2018 was an interesting time for film as the year gave us big box office blow ups as well as fantastic flops.
Here are some films released last year up until June summarised in plot and reaction in 100 words each:
January
Colette | An engaging story that follows ghostwriter Colette, played by Keira Knightley, who sparks a bestseller under her husband’s name and her fight for creative proprietorship causes her to transform literature and defeat societal hindrance. Director Wash Westmoreland adeptly avoids melodrama, however he depends too largely on Thomas Adés’s score to increase dramatic tension and suspense when the drama doesn’t suffice. Knightley’s beauty and grace on the screen combined with her reserves of inquietude and insubordination is fantastic to witness on screen. Further, the sexual inequalities reproduced in this period piece are despairingly relevant regarding today’s discussions.
February
On the Basis of Sex | Based on the inspiring story of Ruth Bader Ginsburg, the woman who fought for equal rights to become a U.S. Supreme Court Justice, this biopic fell flat in its storytelling and character development. Intentions are clear and we find the portrayal of Ginsburg inspirational at times due to Felicity Jones’s wonderful acting. In spite of this, Mimi Leder plays it too safe which further impacts the plot and creates a non-intimidating atmosphere. In turn the film feels tedious and unengaging. Unfortunately, this cliche ridden story didn’t impact audiences as intentioned.
March
Tomb Raider | Uthaug’s take on the popular video game sees female protagonist Lara Croft determined to go her own way in life and avoid the global empire that once belonged to her deceased father. Alicia Vikander is easily the best part of this action adventure and audiences are left in awe at her portrayal as her character is not purposefully made to be lusted after, unlike Jolie’s interpretation of the character. The film does end up reflecting some of the usual tropes we find in these kind of films and it does feel rather repetitive and drags in certain scenes.
Red Sparrow | Francis Lawrence directs this action thriller with ferocity and showcases Jennifer Lawrence’s acting skills well. ‘Red Sparrow’ depicts prima ballerina Dominika Egorova’s journey into becoming a dangerous operative for the secret intelligence service trained to use her mind and body as a weapon after getting a career-ending injury. The cinematography makes the film seem wonderfully visually enticing but in reality its gloss unsuccessfully hides the overly convoluted plot. Combined with this issue is the fact that the two leads, Lawrence and Joel Edgerton don’t have the chemistry needed for a fiery, sexy story such as this. Further, Haythe’s script fails to develop the characters with any depth. Despite the amount of deaths in the runtime we don’t feel there are particularly high stakes this aren’t moved. Degrading violence isn’t enough, we need well developed characters in order to feel anything.
Game Night | Jason Bateman and Rachel McAdams star in this comedy about couples who all attend a weekly game night which is then kicked up a notch when a murder mystery party is arranged and things get out of hand when one of them is kidnapped. The absurdity of the story means the film doesn’t need to spend too much time on emotional depth and is able to go full on with the drama. Refreshing in the world of comedy, ‘Game Night’ provides audiences with genuine laughs and a thrill ride of a film. It’s wit and charm serve to create hilarious entertainment and an engaging plot. The only gripe is its need to be shocking despite this not being necessary. Wildly entertaining.
Peter Rabbit | Writer and Director Will Gluck took on the beloved character of Peter Rabbit and transformed it into a disorderly, messy animation adventure for today’s kids – all put to today’s hits obviously. Its comedy lies mostly in bodily humour as James Corden’s Peter Rabbit faces against Mr. McGregor, played by Domhnall Gleeson, to win the affections of the next door neighbour. The film feels at home with the family as there is considerable entertainment for adults due to moments of unexpectedly intrepid humour, however it’s lacking in charm. Animation is good but it’s difficult to forget this character was taken from the gentle clutches of Beatrix Potter and the moments of sentimentality feel forced due to the characters origins.
April
Love, Simon | Nick Robinson stars in a teen romantic comedy about a seventeen year old who is yet to confess his sexuality and struggles to identify the anonymous classmate he finds himself talking to. This coming-of-age story is filled to the brim with humour but also uses emotional depth to its advantage thus making it a fun but deep film that breaks barriers in the depiction of coming out and the issues it presents. Robinson is fantastic as Simon, charming but bashful, and he is backed by a great cast who all feel fully developed. Regrettably the film falls with the severity of the story, Berlanti played it too safe and it’s too glossy.
A Quiet Place | John Krasinski stars and directs this horror whereby a family must live in silence in fear of inexplicable creatures that hunt by sound. At only 90 minutes ‘A Quiet Place’ terrifies and wracks the nerves with its gripping performances by Krasinski, Emily Blunt and the two children, Noah Jupe and Millicent Simmons, all fantastic in their own right. The sound design is the ultimate key to the scares and eerie atmosphere and is undoubtedly one of the main reasons it came out so remarkably well. Krasinski’s skills as a Director particularly shine as he shifts the focus onto the sacrifices you’d make for family when the plot could have easily looked at the complete horror aspect.
May
The Kissing Booth | Elle Evans, an awkwardly relatable late-bloomer, runs a kissing booth at her school’s carnival with her best friend Lee, whose brother she ends up kissing. This, however, is against a set of rules Elle and Lee set when they were young thus causing Elle to be faced with a decision: go against her best friend or adhere to the pact they made years before. This typical rom-com is based on the work of Beth Reekle who self-published this sensation and is aimed at the pre-teen audience. The immaturity of the film doesn’t gel well with any audience outside the target demographic and becomes a cliche-ridden, mindless watch.
Deadpool 2 | The second instalment to 2016’s highly popular ‘Deadpool’ sees Ryan Reynolds take on another action-packed comedy that’s louder and more spectacular. R-rated like the first, it’s full to the brim with humour and violence – a good formula discovered with the first and taken even further this time. Reynolds clearly was born to play the character and instead of attempting to top the previous film in terms of action and comedy, both Reynolds and Director David Leitch enjoy the character and story. The only negative would be that through its awareness of its ridiculousness it can wear you down as the film goes on.
How To Talk To Girls At Parties | Derived from the work of Neil Gaiman and John Cameron Mitchell came the thrilling and energising How to Talk to Girls at Parties. A cult film that attempts a little too hard to be a cult film, this comedy follows a teenage boy, Enn portrayed by Alex Sharp, who falls in love with Zan, a mysterious woman from another planet, played by Elle Fanning. Though it’s captivating in its portrayal of teenage angst and uses symbolism to its full advantage it seems the message got lost in the liveliness of the film therefore lacks focus and the story didn’t click together to create a coherent experience.
Mary Shelley | The decision to focus the story on Mary Wollstonecraft Godwin, played by Elle Fanning, and her fiery relationship with Percy Bysshe Shelley, as portrayed by Douglas Booth, and emphasise the historical romance genre did this film wonders. Mary Shelley’s defining moment was when she created Frankenstein but passed the book to publishers under her Percy’s name and that is the thread the film takes. It is a well-acted piece whereby Fanning is wonderful as Shelley and her interactions with other key characters are the film’s strongest moments. However, with a two hour runtime this drama is only reasonable compelling and we find Shelley’s achievements comparatively lessened. Unfortunately, it remains tame and discouragingly regular.
June
Jurassic World: Fallen Kingdom | The fifth instalment to the Jurassic series brings audiences action, energy and hints of horror. Chris Pratt and Bryce Dallas Howard star in this sci-fi adventure following its predecessor ‘Jurassic World’. This takes place following the catastrophe three years before when Jurassic World was destroyed by the attractions themselves. A campaign is launched by Claire and Owen to rescue the remaining dinosaurs on the island before a volcano erupts rendering dinosaurs extinct. The overall reaction to this film was that it was just dumb fun – it’s an enjoyable, vibrant piece, however the characters don’t feel fully fleshed out and it lacks emotional depth. The gothic element is genius though, Bayona did a good job at keeping it shocking as well as nail-biting.
Tag | Tag is based on a true story of five friends who for one month every year continue to play a game of tag they started in the first grade. The undefeated player, played by Jeremy Renner, is to be married during this month thus rendering him an easy target but he’s smart, sly and skilful and has evaded being “It” for the entirety of the game. The plot is a lot of fun and its fast pace aids the ludicrous premise it so embraces. On the other hand, its comedy doesn’t always serve it well, especially when Director Jeff Tomsic attempts to force sentimentality into the unrelenting satire.
A Kid Like Jake | This family drama looks at a transgender four-year-old and the struggles the parents face to come to terms with their child’s gender identity. This audacious premise presents a compassionate, authentic experience that can be seen as a good conversation starter, however it lacks a sharpness. The full weight of the story is never realised thus it shies away from its potential due to ultimately being too sensitive. Although it could be argued Silas Howard’s fluffy approach is endearing and refreshing, the film avoids the real topic being depicted. The little focus on the child who is supposed to be the central subject and character makes the audience feel detached. Claire Danes and Jim Parsons really shine in this difficult story.
Incredibles 2 | Audiences had waited with bated breath for the sequel to the hugely loved The Incredibles and they largely were not disappointed. The superhero family we all know and love are forced to change family roles as Bob Parr (Mr Incredible) takes care of the children while Helen (Elastigirl) takes on a mission. This superhero blockbuster is arguably one of Pixar’s best sequels with its beautifully detailed animation, good pacing and insified action sequences. Despite the message being very similar to the first film and the lack of complexity in the weakly written villain, it is a fun time for all of the family. Also, Michael Giacchino’s score is wonderfully excellent.
July – December 100 word reviews to follow soon!
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