Ridley Scott’s House of Gucci is an incredible film…for its first two acts, sadly stumbling in its third, grounding to an almost halt as it begins to wrap up.
The history of the Gucci family was one I knew very little about. Gucci is, to me, the most desirable brand in the world (at least it’s old stuff anyway) and thus the history behind it was always going to fascinate me. It’s this history that creates a rather compelling story, showing the history of Gucci and how power can take over one’s mind.
Yet, despite the dark murder, there’s a joyful campiness to House of Gucci that’s enhanced by its rather brilliant performances. There’s a quote on Rotten Tomatoes “Jared Leto is easily the worst part of the movie. He derails every scene he’s in, like a Mario brother from hell.” While I can see why many will think that, and the quote honestly made me laugh a lot, for me it’s the opposite. Jared Leto inhabits the role, completely taking over the role of Paolo Gucci and making it his own.
His fun eccentric attitude stood out to me and while he’s ultimately an odd choice in the role, it makes for a ‘so bad its good’ feeling to the film that ultimately won me over. Nevertheless, House of Gucci is full of powerhouse performances. Jeremy Irons as Rodolfo Gucci and Al Pacino as Aldo Gucci are great within, but it’s the two leads Adam Driver as Maurizio Gucci and Lady Gaga as Patrizia Reggiani that make this film what it is. Their chemistry alongside one another is perfect and the performances they give within, watching their marriage build and implode is something truly special.
Ultimately, House of Gucci is a movie about a family at war with itself. Watching this dynasty fall was mesmerising and while there are some pacing problems, and the fake Italian accents are rather hilarious, it’s a film that worked rather well for me and benefited from Ridley Scott’s fine directorial touch. It’s got it’s fair share of problems but overall, House of Gucci doesn’t fall like it’s namesakes.
Yesterday night I sat down to watch a film with my girlfriend via zoom, like we have many times whilst at university. This time around was tick, tick…BOOM! and honestly what a pleasant surprise it turned out to be, portraying a story with such affect it made me want to go back and watch all of Jonathan Larson‘s work.
Jonathan Larson‘s story is an interesting one. Success can comes in many shapes and sizes. Sometimes it brings happiness, glory, and financial gain, while other times there can be nothing but sadness. Delving into the composers life shows you the best of both worlds, showcasing his struggles navigating love, friendship, and the pressures to create something great before he turns 30.
Being a musical and all, and coming from Lin-Manuel Miranda, in his directorial debut, you’d expect good music right? Well you’d be right. From the absolute standout, “30/90” to the highly satisfying payoff, “Louder than Words” the vast majority of songs serve a necessary purpose, moving the plot forward in an entertaining manner while also developing the compelling characters. It’s these characters that truly made tick, tick…BOOM! stand out. Andrew Garfield gives arguably the best performance of his career within. He is amazing as Jonathan Larson, portraying his musical scenes to perfection, gripping you throughout. Alongside him, Alexandra Shipp, Joshua Henry and Vanessa Hudgens are great additional characters, but it’s Robin de Jesús as Michael who truly stole the show. He more than held his own alongside Andrew Garfield, crafting a character you deeply care about once the film concludes.
I knew nothing about Jonathan Larson going into this and came out wanting to delve deeper into his work, exactly as it intends. It’s a love letter to Broadway musicals and the artists who create them, I’m a sucker for autobiographical films, I loved it!
Growing up my Nan always used to tell me she remembers the exact moment she found out Princess Diana died. She was sitting at the table when my Uncle came running down the stairs to tell her. They both sat there and cried. Now, my family has never been royal “lovers”, in fact I believe we are rather mutual on the whole idea. However my Nan has told me this story time and time again, not to emphasise the fact that she remembers (which at 92 is an achievement of itself) but to reiterate that she, Diana, was the people’s Princess. Everyone loved her.
What Pablo Larraín has managed to capture in ‘Spencer’, the terrifying horror of real life, is nothing short of extraordinary. Every moment hits you like a bus, you feel the overwhelming sense of dread and anxiousness that inhabit every corner of the film, and while the story is a simple one, it’s nonetheless effective at putting you in the shoes of the Princess.
I’m sure we’ve seen plenty of takes on this tragedy before, The Crown the most recent in memory, yet Spencer still feels fresh, unique and interesting to me. It is intoxicating filmmaking at its finest. Kirsten Stewart is magnificent as Princess Diana. She inhabits the role perfectly, drawing you in and stunning you with her execution that has to be rewarded come Oscar night. On top of that, Jonny Greenwood score does wonders throughout. Every single scene is enhanced, creating many that made me, as the audience, anxious in my seat, biting my nails at what unfolded.
Spencer illustrates claustrophobia and panic to remarkable poetic effect. Pablo Larrain makes no apologies for showing Diana’s braking psyche and while it will obviously leave some members feeling cold, for me, it delivered on everything it needed to, making me care about her life and wanting to see more from her sadly doomed future. The bar was high given all the praise and yet Spencer still surprised me. This is anxiety filmmaking at its finest.
Not since the 25th of May 1977 when Star Wars was released has the world ever seen a Space Epic as awe-inspiring as Denis Villeneuve’s Dune.
Let’s be fair, we’ve all been waiting for Dune for a very long time. Ever since its announcement fans of the book have been clamouring to see a new rendition of Frank Herbert’s beloved novel, so who better to helm the project than acclaimed director Denis Villeneuve, who’s vision is evident in every single frame. What he’s created here, a majestic work of art, is nothing short of extraordinary. It’s a grim, immersive movie that doesn’t shy away from the darkness that propels it forward, creating an elegant, cinematic vision on a sci-fi classic that’ll leave its audience clambering for a well-deserved sequel.
Yet for me, Dune is a film that did a lot more than just look the part. From the moment it opened to the moment it closed, the score took my breath away. Hans Zimmer is one of the best composers working today and thankfully that is evident in his beyond magnificent Dune score that immersed me more in the world of Arrakis, pulling me closer to the story and character that lay within, while leaving my jaw on the floor and hands clenched tightly, completely stunned at what I was hearing. Simply put, it’s one of the best scores I’ve ever had the pleasure of listening to and one that truly deserves to be his second Oscar win as the range of emotions it exudes were magnificent.
Nevertheless, it’s not just the score that wowed me. It’s easy to see why other adaptations of Dune have come and gone. The grand scale within is like nothing that has ever come before and while audience members unfamiliar with the source material may find it challenging to begin with, it’s a story that very quickly throws you in at the deep end, fleshing out the characters, world and history that lay beneath incredibly well. Yet it was my attachment to each character that left me by complete surprise. Oscar Isaac’s Duke Leto Atreides and Rebecca Ferguson’s Lady Jessica are impeccably cast with their son, our main character, Paul Atreides, played by Timothee Chalamet, leading the line perfectly, showing just how truly good he is as an actor.
Overall, Dune isn’t only a success, but a complete masterpiece with its scale setting a new benchmark for what a film can do. The mixture of high-tech bombardment and hand-to-hand combat mixed with its emotional resonance and desire to wow its audience truly impressed me. While there are arguments to be made on how it’s only half a story, this visually stunning, beautifully acted and genuinely thrilling offering from one of the masters of modern sci-fi is beyond anything I expected. Warner Bros. took a risk by redoing Dune, and I’m willing to bet their gamble will pay off. Dune is true cinematic masterpiece to behold on the biggest screen possible!
The time is finally here. Godzilla vs. Kong, One Will Fall! Spoiler Free Review.
Directed by Adam Wingard and starring a star-studded cast that includes the likes of Millie Bobby Brown, Julian Dennison, Alexander Skarsgård, Kyle Chandler, Rebecca Hall and Brian Tyree Henry, Godzilla vs. Kong is the fourth film in Legendary Pictures’ “MonsterVerse”, and delivers exactly what it says on the poster as Godzilla and Kong, the two most powerful forces of nature, clash on the big screen in a spectacular battle for the ages.
Delivering impeccably on its title, Godzilla vs. Kong swats away character development and reduces the human drama significantly to deliver all the spectacle and wonder you’d expect from two giant monsters slugging it out on screen. Of course, it’s outlandish and sometimes very dumb, but it more than delivers what it promises. If you’re watching this kind of thing, you’re watching it for the noise, the chaos, the concussive battles, and mindless destruction that follows, but most importantly, you’re watching it for the two raging beasts at its core. That, I’m pleased to say, is exactly what you shall receive, with the film spending the majority of its runtime focused on the two’s rivalry. There’s something so mindlessly satisfying in seeing two giant monsters beating the hell out of each other while leaving heavy destruction in their wake. I guess it’s all just part of the entertainment value we can take away knowing it’s all in good fun and that we can be thankful such colossal creatures don’t exist in real life.
Yet, that’s exactly what Godzilla vs. Kong is all about. That keyword, entertainment value. No one is going into this film expecting some high-class art. If you are, what the hell are you doing? Despite holding some beautiful shots and another great score by Junkie XL, Godzilla vs. Kong is all about entertainment and for that, it hits the mark stupendously with frequent action and great special effects that’ll leave you cheering throughout. It’s mind-numbingly simplistic with the vast majority of the film focusing on Kong, but I wouldn’t expect anything less. This is more Kong’s movie than anything else and while Godzilla still delivers some incredible moments and the other villain is surprisingly great in the final act, if fighting monsters and gratuitous demolition of skyscrapers is what you crave, then this certainly delivers the punch you’re looking for.
Nevertheless, if you are expecting to be treated to anything else beyond this, you will be greatly disappointed. The MonsterVerse has long suffered with human characters, not exactly knowing how to work them into the story and leaving their development on the cutting room floor. Despite Millie Bobby Brown and Kyle Chandler’s best efforts, Godzilla: King of the Monsters was worse off because of their screen dominance. Once again, this is sadly the case with Godzilla vs. Kong, yet thankfully not to the same extent. While Millie Bobby Brown, Julian Dennison and Brian Tyree Henry create a great trio, their scenes just don’t entirely work given they’re only used for explanatory detail about the other villain’s origin. However, as the film follows two different human teams, the Kong team and the Godzilla team if you will, the scenes between Alexander Skarsgård, Rebecca Hall and the impeccable Kaylee Hottle, worked like an utter treat for me. Offering up a storyline centred around Kong that I found interesting and worthwhile, despite it’s obvious flaws.
For me, that’s what gave Godzilla vs. Kong the edge. While the acting is good all-round, and it’s nice to see Kyle Chandler again (even if it’s only for a short period of time), Godzilla vs, Kong managed to do what Godzilla: King of the Monsters couldn’t, create a side story that’s not the main focus but is still interesting. They are only there to help move the small remnants of the plot along and despite most of them being either generic military personnel marked for death or scientific minds trying to make sense of all this madness, the scenes that we spent with either group never truly bored me, which was a great surprise.
Ultimately, Godzilla vs. Kong is a film that DESERVES to be seen on the big screen. You simply won’t get the same experience watching it for the first time on a small laptop or television screen and it’s a sad fact that many will end up torrenting this movie due to cinemas not being open or HBO Max not being available to them. It’s a cinematic experience and for preexisting fans of the franchise, Godzilla vs. Kong is the monster movie we’ve all been waiting for. Is it a perfect film? Absolutely not. But it’s the most fun I’ve had with a movie this year!
