Releases from 2023

17.5.23 Films of 2023 ranked and reviewed (UK/Qatar release date) – https://boxd.it/kpU9E Despite being rather lightweight and guilty of underusing its veracious soundtrack, it’s nice to see a film which celebrates the vibrancy of South London without thinking of the crippling rents and divisive politics. Rye Lane takes the form of an imaginative but predictable rom-com that follows a chance encounter between the dual leads Yas and Dom. Here we see a portrait of the Black British community; socialising and squabbling, but at the same time unabashedly being themselves. There’s plenty of Wray & Nephew rum and Dunne’s jerk seasoning in sight to add to the authenticity of the film’s rich culture. I really like the chemistry between the pair as they get to know each other’s switches, especially as they wander the familiar streets of Peckham and Brixton. These areas are portrayed incredibly accurately, capturing the essence of the capital’s vibrant multiculturalism, as well as satisfying those looking for mapped consistency from street to street. Fans of Dragon’s Den UK and supermarket sauce aisles will spot the ‘Reggae Reggae’ icon, and there’s a great A-List appearance at the beautifully named ‘Love Guac’tually’ cafe. Rye Lane has proved significantly popular in the UK and will no doubt leave a positive impact on the area’s celebrated communal surroundings. The film’s themes of singlehood, loyalty and ‘just seeing where things go’ have obviously resonated with audiences, and in particular our youth culture. I know this because my students who usually just stick to what’s at the cinema or on Netflix asked me if I had seen this! It’s on me that I expected something rawer and with something more serious to say, but that shouldn’t detract anyone from seeking this out. It seems to get harder and harder being a young person experiencing the toxic world of social media, dating and heartbreak these days, and if this film acts as a beacon of hope to the real world Yas’ and Doms out there, well I’m all for that.

8.7.23 If your biological parents gave you up for adoption, why should you fulfil a single one of their wishes? If they refused to talk to you, how would you reconcile your feelings without becoming bitter or destructive? Would a part of you love them still even after they repeatedly failed you? I really enjoyed Return to Seoul because it made me seriously think about questions that I have no business asking myself. It’s a film of superb solo character development and the changing of ‘the self’ through time, with a unique contrast of French and Korean cultures oddly blending together beautifully. Without relying on an overbearing soundtrack or exposition, the film has a stark, realistic feeling that draws you into the discomfort and inhibitions of the lead character Freddie. Key scenes of her interacting with her complicated family members showcase the complexity of her inner turmoil. In her return to Seoul, Freddie grapples with pieces of her past and present colliding in awkward ways, selfish acts and self-destructive tendencies. The great character development shows her fears of offending her birth family while also being true to her adoptive French family. The nuanced portrayal of this inner conflict makes you empathise with her, even when she makes poor but understandable decisions. While at times the pacing of Return to Seoul feels slow, it fits the melancholic vibe of Freddie’s journey. She never seems fully comfortable or at peace with either side of herself, highlighted through scenes of her struggling to communicate in Korean. Her huge porcelain face often fills the screen to portray the sense that this girl is experiencing discomfort and awkwardness in Korea, which makes it entertaining on the occasions she chooses to react living without inhibition or fearing who she will offend. This plays on the stereotype that she is French liberal rather than conservative Korean. Mixing Vietnam with French seems natural, likewise Spanish and Filipino doesn’t seem at odds with perception, but Korean with French seems so alien and contrasting, and can be seen as a unique blending of cultures which makes the film distinctive in this sense. When the odd song comes, like during the karaoke bar scene, the music is pulsing and energising, matching Freddie’s turbulent mood. But as mentioned, the true strength of the film is her illuminating and vibrant character development through the different time jumps. Overall, Return to Seoul provides an introspective character study inside a sparse, grounded film that has stayed with me for days after seeing it. A serious recommendation for patient film watchers who prefer something slower and deeper, away from the loud but excellent franchise films of 2023 so far. Available on MUBI.

19.6.23 Renfield is a disposable film of cheap thrills, which is mostly enjoyable for its short runtime. The weak writing and mediocre story are far from memorable, but the violent deaths and flattering nods to Fight Club and Hot Fuzz keep things rolling.  As is often the case with average action and comedy films, at least it seems like the cast are having fun during production. Nicolas Cage, ever the committed performer, brings his trademark intensity and unpredictability to an eccentric but toxic incarnation of Dracula. Nicholas Hoult on the other hand gives a more reigned-in performance, although he gets lots of opportunities to kill off henchmen in a cartoon-like fashion. Awkwafina, although energised, doesn’t have great comedic material to work with, and many of her funny moments fall flat, as do her serious scenes with her sister and corrupt police colleagues. What lets Renfield down massively is its appallingly puerile soundtrack (Lizzo, Yungblud, My Chemical Romance) which fails to enhance any of the film’s key moments, and instead cheapens them. The painful romantic comedy scenes between Hoult and Awkwafina feel out of place and drain the film’s energy. The more and more I think about the film the less positive I feel about it! A relative disappointment from Chris McKay considering how much I love the hilariously riotous Lego Batman Movie.

4.6.23 Reality reminds us that sometimes, fact is indeed stranger than fiction. It’s a pretty unusual chamber piece, which delves into the true story of Reality Winner (yes, her real name) and whether or not she leaked classified documents regarding the 2016 USA elections. It’s a simple premise, but deliberately heavy and unsettling in style to manufacture a sense of dramatic energy and moral ambiguity. The film excels in setting the mood and building ripe tension. Whether it be the ‘good cop bad cop’ routine of the FBI agents, the status of Reality’s cat, or ever knowing if she is truly alone in the house or not, these ideas create a pressure cooker atmosphere. The smart interplay between real audio footage and acting adds an intriguing layer to the narrative, creating an immersive and unique style of storytelling. I remember seeing this technique used before in a British film called The Arbor (Clio Bernard), however, I think Reality does it better, mainly because the stakes are higher and the economy of only having four actors means that it suits the confines of the film’s limited but effective style. Going in knowing nothing about the case is the way to go here, as I felt I could slowly begin to ponder Reality’s role and mindset as an individual working for the state. Sydney Sweeney’s nuanced but believable portrayal of a distinct and hard to work out individual reveals the importance of introspection. Sweeney is really such a versatile actor, and although she may be best known for her beauty and intense performances in Euphoria, I think she shines in her more understated roles such as this and The Handmaid’s Tale.  Reality is a really interesting film that I’m glad I seeked out. It speaks a lot about modern notions of truth and justice, and will linger in your mind for days after seeing it.

16.4.23 I like spending time with the Langs and the Van Dyne’s, but being stuck down in the CGI goop of the quantum realm for 2 hours with them wasn’t that enjoyable.  Quantumania is a cheap looking, exposition filled sludgefest that is probably the low point of the MCU so far. Jonathan Majors impresses again in 2023, and Paul Rudd just about keeps the film’s heart beating with humour and willpower. But a stretched plot, boring supporting characters and predictable action scenes really make it hard for the viewer to enjoy the film as a piece of escapism. I knew “that supporting villain” was going to pop up, but I wasn’t quite ready for just how bad the CGI is. It’s a cringeworthy and now infamous moment of modern cinema that deserves all the memes that mock it so hard. Kang as a villain is just about interesting and cunning enough to keep my interest in the MCU films going for at least another phase. Quantumania confirms what the casual cinemagoer feared when the credits of Endgame rolled; we are sadly seeing the creative decline of Marvel on the big and small screen.

1.4.23 I’ve been too busy enjoying Atlanta, Succession and The Vietnam War TV shows recently to enjoy many films, but like many others, I’ve found time to check out a standard Dreamworks picture tonight in preparation for its highly lauded, Spiderverse-style sequel. Enter Puss in Boots. The Ginger Hit Man is surprisingly a really funny and watchable screen presence, voiced with conviction by Antonio Banderas. The first hour of the film runs at lightning pace and there’s some really enjoyable dance numbers, action scenes and double-entendre jokes for the adults in the room. The animation has aged well in its smoothness and rounded characters (in terms of their physical forms, not their personalities!). The problem is, compared to the Shrek films and Pixar’s output, the characters here all feel a bit lightweight just like in the fairy tales, and I think more is required by today’s high standards to make them memorable. The opening scene suggesting that Puss is a chauvinistic lover is really well done in its balance of risque humour and taste, but many more scenes like this are needed to prevent it from being average. Plus the film is crying out for a proper villain (they got the beanstalk but no giant?!) and the betrayal twist is so telegraphed I think most kids would see it coming too. So here I am, another tragic fully grown man giving an average review of an average film just to pregame for The Last Wish. Is this what Letterboxd has reduced us to?

27.6.23 In the best way possible, Polite Society is a colourful mix of East is East, Karate Kid, Kill Bill, Scott Pilgrim and the half-decent episodes of Eastenders from the 2000s. It’s a very eclectic coming-of-age drama which follows the life of teenage girls in West London, one of who finds empowerment through martial arts.  Like Rye Lane, it vibrantly showcases the haunts of South London, but this time it’s Shepherds Bush and White City rather than Peckham and Brixton. I found it to be so refreshing, as it speaks to the inner atheist and religious critic in me. To see young Muslim women break free of tired tropes and traditional gender roles, whilst at the same time not being afraid to swear or criticise religion – well, I just thought it sent a clear anti-patriarchal, feminist message that comes through clearly.  Some of the action does become predictable and stale after one too many fight sequences, and a 10-minute trim would help the pacing, but the confident performances and fearless spirit still make Polite Society an appealing indie film. It boldly shows an important voice in a genre lacking diverse perspectives. Overall, an authentic and energised tale with some great laugh-out-loud moments, but its panto-like qualities may dissuade me from revisiting it.

Plan 75 handles the pressing topic of Japan’s ageing population crisis with care and restraint. I admire how realistic and believable the radical assisted dying premise of the film feels, which makes it technically a sci-fi but more like a human drama in narrative. It’s a modest achievement in precision and humanity from debut director Chie Hayakawa. The problem is I just don’t think it’s very entertaining and it feels a bit emotionally manipulative, as you would expect with a film that’s 110 minutes long displaying old people getting shafted by the state. With an attention demanding opening scene based on a real life incident, the story takes place in a near-future but familiar Japan in which the government has introduced a euthanasia program for the over 75’s. It’s a slow film which focuses on the intricacies and practicalities of the working age employees for the titular policy and their quiet support of the plan. This deliberate pacing I feel makes it difficult for the audience to remain engaged, but I also recognise the skill it takes from a director to make such an immoral practice seem so quickly agreed and acted upon by the consensus population. There’s a dark, disconnected and sombre feeling overall which can be seen as suitable for the plot, but I don’t feel it makes the film enjoyable or memorable. Another area of Plan 75 that I feel I need to highlight as a problem is in its stereotypes of the elderly and of other nationalities.  It’s sadly another film from recent years which feels the need to pigeonhole Filipino people as domestic workers in a precarious financial position. This economic migration pattern does ring true in parts of the world such as The Middle East and the developed Far East, but there’s nothing outside of a caricature here with the female actor playing Maria. Many other characters in the film lack personality and are not fully fleshed out as they are so consumed with the processes of the initiative. The elderly characters are powerless, frail and accept their destiny without question or resistance. I have so many unanswered questions about the motives and backgrounds of the cast, which in retrospect leaves me feeling alienated from the film and its attempted message. The concept of state sanctioned killing has been richly explored in better movies such as Blade Runner and The Sea Inside, or TV shows such as The Handmaid’s Tale or The Leftovers. Overall, Plan 75 feels like a missed hit, and adds nothing original to the table on such an important moral topic.