep of the family (a Bart Simpson of sorts), and put a spin on it, by showing he has a heart, is intelligent, capable, and not entirely defenseless. The film does have a limited dramatic arc, and for all the charisma and good humor Joe Pesci and Daniel Stern bring to their characters, theirs are still a rather comic book type of villainy and buffoonery. The film is limited in many aspects, particularly when it comes to its characters, but Chris Columbus does manage to illustrate some of the set pieces competently, even if the film does feel borderline generic. Much of its charm is derived from the cast, with Macaulay Culkin, Joe Pesci, Daniel Stern, Gerry Bamman, and Catherine O'Hara taking the lion share of compliments. They manage to bring these set-pieces to life, with vivacity, energy, and emotion, which makes their characters a bit more than just short-typed clichés. Chris Columbus, who had previously made a name for himself with the popular "Adventures in Babysitting" and would go on to have other successful features such as "Mrs. Doubtfire", "Nine Months", and "Harry Potter and The Sorcerer's Stone" (to name but a few), didn't bring anything particularly memorable in terms of point of view, but John Hughes' script and the actors' work did ultimately atone for his performance in the director's chair. The production team is top notch, with highlights going to John Williams' score and Julio Macat's cinematography. It is watchable, and it does have its moments, and at times, that's enough. 

Gremlins 2: The New Batch

Movie Name: Gremlins 2: The New Batch
Year of Release: 1990
Director: Joe Dante
Starring: Zach Galligan, Phoebe Cates, John Glover, Havilland Morris, Robert Prosky, Robert Picardo, Christopher Lee, Dick Miller, Jackie Joseph, Gedde Watanabe, Keye Luke, Don Stanton, Dan Stanton, Tony Randall, Howie Mandel
Genre: Comedy
Score out of ten (whole numbers only): 9
Watch it on Amazon

Synopsis and Review

The wonderfully talented Joe Dante had a great string of titles during the 1980s, including his classic "Gremlins", which he followed with the underrated "Explorers", followed by the high energy and extremely funny "Innerspace", closing that decade with the dark comedy "The 'Burbs". He began the 1990s with what has turned out to be one of his best features, and one of the most inventive film sequels ever produced. The narrative once again follows the story of Billy Peltzer, whom we now find living with Kate in New York City. Billy works as an illustrator/conceptual artist and Kate works as a guiding tour host for a state of the art tower building (where they both work), owned and conceived by a quirky billionaire by the name of Daniel Clamp. Gizmo, the mogwai finds himself in trouble, since Mr. Wing passes away, and his store is bought and demolished by Clamp's construction team. Gizmo is captured by scientists and is brought over to the tower to be studied. Thanks to his humming, Billy eventually realizes he's in the building and saves him. However Billy's ambitious manager Marla gets in the way, and Billy asks Kate to go get Gizmo while he's out. Gizmo accidentally gets sprayed with water and immediately spurts new mogwai creatures. The new ones lock Gizmo in the venting system, and go down to the food court in order to become gremlins. The new gremlins set off the fire sprinklers, which spawns the creation of a ton of new creatures, which start wreaking havoc across the building. Billy soon realizes what's happening, and alongside Kate, Daniel Clamp, and even his friend and neighbor from Kingston Falls (who is visiting him and Kate), Murray Futterman, set about deterring their plans before they escape the building and invade the city.

The original "Gremlins" written by Chris Columbus was a fantastical creature comedy and presented a darker yet playful homage to Christmas films (at some point Billy's mom is watching Frank Capra's "It's a Wonderful Life", and the Gremlins spoof that during the narrative). The sequel written by Charles S. Haas, goes even further in its satire goals, by mocking the greed of the yuppies of the 80s, the exploitation and cruelty towards animals in the pursuit of science accolades, the numbness (and dumbness) of TV, and even mocks film critique in the process. Everything goes into the blender of this satire, which also pokes fun at itself, and at entertainment in general. The Gremlins creatures become a viciously critical and brutally honest view to the nonsense of the corporate World, the self importance of a view, while pursuing their own sense of fun and chaos. It's a film packed with such great reflection topics, but wrapped in a comedy vehicle that is inspired by Looney Tunes and the works from Tex Avery and Chuck Jones. The film even has time to politely nod to the classics of horror films with the presence of the towering Christopher Lee (portraying a cold scientist), but overall, Joe Dante puts the pedal to the metal with this film that never lets off, always winking at the audience, but also indicating that the Gremlins aren't really the biggest monsters that we have to fear: that is indeed reserved for humans, those who walk around us wearing very different suits. The characters are along for the ride, including the trio of Billy/Kate/Murray, whose ticks and trademarks from the first film are finely nodded to, and this time around they are joined by the eccentric millionaire, who turns out not to be a completely soulless monster. The film is a wonderful ride, with constant nods to other films, cameos, and a general sense of fun and humor (the femme fatale Gremlin who is a nod to Lauren Bacall, but also to Jessica Rabbit). The cast is uniformly solid, with Zach Galligan, Phoebe Cates, Dick Miller, John Glover, Havilland Morris and Robert Prosky, all firmly establishing their characters. The production team is equally strong, with highlights going to Rick Baker's fantastic creature effects, John Hora's cinematography, and Jerry Goldsmith's score. There's never been a sequel quite like this before, nor since, but it's a testament to Joe Dante's talent that the film continues to feel as fresh and relevant as it did when it premiered in 1990. Worth watching.

Star Wars: Episode III - Revenge of the Sith

Movie Name: Star Wars: Episode III - Revenge of the Sith
Year of Release: 2005
Director: George Lucas
Starring: Ewan McGregor, Hayden Christensen, Natalie Portman, Ian McDiarmid, Christopher Lee, Samuel L. Jackson, Frank Oz, Jimmy Smits, Anthony Daniels, Keisha Castle-Hughes, Bruce Spence, Silas Carson, Temuera Morrison
Genre: Sci-Fi, Adventure
Score out of ten (whole numbers only): 6
Watch it on Amazon

Synopsis and Review

George Lucas was finally able to close the first three chapters of his Space Opera saga in 2005, following the successful, but somehow not entirely well received, episodes I (Phantom Menace) and II (Attack of the Clones). The film once again centers its narrative on Anakin Skywalker, whom we first encounter with Obi-Wan Kenobi on a salvage mission of Chancellor Palpatine. While they do manage to save the Chancellor, Anakin cedes to his fury and violent tendencies, killing Count Dooku in the process. Anakin reunites with Padmé, who informs him of her pregnancy. While those are indeed happy news, Anakin stars having horrible nightmares of her death during childbirth. Hoping to manipulate Anakin further and create friction within the Jedi council, Palpatine appoints him to that council, as his personal representative. However, the other masters do not make him a Jedi Master, something that only further fuels his resentment. At the same time Palpatine tempts Anakin with the dark side of the Force, seducing him with the promises that it has the ability to save Padmé. Upon learning of Palpatine's knowledge of the dark side, Anakin communicates so to the council, who decide to confront and dethrone the Chancellor. Things however don't go according to their plans, and that starts a cascading series of events that leads Anakin on a dark path, one that eventually puts him at a confrontation path with his mentor, Obi-Wan. 

While the prior films of the series tried to illustrate the machinations of the empire, and how multiple cultures, and planets were all involved in these somewhat complex narrative threads, one thing that was always missing, was one of the main propelling components of these films, the journey pertaining to its main characters. How were their journeys shaped, what informed their decisions, and how those informed the narratives that eventually flowed into the original Star Wars films from the 1970s. George Lucas was finally able to bring together more of those journeys, on par with the usual visual artistry, to "Revenge of the Sith", where this group of characters is able to be more than just simple archetypes, and actually have a true dramatic arc to their existence, and have complex relationships between each other. While of course this isn't a Eugene O'Neill stage play, the film does venture into a complex web of relationships, and how morality can be easily dissuaded when the promise of something meaningful is flashed before someone's eyes. Even if losing that morality, also means losing a sense of integrity and ultimately, humanity, everything that makes them who they are. It's a film that could have gone even further in its illustration of thirst for power, of manipulation of information, and how easily persuaded individuals choose to be when it furthers their own ambitions, something that has been lurking in them but that they have always chosen to avoid (in a lot of ways, the path to fascism, to terror). As it is, the film simplifies to a great extent Anakin's journey to the dark side, but George Lucas manages to maintain his visual flair, and keep the action set pieces always entertaining. The cast goes along for the journey, with Ewan McGregor trying a bit too much to stick with what Alec Guinness had done with the character, while Natalie Portman sadly has very little to do with Padmé, who takes a much more supporting and simplified role in this chapter. Ian McDiarmid truly shines and makes Palpatine a reptilian politician, one who cajoles, manipulates, in the pursuit of his own agenda, while Hayden Christensen sadly fails to properly embody the moral dilemmas of everything his character is going through (it's almost a bit of a too stark transition from who he was to what he's becoming). The production team is phenomenal, with highlights going to David Tattersall's cinematography, John Williams' indelible score, Gavin Bocquet's production design, and Trisha Biggar's costume design. It's a finely crafted film, one that could have been even more ambitious in its scope, but a film that redeems the rather contrived prior episodes George Lucas tackled from this iconic franchise.

Kraven the Hunter

Movie Name: Kraven the Hunter
Year of Release: 2025
Director: J.C. Chandor
Starring: Aaron Taylor Johnson, Russell Crowe, Fred Hechinger, Alessandro Nivola, Ariana DeBose, Christopher Abbott, Levi Miller, Billy Barratt, Murat Seven, Yuri Kolokolnikov
Genre: Sci-Fi, Adventure
Score out of ten (whole numbers only): 2
Watch it on Amazon

Synopsis and Review

J.C. Chandor who up until now has had a fantastic qualitative feature output, has hit a bit of snag with his first foray into the Marvel universe, with what has turned out to be one of the most disappointing films that Marvel has placed their label on. The film follows the tory of Sergei Kravinoff whom we first encounter as a teenager, protecting his younger half brother, following the death of his mother. His father takes the boys on a hunting trip, aiming to teach them about trapping animals, power and control, but ends up putting the boys in danger. Sergei in particularly is injured while protecting Dmitri. He is attacked by a lion and manages to survive because a young girl by the name of Calypso spots him, and gives him a special serum given to her by her late and mystical grandmother. Years later Sergei now goes by the name of Kraven and is a vigilante who tracks and hunts criminals. While in London celebrating his brother's birthday, he is unable to prevent him from being abducted. The man behind the kidnapping is Aleksei Sytsevich, who was known to Kraven's father years ago, but has since become a crime lord himself, and wants to push Nikolai out of the business. Kraven reaches out to Capypso, now a well known lawyer to help him with the Dmitri situation, and while they eventually trace his whereabouts, they also fall into a trap. While they manage to escape, Sytsevich has unleashed a dangerous contract killer on them who uses special skills to get to his victims. 

Sony's attempts at scalping the Spider-Man universe for more and more films based on supporting characters finally hit a stop following the critical and commercial derision this film suffered. Kraven, much like Morbius, Sandman, Green Goblin, Dr. Octopus, Mysterio, Electro, Black Cat, to name but a few, were all a series of villains always hellbent on destroying Spiderman. For some reason the creative teams at Sony have decided to create a series of films with these characters, portraying them as anguished and battered heroes, who by force of circumstances eventually face-off against Spiderman (including in that roster, Venom). The biggest problem with "Kraven the Hunter" is the fact that connections between characters and events are set in motion without much of a discernible narrative thread, the same going for the characters themselves, who magically transform from one thing to the next, without much of a realization for the tremendous gaps that exist in their lives (or what brought them to the current stage of where and who they are). As far as the characters themselves, they aren't given much to do, and the film ultimately feels as if though there's an entire chapter of it missing. Calypso, Aleksei, Nikolai, Dmitri, and even Kraven himself, are given so little in terms of a journey to go on, that everything in this film feels like a set up for a brief action sequence, that ultimately doesn't go anywhere (what is Kraven's ultimate goal, and for that matter, what is Calypso's or Dmitri's or any of the other characters). The cast while peppered with credible names, all get tarnished from this experience, starting with Russell Crowe, someone who has always been a thoughtful and powerful presence, but here is seemingly mocking his own persona, transforming himself into a poor version of what the late Oliver Reed used to make. The recently awarded Ariana DeBose is equally terrible, and really poses the question of how she just recently won an array of acting awards. The usually fantastic Alessandro Nivola doesn't fare much better, with the only untarnished presence being the subtle Christopher Abbott, who thankfully doesn't have much to do. The production team is impeccable, with highlights going to Ben Davis cinematography and Eve Stewart's production design. Maybe somewhere inside some well secluded Marvel vault there's a whole other chapter to this film that has not seen the light of day, but what indeed has is poorly conceived and is a miss-step for the talented J.C. Chandor. 

The Electric State

Movie Name: The Electric State
Year of Release: 2025
Director: Anthony Russo, Joe Russo
Starring: Millie Bobby Brown, Chris Pratt, Giancarlo Esposito, Stanley Tucci, Ke Huy Quan, Woody Norman, Woody Harrelson, Jason Alexander, Holly Hunter, Alan Tudyk
Genre: Sci-Fi, Adventure
Score out of ten (whole numbers only): 4
Watch it on Amazon

Synopsis and Review

The latest film from directors Anthony and Joe Russo, is also one of Netflix's costliest productions (their prior film, also for Netflix, the quickly forgotten "The Gray Man" was also another pricey endeavor). The film is an adaptation of the illustrated novel by Simon Stalenhag (adapted by Christopher Markus and Stephen McFeely, also responsible for the scripts for "Captain America: The First Avenger", "The Chronicles of Narnia: The Lion, The Witch and the Wardrobe", and more recently, "Avengers: Infinity War and Endgame"), and it takes place in an alternate version of the 1990s. In that reality, there's been a war between humans and robots, one which almost destroyed the entire planet. Humans were able to overcome the revolting robots thanks to the Neurocaster Technology developed by Ethan Skate. That technology allows for humans to upload their minds into drone robots, which in turn allows for an army of sentinels to be easily controlled and deployed. The central element of the narrative is Michelle Greene, who is living with her foster dad Ted, following the death of her family (parents and brother) from a car crash. One day while at home she realizes a robot is seeking her out. He is only able to communicate using gestures and a limited of pre-recorded words, but he eventually explains to her that he is controlled by her younger brother Christopher, whom she thought had perished in the car crash. The robot volunteers that she must find Dr. Amherst, who was the medical professional helping their family when they suffered their accident, and that he will know and help her locate him. They both leave since the robot is also being hunted, and set out towards the Exclusion Zone in order to located the doctor and rescue Christopher.

One can't help but think of Steven Spielberg's "AI" and even Steve De Jarnatt's "Cherry 2000", both very different films, but whose influences trickle down and appear throughout this rather bland and uninspired film. The most surprising thing about "The Electric State" is indeed its bloated budget, since the film from a narrative and character development standpoint, doesn't have much to volunteer. Much like "AI" we have a young hero on a quest, one who is helped by someone who is an unexpected partner, in the case of Steven Spielberg's feature, that was the sex worker Gigolo Joe embodied (perfectly one may add) by Jude Law, and here we have the former military and now a somewhat bitter mercenary portrayed by Chris Pratt. Along the way there are a series of discarded robots, who are only trying to exist, and who have been relegated to pariahs or second class citizens (again much like Spielberg's feature), living in what appears to be a post-apocalyptic type of scenario. The film and the narrative is a bit of a head scratcher, since you have one veteran military guy who does everything by the book on the pursuit of this small and motley group, while the villain is quickly established to be the corporate honcho, who is milking a child's body and abilities for his own profit. We never know much about any of these characters, or whatever motivation they seem to have for that matter. Ultimately the film aims to be a Steven Spielberg type of homage, including the score from Alan Silvestri which is very evocative of the work from John Williams, but sadly these characters never entirely gain much presence, and by the time the film is over, it literally feels as if nothing has just happened. The cast is a bit of mixed bag, with Chris Pratt playing a variation of what he did with Peter Quill from "Guardians of the Galaxy", whereas it's difficult to understand if Millie Bobby Brown is playing a teenager or someone from the Real Housewives of New Jersey. Ke Huy Quan hopefully will make better role decisions in the future, as this part adds nothing to his career, the same going for Stanley Tucci, who definitely fared better in Edward Berger's "Conclave". The production team is rather serviceable, but there isn't a truly rapturous moment of dazzlement here, which is shocking considering the resources this team had. It's not as atrocious as some reviews have portrayed it to be, but it is indeed forgettable and dare I say it, unnecessary. 

Conclave

Movie Name: Conclave
Year of Release: 2024
Director: Edward Berger
Starring: Ralph Fiennes, Stanley Tucci, John Lithgow, Isabella Rossellini, Sergio Castellito, Carlos Diehz, Brian F. O'Byrne, Jacek Koman, Thomas Loibl, Rony Kramer, Lucian Msamati, Garrick Hagon
Genre: Drama, Thriller
Score out of ten (whole numbers only): 7
Watch it on Amazon

Synopsis and Review

Director Edward Berger is back, following his well received "All Quiet on the Western Front". This time he is tackling the adaptation of a Robert Harris novel, whose books were also the source for the films "Fatherland", "Enigma", "The Ghost Writer", and "An Officer and a Spy". "Conclave" tracks the events that take place after the Pope dies of a heart attack. Dean/Cardinal Thomas Lawrence of the UK is tasked with running the conclave in order to elect his successor. The main protagonists are Aldo Bellini of the US, Joshua Adeyemi from Nigeria, Joseph Tremblay from Canada, and Goffredo Tedesco from Italy. The operational aspect of electing a new pope is set in motion, with a series of cardinals coming to the Conclave in order to vote, with the addition of a last minute participant, Archbishop Vincent Benitez of Kabul. While all is being prepared, Dean Lawrence becomes aware of the factions, what their stances are, but also more information regarding each of the candidates comes to surface, including for instance, the fact that Tremblay had been asked to resign by the deceased Pope, something he vehemently denies, though other witnesses corroborate the wishes expressed by the late Pope. Initially none of the candidates is able to collect the two thirds of votes needed to win, though Adeyemi takes a lead over the remaining candidates. However, the appearance of a Sister transferred from Nigeria to Rome and present in the conclave, exposes improper behavior from Adeyemi from years past, which resulted in the birth of a son. The presence of the nun is revealed to be something engineered by Tremblay, who justifies it as a request from the late Pope himself. They both find themselves pushed aside from the race. As the race seems to be getting close to its end, a bombing nearby creates consternation on the streets, and also within the conclave. As some voices rise clamoring extreme reactions, quieter, more reasonable, and sensical ones emerge, changing the direction of the conclave.

To Robert Harris' credit, his narratives are always thought provoking and very intelligently conceived, as they leverage what we all know from reality, to illustrate alternative realities, which end up forcing us to think about the "what if", and more so, the "why not". Not that long ago Fernando Meirelles directed "The Two Popes", which approached similar terrain, but "Conclave" definitely goes in its own direction, crafting a quasi-thriller regarding an election process that is closed off to most of us, but nonetheless one that grants the elected individual a tremendous amount of power. Edward Berger competently illustrates what the baseline narrative/plot is about, avoiding much of a stylistic or ideological points of view. Meaning: the film is effectively presented, with the lead characters fairly (and briefly) characterized, with a fantastic cast, which keeps the feature always captivating, but at the same time, the film never gives any indication of what the director's point of view on the topics actually is. It's challenging to understand what differentiates what Edward Berger did here, of what Roger Donaldson, or even Fred Schepisi would have done. These are all fine directors, able to set up a story and assemble a cast, but whose point of view always seems to be missing from their projects. "Conclave" is indeed a watchable film, with a great cast, led by the formidable Ralph Fiennes, who is one of the finest actors working these days, who has great support from Stanley Tucci, Isabella Rossellini, and John Lithgow, with a solid production team, including Stéphane Fontaine's cinematography, but it also feels rather generic, something that even the "gotcha" moment of the third chapter of the narrative can't erase. Being able to competently tell a story is a wonderful trait, but being able to have a point of view is what truly differentiates what directors/artists do. And while this particular Robert Harris story is a solid one, this film while watchable and with some good performances, is one that feels quickly forgettable. 

Heretic

Movie Name: Heretic
Year of Release: 2024
Director: Scott Beck, Bryan Woods
Starring: Hugh Grant, Sophie Thatcher, Chloe East, Topher Grace
Genre: Horror, Thriller
Score out of ten (whole numbers only): 6
Watch it on Amazon

Synopsis and Review

The directing team of Scott Beck and Bryan Woods have steadily been carving a career for themselves, both as directors, but also as writers, having successfully established the "A Quiet Place" franchise with John Krasinski, to name one of their most successful endeavors. Their prior directorial endeavor, "65", with Adam Driver was mostly panned by critics, and didn't reach much of an audience, but "Heretic" has been a fine return to form for this duo. The film focuses on two young women, missionaries from the Mormon church, who happen to knock at the door of a reclusive older gentleman by the name of Mr. Reed. While briefly chatting with them at his door, Reed invites them in, to which the missionaries reply that they can only do so, if another female presence is in the house. Reed reassures them that his wife is inside, baking a pie. After coming in, they all engage in a discussion about religion, and as Reed briefly leaves the room to check on a few things, the young women realize that the front door is locked, and that the scent they thought was coming from the pie, is actually from a candle. The missionaries soon realize they're locked in, and Reed gives them an option to escape the house, by choosing one of two doors he presents to them. Both doors however lead to the same dungeon, where a chained woman eats a poisoned pie only to soon die. Reed claims that she is a prophet from God, and that she will resurrect. In the meantime, one of the Elders of the Mormon Church appears at Reed's door, seeking the young missionaries, and he mentions not having interacted with them. After deflecting the Elder, Reed goes back down to the dungeon, and the events take an even darker turn.

One of the most interesting elements about "Heretic" is of course the casting of the charming and good humored Hugh Grant as the sinister, intelligent, and dangerous Mr. Reed. Much like Robin Williams personified in the lonesome character he played in Mark Romanek's "One Hour Photo", it seems that for aging male comedians, in order to keep consistently working, you must branch out to darker and psychotic characters (turns out being funny is a quality reserved for young people only, older ones have to wither themselves out). The writer/director team of "Heretic" is tremendously successful in creating an environment that progressively unfolds itself, starting with an engaging intellectual conversation between the characters on the topic of religion and faith, and then progressively evolving that discussion to a reflection on control, and eventually on survival. It is indeed a thriller, and it is a chamber piece where an older man with a sinister motivation is apparently in control of the situation, trying out these young women (toying with them), but also a narrative peppered with some surprises. There are some influences from M. Night Shyamalan here, but also from Ari Aster, but the film makers stay on course with their aesthetic and their point of view, though sadly this is a film that is more in love with its own intellectual point of view and its set-up, more so than the actual characters who inhabit it. Not much is surrendered in terms of information or nuance about Mr. Reed, or much about the young women, which makes them all feel less impactful and vividly authentic. The cast is engaging, particularly Hugh Grant, who uses his charm and affable tone to navigate the darker aspects of the character. He gets great support from Sophie Thatcher and Chloe East. The production team is equally solid, even if the cinematography from Chung-hoon Chung is at times almost too dark. Chris Bacon's score and Philip Messina's production design are both highlights of the feature. It's a watchable and well constructed feature, even if it could benefit from some additional attention on character building. 

Blink Twice

Movie Name: Blink Twice
Year of Release: 2024
Director: Zoe Kravitz
Starring: Naomie Ackie, Channing Tatum, Alia Shawkat, Christian Slater, Simon Rex, Adria Arjona, Haley Joel Osment, Luz Caribel Sierra, Levon Hawke, Trem Mullen, Geena Davis, Kyle MacLachlan, Cris Costa, Maria Elena Olivares, Saul Williams, Tiffany Persons
Genre: Mystery, Thriller
Score out of ten (whole numbers only): 5
Watch it on Amazon

Synopsis and Review

"Blink Twice" is Zoe Kravitz's feature directorial debut, following what has been a consistent, if not unremarkable, acting career (she has had some good supporting roles in George Miller's "Mad Max: Fury Road" and Matt Reeves' "The Batman"). "Blink Twice" focuses its attention on the life of a young woman by the name of Frida. We first encounter her working as a cocktail waitress at a high profile exclusive event. She's working the event with her best friend, Jess. While there they both manage to work the situation to their advantage, and end up meeting the billionaire Slater King, a somewhat controversial figure who has decided to take a backseat in terms of visibility due to some controversial statements. He invites them both to his private island for a weekend of rest and relaxation (and partying). They decide to join a group of individuals, all friends of Slater, on that trip. While on the island, Slater's assistant collects everyone's cell phones, so they can unplug, and fully connect with each other. All the women in the group get gift bags, which include perfume, and while on the island they get constant delicious cocktails, mild drugs, and chef prepared meals. Jess starts noticing some memory lapses of her own, and mentions that to Frida. Frida in the meantime is recognized by one of the local workers of the property who calls her Red Rabbit. One night while partying, Jess is bitten by a snake, and later confides to Frida she wants to leave. Frida is against leaving as she's having such a great time. However the following day everything starts changing, once Frida encounters the maid who suggests that she drinks some snake venom. 

As I was watching "Blink Twice" I was reminded of a film where an ordinary event suddenly got out of control, the somewhat mediocre "Very Bad Things", directed by Peter Berg, a film that also featured Christian Slater in one of the lead roles. "Blink Twice" to its credit, does manage to build more context to what is taking place, and does provide some of its characters with a bit more nuance, which goes beyond what can be read from a title card. These are still underdeveloped characters, but they're not completely shallow ones. It's a film with a lofty empowerment angle, one that comes on the heels of a truly despicable and repulsive scenario that is set in motion, however where the film fails to be more successful is in fact on the depiction of the sadists who are behind the events taking place, and the victims of the scenario itself (most of the women are just associated with their professional roles, and not much information regarding them is known). This film could have easily become a version of Eli Roth's "Hostel", but the creative team decided, wisely, to avoid that path. With that being said, if the scenario that is illustrated here is indeed to be taken with a hint of credibility, the characters and motivation behind their actions, should have been given more center stage. The creative team had the willingness to tackle a disturbing topic, but was afraid to go all the way and expose what power and amoral individuals are truly capable of doing, and for that matter explore the "why" (or "why not"). The film doesn't really have the smartness to be a version of an Agatha Christie book/narrative, but also doesn't have the darkness to be a different version of a Stieg Larrson's book/narrative. It falls unsatisfyingly in between. The cast tries their best with the material they have, with Channing Tatum faring quite well in the role of a sinister mogul, with good support from the always reliable Christian Slater, the very talented Kyle MacLachlan, and the very underused Geena Davis. The production team is solid, particularly the cinematography of Adam Newport-Berra and production design from Roberto Bonelli. It's a watchable but also quickly forgettable endeavor.

Mickey 17

Movie Name: Mickey 17
Year of Release: 2024
Director: Bong Joon Ho
Starring: Robert Pattinson, Naomie Ackie, Steven Yeun, Mark Ruffalo, Toni Collette, Holliday Grainger, Cameron Britton, Patsy Ferran, Ian Hanmore, Tim Key
Genre: Sci-Fi, Comedy
Score out of ten (whole numbers only): 5
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Synopsis and Review

Following the resounding success of "Parasite", writer/producer/director Bong Joon Ho has returned, with the adaptation of a novel by author Edward Ashton. The film follows the story of Mickey Barnes, who alongside his best friend Timo, find themselves signing up for an outer space adventure in order to escape the wrath and torture of a loan shark, whom they borrowed money from to pursue an unsuccessful business. Urgently looking to escape, Mickey doesn't look at the fine print of the contract he's signing up for, and ends up under a category labeled "Disposable". During the trip towards the planet Niflheim, which is the goal of the expedition, reaching it and colonizing it, Mickey does all sorts of the tasks, dying in various manners and always being reprinted with his personality and memories. By the time the ship reaches Niflheim, Mickey is on version 17. As he explores the surface of the planet, he falls through the ice and encounters a series of creatures he assumes will kill him. However and much to his surprise they save him, and upon his return to the ship, he's horrified to realize that another Mickey has been printed, and there are now multiple versions of himself, something that is prohibited. His partner, the intelligent and resourceful Nasha is delighted, but Mickey 17 not so much. In the meantime the leader of the expedition, Kenneth Marshall and his wife Ylfa, rule all the action occurring on the ship, and target Mickey 17 and 18 to be terminated since multiples are not allowed to exist. They also set their eyes on the extermination of the indigenous creatures of the planet. However, not all goes according to their plans.

"Mickey 17" much like "Okja" promises a lot more than it eventually delivers. Both films are plagued by concepts (and metaphors) that are meant to elicit reflection, in the case of "Mickey 17" the topic lands on the class struggles that continuously exist, the brutality of humans towards different species (and even their own), and as usual, the ineptitude of those in charge to comprehend and be sensical about the greater good, as opposed to their innate selfishness. All these topics are lofty and worth capturing on film, and gifted directors have approached these topics fairly successfully, including Terry Gilliam's "Brazil", however Bong Joon Ho can't quite find the right tone for this film in particular. The satire never really lands, and the over the top caricatures of some of the key players, while loud and brash, also feel very underdeveloped, independently of the quality of the cast and what they bring to the feature itself. Part of the problems lie with the fact that the villainy of the pseudo awful individuals is never truly fully explored, whereas Mickey as the simpleton lead character doesn't possess the dimension, humor, or for that matter insight, to make the narrative feel as if though it went through an arc where in the last chapter there is indeed a piercing epiphany. For all the technical wizardry on display, it's a film that ultimately feels not particularly inspired. The supporting cast is the winning aspect of this film, particularly the always fantastic Mark Ruffalo, who seems to be capturing a bit of the character he portrayed in Yorgos Lanthimos' "Poor Things", Toni Collette playing an over the top character as the wife of a politician, Steven Yeun as the loser best friend, and Naomi Ackie as the smart and resourceful girlfriend. Robert Pattinson sadly doesn't add much to the film - perhaps it's time to realize he doesn't have the skillset to carry a film as a central performer. The technical team is impressive, including Darius Khondji's cinematography, Fiona Crombie's production design, and Catherine George's costume design. It's by no means a bad film, it's just a forgettable one. 

Ainda Estou Aqui/I'm Still Here

Movie Name: Ainda Estou Aqui/I'm Still Here
Year of Release: 2024
Director: Walter Salles
Starring: Fernanda Torres, Selton Mello, Fernanda Montenegro, Valentina Herszage, Maria Manoella, Barbara Luz, Gabriela Carneiro da Cunha, Luiza Kosovski, Marjorie Estiano, Guilherme Silveira, Antonio Saboia, Cora Mora, Olivia Torres, Pri Helena, Humberto Carrão, Charles Fricks, Maeve Jinkins
Genre: Drama
Score out of ten (whole numbers only): 8
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Synopsis and Review

Walter Salles spent some time directing documentaries since his last feature film "On the Road", which premiered in 2012 to middling reviews. "Ainda Estou Aqui/I'm Still Here" is an adaptation of the book by Marcelo Rubens Paiva, which is an autobiographical look at the events that took place during his childhood. The narrative takes place in Rio de Janeiro in December of 1970, and focuses its attention on the Paiva family. The family is composed of Eunice Paiva, her husband Rubens, who is a former member of the parliament and is now a civil engineer, and their 5 children. Theirs is a home filled with warmth, laughter, love and the constant presence of friends. Some of their friends decide to seek refuge in London, in order to avoid the constant presence and menace imposed by the military Dictatorshi. Eunice and Rubens' oldest daughter goes with them (she and some of her friends had already been stopped by the military in one of their check points). The family has acquired a new plot of land in the area, and is planning on building a new home. One afternoon the family is surprised to witness a group of unknown men with guns come to their house, and demand Rubens goes with them for questioning. While Rubens plays along, a few of those men stay behind in the house with Eunice and the kids. Eunice keeps asking when Rubens is going to come back, only for them to repeat it should be soon. The next day Eunice and her fifteen year old daughter are taken for questioning as well, with hoods over their heads. Eunice is asked if she's been involved with any terrorists, and to identify people who may have ties with what the interrogator deems terrorist actions. She remains in questioning for 5 days, until she is finally released. She keeps asking for Rubens, but no information is provided. 

There's something quite wonderful in the way Walter Salles recreates and brings to life the universe of that family and that microcosms in 1970. The lived-in experience of what life is like in that period in Rio de Janeiro, where the beauty of the locale sharply contrasts with the roughness of the military dictatorship, is perfectly illustrated by the director. The situation in which these characters find themselves in, is progressively disclosed. We're able to witness an array of activities, friendships, and all the emotional ties that the family has with a group of individuals they interact with, all of which illustrate the type of individuals they all are, the joy they live with, embracing art and culture, and teaching progress and humanism to the children. The introduction of the military dictatorship, its violence, its agenda, is indeed presented as a brutal element, since in fact it is one. There's no reason, no justification, no respect, no tolerance, which makes it all the more revolting for Eunice who fails to realize why is her family being targeted. Even after she becomes fully aware of the events Rubens was involved with, the sheer brutality of a government meant to support its own citizens, revolts her, and sends her on a path of survival (for her and her children), but also a path emblazoned with a mission. Unlike other films about dictators or brutal regimes, such as Oliver Stone's "Salvador" or even Roman Polanski's "Death and the Maiden", this film doesn't make itself to be an illustration of the destruction of war, or the bruising felt by its survivors, it's an illustration of how a family perseveres when their existence is completely upended. The whole cast is fantastic, led by the always excellent and subtle Fernanda Torres, who has great support from the underrated Selton Mello and the wondrous Fernanda Montenegro. The production team is fantastic, with particular highlights going to Adrian Teijido's beautiful cinematography, Warren Ellis' score, Carlos Conti's production design, and Cláudia Kopke's costume design. A solid film, subtle but impeccably crafted and performed. 

The Outrun

Movie Name: The Outrun
Year of Release: 2024
Director: Nora Fingscheidt
Starring: Saoirse Ronan, Saskia Reeves, Stephen Dillane, Paapa Essiedu, Izuka Hoyle, Freya Evans, David Garrick
Genre: Drama
Score out of ten (whole numbers only): 7
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Synopsis and Review

Nora Fingscheidt achieved a considerable amount of attention with her prior directorial endeavor, the Netflix release "The Unforgivable", with Sandra Bullock (which racked up quite a high volume of viewership, even if the reviews were not very complimentary). "The Outrun" is based on the book by Amy Liptrot and follows the story of Rona, a young woman who following a stint in rehab for alcoholism, returns home to live with her mom in the Orkney Islands in Scotland. Rona has had to deal with some unexpected issues since she was a child, including her father's bipolar disorder. Through flashbacks we witness her stint in college and the romantic relationship she forms with Daynin. Her drinking eventually leads to the demise of that relationship. She briefly reconnects with him when she's sexually assaulted following a night of drinking, and quickly realizes he's already moved on. While on the Orkney Islands she assists her father with his farming, and eventually takes a job with the Royal Society for the Protection of Birds. She has a brief relapse, which leads her to seek another position on a remote island, by the name of Papa Westray, where she lives by herself and starts forming friendships with the locals. Her mom comes for a brief visit and they manage to connect and communicate candidly. 

"The Outrun" doesn't cover material that hasn't been documented or explored before. There's been countless films about characters/individuals battling alcoholism, some with great results, such as Mike Figgis' "Leaving Las Vegas", others not so excitingly doing the same such as Betty Thomas' "28 Days". What makes "The Outrun" a compelling film to watch is of course the central performance from Saoirse Ronan. Rona is just a young woman trying to figure out her way in the world, and alcohol just enables her to let go of her fears. Unlike some of the characters from other films revolving around alcoholism, which center themselves around charismatic and damaged individuals drowning themselves in sorrow (and guilt), this central character is a young woman who is still trying to understand who she is, and what path she wants to carve for herself in the world. She comes from a slightly off-kilter upbringing, and whatever fears that has instilled in her, she sees drinking as a way to numb those fears and charge ahead. She feels like a regular individual that we could easily cross by in our world. That's one of the most interesting aspects of this character and the film itself: it feels authentic and rooted in the now, even if some scenes do veer off into the metaphorical cliché of embracing the unknown. The director also very smartly positions the narrative in these isolated islands, where very few people live, which gives the central character an opportunity to further reflect about her life, but also rely more on her own abilities and ultimately persevere. The cast is solid, with Saoirse Ronan creating a solid central character, with great supporting turns from Saskia Reeves and Stephen Dillane as her parents. The production team is solid, particularly the cinematography from Yunus Roy Imer. It's a well told story featuring a solid central performance.