Mission: Impossible -The Final Reckoning (2025)

Let me tell you how old I am. I'm old enough to remember when Mission: Impossible - Dead Reckoning was titled Mission: Impossible - Dead Reckoning Part One. I loved it, and I didn't even think about the problems that might be lying ahead for those aiming to satisfyingly complete the one grand action epic that could serve as a jewel in the crown of the series. Unfortunately, there were problems. Not only did the film not perform as well as expected, it was stuck with a weak human villain and a ridiculous non-human obstacle to be overcome.

I still had faith though. Of course I did. Tom Cruise has enjoyed taking things to another level in his successful working relationship with writer-director Christopher McQuarrie (writing once again with Erik Jendresen for this adventure).

I don't want to spend too much time on the plot. It feels needlessly complex, but it's actually quite simple. Ethan Hunt (Cruise) needs to get the gang back together. That gang now comprises of Luther (Ving Rhames), Benji (Simon Pegg), Grace (Hayley Atwell), Paris (Pom Klementieff), and one or two other familiar faces. The latest mission is the same as it was in the first part of this two-parter, despite the title change and exposition dump at the start of this film. Gabriel (Esai Morales) needs to be apprehended, and the dangerous AI, still stupidly referred to as The Entity, needs to be stopped. Time is running out though, and The Entity will very soon be able to wipe out humanity once it has control of every major nuclear weapon facility.

I'm going to be quite negative about this, but I should clarify now that there are moments here that are fantastic. Two set-pieces make this worth seeing on the big screen. It's just a shame that they're the only real set-pieces in a film that clocks in at a hefty 169 minutes. I would argue that it feels as if a whole hour is spent reminding viewers of highlights from the past movies in the series, giving too much screentime to big names who add nothing worthwhile to the proceedings, and having the title repeated over and over again, as well as a mantra about everything being the sum of numerous choices made throughout an entire life. The second half really delivers though, with the long-awaited submarine sequence and the heavily-advertised aeroplane antics giving us the death-defying Cruise stuntwork that has become a staple of the series.

The biggest problem here is the screenplay. McQuarrie and Jendresen seem to have no handle on the pacing, the tone, or how to weave the exposition and character moments in between fun thrills and great dialogue exchanges. It's odd to think of how well they succeeded with the previous instalment, because this feels like the antithesis of that. I almost lost patience and swore at the screen when one scene played out for the sole purpose of letting characters appear, nod knowingly at others, and then disappear again. 

I suppose Cruise is fine, although he struggles with the constant weight being put on his shoulders (both onscreen and generally, in my view, battling against his advancing years). Atwell and Pegg are given some really good moments, and both do well, while Rhames becomes the strong heart of the group. Klementieff does better with the action than she does with the character development, and Morales remains one of the worst villains that the series has given us, although he has more fun this time around than he did in the last film. Henry Czerny remains fantastic as Kittridge, Shea Whigham is shown to have an intriguing connection to some past events, and Angela Bassett must have been delighted with the journey of her character, Erika Sloane, since first appearing in Mission: Impossible - Fallout. Nick Offerman has at least one good moment, which is more than I can say for Hannah Waddingham and Tramell Tillman, but the real shining stars of the supporting cast turn out to be Rolf Saxon and Lucy Tulugarjuk, the former given what I think could be the most intriguing and wonderful journey of any character to have featured in these movies.

Despite not being up there with the best that he's done before, McQuarrie directs the action well enough when it happens, once again helped by cinematographer Fraser Taggart and editor Eddie Hamilton, there's an undeniable appeal to the bombastic and rousing score (that theme tune has served every composer well over the years, I hope everyone involved remembered to give thanks to Lalo Schifrin), and everyone works hard (perhaps too hard) to deliver something consistent with the continuity and aesthetic of the IMF world as we've come to know it over the years.

If you have enjoyed these movies over the years then you should head out to see this on the big screen. Everyone involved deserves what should be seen as a celebratory, if a bit self-indulgent, swansong for these movies, or these movies being fully planned around Cruise anyway. And viewers are equally deserving of having one more opportunity to enjoy spending time with these characters, and being able to bid them a fond farewell. 

It's just a shame that it wasn't better. The first half hour or so feels like a clunky straight-to-streaming movie, the excessive callbacks and winks feel like McQuarrie and co. were scared into delivering something intent on keeping fans happy a la Star Wars: The Rise Of Skywalker, and a lot of viewers might grow impatient as they wait for what could have been called A Hunt For Red October. When that is happening onscreen though, it's tense and awesome and enough to make you temporarily forget how often you were just wondering whether or not this could take the lowest position in any ranked list of the M:I movies.

6/10

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A Minecraft Movie (2025)

Five writers worked on this screenplay. FIVE. And someone else helped two of those writers to come up with the story idea. So that's six people who had a helping hand in getting this into something resembling a movie. And the best they could come up with was a fan-pleasing collage of absolute nonsense that will leave viewers wondering why everyone involved just tried to remake The LEGO Movie, but make it shit.

Jack Black plays Steve, a man who is happy to find himself in the Overworld (AKA Minecraft world). Unfortunately, his happiness is curtailed when he is transported to the Nether, ruled over by a Piglin leader named Malgosha (voiced by Rachel House). Steve hides away the powerful artefacts that Malgosha wants to own, which are then found by young Henry (Sebastian Hansen) and a down-on-his-luck ex-videogame champ named Garrett (Jason Momoa). Henry is followed by his sister, Natalie (Emma Myers), and a friendly realtor named Dawn (Danielle Brooks). Meanwhile, one of the Overworld inhabitants ends up in our world, where they end up on a date with Vice Principal Marlene (Jennifer Coolidge).

Trust me, that made about as much sense to me while I wrote it as it did to you while you tried to read it. That paragraph may seem like a mess, but it's nothing when compared to the mess that is this movie. It's worth saying right now, however, that my own negative opinion of the film is redundant. It's already been a huge success, I am sure it will continue to be beloved by the fanbase for some time to come, and I am at the disadvantage of viewing it as someone with only the most cursory passing knowledge of the videogame it is based on.

I'm still allowed to complain about the time I wasted on this though, and complain I bloody well will. I'll give most of the blame to the writers, but there's a large part of me that suspects I should also save some finger-pointing for anyone who encouraged Black and Momoa to basically fool around in front of the cameras while they came up with numerous extra references and gags. This is a loud and busy film, for the most part, and Black and Momoa are the main reason for that. Whether you're a fan of the game or not, I'd love to hear from anyone who listens to the opening exposition dump from Jack Black's character and wants to try telling me how that was the best way to open this film. And yet . . . that opening soon becomes the only time that has Black being bearable.

Director Jared Hess can do quirky, of course. He's made it his brand for the past two decades, and a couple of the writers here are used to that (having worked with him on a couple of his previous projects), but A Minecraft Movie isn't the kind of quirky that we've seen in his better films. It's quirky in a way that feels far too random and incoherent, barely holding together as the thin plot moves from start to finish. Which may feel appropriate for those who know that Minecraft isn't really a story-driven game, but falls down for those after a movie experience that they can get their head around.

Hansen is decent as the one lead who feels like a fairly normal human, and Myers is really good as his concerned sister. Brooks is a lot of fun in her role, and manages to show how to be funny without shouting over everyone around her or gurning through an amusing selection of facial expressions (a la Coolidge, who I still enjoy here, but it's not her finest hour). House is always a fun addition, and her vocal performance is entertaining, and that covers the main performers who seem to stay at least somewhat tethered to something resembling a constructed reality. Momoa and Black are orbiting one another in a separate solar system from everyone else, a vacuum that ensures a deadening of their constant stream of blurted game-related terms and unfunny gags.

The score is bad, the visuals are . . . in line with the game (which gives them a great excuse), and the only time I really chuckled was during scenes with Coolidge falling for the odd-looking "escapee". Nobody will care about this dissenting opinion though. I'm not the target audience, and I'm not going to change the mind of anyone who IS. I've said it many times before though, you're allowed to enjoy something tailored to your own tastes and preferences while also wanting something that has been made with care and passion. This feels like it lacks both of those qualities, and I am surprised that Minecraft players have helped to make it such a resounding success.

3/10

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Prime Time: Ash (2025)

Despite the fact that I loathed Kuso, I decided to give this sci-fi horror movie from director Flying Lotus a chance. Writer Jonni Remmler makes his feature debut here, and the nicest thing I can say is that it feels very much like the work of someone making their feature debut.

Eiza González plays Riya, a woman who finds herself in a very difficult situation when she awakens to find that all of her colleagues have either gone missing or been killed. This would be problematic anywhere, but Riya is working in a space station on a distant planet. There's not really anyone around to quickly come to her aid, although someone else (Brion, played by Aaron Paul) does make an unexpected appearance. 

I don't want to sound like a broken record here, and I am keen to see Flying Lotus do something that fully works for me, but this is a film made by a director who is unable to effectively mix his own artistic vision and sensibilities with the genre moments that he ends up fumbling. The end result is something that will please nobody, with a weak script undermining any of the moments that could have been more interesting and a number of visual flourishes that are buried under poor editing choices, some bad lighting, and a constant feeling of apathy.

The sad thing is that the cast here could have done something good with better material. González is a decent lead, although you wouldn't know that from the roles that she has picked over the past few years. The same could be said of Paul, who has yet to find himself a film role that comes remotely close to his superb TV work. Iko Uwais isn't used in the way you might expect, but that's not necessarily a bad thing. The bad thing is how he is completely wasted, as are both Beulah Koale and Kate Elliott. Flying Lotus himself also appears onscreen, but I'm not going to judge his work as anything more than a cost-saving measure. That's all you have, a handful of people for the core cast, and that would be all you need if the main premise was strong enough. It isn't though.  

I remember many years ago when I was desperate to find another videogame to scratch that Resident Evil itch. I ended up playing OverBlood. It wasn't very good, but there were moments when it was superficially close enough to Resident Evil that I decided I could be happy with it. That took some willpower, and that was back when I was younger and much easier to please. I'm older and a bit more jaded nowadays. And if I want something to scratch that sci-fi horror movie itch then I have much greater knowledge, and many more resources, than I had when I was spending more time playing on a videogame console than trying to work my way through every movie ever made.

I'll give it a bonus point or two for the FX work, and an ending that tries to reward those who have been patient enough to get there, but that still leaves it as something I rate disappointingly below average.

4/10

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Final Destination: Bloodlines (2025)

I have praised the Final Destination movie series before. Even the worst film in the series manages to be average, as opposed to painfully unbearable, and the last film was a surprisingly great return to form for a series that has consistently tried to deliver bloody fun to horror fans for the past twenty five years. I had mixed feelings about this latest instalment. On the one hand, more Final Destination movies could be a good thing. On the other hand, something bad would start to work against the goodwill that so many have for the series. Unlike the portents glimpsed by our main character here, however, all of the signs seemed good. Directors Zach Lipovsky and Adam Stein seemed to have a real love for the series, as evidenced by their inspired Zoom presentation that ultimately got them the job (read up on it, I hope we get to see it somewhere as a bonus feature one day), and writers Guy Busick and Lori Evans Taylor worked with Jon Watts on a story idea that would apparently please fans and relative newcomers alike. Then we got the marketing, which made great use of imagery associated with the films, particularly that Final Destination 2 opener.

Kaitlyn Santa Juana plays Stefani Reyes, a young woman we first see waking up from a nightmare at the end of a university class. That nightmare feels very real, and Stefani has been having it repeatedly for two months. It's not a premonition though, because it's all happening in the past, but it's odd that the young woman she sees in these visions shares the same name as her estranged grandmother, Iris (played by Brec Bassinger in the visions, and by Gabrielle Rose when shown in the here and now). Stefani starts to question her family about the problems that have kept certain family members away from one another, which leads her to discover a grand design by one Mr. G. Reaper to wipe out all of the lives that weren't supposed to exist if his earlier plan, to kill off a fancy restaurant full of patrons, had come to fruition. Stefani needs to figure out whatever pattern will decide the order of deaths in her family, and she hopes that there's some way to stop that big scythe cutting through their lifelines.

If there's one thing that the Final Destination movies does nowadays, one thing I hope we can all agree on, it puts the fun into funerals. This film leads characters from one tragic death to another, forcing everyone still living to eventually conclude that, yes, they are all being targeted by a vengeful and angry spirit of death. The opening disaster is top-tier stuff, although I would argue that Lipovsky and Stein make a rod for their own backs by starting things off with the kind of Rube Goldberg machinations that are normally saved for individual death scenes later in the runtime. There aren't too many surprises, which is more down to viewers now being familiar with the concept than any creative bankruptcy, but it's good to see that the screenplay at least tries a couple of small rug-pulls, some of which work better than others. Everyone is on the same page when it comes to the tone and delivering what audiences will want to see, and it allows the film to feel like the most self-aware and fun of the series. That doesn't necessarily make it the best, but it gives Lipovsky and Stein some strong cards that they play well. The timing couldn't have been better, considering the growth that you can see through their feature filmography throughout the past 10+ years. 

The cast all do a good job, despite the fact that they know they're just there to be involved in, or witness, memorable death scenes. Juana makes for a good lead, becoming more stressed without leaning too hard into full eye-twitching and head-shaking mode. She conveys the strength that her character needs, but is as vulnerable as everyone else when moving under the shadowy figure looking for ways to help shuffle her off the mortal coil. Teo Briones is a bit less enjoyable, playing her younger brother, Charlie, but that's fine when the film allows us to spend some time with other endangered family members played by Richard Harmon, Owen Patrick Joyner, and Anna Lore. Harmon is a highlight, thanks to the nature of his character and his delivery of some of the best lines in the film. Rya Kihlstedt and Alex Zahara are also dragged into the fatal danger zone, although both April Telek and Tinpo Lee only hang around long enough to witness some of the crazy carnage before they are unceremoniously shunted offscreen. There's also the expected cameo from Tony Todd, as poignant as it is enjoyable this time around due to the fact that it will stand as one of his final film roles. And what a touching send-off from the series it is.

I have criticisms, but they feel very minor when I consider how much I enjoyed this. The quality of the special effects varies wildly, especially in the CGI-heavy opening sequence, there are some inconsistencies with how things were laid out earlier in the series (easy enough to overlook though, and I am willing to consider that previous theories were put forward by people who didn't know they were mistaken), and the fact that we're supposed to believe that someone would shelter away from death in a house surrounded by multiple literal death-traps is an oversight that I wish they had managed to correct before getting the final draft of the screenplay written. I still had more fun with this at the cinema than almost any other horror movie I can think of in years. It's a crowd-pleaser, and I encourage absolutely everyone to get along and see it in the cinema if they can. It was made to be experienced with people communally enjoying the way it deftly dances between the humour and the bloodshed.

8/10

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Mubi Monday: Let The Corpses Tan (2017)

People may ask, quite rightly, why I continue to explore the filmography of Hélène Cattet and Bruno Forzani when I often strongly dislike what they offer up to viewers. First of all, I'm a completist. I'll sit through anything. Second, I'm an optimist. I'll sit through anything. Third, I keep thinking that there will be a time when Cattet and Forzani figure out how to marry their impressive aesthetic choices to a narrative that proves more rewarding to those after more than just some sensory overload.

This is a very familiar plot. A robbery has been committed, and the robbers now want to hide out with their stash. Unfortunately, their plan goes slightly awry when other people end up in the vicinity. It's not long until unfortunate coincidences start to pile up, as well as one or two spoonfuls of greed-induced treachery, of course.

There's something to be said for artists sticking to what holds their interest, whether they are striving for perfection or looking to deliver some pointed commentary through their own unique voice, but there's also something to be said for artists who figure out how to play to their strengths while transposing their vision on to different canvases (metaphorically speaking). Cattet and Forzani don't seem able to do anything that proves they have more in their bag of tricks than an ability to crank up the audio when there's some leather onscreen. I applaud their ability to give us something so evocative - your ears prick up when that leather creaks, there's a palpable heat emanating off the screen during times when some of the characters are sweating under the shimmering sun - but I need something else to accompany that stimulation. Others may strongly disagree, fair enough, but I would argue that Cattet and Forzani have shown not one bit of progress since they made their feature debut over 15 years ago. 

I don't want to seem rude to the cast members here, but they must know that they're playing second fiddle to the editors, those doing the makeup and practical effects, and foley artists. Elina Löwensohn and Dorylia Calmel fare better than their male counterparts, but even their performances are at the mercy of the other choices that move away from the actual plot to focus on different sensations or different viewpoints (which is why we are given a number of timestamps that sometimes simply show the same time, indicating that we're being shown another angle on something that has already been played out onscreen).

I didn't completely hate this, and I do think that Cattet and Forzani were at least trying to work some other genre movie tropes through their own filter. It just didn't work, and I was never once interested in either the characters or where the whole thing would end. Win or lose, live or die, it didn't matter to me, and I would argue that's because it never really mattered to those helming the film. If I want something this experiential without anything else to keep me interested then I can always explore the many ASMR videos available online. That's all this really is, ASMR for those who like the creak of leather. It's even somehow a step down from their last feature.

3/10

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Netflix And Chill: The Shadow Strays (2024)

My second Timo Tjahjanto movie in as many weeks, The Shadow Strays is in line with other features I have seen from him, but with one notable difference. It features a collection of strong female characters. Tjahjanto has had strong female characters in his films before, but they haven't been the main focus. This has a strong female lead, and a couple of main supporting characters who show themselves just as capable of violence and death as any of the dangerous men onscreen.

Aurora Ribero is 13, an assassin who doesn't complete her latest mission. She still does a great job though, which leaves a lot of people already dead around her when she is assisted by Umbra (Hana Malasan). 13 is then ordered to rest and wait for new orders, which leaves her in an agitated state while she is cut off from her handler/network. The devil makes work for idle hands though, or so the say, and 13 ends up getting involved when she sees things getting ugly for a young boy, Monji (Ali Fikry), who lives near her. This pits 13 against a collection of ruthless and sadistic criminals, but it also leads to her being targeted by her own people.

Starting off with a set-piece that the film arguably never tops, The Shadow Strays is as stabby and limb-lopping as you'd expect, but shows a couple of main characters with a bit more finesse to their blade-work. Both 13 and Umbra are trained to execute their targets in the most efficient and effective ways, which allows Tjahjanto to present a slightly different fighting style whenever they are in control of the situation. Of course, the messiness and panic appear when they're not in control, and it doesn't always take a lot to change the balance of any fight. And every fight here tends to be a fight to the death.

Ribero is a good lead, very capable and very believable. Both she and Malasan look as if they could work their way through any gang of burly men like a powerful kitchen blender chops up vegetables. While they don't have to do to much with their characters outwith the fight scenes, they are more than capable when required to show hints of humanity glimpsed beneath their impassivity. Taskya Namya is a brilliantly entertaining psychopath named Soriah, another determined woman who just happens to be on the opposite side of the fight from 13, and Agra Piliang, Andri Mashadi, Kristo Immanuel, Adipati Dolken, and Arswendy Bening Swara portray the core selection of, mainly evil, male characters. Daniel Ekaputra makes a strong impression as Troika, a male assassin who has no qualms about taking out one of his colleagues, and Fikry is constantly vulnerable enough to make the motivation of our main character very understandable.

Using the same composer (Fajar Yuskemal) and same director of photographer (Batara Goempar) that he worked with on The Night Comes For Us, as well as many other familiar names, particularly if you scour through the many stunt performers, Tjahjanto knows how to deliver what fans have come to expect from him without it feeling exactly like everything else that he's done before. This is satisfying, and it's (for want of a better word) gnarly. It has a lot of similarities with The Night Comes For Us, but just a couple of key differences, especially when it comes to the background of the main characters, create a ripple effect that allows the whole film to feel very different from that most obvious cinematic reference point.

On the downside, you feel the 144-minute runtime in a couple of places, and there are some interesting moments that are there just to set up a sequel (that we may or may not get). It's still an easy recommend for those who like their action movies to make them wince while they also have to repeatedly pick their jaw up off the floor.

8/10

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Shudder Saturday: Curse Of The Crimson Altar (1968)

I couldn't understand how I hadn't managed to get around to Curse Of The Crimson Altar before now, but now it's perfectly clear. This isn't a good movie, despite the attachment of some big names and apparently being (loosely) based on "The Dreams In The Witch House". 

The story deals with one Robert Manning (Mark Eden), an antiques dealer on a search for his missing brother. He knows that his brother was at Craxted Lodge, a large house owned by Morley (Christopher Lee). Morley is welcoming enough, as is his niece, Eve (Virginia Wetherell), but it turns out that they may be connected to some strange occult happenings, as explained to our protagonist by Professor John Marsh (Boris Karloff).

Written by Mervyn Haisman and Henry Lincoln, a duo who seemed to do better with TV work than they did with films (in fact, they only have one or two other features credited between them, in amongst the various TV episodes), this is an uninteresting slog that lacks any real thrills or atmosphere. Director Vernon Sewell has a filmography worth exploring, from what I can see, but this is coming along towards the very end of his career, and isn't one of his better efforts. Perhaps relying too much on the stars to carry the weak script, Sewell fails to impress with the blend of very British good manners, some scenes showing groovy individuals happily partying, and occasional nightmares. None of it works in isolation, and none of it works in relation to everything else going on.

The same can be said of the cast members, who are generally unable to do anything to elevate the material. Karloff arguably fares the best, thanks to his unmistakable presence and ability to imbue ridiculous dialogue with a gravitas that it often doesn't merit, but Lee feels a bit underused, which is all the more frustrating when that allows for more screentime for a bland Eden, Wetherell, and a laughable coterie of supporting characters. Michael Gough is also ill-served by the screenplay, and Barbara Steele is at least used in a visually-interesting way that tries to add to the impact of events by giving you a shot of, well, Barbara Steele.

Another film that many may mistakenly believe came from Hammer or Amicus, as it's one of those to come from the smaller stable of Tigon, I would simply remind anyone still tempted to check this out that Christopher Lee himself considered one of the worst of his career. And that man was in some stinkers. I've heard some people praise this, although I genuinely don't understand what won them over (perhaps just the atmosphere and the aesthetic of this kind of very British horror from this time), but I wouldn't recommend it to anyone, with the exception of completists who, like me, always end up having to see these things for themselves.

3/10

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Freaky Tales (2025)

Written and directed by Anna Boden and Ryan Fleck, Freaky Tales is a film that I decided to watch this week with very low expectations. I hadn't really heard too much about it, and there was certainly nobody telling people to make it a priority. Maybe it was due to those low expectations, or maybe simply due to the movie itself, but I had a blast with it.

Set in Oakland in 1987, this is an anthology film showing four interconnected stories. You get some young punks who end up battling Nazis outside one of their clubs, a pair of young women who get a chance to show off their rap battle skills on a stage opposite a well-known star, a debt collector/killer renting a movie for his pregnant wife, unaware of the fact that they've been targeted by someone he caused pain to in the past, and a super-powered basketball player who goes on a killing spree after a robbery-gone-awry leads to things going really bad really quickly.

Boden and Fleck have been working together for about two decades now, and they have a filmography that refuses to be pigeonholed, but this may be their most enjoyable work yet. It's so fun and satisfying, partly down to the aesthetic and energy of the whole thing and partly down to the timing of it (because this is a perfect time to enjoy any film that features people beating up on Nazi scumbags). Jac Fitzgerald delivers some cool cinematography, straightforward stuff with just a few flourishes here and there, and the score by Raphael Saadiq is an excellent selection of synth work.

Pedro Pascal and Ben Mendelsohn are the biggest names in the cast, when it comes to the main roles anyway. The former plays that debt collector/killer, obviously perfect as the reluctant heavy who becomes quite morose and soulful when his world is irrevocably changed, while the latter is a horrible cop who is unsurprisingly connected to a number of the Nazis. The late Angus Cloud does well as a bad guy named Travis, Jack Champion and Ji-young Yoo are easy to like, playing the two main punks we spend time with, and Dominique Thorne and Normani are great fun as the rapping duo wary of being made a laughing stock while they have a chance to show what they can do in front of a big crowd. Tom Hanks appears for a cameo that lasts just a few minutes, and he's a hell of an addition to the thing, and Jay Ellis dominates the final section of the film, giving us a character who feels like Jim Kelly spliced with Cameron Vale.

Although it would seem to have a layer of grime and unpleasantness wrapped around everything, Freaky Tales works so well because it's a celebration. It celebrates love, it celebrates those who pursue their dreams, it celebrates a time and a place (and we can all think back to our own special venue that may have had a similar peak time many years ago, or maybe just seems that way through our nostalgia goggles), and it celebrates the joy of fighting back against truly despicable humans. The message couldn't be clearer, and there's some violence on display that is as satisfying as it is over the top, but that lack of subtlety feels like a refreshing drink of cool water in a time when so many others are considering compromise or ways to appeal to those who wouldn't appreciate such a message. 

If this was only a selection of tales that said "it's always okay to punch a Nazi" then I would have been fine with it, but it's got a lot more packed into it. I REALLY liked it, and I hope others have as much fun with it as I did.

8/10

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The Missionary (1982)

I wish I could tell you that The Missionary was yet another film I regretted not seeing for years, but I can't. It's not a terrible film, and features a cast all being a lot of fun in their various roles, but it's not quite as good as I had hoped it would be.

Michael Palin plays Fortescue, a man of the cloth who returns to England and the love and kindness of his fiance, Deborah (Phoebe Nicholls). He still wants to do good work though, and soon ends up tasked by a Bishop (Denholm Elliott) to create a charitable home for the purpose of helping and rehabilitating prostitutes. Fortescue has to secure funding, which puts him in the sights of Lady Ames (Maggie Smith) and her husband (Trevor Howard), and he also ends up offering the women comfort in ways that would surely be frowned upon by the church.

Loosely based on the life of Reverend Harold Francis Davidson, aka the "prostitutes' padre", The Missionary has Palin also on board as a writer, and Richard Loncraine in the director's chair. Neither seem quite able to decide exactly the tone they want to go for, which leads to only a few scenes working as well as they should. This is a character piece, and Fortescue is fun to watch as he wrestles with his conscience, decides what ends up being the best way to help others, and gets himself further and further into a big mess that seems likely to prove his undoing at any minute. Loncraine doesn't make the best use of his talented cast, especially when there are people like Timothy Spall and Sophie Thompson in very small roles, but there is a lovely attention to period detail throughout that makes up for some of the less entertaining moments. 

Palin is very enjoyable in the lead role, all sweet innocence and good intentions. If he'd given himself a better script to work with then this could have easily been one of his best works. Smith is also very good, especially as she continues to create reasons for Fortescue to have to stay under her roof for a night she plans to make the most of. Howard and Elliott are as enjoyable as expected, Michael Hordern is a delightfully forgetful butler, and David Suchet does well in his feature debut, although his character only makes a few brief appearances in the back end of the film. Nicholls is sadly underused, as are those I mentioned earlier, and there's a disappointing lack of main characters from the selection of "fallen women" who end up around our lead.

There's certainly enough to appreciate here, especially if you're a fan of Palin and Smith. There's just not quite enough to make it fully work as either a drama or a gentle comedy, with the end result landing a bit awkwardly in between the two. It's also a shame that there doesn't seem to be any sharpness to what could have been a real exploration of morality, rehabilitation, and the role that the church tries to hold within many communities. There are a few points raised as things muddle along from the start to the finish, but nothing that really sticks with you once the end credits roll. In fact, I'd say that the best thing about the movie is how it can then lead you to read up on the extraordinary life, and strange end, of the "prostitute's padre".

Often as pleasant and harmless as the central character, The Missionary should prove slightly disappointing to those wanting something (anything) more than a nice-looking distraction to take up 90 minutes of their day.

5/10

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Prime Time: Den Of Thieves 2: Pantera (2025)

Considering that this sequel was the reason I finally got around to watching Den Of Thieves, it took me a bit longer than expected to see it. That wasn't my choice, but rather tied to the way it was distributed here in the UK. Or just not really distributed at all, which would be closer to the truth. I kept checking cinema listings for this after it seemed to get a decent reception over in America, but there was no news. I kept an eye on VOD release dates, but didn't see anything (although that may have just been me missing the relevant information hidden somewhere on the internet). And now it's here, another title dropped rather unceremoniously on to the Amazon Prime Video streaming platform. Anyone would suspect that it's a bad movie.

Gerard Butler is back as Nicholas 'Big Nick' O'Brien, but this time around it looks as if he is leaving the world of law enforcement behind him. He is still pursuing Donnie Wilson (O'Shea Jackson Jr.), and gets himself in the middle of an intriguing plan to rob a VERY secure diamond exchange. Seemingly relishing the challenge, and also seemingly enjoying the camaraderie, Nick continues to tread heavily through the murky waters of gray morality, to put it mildly.

Christian Gudegast returns to the director's chair for this outing, and he also decides to go it alone on the writing duties this time around. I really can't make up my mind on how good or bad a decision it is, but he's opted to move away from the grit and violence of the first movie in favour of something that feels much more like a crime caper flick. There's still some tension, and the main characters are never portrayed as altruistic innocents, but viewers are allowed to root for the leads even as they get themselves deeper and deeper in a pit of their own creation.

Butler and Jackson Jr. are comfortable while reprising the characters they last played back in 2018, and they benefit from being able to spend more screentime together, displaying a nice rapport that creates a softer core than the first movie had, for better or worse. It's not quite a buddy movie, but there are times when it comes close. Others onscreen include Evin Ahmad (as a woman who catches the eye of Nick, despite her ex being able to cause them quite a bit of trouble), Dino Kelly (as the aforementioned ex), Salvatore Esposito, Orli Shuka, and Yasen Zates Atour. 

There are a couple of decent set-pieces spaced throughout the hefty 144-minute runtime, including the main robbery itself (of course), the tone moves deftly between the fun and the tension, and cinematographer Terry Stacey helps to give the whole thing a different look from the first film, but with the same clear choreography and focus during the action beats. The end result may feel a bit unnecessary, and there's a chance that it will annoy people who just want a repeat of the first film, but it's not a bad movie. It's not great, but it's not bad. Which puts it nicely alongside many other Gerard Butler vehicles from the past decade or two.

6/10

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Drop (2025)

I had initially considered doing my review of Drop in the style of a song parody, mentioning everything I dislike about the film followed by the phrase "drop it like it's hot." That just didn't seem right though. I didn't think I would be able to fully convey my complete disdain for what is one of the worst, and most incompetent, mainstream thrillers I have seen in years.

Meghann Fahy is Violet, a widow (and, importantly, a survivor of domestic abuse) who has finally plucked up the courage to go on a date with Henry (Brandon Sklenar). She leaves her young son, Toby (Jacob Robinson), in the care of her sister, Jen (Violett Beane), and hopes to enjoy the evening ahead. Someone has other plans though, and they start terrorising and controlling Violet through numerous instructions that anonymously drop into her phone. With her family on the line, can Violet figure out a way to either defeat the unknown villain, or will she have to ultimately kill the person she has been told to target?

While I am unhappy with director Christopher Landon for putting his name to this, he is the least of the problems that the film has. In fact, when it comes to some moments that convey the phone messages while keeping viewers aware of the various characters moving through different parts of the fancy restaurant, he can even receive one of the few compliments that I am willing to give this film. Everyone else can throw themselves into the nearest wheelie bin.

Writers Jillian Jacobs and Chris Roach haven't given us the best screenplays in the past, and they have managed to bring out the worst in one another since pairing up over the last few years (with the diminishing returns of Truth Or Dare, Fantasy Island, and now this). Everything they serve up here is a hot mess, from the clumsy exposition to the mishandling of some very weighty material, the attempts to make things quirky and fun, and even just the dialogue between our leads. It never feels in any way believable (my partner and I both agreed that the date would have been over within about 20 minutes, at most), it subsequently lacks any tension, and I spent most of the runtime just waiting for whatever ridiculous finale was going to come along and prove me right for having skipped this in cinemas.

The leads don't help either. Fahy tries hard with what she's given, but she's overwhelmed by the absolute crappiness of the writing. Sklenar, on the other hand, positions himself as a handsome lead so bland and stiff that I was wishing they had cast Scott Eastwood in the role instead (and that's something I thought I'd never say). Beane is a welcome presence, sadly offscreen for most of the film, Jeffery Self is a very annoying waiter, Ed Weeks is a very annoying piano player, and Gabrielle Ryan, Sarah McCormack, Travis Nelson, Reed Diamond, and one or two others keep moving in and out of focus to allow themselves to become suspects or victims, depending on which way the film wants to go.

The restaurant design is quite nice. That's about the only other positive I can think of. Nothing else works. This is a "high-concept" thriller that should have been worked on for at least three more drafts. Although I am not sure if anything could have been done to majorly improve something so ridiculous. Even Carry-On was better than this, and I was not a fan of that one.

3/10

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Mubi Monday: Monsieur Hulot's Holiday (1953)

Life is funny. People are funny. Despite the seemingly never-ending cavalcade of misery and horror unfolding around us every day, this is something worth holding on to. And anything can be funny. I remember a lovely family friend, an elderly gentleman, who was getting fed up of attending so many funerals. It seemed that every day was another funeral, the loss of someone he had either known as a work colleague or a family member. But even he saw the funny side when he turned up to a service one day, spent a long time trying to find someone else he recognised, and eventually, as everyone mingled on their way to get a drink and bit of food after, came to the conclusion that he had ended up at the wrong funeral. That's funny. 

With his comedic creation of Monsieur Hulot, Jacques Tati reminded people of just how funny things can be. While he is at the centre of most of the funniest moments, the movies often take a wider view of every scene, showing us the amusing ways in which crowds migrate and interact. Things may occasionally become surreal, but life can occasionally become surreal.

As the title suggests, this first feature outing for Monsieur Hulot has him arriving at a holiday spot, a lovely hotel right beside the beach, where he hopes to enjoy the sun, sea, and some relaxation. Unfortunately for Monsieur Hulot, the main thing that works against relaxation is usually . . . Monsieur Hulot.

As well as starring in the main role, Tati also wrote (in collaboration with others, mainly Henri Marquet) and directed this film. It's obvious that this is the product of someone dedicated to crafting every main sequence into a mini-masterpiece. The timing and choreography of many of the gags here works so beautifully that each little moment is, or verges on, sublime.

Tati is not the only one onscreen, however, and it's his willingness to allow others to shine that enables him to keep the whole film moving from one delight to the next. Would I recognise these people in other movie roles? I'm not sure. But I appreciate them here for portraying the likes of a busy waiter (Raymond Carl), the bemused hotel proprietor (Lucien Fregis), a beautiful young woman (Nathalie Pascaud), a bedevilled photographer (Claude Shillio), and a cluster of people trying to play a card game. Tati is the star, but we only see him shine so brightly thanks to the many others bringing their own twinkling lights to the proceedings.

If you're new to the comedic exploits of Monsieur Hulot then this is a logical place to start. Some people prefer the other films (Playtime being the one named most often), but I would say that this allows you to get used to the rhythms, the gentle touch, and the exquisite technicality of someone who should be namechecked more when discussing the true greats of comedy.

9/10

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Netflix And Chill: The Night Comes For Us (2018)

A film that you could easily mention in a dictionary to help illustrate the definition of the word “savage”, The Night Comes For Us is a fast and frantic run from one brutal action sequence to another. Writer-director Timo Tjahjanto knows how to deliver genuinely astonishing spectacle, helped by a cast more than capable of the physicality that’s required.

When he saves the life of a young girl (Reina, played by Asha Kenyeri Bermudez) after massacring the rest of her village to teach a harsh lesson about stealing Triad money, Ito (Joe Taslim) has a sudden attack of conscience. He no longer wants to be in the violent life that he once considered a natural fit. Nobody gets to just leave though, especially if they have killed other Triads to make their escape. Many people are then instructed to kill Ito and Reina, including Arian (Iko Uwais), a former gang member who was also once a close friend.

It's hard to single any one person out here, despite Taslim being the lead and Uwais arguably being the most recognisable of the main cast members nowadays, but those who get a decent amount of screentime deserve some recognition of how much they help to maintain the believability and steamrolling momentum of the central premise. Although some characters have different styles, sometimes helped by different weaponry they have to hand, everyone is motivated by sheer survival instinct, flailing around and aiming for a death blow as fists and feet and blades blur around them. Taslim doesn't try to paint himself as anyone who suddenly deserves our sympathy, but his one decision that changes things for everyone around him is enough to have us rooting for him as he does everything he can to ensure the safety of one young girl. Uwais is calm and cool, for the most part, but starts to fray at the edges when his character arc is about to be completed. Sunny Pang is a boss man who orders others into battle, Julie Estelle is very good as another cool and skilled killer (simply known as The Operator), Zack Lee gets to steal a couple of moments as a drug addict who finds some redemption in a fight that has him greatly outnumbered, and both Dian Sastrowardoyo and Hannah Al Rashid are a lot of fun as Alma and Elena, a very dangerous duo who work together to maintain the edge against those who often underestimate them.

I've generally enjoyed everything I have seen so far from Tjahjanto, although this is a reminder that I need to explore much more of his filmography. I think he generally does better with action than he does with horror (although many enjoyed Macabre much more than I did), and there are moments in most of his films that will have you wondering just how they were shot as you pick your jaw back up off the floor. He's a huge talent, undeniably so, but must also be helped by a very talented team around him.

Cinematographer Gunnar Nimpuno does well just to keep up with the action and bloodshed, editor Arifin Cu'unk shows a number of memorable moments without interrupting the flow of any major sequence, and composers Aria Prayogi and Fajar Yuskemal deliver an audio track worthy of running parallel to the visual spectacle. As for the makeup department, special effects, stunt team, etc . . . every single one of them delivers top notch work. Even the continuity department must have been kept on their toes as they kept track of the injuries and bloodstains.

A few of the early scenes don't work as well as they could, due to the story really coming together as various characters come into the storyline, but the majority of this is about as perfect as you want a full-on, full-blooded, action film to be.

9/10

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Shudder Saturday: The Ugly Stepsister (2025)

I don't always start my own reviews by directing people elsewhere, but The Ugly Stepsister already has an excellent write-up from Christianne Benedict here. And you can stay subscribed to her blog for many great insights.

An ugly and violent take on the classic tale of Cinderella, The Ugly Stepsister is an astonishing and confrontational feature debut from writer-director Emilie Blichfeldt. It uses the template of the fairytale to explore the pressures on those who are judged by their femininity and beauty, but it also twists things in a way that brilliantly subverts the dynamic conjured up by the title.

Lea Myren plays Elvira, the fairly quiet and unappealing young woman who seems destined to keep living in the shade of her beautiful step-sister, Agnes (Thea Sofie Loch Næss). Elvira's mother, Rebekka (Ane Dahl Torp), sets out to change that, however, after the death of her husband means that their fate and fortune relies on Elvira transforming into someone who will capture the eye of Prince Julian (Isac Calmroth). A process of painful transformation begins that will affect Elvira's mind as much as her body.

Myren is fantastic in the central role, delivering a performance that shows her personality and demeanour changing in line with her physical changes. Næss is also very good, able to maintain a real presence throughout the film even as she is effectively sidelined for a large part of the second half of the film. She may not be in every scene, but her shadow looms over the unfolding events, as well as Elvira. Torp has some fun in the role of such a fiercely driven mother, becoming more and more desperate and ruthless as her and her daughter start to share the same insanity. Calmroth is fine, but the other one to really praise is Flo Fagerli, playing Alma, the OTHER stepsister who keeps herself very much in the background of the whole thing until stepping up, with a clarity and kindness lacking elsewhere, in the very last scenes.

Often displaying the events onscreen in beautiful Earthy tones, apart from sharper and unflinching scenes that show our character enduring another bit of body modification, The Ugly Stepsister is quite a gorgeous depiction of ugliness and unpleasantness. It can be viewed through a few different filters, but the central message remains a cautionary tale about the lengths some people feel they have to go to in order to reach, and maintain, impossibly high standards. There's always some way to find fault with someone though, whether investigating their body or their spirit, or both, and what really matters is how you view and treat yourself while others go on about their daily lives. There's no real reason for Prince Julian to seem like any kind of prize here, aside from the obvious financial gain and status boost, but so many young women are instructed to find a prince, any prince, that he and his friends all automatically saunter through life with a lot less pain and effort than those starting from a lower rung on the social ladder.

Blichfeldt has found a great way to reshape and reinvigorate a classic text, and it's clear that there are many other ways she could have added to each main sequence. She knows exactly how to make the most of the premise though, creating a growing sense of discomfort and pain (because, yes, viewers cannot help but empathise with the pain that Elvira is enduring as it continues to build without relief), and benefits from the cinematography of Marcel Zyskind, the score from John Erik Kaada and Vilde Tuv, and the consistently excellent work of everyone else on both sides of the camera.

A very high recommend, especially if you're a fan of gothic fairytale fare, and I absolutely cannot wait to see what we get next from Blichfeldt.

9/10

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RoboCop 3 (1993)

After my surprisingly positive reaction to RoboCop 2 when I (re?)watched it a few weeks ago, I decided to make a rewatch of RoboCop 3 a top priority. I have definitely seen this before, and I definitely didn't like it. But I went into it with an open mind and a good helping of optimism.

It's Robert John Burke in the main role this time around, and things are still not great in Detroit, which has now been acquired by OCP. OCP isn't the same old OCP any more though, having itself been taken over by a Japanese corporation now holding a controlling share of the stock. As Detroit residents are mistreated and turned out of homes that can then be demolished and turned into more profitable enterprises, growing unrest from civilians becomes such a strong force that it eventually affects the police. But will they continue to work as the strong arm for capitalist bullies, or will they follow RoboCop's lead and develop a moral conscience?

While he cannot match Weller's performance, Burke is very good in the lead role, and he does well with the physicality of the role. Nancy Allen reprises her role for a while, Remy Ryan is good as a talented kid, Nikko, who can also use technology to help those around her fight back against the authorities, Jill Hennessy is the aptly-named Dr. Lazarus, and it's fun to spot familiar faces like CCH Pounder, Bradley Whitford, Stephen Root, and Daniel von Bargen in the supporting cast. Bruce Locke has some very memorable moments as Otomo, most easily described as a kind of robo-ninja, and Rip Torn gets to join in with the fun for a few amusing scenes.

Directed by Fred Dekker, who also co-wrote the screenplay with Frank Miller, RoboCop 3 is a decent, but flawed, bit of sci-fi action fun with the kind of satire and social commentary that fans of the first two movies should expect. Like many perfectly fine sequels, the biggest problem it has is not being up to the high standard of the first film. That is all, although it was received so poorly when first released that it pretty much killed Dekker’s directorial career stone dead. 

There's nothing here to shout about when it comes to the technical side of things. The visuals lack some flair, but aren't awful, and the few moments that feel like highlights still pale in comparison to the highlights from both of the previous movies. It's obvious that the budget wasn't there for an epic vision, but it's hard to be sure that Dekker and Miller had any epic vision in mind, as the story we get is much more interested in re-establishing a connection between RoboCop and some real humanity than providing more glimpses of the dystopian future setting.

Yes, a few  moments feel unintentionally silly, either due to the plotting or the wonky special effects, but I ended up enjoying the messy mix of capitalist brutality fighting against community warmth. There’s no prime directive to say that you should watch this, but I don’t think that it’s anywhere near as bad as its reputation would suggest.

6/10

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Babes (2024)

I totally understand when opinions seem to vary wildly when we see the many "greatest films/films you must see"lists covering specific years that have just gone by, but I was very surprised to see so many people seem to miss, or completely overlook, Babes. Not only is this one of the best comedies of 2024, it's one of the best comedies I have seen in years. I hope this small corner of the internet can allow me to praise it highly enough that others get to discover just how wonderful it is.

Ilana Glazer is Eden, a good friend to Dawn (Michelle Buteau). The pair have been friends for many years, and the film starts with them having to rush to the hospital as Dawn goes into labour with her next child. Eden is happy enough without her own children, but that situation is about to change in a major way, all thanks to a handsome man named Claude (Stephan James). It's not too long until Eden is considering how to cope with her situation, but she starts to discover that Dawn cannot always give her the time and energy that she needs from those she considers more family member than friend.

Co-written by Glazer and Josh Rabinowitz, both doing excellent work, and directed by Pamela Adlon, smoothly transitioning from helming some TV work to her first feature, Babes is a perfect balance of big laughs and nicely-crafted emotional moments. It has a central message that can be found in many other movies, one about the joys and importance of motherhood and family, but it sets itself apart from the crowd by also delivering the equally important message that family doesn't necessarily mean people you are related to by blood. You can make your own family. Your friends can be family. And the family that you make of your own choosing can be much better for you than the options that you are simply given from birth.

As well as being such a talented writer, Glazer delivers a brilliant comedic turn in her lead role. She's matched by Buteau, who shares a lot of the runtime until division keeps our main characters apart for a while. Not only are both leads great with the material, whether delivering laughs or being serious, but they both feel like they really have been friends since they were children (not surprising as they have apparently been friends for 20 years). It's the kind of onscreen chemistry that elevates everything. James makes a strong impression with his relatively small amount of screentime, Hasan Minhaj is very good as Marty, the husband of Dawn, and there are very enjoyable cameos from John Carroll Lynch (as a doctor as concerned with his own balding as he is concerned with his patient) and Oliver Platt (playing a dad very much aware of his own shortcomings). 

The 104-minute runtime allows for perfect pacing as things move between the jokes and the more heartfelt moments of authentic emotion, there are one or two good needle drops on the soundtrack, and you'll spend the end credits hoping that there's a future where we get to spend even more time with these characters. Babes isn't perfect, but I'll be damned if I can think of one specific imperfection worth mentioning right now. You should all see it. You can thank Glazer and co. for delivering something so fantastic (no pun intended). Then you can thank me for recommending it to you.

9/10

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Prime Time: Another Simple Favor (2025)

The simple addition of one word to give the title of this sequel could be seen as a relatively amusing and clever bit of work. Or it could be seen as unimaginative and lazy. Considering the film itself, I am going to go with the latter option.

I enjoyed A Simple Favour when I caught up with it about six years ago. The leads did good work, and it was a pleasant distraction. I have never spent any time since wishing that it had a sequel though. But it seems that director Paul Feig wanted an excuse to spend more time with the characters played by Anna Kendrick and Blake Lively, which explains why writers Jessica Sharzer and Laeta Kalogridis came up with this load of nonsense. 

Stephanie Smothers (Kendrick) is trying to boost her book sales and stay relevant, which makes a surprise reappearance by Emily Nelson (Lively) both a blessing and a curse. Emily is out of prison on appeal, which means she can go gallivanting around Italy as she prepares to marry Dante Versano (Michele Morrone). For reasons that never quite make sense, Emily wants Stephanie to be a major part of her wedding, which allows both ladies to be put in danger when people start dying.

Lively is the star draw here, revelling in her callous and bitchy persona (even if the first half of the film seems to think it will be hilarious and shocking to have her overusing the word c**t), but it's always good to see Kendrick able to give some shading to her perky and sparkly onscreen persona. Alex Newell is fun as an eager agent, Henry Golding returns to the role of Sean Townsend, but with much more alcohol and bitterness added this time around, and there are a few decent moments for Allison Janney and Elizabeth Perkins. Morrone isn't great though, which is in line with most of his acting performances, and both Taylor Ortega and Elena Sofia Ricci feel sorely wasted. I could mention one or two others, but why bother putting more effort into this review than seems to have been put into crafting the narrative of the film?

Look, it's sometimes hard to really explain the full range of reactions to a movie. I thought that Another Simple Favor was pretty rubbish. It never made sense, it never had any actual tension, and there were too few laughs scattered throughout the screenplay. I wouldn't ever choose to rewatch this. BUT, mainly thanks to Kendrick and Lively, I still kind of enjoyed some of it. Despite the awful plotting, despite the fairly flat direction from Feig, there was some fun to be had here. Not much, but enough to save me from feeling pained.

I'm sure everyone enjoyed spending some time in Italy, and I hope they all enjoyed each other's company, but it doesn't translate to any more fun for viewers. Some of the scenery is nice. It starts to look less nice when blocked by unfolding events that are as irritating as they are illogical. 

You might end up liking this more than I did, despite me somehow still ending up not judging it too harshly (and, trust me, this is me not being harsh), but I would suggest that you do yourself a favour and just pick something else to watch ahead of this.

4/10

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I'm Still Here (2024)

Although some people may not know how it feels, there are times when you can feel unsafe in the country you inhabit. Times when political change and the installation of a dangerous dictator can lead to citizens being taken away without any firm evidence of their crimes. They might reappear one day, but they also might not. This has happened in far too many countries on far too many occasions. One of those countries is America right now in 2025, but one of those countries has also been Brazil, which is the setting for this film.

Starting off back in the 1970s, but exploring the repercussion of a chain of events that started in the previous decade, I'm Still Here shows what happens to a family when a loved one is spirited away by mysterious authority figures. Everyone is put on high alert, of course, and there's a mixture of curiosity and grief pervading the home, but there's also sometimes a real strength revealed in the one person (in this case Eunice Paiva, played mainly by Fernanda Torres) left to hold everything together and maintain some sense of normality in the middle of a sudden and unexpected nightmare. 

Based on a memoir by Marcel Rubens Paiva, adapted into screenplay form by Murilo Hauser and Heitor Lorega, this manages to be upsetting and effective without ever seeming to sensationalise anything. One main sequence shows the horror and upset of having your home violated by people looking for a nominated target, but everything else is simply showing a woman trying to do what is best for her family as she also tries to get some answers to one or two very important questions.

Director Walter Salles hasn't made too many mistakes in a directorial career that now spans about four decades, but this may be his best film yet. It's hard to put a finger on why it works so well, perhaps the subtlety of the narrative and the central performance somehow, paradoxically, make it feel like the important central messaging is being delivered through a megaphone. Or maybe it's just how sady relevant it seems right now. Either way, I'm Still Here is a history lesson that needs to be watched by those who we can only hope don't want to see it repeated.

There are great performances from absolutely everyone onscreen, but it's Torres who gets to hold our attention for most of the runtime, and she does it with ease. It's such a great performance that it's hard to remember anyone else as the end credits roll, although I will also be sure to praise Fernanda Montenegro (the older incarnation of Eunice) and Selton Mello (Rubens, the husband who is taken away one night, leading to the void that the characters, and the entire film, then explores in different ways).

Some people can actively fight against injustice while it is happening. Some people dedicate their lives to highlighting and getting reparations for those who have been the victims of such injustice. And some people can do no more than try to survive. That's enough. If you're country has become intolerant to you, or people that you love, and you're scared, vulnerable, and unable to figure out any way to strike back at power-hungry abusers . . . just stating "I'm still here" is often enough to inspire and support others in a similar position. That may not have been the main point of this film, despite the title, but it's definitely something worth remembering.

9/10

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Mubi Monday: Matt And Mara (2024)

There's not much to say about Matt And Mara, although I am very much aware of the fact that I have started previous reviews with a similar sentence before wittering on for ages and ages. This feels a bit lighter and more inconsequential than anything I have viewed in a while though, although that doesn't mean that I disliked it.

Mara (Deragh Campbell) reconnects with an old friend, Matt (Matt Johnson), at a time when she is struggling with some aspects of her life. Mara has spent a lot of time teaching students about writing, whereas Matt has become a published author. The two used to be inseparable, the kind of people defined by others as a duo rather than one individual, but will they be able to be back in that space once again? Will they even want to?

Written and directed by Kazik Radwanski, from a story by Samantha Chater, this is your basic low-key indie fare, relying on the charm and interplay of the two leads while the world around them quickly moves out of focus. There's tension, but it's the kind that arrives from two people having moved to two very different places in life, and the second half highlights the biggest differences between our leads, showing how their friendship always contained, and was perhaps strengthened by, fundamental division in how they dealt with other aspects of life and relationships. 

Campbell is very easy to like in her role, and able to show herself distracted by her own thoughts while in, or contemplating, some minor moments in her life that she considers to be major. Johnson gets to be a bit more inconsiderate and outspoken, but he's generally still likable enough. Both have worked with Radwanski in most of his other films, and I wouldn't be surprised if some easygoing improv had been encouraged to make the onscreen rapport more authentic. Mounir Al Shami has a small, but important role, and he does good work in what appears to be his feature film debut.

There could have been more said here, that's the main criticism. A film about friendship that could have shown just how important that can be, especially at times when friends are there for you more than family. It instead just hits some predictable moments though, and that feels like a real wasted opportunity.

It's better than the two other Radwanski films I have seen (How Heavy This Hammer and Anne At 13,000 Feet), but not by much. I guess that he's happy enough moving around and around in the same small pond, but I'd love to see him step way out of his comfort zone one day. Ironically, much like the characters he has given us onscreen, a push from someone else may lead to him doing something that feels a bit more daring and impressive.

6/10

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