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Bluff (2022)
Brummie Brasco
An angry, gritty grenade of a film, that questions the ends, the means, and everything in between of UK drug laws.
An inspiring debut by Sheikh Shahnawaz - one of the best Midlands' directors since Shane Meadows.
Nolan-esque in all the right ways, and with a third act that'll hit you much harder than 'The Departed'.
Phenomenal score by Savfk.
The film's genius is the tangled ties between Gurj Gill's ambitious cop and Jason Adam's abandoned junkie.
Sideshow (2020)
Great comedy, smart storytelling, highly engrossing!
Séance Heist: Vengeance and greed lead a pair of incompetent criminals into a psychic's den of danger and deceit.
Haunting, hilarious and thoroughly entertaining, this is a comedy of escalating catastrophes and a tragic ode to the unlucky.
Another pinnacle for Les Dennis, a gifted supporting cast, and a beautifully impressive third act.
Some of the first act's characterisations, dialogue and plot may be a little predictable.
Mental health issues may be over-generalised.
But there's more chance of you being hit by a meteorite than not enjoying this film with a wide grin!
Births, Deaths and Marriages (2019)
What We Do In The Suburbs
A home video from the '90s captures the chaos of a family coping with three life-changing events over 24 hours.
Claustrophobic, caustic, yet tremendously charming, and achingly retro-cool!
BDM is blessed with innovative direction, deadpan dialogue, and a gifted cast.
Remarkable last five minutes that teaches movies with greater budgets how to properly do closure.
Some may find the breadth of characters to be overwhelming, and the narrative at times underwhelming.
But this remains one of the best Kiwi mockumentaries since 'What We Do In The Shadows', from one of NZ's best kept secrets.
Ka pai!
Keep Mum (2019)
A chilling, thrilling volcano of a film!
Luana Di Pasquale's 'Keep Mum' is the kind of film that never stops erupting. No matter how many times you watch it, it will always scorch your heart. And when you reach the film's anguished end, your chest wound won't be healed, but Di Pasquale will have certainly cauterised it.
'Keep Mum' is a blisteringly intense volcano of a film, and for good reason. It charts the first 24 hours after a wife & mother escapes her abusive partner. The title role is played by Nadira Murray, flawlessly cast and phenomenally gifted. Most Hollywood films would end their films where 'Keep Mum' begins - at the moment of triumph over the horrors of domestic violence. But 'Keep Mum' has so much more to say, because there is much, much more to say. The horror hasn't stopped. The regret hasn't stopped. And the guilt hasn't stopped.
Visually, 'Keep Mum' is one of the most beautiful films to come out of 2019. This is an unbelievable achievement given the film's budget, and all credit must go to Luana Di Pasquale as writer/director, Martine Wolff as director of photography, and Massimiliano Guelfi as editor. The story-telling on screen here is inevitably a sensation, thanks not only to this trio, but also to an extremely talented crew working seamlessly together. The music, the visuals, the emotion, the tension, are all incredible. And Di Pasquale beautifully balances the non-linear arc with a clear narrative (which is not at all as easy as sounds, as the current debate surrounding 2020's 'Tenet' has shown).
A film such as this would be nothing without its main character, and Nadira Murray carries the film with such intensity, it's as if you're watching a crucifixion. Her rage can be subtle, her silence can be agony, and her grief can be very real indeed. You never tire of watching Murray's performance; you only wish you could do more to help her. A special mention must also go to Cameron Murray, Nadira's on-screen (and off-screen) son. A talented actor in his own right, his scenes are affectionate, unnerving and poignant; and his performance is a vital piece in comprehending the entirety of his mother's actions.
'Keep Mum' is an unforgettable film about a forgotten horror. And that horror can be hiding behind any curtain on any street. Di Pasquale and Murray have lifted that heavy curtain; they have opened that dark door. And having stepped in, you will witness a horror classic.
@MarioDhingsa, SilverScreenBlack
Tenet (2020)
James Bond Backwards
Mario's rating: 6/10 (free ports)
An agent tries stopping time from running in reverse, because of a future running from a ruined tomorrow.
Thumbs up:
The score by Ludwig Göransson and Travis Scott is excellent, production values are top notch, and the stunts are sensational + believable. Kenneth Branagh's the best actor on screen - fearsome, fatal, focused and free.
Thumbs down:
Character motives and choices, along with certain plot points, aren't always the most original or convincing. The dialogue at times becomes overwhelming exposition. Fight scenes aren't always well-defined. And there's not much of an emotional hook for the protagonist, and ultimately, the audience.
Favourite scene:
The highway scene: Pulsating from the very start, forwards and back...
Best quote:
"We live in a twilight world, and there are no friends at dusk."
Best depressing quote:
"You don't negotiate with a tiger. You admire a tiger, until it turns on you."
Best lockdown quote:
"One man's probability of death, is another man's possibility for life."