Review Category: Movie

Whilst filming a low-budget zombie movie in an abandoned facility, a team of filmmakers are attacked by real zombies. In amongst the chaos, the director tells the crew to ‘keep rolling’. With One Cut of the Dead (Kamera o tomeru na!), we have a film that can honestly be described as the greatest zombie comedy since Shaun of the Dead.

After watching the trailer, you may be wondering; “What is so special about this film?” Well, you honestly have to witness it to believe it. This writer is not a fan of public cinema audiences at the best of times, but this is truly a special experience that is best received amongst a sea of fellow side-splitting, popcorn-spewing zombie fans that are struggling to breathe because of all the laughter. In order to entice you into experiencing the film for yourself without ruining the pure genius of it, we will avoid as many spoilers as physically possible.

The plot is a simple one but it’s constructed in such a way that it’s a fantastic accomplishment for an independent film; with its timing and careful planning as the first part of the film is entirely, as the title says, in one cut. However, audiences may be slightly bewildered by some of the hesitation and awkward delivery from some of our actors which may beg the question of “what exactly am I watching?” There have been reports that some audience members have tapped out at this point. Please trust us when we say, the real fun is about to begin as the second and third acts reveal so much more about what we have just witnessed.

Every single piece of the first part of our tale is meticulously crafted by director, writer, and editor Shinichiro Ueda that when the film ends, everything falls into place perfectly and you have one of the best zombie comedies of all time. It is also clear to see that he has constructed a love letter to filmmaking and the chaos that can ensue when attempting to realise your project to its full potential. Ueda has masterfully organised a film that, no matter where you are from, you can enjoy every single second of it.

One Cut of the Dead’s budget was, in comparison to many films in the current age, a measly $27,000 (approximately three million Yen) and has took Japan by storm. Opening in a small theatre for a six-day run, the film, much like zombies themselves, spread like wildfire and in 2018 was the most successful film in Japan making over 1,000 times its budget.

It stars a plethora of unknown/amateur actors who, we would like to imagine, will get more and more roles after this breakout film based on their terrific performances and barnstorming chemistry with each other. A personal standout is Takayuki Hamatsu, who plays the film’s director, Higurashi. Whilst being simply hilarious throughout the film, he manages to capture the emotion of a small-time director who wants to create art rather than just a ‘film’ or ‘TV show’. His relationship with his daughter is brought to life in spectacular fashion when he shares the screen with Mao. Another particular highlight was that of Harumi Shuhama’s Nao, wife of Higurashi, who gets so caught up in her roles that it’s equally funny and terrifying.

At its core, it’s a zombie comedy made on a low-budget but it is genuinely so much more than that. It possesses great heart, interesting characters and as mentioned previously, is the director’s way of communicating the trials, passion, and joy of creating art in a new and thoroughly entertaining approach that you may well have not experienced before. There’s so much more we would love to share, but you must experience this story yourself in order to get the most appreciation out of this pure love letter to filmmaking. It’s POM-tastic!

ONE CUT OF THE DEAD / CERT: 18 / DIRECTOR & SCREENPLAY: SHIN’ICHIRÔ UEDA / STARRING: TAKAYUKI HAMATSU, YUZUKI AKIYAMA, HARUMI SHUHAMA / RELEASE DATE: OUT NOW

Expected Rating: 8 out of 10

Yorgos Lanthimos first caught our eye with the release of the extraordinary The Lobster back in 2015 and this opulent, stately and often bawdy period drama, shot through with comedy, tragedy, and political intrigue, is a heady and intoxicating brew, which is rightly garnering Oscar nods and eases Olivia Colman ever closer to the ‘National Treasure’ status that is clearly so rightfully hers. Told in eight distinct chapters (titled from dialogue within those chapters), The Favourite explores the extraordinary 18th-century power struggle between Sarah Churchill (Weisz) and her down-on-her-luck cousin Abigail (Stone) as they battle for the affections of the quirky, ailing Queen Anne (Colman). Largely disinterested in the political machinations spiralling around her, Anne is crippled by gout and, as we learn, emotionally devastated by the unimaginable loss of the seventeen children she has carried. Her confidante Sarah (Weisz) becomes her lover but their secret tryst is threatened by the arrival of Sarah’s cousin Abigail (Stone) who spies the couple together (although there’s nothing really salacious here beyond a bit of explicit – and gutbustingly funny – dialogue) and uses what she’s learned to prise the illicit couple apart and take Sarah’s place at Anne’s side and in her bed.

The Favourite is a bold, vivacious movie. Lanthimos has sidelined his usual slightly arthouse tendencies and, with the help of a beautifully judged script (originally written years ago by Deborah Davis but buffed up by Tony McNamara) created a film that sometimes – and this is no criticism – drifts into Carry On Anne territory, but is more often the immersive, gripping and oddly touching story of a powerful-yet-weak damaged woman used and manipulated by those she has chosen to trust. Despite her frailties and ailments, she is still able to assert her authority for the sake of her country and, perhaps, her own well-being. Olivia Colman, her career already a glittering and enviable CV, has never been better than as the feisty, shouty, sweary Anne; it’s a perfectly pitched performance, which deftly balances pathos and comedy as she rages at lowly servants and delivers devastating putdowns to a parade of simpering courtiers and bewigged politicians. Anne becomes increasingly frustrated at her inability to enjoy any real quality of life, locking herself away in her bedroom as those in her circle revel in the delights of such popular past times as duck racing and throwing rotten fruit at naked fat blokes. She’s fair game, then, for Weisz’s cunning, plausible Sarah, playing on Anne’s dependency and encouraging her to raise taxes for the ongoing war with France, which will glorify Sarah’s husband Marlborough (Gatiss), much to the consternation of government minister Robert Harley (Hoult). Into Anne’s court stumbles Abigail (Stone), Sarah’s cousin who expertly slips into Anne’s confidence and outmanoeuvres the increasingly-desperate Sarah at every turn.

This is a movie that doesn’t put foot a wrong across its two-hour runtime (apart from one or two musical cues, which might grate a little). It’s often killingly funny, its sometimes modernistic humour never straying into parody or farce, and yet the tragedy of Anne’s circumstance is never far away and our sympathies drift between each of these strong, wily women as their fortunes ebb and flow and the balance of power (the film’s original title) tips back and forth as the story progresses.

The Favourite deserves all the acclaim and plaudits it’s been showered with and more and it’s a delight to see Lanthimos keeping his quirkier tendencies at bay and crafting a sly, joyous, gloriously elegant comedy/drama of manners that kicks off a New Year at the movies in style.

THE FAVOURITE / CERT: 15 / DIRECTOR: YORGOS LANTHIMOS / SCREENPLAY: DEBORAH DAVIS, TONY MCNAMARA / STARRING OLIVIA COLMAN, EMMA STONE, RACHEL WEISZ, NICHOLAS HOULT, JOHN ARWYN, MARK GATISS / RELEASE DATE: OUT NOW

Expected Rating: 8 out of 10

What else can really be said about filmmaker Robert Zemeckis at this point? This is the director that brought us such timeless classics as the 1994 Best Picture winner Forrest Gump, the Back to the Future series, and the ground-breaking Who Framed Roger Rabbit. He’s clearly a seminal talent in the industry, and to say that his earlier films remain influential to this day is simply an understatement. His work in the last decade, however, has so far failed to capture our collective imaginations in the same way, so is Welcome to Marwen a return to form?

In the early 2000s, a man named Mark Hogancamp (Carell) visits a bar where he begins talking to four men. Hogancamp eventually shares to them that he loves to wear stiletto shoes instead of men’s shoes, which causes the four to severely harass him. Disturbingly, this ultimately leads to Mark being brutally beaten to within an inch of his life, drastically altering the things he can on a daily basis. Before, he was an incredible illustrator, but because of the trauma caused by the incident his hands now shake, severely diminishing his abilities. In an attempt to heal, Mark builds a wondrous fictional town named Marwen, which allows him to truly be himself by setting up elaborate scenarios with its doll residents.

You may have noticed in recent years that Carell is aggressively making a transition from comedy into drama. This is certainly working, as yet again he does a great job here, especially with the heavier, more emotional scenes. It’s impossible not to feel sympathy for his characte, especially when you factor in that the film is based on a true story. As evidenced in the marketing, one of the picture’s most significant selling points is the doll element itself, which is only ever half successful. Sequences of mayhem with these plastic figures are a ton of fun to watch, and it’s hard not to smile when you’re watching these characters battle it out, yet when it comes to them being integrated with the real world, it’s incredibly jarring.

Kim Miles shot Welcome to Marwen and it looks genuinely beautiful throughout. Zemeckis also does a reasonably good job at directing (which should come as no surprise), but the real problem here is the script by Zemeckis and Caroline Thompson. It simply comes across as uninteresting at times, and it’s difficult to get invested in until much later on in the narrative, with the first act especially being tediously slow. The dialogue can also be rather cringe-inducing on occasion.

Despite a great performance from the increasingly impressive Carell and an interesting story at its heart, Welcome to Marwen sadly fails to impress with its lacklustre script and pacing issues.

DIRECTOR: ROBERT ZEMECKIS | SCREENPLAY: CAROLINE THOMPSON, ROBERT ZEMECKIS | STARRING: STEVE CARELL, LESLIE MANN, DIANE KRUGER, MERRITT WEVER, JANELLE MONÁE, EIZA GONZÁLEZ, GWENDOLINE CHRISTIE | RELEASE DATE: JANUARY 1ST

Earlier in the year, we were treated with yet another film starring the Merc with a Mouth in Deadpool 2, which we thought was quite a blast. The film managed to add more layers and humour in the sequel, which was also a massive surprise. One of the biggest complaints about 2009’s X-Men Origins: Wolverine ​was that the character of Deadpool was envisioned completely wrong. He did not tell his signature crude jokes or even talk, which is a crucial element of the Marvel Comics character. This is why the idea behind Once Upon a Deadpool is rather strange to say the least.

Wade Wilson/Deadpool learns of a time travelling mutant assassin known as Cable (Brolin) who is hunting down an extremely gifted child named Firefist (Dennison), and now Wilson must protect the child from being exterminated, as well as dealing with the emotional turmoil of his girlfriend’s death.

So, yes, this has the exact same story as this year’s ​Deadpool 2, but it is recut as a PG-13 film with a couple of new scenes added in, such as Wilson reading bedtime stories to Fred Savage in the style of the classic ​The Princess Bride.

When you whittle it down, ​Once Upon a Deadpool really fails to justify why it exists in the first place. One of the reasons why the previous ​Deadpool​ entries worked so well, is because they understood what makes the character appealing – his unapologetic inappropriate humour. This time, as a PG-13 re-working, it does not feel like the Deadpool we know and love, much like in the aforementioned Origins.

There are a number of good, witty jokes to be found here, but it just manages to make you chuckle, instead of genuinely laugh. If you found immense enjoyment with ​Deadpool 2, there is fun to be had here but we have already seen this film before. Adding in a few bonus scenes doesn’t really give any good reason why this exists. A portion of the proceeds do go to charity, but even still, this feels like it exists to earn lots of money for the studio.

Once Upon a Deadpool fails to justify its existence with a watered down version of the beloved character, even if it does have some clever jokes spread throughout. Ironically, in the UK, this ‘family friendly’ version has received the same certificate as the full-blooded one.

ONCE UPON A DEADPOOL / CERT: 15 / DIRECTOR: DAVID LEITCH / SCREENPLAY: RHETT REESE, PAUL WENICK / STARRING: RYAN REYNOLDS, JOSH BROLIN, MORENA BACCARIN, FRED SAVAGE / RELEASE DATE: OUT NOW

In 1964, Mary Poppins and Julie Andrews were ‘practically perfect in every way’ and while Emily Blunt tries her best, the original sets far too high a standard for Mary Poppins Returns to hope to achieve.

With Michael and Jane, the Banks children from the original film, all grown up, widower Michael is having difficulties making ends meet in the old house on Cherry Tree Lane and taking care of his own three children: Anabel, John, and Georgie. As the house comes under threat of repossession by the very bank his father worked for, a gust of wind brings Mary Poppins back into their lives.

Rather than take the original as a jumping off point for some new ‘stuff and nonsense’, as with Disney’s bonkers Christopher Robin with Ewan McGregor, director Marshall seems to have taken the original as a blueprint to be slavishly followed.

There’s a song to introduce Mary to the children, a 2D animation sequence, the visit to one of Mary’s bizarre relatives (Meryl Streep!) and a getting lost in London sequence. The new film even replicates the staginess of Step in Time with chimney sweeps replaced by BMX-biking lamplighters.

Using instrumental versions of the songs from the first film, in-between musical numbers also works against the sequel as it just goes to remind you how good those songs are. The presence of Lin Manuel Miranda, jokey English accent and all, also brings to mind just you how much more memorable the songs from Moana were. One standout is the heartbreaking, almost spoken word A Conversation, with Ben Wishaw conversing with his dead wife, but that’s hardly the take away you want from a Poppins movie.

Where Andrews was stern with a sense of fun underneath, Blunt’s Poppins comes off as permanently haughty. Even after she dons a bobbed wig, in a possible nod to Marshall’s own Chicago, and lets rip with a ‘cockerney’ accent, there’s a stiffness to her Mary Poppins that never really melts away.

On the other hand Julie Waters and Colin Firth are hugely entertaining. Meryl Streep’s turn as cousin Topsy is just plain weird, and not in a good way.

This lack of a magic only really dissipates in the last 20 minutes, after the unsatisfying plot is wrapped up (the location of the share certificate required to save the Banks’ house is obvious from early on) when Dick Van Dyke makes his expected but delightful cameo. A sequence with balloons, Angela Lansbury(!) and most of the cast is truly delightful but doesn’t involve Mary and marks her exit from the film with no emotional send off for either generations of Banks children or the audience.

MARY POPPINS RETURNS / CERT: U / DIRECTOR: ROB MARSHALL / SCREENPLAY: DAVID MAGEE, ROB MARSHALL, JOHN DELUCA / STARRING: EMILY BLUNT, EMILY MORTIMER, BEN WHISHAW, LIN-MANUEL MIRANDA, PIXIE DAVIES, NATHANAEL SALEH, JOEL DAWSON COLIN FIRTH, JULIE WALTERS / RELEASE DATE: DECEMBER 21ST

Expected Rating:  8 out of 10

No matter what your personal feelings on the DCEU movies so far, you have to admit there have been some missteps along the way. ‘Martha’ and whatever Lois was up to with that Kryptonite spear in Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice. Cavill’s moustache and the lack of Darkseid in Justice League. Even the great Wonder Woman had a slightly disappointing CGI climax.

For the most part, James Wan avoids such pitfalls, although, he may have let things get a little too goofy by the end.

After introducing Arthur’s origins and the interrupted love story between his parents Tom Curry (Morrison) and Queen Atlanna (a kick-ass Kidman), Arthur will need to embrace his Atlantean heritage to prevent the rise of his half-brother Orm (a terrific Wilson), who plans to wage war on the world of the ‘surface dwellers’. Along with Amber Heard’s Mera Arthur will embark on a quest for mythical Atlantean artefact while dealing with interruptions from long time Aquaman nemesis Black Manta.

Arthur’s careless actions early in the film lead directly to Black Manta becoming an antagonist but while plot points like these may have gone unaddressed in previous DCEU movies, here Arthur actually gets to express regret over his decision. The same approach is taken throughout, with any apparently convenient plot developments being addressed satisfyingly later.

As to be expected from the director of Furious 7, the action is well handled and it’s only when the story relocates to the Sahara do you realise that a large section of the movie has already taken place ‘underwater’. The undersea effects may not convince anyone that the actors are actually underwater, but they do a good enough job of making the alien undersea world convincing.

Momoa and Heard are great their roles, although Heard seems to be accompanied by an Evanescence knock-off whenever she fights, which is weird in a film that already features Depeche Mode, Roy Orbison and Toto on the soundtrack. Momoa delivers the same charming tough guy with a heart of gold shtick that has been his stock and trade since Ronon on Stargate: Atlantis, although thankfully the final film ditches the CHEE-HOO’s that littered the trailers and made him sound like Maui from Moana.  Patrick Wilson almost steals the show as Orm/Ocean Master as he gleefully channels Russell Crowe in Gladiator when addressing his Atlantean subjects.

It’s only in the third act do proceedings almost jump the shark, with a hidden world that feels like a nod to Warlords of Atlantis and a ridiculously massive battle that tries to outdo all the battle scenes from Lord of the Rings movies, at once, underwater and that’s before the Kaiju turns up. Mercifully the scale is reduced to a more human size for the last action sequence which allows Momoa and Wilson to show off their posing and trident skills, which are considerable. The film is sure to be a rich source of desktop backgrounds.

Wan has delivered a solid aquaman film, something you would not have thought possible until recently, building upon the most well-known aspects of Aquaman lore. Even the much-mocked ability to talk to fish ends up integral to the plot! Watch it on as big a screen as you can (and also stay seated for a mid-credits sequence).

AQUAMAN / CERT: 12A / DIRECTOR: JAMES WAN / SCREENPLAY: DAVID LESLIE JOHNSON-MCGOLDRICK, WILL BEALL, GEOFF JOHNS, JAMES WAN/ STARRING: JASON MOMOA, AMBER HEARD, PATRICK WILSON, WILLEM DAFOE, TEMUERA MORRISON, NICOLE KIDMAN / RELEASE DATE: DECEMBER 12TH

Expected Rating: 6 out of 10

In the year 1987, a galactic war on the planet Cybertron is unfolding between the heroic Autobots and villainous Decepticons. The Autobots alert on of their kind, Bumblebee, to travel to Earth to alert the citizens of the danger that could soon come to their world, and to hide. On this planet lives a teenage girl named Charlie Watson (Steinfeld) who has a deep passion for cars and repairing them. It’s not long until she finds out the true nature of this Volkswagen Beetle and goes on a journey to protect Bumblebee from the threats of the Decepticons and Agent Jack Burns (Cena).

This is the sixth instalment in the long-running ​Transformers film franchise, and without a doubt it’s the best yet. All but a few of the issues we had with the other entries have been addressed and erased here, director Travis Knight opting for a much more grounded and charming story, free of the absurd seriousness that plagued its predecessors. Charlie is also the franchise’s best protagonist, and one that actually makes you care for her plight. Early on, we learn that her father has passed away, and witness her struggle with loneliness. Her younger brother Otis (Drucker) seems to be getting all the attention around the house which makes her feel even less appreciated. Almost everything in her life is terrible for her, so when the bond between her and Bumblebee begins to blossom, it feels so natural you begin to cherish the moments the two spend together. Her character is layered, and as the story progresses the more we get to learn about her. It’s also quite a humorous film too, with many moments landing especially well. While most of these are good, clean fun, there are a couple of gags that feel out of place, occasionally steering into Michael Bay territory by being inappropriately sexualised.

Something to really appreciate with ​Bumblebee is the action sequences. With Bay’s five Transformers pictures, they all seemed to rely solely on those set-pieces to win audiences over in hopes they would forget about an actual story. This time around, the story comes first. Whenever we do see Transformers going head-to-head with one another, it feels remarkably visceral and intense.

Occasionally, the narrative can be a bit jumpy, especially in the first act. We transition from quite a few locations in a short space of time and it’s quite jarring for the audience. Sadly, Cena’s character Agent Burns isn’t a compelling villain here either, trope-ridden as he is.

Brimming with fun and charming scenes, a compelling story, and a great hero in Hailee Steinfeld, Bumblebee is a joyride of a film. Way more than meets the eye.

DIRECTOR: TRAVIS KNIGHT | SCREENPLAY: CHRISTINA HODSON | STARRING: HAILEE STEINFELD, JOHN CENA, JORGE LENDEBORG JR., JOHN ORTIZ, JASON DRUCKER, PAMELA ADLON | RELEASE DATE: DECEMBER 24^TH (PREVIEWS DECEMBER 15^TH + 16^TH)