Tag: movies

Week in Review (Jun 19 – Jul 2, 2022)

~ colourfulgranny ~ Leave a comment

What have I been doing this week? I’m glad you asked! Here’s what’s been on my watchlist this week:

*Note: My reviews usually contain spoilers. You have been warned. Proceed at your own risk.*

Movies

Elvis (2022)

Baz Luhrmann releases his newest film in almost a decade, and considering that his last was The Great Gatsby, expectations were high for Elvis. The biopic delivers the kind of viewing experience that I find generally to be quite polarizing. I’ll be honest, I went into this film ready to be disappointed with the storytelling but pleased with the visuals. And that is mostly what I took away from the film.

The grand story about the King of Rock and Roll (Austin Butler) is told from the point of view of the one man who would have the most subjective take on him, his blood-sucking manager, Colonel Tom Parker (Tom Hanks), who largely manipulated and extorted Elvis, while simultaneously selling Elvis out like a two-bit sideshow attraction. This isn’t to say that Elvis was entirely blameless in his path in life, but having started his career at such an impressionable young age, it was not surprising that he was led astray.

I found the biggest irony of the film the Colonel’s accusation to the viewers that we killed Elvis, because of our love for him. It felt like Luhrmann himself was reaching through the screen to tell us to stop engaging in fan culture. By and large, the film made it out like Elvis was a large political figure, responsible for causing riots and inciting crowds when he wasn’t shaking a leg up on stage, and that he did it all to make the fans holding “Bring back the Old Elvis” signs happy. However, I felt like he really just wanted to sing what he wanted and do what he wanted.

His descent into his various vices was also a result of too much exposure, and one of the more jarringly filmed scenes is Priscilla (Olivia DeJonge) looking on while her husband kisses a string of women during a performance. It was only natural for their marriage to dissolve when you throw drugs and infidelity into the mix, and I’m surprised Elvis was so shocked his wife wanted to leave him.

Overall the film left me with a bittersweet feeling. I’m glad that the world has the music of Elvis in it,  and that I got to enjoy it for about 2 and a half hours, but it was also a bit upsetting to see a man with so much potential and life to him slowly turn into a withered husk of himself.

Week in Review (Jun 5 – 18, 2022)

~ colourfulgranny ~ Leave a comment

What have I been doing this week? I’m glad you asked! Here’s what’s been on my watchlist this week:

*Note: My reviews usually contain spoilers. You have been warned. Proceed at your own risk.*

Movies

Top Gun: Maverick (2022)

I have to admit, I wasn’t a fan of the original film when I watched it about a decade ago for the first time, finding it overly dramatic with little plot. On a second viewing, I did like it better, but still didn’t understand the reason for the melodrama. When a sequel was announced, I expected more of the same, so I was quite surprised to see the generally positive reception to the film. Of course, I had to watch it for myself.

I was incredibly surprised that I enjoyed the film. It had so many things going for it, from nostalgia to great chemistry, to having an actual plot to it. While I wasn’t a huge fan of the need for violence and subterfuge in the film (something I didn’t like about its over-patriotic prequel either), the film definitely built the tension in a way that kept me on the edge of my seat. Add to that the charisma that Tom Cruise exudes, and figuring out the dynamics of the young class of Top Gun recruits, and the film had plenty to draw me in.

Was it a cinematic masterpiece? Absolutely not. But that didn’t stop it from being fun.

TV

James Acaster: Repertoire (2018)

I didn’t realize it was possible for a stand-up show to tell a hilarious, heartfelt and insightful narrative, but James Acaster manages to do just that in his 4-part comedy show, Repertoire. Told out of chronological order, it deals with a fictional James Acaster’s difficulties navigating jury duty, leading a life of crime, being in the Witness Protection Program, and infiltrating a gang of drug dealers as an undercover cop. All of this is, of course, a façade to talk about the very real Acaster’s life, using the veneer that his persona allows him.

I’ll admit, this isn’t the first – or even the second or third – time I’ve watched this series but his style of writing and the way he weaves the story together is absolutely brilliant. Acaster has an awkwardness to him that juxtaposes his confidence on stage (whether real or put-on is up to the viewers to decide), and he thrives in that dichotomy.

Most other comedians do a form of observational humor to draw the audience in, talking about mundane everyday things but in a new light to bring out the humor in it. Acaster on the other hand purposely chooses obscure topics to talk about in this style, things like oven gloves and posing for pictures in front of famous landmarks, but are still somehow completely relatable.

However, it isn’t done just for the purpose of being edgy. He uses metaphor after metaphor, and with one turn of phrase or gesture or well-placed pause, manages to not only make the audience laugh, but also look inwards and contemplate the grander meaning of life.

Week in Review (May 30 – Jun 4, 2022)

~ colourfulgranny ~ Leave a comment

What have I been doing this week? I’m glad you asked! Here’s what’s been on my watchlist this week:

*Note: My reviews usually contain spoilers. You have been warned. Proceed at your own risk.*

TV

When the Weather is Fine (2020) – Ep 6-7

My slow and steady watch of WtWiF continues, and with the school reunion upon us, we learn a little bit more about the town and its people, both their younger selves as well as the people they have become. The whole of Episode 6 had a nostalgic vibe to it, with old friends reuniting and rekindling past friendships (and rivalries).

This episode introduced guest star Kim Young-dae as our convenient plot device – I mean, past flirtation, to push Hae-won (Park Min-young) into realizing her feelings for Eun-seob (Seo Kang-joon). The episode ended with Hae-won’s moonlit confession of her feelings – only for the next one to start with Eun-seob  awkwardly responding “okay” and then running away. To add insult to injury, Hui (Kim Hwan-hee) witnessed the whole thing, but is luckily there to guide her through the rejection with all of her 15 years of life experience. Hui is slowly becoming my favourite character, maturing and growing and putting stupid boys in their place where necessary.

Another one of my faves is Jang-woo (Lee Jae-wook), who is somehow bumbling yet confident, surly but warm-hearted. The fact that such a genius can be so stupid sometime amuses me to no end, and I’m happy that he’s there to provide a link between our characters and act as a bridge between the sometimes disjointed aspects of the narrative.

Speaking of disjointed, I feel like sometimes the tone of the show shifts too far in one direction or another, starting off extremely light-hearted but getting melancholic quickly. There seems to be a sadness that the writers like to lean into more than I find necessary, and the end of Episode 7 is a prime example of that. There seems to be something greatly bothering both our leads, but they seem unable to express themselves or move forward from it, so rather they wallow in their despair.

I’m quite ready for springtime to come to this sleepy town, and with it bring new life and joy to our characters as they find their own paths to happiness.

Movies

Molly’s Game (2017)

This movie is so Sorkin. I didn’t think that Aaron Sorkin would ever be used as an adjective, but there it is. Molly’s Game encompasses so many aspects that I have come to associate with the man’s writing and directing style, that it’s almost like a signature, a style of the auteur.

The film starts with Molly Bloom (Jessica Chastain) waxing poetic about the worst thing that can happen in sports, all as a lead up to describing her own horrific skiing injury and resilience, before the film cuts to the future where Molly is being arrested for running illegal gambling games. The film then continues to jump back and forth between future-Molly looking for a lawyer to defend her case and past-Molly as she declines into the questionable world of gambling and the various vices that accompany it.

The film banks a lot on star power: Idris Elba player the big-shot attorney who tries to hold Molly accountable for her past actions and delivers inspirational monologues; Kevin Costner plays Molly’s father, who pushes her to the point of breaking, and is the cause of much of her rebellion; Chastain herself brings a strong performance to the table, making us question her character’s morality and whether she is worth the effort of rooting for, just to have her much-anticipated moment of victory by the end of the film. There are also a slew of cameos throughout the film, the most prominent of whom is Michael Cera as Player X, who I can only think  to describe as scummy and questionable.

Overall, the film delivers a fast-paced, high-intensity mystery packaged as a drama, and it was a thrill to watch. Sorkin manages to pull off what he does best, taking morally grey characters and getting people to root for their cause by slowly peeling back the layers of their characters and showing us that they’re just like the rest of us.

Week in Review (May 1 – 28, 2022)

~ colourfulgranny ~ Leave a comment

What have I been doing this week? I’m glad you asked! Here’s what’s been on my watchlist this week:

*Note: My reviews usually contain spoilers. You have been warned. Proceed at your own risk.*

After a month-long hiatus, due to my brother’s wedding followed by a rather lovely week on holiday, I was finally able to return to my usual viewing. Strictly speaking, this is a Month in Review.

Movies

Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness (2022)

I’d actually watched Doctor Strange the day of its release, but due to my immediate departure the next morning, I was completely unable to write up my review. In a way, though, it gave me a chance to sit with the film and figure out how I really felt about it.

I remember my first impressions of the film were a bit underwhelmed; I felt like the production really hadn’t explored the premise of the film to its full potential. There were a lot of interesting concepts introduced, however, none were explored in any kind of depth. Wanda (Elizabeth Olsen) felt like a superficial villain (especially since I understand her journey in WandaVision), the alternate Stranges (with varying kinds of hair and make up on Benedict Cumberbatch) were a poor commentary on fighting the evils within oneself, and the recurring romance with Doctor Palmer felt forced – and like a waste of Rachel McAdams’ acting prowess. Even the newly introduced America Chavez (Xochitl Gomez) felt like she was there more to be a plot device rather than a character.

Tonally as well, this film felt miles apart from previous Marvel offerings. There was a distinctly horror feel to the film, a genre that I actively avoid, so there were definitely sequences where I was watching out of the corners of my eyes. The battles between Wanda and the various Stephens in particular stand out, the mirror one being the top of the list. While visually stunning, it definitely made me uncomfortable.

The score for this film was a highlight for me, and it was no surprise to find that Danny Elfman was responsible for it. The music throughout the film was what really set the mood of the scenes; the musical battle between Stranges, for instance, was a visual treat to accompany the music, rather than the other way around.

While there was plenty to  appreciate or dislike about the film, overall I came away from it without a particularly strong impression. I find that Marvel’s more recent films have less impact on me now than previous films did – especially when I compare it with the initial few one. While the films themselves aren’t producing a strong response in me, that in itself is a problem. Cinema should stir you, be an escape, or encourage discussion. And sadly, these films aren’t doing that anymore.

Week in Review (Mar 20 – 26, 2022)

~ colourfulgranny ~ Leave a comment

What have I been doing this week? I’m glad you asked! Here’s what’s been on my watchlist this week:

*Note: My reviews usually contain spoilers. You have been warned. Proceed at your own risk.*

Movies

The Lost City (2022)

Having absolutely no clue what this movie was, I went to watch it with a friend today on a whim, knowing only that it starred Sandra Bullock, Channing Tatum and Daniel Radcliffe. It’s been ages since I’ve watched anything starring any of them, and the cast seemed wacky enough that I knew it would at least be silly fun if nothing else. That is precisely what the film delivered and I found myself loving it!

When romance writer Loretta is kidnapped by Abigail Fairfax (could they have come up with a more ridiculous name for Radcliffe? I don’t think so.) because the setting of her latest book resembles the lost city that Fairfax has been excavating for a hidden treasure, Alan, the cover model of her novels, sets out to the jungle to rescue her. What ensues is a series of mad events that lead Fairfax on a wild goose chase for Loretta and Alan, while they hunt down the treasure.

The film leans heavily into its tropes, knowing full well what to do with its characters and trusting the actors to pull it off. Tatum is great at pulling off the supposed himbo, Radcliffe fully embraces the British villain and Bullock deep dives into the reclusive grump. All deliver performances that fit them, but don’t particularly ask much of them. The film didn’t ask Oscar performances of them, and everyone’s performances fit the overall tone of the film.

Tonally, the film hit the marks it was supposed to as well. I found myself genuinely laughing at the humour, and gripped by the action. The romance was more of a lowborn, but I wasn’t disappointed with how it panned out, despite the cheesy romance novel ending we got.

Overall, The Lost City was a fun watch, and I was glad to spend a couple of hours with the films.

Week in Review (Feb 27 – Mar 5, 2022)

~ colourfulgranny ~ Leave a comment

What have I been doing this week? I’m glad you asked! Here’s what’s been on my watchlist this week:

*Note: My reviews usually contain spoilers. You have been warned. Proceed at your own risk.*

Movies

The Batman (2022)

The third iteration of Batman in less than 20 years – much like the third iteration of Spider-man – seemed uncalled for. There is still a rather young generation of filmgoers that remember when Christian Bale first graced our screens, as well as when Ben Affleck cast a shadow over it. And with DC’s recent track record with films, I wasn’t keeping my hopes up for this most recent revisitation to be able to hold its own. 

However, despite my low expectations, The Batman still didn’t deliver an experience worth watching. With its strange tone and even stranger directing, I found myself taken out of the world because of poor choices on what to do with the camera. I felt like director Matt Reeves couldn’t quite decide whether he was filming a hard-boiled detective story, a Michael Bay-esque action blockbuster or a disaster movie. You’ll notice that I don’t mention comic book adaptation anywhere in there, because for all intents and purposes, Reeves just wrote the story he wanted and then shoehorned beloved comic book characters into it.

As far as the caped crusader goes in this film, Robert Pattinson presents an angst-ridden version of the character, an emo kid who listened to heavy metal in a darkened basement, and never quite grew out of it as an adult. The reclusive Bruce Wayne is as much a mystery in Gotham society as his masked alter-ego. It was very hard to buy his mission to improve the city when he is so rarely willing to step out into it as Bruce, and only sees the gritty underside of it as Batman. What make it worse is how blandly Pattinson plays the character.

A similarly underdeveloped character was Catwoman (Zoë Kravitz). I can only imagine that the filmmakers meeting went something along the lines of deciding it was enough to give the character daddy issues as motivation for her robbery and vengeance. Also, she was willing to pursue a relationship with probably the first man who showed a semblance of kindness to her. Selina was objectified through the entire film, and while this is a characteristic of the Selina in the source material as well, the lack of development of the character makes it that much more glaringly obvious.

I will say that I enjoyed some of the other cast members. It was lovely to see Paul Dano in something again (for all of 5 minutes that he actually had his face uncovered that is), and he played The Riddler with a manic that fit him well. Colin Farrell’s Penguin was delightful to watch too, with his quick wit and quicker mouth. 

But the additional cast members were a rare plus point to a generally abysmal film. I personally think that the character needs to be left alone for a few decades, and that a few generations down, when people have had the time to miss him, the Dark Knight should make his return.

Week in Review (Feb 20 – 26, 2022)

~ colourfulgranny ~ Leave a comment

What have I been doing this week? I’m glad you asked! Here’s what’s been on my watchlist this week:

*Note: My reviews usually contain spoilers. You have been warned. Proceed at your own risk.*

Movies

Death on the Nile (2022)

Sometimes, you just want some silly fun, and that is exactly the attitude I went into Death on the Nile with. And, boy! did it deliver. Kenneth Branagh takes himself so seriously, and that usually makes his projects unexpectedly funny, and it’s delightful to see what he’s going to come up with next. As he reprises his role of the famous detective, I couldn’t help but be excited.

The film opens with a flashback to Poirot in the war as a young soldier, setting up his brilliance, his tragic backstory as well as his drive to become a detective. Personally, I felt that this sequence served very little purpose, and the people in the audience were audibly confused, wondering if they were in the right film. From there, we jump forward to see Poirot established as a famous detective, and are introduced to the cast of characters that we will eventually spend the rest of the film with.

Jackie (Emma Mackey) introduces her fiancé Simon (Armie Hammer) to her friend Linnet (Gal Gadot), and sadly for her, the two seem to hit it off. Cut to six weeks later, and Linnet has married Simon, who has left Jackie in the dust, and the couple are on their honeymoon trip in Egypt – with about 10 other people in tow. Sadly for them, Number 11 is Simon’s former fiancée-turned-stalker.

I want to stop over here for a moment to mention the casting, which could not have been less suited to the characters they were portraying. No one seemed to be on the same wavelength where the scale of their performance was concerned, with some deciding on subdued where others were camp. Branagh has always had trouble with creating a cohesive piece and this film struggles with the same issues.

Luckily for Poirot, this mishmash of people is excellent food for the brain, because when Linnet is found murdered, there are more than enough people for him to interrogate. However, it doesn’t just stop there. The film delivers a final body count of 5, truly living up to its name. And Poirot is there deducing every step of the way.

While the conclusion of the crime was a bit anti-climatic, what with the murderers killing themselves, it was fun trying to solve the crime alongside Poirot. I’ve always enjoyed a good mystery, and while I did guess the killer (or, at least, one of them), part of the thrill is in guessing and second-guessing yourself. At the end of the day, I was glad for good company and good fun while watching Death on the Nile.

Week in Review (Jan 16 – 22, 2022)

~ colourfulgranny ~ Leave a comment

What have I been doing this week? I’m glad you asked! Here’s what’s been on my watchlist this week:

*Note: My reviews usually contain spoilers. You have been warned. Proceed at your own risk.*

TV

The Red Sleeve Cuff (2021) – Ep 3-12

I’ve finally had the chance to return to The Red Sleeve Cuff after an extended hiatus (handling two sageuks at once proved to be a bit much for me), and I’m ready to give my full attention to Seong Deok-im (Lee Se-young) and her life as a palace court maid. Life has been particularly challenging for her since her assignment as Yi San’s (Lee Junho) personal handmaiden.

It’s quite obvious to everyone in court that Deok-im has caught the prince’s eye, which paints a target on her back for all his enemies. However, Deok-im proves herself smart and resourceful at every turn, and when she isn’t saving her own skin she has any number of people that she’s befriended to help her out.

By far the most interesting element of the show for me was the secret society of court ladies, who referred to themselves as the Fairy Palace. I love learning about the people that make a place function like a well-oiled machine, and oftentimes the court ladies in sageuks are there as a part of the background and oftentimes expendable. I like having them take the forefront here, and seeing what their hopes and dreams are outside of just serving the masters of the palace. While Head Court Lady Jo’s (Park Ji-young) moral compass seems to have broken, I can fully understand where she might have been coming from in not wanting to have just anybody on the throne.

That being said, Yi San continues to be punished for the crimes of his father, and no one is able to stand up for him since it would mean defying the King (Lee Deok-hwa) himself. In my research, I found that Yi San was a mere 24 years old when he took the throne, and had been his grandfather’s heir since age 7. Constantly being watched to see if his father’s madness was showing in him would make anyone insecure and upset, but unable to react for fear of being branded the same. The way the show portrays his relationship with his grandfather is rather complex, and at times confusing because it shows very little of his personal opinion of the man.

With the king’s own illness taking hold of him, Yi San becomes regent to the throne, and shortly thereafter ascends the throne properly upon the king’s death. The show does a 3-year jump forward in time, and it seems that quite a bit has changed at court. However, there appears to be a stalemate in Deok-im and San’s relationship. She continues to wait on him as one of many court ladies, although it looks like palace life is wearing on her. He continues to wait for her, hoping that she will agree to becoming queen consort. When last I left them, he had just confessed to wanting to make her family, but I’m not sure if Deok-im is in a place to accept his offer just yet with her own ambitions still unfulfilled.

With most of his opposers now dead or banished, it would seem like the road ahead will be smooth for San, but I don’t think that will be the case for very long. For one, it would make for very boring television. Secondly, there still seems to be plenty of opposition to his way of thinking and his vision for Joseon.

I’m looking forward to seeing how both our leads navigate the challenges ahead of them, and I’m hoping they get to be individuals before they are together. However, I’m sure once they are together, it will be absolutely explosive (tragic historic ending aside). Let’s see how it goes.

Movies

83 (2021)

Sports films, especially underdog biopics like these are usually ripe for drama and high stakes action. 83 is no exception, but it sets up its premise very well. It helps that the events of the film don’t take place too long ago, so it is still fresh and relevant for a lot of people who were around and saw the Cricket World Cup that is depicted here. It also capitalizes on a sense of nationalism that is an essential element in stirring people’s hearts.

Where the film excels, however, is in its performances. Ranveer Singh embodies Kapil Dev’s character, and the writing here supports him really well, making an iconic historical figure a relatable and down to earth man.

While the film did have issues in its editing, and it was sometimes hard to follow who the opponents were or when a particular match was taking place, I liked the element of mixing in real footage into the film. Where a lot of films have tried and failed at this, 83 managed to pull it off smoothly by having it blended in on screens, in newspaper clipping and other unintrusive way.

I came away from the film having enjoyed it, feeling a sense of pride in this team that no one believed in and wanting to know more, despite already being quite familiar with the Indian cricket team and having a good outline of their history. And if that isn’t a sign of an engaging film, I don’t know what is.

Books

A Court of Wings and Ruin by Sarah J. Maas – Ch 1-53

Just as I’d predicted (and secretly hoped, if I’m being honest) the third part in Maas’s Court series is absolutely bonkers, and I’ve been simultaneously reading and yelling at my copy of ACOWAR.

If that sounds dramatic, it’s nothing compared to the drama unfolding in the book, which is on an unrivaled level. Maas seems to delight in delivering one plot twist after another, and it is giving me emotional whiplash trying to keep up. When the book opened, Feyre had safely infiltrated the Spring Court and gotten almost everyone there to believe that she’d been brainwashed and held captive in the Night Court with Rhysand. She’s also apparently turned into the biggest mastermind manipulator and just with a few well-placed words and hands manages to overturn the entire court, while also simultaneously dragging the unwitting Lucien along with her. How convenient, especially considering her now Fae sister happens to be his mate.

Once she’s learnt of their enemy’s plans, planted the seed for civil unrest in Spring and made a rather perilous journey back to Night, it’s only a matter of time before their real planning begins. War with Hybern is imminent, and apparently none of the other courts seem particularly inclined to helping them. This is a particularly hard pill to swallow, considering that the war will be happening on their lands, so the people that have the most to lose – and therefore the most to gain from preventing it – are those very same High Lords of Prythian. It’s these kinds of inconsistencies in writing and character that really bother me.

Similarly inconsistent is the way in which Tamlin is written. From reading the way he interacts with Feyre and Rhysand, you would think he’s never been slighted in his 500+ years of life. He behaves like a petulant child that’s had his favorite toy taken away, that too in front of his peers, with little shame. Beron of Autumn Court is similarly shallow and immature, seeking petty revenges. His eldest son’s history, however, seems to be getting conveniently altered to give him some redemptive qualities and I suspect he will soon be replacing his father. Beron’s youngest is also having his history altered, namely in the direction of being a child of his mother’s affair with Helion of Day Court.

I will say that by far my favourite sequence of the book so far was the meeting that took place in Dawn Court. Getting introduced to all the High Lords of Prythian, getting a sense of their histories and personalities was very enlightening, and this is where Maas excels in her writing. She is incredible at universe building, which is what drew me into her first book initially. It’s only unfortunate that she goes off on these tangents at the cost of building the plot and characters.

I’m honestly not expecting much improvement in terms of the writing in the last third of the book, and now that the war is upon them, it’s very likely that there are going to be a number of shortcuts and last minute solutions that appear. I’m most likely going to see the rest of this book through and put the rest of the series aside.

Week in Review (Jan 2 – 8, 2022)

~ colourfulgranny ~ Leave a comment

What have I been doing this week? I’m glad you asked! Here’s what’s been on my watchlist this week:

*Note: My reviews usually contain spoilers. You have been warned. Proceed at your own risk.*

Movies

West Side Story (2021)

I had given up hope of this film being released where I live, but then it finally did, and I went and watched it at the first chance. I always love modern re-tellings of classic stories, and when the original Broadway play of this came out in the 50’s it was about about as modern a version of Romeo and Juliet as it could get. Almost 75 years later, West Side Story has become a classic in its own right, with iconic characters, memorable music and quotable scenes.

Steven Spielberg’s adaptation feels like it was taken directly off the stage, with the kind of scoring that’s reminiscent of live orchestras, and camera placements that give wider shots, letting the viewer make up their mind about where to look, much like a stage play would. Add to that the heightened drama of the story and the minimalist set design, and you find yourself immersed in the world of the story in a way that only theater usually allows.

I was always a bit skeptical about the choice to cast Ansel Elgort, and he was perhaps the most disappointing of the cast members in the film, lacking the depth and emotional range to truly make me believe that Maria (Rachel Zegler) would fall for him in the space of a day. Conversely, I found that two of the strongest cast members were Ariana DeBose and Mike Faist, both of whom, unsurprisingly, are seasoned Broadways actors. There were layers and nuance to their characters that made them compelling on screen and made me want more, more, more.

Despite its 2-and-a-half hour running time, I thoroughly enjoyed the film and felt that it absolutely flew by. The pacing was perfect, and despite my issues with how quickly and easily Tony and Maria fall for one another, I also know that this is part of the conceit of the story, the idea of love at first site, burning passion that transcends logic and reason, and of course the ultimate downfall that occurs when you rise too far, too fast.

Week in Review (Dec 26, 2021 – Jan 1, 2022)

~ colourfulgranny ~ 1 Comment

New year, new TV show and movies to watch, new books to read and new reviews to write. I’m hoping to still keep fresh insight coming with my reviews and keep it interesting. Thanks for sticking around for another year, readers! Happy new year!

What have I been doing this week? I’m glad you asked! Here’s what’s been on my watchlist this week:

*Note: My reviews usually contain spoilers. You have been warned. Proceed at your own risk.*

Movies

The King’s Man (2021)

I have been waiting for The King’s Man for an age, and it’s finally here!

I have a particular love for Matthew Vaughn’s crazy style of storytelling and have watched a large body of his work, including the two previous installments in this series (loved the first, hated the second). There were several factors of this film that I was looking forward to. The World War I setting, Matthew Goode starring (despite him not being in any of the promotional material, which was rather annoying) and getting to see the origin of the organization.

While the film had several predictable beats in terms of the plot, it was visually appealing and Vaughn went all out with his camera movement and directing his actors. His fight sequences looked like choreographed dances, and at least the duel between Orlando Oxford (Ralph Fiennes) and Rasputin (Rhys Ifans) was more ballet than battle.

However, there were parts where it felt like directing choices were made more for shock value than actually serving the story. Rasputin “fixing” Oxford’s leg and Conrad’s (Harris Dickinson) death are two that come to mind. Vaughn has always had a strange sense of humor where violence is concerned, and seeing the way he handled some of the stylistic choices of what was the genocide of young men during one of the most grueling wars in history felt distasteful.

Going off that same ideology, I had a similar issue with this film that I did with the original Kingsman: while I don’t condone their methods, I actually agree with the so-called villains’ ideologies. In this film, Morton was perfectly justified in feeling resentment towards the English for what is generational oppression and mistreatment of the Scottish people. The film really glossed over Morton’s motivation, but I suspect that if the film had gone into more detail on his reasoning, a lot more viewers would feel similarly to me. And while I was glad that Goode is finally getting more big name projects, it did feel a bit wrong to have an Englishman play a Scot who despises the English.

Overall, The King’s Man felt tonally inconsistent, and while not a piece of high cinema, I enjoyed it nonetheless for what it was: a fun, crazy and sometimes heartfelt movie. And I don’t think it really set out to be more than that.

Books

A Court of Mist and Fury by Sarah J. Maas – Ch 19-69

Wow, did this book take a turn from where I last left off!

ACOMAF is insane, in that it took the work that was done in its predecessor and undid all of it. From the very beginning, Maas set up Tamlin as this shining beacon that Feyre could turn to when she had lost all hope, but once she’s pulled into Rhys’s world she doesn’t even look twice at him. While I have absolutely no problem whatsoever with an organic change in relationship where two people naturally outgrow one another, Maas seems to be focusing more on erasure; worse than that, she puts Tamlin down in order to big up Rhysand, which bothers me to no end.

What bothered me even more, though is that Feyre doesn’t seem to realize that she is in fact just repeating the same patterns that she is condemning: placing blind trust in a man that she knows little about; only having the illusion of agency in a situation while having every decision ultimately made for her; being subtly guided and manipulated into following others’ agenda.

That being said, I absolutely flew through this book. Curiosity at what madness Maas would bring me next had me going through at breakneck speed, and it was a fascinating read. With Feyre now having infiltrated the Spring Court, war with Hybern imminent and Rhys and Feyre having confirmed their mating bond (ew), the next book promises to be a crazy ride.