The entire purpose of Edgar Wright's documentary is to showcase Sparks to the world. Everybody involved here clearly thinks the band are superb, and that they deserve veneration and a wider listenership. I mean, there are even parts when Wright explains his film's purpose. These parts, well, they give it a TV documentary, or DVD … Continue reading The Sparks Brothers (Review)
Author: Stephen Gillespie
Annette (Review)
To put it pithily, Annette is consummate nonsense. This is part praise but mostly pejorative: yes, the film is well put together, beautiful in a painterly sense. But, it is also just rather irritating. It spirals out, crafting a narrative on the fly that is unable to clasp to any real thematic impact or artistic … Continue reading Annette (Review)
Pig (Review)
The rug pull of Pig is now widely known, but how it does it is still so compelling. After several years of a whole lot of 'it is John Wick but...' films, known goofy-action-icon Nicholas Cage taking on the 'John Wick but..' mantle, this time trying to get back his Pig, seems like an enjoyably … Continue reading Pig (Review)
Summer of Soul (Review)
Music festivals have always been about more than just the music. Questlove's beautifully curated documentary about the 1969 Harlem Cultural Festival understands this perfectly. This amazing film lets us experience the music and the atmosphere, but also effortlessly contextualises everything, selling the historic import and delving into the wider topics while still delivering one hell … Continue reading Summer of Soul (Review)
The Suicide Squad (Review)
After an abysmal attempt to get this franchise on screen in 2016, the Suicide Squad are back, this time helmed by the director they were trying to imitate in the first place. The previous film was a clear attempt to capture what Guardians of the Galaxy did for Marvel, and was an overt failure (on … Continue reading The Suicide Squad (Review)
Space Jam: A New Legacy (Review)
Let's get this out of the way: Space Jam 2 is a mess. It is an unnecessary, repetitive and cynical sequel to an already – let's be honest – not very good film. It is lessened by a limp performance from LeBron James (though he's arguably less bad than Michael Jordan in the first); an … Continue reading Space Jam: A New Legacy (Review)
Inside (Review)
Bo Burnham's Eighth Grade is one of the best films of the last few years. It displays a nuanced understanding of relevant topics; has a clear point of view; works as a character study (and drama) as well as a message movie and, most importantly, finds the right voice for its story. The content in … Continue reading Inside (Review)
In the Heights (Review)
Jon M. Chu's adaptation of the acclaimed stage show really wants you to know it is a film. It is all spectacle all the way through, with fantastical inflections that could never happen on stage. The camera is also incredibly pronounced: we shift constantly in large musical numbers (of which there are many, too many), … Continue reading In the Heights (Review)
Have You Seen… Belladonna of Sadness? (1973)
When taken as a whole, this is a majestic work. The first, and most overt, element to deal with is the film's visuals. This is one of the most astonishing animated works I have seen. It mixes the approach of classical (or traditional) art with the freedom of 70s psychedelia. Our compositions and our poses … Continue reading Have You Seen… Belladonna of Sadness? (1973)
Army of the Dead (Review)
Somewhere, deep in the bowels of Zack Snyder's latest cinematic mess, is a passable and fun zombie movie. You can see it from time to time, you can even sense that it exists on the page as some of the moments have a ludicrous energy and just commit to stupidity in a way his Dawn … Continue reading Army of the Dead (Review)
Assorted Opinions 