Author: Joel Fisher

The Dirt is a biopic of the band Mötley Crüe, based on the book written by Neil Strauss and the band themselves. Like any other Rockstar biopic, it tells the story of the band’s meteoric rise to fame and any of the more dramatic and troublesome events that occurred during their lives together as a band. Mötely Crüe certainly had a lot of troublesome times – although that’s mostly brought on by their own chaotic, anarchic behaviour.

Founded in 1981; Nikki Six (Douglas Booth), Vince Neil (Daniel Webber), Mick Mars (Iwan Rheon) and Tommy Lee (Machine Gun Kelly credited as Colson Baker) were brought together and soon gathered a small but devoted fandom proving that fame was not far away. Unlike other biopics though, where the focus of the film would be on one band member over the others, the movie has the band quite literally fighting over screen time to tell their own story.

It uses voiceovers to interrupt scenes and fourth wall breaks to remind the audience that this is their story and not everything may be the whole truth and it helps to bring the sense of fun and non-conformity that surrounded the band’s career.

If I were to say there was any focus though, I would say that it was on Nikki Six whose troubled childhood of neglect led him to being homeless and down a path of heroin addiction. However, as the movie plays out the audience realises that Nikki is not the only one with problems.

Amongst the scenes of chaos and debauchery there are moments filled with real emotions which ground the band as a group of real people and doesn’t just rely on the moments where the band come up with their greatest songs to drive the story. In fact, I would go as far to say that Mötley Crüe’s music barely features in the movie. Besides the music that is played over some scenes, their music serves more as a soundtrack rather than a point of interest for fans of the band.

I’m not entirely sure anybody is that interested in how the band came up with such titles as ‘Girls, Girls, Girls’ and ‘Ten Seconds to Love’, but by showing what the band did with their money and fame I’m sure the audience has a good idea of what inspired them.

The movie does hit some dull notes though. Particularly in an infamous poolside scene featuring Ozzy Osborne where Tony Cavalero’s impression all but forgets Osborne’s Birmingham accent. Also, Mick Mars’ ongoing condition is mentioned, but perhaps due to a lack of budget in the makeup department is never portrayed properly.

It is refreshing to see a biopic that includes a person with a disability and doesn’t make it all about them, but at the same time I feel that the film doesn’t have much else to say about Mars so out of all the band members he is the one that is the most pushed to one side.

Ultimately though, The Dirt is a satisfying music biopic that gives the audience a taste of the band and at the same time deals with more serious and intimate things that other biopics could be accused of glossing over. This movie is not for the feint of heart and right from the start it sets the tone so those with a more sensitive disposition can leave as soon as they like. However, for those who want a fun, eye opening portrayal of one of the craziest rock bands in music history then this is the film for you.

Saraya Knight (Florence Pugh) and her family are obsessed with wrestling. The entire family perform in a wrestling show that they set up themselves and by day they have a wrestling school where Soraya’s brother, Zak (Jack Lowden) teaches people how to wrestle. Then one day the family receive a phone call from WWE (World Wrestling Entertainment) saying that they want Zak and Saraya to come down to London so they can audition to become part of their show.

The siblings are extremely excited as this has been their dream since they were kids but after a gruelling audition process, Saraya is picked to follow her dream and Zak is not. After some encouragement from her brother, Saraya heads off to California, the family are elated but Zak doesn’t deal with his sister’s success as he initially lets her believe.

Fighting with My Family is a funny and uplifting British underdog story that will win over wrestling and non-wrestling fans alike. The underdog sports movie has been done many times before but the audience soon starts rooting for Saraya as they believe in her passion which is in no small part thanks to Pugh’s heartfelt performance.

As the movie progresses it brings up issues such as body image, sibling rivalry and what it means to be a woman in the public eye, so even if wrestling is not your thing there may be something in the movie that strikes a chord. Saraya’s eventual and inevitable triumph is only heightened by not only winning a place over her peers but by being accepted – by her peers, by Soraya accepting them and most importantly accepting herself.

The movie is a pretty straightforward telling of a sports story that has been seen many times before so the formula will leave no surprises as to how the story goes. However, its unique take on the genre and the British sensibility and humour sets it apart from other movies with the same themes. It also features the most British pub fight scene I have probably ever seen.

The supporting cast are all great including Nick Frost as Saraya’s dad who puts in a fine performance which is as touching as it is comedic. Jack Lowden also has the difficulty of showing the inner turmoil over his sister’s success but he manages to never make the audience hate him as he wallows in his self-pity.

If I were to make any criticism though, it would be that the times where Saraya feels upset feel a little on the nose and I feel perhaps the real Saraya wouldn’t have spent as much time crying in her bedroom. In the end though, Fighting with My Family is an unlikely hit from the most unlikely of sources (Dwayne ‘The Rock’ Johnson and Stephen Merchant). Its unique angle is just the thing that lifts it above the comedy sports genre and opens up wrestling to an audience who may have never been interested in neither sports no wrestling before.

A Line Birds Cannot See is a short animation that tells the story of a woman only known as E. When E was twelve, her family went from Guatemala in an attempt to cross the Mexican border into The United States only for E to be separated from them and pushed into a life of slavery and abuse.

Using simple yet beautiful animation, the short film tells the harrowing story of a woman recounting the events that took her childhood away from her. Through the use of the relaxing images and music, it tells the story so that the audience can relax and take in the pretty images, but despite the beauty of its animation the short film takes the audience through a journey of what the worst of humanity is capable of doing.

The film gently puts the audience at ease with its animation and music, but it never detaches the audience from E’s story as the film plays out as if the twelve-year-old E is telling the story herself. E’s emotions pour through to the audience and her story cannot help but send out a strong resonance as the things she talks about are not outlandish or sensationalised, but come from a very real and personal experience.

A Line Birds Cannot See is sadly not a wholly unique story but is just one of thousands of stories that happen every day to immigrants all over the world. I’m sure that it is the hope of the film makers and of E’s that viewing A Line Birds Cannot See may help in some way, however small, to open the eyes of people who ignore the problems of those who feel they have to flee their countries or simply want to work for a better life.

E’s story may bring up emotions the audience may have not been expecting and through the short time it is told, it manages to put across its message strongly. A Line Birds Cannot See doesn’t give any solutions to the problems that immigrants face, instead it leaves the chance of hope in the hands of those who watch and take notice of E’s story which I’m sure will help to push its message further than just a single viewing.

After watching the film it would be good to know that when the subject of immigration is raised as it often is these days, that somebody may think twice when they consider what a girl like E had to endure just to live a better life in another country.

After the events of Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them, Newt Scamander’s (Eddie Redmayne) life has gone back to normal – as normal a life that an enthusiastic Magizoologist can have at least.

His international travel rights have been revoked, he believes that Tina Goldstein (Katherine Waterston) has moved on after their brief romantic encounter and to top it all off The Ministry of Magic informs him that Creedence Barebone (Ezra Miller) has resurfaced in Paris after nearly destroying New York. The Ministry believes that Scamander is the only one that can secure Barebone and neutralise the threat he poses but Newt is not so sure. It’s a good thing then that the evil Grindelwald (Johnny Depp) is securely locked away for his crimes…

Fantastic Beasts: The Crimes of Grindelwald is the second film in Warner Bros’ plan to reignite the cinematic love for Harry Potter. J K Rowling herself has provided the scripts for this and the previous film and may well do so for further instalments, but as far as the audience are concerned, Rowling is the only person who knows what is really going on.

Newt’s friends are quickly pulled back together as if the events of the first movie have never happened and off they go again on another adventure. Along the way they are met with old characters, new characters and some really old characters (just how old is Dumbledore anyway?) and the fans of Harry Potter are given a movie full of magic, wonder and CGI. However, there are very little indications of an actual plot.

Personally speaking, I have read every Harry Potter book there is, I have seen all the movies probably more than once but I cannot tell you in a clear and concise way what actually happens in the movie and least of all why it happens at all. As I said, characters appear as if they have never left but other characters appear for seemingly no reason other than to anchor a previously non existing connection to the main cast.

Other characters seem to just appear for the real Potterheads to prick their ears up among the confusion of special effects and exposition. (Nicholas Flammel anyone?)

It all just feels like it was meant to be leading to something else, but the questions of what and why this film exists are never properly answered. The cast are all on top form though.

Love him or hate him, Newt Scamander’s shyness is still endearing under Redmayne’s control and I for one am looking forward to seeing more of Jude Law’s Dumbledore as a face off with Grindelwald is sure to be on the cards at a later date.