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Reviews
Joyland (2022)
Funny, dark, heartbreaking.
Joyland is a film that defies genre, in equal parts romantic comedy, family drama and tragedy. This gem of a movie features incredible dialogue, beautiful cinematography, fully realised characters and some truly hilarious gags. It's a cliche, but you will laugh, cry but more importantly, think.
When the final credits roll you end up asking yourself, who is the villain in all of this? The answer is: society. All the characters in their own way are powerless victims of a patriarchal, heteronormative, deeply religious and conservative context that forces them into roles and circumstances that are beyond their control. The awful inevitability of their fates and the dark finale only serves to remind us that until we are all free to be ourselves, none of us are free.
Incredible film that needs to be seen.
I'm Thinking of Ending Things (2020)
Ignore the negative reviews.
Just like most of the people who voted Brexit died before it came into effect, so too, most people who down-rated this film did so out of some misguided anger that has likely since dispersed.
Don't understand this film? Struggling to grasp the constantly shifting continuity? Good. That's the point, that's the artistry. Annoyed at how confusing it is, and the lack of resolution? That's also exactly how the director wants you to feel.
Is my interpretation of the film correct? No. Of course not. That's the beauty of films that are abstract, they allow the audience to make their own mind up.
Want someone to tell you what this film is about? Need answers? Then buckle up:
"I'm thinking of ending things" tells the story of Jake, an elderly Janitor in a high school in Oklahoma. "No , it's all about Lucy" I hear you say. Well yes it is , and no it isn't. We follow the story though Lucy's unreliable narration but actually it is Jake telling the story. And what is the story? A story of growing old unloved by romantic partners and having to watch your parents decay before your eyes, whilst ultimately coming to terms with your own mortality before dying of hypothermia in a snow storm outside a high-school. In this tale Lucy (or all the other names she is known by) plays every single love interest Jake has known, her identity, name and profession constantly shifting as a sign that she is a different woman taken home to meet his parents each time. Meanwhile Jake's parents and all other details of his life shift in and out of time in nightmarish fashion to create a dizzying blur of a journey that, no matter which station you are currently waiting at, you understand the journey and destination.
What is this film all about in the end? All the partners that thought 'I'm thinking of ending things' about Jake, all the dysfunctional relationships and conversations he had. All the tender, haunting, manic conversations and toxic interactions he had with his aging parents. All the moments that he reflects upon with an aging mind as an old Janitor close to death. That's what this film is, and it's beautiful.
Ah-ga-ssi (2016)
Beautiful, Funny and Bleak
The Handmaiden is an intriguing story told in two halves from multiple perspectives. It's wonderful twists and turns are unexpected and fascinating. It looks and sounds exquisite, as though you have been picked up placed down in the era to drink in every sight and sound. However, it's downfall is inherent to its brilliance; the retelling of the same story becomes tiring at times a little boring, and with a run time of over 2 hrs the pace can drag sometimes. This does not take away from the brilliance of the film and its erotically charged performances. For me, however, it needs to be 20 minutes shorter.
Everything Everywhere All at Once (2022)
Completely Lives up to the Title
Everything Everywhere All at Once is precisely that, it is a film that defies genres, melts minds and breaks hearts.
At its core, the film is a stirring family drama about the potential destructive nature of the intergenerational divide, particularly in immigrant families. But it is also a laugh out loud comedy, jaw-dropping martial arts film and mind-bending multiverse sci fi (eat your heart out Dr. Strange).
Absolutely incredible performances from an instantly recognisable and brilliant cast, and a rousing, atmospheric score by Son Lux are the cherry on the cake of my favourite film of 2022.
A must watch for anyone, especially when shared with family, friends or loved ones. You will laugh, cry, and surge with adrenaline, and when it's all over you'll want to watch it again.