Reviews

While there is a certain charm to this lighthearted slapstick comedy I must say this fell very flat for me. The comedy simply doesn't hold up to modern scrutiny and my oh my is this movie long. Obviously it comes from a different time but making a comedy that's 160 minutes long with an overture and an intermission should be a cautionary tale for any film maker.

Not even the superb skills of Jack Lemmon can save this film, he had very little substance to work with. His character has as much depth as Wile E Coyote and although Natalie Wood is as gorgeous as ever her characters request for equality obviously weren't heeded by the director, who has her spend a large portion of the movie in her underwear.

It's a 2/10 from me.

After years of hype and anticipation I got to see Avatar 2 in 3DHFR last night. It was quite simply the most visceral and immersive movie I've ever seen. While it's true that the 3 hour run time will put a few people off, and yes the film could easily be critiqed as bloated (particularly the 2nd act) I was so busy trying to pick my jaw up off the floor the run time didn't bother me at all. The characters are given time to develop and the script has nuance and heart. The greatest character of all is the world itself, Pandora is the most memorable locale in movie history and the expansion of the world and it's lore was brilliant. Add to that some of the best action sequences ever made and you've got a landmark moment in movie history. Whatever you do, DON'T see this in 2D because you'll be robbing yourself of one of the greatest cinema experiences you'll ever have.

Amsterdam is a movie that subverts expectations. I went into it not knowing anything about the plot and simply wanting to see the ensemble cast in action. What begins as an eccentric and slightly amusing film becomes quite a serious political drama about America post WW1 and the power of a group of friends holding true to one another.

I certainly can see how the slower pace could put people off, particularly if you have no interest in the conspiracy being unearthed but for me it was an entertaining insight into a part of history I knew nothing about.

The performances are for the most part great, especially Margot Robbie who is at this stage a bone fide A lister. I would say however that the performance of John David Washington feels a little wooden.

In an era of short attention spans and superhero films there won't be nearly enough explosions for some but for those prepared to absorb this work a thought provoking film awaits.

I'm not going to tell you why, just watch it and thank me later.

This has certainly aged well. The way the virus originates, the way it spreads and the human reaction to it.... It's like watching the news in an alternate reality. I probably wouldn't have rated this so highly in the past but watching it today is eerily remarkable.