My Thoughts on Hellboy and Shazam!,

Polar is an early contender for worst film of the year, but daaammnnn Hellboy runs it close. Neil Marshall's reboot sacrifices the soul of Guillermo del Toro's fantastic duology for mountains of exposition, gallons of blood, and swearing. Lots. And. Lots. Of. Swearing. I mean I wouldn't have been against the idea of a third Hellboy, but this was just not it, man. David Harbour is undoubtedly invested in this film, but his take on the big fisted badass is all wrong, swapping out dogged soul for sarcasm and angst that grates fast. Combine him with Stephen Graham's unfathomably annoying pig-monster, Daniel Dae Kim's blander than bland were-jaguar, Sasha Lane's dull psychic and Ian McShane's.... Ian McShane, and you have the most unremarkable line up imaginable. The only cast member who consistently entertains here is Milla Jovovich, whose Arthurian sorceress is actually a decent villain, albeit one with little more to do than watch Love Island and look menacing. The gore is tasteless and unnecessary, seemingly sharing Polar's more-is-less enthusiasm for bloodshed, but like that film, loses itself in its fascination with excess.

It's funny, too, because despite the fact that things are happening all of the time here, and all of them are ridiculously over the top, this movie is unbelievably boring. The characters are paper thin, never given time to develop under all of the snark and action. The climax favours (horribly CGI'd) excess over investment, and the bizarre fake-out final act that happens an hour before the film actually ends is a mind numbingly awful decision in a film full of them. Brian Gleeson's appearance as Merlin is particularly awful, a random, mismatched head-scratcher of a scene that half-heartedly ties Hellboy into Arthurian legend. The result is bloated tripe, with the only real glee coming from a hilariously strange cameo from Thomas Haden Church as a legendary vigilante. Everything else? Hellish

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The DCEU is often criticised for its obsession with angst. And yeah, the offerings so far have been steeped in cynicism, to the extent that I'm starting to think that it thinks that fun is a bad thing. Because comic books and superheroes and blockbusters are supposed to be fun, and this is something that Shazam! undoubtedly understands. This movie is big-hearted, unashamedly so, and it's this syrup-sweet wholesomeness that makes it far and away DC's best live action offering in the last decade. Okay, maybe the story is small scale and not very universe-y, but honestly, that's not a bad thing, because for the first time.... kind of ever, it feels like this series is doing it's own thing instead of just riffing on a certain other superheroic universe. The tale of Billy Batson was streamlined and focused, telling its own story with a genuine enthusiasm for comic book spectacle that honestly feels so refreshing after all of that jaded cynicism.  It's incredibly funny, but is never annoyingly knowing about it. It pokes fun at superheroes while avoiding sneering irony, and this good natured sense of humour takes this movie far.

And the good naturedness doesn't stop at the comedy. Shazam! has a huge heart, and by the end of it, you genuinely care about all of these characters. Zachary Levi is a delight here, being both a cool hero and a clueless teenage boy, and it's his big hearted hero that gives the film it's joyous edge. Mark Strong also makes for a formidable villain, his Black Adam more than your typical conniving businessman. There's a healthy amount of horror too, which turns out to be an ace callback to the nightmare fuel of family films gone by. I suppose if I had to nitpick, the tone is maybe a little too light in the climax, but the decision to keep the film firmly rooted in its irresistible optimism is definitely a good one, so it's not too big a deal. Turns out superheroes can be fun. Who knew?

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My Thoughts on Avengers: Endgame

Quick heads up: there are spoilers ahead. I really can't talk about this film in-depth without spoiling it, so go watch it before you read this. If you want a quick, spoiler free verdict, then Avengers: Endgame is one of the best movies in the MCU, and you should definitely watch it

With that out of the way, let's talk about Avengers: Endgame, a film so huge that no round up could adequately contain it!

When Infinity War came out, I gave it a mostly positive review, and I stand by that. Over time, I think the issues that I do have with that film have kind of hampered my enjoyment of it a little bit more than when I reviewed it, but I still think that it does a lot well, and is overall a pretty good film. Weirdly enough, even though it's only been a year, it feels like so much time has passed since Infinity War, which passed into the halls of pop culture legend faster than Thanos could snap his fingers. This is pretty fitting, as the passage of time is a pretty big deal in Endgame. Though the film starts shortly after the snap, a time skip takes us five years into the future, where the characters have all changed significantly. I think this is why the film works so well, because, yes it's relying on how much you've invested into these movies, but it's also something that the film itself takes seriously. This is going to be a conclusion of this part of the story, one that starts with the characters at their absolute lowest. The early Thanos death is an effective rug pull, because it sets up the plot in a way that indicates that this film might not quite be what you think it going to be.

Which is another nice piece of storytelling, because the film tells its story almost retrospectively, with the Avengers, or what's left of them, trying to defeat Thanos before he's even got a chance to start fighting. How will they do this? Time travel, baby! Yeah, a back-in-time set up might feel kind of unconditional for a film like this, but they pull it off really well, building the first half of the plot around a really deft, fun, time heist. It works because it's big consequences on a small canvas (literally, given the quantum shenanigans). It keeps you invested with swift pacing and constant reminders of what's at stake. It might not have the scale of a huge battle scene, but it's a really fun way of re-approaching the entire MCU that feels breezy and light, but still packs a fair amount of weight, too. I also love how the method of time travel is so condition dependant, which does give it a little more heft than it might have had otherwise. This portion of the film is jam packed with details that'll make no sense to outsiders, but in the context of this series, they become little individual payoffs that gradually build the anticipation to that climax

And when it does come, holy America's Ass is it strong. Is the Avengers vs. Thanos battle a little bit fanservice-y? Maybe, but if it works, it works, and for the most part, the satisfying moments absolutely kill here. Okay, one or two are a little heavy-handed (one particular shot verges on lazy pandering), but overall, it's as epic a set piece as this series has ever given us. It's a culmination of everything in the MCU, action wise, and it's a really satisfying way to conclude the Thanos-plot. What's even better is the sequence they follow it up with, an extended victory lap that completely confirms their dedication to Tony's sacrifice. It's never cheap, instead being a genuinely emotional moment that brings so many things to an end wonderfully. And like every good ending, it's a great end for some characters, but a new beginning for others (Sam's got the shield! Asgardians of the Galaxy! Valkyrie rules New Asgard!). In many ways, it's a perfect finale, maybe not for the MCU as a whole, but for this specific chapter. This is something that worried me going in, that they'd deliver a conclusion on the middle of an ongoing series, but the film's final act confirms that, although the MCU certainly isn't done, some of its plots have definitively concluded, and for the most part, it's incredibly satisfying. It really makes an impact, and it's here when the film really becomes a knockout

It's definitely not perfect. Captain Marvel feels weirdly absent, especially odd considering how fantastic her solo outing was. She turns up, disappears, and then turns up again. I don't know, for such a great character who had been really built up for the last few months, she feels bizarrely short-changed, which is a really big shame. Another issue is the conclusion of Captain America's arc, which was fine, but distractingly out of character, turning what should have been a weighty character moment into a bafflingly pandering piece of fanservice. The Peggy Carter thing was fine, but definitely outstays it's welcome here, and the scene itself is such a strange and awkward moment that works way to hard to cater to such a small group of fans, bending the story and characters in the process. Guess he wasn't with Bucky until the end of the line after all.

But the fact that that's one of my issues with this film should be an indication of how invested I am in this series. And Endgame does, for the most part, reward me and people like me for sticking with this universe for so long. Any problems feel irrelevant in a movie like this, one that feels genuinely satisfying, epic and impressive. Do I think that the MCU is s groundbreaking cinematic achievement? No. Is it a defining moment of 21st century pop culture? Absolutely, and this movie definitely honours that. For how flawed I think this series occasionally is, Endgame was still really satisfying, and as both a fan of the series and a lover of spectacle, I really couldn't ask for any more. It's structurally sound, emotionally engaging and consistently entertaining despite its length. Overall? It's a titanic achievement of blockbuster filmmaking, and a damn fun ride, one where the missteps are nitpicks and the payoffs (for the most part) absolutely satisfy. I'd say go see it, but given its gargantuan box office takings, you probably already have

My Thoughts on The Kid Who Would Be King and The Lego Movie 2

Attack the Block was a terrific science fiction/horror/comedy that pitted chavs against aliens and absolutely delivered on all fronts, establishing Joe Cornish as a true firebrand. So it's a little disappointing that we had to wait so long for his next film, The Kid Who Would Be King. Did it deliver? For the most part, yeah. It's not as good as Attack the Block, but it takes that films pleasing genre savviness and blends it with both joyous whimsy and a fairly impressive political edge, one that asks the audience what world they're leaving behind for future generations. That it does this so well while also being able to have fun with itself is another testament to Cornish's deft style of filmmaking. The film takes some well worn Arthurian legends and gives them a really fun, fresh, modern update that never cheapens their impact, or makes them feel like a gimmick, instead mirroring these stories with a coming of age tale that's well written, sharp, and acknowledges the mythology in a way that feels natural and clever. The film is one with real heart, and optimism, and feels genuinely impressive in an endless sea of King Arthur stories.

It's definitely not without issues, though. It feels way too long and suffers from poor pacing, with stretches between the plot points where not an awful lot happens. The writing is charming enough to keep the film engaging when this does happen, but the film becomes so jarring when the swiftness of the plot suddenly stops for a few minutes that definitely could have been cut. That long windedness is a shame, too because that time could have been much better spent developing the villain. It's not that Morgana is bad or anything, I actually think that Rebecca Ferguson is really good in this role and provides a pretty menacing presence, but it's just that she never seems to have enough to do, spending most of the film sitting around being nasty. It's here that the film really stumbles, which is a shame, because when it's good, it's really, really good. The Kid Who Would Be King isn't perfect, but you'll forgive it when it does slip up because it's just too fun not to enjoy. It has a real sense of charm that make it's noticeable issues forgivable. It's no Attack the Block, but after eight years, it'll do nicely

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Franchise fatigue can be a serious issue. Sequels are tough enough already, but if you spin off enough, even the best follow up can feel like more of the same. So it's to the credit of The Lego Movie 2 that it actually provides a worthwhile follow up to the original. Which is damn impressive when you consider just how fresh and fun that first movie felt. Even though this is the fourth Lego film we've gotten in almost as many years, it's safe to say that these guys haven't quite run out of steam just yet, delivering a movie that's definitely still awesome. I guess the best thing here is that it's an entirely different beast to the first one, which is mostly down to the fact that it's not just playing out in the head of the boy, but in his sister's head too. The way the story-within-a-story is able to explore the relationship between these two characters so well without ever bogging itself down with over explanation is a true testament to the writing here, and the fact that it's also a story about the power of idealism is even better. The idea that growing up means putting away your optimism is one that this movie is keen on discussing, and discusses it well, with Emmett getting a character arc that's actually really engaging. The way the film approaches the idea of cynicism vs. idealism is deft and clever, yes, but also wholesome, satisfying, and hell, even kind of important. It's intelligent, but it's always good natured, and as a result, feels genuinely special in the way that few family films these days can muster.

Of course, being a film in this series, it's also hilarious, with the knowing meta-comedy that made the others so damn fun on full display here. The pop culture references come quick in The Lego Movie 2, with many of them being absolutely hilarious (that recurring Bruce Willis cameo might just be one of the funniest things I've seen in these movies). That balance of smarts and heart is once again crucial to making this film work, but the writing here is so deft that it manages to be both sweet and funny, and always entertaining. It was never going to be easy to follow the Lego Movie, but this sequel actually does it well, playing out like an odd combination of Toy Story and Community that's gonna be hard to top as animated film of the year. In a word? Awesome.

The Best Scene in the MCU

So, Avengers Endgame is very nearly here, and whether you like the Marvel Cinematic Universe or not, you have to admit that this franchise is one that has seriously impacted pop culture. Personally, I like it a lot, but I definitely have my issues. But that's not something I want to focus on today, because with the biggest installment yet on its way, I want to put all my gripes aside and turn on celebration mode. So, what am I going to do? I mean there's a thousand different ways to celebrate something like this, but there is something in particular I'd like to do. I want to look at and analyse a certain scene in the MCU, one that I think is not just great, but legitimately fantastic, and hopefully highlight what I think this series can be at it's best. Because when the MCU is good, it's really good, and when it's at it's best, it's an unstoppable pillar of modern pop culture that stands tall even when it occasionally stumbles

So, what's the best scene in the MCU? Well, there's actually a lot of contenders here. There is of course Infinity War's snap, a good one to be sure, albeit one that didn't affect me quite as much as everyone else. The one vs. two fight at the end of Civil War is definitely a good shout here, not just an intense action scene but the moment where three character arcs intersect in a genuinely compelling way. If we're thinking unconventional, then it's got to be the Mr. Blue Sky scene from Guardians 2, which subverts expectations wonderfully, and is just a really fun moment in a film full of them. Either of the royal challenges from Black Panther would be great choices here too, as they display how great the MCU, and that film in particular are at using action to tell a story. But the best scene in the MCU, or at least my favourite scene in the MCU is something much quieter from a slightly more obscure place.

Avengers: Age of Ultron is not the best film in this series. Which isn't to say it's bad, it's definitely not, but it's one that maybe suffers from its flaws more than a lot of the installments do. Ultron himself isn't a particularly great villain. He's definitely quite intimidating, but his motives are kind of weak and most of his dialogue is a touch generic. Because of this, the film itself suffers, and as a whole, I think it lands on the better side of alright. But it does do one thing really, really well. It nails the character of Hawkeye. Here's a character who, following The Avengers, was the subject of countless memes and jokes. Hell, even now, there are people who label him the worst Avenger, and this is actually something that Age of Ultron lampshades. I mean, alongside some of earth's mightiest heroes, you've got a guy with a bow and arrow? But in one brilliantly quiet sequence, he goes from meme fodder to honestly one of my favourite characters in this series

When a fight with gets out of control and is broadcast worldwide, and tension within this group is at an all time high (up to this point, anyway), the Avengers need a place to lay low. The safehouse, it turns out, is Hawkeye's house, a secluded cabin that he and his family live in. Again, this is something that the film has been playing with, portraying Hawkeye's personal life with deliberate secrecy, never quite revealing too much about him. So up to this point, you've got a character that a lot of people didn't like, who wasn't as powerful as the people he fought with, and who never actually had much revealed about him. But this sequence in the cabin took all secrecy and preconceptions and used them to fantastic effect, showing you this guy's home life, and in turn, his human side.

Unlike most of the characters in the series, Hawkeye is just a guy doing his job, and seeing the way he interacts with his wife and kids takes his relative normalcy and uses it to define his character. He's not a god, or a super soldier, or a genius playboy billionaire philanthropist. His life isn't as interesting as these other characters, but in a universe like this, that's precisely why he's interesting. A lot happens in the scenes in Hawkeye's cabin. Nick Fury shows up, there's some nice moments between Natasha and Banner, early tension between Cap and Iron Man, and Thor leaves. I guess Chris Hemsworth doesn't like cabins in the woods. But even with all of this going on, moments that are in themselves awesome character moments, the real value of this scene lies is Hawkeye's character. There's a problem now with universe cinema, that everything has to be explained. Everyone needs an origin story, a prequel, a spin-off. Everything needs to be gotten from this franchise, squeezed out of it until there isn't much left, and this scene is an example of how efficient storytelling can be more effective in worldbuilding. Not every character needs an origin story, and while this isn't a Hawkeye movie, the stuff we find out about him in this scene sticks and comes back, not only later in the plot, but across the series as a whole. It's especially effective in the story of this film, because the fact that parent makes him a little more sympathetic towards the Maximoff twins, which comes back in a big way in the climax.

It's a brilliant scene precisely because it's a quiet one. Age of Ultron has no shortage of action scenes, most of which are pretty good, but it's when it steps back, when it lets these characters just lay low and reconsider everything going on that this film reaches its peak, and becomes one of the best sequences that this series has given us. Understated character moments here tell us more than exposition ever could, and this rings true for the whole team, but as I said, I think what makes this scene so special is that, in the space of about fifteen minutes, everything we need to know about Hawkeye is told to us in a moment of ridiculously impressive, less-is-more storytelling, giving us story beats and character beats that every film he's been in since has drawn on. Ironically for a blockbuster franchise that excels at spectacle, the best scene is the one that tells the story quietly, and without much actually happening. Yet it's the atmosphere and environment that really communicate here, using the setting itself to develop Hawkeye's character, which is in turn a fantastic payoff to the restraint they've been using for the whole film. We get to know him not by seeing what he does when he's working, but by seeing where he is when he isn't. It's such a simple method of storytelling, but damn is it effective, especially in a relatively flawed film like this. For all of the thrust and spectacle of the action, it's when the story slows down that it truly thrills. It's an awesome way to develop a character that, up to that point at least, was sorely underloved. The MCU is a series where the scale has gotten bigger and bigger, and that makes it kind of easy for character moments like this to get lost. I mean, when put beside some of the series larger moments, it's easy for quiet scenes like this to go unnoticed or even lose their weight, but the stuff that's evoked here is much more likely to resonate than a large, showy action scene. For all of its issues, when the MCU tries to do smaller, character driven storytelling, it definitely succeeds, because it defies the cheap universe building that this series gives us at its worst. This moment is genuinely fantastic, and proof that this series is more than blockbuster fluff.

"You don't think they need me?"

"Actually I think they do. They're gods, and they need somebody to keep them down to earth"

2019 Roundup: January-March

Before I start this, I want to address something. Because I live in Ireland, release dates are always really weird. I've done two end of year best lists, one by general release date and one by Irish release date. I did this mainly to try each out and see what works. Yeah, going off of general is harder because a lot of awardsy movies come out here at the start of the year after they're released, but I actually prefer just doing first release date. If the way I've done those lists has caused any confusion, I apologise, I'm just trying new things and figuring out what works for me, so from now on I think I will just use first release date for things. It is a little bit trickier, but it's just the way I prefer to do things, having now tried both. This is just something I've been thinking about for a while, and I think that this is the best way to do things. So with that out of the way, let's talk about the start of 2019

People generally look down on start of year releases, and I guess that makes sense. Traditionally, January has been where studios put their unwanted junk, flops that suffer less than if they were released in the summer. And with awards  season in full swing, it's easy for shit films to fly under the radar. Especially with an awards season as crazy as this one (sidenote, as much as I did like Green Book, it definitely didn't deserve best picture, and probably shouldn't have been nominated to begin with). That said, the first three months have actually been alright. There's been ups and downs, but on the whole, things have been good. A few disappointments, but also some great surprises, too, making for an overall pretty decent three months. I didn't see everything I wanted to, so I'll definitely have to play catch-up on a few releases, so I'll definitely review them when I see them. For now, let's talk movies!

All reviews are spoiler free unless stated otherwise

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So let's start with the bad. The start of the year is traditionally a time for bad movies, there's been definitely been some duds already. Like The Dirt, one of the most bizarrely awful biopics I've ever seen. Okay, true, I don't have much of an interest in Mötley Crüe as a band, and I knew next to nothing about their story, but even then, this film is terrible. It tells these guys' stories in the worst way possible, one that tells you absolutely nothing about them, because it doesn't actually care about that. What this movie wants to do is show you how these guys were crazy, wild party machines, who  don't care about anything but drugs and sex and partying. But in trying to make them wild and fun, they just came off as so unlikeable. Like, the film makes these guys seem genuinely awful. And any time they do bad things, the film just comes out and says; "well, that's just rock and roll, man". It's entirely possible to make a good movie about bad people, but the movie wants us to love these guys, and think that they're to coolest thing ever. And as a result, they don't feel human. And that's not even mentioning the awful performances, terrible writing and inconsistent fourth wall breaks that just feel so random. Things just kind of happen, and so important stuff feels inconsequential. Like remember the guitarists illness that's slowly crippling him? The movie apparently doesn't. Yeah, sorry. These guys seem pretty interesting, but this just ain't it, man

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On a similar note of baffling awfulness, we got Serenity, a film that could have been really, really good, but ultimately really, really wasn't. Serenity takes an intriguing noir premise and some incredibly talented actors, only to spoil these things with godawful writing, sloppy tone and one of the weirdest reveals I've seen in a movie like this. Without giving too much away, it's The Lego Movie as directed by Brian de Palma, and if you think that sounds awful, you're not wrong. Serenity feels like such a waste of potential, too, because the movie it is at the start could have been great, as was the one it was by the end. The film has a genuinely clever use of details that make the twist at least feel plausible, but the film is so all over the place and unnecessarily stylised that getting to all of the nuances just feels like a chore. I wanted to like it, really I did, but much like McConaughey and that fish, it never quite achieves its goal. Such a disappointment, especially because it's not even interestingly bad. Like if this seems short, it's because I genuinely don't have much to say about it. Yeah, it's just bland, disappointing, boring trash

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Another hot mess was Dan Gilroy's Velvet Buzzsaw, which you may remember was one of my most anticipated releases this year. While this horror-satire certainly isn't bad, it's definitely confused in what it wants to be. I mean yeah, there's undoubtedly good stuff here. The deaths are creative and effective, Jake Gyllenhaal and Rene Russo give great performances, and it definitely doesn't lack ideas, but the problem is that the movie itself is so damn unpleasant to watch. Some of the characters are well acted, but none of them are well written, so it's pretty difficult to actually care about what's going on here. Also, Zawe Ashton was hideously miscast. I do think that she's a good actor (I loved her in Fresh Meat), but her performance is so bafflingly misjudged her that it's maybe the scariest thing about the film. But the best word for this is messy. Everything about it just feels like it was done wrong, and so a legitimately interesting original studio horror becomes, well, this. Velvet Buzzsaw could have been good, but ends up as ham fisted satire with some nice looking shocks thrown in. Also, is that really how people see critics? Hmmm....

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Speaking of Netflix, extreme violence and shit films, Polar came out. And oh man, it's baaaaaad. Like I'll be surprised if many films are worse than it in 2019. Here's a movie that thinks that style is a substitute for personality, and that intense gore is automatically badass (it isn't). Mads Mikkelsen's bland assassin exists in the shadow of John Wick and Frank Castle, but because he's as hollow and vapid as the film he's in, he becomes a forgettable pseudo character whose defining personality trait is that he has an eyepatch. The film also lacks restraint, and not in a good way. People don't get killed, they get absolutely disintegrated. There's a sex scene that's so unnecessarily over the top that it's actually a relief when the awful, shallow plot resumes, because at least it's something. But the film doesn't understand how to go over the top properly, instead just doing these things because..... they're cool(?) Look, maybe it could have worked with a little more substance, but honestly? It's pure trash, and not the fun kind. Avoid, avoid, avoid. A rancid piece of filth that makes Eli Roth's Death Wish look like The Wizard of Oz

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And then there's Isn't It Romantic, which I think is an unfortunate film. It's unfortunate not because it sucks, which it does, but because it's actually got a fantastic message: you can't love someone until you love yourself. And yeah, we've heard that and seen that before, but if a modern rom-com could pull that off, it could be something truly special. Alas, it doesn't. The film suffers from clunky dialogue, a story that invokes rom-com tropes but never actually does anything with them, and a cast that's never more than passable. And that's a real shame, because a message like that needs a vessel that can support it, but here, it feels like an afterthought. It's not awful, but I really don't like how they handled it, because it could have been better. It's never as fun as it needs to be, instead being this weird kind of fake fun, that pretends to be subversive while actually just being predictable, safe, and yeah, a little shit. It's obvious that Rebel Wilson is passionate about this project, and her performance is definitely okay, and Liam Hemsworth actually isn't bad either (especially not when he gives it socks on the saxophone), but even their decent performances can't compensate for the film's shortcomings. Self love is definitely important, but this definitely isn't

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On a good note, we finally got David Robert Mitchell's Under the Silver Lake, which has definitely split opinions. I really, really liked it. Mitchell keeps the same ominousness that made It Follows pop, but this time blends it with a neo noir cool that really works. Andrew Garfield is the film's stoner soul, keeping the whole thing together when it starts to wear thin. And that's a key issue here. It's long-winded, and has a tendency to meander. I definitely don't think it needed to be this long, especially not with a such a slow pace, but the film's strange imagery is definitely interesting, and when it's good, it's fantastic. The whole subliminal messages thing has been done before and better, but there's a scene in there that does something really special with it that makes it worthwhile. I did spend a lot of it wondering if it was as smart as it thought it was, and I think that ultimately, it's the payoffs that really make it work. Especially when it starts to instill doubt in both Garfield and the viewer, asking "is there really something to be gained from uncovering the truth?". And when it does this, it does actually deliver some of really strange, oddly satisfying reveals. Under the Silver Lake is the kind of movie that would probably come alive upon a rewatch, because there are so many deatils to catch here.  It's spooky atmosphere, surrealism, and genuinely effective reveals definitely compensate for it's stumbles. I get why some people disliked it, and I see why some people loved it, but I definitely thought that it was a good watch, even with its flaws. Do watch it yourself if you're curious

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Another interesting one was Chiwitel Ejiofor's directorial debut, The Boy Who Harnessed the Wind. For what could have been a basic approach to a true story, this film is actually very impressive. Ejiofor tells this story in a way that feels organic and real, but never sacrifices the heart, either. He shows us so much of the day to day life in the village, so that when things start to turn around, it feels like a genuine triumph instead of a clichéd "inspirational true story". And that's awesome, because it could have been that so easily. It would have been so easy to churn out an insincere version of this story, but instead, it's told with intelligence and honesty, the exact approach that it deserves. It's an interesting kitchen sink tale that feels real, while also being a really nice story of triumph over adversity. Throw in excellent performances across the board (especially from Ejiofor himself, who turns what could have been a one dimensional caricature  into an organic portrait of a stubborn man) and you've got yourself an honest, emotionally intelligent tale of doing a lot with very little, one that lets you get to know these people and their situation, and so when it turns around, you're right there with them. This is an earnest, genuinely uplifting film that I think is definitely worthy of your attention

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In the comedy department, we got The Breaker Upperers, an early shout for funniest movie of the year. This anti-romantic comedy is as fresh, acidic, and genuinely sweet as they come, telling such a uniquely enjoyable story of friendship that just made me feel so good. Oh, and it's piss funny, to boot. Jackie Van Beek and Madeline Sami's film is a sharp one, with an acidic wit that cuts through the sickening sentimentality to find a genuine sweetness that never feels cloying. And that goes the other way, as this sweetness prevents the film from ever being too nasty. When it's mean, it's pleasingly mean, and when it's sweet, it's so effortlessly charming that it's impossible not to love. It's undeniably quirky, but with such bite that it's refreshing as well as endearing. Granted, it never quite reaches the comic heights of What We Do In the Shadows, or the unapologetic charm of Hunt For The Wilderpeople, but The Breaker Upperers takes its place in the Kiwi comedy pantheon with wit and gusto. Definitely do not miss this ridiculous and raunchy tale

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Bear with me on this one. I didn't care for High Flying Bird. I love Steven Soderbergh, but his second phone-shot film was just such a letdown for me. It's undeniably well made, with great performances and a sharp script, but I almost feel that it's too well made. Like Soderbergh captures basketball management so well that he's created an unintentional barrier between the film and the audience. Or me, at least. Truth is, I just don't find this movie that interesting. It was just people talking, and never saying anything especially interesting. It just bored me, and I found myself wondering what the point of anything was. Don't get me wrong, it's probably a great film, and I'm glad to see people loving it, but it just did not work for me at all. I don't know, all that walking and talking just got repetitive for me, and never went anywhere that I found especially interesting. A huge disappointment from a filmmaker that I know can do better. Sorry guys

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You've got to be careful making films about current events. It's easy to lose a lot of the story, or be so focused on the wrong thing that it ends up as dated and messy as time goes on. And in terms of current events, it's downright impossible to avoid Brexit. And though I have no doubt that a good Brexit film could be made in ten-fifteen years, but Brexit: The Uncivil War was just.... not it. The Big Short style approach with the slick self awareness is definitely clever and fun, and it effectively taps into the horror of political manipulation, but God is this film flawed. Everything about how it's made is solid. Good performances, sharp writing, and effectively paced, but it just feels too soon. We're far too close to Brexit (which hasn't even actually happened yet) for a film to capture it efficiently. I applaud the filmmakers for staying largely neutral, but it's just a weak chronicle of a still ongoing event. It's serviceable for now, but I have no doubt that this will be done better in about a decade or so

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Three months into the year and we've already gotten a generic, forgettable but serviceable action movie in the form of Triple Frontier. The plot is about as thin as heist films get (spoiler alert: this is their last job), the characters are cardboard cutouts holding guns, and the dialogue feels like it was written by a computer spewing out stock action movie lines. It's far from a bad movie, but it's just.... fine. It's decent, with serviceable performances, adequate direction and a story that progresses with no notable issues. The action is engaging enough (one setpiece involving an improvised helicopter landing is actually fairly thrilling), the setting is an interesting one and the ending, while as bland as they come, does actually work despite it's familiarity. Triple Frontier is never more than okay, never great but far from bad, and though I wouldn't recommend it, I wouldn't not recommend it either. It's exactly what it looks like it's going to be, which is a serviceable heist thriller that you'll enjoy, but probably forget about in a week

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An early contender for saddest film of the year is Paddleton, a low-key tale of a friendship between two men, one of whom just happens to have terminal cancer. I really have to hand it to this film, because it rejects being purely melancholic in favour of telling a genuinely affecting story that really resonates. It would have been so, so, so easy to force a sad story here, but they don't. Because it's not about the illness. It's about their friendship. It's about kung fu movies, and puzzles, and a squash-like game that they've invented. The friendship between these guys has so many quirky little intricacies, not just to be twee for the sake of it, but so that you understand how much they mean to each other, used to devastating effect in the film's home stretch, and extended, crushingly realistic sequence that just had me in floods of tears. Paddleton sneaks up on you, gradually leading up to that finale, which is an absolute gut wrencher. Mark Duplass and Ray Romano are nothing short of wonderful here, idiosyncratic but also completely believable. Yeah, this film is a little heartbreaker, and I just dug it

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With so many franchises, universes and never ending sequels out there, you really have to hand it to How to Train Your Dragon. After all, the third and final installment (How to Train Your Dragon: The Hidden World) is actually a strong, definitive ending to what has been a very consistent animated saga. I don't think that either of the sequels have been as good as the first one, but this conclusion is certainly effective. I mean, it's probably the best looking movie that DreamWorks have put out. Seriously, this film is absolutely beautiful, intricately designed and really well realised. The story isn't the strongest, but the stuff with Toothless is adorable and hilarious, the action is deft and fluid, and the humour is definitely very funny. Yeah, the villain is terrible; your bog-standard, thinly written bad guy with next to no substance and a palpable lack of personality. But hey, with a finale like this, you can certainly forgive it for having a weak plot and villain, because it certainly isn't about that. It's about giving this story a suitable ending, which it definitely does, and does very well. The ending is satisfying and pleasingly emotional, making everything we've seen throughout the trilogy feel absolutely necessary. Yeah, this was definitely a strong note for this trilogy to end on

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And now for something I've been excited about for some time. Captain Marvel. I was so happy with this film. Not just one of the best films in the Marvel Cinematic Universe, but one of the best blockbusters I've seen in ages. I'm a huge Brie Larson fan anyway, and she definitely brings so much to this film, embodying a hero that, despite the fact that she's operating in the past, feels so contemporary. Carol Danvers' story isn't your standard origin tale, not about how she gets her powers as much as why she uses them, and eventually comes into her own. Her arc doesn't begin with her getting those abilities, instead seeing her stepping up and becoming one of the best heroes the MCU has ever had. The film itself is fresh and crammed with personality. A (significantly and impressively de-aged) Samuel L Jackson is so wonderfully charming as Nick Fury, and Ben Mendelsohn is fantastic as the leader of the Skrulls, but make no mistake: this is absolutely Larson's film. One earth-shattering line that she delivers in the climax sums the whole thing up,  but no spoilers here. Captain Marvel is a stratospheric, breathlessly thrilling, and simply incredible tale that fills a slot that I think this universe has been sorely missing. Yeah, this was fantastic

Also, that Stan Lee cameo was one of the best ever. Not the opening credits (although they were superb), but the scene on the train. As a huge Kevin Smith fan, and a lover of Stan Lee's cameo in Mallrats in particular, I absolutely adored this moment. So sweet, so funny, and just so clever

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If you've seen my 2019 anticipation list, you'll know that I was very excited for Us. I didn't elaborate on any of those entries in that post, so I don't know if I expressed how much I was looking forward to it. I didn't even watch any of the trailers, instead just going in as blind as possible. Part of this came from the fact that, when I saw the trailer for Get Out, I actually thought it looked awful, and didn't see it in the cinema. Thankfully, I bought the DVD, and absolutely fell in love with it. So when Us was announced, I was so excited. And oh. My. God. Us is sensational. Jordan Peele has followed up made a film that lacks the political edge of Get Out, instead favouring sheer, cranked up terror. It's a welcome change of pace, especially with how well this story was done. It's slow and deliberate, expertly working its way towards a terrifying ending that'll undoubtedly haunt my nightmares for years to come. The cast are unbelievable, especially Lupita Nyong'o, astonishing in a double role, both as a traumatised survivor and her mysterious doppelganger, and as questions start to be answered, Nyong'o is more than able to support the ever escalating craziness of the whole thing. Again, it isn't as much of a zeitgeist as Get Out was (but there's still some pleasing commentary), but it's obvious that Peele is knows what makes good horror. Even with the immediate shocks, the really scary stuff lies much deeper, resulting in a horrifying exploration of trauma and psychological damage that's just stunning. The scene with Good Vibrations is genuinely one of the scariest things I've ever seen. Every little detail here is ingenious, every small story beat, and tiny tonal nuance is just glorious, until it explodes into a masterfully unsettling ending. Us is a fantastic, unpredictable work of horror brilliance that took my expectations and absolutely demolished them. I absolutely cannot wait to see what Peele does next, because this man is a true treasure

So that's everything I've seen from the first three months of the year, not including some of the ones I've missed (Glass, Alita, The Lego Movie 2, The Kid Who Would Be King among others) and will definitely try to catch up on. After a slightly shaky start, 2019 has definitely found its feet. Let's hope it stays that way

Clerks: A Nonchalant Masterpiece

I think Kevin Smith is really interesting. Because even though he hasn't made a legitimately good film for some time, you could never accuse him of being boring. But before he made movies that his earlier films would have definitely made fun of, he was a really interesting filmmaker, with an insane talent: he could spin a story out of nothing. And okay, that sounds trivial. Minimalism is nothing new in cinema. It's not new now, and it wasn't new in 1994, when Clerks was released. But the thing about Clerks is that it's just that; a story about nothing. A movie that covers so much ground while simultaneously not saying much at all. This is something that I think Smith excelled at in his first few movies, but he never did it better than he did here. So, let's talk about why Clerks works, even when it's characters are slacking off

I think Clerks is great because it's simple. Everything from the monochromatic imagery to the relatively small cast and single setting that it only really leaves once (for one of the most unbearably awkward car journeys I've ever seen) is so effective. Most of this movie is just two guys in a shop. That's pretty much the entire plot. And story-wise, that's why it works. See, Dante and Randall, and all of the other characters have eventful lives with enough going on in them to stretch over a whole narrative. I mean, if we're getting technical, then Dante's ex-girlfriend getting engaged, but returning and kind of still being in love with him is the actual story, no doubt one that lesser films would fill an entire run-time with. But here's the thing: that doesn't matter. The whole ex-getting-married plot is really just miscellaneous information for the first two thirds of the movie, and only really becomes part of the plot when she returns. Until then, it's just another part of Dante's life, another thing that happens alongside rooftop hockey games, undercover gum salesmen, and old men who go into bathrooms to.... you'll see.

I mean Clerks is really just a day in the life of Dante. And everything that happens..... just kind of happens. What makes it so masterful though is the way Smith approaches the story. Clerks is a nonchalant movie. Like his character in the film, Smith is just a casual observer. Even though he's the one telling this story, it never feels like he has any bearing on what happens. It's a huge contrast to uber-stylised directors who have so much control in what happens in the world's they create. No, Smith is just an observer here. Because he's just watching these people, for one day, in one place. So are you, by the way. The events of the plot aren't resolved, because what you're seeing is just a small portion of the larger plot. Does Dante reconcile with Veronica? What happens to Jay and Silent Bob? Does the gum ever come out of the locks? The movie never answers these questions, because that's not what it's there to do. Watching Clerks is like catching a small part of someone's conversation on the street, or in a shop. What you see and hear isn't really your business. You don't know what's come before this, and you're not going to see what comes after. Hell, at the end of the day, in the grand scheme of things, it doesn't even matter, not to you anyway

And that's exactly why it matters. Smith is a genius when it comes to stuff like this, because he understands that in real life, big stories are made up of individual days, and although those days aren't particularly eventful, they're made up of smaller stories that stand out. Every joke here is a little anecdote, and through dialogue that sounds like real people talking, these anecdotes start to come to life. Because in real life, people talk about random details in Star Wars, and their exes, and yeah, occasionally something unusual happens (like a strange man inspecting eggs), but for the most part, they just.... talk. Smiths dialogue is great because it doesn't feel like it was written. Yes, it's sharp and witty, but with the general aimless nature of the plot, it just feels like things that these people are saying, and talking about. It's not just great minimalism, it's great observation. It's watching people to see what happens. Ultimately, not a lot does, but it's so identifiable, and real, that by just being relatable, it says so much. Clerks is the reason that Kevin Smith became the voice of a generation. His stories aren't grand tales, they're just bored people standing around and waiting for things to happen. We've all been there, and when Smith combines all of these components, and puts them in a situation that pretty much everyone is familiar with, you get something so very special. Clerks is a treasure because it gets slackers. Yeah, the aimless twenty-somethings who occupy this movie may be of a certain generation, but anyone who's ever sat around, twiddling their thumbs and shooting the shit will be able to relate to some aspect of this, no matter when they were born. And it does that because it's nonchalant, and casual, and says everything without feeling the need to say anything. And you know what? Sometimes that's even more powerful

"I wasn't even supposed to be here today!"

My Love Letter to Harold and Maude

Let's talk about love stories. Cinema has no shortage of tales of romance, and I think everyone has their own favourite. And yeah, though some may groan, the truth is that this is a genre that's as old as storytelling itself. So what I want to do today is celebrate my favourite romantic film, Hal Ashby's wonderfully strange Harold and Maude. Because love, and the movies about it, can be odd, and inexplicable, and I think that's what makes them wonderful. The romantic genre is a fluid one, and within it is a diverse spectrum of stories that can resonate and charm for different reasons, and in different ways. And I think that people respond to the unconventional. Films that operate on a wavelength that is truly unique, and often forces the viewer to shift their preconceptions and see something different. When something can do this, it becomes really special.

So let's set the scene. Harold is a young man who's obsessed with death, constantly staging his own suicide, visiting the funerals of people he doesn't know and driving a hearse around. He's also deeply lonely, living with his status obsessed mother and having to endure a string of arranged dates with various women that he couldn't have less of an interest in. His existence is a strange one, with the people around him constantly trying to make sense of him and analyse him, when really he can't make sense of anything himself.

Enter Maude, a wide eyed 79 year old agent of chaos determined to live her life to the absolute fullest. Playful, joyful and full of wonder, Maude sees every day as a chance to do something different, to be something different, to really get out there and live. She'll casually commit crimes, experiment with various art forms and generally just do things for the sake of doing them. And it's at the funeral of somebody that she didn't know where she meets Harold.

A meet cute as bizarre as that definitely sets the tone for what's to come. Harold and Maude have a variety of misadventures; picnics on scrapheaps, ripping trees out of the pavement and replanting them, fantastic singing sessions and conversations about what it means to live. All the while, Maude is dragging Harold out of that morbid comfort zone that he keeps himself trapped in. Through her, he starts to understand what life is really about, while also giving her a companion to share these wonderful experiences with. Harold begins to become more and more detached from the straight laced world that his mother wants him to live in, coming up with ways to dodge these arranged dates that get increasingly morbid and surreal. Harold opens up to Maude in a way that he's never been able to anyone else in his life, and gradually his eyes start to open, and he begins to realise that quirkiness and spontaneity and new experiences are what life is all about.

And that's what their relationship is all about, too. In a genre that frequently gets criticised for being so shallow and superficial, Harold and Maude is a rom-com that really gets what makes an on screen relationship work. These are two characters who compliment each other, as wildly different as they may seem. She's able to open him up and allow him to escape the upper class oppression of his mother's world, while he's able to give her someone to share her life with. Not that she's particularly lonely, but now she has someone that she can pass all of this wonder and joy on to. The film nails that quirky balance, too. It's never twee for the sake of it. Instead, the quirkiness is used as a point of contrast to the atmosphere that Harold's mother creates for him. The delightful madness of Maude's reality gives Harold somewhere to escape to, and when their relationship comes to an end that's fittingly morbid and hilarious, he makes the choice to stay in Maude's world. It's a moment that resonates so much because their relationship really does impact on the world of the story, a world viewed through Harold's eyes; as his life changes, the film does too, and because the film ends with his life changed for ever, the conclusion makes that much more of an impact, driving the point of the story home in a way that's as gloriously twee as the way it began.

I love Harold and Maude. It's everything that I need from a love story, and it's combination of morbid dark humour and wonderfully quirky insight never fails to cheer me up. Thank you, Hal Ashby.

"I love you. I love you"

"Oh Harold, that's wonderful. Now go and love some more"