Film: Irresistible (2006)

 

Thoughts: Irresistible is director Ann Turner’s last film and it's been almost 20 years. As a bit of melodrama featuring top tier actors I found it engaging but a bit quick in its cutting. Letting that slide though, the film is absolutely delicious.

Successful housewife and artist Sophie (Susan Sarandon) spends her day taking care of her two preteen daughters and working on paintings, currently fretting over a new project that involves artists painting works based on their personal trauma. Right from the opening as we see Sophie going about her day, seemingly innocuous moments take on malevolent forms, and she is shown to be a highly neurotic and nervous person with a penchant for mental construction. In comes the stunning Mara (Emily Blunt), the slinky and suggestive coworker significantly reducing the burden of her busy husband Craig (Sam Neill). As the two families draw closer together, Sophie becomes convinced that Mara is trying to steal her man, and not only that, but her personal photos and clothing, her way of life and inevitably her actual life. Who is Mara and is Sophie really losing her mind?

The direction quickly draws you in, using camera angles and pacing to maintain a sense of unease, as the film rocks forward like a child's seesaw on ice. Susan Sarandon looks ******* incredible and plays the part to perfection, with every nervous twitch and manic outburst flowing out from her beautiful frame. She's only improved by a young and tremendously sultry Emily Blunt, and when the both of them are playing off each other sparks fly.  Sam Neill provides a solid rock of empathy and anger, pushing things forward as the beleaguered every man stuck between these two women and the difficult choices that come with protecting your family and following a lead. Of course mistakes are made, but as the film barrels towards its conclusion, things only improve and you're ultimately left with a final shot that clinches the whole thing together like a picnic lunch filled with chilled wine and delicious cheeses.

That being said, some rapid cuts, notably during the trial feel like whiplash and you have to take a moment to realign. It doesn't take away much, but the film suffers because of it.

I look forward to watching it again, hopefully in one sitting next time.

6/10

Film: The Croods: A New Age (2020)

 Thoughts: You'd be hard pressed to find a reason not to love The Croods: A New Age. The film propels forward at an astonishing pace, reminding me of Hotel Transylvania 2 which felt like the team got to let the brakes off and embrace the kooky zaniness. The Croods: A New Age feels much the same, but in its own way, offering crazy visuals, fun edits and winning performances.

The Croods have been travelling as a solid pack for some time, with Guy fully incorporated into the clan, and into the heart of Eep-much to Grug’s dismay. After fighting to survive for every minute of their life, the group stumble into a virtual Eden, maintained and set up by the far advanced Bettermans. Cue much savage versus classy dynamics and some romantic tension with the reintroduction of the long-time childhood friend of Guy, Dawn Betterman.

There's a lot of fun to be had here. The characters are mouldable like clay: squished, crushed, stretched and tossed about like rubber balls. Early scenes such as a shifting pile of sleeping bodies provide tactile visuals with satisfying audio and plenty of room for humour. The actors pivot from emotion to emotion with rich gusto, filling the soundstage with roars, cackles, shrieks and growls all the way down to swoons, purrs and whispers. Jokes repeat but never grow old and the core emotional theme holds strong, reminding us that we do our best work together.

Isaac was sent to bed for his behaviour, so I look forward to watching it again without nodding off and with the whole family.

8/10

Film: Daddy's Home 2 (2017)

 

Thoughts: I'm happy to say that I enjoyed it, and not least because of the fantastic, mind-blowing visual 4K upscale that the HDR10+ and Dolby Vision provides. The film is ridiculous and easy going, doesn't go for broke on any particular count, but is still completely satisfying from an enjoyable Sunday afternoon perspective.

Brad and Dusty are now getting along just fine working well enough together as any co-parents would. In comes their two fathers for the holidays and, Dusty's father Kurt being the self-obsessed ladies’ man that he is, books an Airbnb for the whole family to trip to and enjoy in the last week leading up to Christmas Day. Naturally, everything goes wrong and a variety of mishaps generally involving Brad enduring a significant amount of pain both physical and financial, and inevitably bringing up emotional trauma both current and previous, threaten to waylay the entire holiday season.

I admittedly find it funny. I really enjoy when Will Ferrell's character Brad loses control of the ice thresher, and in a thoroughly inspired bit of directing and slapstick, decimates the entire house’s lighting display, clotheslines his ageing father (John Lithgow), and ultimately cops a rooftop Santa freeze to the head for the second time. I find the movie flows evenly and has no real problems, because it's so good-natured and inoffensive.

It really helps that the film books fantastic as well. Like, you don't even understand how much it improves this whole thing- it just looks so Christmassy that it almost hurts. I'll happily watch it again this Christmas!

6/10

Film Rewatch: Ex_Machina (2014)

Thoughts: Alex Garland’s cerebral science fiction endeavour is more of a drama than an in depth exploration of scientific ideas, however as with anything Alex Garland my tendency is to dig and dig and continue digging 'cause there is almost always something under the surface, and with regards to the twofer of Devs and Ex Machina, I really want to know just how deep the script goes with regards to AVA and her communication constructs.

Caleb is a talented coder working at Google stand in BlueBook, who in the opening of the film winds a companywide lottery too spend a week with reclusive, enigmatic owner Nathan. Upon making his way to the secluded, high-tech fortress, he is quickly introduced to the mercurial mastermind, and made to sign a waiver ensuring he cannot talk about the tests he's about to perform, on an extremely advanced AI named AVA. He is about to be the first person on the planet to attempt to perform a positive Turing test for true artificial intelligence.

What follows is a deteriorating balancing act between the three major players and a handful of extras, as they explore the nature of control and response, emotion and understanding that makes up what we understand as the human experience. We do not know who is playing who and whether what anyone is experiencing is real, however there is no denying that there is a direction that is being driven towards, and by journey's end what dictates survival and existence will be tested and applied with fatal results.

I picked up the 4K based on a gushing review on blu-ray.com, and I did not find the transfer to be particularly exciting however I haven't compared it to the Blu-ray that I've picked up in the last year or two. I've recently tinkered with the settings on my new Sony TV and currently find the output to be extremely satisfying as my newly minted Star Wars: The Force Awakens 4K can attest. Another rewatch is in the cards so I can continue this investigation into the film, However at this stage I am still uncertain as to how I feel about the film aside from appreciating the technical merits, including the engaging soundtrack, fantastic performances, dreamlike cinematography and intriguing script.

I'm looking forward to it!

7/10

Film Rewatch: Weird: The Al Yankovic Story (2022)

Thoughts: A HAY BOY?!

I really enjoyed Weird: The Al Yankovic Story the second time around, and not just because it was in 4K with the best audio possible. Allowing myself to fall into the cameo fest, and completely appreciate Daniel Radcliffe and Evan Rachel Wood’s dedicated turns makes the whole experience richer. That being said, there is a lot of patches and stretches where the dramatic takes centre stage and, considering the inherent ridiculousness of the entire enterprise, but the lens by which we are forced to view the film as completely and totally serious, these lengths can really stick out in an otherwise fantastic film. Uneven is the best way to describe it.

I don't really see the point in trying to summarise Weird: The Al Yankovic Story aside from stating it is the life Story of musician Al Yankovic as narrated by Diedrich Bader. He is but just one cameo in a film that relies almost entirely on a constantly shifting roster of cameos, whether that is a fault or a boon is up to the viewer. Knowledge of Al Yankovic and his music benefits the experience or else it results in consistently wondering if most of the events played out on screen are true-or at least that is what my eldest son seems to think. There's definitely some solid quotes peppered throughout so that's a plus!

The film is shot in a meat and potato style with some nice flourishes, usually when it extends into ultraviolence. Almost all the songs are performed by Al Yankovic himself, lip synced by Daniel Radcliffe in the title role. Frankly I'm happy that I own it now, so I get to watch it again, although I do think altogether it is a bit of an uneven and hodgepodge kind of film.

 

6/10

Film: Abigail (2024)

Thoughts: Upon finishing the last act (where I fell asleep) and running through the infectiously enjoyable BTS special features as I folded washing and updated the family wall calendar for November 2024, I can safely give Abigail above-average marks as a thoroughly enjoyable single location vampire romp. 

Boasting an extremely strong cast (Dan Stevens, Kevin Durand & Kathryn Newton 4Ever), a fun script and so many physical FX blood explosions it puts other horrors to shame, Abigail tells the story of a motley kidnapping crew directed by Giancarlo Esposito to abduct the daughter of a rich mogul and hold her for ransom in an isolated mansion for 24 hours as they await an easy paycheck. Naturally things turn sour as their ballet dancing ward turns out to be a centuries old blood-sucking fiend, and the characters get picked off one-by-one in a variety of ways.

Initially I was a underwhelmed by the endeavour, thinking it was just a bit of fluff with an expletive-laden script too busy winking at itself to offer anything of value. But as the film progressed, and upon finishing the final act while still conscious, I can safely say that Abigail rates as one of the better vampire bites, offering solid direction and thoroughly enjoyable asides, such as Kathryn Newton's freshly-possessed self dancing wildly before attacking the remaining survivors, and Matthew Goode showing up for a brief bit of scene-chewing as Abigail's wayward father.

I can easily rate this strongly and will enjoy watching it again for a future halloween.

7/10 

Film: Kung Fu Panda 4 (2024)

Thoughts: Admittedly I started to nod in the last act, though I don't think I missed too much. With the Furious Five receiving only an opening and closing nod, Kung Fu Panda 4 pares down the cast and ups the couples relationships, exploring notions of holding onto the past, and accepting where power truly lies- the connections with others.

Kung Fu Panda 4 sees Po and co going about their daily lives in the valley: cooking, eating, protecting. Master Shifu throws the inevitable spanner into the works, advising Po that the time has come to relinquish the Dragon Warrior mantle to a successor. Enter the fox Zhen, quick-witted thief of Juniper City, and the pair must trek to bring down an evil shape-shifting chameleon terrorising the city.

Tai Lung makes a welcome return in various guises, personal favourite of mine, with Ian McShane returning for voice duties. Honestly there's not much to say, as I found the film overall an enjoyable experience, but muted in comparison with 1 and 2.

6/10