Brian de Palma combines Giallos and Hitchcock in a decent erotic thriller that foreshadows the countless cheap sexy cable TV movies from the 90s. The lead character is beyond dumb and makes bad decisions after bad decisions until the end. The soft porn visuals are definitely dated and the unnecessary Frankie Goes To Hollywood cameo really puts the mid 80s stamp on it. The whole thing is a bit too slow and tedious with some boring subplot set in the porno world. It's still enjoyable as another Rear Window/ Vertigo hommage. But I much prefer his beautifully shot thriller "Obsession" because De Palma had much more style in the 70s.
Reviews
74 Reviews
A Touch of Frost
(1992–2010)
Fantastic crime show
16 April 2024
A Touch Of Frost is a detective show I only discovered recently and I was very surprised by its quality. Fitting perfectly in the world of British grumpy but lovable cop world, in between Morse and Vera, Frost has this unique je ne sais quoi that makes it instantly enjoyable. It's one of those rare crime dramas where you just enjoy the actor's charisma and forget sometimes about the narrative.
Truth is it does have a golden era, the first 5 seasons are outstanding. The combination of humour, rich storylines mixed with great recurring characters ( looking at you Barnard) makes it unmissable. 90s crime shows are generally better, the filming is top notch, lots of future big stars as guest actors, and just an attention to detail and characters that's slightly missing from current dramas. David Jason is just funny like a cartoon character and those episodes with him gently bullying his always new DCs are just classics.
Unfortunately quality starts to go down from season 6. Aging Frost weirdly becomes some sort of action hero doing Mission: Impossible level stunts and pictured as a womanizer which is borderline creepy (the fling in season 11 is just embarrassing). Maybe it was a producer's choice but still a weird choice. That doesn't stop from the occasional highlights. Season 10 "Close Encounters" has a rich complex story and great guest actor Jim Sturgess. But let's be honest the writing becomes lazier. The dual storylines usually gripping become pointless with sometimes resolutions mid episodes. Again the action packed endings get tiresome and more and more unrealistic (the man is in his sixties).
However points to Davis Jason for staying in character for 15 (!) seasons and maintaining the right balance of cheekiness and sweet grumpiness that makes his character so perfect.
Truth is it does have a golden era, the first 5 seasons are outstanding. The combination of humour, rich storylines mixed with great recurring characters ( looking at you Barnard) makes it unmissable. 90s crime shows are generally better, the filming is top notch, lots of future big stars as guest actors, and just an attention to detail and characters that's slightly missing from current dramas. David Jason is just funny like a cartoon character and those episodes with him gently bullying his always new DCs are just classics.
Unfortunately quality starts to go down from season 6. Aging Frost weirdly becomes some sort of action hero doing Mission: Impossible level stunts and pictured as a womanizer which is borderline creepy (the fling in season 11 is just embarrassing). Maybe it was a producer's choice but still a weird choice. That doesn't stop from the occasional highlights. Season 10 "Close Encounters" has a rich complex story and great guest actor Jim Sturgess. But let's be honest the writing becomes lazier. The dual storylines usually gripping become pointless with sometimes resolutions mid episodes. Again the action packed endings get tiresome and more and more unrealistic (the man is in his sixties).
However points to Davis Jason for staying in character for 15 (!) seasons and maintaining the right balance of cheekiness and sweet grumpiness that makes his character so perfect.
Femme
(2023)
Stunning depiction of the struggle of queer identity
21 February 2024
Queer movies have been hit and miss recently as they always engage in the caricature of romanticizing the pains between the queer one and the closeted one.
Femme had all the chances of ending in the déjà vu world of sad gay movies but it does the opposite.
By showing incredibly realistic characters, with their emotional anxieties and doubts evolving in real time, by building an insane level of tension and ambiguity, Femme manages the impossible. It resets the queer love story to new highs. There are no arty effects, artificial pose, comfortable moments. This is a drama where love tries to find a place in mountains of pain.
At the center is identity and where each of us fits in defining our queer sensibility. I particularly loved the moments where the closeted one tries to create casual and romantic moments the way his mind can accept it. It's groundbreaking.
Difficult to watch but absolutely outstanding.
Femme had all the chances of ending in the déjà vu world of sad gay movies but it does the opposite.
By showing incredibly realistic characters, with their emotional anxieties and doubts evolving in real time, by building an insane level of tension and ambiguity, Femme manages the impossible. It resets the queer love story to new highs. There are no arty effects, artificial pose, comfortable moments. This is a drama where love tries to find a place in mountains of pain.
At the center is identity and where each of us fits in defining our queer sensibility. I particularly loved the moments where the closeted one tries to create casual and romantic moments the way his mind can accept it. It's groundbreaking.
Difficult to watch but absolutely outstanding.
Upgraded
(2024)
Finally a movie about Anna Delvey!
9 February 2024
Upgraded is a genuinely good romcom. This is basically Cinderella if the title character was Anna Delvey. A girl desperate to live the high life and happy to pretend to be someone else (even by accident at first). The movie is elegant, the humour present but not as heavy as usual in this type of comedy. The actors are all very likable and believable. The romantic aspect is weirdly gentle and slow paced without a single sex scene which feels somehow realistic. Will's personality is not particularly developed apart from being a very nice and well educated perfect boy but what else should we ask. Archie Renaux is a great choice, different from the always blond and Royal type British characters. Camilla Mendes sells well the ambiguity of her naive but career driven persona. Very enjoyable duo for a very enjoyable film.
The Beekeeper
(2024)
Makes REACHER look subtle and sophisticated
30 January 2024
I like that the pitch is what if Halloween's Jason (or any immortal slasher killer) was the good guy. This movie makes REACHER look gentle, sophisticated and subtle. The silliness of this movie is enjoyable. We're talking 80s dumbness with a bit of Luc Besson's movie's shiny look and stupidity. This is a violent comedy vaguely inspired by John Wick but happy with being fun and crazy with some bad CGI explosions.
Of course you have the diversity female part as the badass cop to side with our invincible white hero. Jason Statham is half Bruce Willis half video game meathead and the less he talks the more he's in character. Josh Hutcherson looks like Jack Harlow if he was in Duran Duran. Dialogues make no sense, villains are from Gotham's gutter and the Beekeeper can enter any room, access any building, borrow any vehicule if needed, defeat all adversaries.
Thanos would have lost against the Beekeeper .
Of course you have the diversity female part as the badass cop to side with our invincible white hero. Jason Statham is half Bruce Willis half video game meathead and the less he talks the more he's in character. Josh Hutcherson looks like Jack Harlow if he was in Duran Duran. Dialogues make no sense, villains are from Gotham's gutter and the Beekeeper can enter any room, access any building, borrow any vehicule if needed, defeat all adversaries.
Thanos would have lost against the Beekeeper .
After the Flood
(2024– )
High concept, disastrous writing and a flood of bad dialogues
16 January 2024
I thought After The Flood looked like a quality murder mystery with social undertones and interesting human portraits. For most of the first 2 episodes you can still believe it. The flashy flood scenes, the creepy murder scene fools you a while until you realize the characters are little plot devices reciting things to advance the story with basic personalities. Our lead detective is of course ahead of every detective, smarter, and makes ridiculous mistakes that she has to tell her mum every second of the show. She's your typical hard at work, good hearted woman, and pregnant too. And she becomes quickly insufferable making outrageous decisions, disrespecting everyone (future baby included) around her for her own agenda.
Soon you know that the less you know about a character the more he's hiding... By episode 5 it gets just dumb, with huge plot holes regarding how people show up when the plot needs to move on or how she ends up with every clue every time. Characters will constantly sneak on important moments, or secret talks like it's a superpower.
The dialogues don't help. We're talking mid day soap opera level of chat, with the plot getting more and more impossible and stupid. I think episode 6 is almost a comedy, the scenes between the detective and her husband reaching a all time low level of mediocrity in writing, acting, and suspense. Don't expect to be wowed by the big reveals as it gets so predictable and there will always be a character to explain why something happened. And when you understand who did what, it makes even less sense how the characters behaved with our detective.
The moment the show creates flashbacks for the people even though you've been explained the plot already, it's beyond bad like a mix of Scoobidoo and Midsummer Murders.
What a waste.
Soon you know that the less you know about a character the more he's hiding... By episode 5 it gets just dumb, with huge plot holes regarding how people show up when the plot needs to move on or how she ends up with every clue every time. Characters will constantly sneak on important moments, or secret talks like it's a superpower.
The dialogues don't help. We're talking mid day soap opera level of chat, with the plot getting more and more impossible and stupid. I think episode 6 is almost a comedy, the scenes between the detective and her husband reaching a all time low level of mediocrity in writing, acting, and suspense. Don't expect to be wowed by the big reveals as it gets so predictable and there will always be a character to explain why something happened. And when you understand who did what, it makes even less sense how the characters behaved with our detective.
The moment the show creates flashbacks for the people even though you've been explained the plot already, it's beyond bad like a mix of Scoobidoo and Midsummer Murders.
What a waste.
Wonka
(2023)
This is how you create a classic
11 December 2023
Wonka is an amazing piece of entertainment reminiscent of old Hollywood when spectacle and awe truly meant something.
The secret is that it is a cartoon made in live action. The tone, the musicality, the over-the-top acting and characters, everything has the sweetness and joy of an animated movie.
The story is the emotional and musical journey of a very naive but smart character in the true spirit of Roal Dahl. It blends humor, drama and a baroque sense of insanity that wraps you with childlike excitement.
Timothée Chalamet nails the complex Wonka by playing it in all seriousness and embracing the silliness like a male Mary Poppins.
Paul King uses the 1940s love of dramatic shots, crazy colors and retro choreographies to fill his movie with fascinating set pieces. The shop scene is fabulous and just an example of the incredible attention to details : the right combination of digital and reality. Disney could learn a thing or two from it. Of course if you're familiar with the Paddington movies you will recognize story beats, aesthetic elements and an obsession with heist scenarios but it works for the best. As an incredible rollercoaster of old school fun, Wonka will melt your heart.
The secret is that it is a cartoon made in live action. The tone, the musicality, the over-the-top acting and characters, everything has the sweetness and joy of an animated movie.
The story is the emotional and musical journey of a very naive but smart character in the true spirit of Roal Dahl. It blends humor, drama and a baroque sense of insanity that wraps you with childlike excitement.
Timothée Chalamet nails the complex Wonka by playing it in all seriousness and embracing the silliness like a male Mary Poppins.
Paul King uses the 1940s love of dramatic shots, crazy colors and retro choreographies to fill his movie with fascinating set pieces. The shop scene is fabulous and just an example of the incredible attention to details : the right combination of digital and reality. Disney could learn a thing or two from it. Of course if you're familiar with the Paddington movies you will recognize story beats, aesthetic elements and an obsession with heist scenarios but it works for the best. As an incredible rollercoaster of old school fun, Wonka will melt your heart.
Secret Invasion
(2023)
So Skrulls can shapeshift in public no one will notice?
22 June 2023
This show is a sad attempt at Prestige TV MCU and it fails in many ways. A huge cast of stars won't make for awful dialogues, sad jokes, zero characters introduction or development and the wonkiest locations ever. The depiction of Russia is hilarious as it's basically London (I recognize the spots!) but with vintage cars and furry hats. The scene with Olivia Colman looked insanely cheap with the bookshelves clearly green screened. And that big square scene is so poorly staged it feels like a street market.
The main villain is introduced with no context as his character is just starring at you smirking. Emilia Clarke has great charisma but again she has such poor lines it's painful to watch. She goes from one place to another and that's about it. Even as a first episode it doesn't create any context, sense of threat or atmosphere.
On top of that the action scenes are extremely slow, "Book Of Boba Fett" level of slow, and boring as you guess who's a Skrull most of the time. And was the soundtrack also created by AI? It's so generic, badly dramatic and all over the place like a cheap thriller from the 2000s.
In the final scene, Fury is tracking shape shifting Skrulls but seems like the only one to see them change! Everyone else in the massive crowd didn't notice the character transforming maybe 4 times next to them?
The main villain is introduced with no context as his character is just starring at you smirking. Emilia Clarke has great charisma but again she has such poor lines it's painful to watch. She goes from one place to another and that's about it. Even as a first episode it doesn't create any context, sense of threat or atmosphere.
On top of that the action scenes are extremely slow, "Book Of Boba Fett" level of slow, and boring as you guess who's a Skrull most of the time. And was the soundtrack also created by AI? It's so generic, badly dramatic and all over the place like a cheap thriller from the 2000s.
In the final scene, Fury is tracking shape shifting Skrulls but seems like the only one to see them change! Everyone else in the massive crowd didn't notice the character transforming maybe 4 times next to them?
The Little Mermaid
(I) (2023)
Unapologetically mediocre
30 May 2023
The Little Mermaid is like a Disney parade, a Bridgerton Broadway show, a Hallmark movie and an aquarium themed screensaver.
The most shocking in this film is the visual incoherence between the ocean world and the human world. The ocean is all horrible cgi hair and crazy psychedelic colors but it feels like a proper universe. On the other hand the human world is insanely cheap looking, a green screen studio Bridgerton with questionable colonial undertones. The market scene is appalling, so shiny and weirdly modern looking as if you were in a themed tourist trap. The studio lighting makes all the actors look like soap opera extras. I feel so bad for the Eric actor who had to deliver that embarrassing solo that reaches the highest levels of camp. And the edit is so stiff, the acting so stilted it seems the director was inspired by Gone With the Wind.
So sure there are some so-bad-it's-good campy moments like the mermaids group looking like a doll display in a kid's bedroom, or the OTT actress playing human Ursula. But oh boy Javier Bardem looks like an AI gone wrong. His out of the water shots had the whole cinema laughing as you could just imagine him shooting them in a tiny pool trying to look serious with that hobo beard and cheesy shell outfit.
At least Halle/Ariel delivered and Ursula was just what you expected from one of the best Disney villains. I wish the climax was a bit longer because those visuals were stunning.
This new remake won't age well at all as all those unapologetically mediocre cash grabs.
The most shocking in this film is the visual incoherence between the ocean world and the human world. The ocean is all horrible cgi hair and crazy psychedelic colors but it feels like a proper universe. On the other hand the human world is insanely cheap looking, a green screen studio Bridgerton with questionable colonial undertones. The market scene is appalling, so shiny and weirdly modern looking as if you were in a themed tourist trap. The studio lighting makes all the actors look like soap opera extras. I feel so bad for the Eric actor who had to deliver that embarrassing solo that reaches the highest levels of camp. And the edit is so stiff, the acting so stilted it seems the director was inspired by Gone With the Wind.
So sure there are some so-bad-it's-good campy moments like the mermaids group looking like a doll display in a kid's bedroom, or the OTT actress playing human Ursula. But oh boy Javier Bardem looks like an AI gone wrong. His out of the water shots had the whole cinema laughing as you could just imagine him shooting them in a tiny pool trying to look serious with that hobo beard and cheesy shell outfit.
At least Halle/Ariel delivered and Ursula was just what you expected from one of the best Disney villains. I wish the climax was a bit longer because those visuals were stunning.
This new remake won't age well at all as all those unapologetically mediocre cash grabs.
A cash grab, entertaining but still a cash grab
3 March 2023
I love Demon Slayer, the animation, the emotional stakes, the rich aesthetic and the Entertainment district Arc was a great storyline. So I was really anticipating this second movie.
Except this is not a movie. This is 3 episodes screened in a cinema with recap clips before to make it a bit longer. They literally kept each opening song and each end credits. And of course we've seen the 2 first episodes as they are the conclusion of Entertainment District. Don't get me wrong those are great episodes and they look magnificent on a large screen but it's an awkward experience to show it the episodic way.
Then we get the first episode of the Swordsmith Village Arc which is gorgeous and absolutely fun but doesn't have the structure of a movie either. It's an hour long but it's an episode. It starts with amazing visuals and chilling scenes and then focusses on comedic bits like those filler episodes until the end. I don't understand why they didn't make a movie out of the first episodes of Swordsmith village, keeping the atmosphere unique and a linear storyline. Even if it wasn't a full story like Mugen Train it would still be enjoyable as an introduction to that Arc.
But no, they had one episode ready and basically found the best way to make the most money out of us, gullible fans. I'm ok with that if it pays for all those fantastic fight visuals but don't push it to far Ufotable!
Except this is not a movie. This is 3 episodes screened in a cinema with recap clips before to make it a bit longer. They literally kept each opening song and each end credits. And of course we've seen the 2 first episodes as they are the conclusion of Entertainment District. Don't get me wrong those are great episodes and they look magnificent on a large screen but it's an awkward experience to show it the episodic way.
Then we get the first episode of the Swordsmith Village Arc which is gorgeous and absolutely fun but doesn't have the structure of a movie either. It's an hour long but it's an episode. It starts with amazing visuals and chilling scenes and then focusses on comedic bits like those filler episodes until the end. I don't understand why they didn't make a movie out of the first episodes of Swordsmith village, keeping the atmosphere unique and a linear storyline. Even if it wasn't a full story like Mugen Train it would still be enjoyable as an introduction to that Arc.
But no, they had one episode ready and basically found the best way to make the most money out of us, gullible fans. I'm ok with that if it pays for all those fantastic fight visuals but don't push it to far Ufotable!
Tár
(2022)
Great performance, small story
17 November 2022
Clearly a secret hommage to Isabelle Huppert & Haneke 's masterpiece « The Piano Teacher », Tar intrigues at the beginning with a strong performance from Cate Blanchett and a bleak, hypnotic atmosphere. The palpable tension and paranoia that torment the characters , the moments of jealousy and fear reminiscent of court intrigues are the best part of the movie. But Tar doesn't achieve the brilliance of its inspiration because the central character slowly loses its mystery as her life unravels. The convoluted visuals and shock value of some unexplained side plots can't hide a very banal and of-the-moment storyline that ultimately collapses in an underwhelming third act with a predictable, overlong and flat ending. So the moral was that toxic people have to pay for their actions? Disappointingly basic for such a fascinating premise.
The Big Brunch
(2022)
The Big not that interesting Sunday hangover meal
14 November 2022
The Big Brunch is a strange concept, a food show focused on a specific meal option that's usually not that sophisticated food wise. Obviously it's an interesting challenge but the cooking skills have to be exciting. After the first six episodes, we are watching a group of people making tacos, burgers, bread and scones, but also intricate fine dining dishes or elaborate Asian delicacy. It's quite confusing as we go from fast food level plates to Michelin star in a heartbeat.
The word Brunch basically means everything is possible which affects a fair judging as the qualities asked to the contestants vary from team leadership, bread cooking, cocktail making, "personal journey" dishes. I understand a cooking show has to demonstrate a large range of skills but this is all over the place with very subjective rules. If your contestants have to do Bake Off and Masterchef on the same week, good luck with that.
My other issue is do we need to hear this crowd swear? Hearing F-words and S-words constantly while doing plates is just bizarre and distracting. Ok this is a youthful energetic group will human reactions but sorry it completely takes me out of the "fine dining" experience.
On the positive I think the judges are charismatic and professional, the set is incredibly luxurious, and that sort of show always needs time to find its footing. But the pace is awkward as we see the jury waiting and getting drinks served while contestants cook. It sets a "client/ staff" vibe I don't love.
The Big Brunch needs more structure to its rules, fair challenges and less of the very repetitive "bread/ doughnut / scones" skills. As anyone I love having egg toast and vegs for brunch but it's boring as a cooking show.
This review was edited after watching the first 6 episodes.
The word Brunch basically means everything is possible which affects a fair judging as the qualities asked to the contestants vary from team leadership, bread cooking, cocktail making, "personal journey" dishes. I understand a cooking show has to demonstrate a large range of skills but this is all over the place with very subjective rules. If your contestants have to do Bake Off and Masterchef on the same week, good luck with that.
My other issue is do we need to hear this crowd swear? Hearing F-words and S-words constantly while doing plates is just bizarre and distracting. Ok this is a youthful energetic group will human reactions but sorry it completely takes me out of the "fine dining" experience.
On the positive I think the judges are charismatic and professional, the set is incredibly luxurious, and that sort of show always needs time to find its footing. But the pace is awkward as we see the jury waiting and getting drinks served while contestants cook. It sets a "client/ staff" vibe I don't love.
The Big Brunch needs more structure to its rules, fair challenges and less of the very repetitive "bread/ doughnut / scones" skills. As anyone I love having egg toast and vegs for brunch but it's boring as a cooking show.
This review was edited after watching the first 6 episodes.
The English
(2022)
Beautiful but frustratingly pretentious
13 November 2022
The English starts very well with a beautifully shot and engrossing first episode. The cast is remarkable (Rafe Spall, terrifying), the photography stunning and the production design truly high level. Emily Blunt is fantastic as a Scarlett O'Hara type woman seeking revenge enhanced by her Vivien Leigh resemblance.
But the editing is all wrong and for the sake of being stylish and mysterious ends up confusing. By choosing a non linear timeline and pacing randomly its key moments through out the multiple episodes, the show destroys any chance of coherence and momentum. The viewer is left with pieces of a puzzle, a long talky puzzle, endless intimate dialogues that should intrigue but just bore as they eliminate any tension. The intense fights are perfectly shot and the Far West hopelessness is greatly rendered but can't save an almost incomprehensible plot.
The English would have probably worked better as a slick and character focused movie where a back-and-forth storyline is more digestible.
By the time the plot starts to reveal itself in episode 4, I lost interest in Emily Blunt's character and that's really a shame because this had all the rights ingredients.
But the editing is all wrong and for the sake of being stylish and mysterious ends up confusing. By choosing a non linear timeline and pacing randomly its key moments through out the multiple episodes, the show destroys any chance of coherence and momentum. The viewer is left with pieces of a puzzle, a long talky puzzle, endless intimate dialogues that should intrigue but just bore as they eliminate any tension. The intense fights are perfectly shot and the Far West hopelessness is greatly rendered but can't save an almost incomprehensible plot.
The English would have probably worked better as a slick and character focused movie where a back-and-forth storyline is more digestible.
By the time the plot starts to reveal itself in episode 4, I lost interest in Emily Blunt's character and that's really a shame because this had all the rights ingredients.
Am I Being Unreasonable?
(2022– )
A very dark and depressing Fleabag
11 November 2022
It's well written, mostly clever with some funny jokes. But when all your characters are horrible, selfish and obnoxious it makes for a rather unpleasant viewing experience. One of the rare show where you kind of wish every single character would suffer an horrible death in fact. Every single thing the lead does is painful to watch I swear.
The kid is an amazing actor though and the whole cast is very good but this is a frustrating program. The first couple of episodes reminded me of Fleabag without the forth wall trick and I was excited for this well acted black comedy. Unfortunately the story gets so dark it's almost stomach churning. You need balance and you need light when you deal with such difficult issues.
It's a shame because there is definitely a lot of talent involved.
The kid is an amazing actor though and the whole cast is very good but this is a frustrating program. The first couple of episodes reminded me of Fleabag without the forth wall trick and I was excited for this well acted black comedy. Unfortunately the story gets so dark it's almost stomach churning. You need balance and you need light when you deal with such difficult issues.
It's a shame because there is definitely a lot of talent involved.
My Policeman
(2022)
Blunt picture of a doomed romance
5 November 2022
Brokeback Mountain perfected the tragically doomed period gay love story and "My Policeman" borrows more than a few beats from the original masterpiece. Emma Corrin is basically a more naive and developed version of Michelle Williams's character, both remarkable in each part to be fair.
The whole thing has a sightly deja-vu feeling and is classic to a fault. I guess this explains the bad reviews but, truth is, this is an absolutely fine film. It certainly didn't deserve all the hate especially compared to that other and really terrible Harry Styles vehicule. Here his soft spoken acting perfectly fits the blunt straightforwardly straight character. The harsh selfishness of youngTom is the most fascinating and refreshing element of the film.
My Policeman uses the traditional biographic structure of back and forth timelines to great results. The idealism of the 50s sequences full of gorgeous arts, elegant flats, cosy countryside and rapturous love is in stark contrast with the gloomy grey suburban present days. It is true than the movie would have benefited from a more balanced use of the present time rather than just being the obvious reminder of a world of redemption and social progress.
But My Policeman is gripping as an exploration of the dark places romance can put us through.
The whole thing has a sightly deja-vu feeling and is classic to a fault. I guess this explains the bad reviews but, truth is, this is an absolutely fine film. It certainly didn't deserve all the hate especially compared to that other and really terrible Harry Styles vehicule. Here his soft spoken acting perfectly fits the blunt straightforwardly straight character. The harsh selfishness of youngTom is the most fascinating and refreshing element of the film.
My Policeman uses the traditional biographic structure of back and forth timelines to great results. The idealism of the 50s sequences full of gorgeous arts, elegant flats, cosy countryside and rapturous love is in stark contrast with the gloomy grey suburban present days. It is true than the movie would have benefited from a more balanced use of the present time rather than just being the obvious reminder of a world of redemption and social progress.
But My Policeman is gripping as an exploration of the dark places romance can put us through.
Causeway
(2022)
Great set up lacking a proper third act
5 November 2022
Causeway is an interesting tale of two broken people in a classic "back to the hometown" drama.
Brian Tyree Henry is fantastic as usual and the true emotional heart of the movie. I found Jennifer Lawrence's performance almost too detached and her character transformation a bit basic probably because that key family moment towards the end didn't resonate as it should. Also her character's sexuality didn't have real implication in the plot and didn't feel relevant. The script should have use this element somehow. There are great scenes though, some mother-daughter great interactions, a stunning and Oscar worthy speech about loneliness by Henry.
But the whole plot falls short of true closure and lacks a more profound ending.
Plus it never feels like it's a heat wave : time to rewatch some Elia Kazan movies if you want your actors looking drenched in the sweat of a humid hot summer!
Brian Tyree Henry is fantastic as usual and the true emotional heart of the movie. I found Jennifer Lawrence's performance almost too detached and her character transformation a bit basic probably because that key family moment towards the end didn't resonate as it should. Also her character's sexuality didn't have real implication in the plot and didn't feel relevant. The script should have use this element somehow. There are great scenes though, some mother-daughter great interactions, a stunning and Oscar worthy speech about loneliness by Henry.
But the whole plot falls short of true closure and lacks a more profound ending.
Plus it never feels like it's a heat wave : time to rewatch some Elia Kazan movies if you want your actors looking drenched in the sweat of a humid hot summer!
Smile
(V) (2022)
The Invisible Man script but everyone is Smiling!
2 November 2022
First of all it's important to say that Smile borrows a lot from The Invisible Man movie. You have the identical slow descent of a woman into paranoia and madness while everybody close to her starts to turn on her. You similarly have many men doing a lot of mansplaining while she sees things no one else can. They even copied that exact same scene where she will face complete disbelief and rejection from her sister at her door step. No coincidence here.
The paranormal aspect is basically that classic "let's cheat death" trope seen before in The Final Destination or It Follows. It's just a bit more confusing and vague save for the smile gimmick and a lot - and I mean a lot- of jump scares.
But as soon as our traumatized lead gets completely isolated and randomly goes back to her ex, the movie loses steam and turns into a detective mystery that doesn't make much sense. The movie redeems itself in the last act with some fun CGI and claustrophobic visuals that will make you forgive the lack of logic or even a resolution.
Ultimately Smile is another one of those recent horror movies that has very clever marketing and gotcha moments but not much in terms of plot. What Smile does have though is a fantastic and very unnerving soundtrack from the White Lotus composer Cristobal Tapia de Veer.
Absolutely loved the music particularly in the last scene!
The paranormal aspect is basically that classic "let's cheat death" trope seen before in The Final Destination or It Follows. It's just a bit more confusing and vague save for the smile gimmick and a lot - and I mean a lot- of jump scares.
But as soon as our traumatized lead gets completely isolated and randomly goes back to her ex, the movie loses steam and turns into a detective mystery that doesn't make much sense. The movie redeems itself in the last act with some fun CGI and claustrophobic visuals that will make you forgive the lack of logic or even a resolution.
Ultimately Smile is another one of those recent horror movies that has very clever marketing and gotcha moments but not much in terms of plot. What Smile does have though is a fantastic and very unnerving soundtrack from the White Lotus composer Cristobal Tapia de Veer.
Absolutely loved the music particularly in the last scene!
The Devil's Hour
(2022– )
Finally a British show that nails the ending
31 October 2022
Devil's Hour starts as your usual English mystery crime show with some added spooky & stylish effects. But it soon becomes clear that some supernatural elements seem involved.
For one I really enjoyed the fast pace, almost too fast as the timeline sometimes jumps between episodes and chooses to skip beats so it can concentrate on the key elements.
The tight cast and scenes repeats help to focus on the core elements so we follow through and the story ends up more intriguing than confusing.
There are a few plot holes as always, like why the cops didn't interrogate that mom and child about this mysterious Lucy Chambers, why after they find her is she's always allowed on crime scenes. Once we understand the Gideon twist, I do question why everything always happened in such a tight time frame like within minutes, that doesn't make sense if we try to follow that logic. And the other cop's fate is not explained at all unless I missed it.
But those are details in a generally very well balanced and build up program. This year had its fair share of "elevated" UK dramas that starts well but usually end up going off the rail with ridiculous and contrived ending, Yes I'm talking to you "The Tourist" and "Sherwood"... For the sake of plot twists and surprise, most writers seem to invent dumb resolutions that usually destroy any realistic conclusion.
So Devil's Hour is definitely a big step up and hopefully should become a reference on how you actually nail the ending by respecting the viewer and carefully building the intrigue.
For one I really enjoyed the fast pace, almost too fast as the timeline sometimes jumps between episodes and chooses to skip beats so it can concentrate on the key elements.
The tight cast and scenes repeats help to focus on the core elements so we follow through and the story ends up more intriguing than confusing.
There are a few plot holes as always, like why the cops didn't interrogate that mom and child about this mysterious Lucy Chambers, why after they find her is she's always allowed on crime scenes. Once we understand the Gideon twist, I do question why everything always happened in such a tight time frame like within minutes, that doesn't make sense if we try to follow that logic. And the other cop's fate is not explained at all unless I missed it.
But those are details in a generally very well balanced and build up program. This year had its fair share of "elevated" UK dramas that starts well but usually end up going off the rail with ridiculous and contrived ending, Yes I'm talking to you "The Tourist" and "Sherwood"... For the sake of plot twists and surprise, most writers seem to invent dumb resolutions that usually destroy any realistic conclusion.
So Devil's Hour is definitely a big step up and hopefully should become a reference on how you actually nail the ending by respecting the viewer and carefully building the intrigue.
Better than your average Hogwarts copycat
29 October 2022
This show is very gripping, a fun combination of many things we love but I don't blame it.
We encounter a world divided between witches and non-witches like in Harry Potter but the racism allegory is actually inside the witches world itself divided in two as well. The main characters are teens because who cares what adults witches are doing these days? Certainly not saving the world. They possess X-men mutants-like powers and use them most of the time but they also have guns to make it easier. They also use a lot of smoke for budgetary reason I fear. But the show includes some decent cgi and good special effects when needed.
What really surprised me is that this is based on a book. But I would say "inspired" as it took me a couple of episodes to realize I had actually read the book a few years back but didn't recognized the story at all. They changed the plot so much it makes senses they even changed the title.
This comes with some issues: a lot of plot holes, an obsession with changing locations for the sake of it, spells rules invented when needed and a big gap between characters abilities. It's silly how Jessica doesn't use her key power more often for example.
Also some elements are very rushed. The school part that I found very compelling could have been more developed, so are the villain motivations or just why the leaders of the Fairborne exist within the real world. Also the Blood witches are not that well defined. Basically a lot is not explained as we move to new countries and places constantly.
But thankfully the main trio is very likable and entertaining, the love elements are subtle and the fantasy part exciting so I'll forgive the few weaknesses and hope we get a bigger budget in season 2.
We encounter a world divided between witches and non-witches like in Harry Potter but the racism allegory is actually inside the witches world itself divided in two as well. The main characters are teens because who cares what adults witches are doing these days? Certainly not saving the world. They possess X-men mutants-like powers and use them most of the time but they also have guns to make it easier. They also use a lot of smoke for budgetary reason I fear. But the show includes some decent cgi and good special effects when needed.
What really surprised me is that this is based on a book. But I would say "inspired" as it took me a couple of episodes to realize I had actually read the book a few years back but didn't recognized the story at all. They changed the plot so much it makes senses they even changed the title.
This comes with some issues: a lot of plot holes, an obsession with changing locations for the sake of it, spells rules invented when needed and a big gap between characters abilities. It's silly how Jessica doesn't use her key power more often for example.
Also some elements are very rushed. The school part that I found very compelling could have been more developed, so are the villain motivations or just why the leaders of the Fairborne exist within the real world. Also the Blood witches are not that well defined. Basically a lot is not explained as we move to new countries and places constantly.
But thankfully the main trio is very likable and entertaining, the love elements are subtle and the fantasy part exciting so I'll forgive the few weaknesses and hope we get a bigger budget in season 2.
Anachronistic and déjà-vu episode
28 October 2022
Warning: Spoilers
"The Viewing" is by far the worst episode of "the Cabinet Of Curiosities" anthology.
First it suffers from anachronism. It is meant to be set in 1979 but the music playing in the car or in the house are pure 80s. Acting is a bit subpar and the late 70s setting doesn't bring anything apart from some orange lighting, a bad Afro wig and the asian sister of Vera from Scooby-Doo. Not much happens for half of the episode until you get to the spooky monster part. The creature has a decent design at least.
But some of the horror scenes are very unoriginal copying Raider Of The Lost Arch and The Blob.
Truly disappointing.
First it suffers from anachronism. It is meant to be set in 1979 but the music playing in the car or in the house are pure 80s. Acting is a bit subpar and the late 70s setting doesn't bring anything apart from some orange lighting, a bad Afro wig and the asian sister of Vera from Scooby-Doo. Not much happens for half of the episode until you get to the spooky monster part. The creature has a decent design at least.
But some of the horror scenes are very unoriginal copying Raider Of The Lost Arch and The Blob.
Truly disappointing.
A great anthology with a couple of stinkers
28 October 2022
Horror anthologies have been pretty bad recently. The Twilight Zone reboot was horrendous, Creepshow is cheesy as hell and quite dated. Nothing really elevated has been released since the highs of Black Mirror. So "Cabinet Of Curiosities" is actually a true breath of fresh air.
For one, it has great production values, good acting and interesting ideas. Most episodes are properly built up with rich storytelling. Of course as with any anthology, it can be hit or miss. But this is mostly successful. I loved the creative visuals and expensive scenery on the Lovecraft inspired stories, particularly "Pickman's model". "The Murmuring" is very well written and directed with a nice update on the traditional haunted house trope.
I was disappointed by the overtly retro episodes.
"The Outside" which is the most Twilight Zone or Tales From The Crypt concept, starts well but lacks depth with an all too familiar satyre on the beauty obsession. There's also a few anachronism as it is supposed to be set in the 80s but the housewives conversations are quite contemporary and flat screens didn't exist in those days.
More anachronism in "The Viewing" which is the one very bad episode. It is meant to be set in 1979 but the music playing in the car or in the house are pure 80s. Acting is a bit subpar and the late 70s setting doesn't bring anything apart from some orange lighting, a bad Afro wig and the asian sister of Vera from Scooby-Doo. Then the Indiana Jones inspired scene is very poor and unoriginal.
For one, it has great production values, good acting and interesting ideas. Most episodes are properly built up with rich storytelling. Of course as with any anthology, it can be hit or miss. But this is mostly successful. I loved the creative visuals and expensive scenery on the Lovecraft inspired stories, particularly "Pickman's model". "The Murmuring" is very well written and directed with a nice update on the traditional haunted house trope.
I was disappointed by the overtly retro episodes.
"The Outside" which is the most Twilight Zone or Tales From The Crypt concept, starts well but lacks depth with an all too familiar satyre on the beauty obsession. There's also a few anachronism as it is supposed to be set in the 80s but the housewives conversations are quite contemporary and flat screens didn't exist in those days.
More anachronism in "The Viewing" which is the one very bad episode. It is meant to be set in 1979 but the music playing in the car or in the house are pure 80s. Acting is a bit subpar and the late 70s setting doesn't bring anything apart from some orange lighting, a bad Afro wig and the asian sister of Vera from Scooby-Doo. Then the Indiana Jones inspired scene is very poor and unoriginal.
Bones and All
(2022)
Road trip lovers stop on the way for some meals
26 October 2022
As a massive admirer of Luca Guadagnino's work, it saddens me to say that Bones & All is disappointing.
Even though the cinematography and atmosphere are beautiful and what you would expect from the visual master, the film suffers from tonal shifts and a very talky script that is only saved by a fantastic turn by Mark Rylance. His menacing presence is the feature only redeeming quality.
The narrative is overstretched by a terribly slow pace reinforced by wooden dialogues between lovers that don't have much chemistry to begin with. Timothée Chalamet is clearly miscast as his sweet and soft demeanor don't match with the supposed danger and inner violence of his character.
Star of the show, Taylor Russell is beautiful and haunting. She also carries much of the movie on her frail shoulder. But the underdeveloped family moments and repetitive travel adventures don't help to build much of her personality. So when we get to the core horror aspect of the movie it mostly fails. Most "gory" moments are contrived, shoehorned inside the romance. They are too few, tonally all over the place and end up underwhelming.
After the masterful Suspiria, I was really expecting Guadagnino to deliver on the horror front but I think he got sucked away by the gorgeous landscapes and forgot to build up tension or fear. Bones & All ultimately ends up being a tiresome teen romance road trip interrupted by bizarre gory scenes. I will just rewatch Kathryn Bigelow's masterpiece "Near Dark" which I think would have been the perfect inspiration.
Even though the cinematography and atmosphere are beautiful and what you would expect from the visual master, the film suffers from tonal shifts and a very talky script that is only saved by a fantastic turn by Mark Rylance. His menacing presence is the feature only redeeming quality.
The narrative is overstretched by a terribly slow pace reinforced by wooden dialogues between lovers that don't have much chemistry to begin with. Timothée Chalamet is clearly miscast as his sweet and soft demeanor don't match with the supposed danger and inner violence of his character.
Star of the show, Taylor Russell is beautiful and haunting. She also carries much of the movie on her frail shoulder. But the underdeveloped family moments and repetitive travel adventures don't help to build much of her personality. So when we get to the core horror aspect of the movie it mostly fails. Most "gory" moments are contrived, shoehorned inside the romance. They are too few, tonally all over the place and end up underwhelming.
After the masterful Suspiria, I was really expecting Guadagnino to deliver on the horror front but I think he got sucked away by the gorgeous landscapes and forgot to build up tension or fear. Bones & All ultimately ends up being a tiresome teen romance road trip interrupted by bizarre gory scenes. I will just rewatch Kathryn Bigelow's masterpiece "Near Dark" which I think would have been the perfect inspiration.
Barbarian
(2022)
A slow slow build up to nothing
25 October 2022
Despite an intriguing introduction I was mostly bored for the first hour and annoyed by how basic the actual concept was. The direction is flat, slow and didn't bring any real tension as I have seen way scarier dark tunnel horror scenes.
Characters were introduced in a banal way like a tv show pilot with many scenes to give them back story that had nothing to do with the main plot. I guess their main trait is that they all behave very irrationally inside that house.
Then the flashback just presented what we sort of guessed all along and in a way that was neither frightening or interesting. After such a long build up I was expecting a proper twist or at least at true horror moment. The "action" at the end felt rushed, goofy and again not scary at all.
I'm a horror film lover and that's probably the issue as I have seen this exact sort of stories done better. Also this year didn't disappoint with many gems by very accomplished directors like The Black Phone, Pearl, X, Nope (although I'll admit Nope barely fits the horror category). They know how to built fear gradually and create characters integral to the story. While it had a good premise Barbarian felt quite amateurish.
Characters were introduced in a banal way like a tv show pilot with many scenes to give them back story that had nothing to do with the main plot. I guess their main trait is that they all behave very irrationally inside that house.
Then the flashback just presented what we sort of guessed all along and in a way that was neither frightening or interesting. After such a long build up I was expecting a proper twist or at least at true horror moment. The "action" at the end felt rushed, goofy and again not scary at all.
I'm a horror film lover and that's probably the issue as I have seen this exact sort of stories done better. Also this year didn't disappoint with many gems by very accomplished directors like The Black Phone, Pearl, X, Nope (although I'll admit Nope barely fits the horror category). They know how to built fear gradually and create characters integral to the story. While it had a good premise Barbarian felt quite amateurish.
Halloween Ends
(2022)
The Shape of Water
15 October 2022
Warning: Spoilers
Rehashing every slasher tropes and the original Halloween visuals and filming technique was not enough. They had to copy and paste John Carpenter's (and Stephen King's) "Christine". Corey is basically Arnie, and it's clearly intentional with so many scenes identical. While the idea is tempting of evil slowly taking over a good kid, the execution is incredibly bland. Also Evil hiding in a tunnel waiting to be released is the most Stephen King thing imaginable.
What could have been a fascinating portrait of a new evil and a sort of Son Of Halloween concept ends up as scary and interesting as a glass of water. There is nothing frightening, subversive or gruesome here. Shame because acting is better than usual and if they had follow through the idea and deliver actual horror, we could have got a new classic.
But no, it was just about filling an hour of movie before the underwhelming showdown between Laurie and the Shape, with knives, in a kitchen (yawn) with a reveal that is so anticlimactic they could have just cut the scene.
Sad.
What could have been a fascinating portrait of a new evil and a sort of Son Of Halloween concept ends up as scary and interesting as a glass of water. There is nothing frightening, subversive or gruesome here. Shame because acting is better than usual and if they had follow through the idea and deliver actual horror, we could have got a new classic.
But no, it was just about filling an hour of movie before the underwhelming showdown between Laurie and the Shape, with knives, in a kitchen (yawn) with a reveal that is so anticlimactic they could have just cut the scene.
Sad.
The Banshees of Inisherin
(2022)
A Shakespearean masterpiece
14 October 2022
It's hard to tell if this is a wonderful dark comedy or a a Shakespearean tragedy. Served by a magistral group of actors and actress, "Banshees" takes you to stunning Irish landscapes and numbs you with its comfortable scenery, cute farm animals and lovely violin tunes in the good old pub... Until men display a classic story of pride and stubbornness.
Like a dark children tale, the movie seems to be a metaphor of the stupidity of war and humanity's contradictions. Collin Farrell, Brendan Gleeson and a scene stealing Barry Keoghan are just wonderful at creating those flawed and unique men spiraling into their destiny. While Kerry Condon as the reasonable woman represents perfectly the fatality of this world.
Martin McDonagh created a fantastic piece of filmmaking, a sadly very timely message that I would love to see adapted as a play.
Like a dark children tale, the movie seems to be a metaphor of the stupidity of war and humanity's contradictions. Collin Farrell, Brendan Gleeson and a scene stealing Barry Keoghan are just wonderful at creating those flawed and unique men spiraling into their destiny. While Kerry Condon as the reasonable woman represents perfectly the fatality of this world.
Martin McDonagh created a fantastic piece of filmmaking, a sadly very timely message that I would love to see adapted as a play.
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