All posts by Kristina

Horror

Halloween Kills

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Reading Time: 3 minutes

Date watched: October 16, 2022
Date Reviewed: October 18, 2022

Review

Halloween Kills picks up on the same night as the events from the 2018 film and really feels as if you have just hit pause, rather than starting a new film. I watched the two about 12 hours apart, so it was still fresh in my mind.

While Halloween (2018) could have been left as a stand-alone solo film, this next instalment feels like it is addressing some of the loose ends that were created, while also building upon the legend of Michael Myers – who/what he is and the relationship with Laurie and the Strode women.

I would suggest that before seeing Halloween Kills, to first watch Halloween (2018) as it will put this film into context.

If you are a fan of Halloween or any horror franchise, or just know about the common genre troupes, you’ll know it’s not a spoiler when I say to you, what fans really want to know is how Michael survives his fate from the previous film.

They basically kill him off every movie or he sustains fatal injuries, yet just does not die!

Fortunately, we don’t have to wait very long before being presented with how he escapes and survives. Look, I’ve seen much more farfetched explanations and I was ok with what was offered, simplistic as it was.

It also doesn’t take long before Michael is on a killing rampage, with increasingly more violent methods. If I thought Halloween (2018) was more violent, enter Halloween Kills which turns the dial to 11. I’m not sure how they achieved that given he turned someone’s head into a jack o’ lantern in the previous film. Michael’s kill count for this film alone is 29.

At this point I’m not really feeling any fear anymore, I just don’t want to watch a lot of what is happening on screen due to the gore factor.

What the film does do, is to explore further into the Dr. Loomis theory that the Michael is not a man but the embodiment of evil, or as Laurie labels as “the boogeyman”. The effect from the actions of the shape (which Michael has been known within the script and now also being referenced on screen) is reflected within the town of Haddonfield.

We see people living in fear, quickly turning against each other, and ultimately causing harm to an “innocent”. This fear in the town’s people hits fever pitch in a hospital scene resulting in a chaos where no one is listening to reason. The scene made me think about the recent January 6 insurrection, which I think is exactly what it was intended to do. I’m not sure it’s trying to make any political commentary per say however it definitely is saying something about the danger of conspiracy theorists and vigilantes.

By the time the end credits roll, I’m just left not knowing how I feel about the film. There were bits that I liked about it which when I reflect on, are mostly call backs to the original film. Such as having the characters of Tommy and Linsey, the kids that were babysat from the original 1978 film, included within the story.

And despite the tagline of the film “Evil dies tonight”, which we hear A LOT on repeat throughout the film, there is no doubt that Michael is still alive at the end of this one. We knew going in that this film was part of a trilogy, with the final instalment still to come.

Even though my feelings are up in the air here, I’m still excited to see the conclusion of this timeline and what happens next.

Thus, for me, Halloween Kills was not as good as Halloween (2018). If you are a fan of the series and watching this timeline of films, I think you will get some enjoyment out of it. Also if you like slasher films and in it for the gore and creative kills, I also think you’ll enjoy the film.

Rating:  Alright

Horror

Halloween (2018)

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Reading Time: 3 minutes

Date watched: October 15, 2022
Date Reviewed: October 17, 2022

Review

With the release of Halloween Ends this week, I had some catching up to do as I hadn’t seen either of the new films. When I found out that Halloween Kills was part of a trilogy I decided to wait until the final film was released before seeing all of them.

Halloween is not a remake or reboot of the original film from 1978 but a continuation so to speak. A few things are reset in this timeline such as Laurie and Michael no longer being siblings, as established in Halloween II.

The film is set 40 years on following the events of 1978 where Michael was found and again locked up. Over the years and following Doctor Loomis’ death, several doctors have examined Michael and all with differing opinions.

On the eve of Michael being transferred to another facility (sound familiar) two investigative journalists making a podcast about the babysitter murders are granted access to him but are unable to get any verbal response from him, despite a high level of provocation.

Meanwhile, Laurie appears to have turned into Sarah Connor. She has spent the years preparing for the inevitability of Michael escaping. Through an interview with the podcasters, we learn that Laurie has had her share of troubles dealing with the events that occurred that Halloween night resulting in a couple of marriage breakdowns and that she has an estranged daughter and granddaughter.

Now you’d think that after the last time Michael was transferred, they might want to put some additional precautions into place ensuring he doesn’t break free. Of course, if that were the case there wouldn’t be a film now would there?!

Nevertheless, Michael breaks free and it is total carnage. He doesn’t seem to care who he kills and one of his first victims is a 14-year-old boy.

I found this next instalment of the franchise to be much more violent than the original film. Michael appears to be experimenting with new ways to kill people. He seems to be a fan of grabbing someone’s head and repeatability bashing it against a surface. The infamous head tilt is back, curious as he explores what he has just done. With a nod back to the original film, he still seems to be a fan of pinning people to the wall with a knife.

Therefore, this film has a much higher kill count. It’s up from four in 1978 to seventeen in 2018. This feels more like a way of getting gore on screen than it does of innuendo. To me Michael’s motives don’t make a lot of sense. Is this supposed to be a build-up of 40 years being locked up? Of the evil pouring out? I guess his motives never really made sense and is part of the intrigue of the character.

The film also had a lot of call backs to the original 1978 film which I enjoyed. Some of those included footage from the original film, Michael being referred to as “the shape” which is a reference to the original script, as well as some familiar scenes for us fans. One example is with Laurie’s granddaughter Allyson, who sits at the back of the classroom in the same spot that her grandmother had sat. Although when she looks out the window, it is Laurie she sees standing there rather than Michael.

I’m interested to see where the three films take the story, but Halloween 2018 is a good starting point. There are some twists and turns along the way and enough links back to 1978 that would please fans of the original.

It’s quite an ending and I can’t wait to see how Halloween Kills will continue.

Rating:  Good

Horror

Halloween (1978)

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Reading Time: 3 minutes

Date watched: October 11, 2022
Date Reviewed: October 13, 2022

Review

I’d have to say that Halloween is my favourite horror franchise and its one I do try and include in my annual Halloween viewing.

Last year I was lucky enough to see Halloween at the cinema for the first time which was a real treat. I really do love getting the opportunity seeing my favourite films at the cinema that I wasn’t around to experience for the initial release.

So with the release of Halloween Ends this week, I decided to catch up on the films part of this timeline and why not to start off with the original!

If you are unfamiliar with the franchise, there are now 13 films included that offshoot from each other. It can be difficult to navigate so if you want to learn more, I encourage you to check out the Wikipedia page which goes into more detail. There is also a great diagram showing how all the films connect. The original film however is the best (and only) place to start!

Why Halloween for me? I prefer thriller over gore and if you have read any of my other reviews, you’ll also know that I love a good story. John Carpenter had a really great way of telling a story and building up the tension to a fever pitch. It’s also one of those films where it is more your imagination than what you see, more relying on the suspense to frighten you.

Most of this suspense comes from the film’s score, which is its biggest success. The theme music has also become an instantly recognisable sound in cinema history. Halloween is a little bit of a slow burn and while you are waiting for the inevitable carnage you don’t have much time to relax. It’s like the dial is slowly being increased each minute.

It’s also a nicely shot film and it’s remarkable to learn the shoot was only 17 days. Halloween has a lot of interesting facts, some that are commonly known about and others that perhaps should be. If you are interested in film making and/or a fan of the film, I would suggest checking out the Halloween episode of “The Movies That Made Us” on Netflix.

While the opening sequence is mentioned in that episode and goes into more detail, it’s worth mentioning here. The film opens following Michael as a 6-year-old boy, stalking his sister in their family home before stabbing her to death. The footage is shot from his point of view and most of it is all done using one continuous shot. There are a couple of cuts used due to the length of film the cameras. I really like the way the opening shot was done, it looks great on screen and sets up for what is a great film.

One of my other favourite sequences is the one which has become an iconic shot of this film. It occurs after Laurie finds her friends dead and is sobbing against the doorframe of the hallway. Michael then appears from out of the shadows and into the foreground, ready to attack. It’s the pinnacle moment Michael has been building to, setting up for an action packed finale.

It’s the film that gave Jamie Lee Curtis her big break and introduced the character Michael Myers, a knife carrying, masked stalker, to the world. It’s also known for being a game changer to the genre of horror, and to me, it’s a film that brings me a lot of joy, especially around this spooky time of the year.

Rating:  A Must See

Comedy, Crime, Drama

Amsterdam

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Reading Time: 3 minutes

Date watched: October 9, 2022
Date Reviewed: October 10, 2022

Review

There seems to be an increasing trend of filmmaking these days which blur the lines between truth and fiction. While some might say this has always been the case, I think many of us accepted that a fundamental part of the narrative was true with some embellishments added to enhance the drama. After all, it has often been said to never let the truth get in the way of a good story!

However, I have noticed that more and more it is a granule of truth to which a narrative is based that is surrounded by fiction, yet I don’t think our previous acceptances have caught up. Given that it has been found that viewers will believe fiction when it is presented as fact, is it up to the film makers to point out the fact from fiction? Should it be made clearer that what the audience is about to consume is a work of fiction or should we just know that going in?

Amsterdam uses a true event which is known as the “Business Plot” to base a comedy murder mystery around it. The film opens with the line “A lot of this actually happened” and while it does give light to a remarkable political conspiracy alleged to have occurred to a wider audience who would largely be unaware of it, the film itself has little to do with the truth of those events.

Despite that ambiguous opening line, I took it in my stride. I’m the type of person who will go and read the trivia about the film after watching it and seek out some fact from fiction in my own time. So I very quickly got onto just enjoying the film.

There have been some mixed reviews of Amsterdam (beyond the fact vs fiction element), but I liked it. I found it to be a light, quirky, and funny film and what I really took away from it was a story of friendship built on trust and respect. The film’s title itself refers a period during the first world war where the three leads meet each other and make a friendship pact which is the catalyst to the murder mystery they find themselves involved in.

The biggest draw card Amsterdam has is its star-studded cast and unsurprisingly Christian Bale shines in an excellent performance. He has this ability to transform into the character he is portraying no matter the film. Which also reminded me of how under-utilized he was in Thor: Love and Thunder. I also really bought into the chemistry between Bale, Robbie, and Washington whom the story follows.

Visually it is a good-looking film that includes picturesque sets and some gorgeous costumes. I also really enjoyed the accompanying soundtrack, which was beautifully scored.

While I enjoyed Amsterdam, it didn’t quite seem to hit the heights that it perhaps could have. It’s not a spectacular or complicated plot. The narrative can be a bit clumsy at times which gives the appearance that it is more complex than it is.

That said the film has plenty of moments that have you laughing and gasping in the right spots and may even warm your heart at times.

Rating:  Good

Comedy, Mystery

See How They Run

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Reading Time: 3 minutes

Date watched: September 29, 2022
Date Reviewed: October 11, 2022

Review

A friend of mine shared the trailer for this film a couple months ago, and I immediately put it on the to see list. I love a murder mystery and I love comedies, so having the two combine was sure to be a winner.

As my birthday fell on a weekday this year and my celebration plans were over the weekend, I decided to treat myself to a weeknight out at the cinema and it just so happened to be the opening week for See How They Run.

I was already in a good mood after watching some cartoons earlier in the afternoon that had me unexpectedly laughing out loud. This set me up for a somewhat awkward evening.

Let me set the scene.

It was a Thursday night so the session wasn’t crowded but there were still a handful of people in the audience. One of the trailers shown was for another film I have been hanging out to see (Bros) and I was laughing all the way through it, yet no one else seemed to be. If any of my fellow audience members thought something was funny, they certainly forgot to tell their vocal cords about it!

The same thing ended up happening during the film – I found plenty of laugh out loud moments, but my fellow cinema goers did not. It didn’t feel as if the jokes went flat and I didn’t hear any grumbling or bad words as people left, so perhaps they were just quiet laughers. And I’ve just been in one too many live studio audiences and have been conditioned to release the laughter!

What I liked the most about See How They Run is that it doesn’t take itself too seriously and they really poke fun at every murder mystery trope.

The film is set during the 1950s where a production of Agatha Christie’s The Mousetrap is being performed on stage in the West End. The play is set to be turned into a film and it is within the theatre where the murder occurs.

And just like a classic Agatha Christie, things are hidden in plain sight. Everything that you need to know is presented right in front of you. I’m usually good at spotting the red herring in these things but I completely fell for it here – hook, line, and sinker!

Not only was I having such a good time, but the story itself is well crafted. Despite the film poking fun at the genre, I wouldn’t call it a parody per se. There is a brilliant scene that sets up the end sequence, but I can’t go into much more than that without revelling some spoilers.

See How They Run also has an all-star line-up and the story is told mostly from the point of view of the two detectives on the case, portrayed by Sam Rockwell and Saoirse Ronan. The story is also told partly from the point of view of the victim, played by Adrien Brody.

With a multitude of funny lines and a stellar cast with solid performances, See How They Run is sure to have you set for an enjoyable evening.

Rating:  Good

Action, Comedy

Bullet Train

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Reading Time: 3 minutes

Date watched: August 27, 2022
Date Reviewed: August 31, 2022

Review

Saturday night I went to see the latest action flick from director David Leitch, Bullet Train. I’d seen the trailer a number of times in the months leading up to the release, which really gave nothing away. While the film looked interesting, it wasn’t one that I put on the watch list immediately.

I’m glad I got the opportunity to see the film because it was a lot of fun!

Bullet Train isn’t just your average action film. While it delivers on the expectations of great action sequences, it’s also funny, and well written. There are many layers to the film, which is why I suspect the trailers released don’t give too much away. Each detail in the film is placed there for a purpose. Even down to the runtime, which is the same time a Bullet Train from Tokyo to Kyoto will take.

Luck is the primary theme explored in the film, in how it is perceived, how it is used, and its affect. Each character has a different relationship to luck from using it to an advantage to making your own.

Leading the ensemble cast of codenamed guns for hire is Brad Pitt’s Ladybug, who considers himself to have incredible bad luck and has recently started therapy after the disasters from his last few jobs – someone always ends up getting killed when that is not the intension. Some might say unavoidable in his line of work but from the very first moment we meet him we start to get an understanding of how things don’t go to plan for him.

Ladybug is hired for a simple snatch and grab job – find a suitcase with a train sticker on the handle and then exit the train at the next stop. Of course, with his bad luck, things aren’t that simple and it’s not long until it becomes apparent that there are a number of other assassins on the train after the same suitcase.

Brad Pitt gives a stellar performance in the role and while he really makes the film, I also enjoyed the characters of Tangerine and Lemon (aka the twins) played by Aaron Taylor-Johnson and Brain Tyree Henry. They provide a lot of the comedy within the film as well as some touching emotional moments. As actors, they work very well together. The remainder of the cast, including several cameos, are all fantastic, but you’ll need to go see the film to learn more about them!

The film has many great action sequences included, which can be quite violent but at the same time aren’t overly gory. David Leitch also directed Deadpool 2 if that gives you a better idea of the style to expect. No doubt this film carries a high body count.

One of my favourite sequences is towards the beginning of the film with Tangerine and Lemon arguing over the number of people they killed before getting on the train – sixteen or seventeen. We are then presented with a sequence accompanied by music from Engelbert Humperdinck which breaks the fourth wall, each victim being counted as they are taken out, in a number of often hilarious ways.

As well as great action sequences, the film’s soundtrack of pop-rock is enjoyable and goes towards setting the fun tone the film has. It also features a few Japanese covers of classic songs including Stayin’ Alive and Holding Out for a Hero that I really enjoyed.

If action films are your jam, you’ll have a lot of fun seeing Bullet Train. And why you may not need to see it at the cinema, it does look great up on the big screen and a good option for a date night.

Rating:  Great

Drama

Pride & Prejudice

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Reading Time: 4 minutes

Date watched: August 24, 2022
Date Reviewed: August 26, 2022

Review

When this film was initially released, I had no interest in seeing it. I’d just been studying the novel at high school for English Literature and was a big fan of the TV mini-series from 1995, which we also got to watch at school.

For me Colin Firth and Jennifer Ehle were my Mr. Darcy and Elizabeth Bennet, to the detriment of all others. I guess it was just a case of bad timing.

Timing it seems is much better. It’s now been quite a while since I’ve watched the mini-series and I don’t think I’ve read the novel since high school. I’ve also been looking for something to fill the void left with Ripper Street finishing and when I found out Matthew Macfadyen was in this film, enough time had passed to the attachments of the past.

Wednesday night I had a free evening at home and decided it would be the night to finally watch the film. And you know what, I’m glad I did.

With a two-hour run time, it’s not going to capture everything that an almost six-hour mini-series is going to be able to, however I feel it did a good job including all the main story points and delivered an emotionally charged interpretation.

Most of the focus remains on Elizabeth and Mr. Darcy, which is introduced via Mr. Bingley and Jane’s courtship. Rosamund Pike plays the role of Jane shyly and quite refined, while Simon Woods portrayal of Mr. Bingley is on the verge of the buffoon. Whether that was a choice of the adaptation or the actor, I’m not sure but think it was the wrong call. The storyline with Lydia and Mr. Wickham is also key to the novel and with the runtime feels slightly rushed. That said I think the decisions made for what was included to instead focus on Lizzie and Darcy was the right call to delve into these characters in more depth and have a better payoff at the end.

Now I may be a bit biased given that my motivation to watch the film was Matthew Macfadyen but I thoroughly enjoyed his interpretation of Mr. Darcy. Watching his growth from beginning to end with his feelings towards Elizabeth was a joy and at times pretty steamy! Yes, they are starting off with the strong foundations of Jane Austen’s novel but the mannerisms on display, to the very fine details really make it. The on-screen chemistry with Keira Knightley made that relationship what it is. I could barely take all the exchanged glances between the two!

My favourite scene would have to be when Mr. Darcy attempts to practice his social skills by basically barging into Mr. and Mrs. Collins house to see Elizabeth and all he can come up with is some remarks about the home his aunt helped to furnish, before running away when Charlotte arrives home.

This occurring after a conversation the night before were Mr. Darcy reveals to Elizabeth that he has trouble talking to people he doesn’t know and her response being that he should practice.

There are a number of moments where Mr. Darcy is trying so hard, and we the audience can see the affection that he has for her but essentially, he just keeps stuffing it up. Ultimately resulting in the worst proposal in the history of proposals. The work he does between that moment and the second proposal is so rewarding resulting in a proposal that totally kicks butt!

Another of my favourite scenes is when Mr. Bingley, accompanied by Mr. Darcy, visit the Bennet’s where he intends to propose to Jane. The Bennet women are all sitting around the house in a very relaxed manner and when Kitty spots the men approaching, they are all in a rush to look “presentable”. The result of everyone sitting so perfectly and picturesque when the men walk into the room is quite hilarious.

I really enjoyed the energy of the cast, there appeared to be a youthful energy, particularly with the Bennet sisters. Keira Knightley played the role of Elizabeth really well and hats off to Brenda Blethyn being the very annoying Mrs. Bennet. Almost ruining Jane’s chance of an engagement to Mr. Bingley by not stopping talking and by threating Lizzie to never talk to her again after refusing Mr. Collins proposal…by continuously telling her that fact! It was also a nice surprise to see Rupert Friend in the role of Mr. Wickham, for any other Homeland fans out there.

Visually the difference between the classes was well represented and it somehow didn’t overly feel like a period piece. It felt a little more realistic rather than dressing everyone in white/lightly coloured clothing and having very clean shots. The costumes and sets all looked beautiful and the estate used for the Darcy residence was truly impressive. The film also has a beautiful score which accompanies it.

It’s also worth noting that the US version has a different ending with the inclusion of an additional scene. I would recommend checking it out on YouTube. The version I watched didn’t include this scene and if I hadn’t found out about this alternate ending, I wouldn’t have been fussed. The additional scene is just a cherry on top. Traditionalists and fans of the novel may not like it though.

So don’t be like me and dismiss this because the wonderful job the TV mini-series did adapting the novel. This film also delivers a beautiful story which I’ll happily watch again.

Rating:  Great

Drama

King Creole

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Reading Time: 3 minutes

Date watched: August 19, 2022
Date Reviewed: August 23, 2022

Review

Following some inspiration of seeing Baz Luhrmann’s ‘Elvis’ last month, August’s family movie night, selected by mum was Elvis Presley’s fourth feature, King Creole.

This is the first Elvis film that I have seen and by all accounts, one of his best performances. While I have nothing to compare that against, I’d have to agree!

The film also stars Walter Matthau as local mobster Maxie Fields and Carolyn Jones as his gal Ronnie. The latter who you might know as Morticia Addams from the Addams Family television series.

Elvis stars as Danny Fisher, a young man who has just flunked graduation from high school for a second time for basically having a bad attitude. His family has fallen on hard times after the passing of his mother three years ago. Now it’s just him, his sister, and father who can’t hold down a job, living in a not so good part of New Orleans, as it is all they can afford.

To support the family Danny works a job before and after school as a busboy at Maxie Field’s nightclub and the reason that he flunks high school the second time all starts following an incident at the club the morning of his last day of school. With good intensions, he sticks up Ronnie after an all-night drinking session becomes violent.

Following this encounter between Danny and Ronnie, an infatuation between the two begins and it is where all of Danny’s troubles start. He is a good kid at heart but keeps making questionable decisions leading down a path of no good.

It is because of Ronnie that the first time Danny is on stage singing occurs. On the night he quits his busboy job at the nightclub after making a deal with his father to continue studying at night school, Danny sees Ronnie again and attempts to talk to her in front of Fields. Ronnie explains to Fields that she complimented Danny on his singing and Fields wants Danny to prove that he can actually sing.

This results in the first big number of the film with a striking performance of “Trouble”. This song I recognised from the Elvis movie, and it was captivating.

I feel like this is the formula of Elvis movies and probably any singer turned movie star. Their character just so happens to be able to sing, which then becomes a part of the narrative.

In King Creole, I think this balance is struck well as the singing scenes are mostly woven into the narrative of Danny taking up a job as a singer at a nightclub. There is still a strong plot to the film that isn’t propped up by musical numbers, but they are still there for entertainment and build up the soundtrack. Also, you can’t go wrong with a mobster storyline!

While there is a lot of drama and good acting on display, the film also provides a number of laughs along the way. The relationship between Danny and Ronnie is an intriguing one exploring the parallel of their lives, which I really enjoyed.

The weakness I found with the film was the character of Nellie, a love interest of Danny. I can’t quite work out why Nellie has this sudden lust for Danny, especially under the circumstances which they meet and the way the evening plays out. I feel like her character might be there to help Danny stay on the straight and narrow and I’m not sure why this couldn’t be achieved with his sister, who also seemed to be an underutilized character.

Having said that, I found King Creole to be a most enjoyable film and if you are looking for an Elvis film to see, this is a great place to start.

Rating:  Good

Drama, Mystery

Where the Crawdads Sing

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Reading Time: 3 minutes

Date watched: August 13, 2022
Date Reviewed: August 19, 2022

Review

When I saw that Reece Witherspoon’s production company (Hello Sunshine) was behind this film, I knew it was something that I wanted to see. Witherspoon’s name carries great weight to quality storytelling on film and television following the successes of Wild, Gone Girl, and Big Little Lies. She also champions an area that I am very passionate about, female-driven stories.

Set in the late 1950s / early 1960s, Where the Crawdads Sing follows the story of Kya. A young girl from a poor family, who grows up in the marshlands of North Carolina on her own, after being left abandoned by her family. As she grows up, she becomes known as “The Marsh Girl” by the local community.

It’s based on the best-seller novel by Delia Owens, which I hadn’t read prior to seeing the film. The woman sitting next to me in the cinema did tell me that she thought it was a good adaptation.

The film starts off with the discovery of a body in the marsh and uses the technique of flashbacks to delve deeper into how Kya finds herself on trial for murder of the body found. We spend a lot of time looking back before being brought back into the present for short bursts, giving clues to the audience along the way.

It’s through the flashbacks that the film also tackles several confronting themes including domestic abuse, assault, and rape.

While there are some red herrings included (as any murder mystery does) I don’t feel that they were explored far enough to be a legitimate option although it does provide reasonable doubt. If you pay attention, there are clues along the way that hint how the ending will play out. I had the ending worked out around halfway through.

This didn’t take away from my enjoyment of the conclusion, it’s still quite a remarkable and satisfying end. I like trying to work out the riddle and am delighted when I am correct (who isn’t I guess).

However perhaps for this reason, I did feel like the ending dragged out much longer than it needed to. It was almost agony waiting for the reveal. At one point I thought that it wasn’t going to happen, which would have been disappointing as confirmation is a must for this story! The audience deserves it.

Even though most of the story takes place while Kya is on trial, the film leans more into the mystery component than a courtroom drama. This is because a lot of the onscreen time takes place in the flashbacks. I did enjoy the courtroom scenes and would have liked to see a little more of the film in this setting. Kya’s lawyer Tom Milton also gave off some Atticus Finch vibes, down to the white suit.

I found the cinematography very crisp and showed the beauty of the southeast of America. It’s a very clean looking film and it’s that juxtaposition against the topics that are addressed that demonstrates while things may look pretty on the surface, there can be ugliness hidden underneath. Many of the characters are judged based on their appearance but their actions speak volumes as to who they really are.

If I had to take my pick, I’d probably go with Gone Girl over Where the Crawdads Sing. While an unfair comparison as they are based on novels by different authors, that’s just where my personal preference lies.

Where the Crawdads Sing is an enjoyable film that I’d recommend. Probably not one that you need to see at the cinema though.

Rating:  Good

Drama

Sundown

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Reading Time: 2 minutes

Date watched: August 7, 2022
Date Reviewed: August 16, 2022

Review

I’ve had ‘Sundown’ on my watchlist ever since I first saw the trailer a couple of months ago and the Sunday morning session I went along to turned out to be the right atmosphere for this type of film.

It is quite a different film to what is out there, which I found refreshing. Just be aware however that this may not be to everyone’s tastes.

Sundown is a difficult film to summarise as the more you talk about it, the more it gives away, which takes away from the experience. From the very first scene your given the first piece of the puzzle without knowing what the picture is.

I’ve decided not to reveal any spoilers here as this review would turn into an analysis of my interpretation of the film. And I’d much rather let you experience the joy of discovery that I had.

For me, watching this film felt like I was curled up on vacation reading a good book. As the film progresses, the layers of the story start peeling away, slowly answering some questions about what is happening.

I think it would be interesting to see a second time, knowing how it plays out, and seeing what one might additionally pick up on or see from a different point of view.

I don’t think the film would have been as successful if it were not for the performance of lead actor Tim Roth. The character he plays (Neil) can at times be difficult to empathise with and his motivations questionable, yet Roth’s performance is captivating, providing insight to the character even when he is not delivering dialog.

It’s a slower paced and at times uncomfortable watch but if you like films that make you think and feel, you’ll enjoy this one.

Rating:  Good