JA Bayona directs Patrick Ness’ adaptation of his own much-loved book into a heartwarming tale about a boy, Conor (Lewis MacDougall), and his struggle with grief in the face of his mother’s illness. He’s visited by a monster (motion captured, voiced by Liam Neeson), who emerges from an old yew tree to impart wisdom and frank honesty about the hardships to come. Continue reading “Review: A Monster Calls (2017)”
Martin Scorsese’s labour of love is an expansive – and frequently monotonous – portrait of faith in the face of persecution and torture. It’s sprawling and contemplative, more or less focused on one priest’s internal conflict as he searches for his mentor (Liam Neeson), who’s rumoured to have apostatised. Andrew Garfield, as capable as he is, never quite seems like the right fit in the lead role, perhaps because he’s outshone early on by Adam Driver. Continue reading “Review: Silence (2017)”
This stylish, exuberant crowd-pleaser spectacularly revitalises the sorely missed Hollywood musical. In it, two aspiring artists – Mia and Sebastian, played by Emma Stone and Ryan Gosling – fall in love, while each pursuing their dreams of success in LA. Damien Chazelle, who last made Whiplash, infuses an abundance of warmth and charm into this love story, which emerges from a big-scale highway dance number. Continue reading “Review: La La Land (2017)”
This electrifying standalone Star Wars chapter takes place before the events of A New Hope, when a band of rebels – fronted by Jyn Erso (Felicity Jones), the daughter of a scientist forced to work for the Empire – band together to steal the plans for the Death Star, a new super weapon that has the power to destroy planets. It’s directed by Gareth Edwards, whose attentive approach to visuals awards the film a lived-in feel, whether in space or on one of the many planets featured. Continue reading “Review: Rogue One (2016)”
Kenneth Lonergan’s latest film – his first since the long-delayed Margaret – is an affecting and eloquent family drama of sorrow and endurance. It’s led by a terrific performance from Casey Affleck, who plays Lee, a man haunted by his past who obtains custody of his nephew, Patrick (Lucas Hedges), when his brother dies of a heart attack. Continue reading “Review: Manchester By The Sea (2016)”
Julia Docournau’s striking feature debut caused quite the stir upon its premiere the Toronto International Film Festival – and no wonder. In it, Justine (Garance Marillier), an animal rights advocate and strict vegetarian, heads off to veterinary school, where – as part of a hazing ritual – she’s forced to eat rabbit. This ignites a hunger inside her like nothing she’s ever experienced before. Continue reading “Review: Raw (2016)”
Oliver Stone directs this subpar biopic about Edward Snowden, the infamous NSA contractor who leaked top secret information about surveillance. Framed with scenes from Hong Kong in the days leading up to the exposé, the script – co-written by Stone and Kieran Fitzgerald – uses flashbacks to track Snowden’s career from model student to criminal. Continue reading “Review: Snowden (2016)”
This spin-off from Harry Potter – scripted by J.K. Rowling – is occasionally charming, sometimes too flimsy. Instead of the Boy Who Lived, our hero is Newt Scamander (Eddie Redmayne), an eccentric wizard on stopover in New York whose collection of magical beasts – of which come in all different sizes, some friendly and others not so much – is unintentionally unleashed. Continue reading “Review: Fantastic Beasts And Where To Find Them (2016)”
Insightful and hilarious in equal measure, Toni Erdmann – a bittersweet German comedy that dazzled at Cannes – is the real deal. Maren Ade, who last directed Everyone Else in 2009, strikes a masterful tonal balance in which to examine the uneasy relationship between workaholic Ines (Sandra Hüller) and her lonely father Winfried (Peter Simonischek), who comes to visit her in Bucharest after the death of his dog. Continue reading “IFF Review: Toni Erdmann (2016)”
The studio behind Coraline and ParaNorman return with the magnificent Kubo And The Two Strings, their most ambitious stop-motion feature yet. Set in a fantastical Japan, young Kubo (Art Parkinson), troubled by his father’s mysterious death and mother’s illness, embarks upon a quest to locate a sacred suit of armour and defeat the powerful Moon King (Ralph Fiennes), aided by his magical shamisen and some helpful companions. Continue reading “Review: Kubo And The Two Strings (2016)”
Empty Screens 