The Invisible Man (2020) (Review)

The opening act of Blumhouse's Invisible Man reboot is excellent. It begins with a brilliant credits sequence and segues into a nail-bitingly tense escape scene in a clifftop house (an architectural marvel that lends an austere beauty to the film). For a third of the running time, the film's identity is very clear: it is … Continue reading The Invisible Man (2020) (Review) →

Uncut Gems (Review)

Thrillers don't get much better than Uncut Gems. This latest film from the Safdie Brothers (who gave us the excellent Good Time) is brilliantly overwhelming and deeply stressful in the best way possible. The film's success is due to a multitude of factors but its most obvious asset is a mesmerising turn from the oft-awful … Continue reading Uncut Gems (Review) →

1917 (Review)

There's no denying the technical brilliance of 1917. It's a precision crafted piece of filmmaking that shows incredible skill and talent from almost all involved. For a lot of people, this technical skill will fade into the background and will support a gripping - if unexceptional - WW1 drama, a tale in which two soldiers … Continue reading 1917 (Review) →

Doctor Sleep (Review)

How do you follow up Stanley Kubrick's the Shining? Well, not like this. Doctor Sleep functions as a sequel to Stanley Kubrick's film, while also aiming to be a faithful adaptation of Stephen King's novel (an approach that Kubrick certainly didn't take). What this means is that the film somewhat awkwardly straddles a split audience: … Continue reading Doctor Sleep (Review) →

Luce (Review)

Somewhat to its credit, Luce is a film that deals with a lot of complex ideas. However, this core complexity is consistently overruled by odd directorial and writing decisions. The end result is a fascinating failure that goes no further than just dipping its toes into provocative territory. Yes, the issues it is tackling (race, … Continue reading Luce (Review) →

I See You (Review)

To a certain extent, I See You puts its best foot forward. The film opens with a string of polished, if stylishly melodramatic, sequences that interestingly intertwine family drama with something much more sinister. Throughout its run time, it is a film that delights in setting up expectations - often cleverly manipulating cinematic language - … Continue reading I See You (Review) →