Director: Denis Villeneuve Starring: Timothée Chalamet, Zendaya, Rebecca Ferguson, Josh Brolin, Austin Butler, Florence Pugh, Dave Bautista, Christopher Walken, Léa Seydoux, Souheila Yacoub, Stellan Skarsgård, Charlotte Rampling, Javier Bardem Certificate: 12A Run Time: 165 mins
Dune: Part Two is the headily awaited second part of Denis Villeneuve’s adaptation of Frank Herbert’s first novel in his sci-fi series. Unlike Alejandro Jodorowsky or David Lynch, Villeneuve proved he could do the impossible – adapt what was regarded as an ‘unfilmable’ novel. Dune won six Oscar’s for his efforts. Dune: Part Two picks up where the previous one left off, with Paul Atreides (Timothee Chalamet) and his mother Jessica (Rebecca Ferguson) settling into life with the Fremen, after House Harkonnen launched a devastating attack on House Atreides. With even stronger reviews than the first, can Dune: Part Two live up to the hype?
While there’s no doubting the visual flair on display, Dune: Part Two is a mixed bag and not as strong as its predecessor. What really impressed me with Dune was how Villeneuve was able to maintain a clarity to the narrative, the key downfall of Lynch’s film who overstuffed the entire book in a 137 minute film. And while that’s still largely the case here, Dune: Part Two runs into all manner of pacing issues. On the one hand, there’s some good world building for the first hour where ultimately not a lot happens. But then, but the film completely rushes through its climax during its last hour.
Much has been made of the final battle sequence in this film, with some comparing it to the Battle of Helm’s Deep in Lord of the Rings: The Two Towers. I must have seen a different film because Villeneuve rushes through it, and that costs the film much of its spectacle.
The rushed pacing also comes at the expense of character development. I simply didn’t buy Paul and Chani’s (Zendaya) blossoming relationship at the very centre of the film – it simply feels like we’re expected to invest in their relationship with no natural development. I wonder if it’s to do with the fact Eric Roth doesn’t write the script this time around, with Villeneuve himself stepping in to co-write with Jon Spaihts.
With a film this overstuffed, it’s inevitable some of the performances are going to suffer. Although Timothée Chalamet impressed me in the first film, I didn’t think the actor sold the increasing weight his character has to have in this film as he ascends to be a messianic-like figure. While the standout of Dune was Stellan Skarsgård’s Baron Harkonnen, Austin Butler is the highlight, who is tremendous as Feyd-Rautha. The nephew of Skarsgård villain, he isa particularly nasty piece of work and Butler really makes the most of the role, with a sinister personality and a convincing Scandinavian accent to try and match Skarsgård. Speaking of Skarsgard, he’s solid but some of the mystery that surrounded him in the first is now gone and he’s not as effective.
Two of the performances really didn’t work for me. First is surprisingly Javier Bardem, who almost always elevates a film but he’s unfortunately saddled with some truly trite dialogue. Christopher Walken also doesn’t make the most inspiring choice for the Emperor because he just plays himself.
The score by Hans Zimmer is pretty atypical of him and whilst it has its moments, it’s not his best work. While Greig Fraser deservedly won an Oscar for his Dune cinematography, because the locations are more limited this time around, it doesn’t feel quite as fresh. However, I loved one action sequence that’s almost made to look like it’s been shot in one take. I also loved the black-and-white imaging of the Harkonnen planet, one of the highlights of the film, as is a gladiatorial fight to the death.
It’s a shame Dune: Part Two doesn’t live up to the first film with its odd pacing and lack of character development. But it’s still a fun ride, with some above average elements, such as the black-and-white sequence on the Harkonnen planet, Austin Butler’s performance and some exciting action sequences here and there. For a Denis Villeneuve film though, I think it’s his weakest effort and that’s a shame. While Villeneuve’s keen to adapt Dune: Messiah, I really hope he gets off the sci-fi train and does something completely different. Prisoners and Sicario still remain his best works for me, and while his foray into sci-fi has undoubtedly been successful, I want to see him breathe new life into a different genre.
French-Canadian film director Denis Villeneuve exploded onto the big screen in 2010 with Incendies, earning an Academy Award nomination for Best Foreign Language film, putting the filmmaker firmly on the roadmap.
He then made the transition to English-language films with thrillers Prisoners, Enemy and Sicario, all receiving a very positive reception. More recently, Villeneuve has expanded into sci-fi with Arrival earning him a Best Director Oscar nomination, before tackling the behemoths Blade Runner 2049 and Dune.
With the director’s gradual rise in stature, many now compare him with Christopher Nolan for his similarly heady ideas and meticulous attention to detail. With the hotly anticipated Dune: Part Two arriving in cinemas, here is a list of his films ranked worst to best.
Please note this list does not include August 32nd on Earth, Maelström or Polytechnique.
8) Dune: Part Two
Unfortunately, Villeneuve’s latest is his worst. While there’s no doubting the visual flair on display, Dune: Part Two is a mixed bag and not as strong as its predecessor. What really impressed me with Dune was how Villeneuve was able to maintain a clarity to the narrative, the key downfall of David Lynch’s film who overstuffed the entire book into a 137 minute film. And while that’s still largely the case here, Dune: Part Two runs into all manner of pacing issues. On the one hand, there’s some good world building for the first hour where ultimately not a lot happens. But then, but the film completely rushes through its climax during its last hour. The rushed pacing also comes at the expense of character development. I simply didn’t buy Paul (Timothée Chalamet) and Chani’s (Zendaya) blossoming relationship at the very centre of the film – it simply feels like we’re expected to invest in their relationship with no natural development. I wonder if it’s to do with the fact Eric Roth doesn’t write the script this time around, with Villeneuve himself stepping in to co-write with Jon Spaihts.
It’s a shame Dune: Part Two doesn’t live up to the first film with its odd pacing and lack of character development. But it’s still a fun ride, with some above average elements, such as the black-and-white sequence on the Harkonnen planet, Austin Butler’s performance and some exciting action sequences here and there.
Villeneuve’s highest-profile French-language film earned the director his big break with an Academy Award nomination for Best Foreign Language Film. Incendies follows two Canadian twins who travel to their mother’s native country to uncover her hidden past, with the film heavily influenced by the Lebanese Civil War. Mélissa Désormeaux-Poulin stands out as Jeanne Marwan, the daughter of mother Marwan (Lubna Azabal), who throws herself head first into the investigation, while her short-tempered brother Simon (Maxim Gaudette) wants nothing to do with proceedings. The film is quite unlike Villeneuve’s later works in tone but there’s no denying the powerful cinematography by André Turpin, especially how he captures the unnamed foreign country and its war-torn past. The use of Radiohead’s You and Whose Army in the opening sequence is also masterful. But the plot has its fair share of contrivances that I found problematic, which mean a disturbing twist late into the film doesn’t land quite as effectively as it should.
⭐⭐⭐
Rating: 3 out of 5.
6) Blade Runner 2049
Blade Runner 2049 is frequently mesmerising to behold on-screen and Villeneuve’s intention towards the project is impressive. Technically, the film is a marvel to behold bolstered by its strong performances. However, it is not quite the victorious slam dunk I expected it to be on the strengths of Villeneuve’s previous works. A lot of this masterful director’s trademarks aren’t immediately apparent in the film due to Villeneuve emulating Ridley Scott’s direction of the first film a little too closely. The film is also overlong and frequently emotionally lacking. Without trying to sound too critical of the film, it is testament to how strongly I regard Villeneuve as a director and the subsequent expectations I had going into this film. Blade Runner 2049 is generally a very strong sequel but like its predecessor, requires time and repeat viewings to further ascertain its quality and lasting impression.
Enemy is an often underlooked work by Villeneuve, who reteams with Jake Gyllenhaal. Clearly inspired by Lynch and Kafka, Enemy is an intense, thoroughly unconventional exploration into the theme of the doppelgänger. It requires multiple rewatches to truly unpack and appreciate its confusing narrative. The ending is jaw-dropping and reframes the film in a different perspective and continues to be debated to this day. The film’s brilliantly paced and doesn’t waste a second of its tight 90 minute run time and it’s vividly shot by Nicolas Bolduc, with an unnerving score by Danny Bensi and Saunder Jurriaans. While Enemy might not be as accessible as some of Villeneuve’s other works, it’s a thoroughly thrilling ride if you can get on board with its heady premise.
⭐⭐⭐⭐
Rating: 3.5 out of 5.
4) Dune
As a property, Dune has experienced a particularly hard life in a filmmaker being able to successfully transpose the novel from the page to the screen, Alejandro Jodorowsky dubbing it as ‘unfilmable’ and David Lynch’s 1984 film yielding mixed results. Villeneuve cracks the code though with his adaptation. The decision to split the adaptation into two is an excellent one and the film especially impresses in how it skilfully spins a coherent narrative that is relatively straightforward enough to follow. Villeneuve’s adaptation is particularly cine-literate and the world-building is remarkable. The film is particularly strong in its first act, as it sets the stage for conflict and establishes its sizeable roster of characters. The second and third acts become increasingly action-heavy and build on the spectacle. The performances all-around are excellent, although there are some characters who are short-changed that will have a greater presence in a second film. On that note, it was a courageous decision to film Dune, with the uncertainty of a second film being commissioned to adapt the second half of the story.
Arrival is masterfully constructed by Villeneuve and its first two thirds is particularly gripping. The performances are strong here too and the film’s beautifully shot by Bradford Young. However, Arrival bites off a bit more than it can chew in its last third and although the film is still very interesting and original, it begins to derail and struggles towards its ending. This is a film that needs to be watched blindly but I felt the film leaves a lot of questions unanswered with some holes to its logic. Like other Villeneuve works, this is a film that warrants multiple rewatches. For a sci-fi, it’s a film that’s very low on action and big set-pieces and is not too dissimilar thematically from films such as Contact or Close Encounters of the Third Kind.
Sicario is a near-perfect film that features some heart pounding action sequences and excellent performances, most notably from Benicio Del Toro who delivers a career-best performance as the enigmatic Alejandro. Villeneuve’s direction is superb and he has created a very gloomy, dark film that is extremely intense. The film’s brilliantly shot by Roger Deakins and there’s a sensational score by Jóhann Jóhannsson, which is extremely moody and memorable. I also highly recommend its sequel, Sicario 2: Soldado, if you get on with this, although Villeneuve didn’t return in the director’s chair.
Prisoners is not just my favourite Villeneuve film, but also one of my favourite films of all time – it is a masterpiece and had such a profound effect on me when I first viewed it on release in 2013. Villeneuve’s English-language debut is a harrowing, dark account of the kidnapping of a young girl and the subsequent investigation that ensues. Hugh Jackman plays the father, Keller Dover, whose multi-layered, fragmented character goes to extreme lengths to protect his family and uncover the identity of the kidnapper. This perfect film also features a brilliant score by Jóhann Jóhannsson which is endlessly haunting and is stunningly shot by Roger Deakins, who earned an Oscar nomination for his work. For Jackman’s sake, he’s overshadowed slightly by Jake Gyllenhaal, who also puts in a career-best performance as Detective Loki. I’d love for Villeneuve to return to smaller-budget thriller fare because the results speak for themselves.
⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
Rating: 5 out of 5.
What are your thoughts? Let me know in the comments or tweet @TheFilmMeister
Every film that is reviewed on The Film Meister is given a star rating out of five.
There are many elements taken into account but the overall score is primarily determined by how engaging a film is, the quality of its direction, script, performances and technical elements, as well as the themes the work explores, its context and what it represents for the genre or wider industry.
Review ratings can mean different things to different people (and, indeed, can vary between publications) so here’s an overview of what the scores mean. Note half scores are awarded where a film’s scores falls between the below definitions.
⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
Rating: 5 out of 5.
5 stars – Exceptional
This is a very rare occurrence – it’s not often something is close to being perfect. It’s very unlikely a film will be awarded this rating on a first viewing – a film needs to stand up to multiple rewatches.
⭐⭐⭐⭐
Rating: 4 out of 5.
4 stars – Excellent
This film exceeds expectations and is very good.
⭐⭐⭐
Rating: 3 out of 5.
3 stars – Good
This is a positive review, but certain flaws prevent the film from being very good.
⭐⭐
Rating: 2 out of 5.
2 stars – Poor
This is a negative review and while there are some positive elements, the film is ultimately not engaging.
⭐
Rating: 1 out of 5.
1 star – Terrible
This film was not enjoyable and there are no positive elements.
Director: Johan Renck Starring: Adam Sandler, Carey Mulligan, Paul Dano, Kunal Nayyar, Isabella Rossellini, Lena Olin Certificate: 15 Run Time: 107 mins
Spaceman is the new film by Johan Renck, most famous for the Emmy award-winning 2019 television series Chernobyl. This is a sci-fi drama based on a 2017 novel, Spaceman of Bohemia, by Jaroslav Kalfař. Adam Sandler plays Jakub Procházka, a Czech astronaut who is 189 days into a solo space mission on the outskirts of Jupiter. He’s sent to investigate the ‘Chopra cloud’, a vibrant cloud with a purple hue visible from Earth and he’s left behind his heavily pregnant wife Lenka (Carey Mulligan), who is no longer answering his video calls. The cloud may well hold the answer to the origins of everything and Jakub is one of a select few astronauts who’s willing to spend such a long time apart from a loved one.
Things then get rather strange. A seemingly super intelligent arachnid (voiced by Paul Dano) suddenly materialises on the spacecraft, who tells Jakub of the destruction of his homeland. Over the course of the film, the two bond as the spider begins to better understand humans and more specifically Jakub’s memories.
Spaceman is an interesting and occasionally visually arresting sci-fi that probably would have worked better as a short story than a feature length film. It becomes rather schmaltzy and doesn’t leave much to audience interpretation. The central core themes of love and feelings of remorse also aren’t particularly original. It feels like a less assured mash-up of Ad Astra, coupled with the stoicism of Damien Chazelle’s First Man.
Still, the performances are worthy of praise. Adam Sandler turns in an atypically restrained performance and is pretty good as the astronaut slowly beginning to lose his mind. Renck does a good job of portraying the claustrophobic and lonely conditions Jakub lives in, with the malfunctioning toilet and cameras understandably driving Jakub round the bend.
Carey Mulligan is promising as Lenka, but unfortunately underwritten but it’s still a redeeming choice of film after Maestro. Isabella Rossellini is excellent as Commissioner Tuma, the stern commanding officer of the mission who does her utmost to prevent Jakub from learning of Lenka’s diminishing feelings for him.
While Spaceman is a little under-baked and missing a sense of awe, Renck’s second full-length film has some worthy elements. Sandler turns in a committed performance and there are some initial promising ideas but the film ultimately leans too heavily on obvious exposition and a rather underwhelming central overarching theme that doesn’t justify the full run time.
Director: Felipe Gálvez Haberle Starring: Camilo Arancibia, Mark Stanley, Benjamin Westfall, Alfredo Castro, Marcelo Alonso, Sam Spruell, Mishell Guaña, Adriana Stuven Certificate: 15 Run Time: 97 mins
The Settlers (or Los Colonos in its native Chilean) caused quite the storm when it debuted at Cannes last year and is Felipe Gálvez Haberle’s directorial debut. It’s a revisionist Western that takes place at the turn of the 20th Century as settlers from multiple European nations arrive in the Tierra del Fuego archipelago, grabbing as much land as they can.
Scotsman soldier Alexander MacLennan (Mark Stanley) leads an army under a reign of terror with his unpredictable nature and general drunkeness. He’s under the employment of Jose Menéndez (Alfredo Castro), who tasks him with leading an expedition to the coast to pave a way for his herd of grazing sheep. MacLennan cherrypicks the quiet Segundo (Camilo Arancibia), a mixed-race Chilean to join him and Menéndez also gives him a Texan mercenary called Bill (Benjamin Westfall). The three get on poorly together, with Bill’s disloyal and racist personality a clash with MacLennan’s unpredictability. They effectively set off into the Patagonian landscape where they rape, pillage and blunder the native tribes.
Contrary to the near-unanimous praise, I didn’t find The Settlers to be particularly engaging, nor does it have much to say which hasn’t already been covered by stronger Westerns. It lacks a character to root for and I just didn’t care for any of the trio. The dialogue is on-the-nose and it never really explores the marginalised tribes. Haberle tries to go for a retro feel with grainy cinematography from Simone D’Arcangelo but it simply appeared grainy to me, rather than the arresting quality they had no doubt intended. Harry Allouche’s playful Spaghetti western inspired score is completely at odds with the grim events being portrayed on-screen.
While it still tells an obvious message, the last act of the film where it shifts to seven years after MacLennan’s expedition is where the film is at its most engaging. The newly formed Chilean government sends a government agent called Vicuña (Marcelo Alonso) to investigate the genocide and the film asks some interesting, if not fully developed questions on MacLennan’s barbarity. While The Settlers is effectively fierce and primitive, it lacks the thrills or playfulness of its Western contemporaries to be truly effective.
The Academy Award nominations celebrating the films of 2023 have been announced and in this article, I’ll rank the Best Picture nominees in order of my own personal preference. The winners will be announced in the Oscar’s ceremony on 10th March 2024.
In my opinion, this is the strongest set of nominations in quite some time with seven brilliant films out of ten. I have to cast my mind back all the way to 2016 for a collection of films of similar quality (although I think 2023’s are still more consistent). 2019 was also a decent year, with three brilliant Best Picture nominees otherwise buried in a sea of mediocrity.
Let’s get started…
10) Maestro
Every year, there is at least one (if not multiple) undeserving Awards films and for 2024, that honour goes to Maestro. Maestro is the sophomore writer-director effort by actor Bradley Cooper, after A Star Is Born (2018) which earned lots of awards love. Conversely, I didn’t think his remake was up to much, despite Lady Gaga’s committed performance. Cooper moves to Netflix for Maestro, a biopic about composer Leonard Bernstein covering his conducting debut at the New York Philharmonic in 1943 to 1987, nine years after the death of his wife, Felicia Montealegre.
Bradley Cooper is so infatuated with himself, so hungry for Awards success that he doesn’t tell anything meaningful about Bernstein at all. The film is completely inert of energy and a real chore to sit through for its extended 129 minute run time. While Cooper may look like Bernstein with a fake schnozz and wrinkles, he’s just playing himself. Even Carey Mulligan, who generally shines in everything she’s in, fails to make much of an impression as Felicia Montealegre, because the film doesn’t dig into the psyche of her character at all. Rather miserably, the only scene I felt anything for her character is when she is diagnosed with cancer. The chemistry between Cooper and Mulligan is non-existent. The decision to race through the composer’s first 15 years in 45 minutes and then stay fixated on a shorter period throughout the rest of the film is an odd decision. Even Matthew Libatique, Darren Aronofsky’s preferred cinematographer, fails to inject his signature personality into the film.
Barbie has a well-paced and energetic first half. Unfortunately, the latter half struggles in incorporating too many ideas are thrown and I found its message overly preachy. Starting with the positives, director Greta Gerwig explores some interesting themes, including existentialism and the impact both Barbie and Ken have had on modern culture. There are obvious references to Groundhog Day, Toy Story,The Wizard of Oz and The Lego Movie in its storyline and I also appreciated Gerwig’s personal and loving nods to her Sacramento roots, which also worked wonders for Lady Bird. Despite its 12A rating, Barbie isn’t particularly suitable for children and I suspect most of the themes and jokes will go over their heads. There’s some great performances here too. Margot Robbie is perfectly cast as the titular character, deftly balancing the likeability, humour and pathos needed for the crisis she undergoes. Even Helen Mirren’s satirical narration points to her suitability.
The film’s second half just didn’t work for me. It introduces too many ideas and ties itself in knots and it struck me as preachy in tone. In fact, there is one character who delivers an extended speech late into the film about what it means to be a woman in current society which although inspirational, is incredibly heavy-handed. It doesn’t leave any room for nuance whatsoever. While its exploration of gender is interesting on the surface, the resolution the film ultimately reaches borders on unsettling and sexist. Barbie is the first film to be directed by Gerwig where she has collaborated with another individual on the script, in this case her partner and fellow filmmaker Noah Baumbach. While I can tolerate Marriage Story, I’ve not been a fan of the vast majority of Baumbach’s filmography. The film feels as if Gerwig was in charge of the film’s first half, with Baumbach piloting the second, although this isn’t necessarily the case.
Past Lives is the directorial debut of Celine Song and follows the relationship of two childhood friends over the course of 24 years, as they lead different lives. It’s certainly an original piece and the relationship between both Nora (Greta Lee) and Hae Sung (Teo Yoo) is nicely developed, with both actors turning in excellent performances. The film’s also handsomely shot on 35mm film by cinematographer Shabier Kirchner. But I never found Past Lives to be as affecting as others have raved it to be and it’s a little sluggishly paced in places. The score by Christopher Bear and Daniel Rossen also aggressively didn’t work for me.
⭐⭐⭐
Rating: 3 out of 5.
7) American Fiction
American Fiction is the directorial debut of Cord Jefferson, a satirical comedy-drama adapted from Percival Everett’s 2001 novel Erasure. It’s a highly entertaining literary comedy with a blisteringly sharp script that in some ways, feels like a film a more muted Spike Lee would make. This is a tough genre to crack and there have been far more failures than hits but I genuinely laughed quite a few times at this. There’s also more than a few kernels of truth about the publishing industry and what it means to be a writer, exploring the highs and lows of both the creative process and critical reception. But Jefferson deftly balances his commentary on the media with a heartfelt treatment of the themes of loneliness and family. The family drama element of the film is equally riveting, with the treatment of Alzheimers touching and the mundane but necessary tasks of trying to get someone into a home. There’s some terrific performances here too, especially Jeffrey Wright who’s always been a reliable screen presence but doesn’t often take the lead role. Wright nails the prickly, depressing nature of his character as he struggles to fit in and open up to people but with an almost lovable quality.
The Zone of Interest is director Jonathan Glazer’s new film, an uncomfortably long eleven year wait after Under The Skin. 11 years in the making, the film tells the story of Rudolf Höss, the longest-serving commandant of the Auschwitz concentration camp, where he lived with his wife Hedwig (Sandra Hüller) in what they perceived as their idyllic home. Small catch – the garden wall with barbed wire atop it is shared with Auschwitz.
The Zone of Interest is a fiercely original work from Glazer that’s uncomfortable viewing and really gets under your skin. The film possibly represents the most important use of sound I can think of in quite some time – the sound of the droning concentration camp with its whirring machinery is ever-present during mundane conversation and day-to-day life. Glazer never shows us the atrocities inside the camp and what we hear beyond the frame is another film in itself. I loved the surreal elements too, particularly a storyline shot with thermal cameras. Christian Friedel is sensational as the despicable SS officer – a cold, calculated yet frank and career-driven individual. His whole life becomes an obsession into how fast he can kill and there’s an everyday quality to the terrible schemes he is complicit in, which makes the film all the more chilling. The film is masterfully shot by Loving Vincent and Cold War cinematographer Łukasz Żal, an incredible shot of a chimney through a window that’s reflected on the glass will forever be ingrained in my memory. Mica Levi’s score, although sparse, is also deeply effective. Save for two doom-laden tracks at the beginning and end, the rest of the film uses more of a soundscape except for a recurring motif during the surreal sequences.
Anatomy of a Fall is a fascinating character study of a family, the couple at its centre and the legal system that tries to break Sandra and her son apart. It’s a smart film that’s simmering with tension and excellent performances, although I’m confident it would pack an even greater wallop if it was tighter. Sandra Hüller is terrific in the lead role and is fully deserving of the praise she has been lauded. Her character is a matter-of-fact, frank individual and director Justine Triet delves into the idea that writers use those around them to bolster their image. Swann Arlaud is also brilliant as Sandra’s silver fox lawyer, Vincent Renzi, as is Antoine Reinartz as a particularly nasty prosecutor. He unpicks anything and everything Sandra or other persons called up to the bar say, constantly repurposing words as evidence of Sandra’s guilt. Although there isn’t an original score, the use of music is terrific and the recurring use of 50 Cent’ P.I.M.P. and Daniel’s piano recitals are chillingly effective. The film’s also beautifully shot by Simon Beaufils, who evocatively captures the high altitude setting of the chalet and likes to zoom in on certain minutiae, as if you’re a fly-on-the-wall.
The Holdovers is the new Alexander Payne film and his first since 2017’s Downsizing. Payne reunites with his Sideways lead Paul Giamatti who stars as Paul Hunham, a strict classics teacher at Barton Academy, a New England boarding school that he attended back in his youth. The Holdovers is Payne at his best and is a tender delight from start to finish, but it deftly balances its warmth with a bittersweet tone. The performances are terrific all around, especially Giamatti, and the film perfectly evokes classic 1970’s cinema with its intentionally rustic aesthetic – it looks and feels like a work made at the time. It’s beautifully shot by In Bruges cinematographer Eigil Bryld, especially the wintry landscapes during the opening credits and some disorienting frames that feature late into the film. Paul Giamatti turns in what I’d probably consider a career-best performance as Hunham. Hunham is both lovable and loathsome and an easy character to relate to with the hardships he’s faced in life. In fact, there are many similarities between Hunham and Miles Raymond, the character Giamatti plays in Sideways, both characters that have been hard done-by in life.
I absolutely loved The Holdovers and was completely swept up by the film throughout, with its intelligent script and committed performances. It’s Payne’s best film since Sideways and I predict it will become a Christmas classic, with its perfectly judged bittersweet tone. They certainly don’t make films like this anymore.
Poor Things is Lanthimos back on track (I thought The Favourite was flawed) with a brilliantly twisted, uncomfortable yet multi-layered triumph. There’s so much going on here, both from a thematic and visual standpoint and it’ll take multiple rewatches to fully understand its message but it’s a film that gets better on each viewing. Lanthimos recaptures his bizarre yet oddly moving tone, which is what made his earlier efforts really shine, combined with lavish yet evocative production design. Robbie Ryan’s cinematography is a career-best, with every frame a painting worth pausing to analyse, which is interesting considering some of his work can be quite vanilla. The film boldly experiments with colour and perspectives are often shot through a fish-eye lens and it’s supported by the lavish production design. I also loved the retrofuturistic vision, with the Victorian London setting contrasting with succeeding elements.
Emma Stone turns in a career-best performance as the Frankenstein-like Bella Baxter, who opens the film as an inquisitive and brash child and ends as a self-made woman. I’ve sometimes struggled with her performances in the past and couldn’t believe she won the Best Actress Oscar for La La Land but not so here. Willem Dafoe is also reliably brilliant as the eccentric surgeon, who has to belch bubbles at the dinner table due to a health condition. Mark Ruffalo provides much of the comic relief as Wedderburn, who becomes increasingly child-like as the film progresses, although his British accent is rather wandery. The Killing of a Sacred Deer remains Lanthimos’ best work, in my opinion, but Poor Things is fully deserving of its praise and is a sensational experience to begin the year.
Killers of the Flower Moon is the latest by Martin Scorsese and an adaptation of David Grann’s 2017 non-fiction novel of the same name. The book is a must-read and tells the sickly story of how the Osage community are systematically murdered in the 1920s after oil is discovered on their tribal land. Killers of the Flower Moon is, for the most part, an excellent adaptation. It earns its 206 minute run time with its sprawling, fascinating story and Scorsese takes his time to develop the characters. He immerses you in the terror felt by the Osage, that no-one is safe on their own land with greedy wolves scheming from every corner. I was particularly impressed how like in The Irishman, Scorsese presents the horror in quite an understated way, raw and fact-of-life. Although a revisionist Western first and foremost, there’s still many of Scorsese’s gangster elements to be found, from fatally flawed men to America’s founding myths. Of course, being a Scorsese picture, the film has real big screen beauty and is handsomely shot by regular cinematographer Rodrigo Prieto. He gorgeously captures the expansive Oklahoma vistas and holds onto a shot for uncomfortably long during heinous murders. The stunning cinematography and assured direction is paired with a haunting, bluesy final soundtrack by Robbie Robertson (who sadly passed away in August). A heartbeat motif that is repeated throughout the film is particularly effective, lending a feverish quality.
Oppenheimer is a tension-fuelled, thought-provoking minor-key masterpiece and is straight up there with director Christopher Nolan’s best work. It’s an incredibly rich piece of work and it left me feeling stone-cold with its characters haunting deliberation over the consequences of their work. This is a largely dialogue-heavy film for its lengthy three hour running time and except a breathtaking sequence depicting the Trinity test (even more impressive considering the minimal CGI), is largely bereft of action. Cillian Murphy has often represented one of the mechanisms to a successful Nolan film, and steps up to the lead role for Oppenheimer. His performance is simply sensational and a career-best. Oppenheimer is stacked with A-list actors, with Emily Blunt and Robert Downey Jr other notable highlights. The film is beautifully shot by now-Nolan regular Hoyte van Hoytema and Ludwig Göransson’s score is the glue that holds the film together.
Director: Cord Jefferson Starring: Jeffrey Wright, Tracee Ellis Ross, John Ortiz, Erika Alexander, Leslie Uggams, Adam Brody, Issa Rae, Sterling K. Brown Certificate: 15 Run Time: 117 mins
American Fiction is the directorial debut of Cord Jefferson, a satirical comedy-drama adapted from Percival Everett’s 2001 novel Erasure. It’s up for five Academy Awards in the Best Picture, Actor, Supporting Actor, Adapted Screenplay and Original Score categories.
Theolonious ‘Monk’ Ellison (Jeffrey Wright) is an intelligent, middle-aged humanities professor in Los Angeles, whose novels receive academic praise but commercially perform poorly. He’s fed up of being pigeonholed as a black writer and his fury is only bolstered when he sees another African-American author, Sintara Golden (Issa Rae), being praised for her new bestselling novel We’s Lives In Da Ghetto, which panders to black stereotypes. Thrown into the mix are some family issues, primarily Monk’s mother Agnes (Leslie Uggam) showing early signs of Alzheimer’s, forcing him to spend more time with her and his wider family. In response to his pent-up anger, Monk ghost-writes a book called My Pafology, a satirical novel mocking literary cliches expected from black writers, only for him to be offered a $750,000 advance after he submits the piece to publishers out of contempt.
American Fiction is a highly entertaining literary comedy with a blisteringly sharp script that in some ways, feels like a film a more muted Spike Lee would make. This is a tough genre to crack and there have been far more failures than hits but I genuinely laughed quite a few times at this. There’s also more than a few kernels of truth about the publishing industry and what it means to be a writer, exploring the highs and lows of both the creative process and critical reception. But Jefferson deftly balances his commentary on the media with a heartfelt treatment of the themes of loneliness and family. The family drama element of the film is equally riveting, with the treatment of Alzheimers touching and the mundane but necessary tasks of trying to get someone into a home.
There’s some terrific performances here too, especially Jeffrey Wright who’s always been a reliable screen presence but doesn’t often take the lead role. Wright nails the prickly, depressing nature of his character as he struggles to fit in and open up to people but with an almost lovable quality. Leslie Uggams is terrific as the dementia-ridden mother and Sterling K. Brown turns in an atypical Oscar-nominated performance as Monk’s plastic surgeon brother who has recently come out the closet.
To say the ending of the film puts a foot wrong would be unfair as it’s fitting for the themes that Jefferson explores, but I thought it was a little rough around the edges and I’d like to rewatch the film to see how it reframes what comes before it. Finally, while Laura Karpman’s score is often rousing, I didn’t think it was Oscar material.
I went into American Fiction with low expectations based on the genre but found it to be a thought-provoking film with plenty of heart and fat to chew on. Cord Jefferson walks a fine line between not being preachy but being effective and he manages it. This is a really strong piece of work and I can’t wait to see where he goes next.
Director: Sean Durkin Starring: Zac Efron, Jeremy Allen White, Harris Dickinson, Maura Tierney, Holt McCallany, Lily James Certificate: 15 Run Time: 132 mins
The Iron Claw is the new film by Sean Durkin, who’s career so far has been very promising. His debut feature Martha Marcy May Marlene was a fantastically prickly psychological thriller-drama, with a terrific performance by Elizabeth Olsen (also making her debut). The Nestwas even better, a riveting character study of greed and perceived societal status, with powerhouse performances from both Jude Law and Carrie Coon. The Iron Claw is based on the life of Kevin Von Erich (Zac Efron) and the wider Von Erich family, who were beset by premature tragedies.
The film opens on a younger Jack ‘Fritz’ Von Erich (Holt McCallany) performing his signature iron claw submission hold in a wrestling match. After what Fritz considers to be a failed career, the film moves moves to 1979, where he strictly raises his four sons, Kevin, Kerry (Jeremy Allen White), David (Harris Dickinson) and Mike (Stanley Simons). Kevin tries to confide in his distant mother, Doris (Maura Tierney) that Fritz is far too tough on his youngest brother Mike, who would rather pursue a career in music than wrestling. But Fritz is having none of it and like his finishing wrestling move, effectively holds his family in an identical submission hold.
The Iron Claw is far more conventional fare in its execution compared to Durkin’s previous works but it tells a largely gripping and often grim recount of the Von Erich’s. The film’s bolstered by some terrific performances, with Efron reliably brilliant as Kevin, who has noble and instinctual family values but struggles to carve a life with his own ambitions. Efron has had a fascinating career after his High School Musical breakthrough, and like with his chilling portrayal of Ted Bundy in Extremely Wicked, Shockingly Evil and Vile, proves he is a versatile actor with buckets of range.
Holt McCallany, who is often lumped with supporting roles in action films such as Wrath of Man, gives a career-best performance as the patriarch. He channels Marlon Brando in his butch, but tired and weary turn as Fritz, a stubborn man who cannot let get of his past and will go to brutal lengths to make a name for his family in wrestling, even if it eats at the quality of his relationship with his sons. Maura Tierney is also quietly brilliant as the quiet and sullen matriarch, who’s clearly faced her own despair.
The performances of Kevin’s three brothers (technically, there are four but the film omits the youngest Chris) are also admirable. Jeremy Allen White is brilliant as Kerry, who is initially sidelined from wrestling before given a short-lived opportunity. While Harris Dickinson’s performance as David didn’t wow me, I hadn’t recognised The King’s Man and the Where The Crawdads Sing actor until his name appeared in the credits.
While the film does a solid job of creating a gripping family portrait, the way it does is it is mostly conventional, except for a near-surreal ending sequence that won me over. The first half of the film is pretty standard wrestling fare, chock-full with the sub-genre’s generic constructs, until the darker elements are introduced at the half-way mark. Durkin’s trying to portray both the wrestling history of the family and deep-dive into a familial character study but he falls short on both accounts. Although the film is very entertaining, I kept thinking throughout how it could have done things differently and I think Durkin should have decided to fully explore one of these elements rather than short-change the audience with two.
While Arcade Fire Richard Reed Parry’s original score is stirring, especially in the film’s gripping opening sequence, The Iron Claw’s music is somewhat squandered by the use of generic pop and rock songs that have simply been overused in too many films before. On the plus side, the film’s handsomely shot by Hungarian cinematographer Mátyás Erdély, who lenses the film with a smoky, grey quality.
While The Iron Claw is another exciting entry in Sean Durkin’s burgeoning career and represents a decidedly bigger budget effort, the film falls into the trap of sticking too closely with the biopic and wrestling film tropes. Had Durkin decided to focus deeper into analysing the Von Erich familial dynamic or simply just go for their wrestling career, The Iron Claw would be a sharper and punchier piece. Still, what we have is an always entertaining and grim, if rather conventional biographical sports drama bolstered by some terrific performances and handsome visuals.
Director: Jonathan Glazer Starring: Christian Friedel, Sandra Hüller Certificate: 12A Run Time: 105 mins
The Zone of Interest is director Jonathan Glazer’s new film, an uncomfortably long eleven year wait after Under The Skin. Loosely adapted by a 2014 Marin Amis novel of the same name, Glazer became intrigued by the book prior to being published. The novel tells the story of Rudolf Höss, the longest-serving commandant of the Auschwitz concentration camp, where he lived with his wife Hedwig (Sandra Hüller) in what they perceived as their idyllic home. Small catch – the garden wall with barbed wire atop it is shared with Auschwitz.
Through extensive research into the Hösses, Glazer pieced together what their life looked like during the time they lived outside the camp through examining testimonies provided by survivors and individuals who had been employed in the household. It’s certainly commendable that Glazer has poured so much passion into a project and given how Sexy Beast, Birth and Under The Skin all occupy completely different genres, can he inject his magic into this dark point of history?
The Zone of Interest is a fiercely original work from Glazer that’s uncomfortable viewing and really gets under your skin. The film possibly represents the most important use of sound I can think of in quite some time – the sound of the droning concentration camp with its whirring machinery is ever-present during mundane conversation and day-to-day life. Glazer never shows us the atrocities inside the camp and what we hear beyond the frame is another film in itself. I loved the surreal elements too, particularly a storyline shot with thermal cameras.
The film is initially quite light on story but we start to learn more about and then follow Höss’ career as it progresses. Christian Friedel is sensational as the despicable SS officer – a cold, calculated yet frank and career-driven individual. His whole life becomes an obsession into how fast he can kill and there’s an everyday quality to the terrible schemes he is complicit in, which makes the film all the more chilling. A scene where gas chamber designs are discussed akin to the design for a car is particularly effective.
Sandra Hüller, so brilliant in Anatomy of a Fall(another Academy Award for Best Picture contender this year), is arguably even more despicable than her husband. She is deeply attached to their home and doesn’t think her life can be bettered. It doesn’t take a lot for her to lose her temper, with chilling threats of violence or death to the rotating roster of Jewish housemaids.
The film is masterfully shot by Loving Vincent and Cold War cinematographer Łukasz Żal, an incredible shot of a chimney through a window that’s reflected on the glass will forever be ingrained in my memory. Mica Levi’s score, although sparse, is also deeply effective. Save for two doom-laden tracks at the beginning and end, the rest of the film uses more of a soundscape except for a recurring motif during the surreal sequences.
The Zone of Interest is a fascinating work in Glazer’s career, despite its cold and intentionally bad taste that will leave you thinking long after the credits have rolled. The performances, cinematography and sound are all top-drawer and the innovative use of sound alone is reason to experience this film on the big screen. I’d quite like to see it again as I suspect it will improve on a rewatch.
Director: Matthew Vaughn Starring: Bryce Dallas Howard, Sam Rockwell, Bryan Cranston, Catherine O’Hara, Henry Cavill, Sofia Boutella, Dua Lipa, Ariana DeBose, John Cena, Samuel L. Jackson Certificate: 12A Run Time: 139 mins
Argylle is a spy action comedy by Matthew Vaughn, a director whose works often subvert their respective genres. Kick-Ass rejected the-then comic-book codes and conventions with its gleeful tone and Kingsman: The Secret Service was a raunchy and gory ultraviolet spy film. Even his less overtly subversive films have proven successful, with X-Men: First Class rejuvenating the X-Men series with its smart script. Like his Kingsman films, Vaughn takes another stab at the espionage thriller with Argylle.
The film follows reclusive spy novelist, Elly Conway (Bryce Dallas Howard) who has found wild success with her Argylle book series. While she’s journeying to her mother, Ruth (Catherine O’Hara), she is saved from an attempted ambush by Aidan (Sam Rockwell), an actual spy who explains that she is being targeted by an organisation known as the Division, because her novels seemingly predict the future.
While Argylle’s fresh concept in how it explores how a writer might see their creation come to fruition is to be commended, Vaughn’s latest isn’t his best work. It lacks the kinetic energy of his other films and the numerous twists don’t always work – the last act really ties itself in knots. Jason Fuchs’ script is on the wooden side and isn’t particularly funny. The score by Lorne Bale isn’t particularly memorable either and while there’s the trademark colourful pop to George Richmond’s cinematography, the film’s aesthetic has an artificial quality.
None of the action sequences stand out either, arguably what should be the most thrilling element of a spy film. Vaughn’s last film, The King’s Man(a prequel to the mainline films) was also more a more inert effort but it at least had one memorable fight half-way through, which the rest of the film failed to top.
The more family-friendly 12A rating really tames proceedings and what really propelled both Kick-Ass and Kingsman was its rejection of having to pander to a wide audience. While both Stardust and X-Men: First Class prove Vaughn is more than capable of crafting works with brain, as well as brawn, when toning his sensibilities down, Argylle just doesn’t quite succeed.
There’s still some fun to be had though. Bryce Dallas Howard is excellent as the introverted author, who just wants the easy life and her home comforts. Samuel L. Jackson is also reliably brilliant and delivers most of the film’s limited laughs, particularly as he’s waiting to receive a file. It’s nice to see Catherine O’Hara, who is more selective in the roles she accepts these days and Bryan Cranston is also clearly having fun. While Sam Rockwell’s reliably charismatic and likeable, the role seemed like a slight waste of his talents and could have been played by someone else. Other than sporting a striking flat-top haircut, Henry Cavill fails to make much of an impression as the titular Argylle.
Ultimately, while there’s fun to be had in the film’s first two thirds, Argylle fails to make the most of its unique concept. It’s lacking in energy in its forgettable action sequences and the film falls apart in its third act. Argylle would have been a stronger work if it had further dived into the fantastical nature of how a writer might imagine their world and if it wasn’t constrained by its more accessible age-rating. A frustrating post-credits scene promises we are going to see more of this world and I hope Vaughn returns to the drawing board and re-evaluates this film’s shortcomings.
The Film Meister 