BAD TIMES AT THE EL ROYALE REVIEW

*MAY CONTAIN SPOILERS*

In 2012, Drew Goddard released his directorial debut, The Cabin In The Woods, which was a thriller that surrounded a group of young adults who stay at a remote cabin, however, they soon get more than they bargained for. The film featured a lot of shocking twists and was a success, both at the box office and with critics. Six years later and Goddard has followed up with Bad Times At The El Royale.

In the late 1960s, an aging priest, Father Daniel Flynn (Jeff Bridges), suffering from early onset dementia, a struggling female singer, Darlene Sweet (Cynthia Erivo) a talkative salesman, Laramie Seymour Sullivan (Jon Hamm), on vacation and an unfriendly young woman, Emily Summerspring (Dakota Johnson) who may or may not be a hippie, arrive by chance on the same day at Lake Tahoe's "El Royale", a once glitzy but now rundown roadside motel lying on the very border between California and Nevada, and operated by a single troubled staff member, Miles Miller (Lewis Pullman), who holds many dark secrets. Throughout the day, it becomes increasingly clear that almost no one there is exactly who they seem, but things really go from bad to worse in the evening when heavy rain hits and someone much worse than those inside arrives to find "a friend" and bring hell to all those unlucky enough to be there at the time.

The best aspect of Bad Times At The El Royale is the cast, which includes familiar names and new faces. The most impressive performance comes from Erivo in one of her first features, the other being Widows, which is due out next month. Prior to appearing in Bad Times At The El Royale, Erivo was known for her performance as Celie in the 2015 Broadway revival of The Color Purple, for which she won the 2016 Tony Award for Best Actress in a Musical as well as the 2017 Grammy Award for Best Musical Theater Album. As Sweet, Erivo shows off both her talented singing and acting skills. As previously mentioned, Erivo will next be appearing in Widows so I doubt this will be the last we see of her. Bridges has had a successful career that spans almost seven decades and has received a total of seven Academy Award nominations and won his first Oscar in 2010 for his performance in Crazu Heart. While his performance as Father Flynn isn't his best, he still proves that he's a great actor who is, in my opinion, yet to give a disappointing performance. Recently, Johnson has become known for appearing in the raunchy Fifty Shades films, however, as Summerspring, she proves that she can give a good performance. Hamm is very charismatic as the salesman, Sullivan, however, his fans may be disappointed to learn that his appearance is limited. Before watching Bad Times At The El Royale, I was surprised to discover that Chris Hemsworth doesn't make his first appearance until towards the end of the film, however, he leaves a lasting impression as cult leader, Billy Lee. Overall, there's not a bad performance to be found in this ensemble cast.

Aside from the cast, another aspect of Bad Times At The El Royale that I liked was the production design, especially that of the titular hotel.  The 1960s period detail is accurately captured through the setting and costume. It can be a challenging task to recreate a setting from decades ago, nevertheless, the production team have succeeded. It is annoying to see anachronisms in films as it's obvious that the filmmakers haven't paid attention to the setting which makes me appreciate the small details in films that try and recapture that of the year it's set in.

Like Goddard's previous feature, The Cabin In The Woods, Bad Times At The El Royale is full of twists that all leads to an intense final act that involves Billy Lee and the remaining guests at the El Royale. During this final act, secrets are revealed and characters' lives are at risk. The majority of the film is mostly driven by the characters, who are all hiding a secret. Because of this, we're never really sure if we can trust or believe anything they say. Through flashbacks, we learn what some of the characters went through prior to them arriving at the El Royale. Father Flynn is looking for a bag of money that his brother hid somewhere in the El Royale and Sullivan is actually an FBI agent named Dwight Broadbeck who was sent to investigate the hotel. Because I hadn't seen The Cabin In The Woods before seeing Bad Times At The El Royale, I didn't know what to expect and I was pleasantly surprised. By focusing more on the characters, I found it to be an interesting watch. Mainly because of the twists that feature within the narrative, I thought it was unpredictable and the final act was intense. I doubt those who liked The Cabin In The Woods will be disappointed with Bad Times At The El Royale as I can imagine it's just as thrilling. 

With a runtime of 141 minutes, I wouldn't be surprised if many people thought that Bad Times At The El Royale was too long, however, I think that this is the kind of film that needs to be over two hours, in order to give each character enough screen time and allow the plot to develop. While the beginning of the film does feel a little slow, the characters are interesting enough to keep our attention. 

This year, we've seen a lot of unoriginal films, including remakes and sequels. While these type of films aren't necessarily bad, they can be boring and predictable so it's refreshing to see a film that's as original as Bad Times At The El Royale which wasn't based on a book but written by Goddard himself. Those looking for something new to watch should definitely seek out his latest thriller. It is disappointing that it's not receiving the same level of appreciation that blockbuster films get.

Despite what its title suggests, viewers will certainly have a good time watching Drew Goddard's Bad Times At The El Royale as it features a great ensemble cast who each play interesting individuals. While it's not the best film that's released in the cinemas, it's definitely one of the most thrilling and original, which is why I'd recommend seeing it. 

7/10

BOHEMIAN RHAPSODY REVIEW

*MAY CONTAIN SPOILERS*

Not long after its World Premiere a day before its release in the UK, Bohemian Rhapsody received mixed to negative reviews from critics. This was a shock because it was one of the most anticipated films of this year. While I was disappointed by the critical reception, I still went into my screening of Bohemain Rhapsody with high hopes. However, was it as bad as the critics are making it out to be?

Bohemian Rhapsody is a foot-stomping celebration of Queen, their music and their extraordinary lead singer Freddie Mercury (Rami Malek). Mercury defied stereotypes and shattered convention to become one of the most beloved entertainers on the planet. The film traces the meteoric rise of the band through their iconic songs and revolutionary sound. They reach unparalleled success, but in an unexpected turn Mercury, surrounded by darker influences, shuns Queen in pursuit of his solo career. Having suffered greatly without the collaboration of Queen, Mercury manages to reunite with his bandmates, Brian May (Gwilym Lee), Roger Taylor (Ben Hardy) and John Deacon (Joseph Mazzello), just in time for Live Aid. While bravely facing a recent AIDS diagnosis, Mercury leads the band in one of the greatest performances in the history of rock music. Queen cements a legacy that continues to inspire outsiders, dreamers and music lovers to this day.

One of the issues critics had with Bohemian Rhapsody was that its story was formulaic. To be honest, after viewing Bohemia Rhapsody, I don't really know what they're talking about as I thoroughly enjoyed watching it. As a viewer, I'm easily pleased. All I wanted from Bohemian Rhapsody was a film that told Mercury's story and showed the highs and lows of Queen's career. That's what I got. The film begins with Mercury meeting May and Taylor, who were already in a band called Smile. After their lead singer quits as he thinks the band is going nowhere, Mercury soon joins the group and they change their names to Queen. It's from here that we see their rise to fame and how they became the legendary rock band they are known as today. The story shows that it wasn't all plain sailing for Queen. Their most successful song, 'Bohemian Rhapsody', was, at first, refused by their producer, Ray Foster (Mike Myers) as it was too long and full of nonsense. This lead to Queen quitting and proving Foster wrong as 'Bohemian Rhapsody' went on to become one of their most successful songs. The story also gives us a small insight into Mercury's personal life, including his six year relationship with Mary Austin (Lucy Boynton) who continued to support him after their relationship ended. I disagree with the critics who are describing the film's story as formulaic and I do find it a bit hypocritical, especially when many of the same critics gave Bradley Cooper's A Star Is Born a higher rating. Now, I'm not saying A Star Is Born is a bad film (I loved it), but it is a third remake of a film that was first released in 1937. Bohemian Rhapsody is a biopic that shows the highs and lows of Queen's career and gives viewers an insight into Mercury's life. I've seen people complain that the film handles Mercury's sexuality poorly but, in my opinion, I think that, just because he was a world famous musician, doesn't mean we're entitled to know everything about him. Mercury did identify as bisexual and we do see him forming relationships with Jim Hutton (Aaron McCusker), however, I don't think Mercury wanted his personal life splashed across newspapers and broadcasted on television. I think he wanted to be remembered for his music, not who he went to bed with, and that's what Bohemian Rhapsody is about. It shows how talented Mercury was as a musician and how much he loved performing. 

One of the biggest highlights of Bohemian Rhapsody is, undoubtedly, Malek's performance as Mercury. At first, I was unsure about his casting, however, he exceeded my expectations. He doesn't just act, he embodies Mercury's eccentric personality and thoroughly captures the energy he had on stage. By donning a fake moustache and teeth, he does really resemble the late singer. I'd be very surprised if Malek doesn't receive an Academy Award nomination for his acting next year. It's a very impressive performance and it's his best yet. The supporting cast all give good performances. Boynton shares chemistry with Malek and gives a strong portrayal of Austin. Lee, Hardy and Mazzello are all great as the other three members of Queen. Because the film chooses to focus more on Mercury, we don't see a great deal of their lives outside of Queen. However, I don't think May and Taylor, who were executive producers of Bohemian Rhapsody, were bothered about the film not showing their personal lives. I was impressed by Myer's performance as Foster as he was completely unrecognisable. I knew Myers was in the film, however, I didn't know who his character was until the credits were rolling up. While the supporting cast are all good and there isn't a bad performance from the cast, it's Malek who leaves a lasting impression.

Bohemian Rhapsody is at its best when Queen are performing some of their greatest hits. These scenes further prove why they were. and still are, the greatest rock bands of all time. Over the course of its 134 minute runtime, we see the stories behind their most legendary songs, including 'Bohemian Rhapsody', 'Killer Queen', 'We Are The Champions' and 'We Will Rock You'. Bohemian Rhapsody is worth seeing on the big screen just for the LiveAid sequence alone. The LiveAid concert is known as one of Queen's greatest performances. The footage of their performance is available to watch on YouTube so it's easy to compare the two scenes. The set designers built an impressive replica of the Wembley Arena, where Queen performed. For those who, like me, didn’t get to experience Queen or see their LiveAid performance, this scene gives you that experience. The scene frequently cuts to the audience at the concert and those watching the television broadcast. These cuts show how universally loved Queen were. Bohemian Rhapsody also further proves how universally loved and popular their songs are to this day, almost 50 years after they first formed. It is disappointing to see a film receive negative reviews, especially one that you were looking forward to seeing, however, no one should let another’s opinion prevent them from seeing a film. I went in expecting Bohemian Rhapsody to be a disappointment, however, I came out with a newfound respect and appreciation for Queen. I knew little about them going in and, while I don't claim to know everything just because I've seen the film, I now fully understand why they're known as one of the best rock bands in history.

​While I thoroughly enjoyed Bohemian Rhapsody, there's no denying that production wasn't easy. While Bryan Singer, who is best known for directing four of the X-Men films, is credited as the director, his on-set behaviour was shocking. It has been said that Malek grew tired of Singer's 'erratic' behaviour, which saw him routinely showing up late to set or disappearing altogether. In 2017, after Thanksgiving break, Singer disappeared from filming for three days straight, at which point cinematographer Newton Thomas Sigel had to step in and direct during Singer's non-showings. Reports claimed that Singer left because of a family matter. A couple of days after this report, 20th Century Fox fired Singer from the film due to his erratic behavior on and off set and clashes with production personnel. He was soon replaced by Dexter Fletcher who directed 16 days worth of filming and oversaw post-production. However, the Director's Guild of America states that only one director can be credited and, despite his behaviour on-set, Singer received sole credit. Tensions between cast and crew members can effect the quality of a film, however, I still found Bohemian Rhapsody to be a great film.
Bohemian Rhapsody may not be a perfect film, however, I'd say it's worth watching just for Malek's impressive portrayal of Freddie Mercury and Queen's exhilarating LiveAid performance.
8/10

FIRST MAN REVIEW

*MAY CONTAIN SPOILERS*

Following the success of their six-time Academy Award-winning smash, La La Land, Oscar-winning director Damien Chazelle and star Ryan Gosling team up once again for First Man, the riveting story of NASA's mission to land a man on the moon, focusing on Armstrong (Gosling) and the years 1961-1969. A visceral, first-person account, First Man will explore the sacrifices and the cost - on Armstrong and on the nation - of one of the most dangerous missions in history.

​For the portrayal of Armstong, Gosling is surprisingly a great choice. Armstrong is described as introverted, quiet and diligent by those who know him best and Gosling is the best choice to bring that to life. He delivers an elegant and thoughtful performance that should put him right in contention for awards season next year. The supporting cast are on great form too. On the surface, this might look like Gosling's vehicle, but there are plenty of roles for the supporting cast too. Since appearing in the Netflix series, The Crown, where she portrayed Queen Elizabeth II, Claire Foy has continued to impress. Last year, she gave a strong dramatic performance as Diana Cavendish in Breathe and earlier this year, she starred in Steven Soderbergh's thriller, Unsane. Foy further proves what a talented actress she is and she gives a memorable performance as Armstrong's wife, Jan, who is caring and supportive but can be fierce when she needs to be. Corey Stroll is excellent as the awkward and blunt Buzz Aldrin and Jason Clarke is on top form as Armstrong's friend and fellow astronaut Ed White.
Despite its 140 minute runtime, there are plenty of thrills in First Man. The opening sequence, in particular, is pure heart-in-mouth action and there are plenty more of those sequences throughout the runtime. The majority of the narrative, which is written by Josh Singer and based on James R. Hansen's biography of Armstrong, does focus on his personal life, including his relationship with his wife and children. Some may think that this is boring, especially those who are only watching First Man for the breathtaking sequence when Armstrong lands on the moon. That sequence doesn't occur until towards the end of the film. Fortunately, I found Armstrong's life to be very interesting. The narrative focuses on the important events that happened in Armstrong's life from 1961 up until the moon landing in 1969. He experiences tragedies, including the deaths of his young daughter and his fellow astronauts. Experiencing these deaths, we understand Armstrong's motivation and determination to get to the moon. A concern I had, before watching First Man, was how they were going to create an story and how do you end it? I was expecting the film to end straight after Armstrong's walk on the moon, however, Chazelle chose to end it with Armstrong reuniting with Janet. I'm glad it ended this way as their relationship was an important part of the narrative and it was very touching to see them reunited.
Aside from the casting and the narrative, another impressive aspect of First Man are the lunar sequences, which are stunning. A lot of the drama is grounded in the astronauts' lives, but when it does, quite literally, take flight, it does so breathtakingly. The sequences up in space are incredible with stunning cinematography by Linus Sandgren and perfect sound design by Justin Hurwitz, a frequent collaborator of Chazelle's who also scored La La Land and Whiplash. Hurwitz's score is powerful and captures the tone of First Man. Because of this, I recommend that First Man be watched on the big screen as I think that the impact of the special effects won't be as great on a smaller screen.
The period detail featured in First Man is impressive, including the look of the clothes, the cars, the outfits, and, in particular, the spacecrafts. There's so much rich detail to take in. Also, some of the voices heard in the film are actual recordings from the space program. For example, when Apollo 11 lands on the moon, the reply from Houston is the original. It's the voice of astronaut Charlie Duke, who had the job of communicating with Apollo 11 during the landing. Neil Armstrong (Gosling) says "Houston, Tranquility Base here, the Eagle Has Landed", then Charlie Duke says "Roger, Tranquility, we copy you on the ground. You've got a bunch of guys about to turn blue. We're breathing again. Thanks a lot." Most biopics aren't as faithful to its original source and tend to feature more differences than similarities, however, Chazelle wanted his feature to be as authentic as possible.
The directing by Chazelle is also very impressive. His previous features, Whiplash, and La La Land have both been successful, in terms of critical reception and at the Academy Awards, with Whiplash being nominated for a total of five Oscars and winning three, including Best Supporting Actor for J.K. Simmon's performance. La La Land received a total of six Oscars, including Best Leading Actress for Emma Stone, Best Director for Chazelle and Best Achievement in Cinematography for Sandgren. I have no doubt that his latest feature First Man will feature similar successes. It showcases the iconic moon landing and is a great tribute to Neil Armstrong, a man who will always be remembered for making history.
8/10

THE HATE U GIVE REVIEW

*MAY CONTAIN SPOILERS*

Featuring an impressive dramatic performance from Amandla Stenberg, The Hate U Give is a powerful drama that sends out an important message.
Raised in a poverty-stricken slum, a 16-year-old girl named Starr (Stenberg) now attends a suburban prep school. After she witnesses a police officer shoot her unarmed best friend, Khalil (Algee Smith) she’s torn between her two very different worlds as she tries to speak her truth.
Recently, it’s been hard to avoid the tragic news of a person of colour being murdered by racist white police officers, due to assumptions that they have a weapon when, in reality, they’re doing nothing wrong. The Hate U Give opens with Starr as a child being taught by her father, Maverick (Russell Hornsby), what to do if they are ever pulled over by a police officer. It made me sad to think that people of colour have become so used to this behaviour that they have to teach their children what to do in certain situations involving the police. After a fight breaks out at a party, Starr leaves with Khalil and, after driving and talking for a while, they are soon stopped by a police officer. Starr does what her father taught her and puts her hand on her dashboard, unfortunately, Khalil backchats to the officer who forces him out of the car. Unfortunately, when Khalil reaches for his brush, he is shot by the officer who assumed he was reaching for a gun. He tragically dies by Starr’s side and she is left traumatised by the experience. The story focuses on Starr and how she deals with the aftermath, including talking to investigators, speaking publicly on TV and in front of a Grand Jury.
The Hate U Give is not an easy watch, however, it is a film that needs to be seen. I watched this at a Secret Screening at my local cinema, which means the audience have no idea what they are seeing until the film begins. I think, beforehand, people were hoping for films such as First Man, Bohemian Rhapsody, Halloween or Bad Times At The El Royale, however, a few people were surprised when The Hate U Give was the film. This lead to a few people walking out which is unfortunate as they didn’t give the film a chance. The Hate U Give is a must see because of the important message it sends out. I felt uncomfortable at times but that’s because I was supposed to. Being white, I’m fortunate that I have never had to experience what people of colour have. I do wish it wasn’t this way though. People of colour have, unfortunately, been stereotyped as ‘gangsters’ and ‘thugs’, which is why the title is named The Hate U Give as it spells out THUG. However, people of colour are human beings and should be treated the same as everyone else.
What I like most about The Hate U Give was how real and raw it was. There’s no happy ending and not every problem in the film gets resolved. In the beginning, Starr has a friend, Hailey (Sabrina Carpenter), and she seems like a nice person. However, she makes a comment regarding the police officer and how she feels sorry for him and his family and this offends Starr. This tends to be the case when a person of colour is shot by a police officer is that the people tend to sympathise with the officer rather than the victim, which is wrong. If the victim wasn’t doing anything wrong and was innocent, then we should be feeling for them and their family and friends. I find it shocking that, in this day and age, prejudice and discrimination against people of colour is still a major issue. I also was shocked to discover that, despite Starr raising her voice and speaking out against the injustice, the police officer who shot Khalil receives no punishment and that is the reality of today’s society. It is unbelievable to think that a police officer can murder an innocent person just because of their position. In the beginning, I expected the film to have a 'happy ending' where the police officer receives punishment for what he did and Hailey apologises to Starr and they repair their friendship. However, this didn't happen and I'm glad that The Hate U Give ended this way as it proves that no every story has a happy ending.
I think that it's safe to say that The Hate U Give is not for the faint hearted. However, it is definitely a must-see as it sends out a very powerful message that is executed through its gripping story and unforgettable scenes. The scene involving the police officer and Khalil is very intense as, although we know what's going to happen, it still leaves viewers on the edge of their seats. The racism doesn't end there as, throughout the film, we see what people of colour have to experience. For instance, when Starr is at a diner with her parents and brothers, a fight breaks out between the King (Anthony Mackie), who is a drug lord, and Starr's father, Maverick. After King escapes, the police turn up and immediately handcuff Maverick without knowing the situation or who started the fight. At this point, I feared for Maverick's life as I thought that he was going to get shot. Fortunately, Starr takes action by recording the scene on her phone, with many witnesses following suit. This leads to the police releasing Maverick and leaving. Many of the scenes in The Hate U Give are shocking and, at times, disturbing, however, it's no different to what we see reported on the news.
While The Hate U Give has a rating of 12A (PG-13 in the US), there's no target audience. It's a film that everyone should see, no matter their race, skin colour, gender or background. I think that this is why my local cinema chose to show this as part of their Secret Screening as they want it to be seen as many people as possible. Since the Secret Screening last month, some people mentioned how they walked out after five or ten minutes which is really unfair as they barely gave the film a chance. I saw the trailer for The Hate U Give and I wasn't planning on seeing it, however, I'm glad I watched it as it proved to be a thought provoking and gripping watch. It was brilliantly acted, the story was well-written and has solid directing from George Tillman Jr. It did have an average opening, with Starr narrating and it did seem like it was going to come across your typical Young Adult film, however, the story developed in something more powerful. If The Hate U Give isn't on your watchlist, then it should be.
Aside from its powerful story, the most impressive aspect of The Hate U Give was the acting. Recently, Stenberg has appeared in films such as The Darkest Minds and Everything, Everything, however, she’s probably best known for portraying Rue in The Hunger Games in 2012. As Starr, Stenberg proves how much she’s matured and grown as an actress as she gives a strong performance. She has definitely proven herself to be capable of taking on dramatic and serious roles. While the supporting cast all give impressive dramatic performances, including Regina Hall and Russell Hornsby as Starr’s parents, it is Stenberg who leaves a lasting impression.
The hard-hitting The Hate U Give emphatically proves the YA genre has room for much more than magic and romance and is led by a breakout turn from Amandla Stenberg.
8/10

A STAR IS BORN REVIEW

*MAY CONTAIN SPOILERS*

Most remakes fail to capture what made the original so successful. Some people see remakes as 'unnecessary'. However, every once in a while, there are remakes that are actually as good as the original and that's where A Star Is Born comes in. The original A Star Is Born was released in 1937 and starred Janet Gaynor and Fredric March. The story surrounded a young woman who goes to Hollywood with dreams of stardom, but achieves them only with the help of an alcoholic leading man whose best days are behind him. It proved to be a huge success and, in 1938, it won the Academy Award for Best Writing, Original Story and was nominated for another six, including Best Picture, Best Director for William A. Wellman, Best Leading Actor for March and Best Leading Actress for Gaynor. 17 years later, a remake was released with Judy Garland and James Mason in the leading roles. While it didn't win any Academy Awards, the 1954 remake of A Star Is Born received a total of six nominations, including Best Actor for Mason, Best Actress for Garland and Best Original Song for 'The Man That Got Away'. Over two decades later, another remake was released in 1976, starring Barbra Streisand and Kris Kristofferson. While the quality failed to match that of its predecessors, it still received an Academy Award for Best Original Song for 'Evergreen'. Now, over four decades later, Bradley Cooper makes his directorial debut with the latest remake of A Star Is Born. However, is it a successful remake?

This new take on the tragic love story surrounds seasoned musician Jackson Maine (Bradley Cooper) who discovers — and falls in love with — struggling artist Ally (Lady Gaga). She has just about given up on her dream to make it big as a singer... until Jack coaxes her into the spotlight. But even as Ally's career takes off, the personal side of their relationship is breaking down, as Jack fights an on-going battle with his own internal demons, including an addiction to alcohol and drugs.

A Star Is Born has been my most anticipated film of 2018 ever since it was announced last year. This is because the premise sounded interesting to me and I liked the idea of Bradley Cooper and Lady Gaga working together. It had its world premiere at the Venice Film Festival on August 31, and, since then, it has received a mostly positive reception from critics. Because of this and the quality of the trailer, I had high hopes. Fortunately, I wasn't disappointed and I thoroughly enjoyed A Star Is Born. Because I hadn't seen any the original film or the other two remakes, I had no idea what to expect, however, it was a pleasant surprise. 

What stood out for me we’re the performances of the two leads. Cooper gives a strong performance as Jackson Maine, a famous singer who struggles with his alcohol and drug addiction. He has a passion for music and Cooper clearly shows that. Unfortunately, his alcohol and drug addictions are taking over his life, ruining his career and relationships. What I found most impressive about Cooper's performance was his body language. When he's intoxicated by alcohol and drugs, his head is constantly looking down and he fails to stand up straight or look anyone in the eye. When he's sober, he's able to have a better posture and look at people in the eye. It's like he's a different person when he's drunk and Cooper captures that. 

While Cooper is great, it’s Lady Gaga who impresses as Ally, a shy, insecure young woman whose dreams come true after meeting Maine. The two fall in love and the story showcases the highs and lows of their relationship and Ally’s rise to fame. Cooper and Gaga share chemistry and are convincing as a couple. You can tell that Maine is in love with Ally by the way he looks at her. In the beginning, Ally isn’t sure about Maine but soon realises that she’s in love with him. What I liked most about Ally’s character was how fierce she was and how she was able to stand up and defend herself in certain situations, including a scene near the beginning when a fan of Maine's tries to take a picture, leading to Ally punching him in the face. Since Gaga started her career a decade ago, she’s become known for her extravagant and over the top make up and costumes. However, without all the vibrant make-up, we see the real Gaga and she transforms into Ally. We can see that Gaga relates to Ally and understands how she feels and that’s why she’s perfect for the role. This is definitely Gaga’s best acting performance yet.

Another aspect of A Star Is Born that impresses is the songs that feature. The soundtrack is integral to the plotline and many of the lyrics are about wanting and longing for change, but noting the struggle. Some express the great love and beautiful bond the booze-addled rock star, Jackson Maine, and singer/songwriter, Ally, have for each other. The songs are timeless, emotional, gritty and earnest. They sound like songs written by artists who, quite frankly, are supremely messed up but hit to the core of the listener. The songs also showcase the impressive vocals of its leading stars. While it's no surprise that Gaga's vocals are powerful as she's had a successful career as a singer, she still continues to amaze. Her stand out songs are 'Shallow', 'I Don't Know What Love Is' and 'I'll Never Love Again', with the latter being an emotional and heart wrenching ballad that she sings at the end of the film. I was very impressed by Cooper's vocals and thought that his best song was 'Maybe It's Time'. A Star Is Born succeeds as a musical as it features a lot of memorable songs that are powerfully sung.
The narrative for A Star Is Born is similar to the original, however, several changes have been made to give the film a more modern feel. These were good changes as it't not a direct copy of the original and it can stand on its own. I think that A Star Is Born will appeal more to those who haven't seen any of the original and are fans of Bradley Cooper and Lady Gaga. Those who have seen the original and/or the remakes will find something to enjoy, however, they may find the plot predictable as they know what to expect.
A Star Is Born thoroughly captures what it's like to be famous and gives us an insight into the realities and what goes on behind the scenes. From audiences' point of view, being rich and famous may seem great, however, the story proves that being in the spotlight constantly can be difficult and put pressure on the celebrities. Jackson Maine is a famous singer, however, he uses alcohol and drugs to cope with the pressures. In the beginning, Ally is an ordinary young woman who soon becomes one of the most famous singers. After performing on stage with Maine, her singing career begins to rise and she's soon in the studio, recording her own music and winning an award. Unfortunately, as Ally's singing career becomes more and more successful, Maine continues to struggle with his alcohol and drug addictions and he is soon sent to a rehabilitation facility to try and recover. This is where most of the drama and conflict comes from as Ally struggles to balance her relationship with Maine and her singing career. I liked that A Star Is Born showed the difficulties that come from being famous as too many people think that it's easy just because you have a lot of money and fans.
A Star Is Born proves that remakes can be good and capture the quality of the original whilst being able to stand on their own. Bradley Cooper proves that he's a man of many talents as he gives a strong performance and co-writes and directs. Lady Gaga impresses in her best acting performance and amazes with her strong and powerful vocals. Overall, A Star Is Born is one of my favourite films of this year.
8/10

A SIMPLE FAVOR REVIEW

*MAY CONTAIN SPOILERS*

A Simple Favor, despite its title, is not as simple as you might expect. It features interesting characters and a plot that is full of twist and turns. Prior to watching A Simple Favor, I didn't know what to expect. The trailer didn't give too much away, which lead me to being surprised by some of the twists that feature within the plot.
A Simple Favor centers around Stephanie Smothers (Anna Kendrick), a mother who likes to make 'vlogs' (video blogs) and bake. She soon meets Emily (Blake Lively), after their sons, Miles (Joshua Satine) and Nicky (Ian Ho) have a play date together. At Emily's house, Stephanie discovers that Emily isn't your typical mom. She likes to drink martinis in the middle of the day, swears and has an unapologetic attitude. Despite their differences in personality, the two women bond and, one day, Emily asks Stephanie if she could do 'a simple favor' of looking after Nicky, which Stephanie accepts. However, after Emily fails to pick up Nicky or answer any of Stephanie's texts and calls, Stephanie soon begins to worry, leading to her and Emily's husband, Sean (Henry Golding), contacting the authorities. This leads to secrets being revealed, tension between characters and shocking revelations.
The best aspect of A Simple Favor of the performances of the two female leads. Kendrick and Lively both give strong performances. Kendrick develops Stephanie from a shy, timid mother to a witty, smart and confident woman. Lively’s Emily’s personality is similar to that of Rosamund Pike's Amy Dunne from the 2014 film, Gone Girl. She likes to drink in the middle of the day, specifically martinis, swears and is unapologetic about her behaviour. We never know what she’s going to do next. Kendrick and Lively's performances are why A Simple Favor is worth watching. They work really well together and are convincing as their characters, who are both interesting individuals. Henry Golding recently appeared in the successful romantic comedy, Crazy Rich Asians, and he proved to be charming as the leading man. I’ve heard criticism towards his performance in A Simple Favor which I think is unfair. His portrayal of Sean isn’t as good as his performance of Nick in Crazy Rich Asians, however, he gives a good performance. I wasn’t sure if his character could be trusted, especially after he makes a move on Stephanie, following a revelation about Emily.
The narrative for A Simple Favor is full of twists and turns, especially in its final act. This was a little confusing at first as I didn’t know who was siding with who. Kendrick gives her best performance during these scenes as we see that Stephanie isn’t just a cute vlogger, she’s smart and can outwit Emily. I thought that this was an interesting change in her character as, in the beginning, she’s your typical mom who likes to make videos, bake cakes and play with her son. By the end of the film, she has adopted some aspects of Emily’s personality and even begins wearing her clothes. This leads to an amusing scene where she struggles to take Emily's black dress off and she has to talk to a detective. Her body language during this scene shows how awkward she feels as she's not used to wearing sexy dresses. Most of the second act focuses on Stephanie as she tries to figure out what really happened to Emily. She does this by visiting the artist, Diana Hyland (Linda Cardellini), who painted a nude portrait of Emily, and Emily's mother who makes a surprising revelation. By this point, viewers will begin to get an understanding of who Emily really was and what happened to her.
A Simple Favor is a film that does struggle with its tone. Throughout my first watch, I wasn’t sure if it was a comedy or a thriller. After rewatching it recently, I know that, while it isn’t a laugh a minute comedy, it’s not a serious thriller either. Director, Paul Feig, whose previous features include Bridesmaids, The Heat, and the all-female Ghostbusters remake, handles the comedy well. Most of the comic relief comes from witty one liners or pieces of dialogue. I was more impressed with his ability to create a mystery based thriller. It’s not a perfect film, however, it is thoroughly entertaining.
Like most mystery-based films, tension begins to rise. After Emily is presumed dead, Stephanie and Sean become close and form a relationship. I was a little surprised by this as I expected them to be grieving, however, I soon realised that this was their way of grieving. A Simple Favor is at its most tense during its final act as it involves the three characters and a gun. At this point, I wondered if one of them was going to die and I was on the edge of my seat. I've heard a lot of criticism towards this final scene but I thought it was quite good as Emily thought that she had outsmarted both Stephanie and Sean. What she doesn't know is that Stephanie had a back-up plan. This scene made me like Stephanie more than I did in the beginning as it showed that she's not afraid to stand up to Emily.
While I haven’t read the book that A Simple Favor is based on, I do know that several changes have been made. For example, in the novel, Stephanie is a blogger but, in the film, she's a 'video blogger'. The ending has also been changed. I’m not sure if these changes were an improvement, however, if you have read the book, don’t expect A Simple Favor to be a 100% faithful adaptation. If I’m being honest, I’m yet to see a film that is 100% faithful to its source material.
I'm not sure if A Simple Favor will appeal to everyone, due to its tonal shifts, tongue-in-cheek humour and dark comedy and its inability to be taken seriously, however, I do think it's worth watching as you may be pleasantly surprised. Both Anna Kendrick and Blake Lively give impressive performances and develop their characters into interesting individuals, which makes A Simple Favor very entertaining to watch.
7/10
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SEARCHING REVIEW

*MAY CONTAIN SPOILERS*

In 2014, a horror film, named Unfriended, was released, however, it was different from other horrors as it was shot from the point-of-view of computer screens. The plot dealt with a supernatural force that was killing people through computers and, after its release, it received mixed reviews, with many critics saying that the shooting of the film through computer screens was its most impressive aspect. Searching uses this same technique to tell its story, however, is it just as impressive as Unfriended?

After David Kim (John Cho)'s 16-year-old daughter goes missing, a local investigation is opened and a detective is assigned to the case. But 37 hours later and without a single lead, David decides to search the one place no one has looked yet, where all secrets are kept today: his daughter's laptop. In a hyper-modern thriller told via the technology devices we use every day to communicate, David must trace his daughter's digital footprints before she disappears forever.

The most impressive aspect of Searching was the technique that director, Aneesh Chaganty, used to tell the story of a worried father desperately looking for his missing daughter. The technique was the filming of computer screens as David searches on his daughter's computer in order to find some clues that relate to her disappearance. Throughout the film, we see David researching his daughter's browsing history, viewing her social media accounts, her archived webchats and her banking accounts. We, as viewers, like David, are glued to the screen, trying to find anything that hints at what could've happened to Margot. This technique gives Searching a modern feel to it. In this day and age, it's hard to find anyone that isn't on some form of social media so a lot of viewers will recognise the websites that David visits. What impressed me the most about this technique was that the film never took place in the 'real' world. It's shown entirely through computer screens, emails, text messages, news broadcasts, security cameras and people's phones.

While Searching does feature a small cast, they each give strong performances, with John Cho standing out. Cho is best known for his portrayal of Hikaru Sulu in the Star Trek trilogy and in various comedies, however, he perfectly captures that of a worried and anxious father. In the beginning, through a brilliantly edited montage, we see David's life with his wife, Pamela Nam Kim (Sara Sohn), and Margot through pictures and videos on his computer. We soon learn that, sadly, Pamela has cancer and she soon passes away. This leads to David's relationship with Margot becoming distant, due to the tragedy they both share. Throughout the film, David learns more and more about Margot's secret life on the Internet and he begins to wonder if he really knew her at all. This is defintely Cho's best dramatic performance and he proves that, outside of franchises and comedies, he can handle serious dramatic roles. Debra Messing also gave a strong performance as Detective Rosemary Vick who is assigned to David's case. She was thoroughly convincing as the Detective determined to solve the case, however, there is more to her character than meets the eye.

Mystery based films can be tricky to make as you have to keep the viewer guessing throughout its runtime. If a viewer can easily solve the mystery before the end of the film, it can ruin the viewing experience, leading it to become very predictable. The best mystery that comes to my mind is Denis Villeneuve's Prisoners, which was released in 2013 and boasted two strong leading performances from Hugh Jackman and Jake Gyllenhaal. The plot was similar to Searching as it dealt with a father looking for his daughter. It featured a lot of twists, which made for gripping viewing. Searching is just as thrilling and, because of the twists and turns that feature within its narrative, it remains unpredictable throughout. It never loses your focus. Just when you think the mystery has been solved and you think the film's over, it throws another twist at you, leaving you wondering, can anyone be trusted? Searching's main twist towards the end of the film shows that the guilty may be who you least expect.

Searching premiered at the Sundance Film Festival at the beginning of the year and was released in cinemas last month. Since then, it has received mostly praise from both critics and audiences, which it deserves. Its story is thrilling and unpredictable and its timely premise and original execution are further bolstered by well-rounded characters brought to life by a talented cast, with a strong leading performance by John Cho.

8/10

CRAZY RICH ASIANS REVIEW

*MAY CONTAIN SPOILERS*

As of late, some romantic comedies have struggled to leave a lasting impression, due to how predictable and unoriginal they've become. The films either had too much romance and not enough comedy or vice versa. They would follow the same narrative path, making them boring and predictable. Another problem with romantic comedies is that the leading actors don't share chemistry and fail to convince as romantic partners. However, despite this, there are some romantic comedies that succeed where others have failed and that's where Crazy Rich Asians comes in.
Crazy Rich Asians focuses on Rachel Chu (Constance Wu), an NYU economics professor who discovers her seemingly normal boyfriend (Henry Golding) is actually 'crazy rich' during a trip to his native Singapore. Chu inevitably meets her boyfriend's esteemed family, only to be met with instant disapproval by her would-be mother-in-law, Eleanor (Michelle Yeoh).
It's a simple premise that has been done several times. However, Crazy Rich Asians is far from boring and is thoroughly entertaining. There's never too much romance or comedy and both feel natural, with characters falling in love and other characters dropping witty one liners. There's drama, of course, that mainly comes from Eleanor who disapproves of Rachel from the moment that they meet. Rachel also struggles to impress the rest of Nick's family with only his cousin, Astrid (Gemma Chan), being friendly towards her. Because of this, Rachel feels like a fish out of water in a country she's never been to and in homes the size of a palace and we feel for her.
One of the best aspects of Crazy Rich Asians is its ensemble cast. Prior to watching the feature, I was only familiar with a few of the actors that appear, including Michelle Yeoh who gives a strong performance as Eleanor, Nick's mother who disapproves of Rachel from the moment she meets her. Awkwafina previously appeared in Ocean's 8 alongside Sandra Bullock and Cate Blanchett and, as Rachel's friend Goh Peik Lin, she continues to impress with her witty one liners. Ken Jeong is best known for appearing in the Hangover trilogy, however, while he only makes one small appearance, it's memorable. Gemma Chan was also a familiar face due to her appearances in the Channel 4 series, Humans, and in an episode of Doctor Who. Recently, she's made her transition to the big screen and, as Astrid, she gives a good supporting role. While the supporting cast all give strong performances, it's the two leads that stand out. Constance Wu is perfect as Rachel and makes her a likable protagonist. She tries her hardest to appeal to Nick's family, even if they don't approve of her. She's honest about her background and isn't ashamed of it, which I thought was very respectable. Henry Golding brings a natural charm to Nick and proves himself to be the ideal boyfriend as he stands by Rachel. Both Wu and Golding share chemisty which makes their relationship all the more convincing.
As I've mentioned earlier in my review, romantic comedies can be very predictable as they tend to follow the same narrative path. While this may work for some films, after a while, it becomes boring. Crazy Rich Asians is probably one of the best romantic comedies we've had recently as it doesn't stick to that 'romcom' formula. Because Crazy Rich Asians is aware of what type of film it is, the film's producers use that to their advantage. They know that most romantic comedies contrast the life of one ordinary soul with the extravagant life of another, and, in Crazy Rich Asians, they take it to the extreme, pushing palatial settings, expensive finery and bountiful buffets to the forefront of every scene in an attempt to overwhelm you with the extravagance of it all. There are a few twists and turns in the story that keep it from being boring and predictable. All of this is why Crazy Rich Asians stands out from average romantic comedies.
Crazy Rich Asians may be a light hearted romantic comedy, but its cultural significance can't be understated. Not only is it the first American-made film since 1993's The Joy Luck Club to feature an all-Asian cast, it also boasts more than 70 speaking roles for Asian actors and shows characters speaking their native dialect, which is a rarity in Hollywood films. Quite rightly, the film and its producers have earned praise from critics and audience members alike. Now, just because a film breaks new cultural ground doesn't mean that it's automatically worthy of praise. But films like Crazy Rich Asians and Black Panther help promote a fairer, more inclusive Hollywood.
Crazy Rich Asians stands out from other romantic comedies as it's fully aware what type of film it is, and it uses that to its advantage. The film's producers know that a lot of romantic comedies contrast the life of one ordinary soul with the extravagant life of another, and here they take it to the extreme, pushing palatial settings, expensive finery and bountiful buffets to the forefront of every scene in an attempt to overwhelm you with the sheer extravagance of it all. All of this makes it a feast for the eyes, too, as Chu and cinematographer Vania Cernjul ogle a smorgasbord of mansions, yachts, skyscrapers, restaurants, planes, boats and cars. There are a few scenes that show the main characters eating traditional Asian food so it's best not to watch this on an empty stomach.
The main reason why I enjoyed Crazy Rich Asians is because it's a very enjoyable film that is likely to leave you with a smile on your face. However, I also liked it because of it offered a thoughtful commentary on key issues such as wealth inequality and racism. The film makes a point to contrast the Young family's incredible wealth with the working class support staff who make their meals and clean their houses; yet at the same time they acknowledge the fact that the Young family need their wealth to defend themselves from outside threats. I noticed that one reviewier of Crazy Rich Asians pointed out that, while money can't solve racism, but it can help solve the problems racism might throw up in your path. Balancing the film's inherently fun nature with its social commentary can't have been an easy feat, but it seems the filmmakers have pulled it off with ease.
I'd only heard about Crazy Rich Asians a few weeks ago after its impressive success in America. It's being released in the UK later this month so, if you enjoy romantic comedies, I highly recommend you see this as it's one of the best I've seen recently.
8/10

MISSION: IMPOSSIBLE - FALLOUT REVIEW

*MAY CONTAIN SPOILERS*

Since the release of the first film in 1996, Mission: Impossible has gone on to become one of the most successful action-based franchises, with the majority of the films receiving critical acclaim and making an impressive amount of money at the box office. The films themselves have also improved in quality with only the second being the weakest entry in the series. When star and producer, Tom Cruise, did the jaw-dropping stunt where he climbed outside the Burj Khalifa in Mission: Impossible - Ghost Protocol, I think that was when people stopped viewing them as your average action film and started taking them more seriously. The fifth instalment, Rogue Nation, was released four years later and featured another edge-of-your-seat stunt as the opening scene saw Cruise clinging onto the outside of the plane whilst it was in flight mode. Outside of the stunts, the acting and story always impresses too, with memorable characters such as Simon Pegg's Benji and Ving Rhames' Luther continuing to make appearances. Rogue Nation is one of the strongest entries in the franchise, giving audiences high expectations for the sixth instalment, Fallout.

After a mission goes wrong in the beginning of Fallout, Hunt must now work alongside CIA agent, August Walker (Henry Cavill), in order to retrieve a suitcase containing three globes of plutonium. This is easier said than done and he learns that, after meeting the White Widow (Vanessa Kirby), a woman who says that Hunt can have one of the plutonium in exchange for Solomon Lane (Sean Harris), the antagonist from Rogue Nation. This leads to Hunt capturing Lane from an armoured convoy moving through Paris. Unfortunately, as always is the case, things go wrong, leading Hunt, Benji, Luther and Isla Faust (Rebecca Ferguson) travelling to Kashmir in order to stop Walker and Lane from detonating a bomb and causing destruction.

While, in my opinion, Ghost Protocl and Rogue Nation are the best instalments in the franchise so far, Fallout is still a strong entry. This is because it's thrilling throughout with hardly a dull moment to be found in its 147 minute runtime. Despite Fallout being the longest film in the Mission: Impossible franchise so far, it moves at a brisk pace. There are plenty of car chases, stunts and action sequences to keep this from being boring. One of the most exciting sequences shows Cruise performing a HALO (High Altitude Low Opening) jump near the beginning of the film. This scene required Cruise and the crew training on a ground-based vertical wind tunnel, and then using a C-17 military aircraft to make over one hundred jumps from around 25,000 feet (7,600 m) to end up with three takes that the director, Christopher McQuarrie, wanted for the film. As the scene was to be set near sunset, they could only make one jump a day to try to get each shot. Another incredible stunt showed Cruise jumping onto a helicopter, similar to the airplane stunt he performed in Rogue Nation. These stunts shows that Cruise is an adrenalin junkie and there's no stunt he cannot do. Despite broke his ankle during filming in August last year, he recovered quickly and returned to filming within seven weeks of receiving the injury. It also proves he's a committed actor that cares about creating an action-packed film. 

Fallout features a strong ensemble cast, with Cruise, Pegg, Rhames and Ferguson all returning to their roles and each actor gives a great performance. Pegg, as usual, brings comic relief with many of his one liners. Since his first appearance in Mission: Impossible 3 in 2006, Benji has become a field agent who is also Hunt's friend. Rhames is the only actor, apart from Cruise, to have appeared in every Mission: Impossible film and he shows no sign of giving up the role just yet. In her first appearance in Rogue Nation, viewers weren't sure if Ferguson's character, Isla Faust, could be trusted as she was working for Lane, however, it was revealed that she was being framed. She returns and her main intentions are to kill Lane but Hunt needs him alive in order to obtain the plutonium. However, she soon agrees to work alongside Hunt. New additions to the cast include Angela Bassett, who has a small part as the Director of the CIA, and Cavill as August Walker. It was revealed early on during production of the film that Cavill would be portraying the main antagonist so I don't think it'll come as any surprise when he turns against Hunt and tries to kill him. Cavill is known for portraying Superman in Man of Steel and the critically-panned Justice League, so it's interesting to see him in a darker and more violent role. It's funny watching Cavill as, because filming clashed between Justice League and Fallout, he wasn't allowed to shave his moustache whilst performing as Superman so Justice League's VFX team was forced to use special effects to digitally remove it in post-production, which lead to many of the viewers mocking Cavill's appearance in the film.

While the first half of Fallout features its fair share of exhilarating action sequences, including a car chase in Paris and a scene where Hunt chases Walker across London, I found the second half of Fallout to be more intense. This is because it surrounds two bombs going off which can only be defused by cutting the wires from both of the bombs. To complete the defuse process, the fuse must also be pulled from the detonator before the countdown reaches zero. This leads to Luther, Benji and Isla cutting the wires and Hunt going after Walker in a gripping helicopter chase sequence. 

While I enjoyed Fallout overall, I don't think it was better than Ghost Protocol and Rogue Nation, I think it's on the same level as, in terms of narrative, it follows the same formula, which isn't a bad thing and it's what works for these films. I saw the Fallout trailer several times when I visited the cinema. In terms of marketing, trailers can be great as they show the highlights of the film and gets audiences excited. However, it can also lead to lack of surprises in the film. For example, I do think they should've left Michelle Monoghan's character, Julie, out of the trailer. Mission: Impossible fans will remember her from the third film where she portrayed Hunt's wife. Unfortunately, it is revealed in Ghost Protocol that Hunt had to fake her death so that she could be safe. In the trailer, Julie is briefly seen talking to Luther and I think it would've been great if her appearance could've been left as a surprise. 

Mission: Impossible - Fallout is one of the strongest entries in the series. It feels more like a sequel, rather than a stand-alone film, with previous characters returning and references to previous events. McQuarrie returns from Rogue Nation to direct Fallout and he proves to be the best choice at directing a Mission: Impossible film. He's imaginative and knows how to gets audiences' pulses racing through exhilarating action sequences and jaw-dropping stunts. I doubt fans of the Mission: Impossible films will be disappointed as it features more of the same and what makes the films so great.

7/10

MAMMA MIA! HERE WE GO AGAIN REVIEW

*MAY CONTAIN SPOILERS*

It's been ten years since the release of Mamma Mia!, which was based on the hit stage musical of the same name. A lot of people doubted its success, mainly because audiences had already seen it on the stage and Phyllida Lloyd, who directed both the stage musical and its film adaptation, didn't think it'd be as successful. Fortunately, she was proved wrong as Mamma Mia! went on to receive $615 million at the box office. I think the main reason it was successful is because of its star studded cast which includes Meryl Streep, Amanda Seyfried, Pierce Brosnan, Colin Firth, Stellan Skarsgård, Julie Walters and Christine Baranski. It also featured many of ABBA's greatest hits, including Mamma Mia, Dancing Queen, SOS, Money Money Money and many more. Because of its success, a sequel was announced and now, a decade later, Mamma Mia! Here We Go Again has been released, however, is it as entertaining as its energetic predecessor or a disappointment like a lot of sequels?

Five years after the events of Mamma Mia!, on the Greek island of Kalokairi , Sophie (Amanda Seyfried) is running her mother Donna's (Meryl Streep) villa, who has died a year prior to the events of the film. Her relationship with Sky (Dominic Cooper) has been turbulent for some time, giving her cause to doubt that she can survive without her mother. With Tanya (Christine Baranski) and Rosie's (Julie Walters) guidance, Sophie will find out more of Donna's past, including how she fronted The Dynamos, started her villa on the island from nothing, met each one of Sophie's dads, Sam, Bill and Harry (Pierce Brosnan, Stellan Skarsgård, and Colin Firth), and raised a daughter, without a mother to guide her. She also has an unexpected visit from someone she has never even met: her estranged grandmother, Ruby Sheridan (Cher).

While lacking the high energy of the first film, Mamma Mia! Here We Go Again is still very entertaining throughout and I doubt fans will be disappointed. Because most of ABBA’s biggest hits were featured in the previous film, most of their songs that feature in the sequel will probably only be known by die-hard fans of the Swedish pop group. Before watching Here We Go Again, I wasn’t familiar with the songs Angeleyes, When I Kissed The Teacher, Fernando, however, they were the songs I really enjoyed the most. Those who are more familiar with their greatest hits will be happy to hear that Mamma Mia, Dancing Queen and Super Trouper make another appearance. Mamma Mia is sung by a broken-hearted young Donna (Lily James), however, it soon turns into an energetic rendition as she performs on stage with her friends, Rosie (Alexa Davies) and Tanya (Jessica Keenan Wynn). Dancing Queen is sung in the present day by Sophie, Rosie, Tanya, Sam, Bill and Harry in one of the most energetic sequences of the film. 

The majority of Here We Go Again focuses a lot on Donna when she was younger and is played by James who captures her likeable and ambitious personality. We learn how she met Harry (Hugh Skinner), Bill (Josh Dylan) and Sam (Jeremy Irvine). While these scenes are fun to watch, mainly due to its catchy musical numbers, the story is predictable as Donna explained her past in the first film. We know her romances with each of the three characters are going to fizzle so there’s no surprises or any tension. The romance aspect of the story is rushed so it’s hard to believe Donna had any feelings for either of the three men. I would’ve enjoyed Here We Go Again if it had focused on the current day and on Sophie, who is pregnant and stressing about running the hotel on the island without her mother. I found this side of the story more interesting as I wanted to see more of the characters we loved from the first film. Certain scenes in the flashbacks felt more awkward to me than fun, including when Harry sings Waterloo. Donna and Harry meet in Paris and Harry tries to seduce her by taking her to a restaurant where he begins to sing Waterloo. It's hard to believe anyone would fall in love with him after that rendition, let alone sleep with him, which is what Donna does. She then leaves the next morning to get a boat to Greece, unfortunately, she is late, leading to her getting on Bill's boat which leads to her next hook-up. 

I don't think that it's really a spoiler to say that Donna is dead as many viewers guessed it from the trailer, due to her absence. I would’ve liked to seen Donna return, unfortunately, Streep was too busy filming for her Oscar nominated role in Steven Spielberg’s drama, The Post, which was released earlier this year. It’s a shame that the writers couldn’t come up with any better excuse as to why Donna wasn’t in the film so they killed her off. Despite her absence for the majority of Here We Go Again, she does make a cameo in one of the most emotional scenes in the film. She also appears in the end credits where she sings Super Trouper with the entire cast.

Speaking of cast, most of the actors who appeared in Mamma Mia! return for the sequel. Seyfried gives a very good performance as Sophie. For most of the film, she is grieving for the loss of her mother and stressed about the opening of the hotel. Sophie has also matured a lot since the first film and is starting to understand what her mother went through. Many criticised Brosnan's singing and those critics will be thankful to learn that he doesn't sing as much in this sequel, however, in one scene, as he remembers Donna, he softly sings SOS. Firth and Skarsgård don't get much screentime, however, they make an appearance towards the end when they realise their priority is Sophie. Baranski and Walters bring the majority of the comic relief, with their witty one liners. James was a great choice for the role of younger Donna. She captures her ambitious and energetic personality. A casting choice I was most confused about was Cher as Donna's mother. Cher is only three years older than Streep and it feels like the casting decision was made mainly due to how famous she is. I think that her fans, who are only watching this sequel for her, will be disappointed as she doesn't make her appearance until the end of the film, where she sings Fernando to the hotel manager who is called Fernando (Andy Garcia), a man she had a previous relationship with.

Mamma Mia! Here We Go Again, while lacking the high energy of its predecessor, is still entertaining throughout, due to its catchy soundtrack and strong performances from its star studded cast.

7/10

HOTEL ARTEMIS REVIEW

*MAY CONTAIN SPOILERS*

Drew Pearce is a name you're probably not familiar with, however, he's written for two very successful films, Mission: Impossible - Rogue Nation and Iron Man 3. For most of his career, Pearce has mainly worked on TV Series and video games, however, he makes his directorial debut with Hotel Artemis, a thriller starring Jodie Foster, Jeff Goldblum, Sterling K. Brown and many others.

Hotel Artemis is set in a decade into the future and focuses on the titular hotel that is run by the Nurse (Foster). It is a secret, members-only emergency room for criminals that has several rules. Guests are referred to only by their room designation, fights aren't allowed and neither are weapons, and, for obvious reasons, cops aren't allowed in. However, these rules soon get broken and it doesn't take long for all chaos to break out.

I had no idea what to expect when I first watched Hotel Artemis, fortunately, I was pleasantly surprised. I don't think that it deserves the mixed reception it's been receiving from both critics and audiences as it's not a terrible film. It's not a perfect film by any means. I think that the runtime could've done with an extra half hour as, at 94 minutes, it does feel a little short. Despite this, Hotel Artemis moves at a quick pace and it never overstays its welcome. At the time of writing this review, the films that are being released this summer are mostly sequels, including Jurassic World: Fallen Kingdom, Sicario 2: Soldado, Incredibles 2, Mamma Mia: Here We Go Again and Mission: Impossible - Fallout. While sequels aren't necessarily a bad thing, I appreciated Hotel Artemis for its originality and that's why it's worth watching. I recommend giving it a watch if you enjoy thrillers and the cast involved.

Speaking of which, the cast features some very talented actors, who each give solid performances. Foster, in her first feature film role since 2013's Elysium, is great as the Nurse. While, on the outside, she portrays a fierce personality, on the inside, she's grieving for her son, Beau, who died of a drug overdose. She's also suffering from a severe form of agoraphobia and struggles with anxiety whenever she leaves the hotel. This isn't one of Foster's best performances, however, it's far from a bad one and I'd even go so far to say that Hotel Artemis is worth watching just for her portrayal of the Nurse. I'm not familiar with Brown, I've only seem him in Black Panther, however, I think that he gives a good performance as Sherman. In the beginning of the film, he and his brother, Honolulu (Brian Tyree Henry) rob a bank, unfortunately, Honolulu gets injured, leading to Sherman taking him to the Hotel Artemis. While Sherman is a criminal, he's not a bad person and we see he cares deeply for his brother. Dave Baustista is best known for his role as Drax in Guardians of the Galaxy, however, he gives a solid supporting role as Everest who is the Nurse's assistant. As the 'Wolf King', Goldblum has more screen time here than in his brief appearance as Dr Ian Malcom in Jurassic World - Fallen Kingdom. As Nice, Sofia Boutella has an impressive fight sequence towards the end of the film.

Hotel Artemis is currently receiving mixed views from both critics and audiences, which is a shame as I think that it's worth a watch to those who enjoy thrillers and like the actors involved. I think a lot of people were expecting too much from this film, leading them to be disappointed, however, that doesn't make it a bad film. This is the first feature that Pearce has directed and I think that he has mostly succeeded. I'm not easily disappointed and I thoroughly enjoyed watching Hotel Artemis. It had an interesting story and I think it would benefited from a longer runtime and allowing the characters and story to develop. It did feel a bit rushed especially when it finished as I would've liked to seen more. The plot does suffer from a lack of unpredictability as it is quite obvious how things are going to turn out but that didn't spoil my enjoyment of Hotel Artemis. I watched this at a preview screening at my local cinema before its release in the UK and I've read reviews from people who attended the same screening and, from what I've seen, the reception was mainly positive. Hotel Artemis isn't an amazing film, and don't go in expecting to be wowed, however, it features a good story and a great cast.

7/10 

SICARIO 2: SOLDADO REVIEW

*MAY CONTAIN SPOILERS*

In 2015, director Denis Villeneuve released Sicario, a thriller starring Emily Blunt, Josh Brolin and Benicio Del Toro. It went on to be very successful both with critics and audiences. It was also recognised by the Academy and received three nominations for  Best Achievement in Cinematography, Best Achievement in Sound Editing and Best Original Score. When films are successful, sequels are made, with producers hoping for similar success. Unfortunately, many sequels tend to be disappointments as they lack the quality of the original. With Emily Blunt not returning as her character, Kate Macer, and Villeneuve being replaced by Stefano Sollima, is this the case for Sicario 2: Soldado?

In the drug war, there are no rules - and as the cartels have begun trafficking terrorists across the US border, federal agent Matt Graver (Josh Brolin) calls on the mysterious Alejandro (Benicio Del Toro), whose family was murdered by a cartel kingpin, to escalate the war in nefarious ways. Alejandro kidnaps the kingpin's daughter, Isabel (Isabela Moner) to inflame the conflict - but when the girl is seen as collateral damage, her fate will come between the two men as they question everything they are fighting for.

When the sequel to Sicario was announced, I was surprised when I found out that Blunt wouldn't be reprising her role as Kate. She gave an impressive performance and one of the best of her career. However, the writer, Taylor Sheridan, explained that there wasn't any room for her character in the story. After seeing the film, I can understand that. However, Sheridan did say that there could be room for her character somewhere else down the road, which means she could return for another sequel. 

While Blunt doesn't return, Brolin and Del Toro both appear as CIA agent, Matt Graver, and hitman, Alejandro. They both gave solid performances in Sicario, however, they were overshadowed by Blunt. Brolin has had a busy year, appearing in both Avengers: Infinity War as Thanos and Deadpool 2 as Cable. Of the three performances, I'd have to say that Thanos and Cable were the stand outs, however, his portrayal of Graver proves that he's still capable of giving a serious performance. Del Toro, who also appeared in Avengers: Infinity War in a small role as The Collector, shows another side to Alejandro. In Sicario, he was mysterious and ruthless as he wanted revenge for the deaths of his wife and daughter. While he still has a ruthless and violent side, we see a more softer side to him as he protects Isabel. The rest of the cast, which includes Catherine Keener as Cynthia Foards, each give solid performances but nothing noteworthy.

In the three years since Sicario's release, Sheridan has proved himself to be talented at directing as well as writing. Last year, he released his directorial debut, Wind River, starring Jeremy Renner and Elizabeth Olsen. Like Sicario, it was a gripping thriller with strong performances from its two leads. While Soldado's story is good, it lacks the heart-pounding thrills that Sicario had. However, it is still quite intense at times, with a few shoot-outs here and there. 

I'm not familiar with Sollima's previous directorial works, however, after a bit of research, I've noticed that he has directed thrillers before, including Suburra which was released in 2015. Because of this, I can understand why he was chosen to direct and, while he's not as good as Villeneuve, he's not bad. 

Since Soldado's release, it has received negativity and, to be honest, I can understand that. It's not on par with Sicario, however, I don't think it's an awful film. Not once during the film did I get bored and, in fact, I thought it moved at a quick pace. When it ended, I couldn't believe that it had been two hours. I was expecting it to be one of those films that seems to drag, however, I was pleasantly surprised. I think that Soldado is a worthy follow-up as it's got action, there are many intense scenes and the character-related moments are effective without seeming too sentimental. Surprisingly, Soldado manages to stand on its own as viewers don't need to have seen Sicario, unless they want background information on Brolin's and Del Toro's characters. The events that happened in the previous film aren't mentioned and neither is Blunt's character. However, I do think that it's best to watch Sicario before seeing the sequel so that viewers will know what to expect.

While it lacks the quality of Sicario, I think that Soldado is worth watching to those who enjoyed its predecessor and the performances of Josh Brolin and Benecio Del Toro.

7/10

OCEAN'S 8 REVIEW

*MAY CONTAIN SPOILERS*

In 2001, Steven Soderbergh released his first heist-based thriller, Ocean's Eleven, which was a remake of the original 1960 film of the same name. Featuring an ensemble cast including George Clooney, Brad Pitt, Matt Damon, Andy Garcia and Julia Roberts, Ocean's Eleven went on to become a success, impressing critics and receiving over $450 million at the box office. This lead to two sequels being released, Ocean's Twelve and Ocean's Thirteen. Now, eleven years after Ocean's Thirteen, an all-female follow-up has been released.

Upon her release from prison, Debbie (Sandra Bullock), the estranged sister of legendary conman Danny Ocean (George Clooney), puts together a team of unstoppable crooks to pull of the heist of the century. Their goal is New York City's annual Met Gala, and a necklace worth in excess of 150 million dollars. The team includes Debbie's friend, Lou (Cate Blanchett); Rose Weil (Helena Bonham Carter), a ditzy disgraced fashion designer who is deeply in debt to the IRS; Amita (Mindy Kaling), a jewelry maker who is eager to move away from her domineering mother; Nine Ball (Rihanna), a technical genius whose real name is Leslie; Tammy (Sarah Paulson), a suburban mom and profiteer and Constance (Awkwafina), a loudmouthed street hustler and pickpocket. Their plan involves Daphne Kluger (Anne Hathaway), an air-headed celebrity, who will be attending the Met Gala wearing a necklace that's worth $150 million. The team come up with a plan to steal the necklace and replace it with a replica, however, will they succeed?

The main reason why I wanted to see Ocean's 8 was because of its impressive ensemble cast. Bullock, Blanchett, Bonham-Carter and Hathaway of four of my favourite actors and I'm yet to see either of them give a bad performance. As Debbie, Bullock makes her a smart and cunning individual, however, we soon learn that part of her plan involves getting revenge on her former partner, Claude Becker (Richard Armitage), who framed her and had her thrown in jail for five years. This isn't Bullock's best performance, however, it's far from a bad one. She shares chemistry with Blanchett who portrays her friend, Lou. Bonham-Carter is best known for appearing in films directed by Tim Burton who she had a relationship with until they split a few years ago. She's portrayed a wide array of characters and is set to portray Queen Margaret in the Netflix series, The Crown. As Rose, she brings comic relief and, in the beginning, she think she's a failure but soon agrees to help Debbie. Rihanna is best known for her successful career in music, however, her first appearance in a film was the 2012 action film, Battleship, unfortunately, it wasn't best received. However, she makes a successful return to film and gives a solid performance as Nine Ball who can hack into the Met Gala's security system. Paulson is best known for her appearance in American Horror Story, however, as Tammy, she gives a very good performance. In the beginning, she isn't so sure of helping Debbie out but soon changes her mind when she hears about the money. Mindy Kaling appeared on the US version of The Office, and is best known for voicing Disgust in the 2015 Disney/Pixar animated feature, Inside Out. While she isn't given enough screen time, she still gives a decent performance. I'm not familiar with Awkwafina, however, I thought that she was great as Constance. While each actor gives a solid performance, they're underwritten and aren't given enough background. Hopefully, if there is a sequel, these characters will be more fleshed out. Of the performances, I liked Hathaway's the most. You could tell she was having a lot of fun playing a stuck up celebrity and there is a small twist to her character that results in her becoming the eighth member of the team. I don't think that's a spoiler as it's hinted in the trailer and posters that Daphne is becomes a member of Ocean's team. James Corden makes a small appearance as John Frazier, the insurance fraud investigator who looks into the theft. Previous characters from the Ocean's trilogy make small appearances including Reuben (Elliott Gould) and 'The Amazing' Yen (Shaobo Qin). If I'm being honest, it's a shame that Clooney decided not to reprise his role as Danny Ocean as I think he and Bullock would've worked well together, considering they both starred in the sci-fi feature, Gravity, in 2013. Matt Damon and Carl Reiner were also set to reprise their respective characters Linus Caldwell and Saul Bloom, but their scenes were cut. Many celebrities, including Anna Wintour, Kim Kardashian West, Kylie and Kendall Jenner and Heidi Klum, make appearances during the scene that takes place at the Met Gala.
The plot isn't as unpredictable as it does follow the same path as the previous Ocean's films, however, that doesn't mean it's any less entertaining. What I enjoyed most about Ocean's 8 was seeing several of my favourite actors working together. One of the aspects of the original Ocean's trilogy that stood out was the chemistry between the actors. The same can be said for Ocean's 8. They all seemed to genuinely get along, especially judging from their press interviews during the promoting of the film. This is why I would like to see them all return in a sequel as they seemed to be having fun.
Because he's best known for directing the first film in the Hunger Games franchise, Gary Ross may have seemed like an odd choice to direct an all-female remake of Ocean's 8, however, he succeeds in creating a heist-based film that is thoroughly entertaining. Steven Soderbergh, who directed the original Ocean's trilogy, opted out of directing but did produce the film.
Ocean's 8 isn't perfect and it's not the best film in the world but I wasn't expecting it to be. The original Ocean's trilogy were fun and entertaining heist films that featured a strong ensemble cast and that's exactly what Ocean's 8 is.
7/10

INCREDIBLES 2 REVIEW

*MAY CONTAIN SPOILERS*

Those who know me will know that The Incredibles is my all-time favourite Disney/Pixar feature. Because of this, you can imagine my excitement when the director, Brad Bird, announced in 2014 that he would be releasing a sequel to his superhero-based animated feature. Fourteen years after its release and the wait is finally over. 

Everyone's favorite family of superheroes is back in Incredibles 2 - but this time Helen (voice of Holly Hunter) is in the spotlight, leaving Bob (Craig T. Nelson) at home with Violet (Sarah Vowell) and Dash (Huck Milner) to navigate the day-to-day heroics of "normal" life. It's a tough transistion for everyone, made tougher by the fact that the family is still unaware of baby Jack-Jack's emerging superpowers. When a new villain hatches a brilliant and dangerous plot, the family and Frozone (voice of Samuel L. Jackson) must find a way to work together again - which is easier said than done, even when they're all Incredible.

While it's been released to impressive results in the US, Incredibles 2 isn't released in the UK until next month, on July 13th. I was expecting to see it then, however, my local cinema announced they were holding a 'Secret Screening' of a film, which meant audiences wouldn't know what they were watching until the film started. As I sat down in my seat, I wasn't expecting it to be the sequel to one of my favourite films so I was so incredibly happy (no pun intended) when Incredibles 2 popped up on my screen. With a lot of sequels, they tend to disappoint, due to it lacking quality of its predecessor. Fortunately, this can't be said for Incredibles 2 which lives up to expectations and is just as action packed and entertaining as the previous film.

Sequels that are rushed and released within a few years of the first film tend to disappoint, however, because Bird took his time with the sequel for The Incredibles, the overall result is successful. Over the years since its release, Bird has discussed ideas for a sequel but didn't want to rush it and wanted to make sure he had the perfect story. He didn't want to retread the first film, instead, he wanted to pick the film up from where it had left off, with the family of superheroes fighting the Underminer, who makes his appearance right at the end of the first film. This was a good idea as it doesn't feel like fourteen years have passed since we last saw the superheroes. 

The plot for the first film involved Mr. Incredible returning to his superhero lifestyle and he got the most of the action, whilst Helen was the stay-at-home mother, looking after the children. After Mr. Incredible gets into trouble, we do eventually get to see Elastigirl in action as she uses her super stretching abilities to save her husband. Those who wanted to see more of Elastigirl in action will not be disappointed with this sequel. In the first film, superheroes are deemed illegal due to the many lawsuits they faced and the damaged they caused. After failing to capture the Underminer, the family are forced to resume their ordinary lives and, due to the events of the first film that led to their home being destroyed, live in a motel. However, Mr. Incredible, Elastigirl and Frozone are contacted by Winston Deavor (Bob Odenkirk), the owner of DEVTECH, who is also a big superheroes fan. He proposes a publicity stunt to regain the general public's support of supers. Because Elastigirl is considered to be the least destructive of the three, she is selected to undertake the stunt by openly fighting crime in New Urbem. This means that Mr. Incredible will have to be the stay-at-home parent and, in the beginning, he finds this very difficult, due to Violet's boy troubles, Dash's maths homework and the new found discovery of Jack-Jack's powers. This is where the majority of the humour comes from and I'm sure a lot of parents will be able to relate to Bob's struggles as a single parent.

Meanwhile, Elastigirl is enjoying being a superhero once more, however, she soon discovers that there is a villain, known as the Screenslaver who is causing chaos with mind controlling abilities. This becomes her main focus as she is determined to find out who is behind the Screenslaver's mask. Unfortunately, things go wrong leading to Elastigirl succumbing to the Screenslaver's mind controlling powers. This leads to Mr. Incredible, Frozone, Violet, Dash and even Jack Jack teaming up to defeat the Screenslaver. The sequel also introduces us to new superhero characters, including Voyd (Sophia Bush), who can create voids where objects can appear and disappear; Krushauer (Phil LaMarr) who has the power of telekinesis; Helectrix (LaMarr) who has the power of controlling and projecting electrical currents and Reflux (Paul Eiding) who is an elderly Super who has the power of heaving hot lava. While these new superheroes don't get as much screentime, I would like to see them in a future sequel as they each are interesting and have unique superpowers.

We're only six months into 2018 and we've already had our fair share of superhero films released with Marvel dominating the genre and box office with their releases of Black Panther, Avengers: Infinity War and Deadpool 2. However, Incredibles 2 proves that there's still room for animated and family friendly superhero films. At the time of writing this review, Incredibles 2 has been released in the US for less than a week and it's already made close to $300 million. With its release in the UK approaching, I'm sure it'll continue to become more successful.

A problem with many animated films is that they are aimed more at young children which mean that adults, who are watching the film with them, may find it boring and predictable. However, one of the praises that most Disney/Pixar films have receive is its ability to appeal to the whole family. They are the definition of family films as there's something for everyone to enjoy, including humour, action and a story that's easy to follow. The same can be said for Incredibles 2. Teenagers will be able to relate to Violet and her relationship issues with Tony Rydinger (Michael Bird), a boy she's had a crush on since the first film. Children will find Dash's energetic behaviour and Jack Jack's powers funny and parents will be able to relate to Bob's struggles of looking after the children alone. 

Despite the impressive success Incredibles 2 has received, it's hard to say whether a third film will be released. The film ends with the family preparing to save the city once more as they don their black masks which could be a hint that there's more to come. A post-credits scene also shows that the Underminer is still at large so, if a third film was to be released, it could focus on the Incredibles defeating him once and for all. While I'm unsure about a third film, it's definitely something I'd be happy to see.

Overall, featuring plenty of action and humour, Incredibles 2 is a sequel that lives up to expectations and doesn't disappoint. 

8/10