Reviews

Maniac has a bizarre tone, It handles over the top violence and lighthearted comedy whilst still being dramatic and emotionally engaging. The characters are so raw and layered as human beings, elevating every scene they're in, making the core concept of the film work.

The series is a frighteningly compelling look at human society. It has a lot to say about how we as human beings exist and still keep the viewer entirely emotionally engaged. I owe that to how bizarre and beautiful the series managed to be in its depiction of the experiment at the centre of the story,

The world this experiment takes place in, the people that surround it and the experience that takes place are fully explored in a way that is creative and visually stunning. This unique approach allows the story to leave no stone un-turned in turn allowing the story of these characters to flourish.

Scenes in Maniac can run as long as ten minutes, and will never end up how you are expecting them to, The same can be said of the episodes, which all adopt a unique style and tone whilst still retaining common story threads and emotions.

All of this style isn't simply visual flair, Maniac uses it to allow us to peer deep into some of the most human characters I have seen in a long time. And this is where Maniac is able to shine the most, its performances, its layered characters and it's script are all excellently balanced and executed. Every character is given real, human stories that all tie into the larger themes of dealing with emotions, mental illness, human society and technology. Projects this ambitious rarely get so much right in such a complex balancing act. Multiple tones, genres and styles are all built with a defining sense of purpose, that being to tell the story of these two characters and the lives they have to deal with.

It's hard to say much more without getting into spoilers, but I think if you watch Maniac, you might just be surprised at how much you connect with the whole experience. Inn such a disconnected age, maybe we could all use a little more of something like Maniac to remind us to reconnect with each other. .

Annihilation is paced intensely, but with the fast pace it covers a lot of ground quick enough to become incredibly thought provoking fast. It is a substantial and original science fiction, a terrifying horror and a compelling psychological thriller. Films like this are the ones that will stick around.

Wes Anderson's the Isle of Dogs is a creatively made, character driven comedy story, with a melancholic and satirical undertone.

The animation, editing and sound design are the main brass here, and are used to great effect to communicate much of the story.

The Isle of Dogs is on the nose about its storytelling, obligatory moments such as flashbacks and story structure are highlighted as to get necessary information communicated as quickly as possible, so the film can get back to living in the moment, exploring its quirky characters and scenery. There is an air of self awareness about the story that, rather than disengaging, is used to draw the viewer more into the inherently ridiculous story. There is an artistry to suspending disbelief, and this is an endlessly creative way to get the audience to do so. To make them aware they're getting conventional information or that certain things are ridiculous plot details, even tropes, and highlighting such details to actually enhance the storytelling rather than distance the viewer. After a point you accept the strange pacing and rapid editing style as part of the universe of this film, and when you do , The Isle of Dogs is an audio-visual experience so cathartic you won't want it to end.