Really enjoyed this. Not sure I totally got it and it definitely deserves a second viewing to untangle some of the first part of the story. But this is totally intentional by the director, to have you feeling exactly what the character is feeling and I get why it might be a little intense for some people, especially at the moment as we're all still feeling very much as the main character is. But I think this will be a film that, in the years to come, people will look back to see the kind of art that the pandemic inspired. It's a glimpse of the frustration, the feeling of helplessness that we're all living. It's beautifully shot, beautifully acted and put together and I think will be around for a long while. It's a no budget job, and that seems to offend people on this site these days, but if you can see past that you're going to enjoy it. I read that this is a companion film to other pieces in the world, and it's absolutely an intriguing beginning that leaves it massively open to a next chapter - very little is answered in this film, in fact you'll come away with more questions than anything. But I love that and can't wait to see what happens next in the story. Oh, and Ian McKellen and Conleth Hill are just cameos in this - it seems that some people think they should have been bigger parts (how in a pandemic when they weren't allowed to film anything?!) - but they've worked with the filmmakers a dozen times so this was clearly a favour to two exciting movie makers.
Reviews
11 Reviews
Bohemian Rhapsody
(2018)
Feel sorry for Dexter Fletcher
12 February 2019
This is not the great movie I was expecting after all the hype.
And where is Dexter Fletcher (the director who took over from Singer after all the controversy) in all the talk about the movie?
But on the note of the movie, it feels patchy, which makes sense since they had to shut down and find another director, who clearly had a different vision. Not an easy task, and I would have loved to have seen Flecther just do the whole thing himself.
Some performances are good, but not to the extent of awards....
And where is Dexter Fletcher (the director who took over from Singer after all the controversy) in all the talk about the movie?
But on the note of the movie, it feels patchy, which makes sense since they had to shut down and find another director, who clearly had a different vision. Not an easy task, and I would have loved to have seen Flecther just do the whole thing himself.
Some performances are good, but not to the extent of awards....
The Isle
(2018)
Filmmakers that keep getting better
12 February 2019
I saw their last movie, Two Down, so eagerly awaited to see this and was delighted it came out in the U.S first. Sorry UK!
These guys just keep knocking them out of the park. They take a genre and completely re-write the rules. This is their take on horror I guess, but is absolutely more like a "mystery/adventure" (the LA Times review, link above), and that is no bad thing. I was at first worried that the filmmakers had sold out after the exquisite Two Down, but I need have!
This is just sublime movie making and exactly what the industry needs right now. In this world of remakes, rehashes and blatant copies, this is something completely unexpected, and bravely put together. Everything about it is stunning work.
I agree with one of the reviews on here, that they could have done with more money here and there, but that is hardly the fault of these guys. They did extraordinary things with what they had.
Well worth a watch. And then go and watch Two Down for something different again. I can't wait to see what they do next.
These guys just keep knocking them out of the park. They take a genre and completely re-write the rules. This is their take on horror I guess, but is absolutely more like a "mystery/adventure" (the LA Times review, link above), and that is no bad thing. I was at first worried that the filmmakers had sold out after the exquisite Two Down, but I need have!
This is just sublime movie making and exactly what the industry needs right now. In this world of remakes, rehashes and blatant copies, this is something completely unexpected, and bravely put together. Everything about it is stunning work.
I agree with one of the reviews on here, that they could have done with more money here and there, but that is hardly the fault of these guys. They did extraordinary things with what they had.
Well worth a watch. And then go and watch Two Down for something different again. I can't wait to see what they do next.
Moonlight
(I) (2016)
Can't speak highly enough of this movie
11 October 2018
I won't write a long review here so long after the event. But this movie is as close to perfection as you can get. Beautiful filmmaking, acting, writing, the whole lot.
And whatever you might think about subject matter etc. this is a movie for everyone and you have to at some point in your life get your ass sat down and watch it.
And whatever you might think about subject matter etc. this is a movie for everyone and you have to at some point in your life get your ass sat down and watch it.
Snatch
(2000)
Watching it years later...
11 October 2018
...and I enjoyed it much more than first time around.
I think I was maybe expecting more from Ricthie at the time but I felt it didn't quite hit the heights I'd come to expect from him.
BUT, I think that may have been more to do with me than the film. I think I missed things, and maybe thought it was going to be something different, so when I got to watch it I couldn't get my head around what I was seeing.
I was wrong and think this film is much better put together than the first time I wrote about it. And a lesson for me there for sure.
I think I was maybe expecting more from Ricthie at the time but I felt it didn't quite hit the heights I'd come to expect from him.
BUT, I think that may have been more to do with me than the film. I think I missed things, and maybe thought it was going to be something different, so when I got to watch it I couldn't get my head around what I was seeing.
I was wrong and think this film is much better put together than the first time I wrote about it. And a lesson for me there for sure.
Miss in Her Teens
(2014)
Unexpected, mad, enjoyment.
4 March 2016
I wasn't sure I was going to like this. I had been on a film festival jury and seen another film by the same filmmakers, Two Down, which was outstanding, but this looked like the kind of British film I really don't enjoy, but my wife insisted we watch it, loving anything from the UK.
But it was excellent. Funny, quite odd, but very well acted and made. It has problems but they do amazing things with a modest budget and interesting to see that this was their first film and how much they had progressed from Miss in Her Teens to Two Down.
It is quite unlike any film I've seen before and one I can't stop thinking about, which prompted me to write this. It really does need to be seen by more people and appreciated for it's unique British comedy and charm. And some of those hilarious performances will stay with me for a while!
But it was excellent. Funny, quite odd, but very well acted and made. It has problems but they do amazing things with a modest budget and interesting to see that this was their first film and how much they had progressed from Miss in Her Teens to Two Down.
It is quite unlike any film I've seen before and one I can't stop thinking about, which prompted me to write this. It really does need to be seen by more people and appreciated for it's unique British comedy and charm. And some of those hilarious performances will stay with me for a while!
Two Down
(2015)
Excellent Piece of Filmmaking
1 March 2016
I was part of a jury for a film festival and this film came to us from the U.K a while ago and I was thrilled to watch it. As a jury member you have to watch a lot of films. A lot of films. Most which are OK, but a lot which are not so OK. So when something like this comes along, low budget debut feature, it restores my faith in emerging filmmakers.
The film is 'about' a hit-man who has been injured on a job and makes for a safe house only to find a young woman now living there. She's no damsel in distress, she can look after herself and from the off you wonder if there is something else going on with her. They are then joined by a take out guy, and they spend the evening together getting to know the hit-man and trying to figure out why the job went wrong. I can't say much about the story without giving away huge spoilers as the way the film is done any mention of what's or who's or why's will spoil it for you and that is certainly something I don't want.
The script is excellent, slick, intelligent, funny and really gives the brilliant actors something to work with. It is very well crafted by the director and the storytelling is clear, clever and accomplished without bringing too much attention to itself like so many films do these days. The story and characters are the thing here and he has done everything to make sure it stays that way. A true director.
I read somewhere for the festival that the whole film was shot in 12 days. Once you see the result you will agree with me that that is extraordinary. Lots of indie films are shot quickly due to lack of budget, but they don't come out looking like this.
It is a huge feat the team have pulled off and I urge everyone to see it if they can. Yes it has its flaws, all films do, and I'm sure with more time and money they would have been able to smooth them over, but if this is what is coming out of the UK after a 12 day shoot, we should start taking notice.
The film is 'about' a hit-man who has been injured on a job and makes for a safe house only to find a young woman now living there. She's no damsel in distress, she can look after herself and from the off you wonder if there is something else going on with her. They are then joined by a take out guy, and they spend the evening together getting to know the hit-man and trying to figure out why the job went wrong. I can't say much about the story without giving away huge spoilers as the way the film is done any mention of what's or who's or why's will spoil it for you and that is certainly something I don't want.
The script is excellent, slick, intelligent, funny and really gives the brilliant actors something to work with. It is very well crafted by the director and the storytelling is clear, clever and accomplished without bringing too much attention to itself like so many films do these days. The story and characters are the thing here and he has done everything to make sure it stays that way. A true director.
I read somewhere for the festival that the whole film was shot in 12 days. Once you see the result you will agree with me that that is extraordinary. Lots of indie films are shot quickly due to lack of budget, but they don't come out looking like this.
It is a huge feat the team have pulled off and I urge everyone to see it if they can. Yes it has its flaws, all films do, and I'm sure with more time and money they would have been able to smooth them over, but if this is what is coming out of the UK after a 12 day shoot, we should start taking notice.
Boring, jumbled up mess of a movie.
1 March 2016
I thought this might be fun and entertaining if not a good piece of filmmaking.
I was wrong. Tedious, badly acted for the most part, but then the script is so mediocre I don't entirely blame the actors, some of them, or the director who clearly doesn't know how to direct actors.
The real problem is the source material. Just putting zombies in a classic novel is not enough to turn into a movie, it's just not, and it upsets me that this is allowed to happen and that people spent good money making it.
Some teenage boys will enjoy this and that's about it. I know that's the target audience of studios these days but I think it's a crying shame.
Maybe if you'd had better writers, a director who could work with actors and actors who are less concerned with how they look and more about their character this could have been better. But that's a big maybe.
I was wrong. Tedious, badly acted for the most part, but then the script is so mediocre I don't entirely blame the actors, some of them, or the director who clearly doesn't know how to direct actors.
The real problem is the source material. Just putting zombies in a classic novel is not enough to turn into a movie, it's just not, and it upsets me that this is allowed to happen and that people spent good money making it.
Some teenage boys will enjoy this and that's about it. I know that's the target audience of studios these days but I think it's a crying shame.
Maybe if you'd had better writers, a director who could work with actors and actors who are less concerned with how they look and more about their character this could have been better. But that's a big maybe.
The Danish Girl
(2015)
Hugely Overrated
1 March 2016
I was expecting greatness, I must admit, and that's too much of a burden for most films. Director, source material, actors, designer, all looked like a great fit, so I settled down for a great night of cinema, and for the first twenty minutes or so thought I might get it. Every shot seemed like a Dutch painting, which I'm sure were the inspirations, but none of it felt real. And let's be honest a lot of filmmakers base the look on paintings, but you then need to make it breathe and live. This didn't, it just continued to look like nicely composed paintings. But Alicia Vikander was a joy right from the beginning, bringing depth, clarity and humanity to the role.
Unlike Eddie Redmayne who proceeded to play one note for the whole film. He seemed to have decided that if he looks down and then up again through his eyelids he was now a woman. It was a performance of tricks, and lazy tricks really, which were skin deep at best, which is ironic since the whole point of his character is about finding what's beneath the skin. I like some of his performances but I think with this he bit off more than he can chew and the director was not skilled enough to get the performance he needed out of Redmayne.
It's a huge shame as it is a very interesting story; the true one that is. The real story spanned 20 years and when you look at the time-frame of what really happened it all makes much more sense. The film feels rushed, and yet at the same time painfully slow at times, and it just doesn't work trying to squeeze 20 years of story into a couple.
A lot of noise about nothing, is my verdict.
Unlike Eddie Redmayne who proceeded to play one note for the whole film. He seemed to have decided that if he looks down and then up again through his eyelids he was now a woman. It was a performance of tricks, and lazy tricks really, which were skin deep at best, which is ironic since the whole point of his character is about finding what's beneath the skin. I like some of his performances but I think with this he bit off more than he can chew and the director was not skilled enough to get the performance he needed out of Redmayne.
It's a huge shame as it is a very interesting story; the true one that is. The real story spanned 20 years and when you look at the time-frame of what really happened it all makes much more sense. The film feels rushed, and yet at the same time painfully slow at times, and it just doesn't work trying to squeeze 20 years of story into a couple.
A lot of noise about nothing, is my verdict.
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