ENOLA HOLMES REVIEW

 *MAY CONTAIN SPOILERS*

Sherlock Holmes is one of the most famous fictional detectives, with his stories, written by Arthur Conan Doyle, being adapted into a BBC television series starring Benedict Cumberbatch as Holmes, and two films starring Robert Downey Jr. portraying the detective. Both are memorable adaptations of Sherlock Holmes, however, Harry Bradbeer’s latest film, Enola Holmes, focuses on his younger sister who is just as smart and interesting as her famous older brother.

Enola Holmes (Millie Bobby Brown) is the younger sister of Sherlock (Henry Cavill) and Mycroft (Sam Claflin) and embarks on a quest to find her mother (Helena Bonham Carter). 

Although I haven’t read Doyle’s novels or watched the BBC television series, I still enjoyed Enola Holmes, which is based on the book series written by Nancy Springer. Because of the current COVID-19 pandemic, many films have been released online instead of a theatrical release. These include a lot of action packed films including Extraction, The Old Guard and Project Power, which were released on the streaming site, Netflix. Unfortunately, the films received a divisive response and failed to leave much of a lasting impression. However, Enola Holmes is the latest film to be released on Netflix and it’s one of the most enjoyable films to watch on the streaming site. It provides viewers with an interesting main character and a compelling mystery-based narrative. Many films that include a mystery are predictable leading to viewers losing interest and the film becoming a boring watch. Fortunately, I didn’t find that to be the case with Enola Holmes. 

Brown shot to fame at the age of 13 when she portrayed Eleven in the fantasy series, Stranger Things. While I think that her role as Eleven will always be her best, Brown delivers a smart and charismatic portrayal of Enola. In the film, Enola frequently breaks the fourth wall and talks directly to the viewer. At first, I found this a bit awkward, however, I quickly got used to it. Cavill is best known for portraying Superman in Zack Snyder’s Man of Steel and the disastrous Justice League, however, while his portrayal of Sherlock isn’t as memorable as Cumberbatch’s or Downey Jr.’s, it was still a solid performance. Aside from Enola, another memorable character was Lord Tewksbury (Louis Partridge) who has recently escaped from his family and joins Enola on her adventures. I was hoping that a romance wouldn’t be forced between the pair, fortunately, Enola and Tewksbury remain friends. 

For the majority of its 123 minute runtime, Enola Holmes is a lighthearted adventure film with a mystery at the centre of its narrative. However, the final half hour takes a dark turn leading to a shocking revelation. Prior to watching, I was surprised by Enola Holmes’ certification rating of 12, however, I can understand why as there’s some mild violence towards the end. Apart from that, I think Enola Holmes can be enjoyed by families as there’s something for everyone.

Enola Holmes is set in the late nineteenth century, a time when women had no rights and were seen as nothing more than wives and mothers. However, Enola isn’t interested in marrying or becoming a proper woman, which makes her a respectable and good role model for younger female viewers. She’s smart, brave and determined to solve her mother’s mysterious disappearance. Although Enola Holmes takes place in the late 1800s, it’s a shame that women are still campaigning for equal rights.

Prior to watching Enola Holmes, I wasn’t sure what to expect, however, following its impressive positive critical reception, I decided to give it a watch and, fortunately, I wasn’t disappointed. Brown is delightful as the titular protagonist and the story is filled with mystery and adventure, leading to a thoroughly entertaining film.

7/10

KNIVES OUT REVIEW

*MAY CONTAIN SPOILERS*

For a mystery-based film to succeed, it has to keep the viewer guessing throughout and make it hard for them to correctly predict the outcome. If the revelation is correctly guessed before its revealed, it can lead to a boring watch. Fortunately, this wasn't the case for Rian Johnson's latest feature, Knives Out, a highly entertaining film that features a star-studded cast.

When renowned crime novelist Harlan Thrombey (Christopher Plummer) is found dead at his estate just after his 85th birthday, the inquisitive and debonair Detective Benoit Blanc (Daniel Craig) is mysteriously enlisted to investigate. From Harlan's dysfunctional family to his devoted staff, Blanc sifts through a web of red herrings and self-serving lies to uncover the truth behind Harlan's untimely death.

Johnson is best known for directing the underrated sci-fi feature, Looper, which was released in 2012, and Star Wars: The Last Jedi, which received a mixed reception from fans of the franchise. Although I like both films, I think that Knives Out is Johnson's best feature yet. In 2010, he expressed interest in making a murder mystery film and planned on making one following the release of Looper, however, he went on to make The Last Jedi. Johnson cited several classic mystery thrillers and mystery comedies as influences on Knives Out, including Murder on the Orient Express, Death on the Nile, Something's Afoot, Deathtrap and Clue. His script pays tribute to mystery mastermind Agatha Christie so fans of her novels will certainly enjoy what Johnson has created with Knives Out, a fun, modern-day murder mystery where everyone is a suspect. Knives Out succeeds as a mystery as it keeps its viewers guessing throughout and, because of the many twists and turns that feature within the story, it makes for an unpredictable watch. 

What I liked most about Knives Out was that it didn't take itself seriously. The tone is very tongue-in-cheek with its over-the-top and eccentric characters. The humour makes Knives Out all the more fun to watch, despite the serious themes of murder and suicide. 

The stand-out aspect of Knives Out is the star-studded cast, with Craig delivering an amusing portrayal of Detective Blanc. His performance makes you forget that he's also the most famous spy, James Bond, a role he's set to reprise in No Time To Die, which is due to be released next year. Familiar names include Chris Evans, who is perfectly cocky as Ransom, Jamie Lee Curtis as Harlan's eldest daughter, Linda, Michael Shannon as her brother, Walt, Don Johnson as Linda's husband, Richard and Toni Collette as Harlan's daughter-in-law, Joni. With this many famous names in one film, it would be easy for the film to feel overcrowded, however, each actor delivers a strong portrayal of their characters and they all get their moment to shine.  While the Thrombey family are affected by the death of Harlan, the story focuses on his caretaker and nurse, Marta (Ana de Armas), who vomits every time she tries to lie, however, Blanc believes she knows more about Harlan's mysterious death. Jaeden Martell's character, Jacob Thrombey, who tweets hate speech online, was inspired by angry Star Wars fans on Twitter that Johnson encountered following the release of The Last Jedi.
A marketing scheme that is used to promote a film is interviews with the cast. It's an effective method at getting people interested in the film as they hear the cast discuss what it was like on set and reveal details from behind the scenes. Judging from what I've seen from interviews with the cast for Knives Out, they all worked well together and that's why the film itself is such a success. It's not hard to see the actors having fun with their characters they're portraying which makes it fun for the audience to watch.

Following its premiere at the Toronto Film Festival in September, Knives Out has received critical acclaim, with the majority of them stating that the film shows Johnson at his best. Because of this and its impressive ensemble cast, it quickly became one of my most anticipated films and, fortunately, it didn't disappoint.

8/10

AD ASTRA REVIEW

*MAY CONTAIN SPOILERS*

The end of the year has seen the release of several memorable sci-fi films, including Interstellar, The Martian, Arrival and First Man. This year, it’s Ad Astra which, since its release last week, has divided critics and audiences. Critics have praised the special effects and Brad Pitt’s leading performances, however, audiences found it too slow and boring. While I agree with critics, I can understand why audiences failed to be impressed.
Ad Astra focuses on astronaut Roy McBride (Brad Pitt) who travels to the outer edges of the solar system to find his missing father, Clifford (Tommy Lee Jones) and unravel a mystery that threatens the survival of our planet. His journey will uncover secrets that challenge the nature of human existence and our place in the cosmos.
Prior to watching Ad Astra, I had no idea what to expect and, fortunately, I was pleasantly surprised and found it to be a thought provoking watch. Those expecting a film that is action packed will be disappointed as Ad Astra focuses more on its story. There are a few thrilling action sequences, including a lunar rover chase scene that sees Roy attacked by scavenging pirates whilst on his way to the SpaceCom base on the moon, which has become a cheap tourist trap, much to his disappontment.
Over the course of his 30 year long career, Pitt has shown his strength as an actor, however, I think that a lot of people will be surprised that he is yet to win an Oscar for Best Actor. The only Academy Award he's won is for being a producer on 12 Years A Slave which won the Best Picture award in 2014. Pitt succeeds at making Roy an interesting individual, however, I don't think he'll be nominated at the Academy Awards next year. While I wasn't a huge fan of the film, I found his performance in Quentin Tarantino's Once Upon A Time In Hollywood to be more memorable. Ad Astra features a solid supporting cast that includes Lee Jones, Donald Sutherland as Colonel Pruitt and Ruth Negga as Helen Lantos, however, neither has enough screen time to leave much of a lasting impression.
Roy's mission to find his father proves to be an incredibly difficult task. This is because Clifford has been missing for sixteen years. He was believed to be dead until mysterious power surges are linked to the Lima Project, which he was the leader of. This leads to Roy being sent across the Solar System in order to reach his father and find out what happened. For the majority of its 124 minute runtime, Ad Astra succeeds at being a compelling and unpredictable watch. All of the drama that occurs throughout the film leads to a moving and emotional climax when Roy finally reunties with his father. Unfortunately, it's not the happy reunion he was hoping for as Clifford confesses that he didn't once think about his wife or his son whilst he was gone. This revelation is both shocking and heartbreaking, however, that doesn't stop Roy from wanting to bring his father home. I think the ending will have a stronger impact on those who can relate to Roy whose relationship with his father is non-existent. Finding his father causes Roy to reflect on his own life and inspires him to reconnect with those closest to him, including his wife, Eve (Liv Tyler), who is only briefly seen in flashbacks. Despite the tragedy he just experienced, Roy returns to Earth with new-found optimism. I quite liked this ending as it concluded Roy's story and doesn't leave the viewer wondering what happens next.
The standout aspect of Ad Astra is its visual effects which is why it’s worth watching on the big screen. A lot of sci-fi films that overindulge on the special effects fail to impress as they tend to lack in interesting characters and a compelling story. That wasn’t the case for Ad Astra as director James Gray uses the special effects as a tool rather than relying on them. The cinematography by Hoyte van Hoytema also deserves a mention too and another reason why it's a must-see at the cinema as they won't be as impressive when viewed on a smaller screen. The special effects succeed at making you feel like you're in space with Roy and, by using close-up shots of his face, we can clearly see how much the mission is affecting him, both mentally and emotionally.
At the Cannes Film Festival in 2016, Gray stated that he wanted to make a sci-fi film to feature "the most realistic depiction of space travel that's been put in a movie and to basically say, 'Space is awfully hostile to us'." I think that he has mostly succeeded. Despite filming beginning in mid-Augst in 2017, it took two years to complete, mainly due to its cutting-edge special effects. It also received a poor reception from test screenings which lead to reshoots being conducted and an increase in the budget from $80 million to over $100 million. A lot of hard work has clearly gone into making Ad Astra an unforgettable viewing experience and, fortunately, the hard work has paid off.
One of the biggest questions is if there is life in outer space. When Roy reunites with Clifford, we learn that the latter has become obsessed with the possibility of non-human intelligent life in space. Throughout the film, Clifford is praised by the U.S. Space Command and is viewed in a positive light. However, when we finally meet Clifford towards the end, we see a darker side to him. His obsessive personality and actions have lead to the deaths of his crew and threatened life on Earth. This made me think if finding life in outer space was worth it if it meant the deaths of others.
With a film like Ad Astra, I think that it's best to view it without having seen the trailers or any knowledge of the plot. Those who saw the trailer were expecting a sci-fi epic that's similar to Interstellar which is why they left disappointed. Just because it's set in space doesn't necessarily mean it's going to be the same to any other sci-fi film that's been released.
Ad Astra may not be one of the best sci-fi films that's been released, however, it's entirely worth viewing on the big screen for its mesmerising visual effects and also for Brad Pitt's leading performance.
8/10

GLASS REVIEW

*MAY CONTAIN SPOILERS*

In 2017, director M. Night Shyamalan surprised his audiences when it was revealed that his latest film, Split, was actually a sequel to one of his earlier features, Unbreakable, which was released in 2000. He soon announced that he was creating a film that would link the two films together. Two years after the release of Split, Shyamalan has released Glass, however, does it live up to expectations or is it a disappointment like most highly anticipated sequels?
From Unbreakable, Bruce Willis returns as David Dunn as does Samuel L. Jackson as Elijah Price, known also by his pseudonym Mr. Glass. Joining from Split are James McAvoy, reprising his role as Kevin Wendell Crumb and the multiple identities who reside within, and Anya Taylor-Joy as Casey Cooke, the only captive to survive an encounter with The Beast. Following the conclusion of Split, Glass finds Dunn pursuing Crumb's superhuman figure of The Beast in a series of escalating encounters, while the shadowy presence of Price emerges as an orchestrator who holds secrets critical to both men.
I was pleasantly surprised after first watching Unbreakable two years ago. At the time, Shyamalan was known for his bad films, including After Earth, The Happening and The Last Airbender so I wasn’t expecting Unbreakable to be as good as it was. Despite the quality of Unbreakable, I wasn’t interested in seeing Split. However, with the release of Glass, I decided to finally watch Split and, while I enjoyed it overall and was impressed with McAvoy’s portrayal of an individual with dissociative identity disorder (DID), I think that making it a sequel to Unbreakable was unnecessary and I felt that Bruce Willis’ cameo felt forced. Split could have easily worked as a stand-alone thriller.
Prior to watching Glass, my expectations weren’t high, due to critics’ reviews ranging from mixed to negative. While I can definitely see people walking away from this disappointed, I think that Glass was a good sequel. It’s being described as a thriller and horror, however, for most of its runtime, Glass lacks both thrilling and scary elements. Its conclusion, which takes place outside a psychiatric hospital, features a lot of action, which leads to a surprise ending, a common trait in Shyamalan’s films.
Unbreakable describes Willis’ character, Dunn, who is the only survivor of a train crash and miraculously didn’t have any injuries. Split describes McAvoy’s character, Kevin Wendell Crumb, who suffers from DID. Glass is the nickname of Jackson’s character, Elijah Price, as he suffers from Type 1 osteogenesis imperfecta, also known as brittle bone disease, where his bones break easily like glass. While Jackson returns as the titular character, who, at the end of Unbreakable is sent to a psychiatric hospital, many people may be disappointed with his screen time. He doesn’t make his appearance until almost halfway through the film and, even then, he doesn’t say much. After being imprisoned for almost two decades, Price appears to be depressed. However, after both Crumb and Dunn are brought to the same psychiatric hospital and after discovering one of Crumb’s multiple personalities, known as ‘The Beast’, Price finally begins planning his escape. During the scenes with the doctors, although he isn’t communicating, you can tell he’s planning something dangerous. Jackson has given many memorable performances in the past and is currently best known for portraying Nick Fury in the Marvel Cinematic Universe. While his portrayal of Price isn’t his best, he proves that he can still give solid performances outside of franchises.
McAvoy, whose performance was the most impressive aspect of Split, doesn’t disappoint and shows off his ability to portray several different personalities in one scene. Willis, unfortunately, gives the weakest performance of the three. It’s not a terrible performance, it’s just that he isn’t given much to do, except fight against McAvoy’s ‘The Beast’ and, even then, his fighting sequences are performed by a stunt double. Returning characters include Anya Taylor-Joy as Casey, who was kidnapped by one of Kevin’s personalities, Dennis; Spencer Treat Clark as Dunn’s son, Joseph, and Charlayne Woodard as Price’s mother. While Taylor-Joy gave a solid performance in Split, I don’t agree with how Shyamalan’s written her character. You would think that, after going through something as traumatic as a kidnapping, the victim would never want to see their kidnapper again. However, Casey hasn’t stopped thinking about Kevin and wants to see him again. Clark and Woodard are given little to do. Sarah Paulson portrays Dr. Ellie Staple who is a psychiatrist that tries to convince Dunn, Price and Crumb that they don’t have supernatural abilities.
What I found most surprising about ‘Unbreakable’ was how well it worked as a unconventional superhero film. Now, the genre is associated with films in the MCU and DCEU (DC Extended Universe). Glass contains many references to superheroes and Dr Staple tries to convince her patients that they’re not superheroes, however, that is all proven wrong in the final act that takes place between Dunn, Price and Crumb outside the hospital. It isn’t one of the greatest fight sequences, however, it’s the most thrilling part of the film. What I found amusing were the references to Marvel and Avengers. The word, ‘Marvel’ appears on the front of a magazine and Jackson asks The Beast if he’s going to avenge them. I have no idea if these were intentional references or just a coincidence.
I think that, as a viewer, I’m not easily disappointed and my expectations are rarely high. I think that’s why I’m satisfied with Glass. I do still think that both Unbreakable and Split would’ve worked better as two stand-alone features and I don’t think Glass was necessary, however, I can understand Shyamalan’s decision to create a trilogy as it was interesting to see the characters of Dunn, Price and Crumb interact alongside each other.
7/10

BAD TIMES AT THE EL ROYALE REVIEW

*MAY CONTAIN SPOILERS*

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

7/10

A SIMPLE FAVOR REVIEW

*MAY CONTAIN SPOILERS*

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

*MAY CONTAIN SPOILERS*

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

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

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

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

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

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

8/10

ANNIHILATION REVIEW

*MAY CONTAIN SPOILERS*

Science fiction can mean different things to different people. There are those who associate the genre with space adventures as seen in the Star Wars and Star Trek franchises that feature a lot of special effects and action. Science fiction can also mean films that focus on though-provoking ideas and tell compelling stories. Alex Garland previously directed the 2014 feature, Ex Machina, which was described as sci-fi but focused more on the idea of artificial intelligence. It received critical acclaim with many praising Alicia Vikander's performance as the A.I., Eva. Now, Garland has returned with his latest feature, Annihilation. Based on Jeff VanderMeer's book of the same name, Annihilation features a lot of interesting ideas and a leading performance from Natalie Portman and also starring Oscar Isaac, Jennifer Jason Leigh, Tessa Thompson, Gina Rodriguez and Tuva Novotny. 

Lena's (Portman) husband, Kane (Isaac), disappeared a year ago. However, she is shocked to discover him at home, however, he's not the same. He can barely speak and becomes very ill, leading them both being sent to a facility. This is where she meets psychologist, Dr. Ventress, who explains that her husband was part of a team that went into explore The Shimmer, a mysterious zone where the laws of nature don’t apply. Lena puts her name forward for an expedition into The Shimmer to try and find out what happened to her husband. Joining her are Ventress,  a paramedic named Anya Thorensen (Rodriguez), a physicist named Josie Radek (Thompson) and Case Sheppard (Novotny) who is a surveyor and geologist.

Despite having a wide cinema release in the United States and Canada, Annihilation was released on the streaming site, Netflix, earlier this month. It's hard to understand why this decision was made as Annihilation is one of those films that would look a lot better on the big screen, due to its stunning visuals and impressive special effects. Back in December last year, it was announced that due to the clashes between Scott Rudin, the producer, and David Ellison, a financier at Paramount, and the shift in Paramount's leadership, a deal was struck with Netflix handling international distribution. According to this deal, Paramount will handle the US and China release, while Netflix will begin streaming the film in other territories 17 days later. Garland revealed he was disappointed by this decision stating that Annihilation was 'made for cinema'. He doesn't see anything wrong with Netflix necessarily and says that one of the big pluses is that it goes out to a lot of people and there's no need to be worried about making money at the box office during its opening weekend. To those who get an opportunity to see Annihilation on the big screen should take it as I can imagine it's a rewarding experience. I enjoyed watching it at home but it's hard to say whether I would've enjoyed watching it at my local cinema.

While Annihilation is a science-fiction feature, it can also be described as an adventure, drama, mystery and thriller all wrapped into one. Having all these genres can mean problems with the tone of the film, however, Garland successfully blends them together and Annihilation never loses its dark, bleak and mysterious tone. Annihilation succeeds mainly because it focuses on ideas and telling a captivating story. Just like Portman's character, Lena, we are as curious and interested in The Shimmer as she is. As the story progresses, we learn more and more about the goings on in this mysterious land. It's only towards the end of the film that we realise what's going on and the explanation for Kane's unusual behaviour. I think that's what I liked most about Annihilation was that it told a smart and though-provoking story without losing my focus. It is hard to say whether it will appeal to everyone. Those hoping for plenty of action are better off looking elsewhere as it's not that kind of film and those who aren't comfortable with violence should avoid watching this. There isn't much violence, however, there are a few intense scenes that involve characters being killed in gory ways. 

As Lena, Portman gives a strong leading performance. We follow her story and we respect her decision to journey into The Shimmer as she wants to find out what happened to her husband. Annihilation cuts to scenes of her in a room where she is being interviewed by a man in a contamination suit, Lomax (Benedict Wong), who is a scientist. This takes place after Lena has returned from The Shimmer and, because of this, we think that she is the only one that survives the expedition. However, it isn't until the ending that we realise that something isn't quite right with Lena. It's an impressive performance from Portman and one that further proves she's capable of handling roles outside of franchises such as Star Wars or Thor. Jason Leigh gives a solid portrayal of the psychologist who leads the expedition and makes most of the decisions. Thompson recently made an appearance in Thor: Ragnarok, ironically replacing Portman as Thor's potential love interest. As Radek, Thompson gives an understated supporting performance. Many may know Rodriguez from the sitcom, Jane The Virgin, where she played the titular character. However, as Thorensen, she proves she's capable of handling dramatic roles which is proven in one intense sequence where she accusses Lena of killing one of the team members. Isaac reunites with Garland after they previously collaborated on Ex Machina and, despite his scenes being limited, he gives a very good performance. During filming for Annihilation, Isaac was also filming Star Wars: The Last Jedi which was on an adjacent studio set and had the same trailer for both films and would often record scenes for both films on the same day.

When I heard that Annihilation was being released straight to Netflix, I wasn't that interested in seeing it, however, after seeing all the positive reviews that it's received, I knew I had to watch it. Fortunately, Annihilation didn't disappoint. It backs up its impressive visuals and genre thrills with an ambitious and strange exploration of challenging and though-provoking themes that will certainly have viewers pondering about long after the film has finished.

8/10

RED SPARROW REVIEW

*MAY CONTAIN SPOILERS*

When most people think of spy films, they think of James Bond, who has dominated our screens since he made his debut appearance in Dr. No in 1963. Or, with its sixth installment due later this year, the Mission: Impossible films, starring Tom Cruise. While these are all good films in their own way, the spy-based films have been dominated by males, which isn't necessarily a bad thing, but it's great seeing these type of films with a female lead. Angelina Jolie gave an impressive performance as Evelyn Salt, a CIA agent who is accused of being a spy, in the 2010 action film, Salt. And just last year, Charlize Theron portrayed undercover MI6 agent, Lorraine Broughton, in Atomic Blonde. While the films themselves weren't amazing, what I enjoyed most about the films were the performances from the leading females. They were strong, fierce and proved to be just as capable as a male actor at handling the physical and action-packed aspects of the film. While Red Sparrow is a spy-based thriller, don't go in expecting an Atomic Blonde copycat or a Black Widow rip-off, the tone of the film is darker and more serious. It's more similar to Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy than any other spy-based film that's been released before.

Dominika Egorova (Jennifer Lawrence) is many things. A devoted daughter determined to protect her mother (Joely Richardson) at all costs. A prima ballerina whose ferocity has pushed her body and mind to the absolute limit. A master of seductive and manipulative combat. When she suffers a career-ending injury, Dominika and her mother are facing a bleak and uncertain future. That is why she finds herself manipulated into becoming the newest recruit for Sparrow School, a secret intelligence service that trains exceptional young people like her to use their bodies and minds as weapons. After enduring the perverse and sadistic training process, she emerges as the most dangerous Sparrow the program has ever produced. Dominika must now reconcile the person she was with the power she now commands, with her own life and everyone she cares about at risk, including an American CIA agent, Nate Nash (Joel Edgerton), who tries to convince her he is the only person she can trust.

The best aspect of Red Sparrow is Lawrence's performance as Dominika. She continues to impress since making her breakthrough performance in Winter's Bone in 2010. She has come a long way in eight years, including winning an Academy Award in 2013 for her role as Tiffany in Silver Linings Playbook along with three other nominations and becoming well-known to younger audiences as Katniss Everdeen in The Hunger Games franchise. Last year, she shocked audiences and critics alike when she appeared in Darren Aronofsky's feature, mother!, late last year. It was an entirely different role for her as it involved her being physically abused towards the end of the film. It was a performance that was more worthy of another Oscar nomination but she unfairly received a Golden Raspberry nomination instead. To those who were shocked at the brutality Lawrence received in mother!, prepare to be shocked again. Over the course of 140 minute runtime, Dominika is physically and sexually abused and there are scenes that involve physical torture. Those of you uncomfortable with films that involve heavy violence and graphic nudity are better off avoiding Red Sparrow. In 2014, Lawrence had her privacy violated when nude photos, that she had sent to then boyfriend, Nicholas Hoult, were published online for everyone to see. That incident effected Lawrence. However, with Red Sparrow, she was able to overcome the trauma. Her role as Dominika involved going full nude, which Lawrence was nervous about, however, when it came to film those scenes, she said that everyone on set treated her the same and like she was wearing clothes. The entirety of Red Sparrow is worth watching just for Lawrence's performance. Solid supporting roles come from Edgerton, Charlotte Rampling (as the stern Matron of the Sparrow school that Dominika attends), and Matthias Schoenarts (as Dominika's uncle Ivan). 

If I'm being honest, I think that critics have been unfair with Red Sparrow, with most of them stating that it's a dull, boring feature and that it's too violent. The reason why I think that it's unfair is because critics have praised similar films, including The Girl With The Dragon Tattoo, which featured a lot of heavy violence, graphic nudity and scenes that showed sexual abuse. In my opinion, Red Sparrow is, like last year's mother!, is going to divide audiences. It's not a film that you can enjoy and it's far from entertaining, however, it features a thought provoking narrative with twists and turns you never see coming. Those who have read the original 2013 novel by Jason Matthews won't be disappointed as I think that Justin Haythe's screenplay follows it faithfully. With Matthews being a former CIA operative, his book provided insight into the way espionage is conducted. 

Apart from Lawrence's captivating performance and the thought-provoking narrative, another aspect I liked about the film was its cinematography and visuals. On her missions, Dominika travels to Budapest, Vienna and London and what makes these scenes more impressive was the fact that they were filmed on location. What annoys me with films is when they record in studios and recreate the location using computer generated imagery or greenscreen so it's refreshing to see that the director, Francis Lawrence, chose to shoot in these beautiful places. And, speaking of Francis Lawrence, I think that he was a great choice to direct. He previously worked with Jennifer Lawrence on the final three installments in The Hunger Games franchise so the two clearly know each other well enough to work together again. And, in interviews for promotion for Red Sparrow, it's clear how much Francis is passionate about this film. In one interview, Francis said, "There's people who think it's very similar to the Black Widow story. This is not pulled from Black Widow, this is pulled from Red Sparrow, you know, it's written by a guy who was in the CIA. It's like, his references are coming from a very, very different place from that. But there'll always be that. People like to put things in boxes, and I think it's a really unique film. This is a thriller, it's not action, again it's not gadgetry. It's a hard-R. There's violence, it's a bit perverse, it's suspenseful, a lot of intrigue. It's a different kind of spy film". I agree wholeheartedly with what Francis is saying. People should be watching Red Sparrow because there are no action sequences or cool gadgets. It's different to any other spy-based film and that's what really impressed me the most. I like filmmakers who aren't afraid to go all out with their films and that's exactly what Francis does here. 

Overall, Red Sparrow follows a different path to most spy-based films which makes it original. Jennifer Lawrence gives another impressive performance and proves she can handle any role.

8/10

MURDER ON THE ORIENT EXPRESS REVIEW

*MAY CONTAIN SPOILERS*

First published in 1934, Murder On The Orient Express has gone on to be one of Agatha Christie's best-selling and well-known novels. It was the book that certified her legacy as one of the greatest mystery/crime authors that ever lived. Since its publication, it has been adapted into two feature films (one in 1974 and this latest adaptation) and two TV series, in 2001 and on an episode of Agatha Christie's Poirot in 2010. With so many adaptations, was there really any need for another one? In my opinion, yes, as a lot of today's generation of viewers, including me, have probably never read the original book or seen the 1974 film. Kenneth Branagh's adaptation of Christie's famous novel has a modern look to it and features the best actors, from both Britain and Hollywood. These include Branagh himself, as the famous Belgium detective Hercule Poirot, Michelle Pfeiffer, Dame Judi Dench, Penelope Cruz, Daisy Ridley, Josh Gad and many more. However, is Murder On The Orient Express a successful adaptation or one of this year's many disappointments?

In 1930s Europe, famed detective Hercule Poirot boards the legendary Orient Express for a small break in between cases. While on board, he meets an interesting assortment of characters. One fellow passenger, Samuel Ratchett (Johnny Depp), implores Mr. Poirot to assist him while on the train as he fears for his well-being, though Poirot respectfully declines. The next morning, Ratchett is found dead. With the train halted due to snow build up on the tracks, and with the evidence and suspects piling up, Poirot finds himself diving into a case that could be his biggest yet.

Because I hadn't read Christie's book or seen any of its adaptations prior to seeing Murder On The Orient Express, I had no idea what to expect and, fortunately, I was pleasantly surprised and thoroughly enjoyed Branagh's take on the classic novel. The main problem with this latest feature is that a lot of older viewers will have read the book or seen the 1974 film and will already know what to expect which can leave them disappointed. Those who haven't experienced Murder On The Orient Express in any way will probably enjoy it more. In comparison to other adaptations, it's probably not that good, however, it works as a stand-alone mystery drama. 

Where Murder On The Orient Express succeeds is in Branagh's fast pacing and the suspense he maintains throughout. The majority of the film takes place on the Orient Express and, by using certain camera shots, it has a claustrophobic feel to it. The corridors are tight and the rooms are small so there's nowhere for the murderer to hide. What I found most impressive was Branagh's choices of camera angles and shots. The scene where Poirot, the conductor and the doctor discover the dead body is shot using an overhead angle which I thought was an interesting way to shoot a scene. We don't see the body itself until later in the film, what we do see is the shocked reactions of the characters. 

While the majority of Murder On The Orient Express does have a dark tone and chilling atmosphere, Branagh does sprinkle a few lighthearted moments throughout. His portrayal of the famous detective, Poirot, sparks a few chuckles, due to his lighthearted and likable personality. Poriot has been portrayed by many actors throughout the years, with many regarding David Suchet as the best portrayal in the 1989 drama series. Because of all the previous portrayals, there was a lot of pressure for Branagh to get the character just right and I think he has succeeded. He further proves why he's one of the best actors working today as he puts his all into his performance. It must have been a tough challenge to act and direct at the same time but, nevertheless, he has achieved it. 

Because of its star-studded cast, there's not a bad performance to be found. Michelle Pfeiffer was impressive as the widowed Mrs Hubbard and has a stand-out scene towards the end of the film. Daisy Ridley is currently best known for appearing as Rey in the latest Star Wars films, however, as the Governess, Mary Debenham, she proves that she's capable of handling dramatic roles outside of the famous sci-fi films. I was also impressed by Josh Gad who, in the past few years, has become better known for his comedic roles, however, as Ratchett's assistant, Hector MacQueen, he gives a good dramatic performance. Despite being given less screen time, every actor gives a solid performance. 

As for the mystery itself, I had no idea how the film was going to end. I was unsure of who the murderer was and was completely surprised by the ending. I can now understand why Murder On The Orient Express is one of the greatest mystery novels of all time. Like most good mysteries, it's full of clues, pieces of evidence and red herrings to keep audiences guessing. Each viewer will have a different opinion on who the killer is, however, they'll definitely be shocked at who it turns out to be. The twist leads to a thought-provoking climax about justice and revenge. After solving the murder mystery, Poirot must make the hard decision about whether or not to turn the murderer in. After a short while, he decides not to. This is because, earlier in the film, he made a dark and disturbing discovery about Ratchett, which lead to Poirot's understanding of why the murderer killed him. It was all about getting justice and Ratchett finally getting the punishment he deserves. 

Murder On The Orient Express isn't a perfect film and I'm sure that, once I read Christie's book or see the 1974 adaptation, I'll think less of it. Despite this, my first thoughts are that it's a thoroughly successful adaptation that features a star-studded cast and great directing from Kenneth Branagh who gives a fresh portrayal of Hercule Poirot.

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 

WIND RIVER REVIEW

*MAY CONTAIN SPOILERS*

Taylor Sheridan is best known for writing the screenplays for Sicario and Hell Or High Water, both of which were successful in terms of reception, box office and at the Academy Awards. However, for the first time in his career, Sheridan directs and his latest feature, Wind River, is a very impressive debut. I doubt those who have seen and liked the aforementioned films will be disappointed as the tone of Wind River is very similar. It's dark, grim and, at times, disturbing. While all three films can be described as crime thrillers, they're more concerned with deeply flawed and wounded characters. 

A rookie FBI agent, Jane Banner (Elizabeth Olsen), teams up with a local game tracker with deep community ties and a haunted past, Cory Lambert (Jeremy Renner), to investigate the murder of a local girl, Natalie (Kelsey Asbille) on a remote Native American Reservation in the hopes of solving her mysterious death.

Wind River begins by stating that this story was 'inspired by true events'. This makes the film all the more difficult to watch, however, it never fails to lose our attention. Every scene is just as intense as the one before it as we follow both Banner and Lambert as they work together to find out what happened to Natalie. The whole narrative is heavily driven by the two and are developed into three dimensional characters over the course of the film. This is mainly thanks to Sheridan's expert writing but also because of the two strong performances both Renner and Olsen give. Prior to their appearance in Wind River, the pair are best known for appearing in the Avengers films, however, it doesn't take us long to forget about Hawkeye and the Scarlet Witch once we first meet their characters. Renner's Lambert is a caring father but is still haunted by the death of his daughter three years earlier. Natalie's death effects him as his daughter was best friends with her and he becomes determined to find out what happened to her. This leads to him helping FBI agent, Banner, who is unprepared for what lies ahead. Despite this, she remains brave and fierce throughout. Both actors give what is probably their best performances in their career so far. Renner's best scene occurs when he talks about his daughter's death to Banner. We feel his heartbreak and makes us more sympathetic towards him.

Sheridan's screenplay has everything a murder mystery fan can expect: red herrings, belligerent witnesses, unhelpful friends and family, romance and sex and an element of personal danger for the investigators. A few gun shoot outs appear every now and again, but those hoping for a James Bond type action are better off looking elsewhere. Wind River is more of a slow-burn thriller and is focused on a gradual build up of tension until the pressure is released in a sudden burst. The narrative isn't that unpredictable and those who enjoy this genre probably won't be surprised with how things turn out in the end. However, the story is skillfully told and, in the end, there isn't any ambiguity about the crime. The revelation is told via a flashback and us, as a viewer, are privy to more information than the characters. This flashback may be difficult to watch as it features a graphic rape scene so I would hesitate before watching this. Another triggering scene shows Banner walking in on Natalie's mother self-harming. Those who are triggered by rape and self-harm may want to give this a miss. 

Admittedly, having not seen Sicario or Hell Or High Water, I wasn't sure if I was going to like this. Fortunately, Wind River proved to be better than what I expected and has now made me want to watch the aforementioned films. Sicario was directed by Denis Villeneuve and Hell Or High Water was directed by David Mackenzie, however, Sheridan proves himself to be just as capable as either of the two directors in realising his vision - the bleak, cold, snowy setting is effectively crafted and Wind River crackles with intensity when the need arises. Its narrative matches the character-based aspects with the mystery/thriller ones for a late summer experience that is compelling and moving. I can definitely see this being acknowledged by the Academy next year, it's too good not to go unnoticed.

Wind River grabs its viewer's attention by luring them into a character-driven mystery-based narrative with smart writing, two strong leading performances and a skillfully rendered setting that delivers the bitter chill promised by its title.

8/10

ATOMIC BLONDE REVIEW

*MAY CONTAIN SPOILERS*

Earlier this year, the sequel to the 2014 action-packed thriller, John Wick, was released and received critical acclaim. While I've seen the first film, I'm yet to see Chapter Two. David Leitch, who was an uncredited director on John Wick, debuts with his first feature and the results are impressive. Atomic Blonde is the female-driven version of John Wick we didn't know we needed. Of course, audiences might be a bit apprehensive because it was only a few months since John Wick: Chapter Two was released, however, there's no need to worry as, while the two films share similarites, Atomic Blonde can stand up well on its own without the comparision.

A high-stakes, global action-thriller that takes place in the city of Berlin, on the eve of the Wall's collapse and the shifting of superpower alliances. Lorraine Broughton (Charlize Theron) is a top-level spy for MI6 and is dispatched to Berlin to take down a ruthless espionage ring that has just killed an undercover agent for reasons unknown. She is ordered to cooperate with Berlin station chief David Percival (James McAvoy), and the two form an uneasy alliance, unleashing their full arsenal of skills in pursuing a threat that jeopardizes the West's entire intelligence operation.

The narrative is far from original as it concerns an agent tracking down a list of agents which has been used in the first Mission: Impossible film and Skyfall, the 2012 James Bond film. Fortunately, the two leading performances and the action and stunt sequences make up for the weak plot. Like in John Wick, Atomic Blonde features some visually stunning imagery that makes each scene stand out. However, the contrasts are shown clearly in the streets of Berlin, where the colours are mainly bleak and grey to represent the mood of the Cold War. 

As the leading protagonist, Theron gives a committed performance and makes Lorraine a fierce individual. She spent five years developing this film and is credited as one of the producers. To prepare for the role, she even trained with Keanu Reeves, who plays John Wick, as he was training at the same time for the sequel. All the hard work has paid off as Theron gives one of her best performances since her Oscar-winning role in the 2003 film, Monster, and in the action-packed remake, Mad Max: Fury Road, in 2015. While Lorraine is fierce and isn't afraid to hold back from a kick or a punch or a gun shot, she has her weaknesses. You beat her, she'll bruise. Despite this, she always manages to get back up, which makes her a respected individual. Atomic Blonde is worth watching just for Theron's performance. James McAvoy gives a great performance as David Percival, who we're rightfully suspicious of from the beginning. After filming wrapped for Split, McAvoy started filming on Atomic Blonde straight away. Despite injuring his hand on the set of Split, he still had to endure all his action scenes. Solid supporting roles come from Sofia Boutella (as a love interest for Lorraine), Toby Jones, John Goodman and Eddie Marsan.

Because this is directed by David, who is best known for his stunts in films such as The Bourne Ultimatum, X-Men Origins: Wolverine and two of the Matrix films, it should only seem fitting that the stunts featured in Atomic Blonde don't disappoint. Fortunately, Leitch has succeeded. The film is at its best during its fight sequences as they feature impressive stunts. He doesn't hold back on the violence which is why Atomic Blonde is rated 15 (R in the US). Each fight is choreographed perfectly and, by using a stable camera, Leitch fully captures the gory violence. Atomic Blonde is not for the faint hearted.

Atomic Blonde isn't the best action-packed thriller to ever be released, however, it's still worth a watch for Charlize Theron's fierce and strong performance as the main protagonist. It has a weak beginning, however, once the action kicks in, the thrills never stop until the end credits. Each scene could've done without the soundtrack blasting, however, it doesn't damage the scene and I can understand why Leitch opted to use songs rather than scores. If you're looking for a film that features a powerful individual that's full of action and thrills and impressive stunts and visually stunning imagery, look no further than Atomic Blonde.

7/10