Yes, I am doing one of these again. My attempts to at getting back into a writing routine have so far been futile, but with Japan re-opening its borders I am currently in the process of saving for a rather long jaunt around the country and so need stuff to occupy my time that doesn’t cost any money. And I’ll hopefully kick it all off by having one final, big catchup of the films released in the UK I have seen since my last review of a new film of Thor: Love and Thunder. There’s no point wasting any more time so let’s just crack on.
Girl in the Picture (2022) – dir. Skye Borgman
I got into ‘true crime’ last year in the depths of depression (taking late-night walks listening to podcasts about murder isn’t something I’d wholly recommend) and have kept an interest in the topic since, so this film is up my street. In terms of technical style, it isn't anything better than your average true crime documentary, but the story it tells is gripping, grim, moving, and devastating in equal measure. If you're not into true crime it's probably not one for you, but if you are it's one to watch.
Thirteen Lives (2022) – dir. Ron Howard
Watching this put into perspective just how insane the real-life event the film is based on was. It is very Hollywood in how it looks and tells its story, but it works. It is constantly engaging and has some really solid performances from Colin Firth, Viggo Mortensen and Joel Edgerton. It is also very effective in creating a claustrophobic environment throughout which enhances the feeling of danger in the film and it certainly had me squirming in my seat. I think it is now on Amazon Prime so if you have that I’d recommend giving it a watch.
Benedetta (2021) – dir. Paul Verhoeven
The only other Paul Verhoeven film I have watched is 'RoboCop' so I'm not sure I could have picked two more contrasting films. I had a great time with this. It looks great and is filled with brilliant performances whilst having a narrative that is based around never being sure if what you're being told is true or a lie, and I love that stuff. Falsehoods are scattered throughout, and it keeps the film completely gripping from start to finish. Really top stuff.
Bullet Train (2022) – dir. David Leitch
This was very much what I expected it to be; very silly, very manic and with a lot of slapstick humour. There were a couple of decent laughs throughout, but they were lessened by some bizarre editing and weird pacing, especially towards the beginning. I had kind of hoped the film would be so bad it was good, but it ended up being not horrible and I think it is probably weaker as a result as weird as that sounds.
Nope (2022) – dir. Jordan Peele
There has been an interesting reaction to this film with some people really not clicking with it. For me, I would have it fighting it out with Get Out as Jordan Peele’s best film. It gave me a little of what I expected and a whole lot of what I didn't that I appreciated, and it had me thinking about and discussing the film long after seeing it. Throw into that some really great visuals and a scene that had me unbearably squirming and I had myself a grand old time.
Prey (2022) – dir. Dan Trachtenberg
I was very surprised that this was as good as it is. That is nothing to do with the filmmakers involved, but more to do with the fact that the Predator franchise has far more misses than hits. You can easily put this into the hits section of that. And a lot of what makes it fun is that it is a new direction for the franchise and so it manages to pay homage while feeling like its own thing. It also has a lot of brutally fun kills so that may be why I liked it.
She Will (2021) – dir. Charlotte Colbert
SPOLIERS!!!
This was a film that started strong and then fell away a bit as it went along, but that would depend on what you like from your films. For me, especially when it comes to horror films like this, I enjoy when they are left to your interpretation on whether what you are watching is all just in the head of the main character or actually happening. This film takes a dive when it is revealed it is actually all real as the intrigue dissipates. Still, it is wonderfully shot with some great visuals and brilliant lead performance. Good stuff all around.
Fisherman’s Friends: One and All (2022)
I watched the first Fisherman’s Friends (2019) in preparation for this and it felt like it was a film that didn’t need a sequel, and the follow-up film effectively confirmed that. It is scraping the bottom of the barrel with its narrative feeling more like 3 or 4 episodes of a TV show meshed into one film. Good job I liked the music otherwise this would have been torturous. If you really liked the first film, you’ll likely enjoy this one too.
Beast (2022) – dir. Baltasar Kormakur
This was probably the film that surprised me the most this year. It would be disingenuous of me to say that this is great. There are some narrative issues and emotional arcs that don't feel completely earned. But despite all that I had so much fun with this. I love me a monster movie and this ticked all the boxes I needed.
Official Competition (2021) – dir. Gaston Duprat, Mariano Cohn
I was sold on this one from the trailer and the fact it was based around the making of a film (I do enjoy films focusing on filmmaking) and it mostly did not disappoint. It doesn't stick the landing with its ending, but it is consistently funny and has three brilliant lead performances.
The Forgiven (2021) – dir. John Michael McDonagh
This was a film that felt far too much style over substance. It does have some strong performances, but they are acting against a script and narrative that does nothing for me. A mixed bag overall. Nothing overly spectacular, but equally nothing terrible. Very forgettable to be honest.
Orphan: First Kill (2022) – dir. William Brent Bell
How do you follow up a film mostly known for its twist? Put in an even dumber twist baby! For the longest time, this felt like pretty much a rehash of the first film except this time we know going in that the lead character is a psychopath. However, once it flipped the narrative on its head it became wholly its own thing, and I had a great time with it. The ending felt slightly rushed, but otherwise, this was a great time.
Both Sides of the Blade (2022) – dir. Claire Denis
A film where the performances largely elevate the overall quality. While the narrative engaged me enough to never have me bored, I feel the overarching theme of the film is not rounded up in a satisfying way. Perhaps I am missing some subtle details, or I missed major ones, but it just left me feeling a bit like 'oh, that's that then'. Maybe one that grows on me as I sit with it, but my immediate opinion is that it is pretty good without ever being great.
Fall (2022) – dir. Scott Mann
This film was pretty decent until it wasn’t. Do you want something more comprehensive? Okay, so the film is fine for about an hour and then the premise catches up with it and you realise there is only so much you can do with two people stuck on a very high platform. It tries to throw in a narrative twist to spice things up but all it helps in doing is making the film feel very stupid very quickly and took me out of it completely.
Bodies, Bodies, Bodies (2022) – dir. Halina Reijn
I feel like the comedy and satire of the film either don't land or are aimed at a slightly younger audience than me, but as a whodunit, it works really well and was a lot of fun. It keeps you guessing, has a lot of fun twists and turns, and wraps everything up in a way that is satisfying. All in all, good stuff.
Three Thousand Years of Longing (2022) – dir. George Miller
Having seen the trailer, I was very unsure how I would feel about this film, so I am pleasantly surprised how much I like it. It’s super creative narratively and visually exquisite. The film is both a super fun ride and quite touching in equal measure. It loses steam towards the end but delivers a mostly satisfying conclusion. Entertaining throughout but it's the visuals that are the real selling point here.
See How They Run (2022) – dir. Tom George
This was a lot of fun. It plays with the conventions of the narrative in a fun way and is meta without ever being obnoxious. It also does what whodunit films should in leaving enough breadcrumbs for the audience to play along while also keeping you guessing. All in all, I had a good time, as did the audience I saw it with which is always a good sign for your film.
Ticket to Paradise (2022) – dir. Ol Parker
It is what it is, and what it is is crap. A certain kind of crap which isn't my kind of crap but is a kind of crap I can see people enjoying. Schmaltzy, overly sentimental, not particularly funny or well made. You know that kind of crap. I didn't hate it.
Pinocchio (2022) – dir. Robert Zemeckis
We all just knew this was going to be terrible, didn’t we? Disney’s track record with these live-action remakes is hilariously bad, and I’m not sure anyone was crying out for a remake of Pinocchio (1940). I didn’t hate this nearly as much as many of those other remakes because I have no real sentimental attachment to the original film, but it doesn’t stop this film from being really bad. I mean how can a film where so much happens be so boring?
Moonage Daydream (2022) – dir. Brett Morgen
As much a visual and audio assault as it is profound, inspiring, and moving. Bowie is an enigma and whether this film truly captures him is impossible to ever say, but it certainly made me more appreciative of the man and his work.
There we are, all the newly released films I have seen since my last proper review. Well, almost all of them. I actually watched a film just before Moonage Daydream which I am saving to write a proper review of for Friday. I won’t tell you what it is, but what I will say is that the memes weren’t worth it.
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