film Reviews
Twisters
Although Lee Isaac Chung’s Twisters, a standalone sequel to the second-biggest holiday hit of 1996, may be from a different century than Jan de Bont’s original, it shares the same formulaic narrative with a few kinks and encapsulates the same creative swirl.
A Quiet Place: Day One
A Quiet Place: Day One narrows the focus from the aliens and suspense of the first two films, to the touching story of two lost strangers who are dependent on each other for survival.
The Watchers
Ishana Shyamalan is unsuccessful at adopting a highly contemporary approach in the The Watchers, attempting to exploit the voyeurism of reality TV that has become popular in recent years.
Godzilla Minus One
Combining gigantic spectacle with emotional action, this first live-action Godzilla film from Japan since Shin Godzilla, Godzilla Minus One, sets it oceans apart from its predecessors.
The Fall Guy
If you’re looking for mind-blowing entertainment, The Fall Guy offers two hours of well-timed one-liners, two powerhouse movie stars (Ryan Gosling and Emily Blunt) with undeniable chemistry, zany industry meta-sendups, and, of course, a ton of crazy stunts.
Ezra
In a culture that cherishes perfection, Tony Goldwyn’s Ezra, stands out as a moving testimonial to the power of love, acceptance, and the challenges of parenting.
Furiosa: A Mad Max Saga
George Miller’s mad dash to cinematic Valhalla continues with another magnificent swerve, Furiosa: A Mad Max Saga, which is immaculately made, retrospectively enriches and enhances the world of Mad Max: Fury Road—with greater emotional weight, if not quite matching it in propelling throttle.
Civil War
With the dystopian Civil War, writer-director Alex Garland explores what would happen if America is crushed and how combat reporters capture humanity’s worst nightmare.
Back To Black
Back to Black is a perceptive and compelling semi-bio-pic of Amy Winehouse’s life and strikes a satisfactory balance between light and dark, accentuating the drama and music.
The First Omen
Absolutely, utterly, exquisitely revolting and tactfully interwoven with repugnance, mystery and suspense, this highly anticipated Holy horror is a worthy precursor to the original, The Omen (1976).
Monkey Man
Spiritualism, mythology, horror, vengeance, corruption, rivalry, and carnage are among the many themes explored in this high-stakes action thriller, with a story by Dev Patel with Paul Angunawela and John Collee as co-screenwriters.
Asphalt City
A web of personal interaction and moral reckoning against the backdrop of one tragic night, pulsating with suspense and emotion, Asphalt City, takes a piercingly honest look at the broken back of the American healthcare system, yet its tone quickly becomes a hard pill to swallow due to its gloomy nature.
Dune: Part Two
Visually thrilling and narratively epic, Dune: Part Two continues Denis Villeneuve’s engrossing adaptation of Frank Herbert’s celebrated, highly respected, sci-fi novel in spectacular form.
Frankie en Felipé
In this delightful, family-friendly, South African comedy, the one-liner, “Where is it lekker?” reappears as a catchphrase, reminding us that local is truly, “lekker”.
The Holdovers
Alexander Payne’s superb bitter-sweet comedy-drama aptly captures the high hopes and tragic disappointments of heartfelt characters who find themselves trapped in a New England boarding school in the 70s and deftly fosters the unlikely friendship that unfolds between an educator and his hostile pupil.
Bob Marley: One Love
Bob Marley: One Love, honourably follows the new biopic criteria that’s been set in films such as Capote and Lincoln, as it explores the life of the greatest reggae artist of all time.
Argylle
A rollocking, rollercoaster, Matthew Vaughn’s spy action comedy Argylle has more twists and turns than a pretzel.
Mean Girls
Mean Girls is an American musical teen comedy film, with a bold and modern musical makeover.
Society of the Snow
Society of the Snow, or La Sociedad de la Nieve, a new survival thriller by J. A. Bayona, is now available on Netflix. It is based on the horrific 1972 Andes aircraft tragedy in Uruguay.
Wonka
In his freshest musical adaptation of Roald Dahl’s story, filmmaker Paul King and company create a mesmerising, splendorous world of magic and wonder through a finely moulded film.
The Killer
David Fincher is the director of this American science fiction action thriller while Andrew Kevin Walker (Se7en) is responsible for writing the screenplay, based on a graphic novel series that was produced by Luc Jacamon and is based on works by Alexis “Matz” Nolent.
Napoleon
The life of Napoleon Bonaparte is brought to the big screen in the 2023 biopic, which is directed by the legendary Ridley Scott. Josephine, who served as his lover, wife, and Empress, is central to the plot, which also includes his political and physical struggles.