The Disaster Artist is an enthralling tale about the making of the worst best film ever made, the Room. At its core this film is about friendship. Its a heartfelt tale of two struggling actors who follow their dreams by making their own movie. This story is told brilliantly through James Franco's superb directing and his amazing portrayal of the infamous Tommy Wiseau. James Franco obviously studied this man inside and out due to the fact that he is able to not only do a very good impression of his voice but he is also able to capture the many nuances and body movements of the man. Dave Franco plays Tommy's best friend Greg Sestero in the film. In my opinion Dave Franco is the standout performance in the film as he is able to capture the character's shyness and insecurity but also is able to unleash the character's in rage and reluctancy throughout the film. By far the most compelling aspects of the film is the relationship between Tommy and Greg. The film takes us through the character's highs and lows and their never ending struggle to achieve their dreams. My one criticism of the film film is that it has a very rushed 3rd act. At the beginning of the 3rd act Tommy and Greg's struggles reach a boiling point and their relationship suffers because of it. Many months pass and we skip past potential character drama and relationship struggle that could possibly be portrayed. Thankfully the film doesn't suffer too much because of it as the ending of the film is quite inspiring and worth the wait. Overall the Disaster Artist is a heartfelt story of two best friends pursuing their dreams no matter the cost. it is a film I strongly recommend.
Iron Man 2 is an entertaining yet disposable Marvel film that fails to live up to the success of the original. As I previously said Iron Man is entertaining. This is due to the return of the many charismatic cast members from the original. Robert Downey Jr once again gives a stellar performance that is both compelling and funny. A nice addition to the film is Don Cheadle as James Rhodes. I still personally preferred Terrance Howard but Don Cheadle is still a very good James Rhodes, one I have come to love. Unfortunately where this film falls flat is its over abundance of story lines crammed into one film. Throughout he film there is literally over 6 storylines going on at once and it makes the movie feel very disjointed. The film also fails to provide us with a compelling villain. Whiplash is a very stale villain with barely any character development. Its really unfortunate because I quite like Mickey Rourke as an actor but sadly he was a real let down in this film. Though Mickey Rourke was disappointing there is one actor who I wished was used more in the film and that is Justin Hammer played by Sam Rockwell. He was the perfect foil for Tony Stark and that made him a very entertaining character to witness. I wished he was used more in the film but I was entertained by the minimal screen time he had. Another bonus is that the action in this film was definitely better then the first. The use of action in this film isn't amazing by any stretch of the imagination but Tony's use of new weaponry in his suit and the multiple Tony and Rhodey team ups were very entertaining. Overall Iron Man is an entertaining Marvel film but unfortunately crumbles under the pressure of too many plotlines.
Unfortunately The Incredible Hulk doesn't live up to expectations. Its really disappointing that where this film really shines is when the Hulk isn't in it. I personally believe Edward Norton was a decent Bruce Banner. He really was doing a good job and he portrays the character in a way where you sympathise with his inner anguish. All the scenes where Bruce is trying to control his anger and deal with his inner struggle the film is very good. Unfortunately when the Hulk is prominent in the film it really suffers. First of all the character design and visual effects are dreadful making each scene with him in it looks very fake and that really makes the film suffer. The most disappointing aspect of the film is the main villain the Abomination. His character design is absolutely terrible and the visual effects used to create him look laughably bad. The whole 3rd act is a clusterf**k of terrible visual effects and poorly choreographed fight scenes which makes it a sour viewing experience. Overall The Incredible Hulk is a disappointing experience filled with compelling scenes of inner struggle yet laughable visual effects and poor use of action.
The film that started it all. Iron Man was the first film in the now famous and highly successful Marvel Cinematic Universe. This film is insanely entertaining and possibly one of the best comic book movies ever made. This film is filled with so many things that make this film so vibrant and entertaining throughout. Lets start with the characters. Tony Stark, famously played by Robert Downey Jr is simply amazing. He is such a charismatic and fun character to watch that you simply wonder how RDJ does it. Robert Downey Jr is incredibly charming in this film and the character's blend of sarcasm, self-loathing and regret throughout simply makes this performance flawless. The supporting cast also do very well within the film. Jeff Bridges as Obadiah Stane may not have the most character depth and motivation but Jeff Bridges plays the character with such precision that you can't help but be entertained. Also Terrance Howard as James Rhodes is extremely underrated and personally I believe he is as good if not better then Don Cheadle as James Rhodes. Also Gwyneth Paltrow, who i'm not exactly the biggest fan of was very good in this film. Another great aspect of this film is that it is a very compelling and original origin story. Tony's story ark of going from a sarcastic, arrogant and narcissistic individual to learning the fault of his ways and realising that his actions and motivations hurt people is very compelling. Also the visuals are stunning. You can barely tell this film is over 10 years old due to how well the visual effects look. Iron Man flying through the sky looks as real then as it does now 10 years later. My one criticism is that the film fails to offer a good 3rd act. This is where the film really goes down hill. The main problem with it is there is no reason to why it is really happening. The motivations of the villain are unclear to the point why you are questioning the reason the final battle is happening. Its very bothering but not to the point where the film suffers too much. But it does help that this bad 3rd act is followed by a terrific ending which I won't spoil. Overall Iron Man is a very compelling comic book film which I believe could be one of the best ever.
Child's Play is an easily watchable, entertaining horror film. Chances are you are not going to be bored watching this film. The film thankfully doesn't take itself too seriously, which most of the time works in its favour. Unfortunately if you are looking for a very well made horror film you won't find it here. But thats not necessary a bad thing because this film is easily watchable and I definitely had a fun time watching it. It simply isn't trying to be something amazing it just wants you to be entertained. Some aspects of the film I really enjoyed were the performance. The protagonist Andy was portrayed very well by Gabriel Bateman and Mark Hamill once again hit it out of the park with his amazing voice acting as Chucky in this film. Surprisingly the film offered some great kills as well that I didn't see coming. This film was surprisingly quite original as well which I enjoyed. I thought this was a nice new take on the Chucky Character. Overall Child's Play is a very entertaining film with great performances, enjoyable kills and a great sense of fun throughout.
Annabelle Comes Home is a sequel we really didn't need. Throughout you are constantly questioning the reason behind its existence because of its severe lack of plot. I will admit that the film's strong point is the performances given by the actors. All the actors do a good job with the little material they are given. Throughout it becomes clear that Annabelle Comes Home is just your generic horror movie filled with constant jump scares. The film expects you to be scared just because a character turns around, everything goes quiet and then something jumps out for nothing. Not to progress the plot, not to add to a character's development, just for a cheap predictable scare we have all seen a thousand times. What annoys me the most is the aforementioned severe lack of plot. Literally nothing significant happens in this movie. Its just the characters running around a house for an hour and a half while things jump out and scare them. If you are just looking for a lazy horror movie to make you jump every now and then you will be entertained. But if you are looking for a well made, thought provoking horror movie you will not be impressed with Annabelle Comes Home.
Brightburn is a film with a brilliant concept. The idea of what would happen if a being with god like powers was evil is terrific, and the film gives us an entertaining depiction of this. The film is a compelling blend of both Horror and spectacle. Offering somewhat effective scares and brutal action throughout. Where this film shines is with its characters. The two parents of the main character Brandon are played exceptionally well by Elizabeth Banks and David Denman. Elizabeth Banks especially is the standout performance throughout. Unfortunately, the film is very rushed in places. Its hard to understand Brandon's motivations for becoming evil because he is given no time to develop his character and to truly portray his turn to the dark side. Also there are certain scenes towards the beginning of the film which take away any possible mystery throughout the film by spoiling the main mystery behind the concept of the film at the beginning. Besides a few minor issues with the film Brightburn is still an entertaining watch which offers a plot with enough depth to keep you invested throughout. Its depiction of its characters and its concept alone are done very well making Brightburn a film I recommend. Just don't expect anything overly amazing.
Fighting with my Family is an incredibly heartfelt underdog story of a young woman from England who aspires to become a wrestler. The story revolves around the main protagonist Paige, who is portrayed brilliantly by Florence Pugh. She comes from a family of wrestlers and has a dream to one day become a WWE superstar alongside her brother. The film takes us through the journey she took and struggles she had to go through to achieve her dreams. At its core this film is about family. The family dynamic and the story of Paige's connection to her family who just happen to be wrestlers is beautiful. When the film takes us through this family's hardship and struggles to get by is when this family shines. It especially shines with the compelling relationship between Paige and her brother Zak, who is played exceptionally well by Jack Lowden. Throughout the film we experience ups and downs from the siblings as their relationship begin to crumble as Paige rises to fame. The film is filled with excellent performances which truly drive the film. As said before Paige is portrayed flawlessly by Florence Pugh, giving a heartfelt performance which makes you shed a tear for her as she goes through her struggles and makes you uncontrollably smile with joy when she achieves her dreams. The film is also filled with excellent performances from Jack Lowden, Nick Frost, Vince Vaughn and Dwayne Johnson. Overall Fighting with my Family is an excellent viewing experience filled with brilliant acting, compelling drama, plenty of laughs and emotional moments which will leave you shedding tears by the end.
The Social Network is the best biopic of all time. The Social Network is a flawless character study of the famous CEO of Facebook, Mark Zuckerberg. The film tells its story brilliantly in a non-linear fashion. The groundwork of the film is set by introducing its conflict first. Then using this established conflict to branch off into to the tale of how Mark Zuckerberg founded Facebook, made enemies and destroyed relationships all in the name of success. Jesse Eisenberg plays the roll of Mark Zuckerberg perfectly. He gives an incredibly realistic performance which is able to capture the many nuances of the character as the film progresses. The film is also filled with amazing performances from the likes off Andrew Garfield, Justin Timberlake, Rooney Mara and Armie Hammer. But the clear strength of this film is its spectacular dialogue written by Aaron Sorkin. So many scenes in this film have some of the most realistic dialogue ever written. Each line of dialogue sounds a conversation that could legitimately happen and it makes each scene that much better and memorable. Overall this is a brilliant film with an incredible cast of characters, realistic dialogue topped of with amazing direction by David Fincher.
It Chapter 2 is a disappointing follow up to the brilliant It Chapter 1. Unlike the first this film sports quite a number of issues that make this a lacklustre viewing experience. I will admit one of the highlights of this film was the acting. Each member of this charismatic cast puts on a stellar performance that saves this film from being an unwatchable experience. When members of the cast are interacting and reacting to absurd situations, thats where the film really shines. But unfortunately when this amazing cast aren't in scenes together the film really drags. It also doesn't help that the film simply is not scary. The film's over reliance on visual effects make every dramatic/scary scene look very unrealistic and hence making almost every single scary scene at times unintentionally hilarious. But the film's main problem which makes it a pain to watch at times is its extremely self indulgent runtime. Clocking in at almost 3 hours long, this film is so painfully slow and filled with so many unnecessary scenes that just pad the runtime for no particular reason. Overall It Chapter 2 is somewhat entertaining at times but just fails to offer you a movie worth your time.
Easily the best Comic book movie ever made. A simply perfect follow up to the already amazing Batman Begins, The Dark Knights shows us what truly makes Batman tick. The Dark Knight introduces us to the famous performance of the Joker portrayed by the late great Heath Ledger. The Joker is the perfect foil for Batman in this film as he is the complete opposite to him. They say opposites attract and that is completely true here as The Joker's chaotic nature is the perfect antithesis for Batman's strive for justice. Throughout the film Batman is constantly questioning what he stands for and if what he does makes things worst. This sense of self awareness and conflict within the character automatically makes the film better and makes for a more intriguing watch. One aspect that truly makes this film stands out is that its not just a conventional comic book movie. At its core this film is a crime thriller. Delving into the deepest darkest depths of crime and what effects acts of anarchy can have on society. If your a fan of the Batman mythos you will enjoy this film regardless but if you are looking for a smart, well directed and exceptionally acted film you will definitely not regret watching this epic, directed by Christopher Nolan.
"Get busy living, or get busy dying". This films is a masterpiece. Everything about this film is near perfect. It is an intriguing tale of prison life and routine and how it can affect a man's physique or how you can take advantage of its certain benefits. The film has without a doubt one of the most alluring film protagonists in Andy Dufresne, portrayed by the brilliant Tim Robbins. His subtle yet realistic portrayal of a shy and intelligent banker who is framed for murder is one of the best performances I have personally ever seen. Another character who I can't get enough of is Red played by the unsurprisingly exceptional Morgan Freeman. His outstanding narration sets the mood throughout the film's duration and is simply brilliant. The protagonist's journey from being a vulnerable individual to becoming the most protected person in Shawshank prison is a truly remarkable one. The film is directed phenomenally by Frank Darabont and even more impressive is that this is his first feature film. I strongly recommend that you watch this film as it is one of the greatest films to ever be made and without a doubt my favourite film of all time.
Taxi Driver is a film which delves deep into the broken physique of its protagonist Travis Bickle, perfectly portrayed by Robert De Niro. It is a film which brilliantly depicts Travis's struggle through PTSD and insomnia. What makes this movie truly special and unique is that the film's antagonist is Travis's conflict within himself. Throughout the film Travis's downfall into acts of violence is somewhat justified but as the film progresses you begin to chastise the path he is taking. Travis's downfall into paranoia and acts of violence is sold excellently by Robert De Niro in this film and Martin Scorsese's superb direction throughout this film simply makes this film excellent in almost every way. One small bias is that the film just happens to be the debut film of my favourite actress, Jodie Foster.
Toy Story 4 is a heartfelt experience that will leave you emotionally invested in all its story by the end of the film. The film is beautifully animated to the point where specific shots look real. The animation is simply stunning making the film a joy to look at. The film's themes of farther-hood and letting go of the past make the film more relevant and heartfelt as intriguing you watch it. Characters such as Woody and Bo Peep have never been better and new characters like Duke Kaboom and Forky are some of the best side characters the series have ever had. My only flaw with the film is that a vast array of characters really have any time in the spotlight and are pushed aside to make way for other characters and plotlines. Overall the film is an entertaining and heartfelt experience that deserves applause.
Avengers Endgame is a satisfying conclusion to the MCU's Infinity Saga. It is the epic culmination of 22 films and it mainly doesn't disappoint. If you are a consistent Marvel fan you will find this movie simply amazing as it is very nostalgic and offers tons of fan service. Though I worry viewers who watch the movie without the context of previous films won't get it. Despite a few minor flaws like messy pacing and sometimes unnecessary humour the film is an entertaining thrill ride that will have Marvel fans invested in its interesting plot from beginning to end.
Joker is a brilliant in depth character study of a mentally ill societal outcast. The film is an ominous take on the origin of the famous DC villain, The Joker. The film is a spectacular display of mental illness, violence and societal divide. But at its core what makes the film so amazing is Joaquin Phoenix's portrayal of The Joker. His eerie performance makes you sympathise with his character but at the same time chastise the decisions he makes as he descends into insanity. The combination of Todd Phillips's Martin Scorsese inspired direction and Joaquin Phoenix's outstandingly realistic performance really make this film something to behold. A much watch for fans of the Batman mythos and fans of film in general.