PROMISING YOUNG WOMAN REVIEW

 *MAY CONTAIN SPOILERS*

Emerald Fennell is probably one of the busiest people working today. Aside from writing, producing and directing the widely praised revenge thriller, Promising Young Woman, Fennell also starred as Camilla Parker-Bowles in the Netflix drama series, The Crown, was the show runner for the second series of Killing Eve and she’s also recently collaborated with legendary composer, Andrew Lloyd Webber, on a new musical, Cinderella, which is scheduled to premiere at the Gillian Lynne Theatre in London later the year. There’s no denying that Fennell is one of the most talented people and her latest film, Promising Young Woman, further establishes that and proves that she knows how to make a riveting thriller filled with shocking twists.

Everyone said that Cassie (Carey Mulligan) was a promising young woman... until a mysterious event abruptly derailed her future. But nothing in Cassie’s life is what it appears to be: she’s wickedly smart, tantalisingly cunning, and she’s living a secret double life by night. Now, an unexpected encounter is about to give Cassie a chance to right the wrongs of the past.

Promising Young Woman was originally meant to be released in cinemas in April last year, unfortunately, after cinemas were forced to close following the outbreak of coronavirus, its release date was delayed. In the US, it had a limited release in cinemas earlier this year before being released on VOD. Since its release, Promising Young Woman has been lauded, with most of the praise being aimed at Fennell and her ambitious filmmaking skills. Because of this, Promising Young Woman was one of my most anticipated films. After waiting almost a year to watch it, Promising Young Woman has finally been released in the UK on NowTV's subscription service, Sky Cinema. The wait was definitely worth it as Promising Young Woman has become one of the best films I've watched this year.   

With Promising Young Woman, Fennell has created an unforgettable film that will either excite or anger you. Fortunately, I belong in the former category as, although I wasn’t the biggest fan of the ending, I really admire Fennell for creating one of the most exciting films to be released recently. Fennell isn’t afraid to take risks and, through Promising Young Woman, shows viewers an ugly society that allows women to be treated like prey by the male predators. For far too long, women have become victims of rape by people who take advantage of them. For far too long, when women have spoken up about their horrific experiences of being raped, their attackers weren’t punished and blame was put on the women with people asking what they were wearing and if they were intoxicated. Society teaches women to stay with their friends on a night out, tells them not to get drunk and wear revealing clothes. We should be teaching people not to sexually harass and assault women. This is an issue Fennell is clearly cares about so I can thoroughly understand why she’s made a film like Promising Young Woman. Although I understand not everyone will enjoy it, I hope that it changes how society perceives women and that they’re not just walking sex objects. 

For most of her acting career, Mulligan has delivered a wide range of impressive performances including in films such as An Education, The Great Gatsby and Drive. However, as Cassie, she delivers her best performance yet. Although Cassie is a hard character to like, she’s, undoubtedly, the most fascinating character Mulligan has ever portrayed. Because of what happened to her best friend, Nina, Cassie is determined to seek revenge and punish those responsible and also the people who refused to believe her accusations. She is certainly one character you don’t want to get on the wrong side of. At the time of writing this review, Mulligan is currently nominated at the 93rd Academy Awards for her memorable performance. Although Mulligan's performance in Promising Young Woman has been widely lauded, one controversial review by a male critic said that she looked like she was “in bad drag”, referring to her character's appearance and over the top make-up and wardrobe. While, of course, everyone has the right to their opinion, I disagree with this comment. I think that this critic's comment further highlights the issue with sexism, especially in Hollywood. I've noticed that, whenever a critic describes an actress' performance, a comment is almost always made about their appearance. On the contrary, I don’t recall ever reading a review that comments on a male actor's appearance. In a lot of films, women are portrayed as having flawless make-up and the perfect figure in order to appear more attractive. However, because Cassie is imperfect, I think that her hair and clothing style matches her unique and bold personality.

Bo Burnham is best known as a stand-up comedian and for writing and directing Eighth Grade, which was released in 2018. As Ryan, a potential love interest for Cassie, Burnham impresses. The scenes focusing on the relationship between Cassie and Ryan provide comic relief, including an amusing scene where Ryan sings and dances in a pharmacy. However, a shocking twist reveals his involvement in Nina’s rape, which I honestly wasn’t expecting. 

Although Promising Young Woman has received a lot of praise,  mainly for Mulligan’s performance, the third act has received a divisive response. Prior to watching the film, I had no idea how it was going to end. The third act is where Promising Young Woman is at its most shocking. It sees Cassie attending a bachelor party for Al (Chris Lowell), who raped Nina. Disguised as a stripper in a nurse’s costume, Cassie drugs all the attendees before handcuffing Al to a bed and revealing her true identity. She then proceeds to scar Nina’s name on Al’s skin before he breaks free and suffocates her. This is where Promising Young Woman was at its most difficult to watch. Although I didn’t like this twist, I can understand why Fennell chose this ending as it’s shocking and disturbing. 

It may come as a bit of a surprise but Promising Young Woman almost didn’t get made. After Fennell pitched the opening sequence to male producers, which sees Cassie pretending to be drunk at a bar and getting taken home by a man, she noticed that they weren’t really paying attention, with one staring into space and admitting he was thinking about dates that he’d been on. Another called Cassie a psycho. Following this reaction, it’s a wonder that Promising Young Woman got made, however, I’m so glad it did as it’s receiving a lot of critical praise and award attention. 

Although most of Promising Young Woman is a serious, twisted thriller, it is surprisingly funny at times. The most amusing scene is when Cassie questions a man, Neil (Christopher Mintz-Plasse), who has taken her back to his place. After he says that he thought they had a connection, Cassie tells him to prove it by asking him various questions about herself, including what her job is, how old she is and what’s her name. Most of the comic relief in serious dramas and thrillers feel out of place, fortunately, that’s not the case with Promising Young Woman. 

While Promising Young Woman has received a mostly positive reception from critics, not everyone has been appreciative of what Fennell has created. At first, I struggled to understand why people had such a negative response, however, following my watch of Promising Young Woman, I can understand why, although my feelings towards it are mostly positive. The film has clearly had a major impact on viewers as it’s, unsurprisingly, one of the most widely discussed films. I can’t imagine anyone watching Promising Young Woman and not having an opinion as it’s one of the most thought provoking films to be released recently.

Promising Young Woman is currently nominated at the Academy Awards for Best Picture and Best Leading Actress for Mulligan with Fennell receiving two nominations for Best Director and Best Screenplay. It thoroughly deserved to be recognised as it’s one of the most important films to be released recently as it tackles the issue of how women are treated in society. Promising Young Woman is a film that’ll get discussed for years to come and represents an ambitious and exciting feature debut for Fennell.

8/10

SOUND OF METAL REVIEW

 *MAY CONTAIN SPOILERS*

Since its premiere at the Toronto Film Festival in 2019, Darius Marder’s Sound of Metal has been widely praised by critics, with the majority of them saying that it’s an “evocative look at the experiences of the deaf community”. Because of this, Sound of Metal became one of my most anticipated films.

During a series of adrenaline-fueled one-night gigs, itinerant punk-metal drummer Ruben (Riz Ahmed) begins to experience intermittent hearing loss. When a specialist tells him his condition will rapidly worsen, he thinks his music career, and with it his life, is over. His bandmate and girlfriend Lou (Olivia Cooke) checks the recovering heroin addict into a secluded sober house for the deaf in hopes it will prevent a relapse and help him learn to adapt to his new situation. But after being welcomed into a community that accepts him just as he is, Ruben has to choose between his equilibrium and the drive to reclaim the life he once knew. 

Utilising startling, innovative sound design techniques, director Marder takes audiences inside Ruben’s experience to vividly recreate his journey into a rarely examined world. He achieves this by frequently muting and distorting the sounds. When Ruben’s hearing first begins to become impaired, we feel his frustration at or being able to understand what people are saying and losing his ability to communicate with them. I think that Sound of Metal will resonate with anyone who has physical and/or mental disability as they’ll be able to connect with Ruben and not being able to live the life they want. However, through its story, Sound of Metal sends out an inspiring message about not letting your disability prevent you from living your life. 

To cope with his hearing loss, Ruben is sent to a rehab facility owned by Joe (Paul Raci). This is where Sound of Metal was at its most compelling as Joe tasks Ruben with writing endlessly and sitting peacefully in an effort to make him comfortable with the silence, and confides to him that he himself will do the same, simultaneously. Ruben joins Diane's class and starts to connect with the children and gives them basic drumming lessons. Although hearing loss can have a negative impact on someone’s life, these scenes are fascinating as they show that the characters have accepted their loss of hearing and have learned to live with the condition. This is what makes them all the more admirable.

The most impressive aspect of Sound of Metal is Ahmed’s performance as Ruben. Ahmed has made small appearances in Nightcrawler, Rogue One: A Star Wars Story and Venom, however, in Sound of Metal, he is given an opportunity to show off his talents as a dramatic actor and, with his performance as Ruben, he has succeeded. He captures most of the emotions that an individual experiences when faced with a life debilitating condition including shock, anger, frustration, sadness, acceptance and optimism. It’s a career defining performance that has earned Ahmed several award nominations including Best Actor at this year’s Academy Awards. Equally as impressive is Raci as Ruben’s mentor, Joe, who helps him accept his new condition and shows him how to live with it. It’s a memorable performance that has led to Raci receiving an Oscar nomination for Best Supporting Actor. Olivia Cooke also delivers a strong supporting performance as Ruben’s girlfriend, Lou. Since appearing as the cancer stricken Rachel in the surprisingly funny Me and Earl and the Dying Girl in 2015, Cooke has continued to impress with her acting skills by appearing in a wide range of films including the twisted thriller, Thoroughbreds, alongside Anya Taylor-Joy, in Steven Spielberg’s virtual reality based blockbuster, Ready Player One, and last year in the crime based comedy, Pixie. Prior to watching Sound of Metal, I was worried that she was simply Ruben’s girlfriend, however, I didn’t think that was the case as the final act sees Ruben visiting Lou in Paris on her father’s (Mathieu Amalric) birthday. 

Sound of Metal is directed by Marder who wrote the story with Derek Cianfrance who is best known for writing and directing films such as Blue Valentine and The Place Beyond The Pines. With Sound of Metal, Marder, his brother, Abraham and Cianfrance have written a thoughtful drama that explores how the loss of sound has an major impact on a drummer’s life. It’s an interesting premise that is executed through Marder’s skilful direction. He clearly knows how to make a compelling drama that keeps its viewers invested throughout. 

Aside from Ahmed and Raci’s performances, Sound of Metal has also received Oscar nominations for Best Picture, Best Original Screenplay, Best Sound and Best Film Editing. After watching it, I can fully understand why Sound of Metal has been received so favourably and regarded as one of the best films to be released recently as it’s a thoughtful drama that features an impressive lead performance from Riz Ahmed and tells an fascinating story.

8/10

THE FATHER REVIEW

 *MAY CONTAIN SPOILERS*

Films that focus on a character’s mental and/or physical health deteriorating are often told from an outsider’s point of view with the story showing how the character’s situation impacts them. Although this can be sometimes be effective, it can be hard for the viewer to connect with the character. Florian Zeller’s The Father is told from the point of view of Anthony (Anthony Hopkins), a man suffering from dementia and struggling with memory loss. 

The beginning of the film introduces us to his daughter, Anne (Olivia Colman) who tells him that she’s leaving him to be with her new boyfriend in Paris. However, Anthony is confused as he thinks that she’s married to which she replies that she’s been divorced five years. The Father takes viewers into Anthony’s mindset and, like him, we are just as puzzled and are trying to figure out what’s going on. Zeller makes subtle yet significant changes in every scene. After Anne leaves Anthony’s flat, he soon sees a mysterious man (Mark Gatiss) who says that he’s Anne’s husband and that he’s in their flat. This only adds to Anthony’s confusion as Anne had just told him that they’re divorced. I found The Father to be similar to Christopher Nolan’s Memento as both of the main characters struggled with memory loss with the narrative being told backwards. I think that this was a clever way of capturing Anthony’s struggles with memory loss. In the beginning, we are just as confused as Anthony, however, it’s not until the very final scene that we have a clear understanding of what was going on. 

Although we’re only three months into 2021, I doubt any other film that’s released this year will come close to matching the emotions that The Father leaves you with. For the majority of its 97 minute runtime, The Father is rarely anything less than heartbreaking to watch. It’s far from the easiest of watches as it focuses on Anthony’s mental health deteriorating as a result of his dementia. Although, thankfully, no one in my family has had the disease, many members of my family do have issues with memory. I try and remind them about past events and films we’ve watched, unfortunately, they don’t remember them or they only have vague recollections. This is why I’m appreciative of my own memory as I know that, as I get older, I could lose them. It’s because of this why I found The Father to be a tough watch at times. Although it is a well made film that effectively details the puzzled mindset of an ageing individual, those who know someone that has dementia may want to avoid watching The Father as it details the effects in a realistic and serious way. 

The Father is based on Zeller’s 2012 play, Le Pere. I can understand why he wanted to adapt it into a feature film as the subject is something that resonates with a lot of people. Recently, there have been many feature film adaptations of stage plays including George C Wolfe’s Ma Rainey’s Black Bottom and Regina King’s One Night In Miami. Although both are great films, I’d say The Father is the best of the three as it has the most moving story. Zeller is the perfect choice to direct as, obviously, it’s his play. What’s most impressive about Zeller is that The Father is the first feature film that he’s made. With The Father, the director doesn’t shy away from showing the darker sides of dementia, including a scene that shows Anne’s husband insulting and hitting Anthony. After watching The Father, I’m really interested in what Zeller does next as he’s proven himself to be one of the most skilful directors. 

Undoubtedly, the most impressive aspect of The Father is Hopkins’ transformative leading performance. Because his character, Anthony, is a mentally weak man struggling with his memory loss, it’s quite hard to believe that this is the same actor that won his first Oscar for his role as the terrifying villain, Hannibal Lecter, in Jonathan Demme’s psychological horror, The Silence of the Lambs, in 1991. Although since wining his first Oscar in 1992, Hopkins has continued to have a successful acting career, appearing in a wide range of thrillers and even portraying Odin, Thor’s father, in the Marvel Cinematic Universe. There’s no denying that he’s one of the greatest actors as, in my opinion, he hasn’t delivered a bad performance. At the time of writing this review, Hopkins is currently nominated at the 93rd Academy Awards for Best Actor. While he thoroughly deserves to be nominated, I’m unsure if he’ll win as the late, great Chadwick Boseman is also nominated for the same award for his performance as Levee in Ma Rainey’s Black Bottom. Although both performances are great, I would like to see Boseman win the Oscar as it’s his final performance and he delivered it whilst battling cancer. I can’t imagine how difficult it must have been for the actor to act whilst suffering in real life. Saying that, I won’t be unhappy if Hopkins wins as it’s a deeply moving performance. Without him, The Father wouldn’t have left much of an impression. The supporting cast are all great too, especially Olivia Colman who continues to impress after winning her first Oscar for her portrayal of Queen Anne in Yorgos Lanthimos’ The Favourite. In The Father, Colman delivers a heartfelt performance as Anthony’s daughter, Anne, who deeply cares about her father. Gatiss, Rufus Sewell and Imogen Poots each portray significant roles in Anthony’s story. 

Although the on-screen work is impressive, the work behind the screen is worth nothing too, especially Ben Smithard's cinematography. The camera frequently follows Anthony as he walks round from one room to another. In the beginning, he is in his apartment, however, when he enters a different room, he is told by Anne's husband that he's in their home. Because Anthony's flat and Anne and her husband's home look quite similar, it’s easy to understand Anthony's confusion. The production design by Peter Francis and Cathy Featherstone is worth noting as they’ve created two locations that look similar, with subtle changes to the design, making it harder to know where Anthony currently is. The editing by Yorgos Lamprinos is effective, with the film transitioning to the next scene effectively. It's obvious that a lot of effort has gone into making The Father, not just from the actors on-screen but also from the work behind the scenes as well.

As well as Best Actor for Hopkins, The Father is also nominated for Best Picture, Best Supporting Actress for Colman. Best Director and Best Adapted Screenplay for Zeller and Best Production Design. I’m not surprised that The Father has been recognised by the Academy as, since its premiere at the Sundance Film Festival in January last year, it’s been lauded by critics, with most of the praise going towards Hopkins’ outstanding performance and Zeller’s directing. In the United States, The Father is available to watch via Premium Video On Demand. However, it’s not being released in cinemas until June which is after the Academy Awards. At first, I was worried I wasn’t going to be able to watch it before the Oscars, however, thanks to Borderline’s virtual Film Festival, I was able to watch it recently. Because it’s been critically acclaimed, my expectations were high for The Father and, fortunately, it didn’t disappoint. 

8/10

JUDAS AND THE BLACK MESSIAH REVIEW

 *MAY CONTAIN SPOILERS*

Since its world premiere at the Sundance Film Festival in February this year, Shaka King’s Judas and the Black Messiah has been lauded by critics, with many of them saying that it’s an “electrifying dramatisation of historical events”. The film was also successful at the 78th Golden Globes, with Daniel Kaluuya winning Best Supporting Actor for his portrayal of Fred Hampton. Because of this, my expectations were high for Judas and the Black Messiah.

FBI informant William O'Neal (Lakeith Stanfield) infiltrates the Illinois Black Panther Party and is tasked with keeping tabs on their charismatic leader, Chairman Fred Hampton. A career thief, O'Neal revels in the danger of manipulating both his comrades and his handler, Special Agent Roy Mitchell (Jesse Plemons). Hampton's political prowess grows just as he's falling in love with fellow revolutionary Deborah Johnson (Dominique Fishback). Meanwhile, a battle wages for O'Neal's soul. Will he align with the forces of good? Or subdue Hampton and The Panthers by any means, as FBI Director J. Edgar Hoover commands?

Judas and the Black Messiah shares similarities with Aaron Sorkin’s The Trial of the Chicago 7. Both are set in Chicago in the late 1960s and detail the brutal conflict between the police officers and the members of the BPP. In The Trial of the Chicago 7, the character of Fred Hampton made a small appearance and was portrayed by Kelvin Harrison Jr. One of the main characters in Sorkin’s timely courtroom drama was Bobby Seale with Yahya Abdul-Mateen II leaving a lasting impression with his portrayal. In Judas and the Black Messiah, Seale is briefly mentioned. Although both films share similarities, The Trial of the Chicago 7 is more of a courtroom drama and Judas and the Black Messiah focuses more on characters and capturing the conflict between the Black Panther Party and the police officers. While I enjoyed the former and found it to be a compelling watch with strong performances by its cast, I found the latter to be the more impressive and thought-provoking. 

Undoubtedly, the standout aspect of Judas and the Black Messiah is Kaluuya’s performance. At the 90th Academy Awards, Kaluuya received his first Oscan nomination for his role as Chris in Jordan Peele’s Get Out. However, as Hampton, he delivers his most powerful performance. Hampton was known for his energetic speeches and Kaluuya succeeds in capturing his character’s fierce personality. Prior to watching Judas and the Black Messiah, I didn’t know much about Hampton, however, following my watch, I think that the film does him justice and captures why he deserves to be remembered alongside Martin Luther King Jr. and Malcolm X, two unforgettable icons who fought for civil rights. Kaluuya’s Get Out co-star, Stanfield, is equally as impressive as O’Neal. Although he’s not the most likeable of individuals, as he lies and provides information to the FBI, his actions are understandable as he doesn’t want to be sent to prison.   The rest of the cast including Fishback, Plemons, Martin Sheen as the head of the FBI, J. Edgar Hoover, and Ashton Sanders as one of the members of the BPP, Jimmy Palmer, all deliver solid supporting performances. 

With Judas and the Black Messiah, King has created a riveting and thought provoking drama. The director  co-wrote the script with Will Berson and Kenneth Lucas. Together, the trio don’t shy away from the darkest parts of Hampton’s story, including his imprisonment and assassination. Hampton was accused of assaulting an ice cream truck driver, stealing $71 worth of ice cream and giving them to children on the streets. What’s most disturbing about his arrest is that, although the crime wasn’t that offensive, he was convicted and sentenced to two to five years in prison. Hampton’s assassination is where Judas and the Black Messiah is at its most intense. Those who are unfamiliar with Hampton will be shocked by how the film ends. I can imagine that many filmmakers would have shied away from showing the more violent aspects of Hampton’s life, however, it’s obvious King cares about making an authentic film that tells Hampton’s story in a compelling way. It also succeeds in highlighting the racism black people experienced. Although its been over five decades since the events in Judas and the Black Messiah took place, unfortunately, not much progress has been made, with the Black Lives Matter protests dominated the news in June last year, following the grim murder of George Floyd by police officer, Derek Chauvin. However, that’s why Judas and the Black Messiah makes for a relevant watch. 

At the time of writing this review, Judas and the Black Messiah has received four nominations at the 74th BAFTAs, including Best Supporting Actor for Kaluuya, Best Supporting Actress for Fishback, Best Casting and Best Cinematography. The Academy Award nominations are scheduled to be announced on the 15th March. I would like to see Kaluuya be nominated for his performance. I also think that the film itself is worthy of a Best Picture nomination as it tells an important story with superlative work from its cast and crew.

8/10

MINARI REVIEW

 *MAY CONTAIN SPOILERS*

Since its premiere at the Sundance Film Festival in January last year, Lee Isaac Chung’s Minari has received a positive reception from critics with the majority of them saying that it offers an intimate and heart-wrenching portrait of family and assimilation in 1980s America. Because of this, my expectations were high and it quickly became one of my most anticipated films. Unfortunately, with cinemas closed, Minari doesn’t have a release date in the UK. However, because it’s one of the films that is showing at the Glasgow Film Festival, I was able to watch Minari.

Minari is set in the 1980s and focuses on David (Alan Kim), a seven year old Korean American boy who is faced with new surroundings and a different way of life when his father, Jacob (Steven Yeun), moves their family from the West Coast to rural Arkansas. David’s mother, Monica (Han Ye-ri), is aghast that they live in a mobile home in the middle of nowhere, and naughty little David and his sister are bored and aimless. When his equally mischievous grandmother, Soon-ja (Youn Yuh-jung) arrives from Korea to live with them, her unfamiliar ways arouse David’s curiosity. Meanwhile, Jacob, hell-bent on creating a farm on untapped soil, throws their finances, his marriage and the stability of the family into jeopardy.

For most of its 115 minute runtime, Minari is a pleasant, lighthearted drama and is an easy watch. Because it’s never too serious, the occasional moments of humour don’t feel out of place and makes the film all the more entertaining. Most of the comedy comes from David’s grandmother, Soon-ja, who isn’t afraid to swear in front of her grandchildren. However, there’s a softer and caring side to her character and that is shown through her relationship with David. The title of the film refers to Minari, which is a plant of the water dropwort genus originating from East Asia, and is grown by Soon-ja who tells her grandchildren of how resilient and useful the plant is, and predicts plentiful growth. The plant could be seen as a metaphor for David’s growing relationship with his grandmother. When Soon-ja first arrives in Arkansas to look after her grandchildren, David doesn’t like her. However, as the two spend more time together, the closer they become. The blossoming relationship between David and Soon-ja is where Minari is at its most heartwarming.

The narrative for Minari is semi-autobiographical, with Chung's writing based on memories from his own childhood growing up on a farm in Arkansas. He cited Willa Cather and Fyodor Dostoevsky as inspirations during the writing process, recalling the former's quote "that her life really began when she stopped admiring and started remembering" as a motivation to draw on his own experiences. It's clear that Minari means a lot to Chung as a lot of care and effort has gone into creating a powerful drama. Despite the language barrier (the majority of the film is spoken in Korean), Minari will connect to any viewer who has ever moved to a new location and felt like an outsider in their new home. While Jacob is happy with his new home as he plans to grow Korean produce to sell to vendors in Dallas, his wife, Monica, is less than impressed and constantly worries about David’s heart condition. The theme of family is explored effectively within the narrative which is why Minari will resonate with a lot of people. The Yi family behave like any other family would, with Jacob and Monica arguing and David teasing and annoying his older sister, Anne. 

Like Bong Joon-ho said at the 77th Golden Globes last year, “Once you overcome the one-inch tall barrier of subtitles, you will be introduced to so many more amazing films”. That’s certainly true of Minari, which is one of the most heartwarming films I’ve watched. The pandemic has had an impact on a lot of people’s mental health, with the majority of them struggling with depression. However, Minari is a perfect film to watch as it’s uplifting. For most of Minari’s runtime, I had a smile on my face. Although most of the film is a pleasant and easy watch, the story becomes more serious when Soon-ja suddenly suffers a stroke and is left with impaired movement and speech. It’s heartbreaking watching Soon-ja’s health deteriorate. This is where Yuh-jung’s performance was at its most impressive. Another shocking scene sees Soon-ja accidentally setting the family barn on fire, which contains Jacob’s produce. This is where Minari is at its most intense. 

Following its premiere at the Sundance Film Festival in January last year, Minari has been lauded by critics. On the review aggregator website, Rotten Tomatoes, 98% of over 200 critics have given Chung’s film a positive review. At the time of writing this review, Minari is currently nominated at the 78th Academy Awards for Best Foreign Language Film. However, this decision was widely criticised with many people believing it should have been nominated for Best Motion Picture - Drama, with Lulu Wang, who directed The Farewell in 2019, saying that she’s not seen a “more American film than Minari”. While this decision is disappointing, I’m still happy that Minari has been recognised. Hopefully, it will be nominated for Best Picture at this year’s Academy Awards.

Although we’re not even three months in 2021, Minari is, definitely, one of the most heartwarming and uplifting films I’ve watched and I can’t imagine any other film coming close to leaving as much as a lasting impression that it has. 

8/10

NEWS OF THE WORLD REVIEW

 *MAY CONTAIN SPOILERS*

Although Western isn’t one of my favourite genres, I found Paul Greengrass’ adaptation of Paulette Giles’ 2015 novel, News of the World, to be a pleasant surprise as it focuses more on the main characters and story and I found it to be a mostly enjoyable watch for the majority of its 118 minute runtime. 

News of the World focuses on Captain Jefferson Kidd (Tom Hanks) who travels across 1870's Texas delivering the news to illiterate townspeople. However, a shocking discovery of a young orphan girl, Johanna (Helena Zengel) leads to him travelling 400 miles to take to her aunt and uncle's farmstead.

Greengrass is best known for making the 2013 Oscar nominated intense thriller, Captain Phillips, which also starred Hanks, and several of the action packed Bourne films starring Matt Damon. With News of the World, Greengrass proves he’s skilful at making a good Western film. It's far from one of the best Westerns ever made, however, I can imagine those who enjoy the genre will appreciate what Greengrass has created. Although Western isn’t one of my favourite genres, I was still impressed with News of the World as it focuses more on its main characters and the close relationship that they form on their journey.

In the beginning of the film, Captain Kidd delivers the news to the townspeople in an energetic and entertaining way. Because there was, obviously, no such thing as televisions in the nineteenth century and because the majority of the townspeople can’t read, Kidd provides them with the best way of learning about the important news stories of the world. Although he appears happy on stage, Kidd is a grieving widower whose wife died from cholera whilst he was fighting in the American Civil War. The way this is revealed is subtle as we learn of his wife's death after Kidd visits a friend who asks him how long it's been. It's obvious that Kidd doesn’t like talking about the death of his wife and we understand why he spends his time delivering the news to paying audiences. Unsurprisingly, Hanks is likeable as Kidd and continues to establish himself as one of the most talented actors working today. He's unlikely to receive an Oscar nomination, however, I don’t think that was Hanks' intention. It's obvious that he’s more interested in portraying different characters who are fascinating, rather than similar roles. Alongside him, Zengel is equally as impressive as Johanna, a lonely orphan who doesn’t really understand Kidd's intentions as there’s a language barrier between them. However, over the course of their long journey, Kidd becomes like a father figure to Johanna. Watching the relationship form between the pair is where News of the World is at its most heartfelt. Despite the language barrier, Kidd makes an effort to teach Johanna English and learns her native language. 

News of the World's story isn’t unpredictable, however, that didn’t prevent me from enjoying it. On their journey, Kidd and Johanna face several obstacles, including a confrontation with three less than friendly ex-Confederate soldiers turned criminals who are interested in purchasing Johanna. This leads to a tense shoot out in the wilderness during which Kidd and Johanna overcome obstacles to work together for self-preservation. I can understand why Greengrass, who co-wrote the screenplay with Luke Davies, added in these action sequences as News of the World would have been a dull watch.

Recently Netflix has increased in popularity with many of the films, that were due to be released in cinemas last year, being added to their ever growing library of films and television series. News of the World isn’t the best film that’s currently available on the streaming service, which includes Oscar worthy films such as Aaron Sorkin's The Trial of the Chicago 7, David Fincher's Mank, George C. Wolfe's Ma Rainey's Black Bottom and Kornél Mundruczó's Pieces of a Woman, however, those looking for a new Western and fans of Tom Hanks will, most likely, enjoy what Paul Greengrass has created as it offers two hours of entertainment.

7/10

ONE NIGHT IN MIAMI REVIEW

 *MAY CONTAIN SPOILERS*

Regina King is one of the most talented actors working today. At the 91st Academy Awards, she earned her first Oscar for her moving supporting performance in Barry Jenkins’ powerful drama, If Beale Street Could Talk. Last year, King won her fourth Emmy award for starring in the 2019 superhero television series, Watchmen. Now, with One Night In Miami, King proves that she’s talented behind the camera as well as in front of it.

One Night in Miami is a fictional account of one incredible night where icons Cassius Clay (Eli Goree), better known as Muhammad Ali, Malcolm X (Kingsley Ben-Adir), Sam Cooke (Leslie Odom Jr.), and Jim Brown (Aldis Hodge) gathered discussing their roles in the civil rights movement and cultural upheaval of the 60s.

A film that spends almost two hours focusing on four characters talking doesn’t seem like it could make for a compelling watch. However, because those characters are Malcolm X, Muhammad Ali, Sam Cooke and Jim Brown, One Night In Miami is a fascinating and engrossing drama.

In lesser hands, I don’t think One Night In Miami would have left much of an impression. Although this is the first time she’s directed a feature length film, King’s direction is confident. She clearly finds these four individuals and what they represent inspiring. It’s also obvious that she wanted to make a riveting drama that focuses on the conversations between four historical black icons. With One Night In Miami, she has mostly succeeded and has established herself as a skilful filmmaker.

One Night In Miami is based on Kemp Powers’ stage play of the same name. Because of its limited setting (most of the characters’ conversations take place in a motel room), the film does often feel like an adaptation of a stage play. That’s not a bad thing though. Recently, there’s been several adaptations of stage plays into feature films, including last year’s Ma Rainey Black Bottom and Denzel Washington’s Oscar winning Fences, which was released in 2016. 

Powers’ script imagines what a conversation between Malcom, Ali, Cooke and Brown would be like. Over the course of the film’s 111 minute runtime, the four icons celebrate Ali’s surprise victory at his recent boxing match against Sonny Liston. They then begin discussing important issues, including racism. It is unfortunate that, despite One Night In Miami taking place over five decades ago, many of their quotes are still relevant to today’s society. Black people are still fighting for their rights, with last year’s Black Lives Matter movement dominating the news. The timing of One Night In Miami’s release couldn’t be more relevant as Powers’ script is filled with powerful, poignant and thought provoking quotes. 

A lot of films are lazily made and only created in order to receive a lot of money at the box office. However, that’s certainly not the case with One Night In Miami. Through its iconic characters and Powers’ script, it sends out an important message that couldn’t be more significant. It is disappointing hearing Malcom X talking about civil rights and, although it’s been over five decades since this event took place, there’s been little to no progression. Black people are still having to fight for their rights which shouldn’t be necessary. While the premise is simple and focuses on four individuals talking, its execution is far from it, with One Night In Miami being a thought provoking watch. 

Although King’s direction and Powers’ script are both strong aspects of One Night In Miami, the film wouldn’t have worked half as well if it wasn’t for the impressive performances delivered by its talented cast. Although Washington is best known for portraying Malcolm X in Spike Lee’s 1993 film of the same name, Ben-Adir owns the role from the first scene and delivers a confident performance. Muhammad Ali was portrayed by Will Smith in Michael Mann’s biopic, Ali, which was released in 2001,however, Goree delivers a charming portrayal of the famous boxer and captures his passion for fighting. Both Hodge and Odom Jr. are also equally as impressive and deliver fresh portrayals of their characters. All four actors work well together and share a natural chemistry. 

Prior to watching One Night In Miami, I knew who Malcolm X and Muhammad Ali were, however, I hadn’t heard of Sam Cooke and Jim Brown. However, after watching the film, I became interested in learning more about Cooke and Brown. I found their life stories to be interesting and would definitely like to see both of their stories told in a future film one day. Apart from the opening, which briefly sums up who the main characters are, most of the film is set in one location on one day and we don’t see much of their lives. That’s why I’d be interested in seeing their separate stories told in their own film. 

One Night In Miami is being released on Amazon Prime Video during awards season which is when many production companies release films that have the potential to be nominated by the Academy. Because it features excellent work by its cast, King and Powers and tells a relevant and original story, I would like to see One Night In Miami be nominated for Best Picture and Best Adapted Screenplay. I also think that it has the potential to be nominated for Best Original Song as Odin Jr. co-wrote a song with Nashville songwriter, Sam Ashworth. The song is called Speak Now and plays during the end credits for One Night In Miami. It’s a touching ballad with lyrics relevant to the film.

Following its premiere at the Venice Film Festival in September last year, One Night In Miami has been lauded by critics, with most of the praise going towards the performances, King’s directing and Powers’ script. Because of this, my expectations were high and, fortunately, One Night In Miami didn’t disappoint and I found it to be a fascinating and compelling drama.

7/10 

NOMADLAND REVIEW

 *MAY CONTAIN SPOILERS*

2020 has, obviously, been one of the toughest and most difficult years in recent history because of the COVID-19 pandemic which has led to millions of deaths worldwide. The pandemic has also affected the way people live, especially in England, leading to the Prime Minister Boris Johnson sending the population into lockdown and setting new rules including face masks being worn in public areas, queuing outside shops and social distancing. The pandemic also led to the closure of cinemas in March, leading to many films being delayed to later in the year or 2021. Fortunately, the majority of cinemas reopened in July with new safety measures put in including the mandatory of face masks, the availability of hand sanitisers and social distancing rules. I’ve been back to my local cinemas many times since they’ve reopened and I’ve been really impressed with how seriously the staff have taken the new rules and I’ve felt really safe. I’ve noticed that the screens are being frequently cleaned in between films rather than just tidied. Overall, 2020 has been a life changing year for millions, however, the trips to the cinema have made the year that little bit easier to deal with. 
Usually, the final few months of the year sees the release of films that have Oscar potential which is why it’s my favourite time of year. I first heard of Chloé Zhao’s latest film, Nomadland in September in 2020 when it premiered at the Venice Film Festival. It received a positive reception from critics and it quickly became one of my most anticipated films of 2020. I was fortunate enough to watch Nomadland at one of my local cinemas in October last year during the London Film Festival.

Christopher Nolan’s latest film, Tenet, was the first to be released in cinemas, however, it was released during a time when many people were too anxious to return to the cinema during a pandemic, despite the new health and safety measures. Honestly, if there’s one film that should convince audiences to return to the cinema, it’s Nomadland. It’s more than just a film, it's a fascinating exploration of its main character, Fern (Frances McDormand), who, following the death of her husband, loses her home and lives in her van and travels across the United States. However, Fern doesn't perceive herself as homeless, rather “houseless”.
With Nomadland, filmmaker Zhao has created an inspiring and life affirming feature with McDormand delivering her most moving performance yet. Because I hadn’t seen any of Zhao’s previous films, including The Rider and Songs My Brother Taught Me, I wasn’t sure what to expect from her latest feature, Nomadland, fortunately, it beat my expectations and found it to be a fascinating insight into what it’s like to be a nomad in the United States. Because I enjoyed Nomadland, I’m really looking forward to watching more ofZhao’s works and for her next film, The Eternals, which is part of the Marvel Cinematic Universe.
With Nomadland, Zhao gives viewers a fascinating insight into what it’s like to be a nomad in the United States. What’s most interesting about Nomadland was Zhao’s decision to include real nomads in her film. This adds verisimilitude to the production. What’s most impressive is that the individuals behave naturally in front of the camera and none of them act awkwardly. They interact and treat McDormand as one of their own and her chemistry with them is natural. I think that Nomadland made for an inspiring watch. Despite all the hardships the nomads have been through, they still keep going with their lives. Despite the death of her husband and loss of her house, Fern still makes a living for herself by taking on several different jobs. I think that this made her a respectable individual.
The only other professional actor to appear is David Strathairn as Dave who forms a relationship with McDormand as Fern. McDormand is, by far, one of the most talented actors working today and has received two Oscars for her performances as Marge in Fargo and Mildred in Three Billboards Outside Ebbing, Missouri. Both of these characters had fierce personalities, however, with her portrayal of Fern, McDormand delivers her most touching performance yet. I’ll be very surprised if McDormand doesn’t receive an Oscar nomination for her performance next year. 
While there’s been little competition due to a lot of films having their release dates being postponed to 2021, Nomadland is, by far, one of the best films of 2020. I would like to see the film be nominated for Best Picture as it tells a unique and fascinating story with superlative work from both 

Zhao and McDormand. 


Prior to watching Nomadland, I read a lot of reviews from critics, with the vast majority of them praising the film, Zhao’s direction and McDormand’s performance. However, due to the current pandemic, many of the critics watched the film at home which lead to them wishing they had seen it at the cinema. I was fortunate enough to watch Nomadland at the cinema and it further proves why I love visiting the cinema. I was truly invested in Nomadland throughout and I found the landscape shots truly breathtaking. I found Nomadland to be similar to Henry Macqueen’s Supernova which focused on a couple travelling in an RV. Those who liked Supernova will, almost certainly, have similar feelings towards Nomadland as both are meaningful and touching films. 


Nomadland is scheduled to be released in cinemas in the UK on March 19th. I really hope cinemas are open by then. If they are, I highly recommend giving Zhao’s latest film a watch as its story is inspiring and uplifting.

Overall, with Nomadland, Chloe Zhao establishes herself as one of the most skilful filmmakers. It’s obvious she cares about characters and having their stories told. Frances McDormand also continues to impress with her moving performance.

8/10

PIECES OF A WOMAN REVIEW

 *MAY CONTAIN SPOILERS*

Although we’re only in the first month of 2021, I can definitely say that Pieces of a Woman is, by far, one of the most heartbreaking films of the year and I can’t imagine any other film matching the emotions that it leaves you with.

Martha (Vanessa Kirby) and Sean Carson (Shia LaBeouf) are a Boston couple on the verge of motherhood and parenthood whose lives change irrevocably during a home birth at the hands of a flustered midwife, who faces charges of criminal negligence. Thus begins a year-long odyssey for Martha, who must navigate her grief while working through fractious relationships with her husband and her domineering mother, along with the publicly vilified midwife whom she must face in court.

The strength of Pieces of a Woman lies in the traumatic opening sequence which lasts about thirty minutes and captures childbirth in a painfully realistic way. When Martha’s original midwife is preoccupied with another labour, a replacement is sent in the form of Eva (Molly Parker). When the baby’s heartbeat decreases following a contraction, Eva determines that the delivery has to be expedited and asks Sean to call 911. Unfortunately, shortly after Martha gives birth, the baby tragically dies. Those who have experienced labour may find the opening sequence tough to watch, especially those who, like Martha, have lost their baby. Many childbirth scenes in films are over the top and unrealistic, however, that’s not the case with Pieces of a Woman. Directed by Kornél Mundruczó, the opening sequence fully captures the unpredictability of childbirth with Benjamin Kiev’s cinematography focusing on Martha as she moves from the living room to the bathroom and then to her bedroom where she gives birth. Loeb’s cinematography helps viewers to feel Martha’s pain and fear as she is put under stress by Eva. I think that this opening sequence will really resonate with parents as they’ll be able to empathise with Martha. What’s most impressive about the opening sequence is that it was done in one take. Although the rest of Pieces of a Woman isn’t as powerful as the opening sequence, it is still a compelling drama.

Pieces of a Woman is divided into three different acts, the opening sequence, the impact the loss has on Martha and Sean and the court case. Although the final two acts aren’t as powerful as the opening sequence, it still provides viewers with compelling and thought provoking drama. It effectively shows the impact the loss of their baby has on Martha and Sean and their relationship. I think that Martha handles the loss really well. How she’s able to put on a brave face and remain calm and composed following her traumatic experience is beyond me, however, it’s something millions of women are forced to do. I really respect filmmakers who care about making meaningful films rather than making lots of money from unoriginal films. That’s definitely the case with Mundruczó as, with Pieces of a Woman, he has created a powerful drama. 

Kata Wéber’s screenplay effectively captures what it’s like to be a woman following the aftermath of a traumatic birth and the loss of a child. For nine months, excitement has been building up over the arrival of the newborn for it all to be taken away in a matter of minutes. Only those who have been in Martha’s situation will be able to fully feel her pain. Although I’m not a mother, I found Pieces of a Woman to be an insightful watch. 

While Mundruczó’s directing and the writing by Wéber are impressive, none of it would have had much of an impact of it wasn’t for Kirby’s incredible performance. Since Pieces of a Woman premiered at the Venice Film Festival in September last year, Kirby’s performance has received a lot of praise with many saying that she should be nominated at this year’s Academy Awards and rightfully so. Aside from her unforgettable appearance as Princess Margaret in the Netflix original series, The Crown, Pieces of a Woman showcases Kirby at her best and establishes her as one of the most talented acorns working today. Kirby’s performance is at its most impressive during the opening sequence. It’s quite hard to believe that she isn’t actually giving birth as she captures all of the mental and physical pain of childbirth with her performance. Following the devastating outcome of the birth and death of her baby, Martha is forced to move on with her life and returns to work sooner than normal. Kirby handles the seriousness of the subject matter really well and that shows in her portrayal of Martha. Another strong performance is delivered by Ellen Burstyn as Martha’s mother, Elizabeth. A memorable scene sees Elizabeth telling Martha about her own birth and how her mother struggled. Her character isn’t the easiest to like, however, she handles grief in a different way to her daughter.

While Pieces of a Woman is a compelling and powerful drama for the majority of its 128 minute runtime, the courtroom drama feels anticlimactic and, because it’s doesn’t last long, it doesn’t have the same emotional impact as the opening sequence. I think that it could have been a strong way to end the film if it had been given more time, however, it felt rushed and undeveloped. 

Netflix has become increasingly popular, she to lockdown in the UK and the majority of people being forced to stay at home. Many films, that have Oscar potential, have been released on the streaming service, including Aaron Sorkin’s The Trial of the Chicago 7, David Fincher’s Mank, George C. Wolfe’s Ma Rainey’s Black Bottom and Spike Lee’s Da 5 Bloods. Mundruczó’s Pieces of a Woman can also be added to that list as it’s sure to receive a nomination for Kirby’s outstanding performance. 

8/10

SOUL REVIEW

 *MAY CONTAIN SPOILERS*

Pete Docter is best known for directing the Pixar animated films, Monsters, Inc., Up and Inside Out, with the latter two winning the Academy Award for Best Animated Feature. Because of this, there was a lot of excitement surrounding his latest animated feature, Soul, which was supposed to be released in cinemas earlier this year, unfortunately, after cinemas were forced to close worldwide due to the COVID-19 pandemic, Soul’s release date was delayed and it was soon announced that it would be released on the streaming site, Disney+ on Christmas Day. Prior to its official release, Soul has received a positive reception from critics with many regarding it as Pixar’s best film yet. 

Joe Gardner (voiced by Jamie Foxx) is a middle/school band teacher who gets the chance of a lifetime to play at the best jazz club in town. But one small misstep takes him from the streets of New York City to The Great Before - a fantastical place where new souls get their personalities, quirks and interests before they go to Earth. Determined to return to his life, Joe teams up with a precocious soul, 22 (Tina Fey), who has never understood the appeal of the human experience. As Joe desperately tries to show 22 what’s great about living, he may just discover the answer to some of life’s most important questions.

With Monsters, Inc. he showed us a world where monsters were afraid of humans. With Up, he broke our hearts with one of the most moving opening sequences ever created before taking us on an exciting adventure. With Inside Out, he gave us an insight into our emotions. Now, with Soul, Docter continues to establish himself as one of the most imaginative directors and has created a thoughtful and heartfelt animated feature. 

Many animated films are aimed more at children and are filled with immature jokes and a predictable and unoriginal story, making it a dull watch for older viewers. However, with Pixar’s films, I’ve always appreciated their ability to appeal to viewers of all ages, with their unique premises and thematic stories. This is certainly the case with Soul, which will, most likely, be enjoyed more by older viewers. Earlier this year, Pixar released Onward, a fun, fantasy animated films that was full of adventure. I think that Onward will appeal to children more because of its lighthearted tone and adventure filled story. However, Soul is the better film due to its thematic and meaningful story. 

As is usually the case with most of Pixar’s animated features, the strength of Soul lies in their animation. A lot of hard work and effort has clearly gone into making the animation, which brings the busy location of New York City to life and also giving viewers an insight into the unique worlds of the Great Beyond and the Great Before. Those who live in New York City will be impressed at seeing their home city explored and captured in a realistic way. I’ve never been to New York City, however, the animators clearly think fondly of the city and the visuals perfectly bring it to life. The animation is at its most imaginative when it’s exploring the unique worlds, including The Great Beyond. What I’ve always liked about animation is that there is no limit to one’s imagination and that’s the case with Soul. With The Great Beyond and The Great Before, Docter has created two unique worlds filled with fascinating and strange characters, including the soul counsellors who are all named Jerry and Moonwind (Graham Norton), a spiritual and eccentric sign twirler who helps Joe and 22. For 22, the animators created a distinctive design, as the character had not been on Earth but has begun to evolve. Pixar animators created an "unprecedent" technique of line drawing to complete the film's screen image. 

Soul is one of Pixar’s most significant features as it’s the first to have an African American in the main role. It is quite shocking that their animated films are lacking in terms of race and skin colour, with the majority of their main characters consisting of anthropomorphised animals and white people. Pixar was mindful of the history of racist imagery in animation, and set out to create characters who were recognisably black while avoiding the stereotypes in old cartoons. Acknowledging this effort, Docter stated that there's a “long and painful history of caricatured racist design tropes that were used to mock African-Americans." As a way to highlight the ethnic diversity in the living world, the animators used lighting. They also sought to capture the fine details of these black characters, including the textures of black hair and the way light plays on various tones of black skin. Animators used footage of several music performers, including jazz composer Jon Batiste, performing as reference for the film's musical sequences. An aspect of Pixar’s features that never fails to impress is their animation and that is true of Soul. The animation in Soul highlights how far Pixar have come since they made their first animated feature, Toy Story, which represented a breakthrough when it was released in 1995. 

Soul is one of Pixar’s most meaningful films as it explores themes of identity and self worth which will resonate with a lot of people. I can imagine many viewers relating to Joe as he struggles to follow his dream of being a successful jazz musician. The story is also really inspiring as it sends out the message of following your dreams. 

Prior to watching Soul, I was expecting it to be serious due to its mature themes, however, I was surprised by how funny it was. Most of the humour comes from 22 who ends up in Joe’s body while the latter ends up in a cat’s body. This makes for an amusing sequence as 22 awkwardly struggles in Joe’s body. While this sequence is where Soul is at its most entertaining, it’s also very touching and poignant, with 22, in Joe’s body, having a meaningful conversation with his barber, Dez (Donnell Rawlings). There’s also a moving scene between Joe and his mother, Libba (Phylicia Rashad), who doesn’t approve of Joe’s desire to be a jazz musician. Although children will probably find the story too complex to follow, I think they’ll enjoy the fun sequence that sees 22 stuck in Joe’s body.

An important part of animation films are the vocal performances. If an actor simply reads the lines instead of performing them, it could impact the viewer’s connection to the character and overall quality of the film. Fortunately, most of the cast deliver strong performances. Foxx captures Joe’s passion and determination to be a jazz musician, making him an easy character to like. Fey, a talented comedienne, is, unsurprisingly, witty as 22, who has no desire to live as a human on Earth, however, when she ends up in Joe’s body, she finds pleasure in the simplest of things including food, music and nature. Irish chat show host, Norton, is perfectly eccentric as Moonwind, with British comedian and director, Richard Ayoade, delivering a dry but no less funny performance as Jerry, one of the soul counsellors.

Although several of their sequels, including Incredibles  2 and Toy Story 4, have been successful, Soul proves that Pixar are at their best when they’re creating meaningful animated features that have a unique premise. There’s no question that Soul will be nominated for Best Animated Feature at the Academy Awards next year.

With a unique premise and outstanding animation, Soul represents one of Pixar’s most meaningful and thematic films yet.

8/10

THE MIDNIGHT SKY REVIEW

 *MAY CONTAIN SPOILERS*

Although George Clooney is best known for his acting, including in films such as Ocean’s Eleven, Up in the Air and Gravity, he has also impressed with his directing, with Good Night, and Good Luck and The Ides of March. Unfortunately, his recent films, The Monuments Men and Suburbicon were disappointments, with the former’s narrative being described as slack and the latter struggling to balance social satire, racial commentary and murder mystery. Clooney’s latest film, The Midnight Sky, looked like it could be a return to form for the actor/writer/producer/director with its interesting premise.

The Midnight Sky focuses on Augustine Lofthouse (Clooney), a lone scientist in the Artic who races to warn a crew of astronauts, including Sully (Felicity Jones), Adewole (David Oyelowo), Maya (Tiffany Boone), Mitchell (Kyle Chandler) and Sanchez (Demián Bichir), about a mysterious global catastrophe that’s affected Earth.

When the trailer for The Midnight Sky was released earlier this year, my interest for it increased as it looked like a compelling and thought provoking feature. Because of this, I was surprised when it began receiving mixed to negative reviews from critics. While The Midnight Sky isn’t a terrible film, it is disappointing as it’s not as great as it could have been. There’s a lot of potential, unfortunately, the end result fails to meet the high expectations I had.

The Midnight Sky’s premise surrounds Lofthouse, a lonely scientist, who must quickly warn a crew of astronauts, who are planning on returning home, about the global catastrophe on Earth. While this could have made for an exciting feature, Clooney chooses to make a slow and quiet drama. Patient viewers will struggle to sit through the first hour which focuses on Lofthouse trying to communicate with the astronauts whilst taking care of a young girl, Iris (Caoilinn Springall). Through Iris, the terminally-ill Lofthouse, who planned on dying on Earth, is given a reason to keep going. Although the relationship between Lofthouse and Iris is effective, prior to watching The Midnight Sky, I saw a spoiler revealing Iris’ true identity. This impacted how I perceived Iris. The film also frequently cuts to the astronauts on the space craft, Aether, which is returning from Jupiter after discovering a habitable moon named K-23. While I was hoping that their scenes would add to the drama and suspense, not much happens apart from a predictable meteor shower that results in the death of one of the astronauts. I can imagine this sequence was only added in to prevent the film from becoming too boring. The connection between the two settings isn’t established until its anticlimactic ending. 

Although the story wasn’t as compelling as I was hoping it to be, The Midnight Sky benefits from the impressive dramatic performance by Clooney as the terminally ill Lofthouse. For most of his acting career, he was always associated with charming characters, especially in the Ocean’s trilogy, however, by hiding his good looks with white facial hair, Clooney is almost unrecognisable. I found The Midnight Sky to be at its most interesting when it was focusing on the relationship between Lofthouse and the silent Iris as it reminded me of the relationship between Hugh Jackman’s Logan and Dafne Keen’s Laura in Logan, however, it’s not as powerful. Although the rest of the cast, including Jones and Oyelowo, deliver solid performances, their characters are underwritten and aren’t as interesting as they could have been. I don’t understand the decision behind making Sully pregnant other than giving somethiing for the astronauts to talk about. After discovering that she’s having a girl, this leads to the rest of the crew discussing potential names. This lead to me thinking that Sully would give birth on board the space craft, however, the film ends with her still pregnant. 

Because little is known about Lofthouse, Clooney tries to give his character some background by adding in a few flashback sequences where the scientist is portrayed by Ethan Peck. I think that this scenes were unnecessary and forgettable. The Midnight Sky would have been better if it had focused entirely on Lofthouse’s current life and the sequences involving the astronauts. 

The most impressive aspects of The Midnight Sky lie in Alexandre Desplat’s powerful score and Martin Ruhe’s breathtaking cinematography. Desplatt’s score emphasises the dramatic scenes and is most effective during the quieter scenes. Rube captures the beauty of space. Because I watched The Midnight Sky at home on Netflix, there were several times where I wished I could have seen it at the cinema and that’s mainly because of the stunning visuals.

The last decade has seen the release of several of the best science fiction films, including Christopher Nolan’s Interstellar, Denis Villeneuve’s Arrival and Alfonso Cuarón‘s Gravity. Although The Midnight Sky isn’t the best sci-fi film to be released recently, I can imagine Clooney found inspiration from Gravity for the scenes set on the Aether. The meteor shower sequence is where The Midnight Sky is at its most intense. 

Although The Midnight Sky wasn’t as great as I was hoping, I still think that it’s a good film that is worth watching as I can imagine that there will be those who will appreciate that Clooney has created a character based film rather than a predictable space adventure that prioritises its unconvincing special effects instead of telling a meaningful story. It’s just a shame that The Midnight Sky doesn’t explore its premise enough to leave much of a lasting impression.

6/10

MA RAINEY’s BLACK BOTTOM REVIEW

 *MAY CONTAIN SPOILERS*

The news of Chadwick Boseman’s death from colon cancer on August 28th shocked the world because he kept his illness private. It was revealed that Boseman’s final performance would be in George C. Wolfe’s adaptation of August Wilson’s play, Ma Rainey’s Black Bottom, which has just been released on Netflix.

Tensions and temperatures rise over the course of an afternoon recording session in 1920s Chicago as a band of musicians await trailblazing performer, the legendary "Mother of the Blues," Ma Rainey (Viola Davis). Late to the session, the fearless, fiery Ma engages in a battle of wills with her white manager and producer over control of her music. As the band waits in the studio's claustrophobic rehearsal room, ambitious trumpeter Levee (Boseman) – who has an eye for Ma's girlfriend and is determined to stake his own claim on the music industry – spurs his fellow musicians into an eruption of stories, truths, and lies that will forever change the course of their lives. Levee's ambition to start his own band also has him soliciting the managers and producers, requiring him to relive previous traumas.

With Ma Rainey’s Black Bottom, Wolfe has created a compelling drama filled with fascinating and memorable characters. It also serves as a perfect swan song for Boseman who delivered one of his best dramatic performances that is sure to see him recognised by the Academy when nominations are announced next year. Although the film is titled Ma Rainey’s Black Bottom, it’s Levee who has the most screen time and is the most interesting character as he’s ambitious and charming, however, he’s experienced trauma in his childhood. In a moving monologue, Levee opens up about the time he was attacked by a white man with a knife. Whilst delivering the monologue, you can see tears in his eyes as he’s remembering the horrific ordeal. Although I know that a lot of people aren’t interested in watching films that are based on stage plays, however, Ma Rainey’s Black Bottom is entirely worth watching just for Boseman’s powerful and unforgettable performance. Davis’ performance is also worth mentioning as, although Ma Rainey isn’t the most likeable of characters, she captures the singer’s bossy and diva-like personality and steals almost every scene she appears in. Most of the drama comes from Ma Rainey’s demands and her insistence that her nephew, Sylvester (Dusan Brown), introduce the songs despite his stammer. Ma Rainey’s Black Bottom is at its best when it’s focusing on Levee and Ma Rainey as they’re the most fascinating characters. 

This marks the second time that one of Wilson’s play has been adapted into a feature film with the first being Fences, which was released in 2016 and directed by Denzel Washington. It also starred Davis and earned her her first Oscar for Best Supporting Actress. I watched Fences and, although I liked it, especially the performances delivered by Davis and Washington, I found it a bit long, with a runtime of 139 minutes. Fortunately, runtime isn’t an issue with Ma Rainey’s Black Bottom, as it’s only 94 minutes and makes for a quick and easy watch. Those who enjoyed Fences will almost certainly like what Wolfe has created with Ma Rainey’s Black Bottom, as both films are compelling, character-driven dramas. I haven’t seen Wilson’s play so I can’t say if Wolfe’s film is faithful to its source material, however, judging from the film, I can understand why the director wanted to bring the play from the stage to the screen as it offers viewers, who aren’t familiar with the original play, to experience it in the form of film. Because I hadn’t seen the original play, I didn’t know what to expect from Ma Rainey’s Black Bottom. Fortunately, I enjoyed it more than I thought I would. 

Usually, this time of year sees the release of Oscar-worthy films which are those that have the potential to be nominated by the Academy next year. I can’t imagine Ma Rainey’s Black Bottom going unrecognised as it’s the type of film that gets noticed and that’s one that features strong performances and tells an original story. Although it’s almost certain that Boseman will be nominated, there’s been a debate over whether he should be nominated in the Leading or Supporting category. Many believe that, because he has the most screen time, Boseman should receive a Leading Actor nomination, however, there are those that are worried that he’ll have less chance of winning due to ongoing buzz surrounding Anthony Hopkins’ performance in the upcoming The Father and Delroy Lindo’s performance in Spike Lee’s Da 5 Bloods. Although I haven’t seen the former, I recently watched the latter and was impressed by Lindo’s performance and can understand why he’s receiving so much attention. While I think Boseman’s performance in Ma Rainey’s Black Bottom is more of a leading role, due to his commanding presence, I think that he might have a better chance of winning if he’s in the Supporting category. I also think that, if he does end up winning for Leading, there will be those who think he only won due to the tragic circumstances rather than his performance and will think that Lindo should have won. However, this is just my opinion.

Aside from the two brilliant performances by Boseman and Davis, another impressive aspect of Ma Rainey’s Black Bottom is the make-up and costume design. A lot of hard work has gone into transforming Davis into the glamorous Ma Rainey. 

Ma Rainey's Black Bottom also introduces viewers to the legendary "Mother of the Blues", Ma Rainey herself. Because she's portrayed as a perfectionist, it's clear to see that Ma Rainey has a love for blues music and is only interested in recording with the band if they do it her way. This leads to a conflict between Ma Rainey and Levee who has his own ideas. Fans of blues music will almost certainly find Ma Rainey's Black Bottom to be a fascinating watch as they learn about its origins. 

Although Netflix provided its subscribers with escapism through entertaining films and binge worthy series, however, their recent releases have consisted of serious films that have Oscar potential including Da 5 Bloods, Aaron Sorkin's courtroom drama, The Trial of the Chicago 7 and David Fincher's biopic, Mank. Ma Rainey's Black Bottom isn’t the best of the latest films to be released on Netflix, however, it’s worth a watch, mainly for Boseman's unforgettable performance and for those looking for a compelling drama to watch.

8/10

MANK REVIEW

 *MAY CONTAIN SPOILERS*

Orson Welles’ classic 1941 feature, Citizen Kane, has been described as the greatest film of all time, with many people praising Welles’ superlative filmmaking skills and performance as Charles Foster Kane. David Fincher’s much-anticipated film, Mank, gives an insight into how the classic film was made, however, it doesn’t focus on Welles but Herman J. Mankiewicz who co-wrote the script with Welles. 

The story centres on the life of Mankiewicz (Gary Oldman) as he writes the screenplay for Citizen Kane as well as his personal relationships with William Randolph Hearst (Charles Dance) and Marion Davies (Amanda Seyfried).

Fincher is known for creating twisted thrillers such as Se7en, Fight Club and compelling dramas such as The Social Network and Gone Girl. However, his latest film, Mank, is unlike anything he’s done before and is an insightful drama that explores how Mankiewicz’s Oscar winning script for the greatest film of all time, Citizen Kane, was made. I can understand why Fincher wanted to create a feature film that explores how Mankiewicz came up with some of the ideas for his script as Mank is filled with fascinating characters and significant events in Mankiewicz’s life that inspired him to write the screenplay. Although I wouldn’t say that Mank is my favourite film of Fincher’s, it was refreshing to see the director do something different as, for over two decades, he’s proven himself to be a master at creating twisted thrillers. However, Mank proves that Fincher can create intriguing dramas. 

Many people probably associate Citizen Kane with Welles as he acted in, produced and directed it so they may be surprised by his limited screen time in Mank. He mostly communicates to Mankiewicz by phone, however, he occasionally makes an appearance. The decision to focus on Mankiewicz rather than Welles was right as the former is the more interesting than the latter. Although Mankiewicz is not the most likeable of characters, he’s fascinating to watch. Learning how he came up with some of the ideas for his script is what makes Mank such a compelling watch for the majority of its 132 minute runtime. 

Prior to watching Mank, I decided to watch Citizen Kane so I could better understand some of the characters and references to the classic 1941 film. I’m glad I did as I can imagine that, without having seen Citizen Kane, I probably wouldn’t have enjoyed Mank as much. Those who have seen Citizen Kane will, most likely, appreciate what Fincher has created with Mank and the many references to the classic film. Although Mank is a well-made film, causal viewers searching for something simple and easy to watch on Netflix won’t find it with Fincher’s latest film. While I do understand the reasoning behind releasing Mank on Netflix due to the majority of cinemas still closed, I would have loved to have watched Mank on the big screen as I frequently found myself distracted. This isn’t the film’s fault, just a personal preference of mine. 

Out of all of the films he’s directed, Mank represents Fincher’s most visually stunning work yet. The film was shot on RED Monstrochrome 8K cameras and looks like a classic film that was made in the 1940s. Following the release of The Game in 1997, Fincher planned on making Mank his next film, however, the studio that was going to make it didn’t agree with his idea of shooting the film in Citizen Kane-detailed black and white. To add to the verisimilitude feel, Mank was shot at the Kember Campbell Ranch in Victorville, California, where Mankiewicz wrote Citizen Kane. Considering the ranch hadn’t changed much over the years, the location helped reflect the time period of the 1940s. Through its visuals and sound design, Mank transports viewers into the period of Hollywood of the 1930s and early 1940s. 

While Mank is impressive in terms of technicals, the entire film wouldn’t have been as enjoyable to watch if it wasn’t for the strong performances by its talented cast. Oldman has established himself as one of the most versatile actors working today and is known for portraying Sirius Black in the Harry Potter franchise, Jim Gordon in Christopher Nolan’s Batman trilogy and for his Oscar winning performance as British prime minister Winston Churchill in Darkest Hour. His role as Mankiewicz is probably one of the most challenging as little is known about the screenwriter. Nevertheless, Oldman continues to impress with his portrayal of Mankiewicz. Although Oldman wanted to wear elaborate prosthetic make-up to closely resemble Mankiewicz, he was persuaded otherwise by Fincher, who wanted minimal make-up in order to capture a more intimate performance. Although their characters have limited screen time, the supporting cast deliver strong performances. Lily Collins is delightful as Rita Alexander, Mankiewicz’s secretary from whom the character, Susan Alexander Kane is named after. For most of her acting career, Seyfried has become best known for her appearances in the teen comedy, Mean Girls, and in the joyful musical, Mamma Mia!, and the not-so-joyful musical, Les Miserables. However, Seyfried delivers one of her most impressive dramatic performances as Marion Davies, who was associated with the character of Susan, however, Mankiewicz reassures Davies that she wasn’t the inspiration behind the character. 

I can’t imagine Mank being overlooked by the Academy when the nominations are announced next year as, in my opinion, it’s one of the best films of the year. Mank thoroughly deserves to be nominated, especially for Fincher’s direction, Oldman’s performance, Erik Messerschmidt’s cinematography and the production design by Donald Graham Burt as that’s where the film excels the most.

Mank’s screenplay was written by Jack Fincher, the director’s father who passed away in 2003. Many of the actors have opened up about David Fincher’s perfectionist directing and how he would shoot at least a hundred takes. The film clearly means a lot to him so I can understand that he wanted to create a film that lives up to his standards. Fortunately, with Mank, Fincher has succeeded in creating a film that provides viewers with an insight into how Citizen Kane’s script was formed. 

8/10