Post by mkb on Apr 24, 2024 13:53:49 GMT
I haven't posted in this thread since before Xmas. I seem to go to the cinema so often -- largely thanks to my Odeon myLimitless pass -- that I struggle to find the time to provide thoughts.
This month:
Ghostbusters: Frozen Empire ***
Disengage brain and enjoy the many nostalgic touches.
Love Lies Bleeding ****
Erotic lesbian thriller that I imagine will divide opinion when released here next week. My husband hated it, but I was sucked in by its spit-and-sawdust grunge and b-movie vibe. Kristen Stewart commits fully.
Arthur the King ***
Marky Mark does cute in a true story about a dog, told Hallmark style. Much suspension of disbelief required, but not a bad way to pass an afternoon in the cinema while waiting for an overnight flight home.
Late Night with the Devil *****
Biting satire on the entertainment industry at the same time as being a darn good horror flick. Great performances and perfect editing. Loved it.
Mother's Instinct ****
Slow-burn drama thriller that grips throughout. The acting duel between Anne Hathaway and Jessica Chastain is wondrous to watch. Both great.
Immaculate ***
Serviceable horror that does the job in terms of cheap entertainment and scares.
The First Omen ***
Like the original Omen, this is more drama/thriller than horror, and is enjoyable as an origin movie for all the cross-referencing back to the former.
Back to Black ****
The bleating from all the Amy Winehouse fans that her dad gets off scot-free is somewhat unreal. They seem to believe that documentaries -- the greatest source of propaganda in the modern age -- are truth. Back to Black only sets out to tell a simple love story behind the celebrity, and it does so brilliantly, with incredible performances from Marisa Abela and Jack O'Connell as Amy and Blake. While Amy -- the documentary -- was interesting, Back to Black is actually entertaining, and while not taking positions on who failed in their duty of care towards Amy, this movie shows enough for the viewers to reach a conclusion. Of course, what happened in real life, who knows?
Bleeding Love ***
Nepotistic effort from Ewan McGregor and his daughter Clara playing a father and daughter travelling across the US. I'm a sucker for a road movie, but this doesn't quite gel although it has it moments. Three stars may be a tad generous.
The Taste of Things ***
This, particularly the meal cooked during the opening thirty minutes, was a very tough watch for me as a vegetarian for forty years. It was pretty repulsive in places and made me feel physically sick. However, you cannot but admire what the filmaker is trying to achieve in conveying the beauty in the colours and taste of gourmet cuisine through the medium of film. It's a little paradoxical that it's post-Revolution France that provides such a setting for the decadence on show.
Challengers ****
Another household split with hubby hating this and me loving. It's a homo-erotic sexploitation movie with the gender switch meaning that it's a power-woman taking advantage of two men. Oh, and there are some tennis matches, set to an 80s-style electronic score and increasingly immersive camerawork. As a homosexual, I don't see the physical attraction of Zendaya Coleman, but apparently people do, so what do I know.
Abigail ***
This is truly terrible, but it's such a hoot, especially, if, like me, you go in having no idea what genre it is.
This month:
Ghostbusters: Frozen Empire ***
Disengage brain and enjoy the many nostalgic touches.
Love Lies Bleeding ****
Erotic lesbian thriller that I imagine will divide opinion when released here next week. My husband hated it, but I was sucked in by its spit-and-sawdust grunge and b-movie vibe. Kristen Stewart commits fully.
Arthur the King ***
Marky Mark does cute in a true story about a dog, told Hallmark style. Much suspension of disbelief required, but not a bad way to pass an afternoon in the cinema while waiting for an overnight flight home.
Late Night with the Devil *****
Biting satire on the entertainment industry at the same time as being a darn good horror flick. Great performances and perfect editing. Loved it.
Mother's Instinct ****
Slow-burn drama thriller that grips throughout. The acting duel between Anne Hathaway and Jessica Chastain is wondrous to watch. Both great.
Immaculate ***
Serviceable horror that does the job in terms of cheap entertainment and scares.
The First Omen ***
Like the original Omen, this is more drama/thriller than horror, and is enjoyable as an origin movie for all the cross-referencing back to the former.
Back to Black ****
The bleating from all the Amy Winehouse fans that her dad gets off scot-free is somewhat unreal. They seem to believe that documentaries -- the greatest source of propaganda in the modern age -- are truth. Back to Black only sets out to tell a simple love story behind the celebrity, and it does so brilliantly, with incredible performances from Marisa Abela and Jack O'Connell as Amy and Blake. While Amy -- the documentary -- was interesting, Back to Black is actually entertaining, and while not taking positions on who failed in their duty of care towards Amy, this movie shows enough for the viewers to reach a conclusion. Of course, what happened in real life, who knows?
Bleeding Love ***
Nepotistic effort from Ewan McGregor and his daughter Clara playing a father and daughter travelling across the US. I'm a sucker for a road movie, but this doesn't quite gel although it has it moments. Three stars may be a tad generous.
The Taste of Things ***
This, particularly the meal cooked during the opening thirty minutes, was a very tough watch for me as a vegetarian for forty years. It was pretty repulsive in places and made me feel physically sick. However, you cannot but admire what the filmaker is trying to achieve in conveying the beauty in the colours and taste of gourmet cuisine through the medium of film. It's a little paradoxical that it's post-Revolution France that provides such a setting for the decadence on show.
Challengers ****
Another household split with hubby hating this and me loving. It's a homo-erotic sexploitation movie with the gender switch meaning that it's a power-woman taking advantage of two men. Oh, and there are some tennis matches, set to an 80s-style electronic score and increasingly immersive camerawork. As a homosexual, I don't see the physical attraction of Zendaya Coleman, but apparently people do, so what do I know.
Abigail ***
This is truly terrible, but it's such a hoot, especially, if, like me, you go in having no idea what genre it is.
It's a vampire movie.
The script and direction is attrocious, and the set-up doesn't bear scrutiny, but go with it, and there is a lot to enjoy, not least the ballerina dancing of the amazing Alisha Weir (from Matilda and Wicked Little Letters) to Tchaikovsky while slaying her victims.