Outside of an impressive central performance from Andra Day, this film has absolutely nothing going for it. The United States vs. Billie Holiday is a poorly constructed, shallow and misguided essay that at best simplifies an icon - and a vital figure in history - and at worst is a complete disservice. This film, with … Continue reading The United States vs. Billie Holiday (Review)
Tag: 2021
Pieces of a Woman (Review)
If you've heard anything about Pieces of a Woman, chances are it is about the twenty-plus minute continuous shot of a traumatic home birth. It is an exceptional sequence, with masterful filmmaking in which the obtrusive camera movements add to the swell of tension and anxiety, while the unbroken shot further compounds this. It is … Continue reading Pieces of a Woman (Review)
The Father (Review)
There is a pleasing intricacy to how the Father is constructed. The narrative bends in intelligent ways, ways that slowly reveal a larger intent. This structural dexterity, primarily enforced through dialogue, is used to invoke subjectivity. This is both subjectivity of meaning but also an internal subjective state as the film tries to align itself … Continue reading The Father (Review)
Love and Monsters (Review)
After a brief, but rather obnoxious, narrated introduction, Love and Monsters settles into being a well executed and very tropey apocalypse movie. It ticks all the YA and post-apocalyptic boxes you would expect, going every direction you think at will - with even later twists on the formula feeling inevitable. But, when a film gives … Continue reading Love and Monsters (Review)
Another Round (Review)
Though immediately successful as a smart critique of alcohol culture, specifically in Denmark (though, as a Brit, the film certainly has messages for us), Another Round is special because it is so much more than a polemic. This is a compelling drama, and a witty comedy, populated by well realised and beautifully performed characters - … Continue reading Another Round (Review)
Sound of Metal (Review)
As a piece of technical filmmaking, Sound of Metal is quite astonishing. It is defined by superlative sound design, subtly brilliant visuals and precise performances. It also adheres clearly to effective dramatic formulas, carving out a narrative that hits established emotional beats with a touch of arthouse flair round the edges. All of this is … Continue reading Sound of Metal (Review)
Promising Young Woman (Review)
A subjective lens is often the best way to skewer harsh realities. In Promising Young Woman, our view of the world is purposefully distorted by aesthetic. This is an overtly stylised, carefully framed and candy coloured treat - but one that hides real danger. This colourful, or false, view of the world plays multiple roles … Continue reading Promising Young Woman (Review)
Cuatro Paredes (Review)
For a few minutes, you get some nicely framed, crisp images of a pretty house. The wide angle gives you a decent view and the scene is set in promising fashion. We know the film is going to be about absence, so the wide frame leaves room for absence - and for stillness. Yet still, … Continue reading Cuatro Paredes (Review)
Palm Springs (Review)
Groundhog Day was a groundbreaking romantic comedy and now is a genre in its own right. The better time loop comedies, and Palm Springs is one of them, recognise the metaphorical potential as well as the comedic potential of the premise and spread themselves evenly over both sides. This film is a great balancing act. … Continue reading Palm Springs (Review)
Judas and the Black Messiah (Review)
Much to its credit, Judas and the Black Messiah takes an important story and tells it with real energy. Audiences will leave the film informed and with a clear picture of the importance of the Black Panther Party and of the villainy of the Feds and the police (and other) that fought against them. The … Continue reading Judas and the Black Messiah (Review)
Assorted Opinions 