LADY BIRD REVIEW

*MAY CONTAIN SPOILERS*

Greta Gerwig is known for her acting and appearing in films such as Frances Ha, 20th Century Women and Jackie. However, with Lady Bird, she makes her directorial debut and it's an impressive one at that. It was released in the United States towards the end of last year and it proved to be incredibly successful, both with critics and audiences. On the review aggregation website, Rotten Tomatoes, it received a perfect 100% score, which means all critics gave it a positive review. They praised Saoirse Ronan's acting and Gerwig's writing and direction. Because of this, Lady Bird quickly became one of my most anticipated films of 2018. 

Christine 'Lady Bird' McPherson (Ronan) fights against but is exactly like her wildly loving, deeply opinionated and strong-willed mom, Marion (Laurie Metcalf), a nurse working tirelessly to keep her family afloat after Lady Bird's father, Larry (Tracy Letts) loses his job. Set in Sacramento, California in 2002, amidst a rapidly shifting American economic landscape, Lady Bird is an affecting look at the relationships that shape us, the beliefs that define us, and the unmatched beauty of a place called home.

Despite the high expectations I had for Lady Bird, it didn't disappoint. It is a thoroughly engaging motion picture that perfectly captures that of a woman who is too young to be considered an adult but too old to be a child. She's at the stage in her life where she's trying to make all the important decisions in her life including deciding which college she wants to go to after she finishes school. Lady Bird wants to go to a college in New York City, however, her mother wants her to remain in Sacramento. This leads to a conflict in their relationship. I think that a lot of younger audience members will be able to relate to Lady Bird and her relationship with her mother and wanting to be more independent. The first scene shows Lady Bird and her mother driving home and it's not long before an argument soon develops, leading to Lady Bird throwing herself out of the car. She doesn't sustain any serious injuries but wears a cast on her arm for most of the film. The relationship between Lady Bird and her mother shows that Gerwig understands how important the relationship between a mother and daughter is, however, she also knows that it has its ups and downs.

I can clearly see that Lady Bird means a lot to Gerwig as she spent several years writing the screenplay. The original draft ran at 350 pages, which is equivalent to a six hour long feature, and the first title was Mothers and Daughters. It wasn't until 2015 that Gerwig and her team secured financing from IAC Films, who produced the film alongside Scott Rudin Productions. Although Lady Bird has been described as semi-autobiographical, Gerwig has said that "nothing in the movie literally happened in my life, but it has a core of truth that resonates with what I know". To prepare the cast and crew, Gerwig gave them her old high-school yearbooks, photos, and journals and took them on a tour of her hometown. Although Noah Baumbach offered to direct, Gerwig turned him down, however, it's not hard to see that she took inspiration from him after appearing in two of his features including Frances Ha and Mistress America. Her films have a similar tone to Baumbach's features, however, it's not hard to see that Gerwig has added her own personal touch. If Lady Bird had been directed by someone other than Gerwig, I don't think it would've been as successful. Gerwig understands her characters and wants to tell the story in her own way so I can understand why she chose to direct.

At the time of writing this, Lady Bird is currently nominated for five Academy Awards, including Best Motion Picture Of The Year, Best Actress in a Leading Role for Ronan, Best Actress in a Supporting Role for Metcalf, Best Achievement in Directing and Best Original Screenplay for Gerwig. I think that it thoroughly deserves to be nominated and I would like to see Lady Bird take home a few awards, however, it's incredibly tough competition this year, with Three Billboards Outside Ebbing, Missouri and The Shape Of Water looking to become the big winners of the night. However, this doesn't take away how great the film is. Since making her debut feature film appearance in I Could Never Be Your Woman in 2007, Ronan has continued to impress. In her third feature, she received her first Academy Award for Best Supporting Actress in Joe Wright's Atonement when she was only 12. She continued to give memorable performances in films such as The Lovely Bones, Hanna and Brooklyn, with her performance in the latter film earning her another Academy Award nomination. As the titular character, Ronan further proves why she's one of the best actresses working today. She understands Lady Bird and inhabits her fierce and rebellious attitude. The entirety of Lady Bird is worth watching just for her performance alone. I was unsure about Metcalf, at first, as, since it began in 2007, she has made recurring appearances on the sitcom, The Big Bang Theory, where she plays a similar role as Sheldon Cooper's mother, Mary. However, I couldn't have been more wrong about Metcalf. She proves she's capable of handling dramatic roles and earns her current Oscar nomination. Supporting roles come from Lucas Hedges (making his second appearance in an Oscar nominated feature, the other being Three Billboards Outside Ebbing, Missouri), Timothée Chalamet (who, like Hedges, appears in two Oscar nominated films, the other being Call Me By Your Name for which he is nominated for Best Leading Actor), Beanie Feldstein and Odeya Rush. These supporting roles all play a big part in Lady Bird's life and contribute to her story effectively.

Of the Oscar nominated films, that I've seen, Lady Bird is definitely the most enjoyable to watch. I think that this is because, in some aspects, I could relate to Lady Bird and understand her point of view. I think that a lot of viewers, who are the same age as Lady Bird, will enjoy this film. Greta Gerwig makes an impressive directorial debut and Saoirse Ronan gives one of her best performances yet. 

9/10

I, TONYA REVIEW

*MAY CONTAIN SPOILERS*

Being born in the late 1990s, I wasn't aware of the 1994 incident involving professional ice skater, Nancy Kerrigan, who was attacked by a group of thugs associated with fellow skater, Tonya Harding. However, the story is told from Harding's point of view, rather than Kerrigan's. By doing this, we get a deeper insight into the incident and, also, into Harding's life, from when she first began ice skating at the age of three to her life following the events that ruined her career. However, is the film deserving of its three Academy Award nominations? Or is it overrated?

Based on the unbelievable, but true events, I, Tonya is a darkly comedic tale of American figure skater, Tonya Harding (Margot Robbie), and one of the most sensational scandals in sports history. Though Harding was the first American woman to complete a triple axel in competition, her legacy was forever defined by her association with an infamous, ill-conceived, and even more poorly executed attack on fellow Olympic competitor Nancy Kerrigan. The film documents Harding's life and we see her relationships with her mother, LaVona (Allison Janney), and her husband, Jeff Gillroy (Sebastian Stan), both of which were abusive.

I, Tonya opens by showing footage from the individual interviews with Harding, Gillroy and LaVona. By showing footage of the interviews, we get to hear from each character's point of view and honest opinions. Gillespie also uses fourth wall breaking throughout the film. In some cases, when a character talks to the audience directly, it can come off as awkward, however, in I, Tonya, it works. It makes the audience feel more involved by knowing that some of the scenes in the film really did happen. For example, during a montage that shows Harding training in the forest by running with bags of dog food on her back and bottles of milk filled with water, her training coach, Diane Rawlinson (Julianne Nicholson) turns to the camera and tells the audience that Harding really did use these training methods. Harding makes a pop culture reference during her training and informs the audience that 'Rocky did this', referring to the training method involving bags of dog food. Knowing that Harding really did use these training methods made me all the more impressed. 

Another impressive aspect of I, Tonya was the cast, who all give strong performances, especially Robbie, who earns her current Oscar nomination by embodying Harding's fierce personality. She delivers her sharp pieces of dialogue with relish, however, there are scenes that show Harding's sensitivity, including in one scene where we see her applying make-up in her dressing room and trying to smile, despite the tears falling down her face. This is an effective scene as we know Harding is affected by all the criticism she receives. Robbie made her breakthrough performance in Martin Scorcese's 2013 Oscar-nominated drama, The Wolf of Wall Street, as Leonardo DiCaprio's wife. Since then, she has gone on to make appearances in films such as Focus and Suicide Squad. Although the latter film was a disappointment, Robbie still gave a standout performance as Harley Quinn and proved to be one of the few highlights of the film. Another strong performance comes from Janney as Harding's abusive mother ​and is almost unrecognisable underneath the wig and costume. The screenwriter, Steven Rogers, ​wrote the role of Tonya's mother LaVona for Janney; she was a longtime friend of Rogers, however, the "stars hadn’t aligned" for them to work together until he completed the script for I, Tonya. Janney said the part was one of the most challenging of her career, due to the nature of her character. Like Robbie, Janney thoroughly deserves to be nominated for an Academy Award. Stan is best known by superhero fans as Bucky Barnes in the Marvel Cinematic Universe, however, as Jeff, he gives his best dramatic role yet. 

While the poster and trailer may imply that this is a light-hearted drama with elements of comedy, there were a few tough scenes to watch. Most of the intense drama comes from Harding and her abusive relationships with both her mother and husband. These scenes make us feel more sympathetic towards Harding as she went through, almost her whole life, being physically abused and no one said anything, yet when Kerrigran is attacked, the entire world makes a fuss about it. Viewers who knew of the incident may have their original opinion of Harding changed. Towards the end of the film, Harding addresses the audience and tells them that, as well as her mother and her husband, they were her attackers too. Although not physically, Harding felt like she was being abused all over again as the media and press would constantly harass her and wait outside her house to hear her side of the story. Although, while Harding isn't the most likable character, it's hard not to feel sympathy for her, after seeing everything she's been through. 

Ice skating plays a big part in I, Tonya and the scenes showing Harding's skating skills are impressive. To prepare for the skating scenes, Robbie trained for four months. Heidi Munger and Anna Malkova served as skating doubles and Sarah Kawahara provided coaching and choreography. While Harding was the first female to achieve a triple axel, because Robbie isn't a professional skater, the scene showing Harding achieve this move was completed using visual effects. 

​Overall, I, Tonya is an entertaining if imperfect telling of the unlikely champion from the wrong side of the tracks and the violent 1994 incident that would go on to define her life. Although Harding had no involvement with Kerrigan's injury, the FBI, media and press all made it seem like it was her fault and she lost her ice skating career because of it. I, Tonya gives us the insight and reveals who really was behind the incident.
8/10

THE POST REVIEW

*MAY CONTAIN SPOILERS*

Streep, Hanks and Spielberg. The mention of those names immediately sparks interest, regardless of the plot. While this is the fifth feature that Tom Hanks has worked on with director Steven Spielberg, this is, surprisingly, Meryl Streep's first time appearing in a film alongside Hanks and the first time she's worked with Spielberg. With Streep and Hanks in the leading roles and Spielberg in the director's chair, is political-based drama The Post deserving of its two Academy Award nominations?

The Post is a thrilling drama about the unlikely partnership between The Washington Post's Katharine Graham (Streep), the first female publisher of a major American newspaper, and editor Ben Bradlee (Hanks), as they race to catch up with The New York Times to expose a massive cover-up of government secrets that spanned three decades and four U.S. Presidents. The two must overcome their differences as they risk their careers - and their very freedom - to help bring long-buried truths to light. The film features an acclaimed ensemble cast including Alison Brie (as Graham's daughter, Lally), Carrie Coon (as Meg Greenfield, the editorial writer of The Washington Post), David Cross(as Howard Simons, the managing editor), Bruce Greenwood (Robert McNamara, the Secretary of Defense), Bob Odenkirk (as Ben Bagdikian, a journalist) and Sarah Paulson (as Ben's wife, Antoinette "Tony" Pinchot Bradlee).

While this is far from Spielberg's greatest film, it's still a solid piece of drama with two great performances from both Streep and Hanks. As of late, Streep has been unfairly criticised for her many Oscar nominations she's received in her four decade long career. I think that Streep is one of the greatest actors working today and is deserving of every accolade she receives as I'm yet to see her give a disappointing performance. The script, credited to Liz Hannah and Josh Singer, focuses on her character, Katharine Graham, who, after her husband's death, takes over as the publisher of The Washington Post. There was a lot of pressure on her, mainly because she was the first female publisher of an American newspaper, and the pressure only increased when she must make the decision on whether or not to publish the Pentagon Papers, classified documents regarding the 30-year involvement of the United States government in the Vietnam War. At the time of writing this, Streep is currently nominated for her twenty-first Academy Award and, even though I don't think she'll win (my guess is either Frances McDormand for her performance in Three Billboards or Sally Hawkins for The Shape Of Water), she still gives an impressive performance. Streep thoroughly captures Graham's emotions and struggles effectively. Hanks is equally as good and sharply delivers his pieces of dialogue. He was overlooked for an Academy Award, but was still recognised by the Golden Globes. The supporting cast all give solid performances and contribute to the narrative.

Amy Pascal, the co-producer, won the rights to Hannah's screenplay in late 2016. When Spielberg read the screenplay, he decided to direct the film as soon as possible, citing that "when I read the first draft of the script, this wasn't something that could wait three years or two years - this was a story I felt we needed to tell today". Most films take roughly a year to make, however, Spielberg completed production in November last year, after principal photography began in May that same year. Despite being rushed, critics have praised the performances (particularly those of Streep, Hanks and Odenkirk) and noted the film's allusions to the administrations of Richard Nixon and Donald Trump. It's because of the controversy surrounding the current President of the United States why The Post's story is as relevant today as it was back in the 1970s.

In his 28th collaboration with Spielberg, John Williams composed the score for The Post.  The score uses a combination of both orchestral and sparse, light electronic elements throughout. His score emphasises the intensity of the second half of the film. Originally, Williams was attached to compose the score for Spielberg's next feature, Ready Player One, but, because of both films having similar post-production schedules, Williams opted to score The Post instead.

Along with Streep's Best Actress in a Leading Role nomination, The Post is currently nominated for Best Picture. While, again, I don't think it'll win, it deserves this accolade as it's the type of film the Academy nominates. Films with strong performances by talented actors with a compelling and interesting story. It's so easy to watch the trailer and think that this it's slow and boring but it's far from that. Spielberg's expert direction makes this a compelling watch from start to finish. For me, this was an incredibly interesting film as, although I had heard of the controversy surrounding Nixon's presidency, I didn't know much about it, however, The Post has given me that insight. 

8/10

THE GREATEST SHOWMAN REVIEW

*MAY CONTAIN SPOILERS*

​Hugh Jackman started 2017 with his final performance of the clawed mutant, Wolverine, in Logan. He then ended the year by giving an energetic performance as P.T. Barnum in the musical, The Greatest Showman. While critics have had mixed feelings about the film, audiences have praised it. In the month since its release, I’ve seen endless tweets from people who loved the film and even some who have watched it at the cinema three times. However, is it as great as audiences and its title make it out to be or is it a disappointment?

The Greatest Showman tells the story of Phineas Taylor Barnum (High Jackman), the low-born son of a tailor. After working a series of conventional jobs and making a small amount of money, he marries his childhood sweetheart, Charity (Michelle Williams). Unfortunately, he becomes jobless after the shipping company he works for goes bankrupt, however, this leads to him finally pursuing his dream. Although Charity is happy with their life and their two daughters, Barnum wants more. Barnum takes a walk on the wild side and buys a museum. When attendance is poor (there’s not a lot of interest in wax figures and the work of taxidermists), he replaces inert attractions with a show featuring human oddities: The Bearded Lady, Lettie Lutz (Keala Settle), a dwarf, Charles Stratton who goes by the stage name of Tom Thumb (Sam Humphrey), a trapeze artist, Anne Wheeler (Zendaya), and others of their ilk. Barnum’s low-brow production becomes an overnight sensation and he recruits a partner, the younger and well-connected Philip Carlyle (Zac Efron), who arranges an audience with Queen Victoria. While in England, Barnum meets singer Jenny Lind (Rebecca Ferguson), the “Swedish Nightingale”, and convinces her to embark on a tour of the United States.

It’s no secret that, while The Greatest Showman claims to tell the tale of P.T. Barnum, who gave his name to a circus during the 19th century, the majority of the narrative is fictional. Those who have done their research on the real Barnum will know that he only used his 'odd' performers for self-gain and didn't treat them with the respect that they deserved. At first, I was confused at why anyone would make a film celebrating the life of a man who mistreated unique individuals and animals in his production. Jackman, who portrays Barnum and also produced the film, said that Barnum’s belief was that ‘what makes you different makes you special’, however, the real life Barnum was not exactly a crusader for social justice. He was more interested in exploiting people than empowering them. While I think that The Greatest Showman is thoroughly entertaining and features some empowering and energetic songs, written by the award-winning duo Benj Pasek and Justin Paul (who wrote the songs for La La Land), I think people should know the truth about Barnum before watching.

Aside from that, The Greatest Showman is worth a watch. There are solid performances from the cast. Although Jackman doesn’t resemble Barnum in the slightest, he gives a very good performance and it’s obvious he cares about this production as he puts his all into it. However, it’s not his best performance. As we saw towards the beginning of 2017, Jackman gave his best performance as Wolverine in Logan and he was better as Jean Valjean in the 2012 musical, Les Miserables. Williams is good as Charity, however, she isn’t given much to do but she does have a stand-out scene where she sings ‘Tightrope’. Efron and Zendaya provide the romance aspect of the film and their performance of ‘Rewrite The Stars’ is one of the highlights of the film, as is ‘This is Me’ which is sung by the Bearded Lady and the rest of the performers who finally are accepting of themselves and their differences. It’s a powerful song and is currently nominated at the Academy Awards for Best Original Song. Ferguson gives a good performance as Jenny Lind, however, her singing is dubbed by Loren Allred as Ferguson felt that, while she can carry a tune, Jenny Lind is considered the best singer in the world and that dubbing her voice would be in service of the film. However, in order to get into the role, Ferguson insisted on singing the song in front of the extras while filming.

One of the main reasons to see The Greatest Showman is its songs, written by Pasek and Paul. The song-writing duo won their first Oscar last year with their Original Song, ‘City of Stars’, which featured in the musical, La La Land. From early on in pre-production, the decision was made to have the musical style of The Greatest Showman to evoke more that of contemporary musical genres like pop and hip hop rather than that of a traditional, classical musical style that would accurately evoke the film's 1800s setting. As Pasek said, "The choice was to express not just the characters' feelings, but also how ahead of his time P.T. Barnum was. He wasn't bound by the world in which he lived; he wanted to create one." Like I mentioned earlier, the songs are the best aspect of the film. For me the stand-outs were ‘This Is Me’, ‘Rewrite The Stars’ and Lind’s powerful ballad, ‘Never Enough’.

The Greatest Showman marks the directorial debut of Michael Gracey, after having spent twenty years as an animator, digital compositor, and visual effects supervisor. Jackman and director Michael Gracey met on a commercial shoot. Jackman told Gracey he wanted to make a film with him, and Gracey thought he was joking. Jackman later called him and said he wanted him to direct The Greatest Showman. It’s an impressive debut and captures the energy that comes from a musical and is thoroughly entertaining.

Overall, The Greatest Showman is an enjoyable musical, with energetic and powerful songs and solid performances from its cast, however, it's far from an accurate biopic of P.T. Barnum.

7/10

COCO REVIEW

*MAY CONTAIN SPOILERS*

Coco represents Pixar Animated Studios at its best: when it's producing original, entertaining features that have an emotional impact. Their previous films, last year's Cars 3 and 2016's Finding Dory, were sequels and, while the latter proved to be just as good as its predecessor, Finding Nemo, neither of them shows Pixar at its best. Fortunately, their latest feature, Coco, is a huge improvement. Director Lee Unkrich directed the third Toy Story film which was thoroughly entertaining and featured an emotional ending. The same can be said for his follow-up which is full of adventure, however, most viewers will probably be in tears towards the end of the film.

Despite his family's baffling generations-old ban on music, Miguel (voice of Anthony Gonzalez) dreams of becoming an accomplished musician like his idol, Ernesto de la Cruz (Benjamin Bratt). Desperate to prove his talent, Miguel finds himself in the stunning and colorful Land of the Dead following a mysterious chain of events. Along the way, he meets charming trickster Hector (Gael García Bernal), and together, they set off on an extraordinary journey to unlock the real story behind Miguel's family history.

One of the main problems with so-called 'family films' is that most of them tend to be aimed at younger children, leading their parents and/or older viewers to become bored. However, Pixar has always succeeded at creating features that are enjoyable for the whole family. That's why they're so successful over two decades after the release of their first film, Toy Story. The themes featured within Coco include aging and death, not themes you would normally associate with films that are mainly aimed at young children, however, Pixar makes it work. Coco is lively and features vibrant colours, despite the majority of the film taking place in the Land of the Dead. For most of his life, Miguel has looked up to his idol, the famous singer, Ernesto de la Cruz, and, after he accidentally ends up in the Land of the Dead, he goes on a journey to find him in order to get his blessing and play music. Along the way, he learns a lot of life lessons and how important it is to remember your family members. This is where most of the emotional impact comes from as I'm sure a lot of people will be able to relate to Miguel, whose great-grandmother, Coco (Ana Ofelia Murguía) suffers from memory loss and can't remember her father, due to him being torn out of the family photo. Throughout the film, we are lead to believe that Coco's father disappeared to focus on his career as a musician and that her father is, in fact, Ernesto, after Miguel recognises his guitar in the torn family photo. However, all isn't what it seems, and the story takes an unexpected twist. I should've seen it coming as it's pretty obvious, however, this twist made the film unpredictable at times.

Because of its heavier themes, younger children may not understand the main plot, however, they'll be thoroughly entertained as it features a lot of humour. In some ways, it's a great way of explaining life and death to children and will help them through the grieving process after they lose a family member. This is why Pixar's 2015 animated feature, Inside Out, was successful as it told an entertaining story about emotions so that young children could understand why they felt sad at times. This is probably why Coco is proving to be successful with critics and, most recently, at the Golden Globes where it won the award for Best Animated Feature. I wouldn't surprised to see it pick up the same award at the Oscars. 

Most animated features tend to include famous and popular actors in order to gain more interest and receive more money at the box office. The only actor I recognised was Benjamin Bratt who voices Ernesto. Bratt has previously done voice work in animated films such as Despicable Me 2 and Cloudy With A Chance Of Meatballs. As the main protagonist, Anthony Gonzalez captures Miguel's passion for music and makes him a likable protagonist. He is thoroughly convincing and it's impressive work from a child actor.

Music plays a big part in Coco, and the film features some lively, catchy songs, the most memorable being 'Remember Me' which is Ernesto's most popular song. The song is used in a variety of contexts throughout the film. It is used first in a mariachi arrangement, as a plea from a celebrity performer to his fans to keep him in their minds even as he tours in other places. It then appears as a lullaby from a father to a child when he has to travel far as a traveling artist. It is then used as a nostalgic song to connect a character to an earlier time in their life and to reunite a boy with his great-grandmother. It then appears in a pop version played during the end credits, sung by singers Miguel and Natalia Lafourcade. The piece is the "tie that binds multiple generations in the shared love of music". 'Remember Me' has been critically acclaimed and has been nominated for a variety of awards, including a Golden Globe Award for Best Original Song. It also won a Critics' Choice Movie Award for Best Song.
Coco's story was written by Unkrich, Adrian Molina (who also co-directed), Matthew Aldrich and Jason Katz. Together, the four of them have created a powerful story about following your dreams but never forgetting your family. In the beginning, Miguel wants more than anything to be a musician, even if it means leaving his family. However, he soon learns how important his family is after he journeys into the Land of the Dead. The narrative focuses on Miguel’s desire to find his great-great-grandfather, Hector's love for his daughter, and the shared bond that develops between the two. Unkrich handles the emotional aspects of the film, including the ending, with delicacy and just enough manipulation that even the toughest of viewers will shed a tear.
The stunning visuals of Coco are matched by a thoughtful and powerful narrative that takes a family-friendly approach to questions of culture, family, life and death in a way that is still deeply affecting. This is definitely Pixar's best work since their 2015 feature, Inside Out, and also one of the best animated films we've had recently.
8/10

THE SHAPE OF WATER REVIEW

*MAY CONTAIN SPOILERS*

Despite being a film fan, I'm ashamed to say that I've only seen one of director Guillermo del Toro's films prior to watching his latest feature, The Shape Of Water, and that was his 2013 action-packed sci-fi, Pacific Rim. However, I can understand why he's regarded as one of the most imaginative and creative directors working today. His dark fantasy, Pan's Labyrinth, which was released in 2006, certified that statement and won three Academy Awards including Best Achievement in Cinematography, Best Achievement in Art Direction and Best Achievement in Make-Up. Mainly because I haven't seen Pan's Labyrinth yet and I'm sure when I do get round to watching it, my mind may change, however, I think that The Shape Of Water may be del Toro's best work yet. 

Set against the backdrop of Cold War era America circa 1962, the hidden high-security government laboratory where she works, lonely Elisa (Sally Hawkins) is trapped in a life of isolation. Elisa's life is changed forever when she and co-worker Zelda (Octavia Spencer) discover a secret classified experiment. Elisa is fascinated by this creature and it doesn't take long for her to bond with it. Unfortunately, the poor creature is being tortured by the boss of the laboratory, Richard Strickland (Michael Shannon) and Elisa soon realises she must save it before it's too late.

Because I was unfamiliar with the majority of del Toro's work, I had no idea what to expect from The Shape Of Water, fortunately, I was pleasantly surprised. In many ways, the story is similar to that of Beauty and the Beast as both tell the story of a woman that falls in love with a monster. However, despite its unusual appearance, it has a kind personality and that's why Elisa falls in love. When the creature rises out of its pool, Elisa isn't frightened, she's more intrigued. This leads to her visiting it every day when she's at work and she feeds it boiled eggs, plays music and teaches him to communicate using sign language. This is where the romantic aspect of the film comes from. On paper, it may sound ridiculous for a woman to fall in love with a create that resembles a large human fish, however, the execution is beautifully done. I doubt anyone will walk away from this film without feeling something for the creature whether that's love or sympathy for its situation where it's tortured on a daily basis. The Shape Of Water succeeds in telling a true love story. At the time of writing this, it was nominated for the Best Motion Picture award at the Golden Globes and I wouldn't be surprised to see the Academy acknowledge it too.

Despite barely uttering a word, Sally Hawkins is captivating as Elisa. When writing the screenplay, del Toro said that he only pictured Hawkins in the role and he wanted Elisa to be beautiful, not in a 'perfume commercial kind of way' but, rather, you could believe this woman would be sitting next to you on the bus but, at the same time, she would have a 'luminosity, a beauty, almost magical, etheral' look about her. I couldn't have described Hawkins' performance better myself. In the past, Hawkins has given various supporting roles in films such as Submarine, Blue Jasmine and in the 2014 monster feature, Godzilla. She's currently best known for appearing in the family-friendly Paddington films. However, as Elisa, she certainly gives her best performance yet. I'm sure she'll be nominated for a Best Actress award at this year's Oscars, however, I do think it's about time she won. Last year's Best Supporting Actor nominee, Michael Shannon, gives a dark and twisted performance as Strickland who delights in bringing pain to the creature. Solid supporting roles come from Octavia Spencer, as Elisa's colleague and friend, Richard Jenkins as Elisa's neighbour and Michael Stuhlbarg as the scientist, Dr Robert Hoffstetler. Doug Jones is best known for portraying the Pale Man in Pan's Labyrinth and, since then, has frequently collaborated with del Toro. Instead of using motion capture for his portrayal of the creature, known as 'Amphibian Man', Jones spent three hours getting into the costume and he has said that it was nothing compared to the previous costumes he's worn for del Toro's films. 

In terms of visuals, The Shape Of Water is stunning and features some beautiful pieces of cinematography, directed by Dan Laustsen, including a shot of Elisa embracing the Amphibian Man underwater. It's a breathtaking shot and I can understand why it's on the front of the promotional posters for The Shape Of Water.

Following the release of his highly successful dark fantasy, Pan's Labyrinth, del Toro went on to direct the sequel to Hellboy, Pacific Rim and Crimson Peak. While the latter two features were generally received well by critics and audiences, they were far from the quality of Pan's Labyrinth. However, The Shape Of Water is certainly a return to form for del Toro as it tells a engaging and original story about love and features some stunning visuals and Sally Hawkins' best performance yet.

8/10

MOLLY'S GAME REVIEW

*MAY CONTAIN SPOILERS*

Aaron Sorkin is best known for writing the scripts for films such as The Social Network, Moneyball and Steve Jobs. However, with Molly's Game, he makes his directorial debut and it's an impressive one at that. The film stars Jessica Chastain as the titular characer, Molly Bloom. While Sorkin directs, he also wrote the script which was based on Bloom's book and her story keeps us captivated from beginning to end.

Molly's Game is based on the true story of Molly Bloom, an Olympic-class skier who ran the world's most exclusive high-stakes poker game for a decade before being arrested in the middle of the night by 17 FBI agents wielding automatic weapons. Her players included Hollywood royalty, sports stars, business titans and finally, unbeknownst to her, the Russian mob. Her only ally was her criminal defense lawyer Charlie Jaffey (Idris Elba), who learned that there was much more to Molly than the tabloids led us to believe.

The film frequently cuts between various points of Molly's life, giving us an insight to who she was and we learn that she was once an Olympic-class skier who was forced to give it up after sustaining an injury. She plans on going to law school and earns money through various jobs, one of which includes working for a real estate agent, Dean Keith (Jeremy Strong). It's through Keith that Molly first becomes involved with poker as she helps him out at his games. When he threatens to fire her from both of her jobs, Molly takes matters into her own hands and begins running her own poker games in various hotels. At first, she begins hosting games in Los Angeles but runs afoul of the ambitions of an anonymous player, only known as 'Player X' (Michael Cera). This leads to Molly relocating her games to New York, however, instead of catering to stars, she rubs elbows with anyone who has money. This attracts the attention of the American mob, Russian mob and the FBI. By the time Molly realises this, she's far too deep into her drug addiction that she's lost her focus and the results are brutal.

The other timeline happens over two years after her empire has collapsed. Molly has no money and is facing indictment and possible prison time which leads to her reaching out to Jaffey for representation. At first, Jaffey is reluctant, mainly because of her 'colourful' reputation, however, he is soon able to look over the tabloid headlines and reports written about her and discovers the true Molly Bloom.

Prior to watching Molly's Game, I'd never heard of Molly Bloom or her story, however, I was captivated from the beginning until the credits rolled up. Molly is an interesting individual and I can understand why Sorkin chose her story to base his first film on. While many viewers will have an idea of who Molly is through reading the tabloids and the stories written about her, they may be surprised to discover who the 'real' Molly Bloom is. This film gives everyone an insight and brings depth to her character, making for a compelling watch. It doesn't matter if you've never played poker or don't understand the game, as it's really just the glitzy backdrop against which the action occurs. It's mainly a way as to contrast the lifestyle and culture of 'glamorous' Los Angeles with 'gritty' New York City. The themes of Molly's Game relate to various addictions including drugs, gambling and, as Molly's father (Kevin Costner) explains it, having power over powerful men. Molly first begins taking drugs to keep her awake and to help her sleep at night but it soon develops into an addiction. The film clearly shows gambling addiction and how easy it is to become swept up into the game. Molly knows that this addiction can become a serious issue and offers to help the players avoid debt. One scene shows a player boasting about his wife's surprise 40th birthday party, unfortunately, because of his addiction to gambling, he ends up losing all of his money and his marriage ending in divorce. It's in these scenes that Molly is shown as a caring and sympathetic human being. 

As far as performances goes, Chastain stands out as Molly. She received her first Academy Award nomination in 2012 for her supporting role in The Help and was nominated a year later for her leading performance in Zero Dark Thirty. However, since then, she has given supporting roles in films such as Interstellar and The Martian. She impressed critics last year with her leading performance in the drama, Miss Sloane, but she was overlooked for an Oscar nomination. With her portrayal of Molly Bloom, I think Chastain gives her best performance yet and I think that this may be the year she finally earns her first Academy Award. Sorkin's script is full of powerful monologues and Chastain delivers them with passion. Molly's Game is worth watching just for her performance. Elba gives an impressive supporting role too. In the past year, he has appeared in films such as The Dark Tower, alongside Matthew McConaughey, and The Mountain Between Us alongside Kate Winslet, unfortunately, both were disappointments. Elba previously won his first Golden Globe in 2012 for his performance in the TV series, Luther. However, I wouldn't be surprised to see Elba receive his first Oscar nomination this year as he gives his most impressive performance yet. He has a memorable scene where he delivers a monologue about why the prosecutors should 'do the right thing'. It's a powerful monologue and Elba deserves a nomination just for that scene alone.

Molly's Game marks a solid directorial debut for Aaron Sorkin and is powered by Molly Bloom's compelling story and showcases Jessica Chastain at her best.

8/10

THREE BILLBOARDS OUTSIDE EBBING, MISSOURI REVIEW

*MAY CONTAIN SPOILERS*

'Raped While Dying', 'And Still No Arrests' and 'How Come, Chief Willoughby?'. These texts feature on three billboards and they establish a narrative, however, it's just the starting point for writer/director Martin McDonagh's latest feature, Three Billboards Outside Ebbing, Missouri. The text doesn't give away the film's eventual trajectory as it takes the viewer on a rollercoaster ride of dark comedy, devastating tragedy, unexpected twists and redemption. Since its release in America towards the end of last year, I heard a lot of good things about Three Billboards and it soon became one of my most anticipated films of this year. Fortunately, it doesn't disappoint as Three Billboards provides an experience that effectively traverses a high wire between comedy and tragedy and it does all of this without a safety net. 

McDonagh is best known for his previous films, In Bruges and Seven Psychopaths and winning an Academy Award for his short feature, Six Shooter, which was released in 2004. However, his latest feature, Three Billboards exceeds all expectations and, at the time of writing this, he is nominated for Best Director and Best Screenplay at this year's Golden Globes. I wouldn't be surprised if he and the actors involved, especially Frances McDormand, are recognised by the Academy in March.

After months have passed without a culprit in her daughter's murder case, Mildred Hayes (McDormand) makes a bold move, painting three signs leading into her town with a controversial message directed at William Willoughby (Woody Harrelson), the town's revered chief of police. When his second-in-command Officer Dixon (Sam Rockwell), an immature mother's boy with a penchant for violence, gets involved, the battle between Mildred and Ebbing's law enforcement is only exacerbated.

One of Three Billboards' strongest aspects is the acting. Of the three leads, it's McDormand who stands out as the tough and mean-spirited Mildred. However, despite her fierce personality, she still has a heart and wants very much for justice to be done for her daughter. McDorman previously won her first Oscar for her performance in the 1996 drama, Fargo, and is currently nominated for a Golden Globe for her portrayal of Mildred. Both Woody Harrelson and Sam Rockwell give their best performances. Some may be surprised to discover that Harrelson has limited screen time in the film due to his character, Chief Willoughby, suffering from cancer. However, he still gives a memorable performance and is sure to be recognised by the Academy. Of the three leads, Rockwell is the only actor who is yet to be nominated for an Oscar, despite giving a strong leading performance in Duncan Jones' undderated sci-fi based drama, Moon, and many supporting roles. However, I'm sure his performance as Dixon will earn him a nomination. Lucas Hedges, who appeared in last year's drama Manchester By The Sea, Game Of Thrones' Peter Dinklage and Abbie Cornish round out the supporting cast.

Three Billboards uses a hard-hitting dramatic tone to advance the story. There are a lot of gut-punches and most of the plot points are unexpected. Because it's more of a character-based piece rather than a mystery, viewers won't be trying to guess who the murderer is. It looks deep into the character's soul and finds both darkness and light. It makes an argument for redemption which some might reject but it does this in a compelling way. Despite its disturbing theme, it uses dark comedy which works at keeping the film from becoming too morose.

I'm not sure if Three Billboards will appeal to everyone. Because I hadn't seen McDonagh's previous films prior to watching Three Billboards, I wasn't sure if I was going to like it as much as I did. Fortunately, I was pleasantly surprised. I doubt fans of In Bruges and Seven Psychopaths will be disappointed with Three Billboards. However, it's worth a watch for those, like me, who are unfamiliar with McDonagh's work. 

One of the main differences between a great film and one that is good is how deeply the film plants itself in the viewer's memory. Are you thinking about it an hour, a day or even a week after you saw it? I'm sure I'll be thinking about Three Billboards for a long time. It beat all expectations I had for it and I thoroughly enjoyed it. I think that, because of Three Billboards, McDonagh has certified himself as one of the greatest filmmakers. He has created a feature that deftly balances black comedy against searing drama and features strong performances from its three leads. In all honesty, I'd go as far to say that Three Billboards Outside Ebbing, Missouri is worth watching just for Frances McDormand's fierce and unforgettable performance. 

8/10

WONDER REVIEW

*MAY CONTAIN SPOILERS*

For a lot of people, school can be a difficult experience, however, it can be harder for those who are different and stand out from others, because of either their mental or physical disability or a facial disfigurement. Stephen Chbosky's latest feature, Wonder, tells the story of August 'Auggie' Pullman, who has a facial disease called mandibulofacial dystosis, also known as Treacher Collins syndrome. This has caused Auggie's face to disfigure and, throughout his life, he has been in and out of hospital and had many surgeries because of it. To prevent being bullied at a young age, he is home schooled by his mother, Isabel (Julia Roberts). However, Isabel and Auggie's father, Nate (Owen Wilson) decide it's finally time for him to attend middle school. The main worry for Auggie's parents is how he'll be treated by the other children. Wonder details Auggie's life at school and also shows the point of view from other characters such as his older sister, Via (Izabela Vidovic) and his friend Jack Will (Noah Jupe).
Chbosky is best known for adapting his best-selling novel, The Perks Of Being A Wallflower to the big screen, with Logan Lerman and Emma Watson leading the roles. It was a deep and moving coming-of-age drama that documented a teenager's life as he went through high school. While Wonder isn't as deep, it's thoroughly entertaining from start to finish. This is based on R. J. Palacio's New York Times bestselling novel of the same name that was published in 2012. While I have heard of this book, I've never read it so I didn't know what to expect from the feature film adaptation. Fortunately, I was pleasantly surprised at how much I enjoyed it.
Wonder isn't a perfect film, however, I judged it based on the audience's reaction from the screening I was in. Because of #WorldKindnessDay on 13th November, the production company, Lionsgate, showed Wonder at various cinemas across the UK and the tickets to see the film were free. So, of course, my local cinema was packed full of families and children with their parents. I definitely think that the overall reception from the audience was positive as I heard laughter throughout and, after the film had finished, I noticed children telling their parents that they had enjoyed it and that's why I think Wonder is mainly a success.
Wonder spreads its main message of 'Choose Kind' really well. Whenever someone bullies Auggie, the film focuses on his reaction and we see him crying and wishing he had a different face. It's heartbreaking to see a boy so young call himself ugly. No child, or anyone for that matter, should ever have to feel that way. I think that Wonder is the sort of film that should be shown in schools, to educate children on why it's so important to be kind to others and not bully. I highly recommend that parents take their children to see this as, not only will it keep them entertained for around two hours, but they'll fully understand why bullying isn't acceptable.
The performances from the cast are all solid. Both Roberts and Wilson share a lot of chemistry and are convincing as Auggie's parents. Wilson, who is best known for his comedic roles, has a few one liners throughout the film that are all worthy of a laugh or two. As Auggie's older sister, Via, Vidovic gives a very good performance. I liked that we saw her point of view and her struggles at high school. However, it's Jacob Tremblay that stands out. Just two years ago, he made his breakthrough performance at the age of eight in the Oscar-nominated drama, Room. He captured the innocence of Jack and the same can be said for his portrayal of Auggie. He is almost unrecognisable underneath his incredible make-up. It's crazy to think that, at only the age of 11, Tremblay has already established himself as one of the best child actors. His witty humour makes him instantly a likable protagonist.
In terms of quality, Wonder isn't the best film ever made and it's not going to be nominated at the Oscars, however, it doesn't matter. Its goal was to entertain children and educate them on their message to be kind and, with that, I think they have succeeded. Children will certainly enjoy this more than adults but that doesn't mean it's any less of a film. I doubt those who enjoyed Palacio's book will be disappointed with Chbosky's adaptation as I think it overall captures the lighthearted and inspiring tone.
7/10

BLADE RUNNER 2049 REVIEW

*MAY CONTAIN SPOILERS*

In 1982, Ridley Scott released his second science-fiction feature, Blade Runner, starring Harrison Ford as the titular character, Rick Deckard, whose job involved finding and killing Replicants, androids that looked and behaved exactly like humans. Over 30 years later, it is now known as a cult classic to many, especially those who first saw it in cinemas back in the early 1980s. I recently watched it and this lead to me having high hopes for its sequel, Blade Runner 2049. However, is it a good follow-up or a major disappointment?

A new blade runner, LAPD Officer K (Ryan Gosling), unearths a long-buried secret that has the potential to plunge what's left of society into chaos. K's discovery leads him on a quest to find Rick Deckard (Harrison Ford), a former LAPD blade runner who has been missing for 30 years.

Development for a Blade Runner sequel began almost 20 years ago when British filmmaker, Stuart Hazeldine, wrote a sequel based on K. W. Jeter's novel, The Edge Of Human, and it was titled Blade Runner Down, unfortunately, it was rejected. It wasn't until 2007 that Scott, who directed the original, announced he was considering developing a sequel to his 1982 sci-fi feature. Now, over thirty years after the original, the much-anticipated sequel has finally been released, with Ford returning to his role as Deckard and Ryan Gosling also starring. Denis Villeneuve replaced Scott as director due to Scott being busy directing his sequel to Prometheus, Alien: Covenant. In answer to my earlier question, yes, Blade Runner 2049 is just as good as its predecessor, maybe even better, in my opinion. Fans of the original will not be disappointed.

Blade Runner 2049 has a visually impressive look, giving the setting its unique and futuristic look. The city is filled with bright, neon holograms that stand out from the dull and grey backdrop of Los Angeles. It's one of those science-fiction films, like Christopher Nolan's Interstellar and Alfonso Cuarón's Gravity, that needs to be seen on the big screen. I didn't see it in 3D, however, I can tell that some scenes would've looked a lot better if I'd been wearing 3D glasses. I'll be very surprised if the special effects aren't nominated for an Oscar at next year's Academy Awards as the computer generated imagery is very impressive and a huge improvement on its predecessor.

When Scott failed to return to direct, the production company searched for other directors wh were capable of making a sequel that lived up to the standard of the original. At first, Christopher Nolan was rumoured to be directing, however, this proved to be untrue. However, Denis Villeneuve was soon hired. In the past few years, Villeneuve has proven himself to be one of the best directors working today. Prisoners, Sicario and last year's Arrival have all been successful films in their own right so it's understandable why he was chosen. After he was hired, Villeneuve knew he was under a lot of pressure from fans of the original to make a sequel that is just as good. Fortunately, Villeneuve has yet to disappoint and makes Blade Runner 2049 a thrilling watch that results in an emotional impact. He knows how to create exhilarating action sequences and balances this out with a touch of drama and mystery throughout. The majority of the film follows Gosling's detective as goes on a quest that leads him to former Blade Runner, Deckard. Blade Runner ended with Deckard and Replicant, Rachael (Sean Young), forming a relationship. To those who wondered what happened to the pair, this sequel answers those questions. 

Those hoping to see a lot of Ford in his role as Deckard will be disappointed to learn that he doesn't make his comeback until halfway through the film. Because the film is set thirty years later, Deckard has changed a lot, both physically and emotionally. He lost both Rachael and their child which has caused him to live as a recluse in a hotel, set in the middle of nowhere. When K turns up wanting his questions answered, Deckard reluctantly opens up about what happened. He was forced to leave a pregnant Rachael behind with the Replicant freedom movement to protect her. Unfortunately, this lead to her death and their child being sent away to an orphanage. This is where most of the emotional impact comes from as we can see Deckard feels guilty for what happened to Rachael. 

Because the majority of Blade Runner 2049 revolves around his character, K, Gosling has a lot to live up to, fortunately, he doesn't disappoint. Like Deckard, he's fierce and isn't afraid to do what's right. Despite being a replicant that is forced to work for the LAPD, K has been having vivid memories of himself as a child. At first, he thinks that this is merely an implant in his mind, however, he soon discovers the memories are real. This leads us to wonder if K is actually a human or if he has someone else's memories living inside his head. Supporting roles come from Jared Leto, Robin Wright, Ana de Armas, Sylvia Hoeks and Mackenzie Davis who, despite their limited appearances, give solid performances.

Overall, Denis Villeneuve's Blade Runner 2049 is a successful follow-up to the original. In many ways, it's an improvement, especially in terms of narrative and special effects. Both Ryan Gosling and Harrison Ford give great leading performances.

8/10 

DUNKIRK REVIEW

*MAY CONTAIN SPOILERS*

While Dunkirk is classed as a 'war film', its tone and style are similar to that of a high-octane thriller. This is director/writer Christopher Nolan's most serious film to date and, despite its July release date, will surely be remembered once the Academy Awards roll around next year. Last year, Mel Gibson released Hacksaw Ridge which was a war film based on a soldier who refused to kill or even hold a gun. It was a huge success and received four nominations and won two including Best Film Editing and Best Achievement in Sound Mixing. Because Dunkirk fully captures the horrors of World War II through Nolan's unique vision, I can't imagine it walking away empty handed at the Academy Awards next year.

World War II was fought primarily in three places, on land, in the air and at sea. Dunkirk takes a similar approach, choosing to tell three different stories from each of these distinct point of views. On the beach, we follow a young soldier, Tommy (Fionn Whitehead), as he struggles to survive and get home. In the air, a pilot, Farrier (Tom Hardy), focuses on shooting enemy planes down to try and stop them from bombing ships that are taking the soldiers home. At sea, a sailor, Mr. Dawson (Mark Rylance), takes his boat to try and pick up soldiers from Dunkirk. Meanwhile, Commander Bolton (Kenneth Branagh) is on the pier to make sure the soldiers are evacuated via the ships safely. This is all presented in a non-linear narrative which leads to an emotional conclusion.

I can't think of a better person to direct and write this other than Nolan. In the past, he has proven himself to be a master at both directing and writing with films such as Memento, Inception and The Dark Knight proving to be huge successes, both at the box office and with critics and audiences alike. His previous film, Interstellar, was a science-fiction masterpiece with stunning visual effects and an thought-provoking narrative at the centre. Of course, because of all this, there was a lot of pressure for Nolan to create a war film that's recreats WWII effectively. Fortunately, he has succeeded. I think that this is the best war film since Steven Spielberg's Saving Private Ryan. Unlike the aforementioned film, Dunkirk has very little gore. Most of the shock factor comes from the bomb explosions and the reactions from the soldier's faces. Seeing them struggling to survive is heartbreaking as we know not everyone survive. 

Nolan has said that the two films he studied before making Dunkirk were the 1953 drama, Wages of Fear, and the 1994 thriller, Speed. Having seen the latter film, I can see the similarities. Like Speed, Dunkirk is fast paced and involves the lives of innocent people being at risk. Despite the characters being underdeveloped, we still feel for them and want them to survive, especially Whitehead's Tommy, who is a 19 year old soldier who wants to get home but this doesn't stop him from helping others. Most directors would've chosen an older and more experienced actor for this role, however, Nolan chose Whitehead as he was the same age as the soldier he plays in the film. I think this was a good decision as he gives an impressive performance in his debut film. Tommy is brave and smart and someone we hope will make it back home. Alongside him, former member of boyband One Direction, Harry Styles gives a solid performance as Alex. When I first heard that Styles had been cast in this film, I was annoyed as I knew this would mean a lot of his fans, who are mainly young girls, will see it purely for him and will take the focus away from the film itself. His fans may be disappointed to learn that this isn't Styles' film, he is mainly one of thousands of soldiers that feature in this film.

Speaking of performances, apart from Whitehead, there's no stand-out. However, there's not a bad performance to be found. Dunkirk features a lot of well-known names including Harry Styles, Tom Hardy, Mark Rylance, Kenneth Branagh and Cillian Murphy to name a few. Hardy gives an understated performance as the pilot determined to shoot the enemy planes down. Rylance gives a great performance as Mr. Dawson as the sailor who, along with his two teenage sons, performs a selfless act by rescuing many soldiers who are stranded at sea. He soon picks up Murphy's character who is simply credited as 'Shivering Soldier'. Murphy is effective in this role as we can clearly see how much the war has had an impact on him and when he finds out that Mr. Dawson is heading towards Dunkirk, where he's just escaped from, he panics as he worries that they'll all die out there. Director Nolan knows how to get the best out of every actor and this clearly shows in Dunkirk. I don't think that there'll be any Best Actor nominations at the Academy Awards as there's no lead performance. 

I've seen a few comments criticising the lack of female characters that feature in Dunkirk. The only females seen in this film are nurses and this shouldn't be a criticsm because, at the time when this film took place in 1950, women were seen as mothers and nurses and nothing more than that. They would stay at home to look after the children and the majority of them didn't even have jobs. It's not bad writing as this is literally what society was like 77 years ago. 

Although I didn't see this in IMAX, it still had a major impact on me. The sound of the bomb explosions and gunfire were extremely loud and lead to many jump scares. A soldier could be walking down a street and, all of sudden, gun fire would start out of nowhere. The sound was incredibly effective as I felt like I was in the middle of the war and could feel the soldier's fear. Dunkirk is definitely not for the faint-hearted.

Nolan filmed this in its titular location in France. Other filmmakers would've shot in other locations to cut the costs but because Nolan didn't want to cut corners, he chose to film in the same location where the World War II events took place. In this sense, the film seems determined to be as historically accurate as possible and Nolan has succeeded.

What I liked most about Nolan's approach to this film is his lack of computer-generated imagery. While CGI isn't necessarily bad, it can look artificial at times. Nolan chose to use practical effects which meant that all the explosions that featured in the film actually happened which mean that the reactions on the actors' faces are genuine looks of horror. 

Hans Zimmer has frequently collaborated with Nolan and his scores for The Dark Knight, Inception and Interstellar are all stand-outs. His score for Dunkirk is just as intense and is constructed around the ticking of a clock, which happened to be Nolan's pocket watch. Zimmer proves once more why he's one of the greatest composers.

Nolan is known for releasing films that run at over two hours. However, Dunkirk is Nolan's shortest film since his debut, Following, in 1998. His 2002 thriller, Insomnia, was his last film to run at under two hours. Dunkirk has a runtime of 106 minutes. Nolan has said that he wanted the film to be as intense an experience as possible and therefore as lean and as stripped down and short an experience as possible. When it was announced that he would be directing a film based on WWII, a lot of people expected a big, historical epic that ran at three hours long. Nolan revealed that his screenplay was only 76 pages due to the small amount of dialogue in the film. He also said that he 'didn't want the theatrics of people telling the audience why you should care about them'. He also 'wanted them to care just because of the physical situation that they were under'. Fortunately, with that, Nolan has succeeded.

Dunkirk is an emotionally satisfying spectacle and is delivered by Christopher Nolan, a writer and director who is full command of his craft. It's also brought to life by an ensemble cast who all honour this fact-based story. It deserves to be seen on the biggest screen possible and is the kind of film that should be taught in history classes, to give the younger generation an idea of what the world was like over 70 years ago.

9/10

WAR FOR THE PLANET OF THE APES REVIEW

*MAY CONTAIN SPOILERS*

Six years ago, director Rupert Wyatt released Rise Of The Planet Of The Apes which was his reimagining of the original 1968 film starring Charlton Heston as an astronaut who lands on a planet where humans are enslaved by apes. Almost fifty years later and it still remains one of Heston's most memorable roles. Before the release of Rise, there was doubt it would be any good because the follow-up sequels to the original were disappointing and Tim Burton's 2001 remake received a lot of criticsm. Fortunately, it was an impressive reboot and received critical acclaim and over $481 million at the box office. A sequel was soon announced, however, due to his concern that a May 2014 release date would not give him enough time to properly make the film, Wyatt quit and was replaced by Matt Reeves. Dawn Of The Planet Of The Apes was released three years later and, in a lot of ways, was an improvement over its predecessor. It was darker and more intense as the conflict between the apes and the human race grew. This lead to a thrilling fight between the two species. Now, the third film in the franchise, War For The Planet Of The Apes has finally been released but is it as good as its predecessors?

Five years after the events in Dawn, Caesar (Andy Serkis) and his apes are forced into a deadly conflict with an army of humans led by a ruthless Colonel (Woody Harrelson). After the apes suffer unimaginable losses, Caesar wrestles with his darker instincts and begins his own mythic quest to avenge his kind. As the journey finally brings them face to face, Caesar and the Colonel are pitted against each other in an epic battle that will determine the fate of both their species and the future of the planet.

Unsurprisingly, there was a lot of pressure to create a film that's just as dramatic and thrilling as Dawn, fortunately, the filmmakers have succeeded. For those of you, like me, who haven't seen the original 1968 film, you'll be surprised at which way the narrative goes. It features a lot of twists and turns to make for an unpredictable watch. 

In my review of Dawn, I said that these films could be seen as, in a way, prequels to the original Planet Of The Apes films due to how it ends, with the apes being human-like and the humans behaving more like apes. In War, Caesar can now speak in full sentences rather than just words with many apes' intelligence having increased since the last film. The humans are shown from the apes' perspective and they're seen as the main antagonists. I think that this was a good decision to make because, in the original film, the apes were shown from the humans' point of view. By showing the humans in an evil way, we easily connect with the apes, especially Caesar who has developed a lot since the first film. He's a lot braver and more powerful. He doesn't want to fight, however, after a heartbreaking tragedy occurs, he becomes obsessed with getting revenge by killing the Colonel. Throughout this film, he shows a wide range of emotions including anger and sadness which causes us to feel empathetic for him as we know what he's been through. This all comes from Serkis' mesmirising performance. Using motion-capture to create the apes was a great choice. In the original films, computer generated imagery didn't exist so the cast wore make-up and costumes, unfortunately, it looked unconvincing. This was improved upon in Burton's remake with Helena Bonham Carter looking completely unrecognisable as her character. However, the creation of the apes has improved a lot and look a lot more realistic. This is where these films succeed the most as the visual effects are really impressive and I wouldn't be surprised if they receive an Academy Award nomination next year.

Harrelson is best known for his comedic roles, however, as the main antagonist, he shows he can handle the darker and more dramatic roles. He is introduced briefly in the beginning of the film, however, he's not seen again until the film is a third of the way over. Despite this, he still gives a strong performance. Amiah Miller becomes the second actress (after Dafne Keen as Laura in Logan) this year to portray a young, female mute who is named Nova. Her eyes, facial reactions and actions express emotions in a way words could never do. It's an impressive performance from someone so young. Despite this film being dark and intense, there are moments of comic relief which come from Steve Zahn's character, Bad Ape, who was the only survivor at a zoo and learnt to speak in full sentences from the humans. Karin Konoval returns as Caesar's loyal friend, Maurice, who is a wise Bornean orangutan that forms a bond with Nova.

At the time of writing this, a fourth film is currently being planned, however, I think that it's best that the filmmakers leave it as a trilogy. The ending is a fitting conclusion to the trilogy and ends on a bittersweet note. I'm not sure what more the writers could do with a fourth film but it'll be interesting to see if they do release another sequel. 

Fans of the previous two films will not be disappointed here. There's a lot of intense drama and exhilarting action throughout. Those who loved the original films should give the trilogy a watch because it redefines the apes. 

I can definitely see this being one of my favourite films this summer. It's an original and emotionally potent chapter to one of the longest-running movie franchises.

8/10

GUARDIANS OF THE GALAXY VOL. 2 REVIEW

*MAY CONTAIN SPOILERS*

Superhero films are becoming more and more frequent these days. However, that doesn't stop them from being one of the highest grossing films of the year. Despite being released the same year as another Marvel Studios film, X-Men: Days Of Future Past, Guardians Of The Galaxy went on to receive over $773 million at the box office and was the third highest grossing film of 2014. This proves that superhero films are still really popular today. I think that people love seeing their favourite comic books being brought to life on the big screen. However, if it doesn't meet their expectations, the results can be a disaster. Just look at the Fantastic Four films. There has been three films yet all of them were criticised by both critics and fans. Fortunately, Guardians Of The Galaxy didn't follow that same path and, not only did it impress fans, it won over a new audience too. This was because, despite it being a superhero film, it felt different in comparison to similar films such as Fantastic Four and The Avengers. Unlike the two aforementioned films, Guardians never took itself too seriously and made for a highly entertaining watch. The first installment shows how the titular Guardians met and became the team they are now known as today. Now its sequel, which has been released after three years, follows the group on another adventure in space. However, there can be a lot of pressure for a sequel to be as good as its predecessor, does it meet people's expectations?
Guardians Of The Galaxy Vol. 2 has one of the best openings to any film I've ever seen. The Guardians are fighting off a large behemoth, however, the film decides to focus on Baby Groot (Vin Diesel) who, despite all the background action, is busy dancing to ELO's 'Mr Blue Sky'. Here, the film sets the audience up for what's to come which is a lot of action and humour. After this, the Guardians receive a prisoner in exchange for killing the behemoth, however, that prisoner is Nebula (Karen Gillian) who is Gamora's (Zoe Saldana) sister. Due to the events of the previous film, their relationship is very strained. After Rocket (voice of Bradley Cooper) steals some batteries from the Sovereign race, the Guardians' ship crash lands on a distant plant where Peter Quill (Chris Pratt) meets his father, Ego (Kurt Russell). Despite Gamora's concerns, Quill is ecstatic to finally meet his father. This leads to a tense relationship between the Guardians who believes Ego is using Quill for his own good as he seduces him with his powers.
Apart from the opening, the Guardians spend most of the film separated with Quill, Gamora and Drax (Dave Bautista) on Ego's home planet and Rocket, Baby Groot and Quill's adoptive father, Yondu (Michael Rooker), being held captive by the leader of the Ravagers, Taserface (Chris Sullivan). In the scenes with Quill and his father, we find out why Ego left Quill's mother and gives more background to Quill's character. In the first film, Quill came across as a cocky yet charming pilot, however, we see a softer side to him here. Pratt's portrayal of the leading protagonist proves why he's one of Hollywood's biggest stars working today. Despite appearing in Jurassic World and, most recently, Passengers, Pratt returns to the role of Quill and it's like he never left the role. When the first Guardians film was in production, actors such as Joel Edgerton, Jim Sturgess, Joseph Gordon-Levitt and Eddie Redmayne were considered for the part of Quill. However, Pratt won the role and it was a good choice as he fully personifies Quill. I don't think any of the aforementioned actors would've been right for this role.
One of the biggest themes in this film is family. It is played throughout the film as we see Gamora and Nebula making amends. Despite being raised by Yondo, Quill believes that, because they're biologically related, his true father is Ego. However, the film shows that family doesn't necessarily  mean the people who are your blood relatives, it can mean the people who love you unconditionally. It's a message that works in this film as we see the Guardians become closer.
After its release in 2014, the first Guardians film went on to receive two Academy Award nominations including Best Achievement in Visual Effects which is unsurprising considering that the visual effects were one of the most impressive aspects of the film. The same can be said for the sequel as it's just as visually stunning as its predecessor. The visual effects department team have clearly put a lot of effort into making this a film that stands out in term of its overall look. Compared to the first Guardians film, this sequel features a lot more brighter colours and a fresh, unique look. This is a film that deserves to be seen on the big screen as the visuals may lose their impact once released on DVD and watched on a smaller screen.
Guardian's soundtrack was a big highlight of the film as it featured classic and well-known songs which made the scenes a lot more entertaining to watch. Quill, as a character, can be defined by his love of music which he plays on his Walkman, which he owned as a child and kept with him when he was taken into space. His love for music hasn't changed here with songs such as Fleetwood Mac's 'The Chain' and Jay and the Americans' 'Come a Little Bit Closer' making appearances throughout the film.
Performances-wise, the standouts are Pratt as Quill and Saldana as Gamora, who is portrayed as a fierce and strong-minded individual. Despite her concerns about Quill and his relationship with his father, she knows her relationship with Nebula is more important. In the first film, Drax was seen as a angry individual who wanted revenge for the death of his wife and child. However, because of Bautista's performance, we see he has a funny side too which is shown in the banter between the Guardians. Cooper's voice is unrecognisable as the foul-mouthed Rocket who isn't afraid to speak his mind. Newcomers include Russell who, like Pratt's Quill, brings a certain charm to his role as Ego and Pom Klementieff as Mantis who looks after Ego and can reveal the feelings of others by touching them.
Before Guardians Vol. 2's release, director James Gunn announced that there was going to be an extra five scenes that were going to be shown during and after the credits. However, these scenes are mainly there to set up the upcoming Marvel Studios film, Thor: Ragnarok, which is being released later this year.
For those who enjoyed the first Guardians, you will not be disappointed here. It's just as entertaining as its predecessor and features a lot of the humour that made its predecessor so popular. For those new to the superhero genre, you should find lots to enjoy here, whether it's the characters, visuals or high-energy narrative. Guardians Of The Galaxy Vol. 2 beat my initial expectations and I honestly can't wait for the release of Vol. 3.
7.5/10

BEAUTY AND THE BEAST (2017) REVIEW

*MAY CONTAIN SPOILERS* 

There has been an increase in live-action adaptations of Disney's classic animated films. The majority of them have succeeded in being just as entertaining and remaining faithful to the original source. Personally, my favourites include Alice in Wonderland, Maleficent, Cinderella and, most recently, The Jungle Book. This lead to high expectations for the live-action version of Beauty and the Beast.

Out of all the animated films Disney has released, Beauty and the Beast is one of their most popular. It was the first ever animated film to win an award for Best Motion Picture at the 1992 Golden Globes. At the Academy Awards the same year, it won two Oscars for Best Music, Original Song and Best Music, Original Score. Because of this, it went on to become one of Disney's most successful films and it is still regarded as a masterpiece over twenty years later. 

Recreating one of Disney's most beloved animated films must have been an incredibly challenging task but, nevertheless, the cast and crew have worked hard and created a live-action feature film that lives up to expectations and manages to be just as enchanting as the original.

After being placed under a spell after revealing his selfish personality to an Enchantress (Hattie Morahan) in disguise, the Prince (Dan Stevens), now a hideous-looking Beast, must find love again before the final petal from an enchanted rose falls. The years past and the Beast loses hope. Meanwhile, a young woman, Belle (Emma Watson), is dissatisfied with her life in a small village in France due to her fellow villagers thinking that she's odd. However, there's one man who is determined to win her affections and that's Gaston (Luke Evans). Because of his narcissistic personality, Belle couldn't be less interested. After her father, Maurice (Kevin Kline) leaves the village to go to a market, he soon loses his way and becomes trapped in the Beast's enchanted castle. This leads to Belle finding him and taking his place. Could Belle be the one to help break the spell that's been placed on the castle?

This live-action version of Beauty and the Beast was directed by Bill Condon who is best remembered for directing the Academy Award-winning musical, Dreamgirls, in 2006 and he also wrote the screenplay for the 2002 musical, Chicago. This is what makes him a good choice to help bring the classic 1991 animated film to life.  Fortunately, he has succeeded. Beauty and the Beast can go up alongside Cinderella and The Jungle Book as one of the best live-action adaptations. 

The performances are all solid and every actor gives a strong performance as their characters. Watson makes Belle a brave and independent individual. In this remake, there is more to Belle and we see that she has a knack for inventing things and proves to be useful in certain situations. Unlike in the original animation, we learn more about Belle, her childhood and what happened to her mother, giving her more background. 

Likewise with the Beast who also had similar traumas as a young child. Stevens, who is best known for appearing in the periodic drama series Downton Abbey, is almost unrecognisable as the Beast. He brings a softer side to the character and we feel more sympathetic towards him, especially when he's singing Evermore, which is one of the new songs that is featured in this live-action remake. In the beginning, we clearly see that he is selfish but he soon develops a more kinder personality and learns that true beauty is on the inside. Both Watson and Stevens have great chemistry together and the film is at its best when the two are developing their romantic relationship which is shown in the Something There montage.

As the villain of the film, Evans is the perfect choice for Gaston. Despite his good looks, he is a true monster on the inside and, over the course of the film, we despise him more and more. Gaston and his friend, LeFou (Josh Gad), bring most of the comic relief and the pair make a great rendition of Gaston's titular song. This scene is the film's most energetic and feature some strong choreography. Regarding Gad's character, there has been some controversy as, in the final dance sequence, LeFou dances with another male. However, this scene is pretty much blink-and-you'll-miss-it. Fortunately, I did see it and I think that it's great that Disney is finally including a wider range of relationships in their films. This is also the first Disney film to feature two interracial relationships: Lumiere (Ewan McGregor) is married to Plumette (Gugu Mbatha-Raw) and Cadenza's (Stanley Tucci) wife is Madame de Garderobe. By having a more diverse cast and featuring wider relationships, this will hopefully lead to a more accepting society.

The voices of the enchanted objects are all well-chosen. As Lumiere, the charming candelabra, McGregor admitted to struggling with the French accent, at first, and had to re-record his dialogue. Fortunately, he managed to master it and his rendition of Be Our Guest is just as good as the original sequence. The computer-generated visuals are at their most impressive here and the entire screen is filled with a wide range of bright colours as the kitchenware serves Belle her dinner. 

As the serious clock, Cogsworth, Ian McKellan is a great choice. Throughout the film, we see plenty of Cogsworth and Lumiere's disagreements which add to the humour. Emma Thompson is perfectly sweet as the teacup, Mrs. Potts, and makes her sound like a true motherly figure. Overall, there's not a bad performance to be found in this star-studded cast.

The ballroom dance was the big highlight of the original animation so this must've been an incredibly daunting task for both Watson and Stevens to recreate. Fortunately, with Thompson singing the titular song, this dance sequence manages to capture the beauty of the scene.

As a child, I loved watching the original Beauty and the Beast and I was fortunate enough to see the stage adaptation twice. This lead me to having high expectations for this live-action remake and I wasn't disappointed. I think that this is the perfect film to watch if you loved the original as it increases the feeling of nostalgia. Children of all ages will enjoy this too and find the characters, especially the enchanted objects, really entertaining. 

Overall, with an enchanting cast, beautifully crafted songs, and a painterly eye for detail, Beauty and the Beast offers a faithful yet fresh retelling that honors its beloved source material.

8/10