21 March 2023

Suzume ( すずめの戸締まり)


I will say it here first: there is a high chance that Makoto Shinkai's latest animated film will get into next year's Oscar race, pending if Hayao Miyazaki's new film will get released in time too. 

However, as the first film, since Miyazki's Spirited Away to compete in the Berlin International Film Festival, it will not be a stretch to imagine that non-Japanese viewers will embrace this fantastical yet surprisingly grounded animation that was not only laugh out loud funny, but also achingly emotional and tender. However, Japanese viewers - or even those who had suffered some sort of natural disaster - may find the subject matter a bit too close to heart. The emotional trauma to losing a loved one to earthquakes and tsunamis may be still too raw.

Suzume could be Shinkai's most matured work and definitely a step up from Weathering with You. It may not be as saccharine and emotional as your name., but it was more emotionally complex, dealing with grief and love, self-identity and purpose, and generational/emotional trauma. 

Story-wise, Shinkai's writing and directing was also more assured and surprising. On paper, the plot would be nonsensical and beyond fantastical, but yet in the execution it was not only believable (as all good fantasy ought to be within its realm of mystery and world-building) but also relatable and grounded. The first act was different from the second, which in turn, was also different from the third. However, they were all tied together coherently by Shinkai and his protagonist - Suzume - as we followed her on a journey from the west to east of Japan visiting not only multiple significant sites in Japan's storied history of natural calamities, but also in Suzume's journey of self-discovery and reconciliation with her past. 

The animation was top-notch with perhaps one or two moments of computer CGI that seemed a little out of place. However, it was the little touches of normalcy and reality that really helped the animation to feel seamless in its fantasy storytelling. Everybody, please give it up for the stool and the cat(s)! 

The music was by Shinkai's frequent collaborator Radwimps and composer Kazuma Jinnouchi, and as usual was a significant part of the storytelling. It pumped up the action and moved the emotions but never excessively or manipulatively. 

As with almost all Japanese animations, repeated viewings would surely bring more details and nuances to the fore, and I can't wait to re-watch this soon!


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6 March 2023

95th Academy Awards (Oscars 2023)


From March 2022 till March 2023, I had watched 54 films. Of which, for the first time, I had watch more than one movie more than once in the cinema: The Menu, Top Gun: Maverick and Avatar: The Way of Water. There were lots of good films these years and as usual, foreign-language films (or films by foreign directors) remained exciting and different from the standard usually Hollywood fare - both popcorn flicks and art-house award contenders.

Easily, my favourite films of the year were TÁR and Aftersun. The former was a masterpiece in directing by Todd Field and acting by Cate Blanchett. They were both at the absolute top of their game, creating a tense, taut, tight, unflinching, un-nerving, un-apologetic psychological thriller and character study that was was both topical to the present and relevant to the future. #IStandByLydiaTár!

Aftersun, on the other hand, was a quiet, unassuming gem. A stunner of a debut that continued to haunt me, even till now, 3 months after I had watched it. A brilliant debut by writer/director Charlotte Wells that examined the power of memory through cinema, but also devastatingly painted a picture of despair and lost that hurt immensely through its lens and its leading man, Paul Mescal.

Upfront, the big Oscar frontrunner, Everything Everywhere All at Once was not my favourite movie of the year. It does not even make my top 5. When I first watched it back in April 2022, I described it as an "entertaining film" with a "great concept" and a "brilliant" first act, but "not an entirely original" film. And I still stand by it. 

I can appreciate why most western culture seemed utterly enamoured by the film. It was representational and it was inspirational to them. But from an Asian (non-American/Western) perspective, the familial storyline was rote and routine; from an absurdist sci-fi POV (read: Douglas Adams, Christopher Moore, Terry Pratchett, etc), the multiverse aspect and absurdist comedy was unoriginal and uninspiring; and lastly, the language was an ear-sore for native speakers - Michelle Yeoh's character was obviously on point, as was Stephanie Hsu's as a second-generation American-born Asian but Ke Huy Quan that was grating and took any merit out of his performance which every award body (except for the BAFTAs) seemed to be praising (cynically: more for the narrative than the actual acting?). 

Nonetheless, Yeoh was still the best thing of the film, and what the Daniels did with the budget they had was fascinating and highly laudable. The editing was top notch and deserved the Oscar nomination, but Costume? Song? Score? (both of which Guillermo del Toro's Pinocchio were snubbed!);  Two Supporting Actresses??! (Any of the women from Women Talking were more deserving!); Even Original Screenplay is debatable (see above re: originality; The Menu or Nope would have been better choices). 

One thing though, this year's Oscars seemed to be more unpredictable than usual, especially in all the big awards. The acting races has no clear front runner yet except for Ke (and in that respect, we can all still hope for a big upset!). The directors seemed to be poised to go the Daniels but never count out Steve Spielberg or Field. Similarly, EEAO may be the Best Picture leader, but there is always previous frontrunner, The Fabelmans, Martin McDonagh's crowd-pleaser, The Banshees of Inisherin, and the big underdog, All Quiet on the Western Front.

A last shout out to Hong Chau, Colin Farrell, Barry Keoghan, Angela Bassett, Mrs Harris Goes to Paris, Marcel the Shell, Corsage and Vicky Krieps, all the onscreen vomiting this year (Triangle of Sadness and Babylon)... And here are my Oscar predictions:

*Winners are highlighted in red. 


BEST PICTURE



Who Should Win: TÁR
Who Will Win: Everything Everywhere All at Once
Who Could Win: All Quiet on the Western Front

Any of the films other than Elvis and EEAO deserve to win the big prize. Women Talking was devastating, Triangle of Sadness was elevated cringe at its auteuristic best, Top Gun: Maverick and Avatar: TWOW were absolute top notch entertainment, The Banshees of Inisherin was an acting showcase, The Fabelmans was a feel good, family friendly entertainment with superb technicals, AQOTWF was an unrated war-film that was gorgeous, stunning and emotionally resonant, and TÁR was simply a masterpiece. Elvis was a gaudy mess with an over-rated performance and EEAO was just not my cup of tea. 


BEST DIRECTOR

Martin McDonagh, The Banshees of Inisherin
Daniel Kwan and Daniel Scheinert, Everything Everywhere All at Once
Steven Spielberg, The Fabelmans
Todd Field, TÁR
Ruben Östlund, Triangle of Sadness

Who Should Win: Todd Field
Who Will Win: The Daniels
Who Could Win: Steven Spielberg

The DGA gave their top award to The Daniels so they are most likely going to win this. What they had achieved with what they were given was undoubtedly stunning. However, in terms of skill, Field and Spielberg were way ahead of them. Field created a masterpiece as was agreed by many of his peers: Martin Scorsese, Pedro Almodóvar, Alfonso Cuarón and Paul Thomas Anderson; Spielberg's most personal film was filled with personal touches and filmed with such tenderness and longing and artistry. Östlund got the Palme d'Or and sneaked in a nomination, and I think that is as well as he will do here, and McDonagh may just have to settle for Best Original Screenplay despite directing his cast to four acting nominations.


BEST ACTOR

Austin Butler, Elvis
Brendan Fraser, The Whale
Paul Mescal, Aftersun
Bill Nighy, Living

Who Should Win: Colin Farrell
Who Will Win: Brendan Fraser
Who Could Win: Austin Butler

This is going to be a three-horse race. Austin Butler vs Colin Farrell vs Brendan Fraser. Sorry Paul Mescal, too young and too little-watched. Sorry, Bill Nighy, though I have not watched Living yet, if the BAFTAs did not give it to you, and Living is even smaller than Aftersun, it will not be your turn. Fraser has the best narrative and the showiest performance, with a final act that was pure emotional manipulation. The Whale's lack of nominations, may hurt his chances though. Farrell has a great narrative too - comeback kid giving strong to great performance steadily over the years - but although his performance was pure acting, the fact that was no transformative, losing-myself-in-the-role arc will definitely hurt him. And Butler, may just go the way of Rami Malek - winning an Oscar for a musical biography for a larger than life character, just because.


BEST ACTRESS

Cate Blanchett, TÁR
Ana de Armas, Blonde
Andrea Riseborough, To Leslie
Michelle Williams, The Fabelmans

Who Should Win: Cate Blanchett
Who Will Win: Cate Blanchett
Who Could Win: Michelle Yeoh

Another tight Best Actress race, but this time clearly between Blanchett for her demanding, powerhouse performance who had swept every single critic award, and Yeoh, who won the SAG, indicating support from the acting branch. However, with the whole academy voting, it might just go - very deservedly - to the best acting performance which is Blanchett's Lydia Tár. It will be a mighty upset if the Riseborough debacle resulted in a win. Sorry, de Armas - too many bad reviews for me to want to go watch Blond.


BEST SUPPORTING ACTOR

Brendan Gleeson, The Banshees of Inisherin
Brian Tyree Henry, Causeway
Judd Hirsch, The Fabelmans


Who Should Win: Brendan Gleason
Who Will Win: Ke Huy Quan
Who Could Win: Barry Keoghan or Judd Hirsch

If any category (other than Best VFX) has a lock, it will be this. Ke Huy Quan has been dominating the awards circuit and this is his to lose. Whether deservingly or not. Either of the Banshees boys could act circles around Ke, and Keoghan actually managed to score a win at the BAFTAs. Hirsch stole that 15 minutes or so that he was in The Fabelmans and without Gleeson that would have been no one for Farrell to act oppposite of.


BEST SUPPORTING ACTRESS

Hong Chau, The Whale

Who Should Win: Angela Bassett
Who Will Win: Angela Bassett
Who Could Win: Jamie Lee Curtis or Kerry Condon

It was a crime that none of the ladies from Women Talking were nominated! Claire Foy and Jessie Buckley were scene stealers and had so much raw intensity and vulnerability (Rooney Mara was in the running for Lead Actress). Definitely more than the Hsu or Curtis, but that is what the EEAO momentum wrought. Nonetheless, Bassett will be the most deserving winner. She was strong and commanding, and one of the best bits of a Marvel film. And it is time not only to give her what she deserved, but also to legitimise MCU/superhero films. Hong Chau's time will undoubtedly come one day, but not this year. Condon and Curtis fresh off a BAFTA and SAG win respectively will be Bassett's closest competitor.


BEST ORIGINAL SCREENPLAY

Who Should Win: Todd Field, TAR or Ruben Ostlund, Triangle of Sadness
Who Will Win: Martin McDonagh, The Banshees of Inisherin
Who Could Win: The Daniels, Everything Everywhere All at Once

A contentious category. McDonagh might just win this because this might the only award Banshees will get. Although the screenplay does have its own merits, the first two acts were better than the last act. Field's screenplay was timely, current and insightful, although his directing and Blanchett's performance might overwhelm the script itself. Similarly for Ostlund's Triangle, although the skewering of the rich and class-warfare was presented in an original manner. Tony Kushner and Spielberg's The Fabelmans was smartly written and genuinely touching, but it lacked a certain flair. As for the Daniels, I don't think there was anything original about the script, but the majority of voters will likely think otherwise.


BEST ADAPTED SCREENPLAY

Living


Who Should Win: Sarah Polley, Women Talking
Who Will Win: Sarah Polley, Women Talking
Who Could Win: Kazuo Ishiguro, Living or Rian Johnson, Glass Onion

Just like McDonagh above, this might be the only award Polley and Women Talking bring home. But it will nonetheless be truly deserving for a film that was devastatingly haunting and unexpectantly tender and hopeful beneath the brutality. Ishiguro might win just because of his name - though not winning at homeground BAFTA might be to his disadvantage; everybody loves Johnson and Glass Onion was a crowd pleaser, but it might be too much of a light-weight to win an Oscar. Similarly, everybody loved Top Gun, but the screenplay was basic and the weakest part of the film. All Quiet might be the dark horse to come in to sweep the awards as what it had been doing in Europe.


BEST ANIMATED FEATURE FILM

Puss in Boots: The Last Wish
The Sea Beast

Who Should Win: Guillermo del Toro's Pinocchio
Who Will Win: Guillermo del Toro's Pinocchio
Who Could Win: Marcel the Shell with Shoes on

Sorry to Dreamworks and Disney, but this race is between Pinocchio - which has been sweeping the precursors and truly deserved more nominations - and the sweetly tender, live-action/stop motion Marcel. Pinocchio will have the edge not only because of its pedigree and underlying starpower, but it was also a phenomenally engaging and touching retelling and reimagining of a classic.


BEST INTERNATIONAL FEATURE FILM

Argentina 1985, Argentina
Close, Belgium
EO, Poland
The Quiet Girl, Ireland

Who Should Win: All Quiet on the Western Front
Who Will Win: All Quiet on the Western Front
Who Could Win: Close or Argentina 1985

Unfortunately, I had only managed to watch 2 out of the 5 nominees, and both were brilliant but All Quiet definitely has the edge over the smaller and more intimate Close. Although Argentina 1965 might be the black horse as it did pick up some of the precursors over All Quiet.


BEST DOCUMENTARY FEATURE

All That Breathes
All the Beauty and Bloodshed
Fire of Love
A House made of Splinters
Navalny

Who Should Win: -
Who Will Win: Nalvany
Who Could Win: All the Beauty and Bloodshed

Again, I did not get to watch any of the nominees this year, but from the buzz it seemed to be either previous winner, Laura Poitras for All the Beauty and Bloodshed, topical Russian documentary Navalny or the crowdpleasing Fire of Love.


BEST ORIGNAL SCORE

Babylon, Justin Hurwitz
The Fabelmans, John Williams

Who Should Win: All Quiet on the Western Front, Volker Bertelmann
Who Will Win: The Fabelmans, John Williams
Who Could Win: Babylon, Justin Hurwitz

One of the many categories that EEAO did not deserve to be nominated in. Bertelmann's score for All Quiet was memorable and haunting. As was Hurwitz's score for Babylon, which was one of the few best things of the film. Although it was too derivative of his work from La La Land and Whiplash to be "original". Burwell's score was beautiful and sweeping but did not stand out. As for Williams, he is the biggest name here, and his name recognition alone may carry him over the threshold to win the Oscar. That being said, Williams' score was honestly beautiful and helped to carry the emotional weight of Spielberg's story.


BEST ORIGINAL SONG

"Applause", Tell it Like a Woman
"Hold my Hand", Top Gun: Maverick 
"Naatu Naatu", RRR

Who Should Win: "Hold my Hand"
Who Will Win: "Naatu Naatu"
Who Could Win: "Naatu Naatu"

From all the buzz, this will be "Naatu Naatu"'s to lose. Sorry Lady Gaga and Rihanna. And sorry again, Diane Warren.


BEST SOUND


Who Should Win: Top Gun: Maverick
Who Will Win: Top Gun: Maverick
Who Could Win: All Quiet on the Western Front

This might be the only place where Top Gun will get its Oscar. Everybody loves the sounds of fast planes and sonic booms. Although the soundscape of the war epic All Quiet might sneak in a craft sweep.


BEST PRODUCTION


Who Should Win: All Quiet on the Western Front
Who Will Win: Babylon
Who Could Win: All Quiet on the Western Front or Elvis

If anything, Babylon had its sets going for it. The opening sequence was a stunner as were the literal sets designed for the movies-within-a-movie. However, the period recreation of Elvis, was a standout and those were fabulous trenches in All Quiet. Just like the above, All Quiet might do a BAFTA and sweep the crafts.


BEST CINEMATOGRAPHY

Bardo, False Chronicles of a Handful of Truths, Darius Khondji
Elvis, Mandy Walker
Empire of Light, Roger Deakins
TÁR, Florian Hoffmeister

Who Should Win: James Friend
Who Will Win: James Friend
Who Could Win: Mandy Walker

Deakins cinematography, especially that spectacular fireworks scene, was extraordinary, but unfortunately Empire of Light was more of a miss. Also, did not catch Bardo but the buzz around it was similar, in that, Khondji's cinematography was a highlight. Perhaps these two names should have been swapped out for The Batman's Greig Fraser and Top Gun: Maverick's Claudio Miranda. Walker has a likely chance to make history as the first woman to win this award, however Elvis' cinematography maybe not be the most striking thing about the film. Hoffmeister's unique cinematography for TAR actually helped to immerse the audience into the psyche of the protagonist with it brutalistic, flat presentation. However, it will be Friend's stunning capture for All Quiet that deserves the Oscar this year.


BEST FILM EDITING

Who Should Win: TAR
Who Will Win: Everything Everywhere All at Once
Who Could Win: Elvis

Some films are made in the editing room of which the nightmare, intense psychological thriller TAR and multiverse, timeline jumping EEAO definitely made the case for that. Elvis also benefitted from fancy editing. And which ever film that wins this early award, would surely be a frontrunner for Best Picture. Therefore, it will most likely be EEAO's to lose.


BEST COSTUME DESIGN


Who Should Win: Black Panther: Wakanda Forever or Mrs Harris Goes to Paris
Who Will Win: Elvis
Who Could Win: Everything Everywhere All at Once 

Jenny Beavan should just win for all the couture she designed for Mrs Harris. Similarly Ruth Carter's designs and imagination for Wakanda was outstanding and the early funeral scene was a total standout. However, Elvis and EEAO have the most buzz with the former having the most glitz and the latter the wackiest. Elvis will likely sweep this and Best Makeup and Hairstyling in a nod to the excesses of Baz Lurhman's vision.


BEST MAKEUP AND HAIRSTYLING


Who Should Win: The Whale
Who Will Win: Elvis
Who Could Win: All Quiet on the Western Front

The Whale would be the front runner for its utter transformation of Brenden Fraser, and if it does win here, Fraser would have a leg up for Best Actor. However, to some, the grotesque focus and fat-shaming might deter them, and instead Elvis will notch another win for its transformation of Austin Butler. The winner here will likely also be the Best Actor winner. Although All Quiet might swoop in again.


BEST VISUAL EFFECTS


Who Should Win: Avatar: The Way of Water
Who Will Win: Avatar: The Way of Water
Who Could Win: Avatar: The Way of Water

The only slam dunk of the year. 
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Everything Everywhere All at Once


This was an entertaining film with a never-been-better Michelle Yeoh, that had a great concept, albeit not an entirely original one - think if Terry Pratchett and Douglas Adams had written “The Matrix” - that needed just a bit more editing and hand-holding to trim and solidify its storytelling. 


At 139 minutes long, it could have possibly trimmed down by at least 15 to 30 minutes just to tighten the narrative. It was way too heavy on clunky exposition and too focused on world building - the Daniels (or the producers) seemingly had no faith in its audience and their IQ - that at times it lost sight of its characters and their emotional arcs. Ultimately, the theme of parenthood, growing up and letting go, familial bonds were the backbone of the film, but it also did not need to be hammered in so inelegantly - funny at times, yes - towards the final act. 


The first act was brilliant. It had so much potential. Introducing the core characters and their internal conflicts. The code switching employed by Yeoh and Ke Huy Quan was fun and authentic from a SEA Asian’s POV. But then the second act was laden with all the problems above: meandering, clunky, unfocused. And finally at the third act, again, it took too long to get to the expected end. The Daniels had a lot of cool ideas and moments, but by throwing everything on the screen, they ended up sacrificing the storytelling itself. 


Thankfully, they had Yeoh. She absolutely nailed her role and showed that she was capable of comedy and drama. There were well earned emotional pathos and laugh out loud moments despite the film’s fault. And her screen chemistry with on screen daughter Stephanie Hsu was a highlight. Hsu looked like she was having so much fun in her role and it showed. The biggest miscast was Quan. Not only did he lacked chemistry with Yeoh which was so integral to one of the main arcs of the film, but his Mandarin was just so off kilter with the others especially to the ears of native speakers (non-speakers seemed to have less issues with that). However, in addition, his portrayal seemed verging on slapstick a la Stephen Chow of old that, again, was incongruent with the others (perhaps that was a deliberate choice? It did not work). 


This film - and its idea - would have been the perfect Douglas Adams, Terry Pratchett, or even Christopher Moore or Jasper Fforde book. Authors who excelled in absurdist, almost irreverently black, but logical sci-fi comedy drama. 


Actually come to think of it, this film was actually like a mashup of two Wachowskis films “The Matrix” meets “Cloud Atlas”. 

The Daniels have created a fascinating and encouraging follow up film following the equally irreverent comedy “Swiss Army Man” and it will be exciting to see what come next. Or will they get sucked into the MCU?  

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1 March 2023

TÁR


As directors Martin Scorsese, Pedro Almodóvar, Alfonso Cuarón and Paul Thomas Anderson had raved, Todd Field’s “TÁR” was a masterpiece. It was a phenomenal masterclass in filmmaking and storytelling. A tense and tight psychological thriller, despite its 2.5 hours run time, that was not only fiercely intelligent with a dark wit and scathing social commentary, it was also sumptuously stunning to look at (thanks to the gorgeous lighting and lensing of Florian Hoffmeister) and to listen to (the sound team and score by Hildur Guðnadóttir were excellent!). 

But the most important key to the absolute brilliance of “TÁR” was the utterly compelling and incredible performance by Cate Blanchett. She was riveting and formidable, and absolutely had our attention from the start as we followed her through Lydia Tár’s fall from grace. Blanchett is an actress in total control of her craft. She fully inhabited the character. There was no need for makeup or prosthetics, Blanchett just disappeared into the role and what we had on screen was simply Lydia Tár - EGOT winner, author, conductor, mother, partner, predator. Blanchett’s face, eyes and her whole body were used to full effect as we watched from her point of view the events that unfolded. She elicited out of us, a myriad of emotions, from awe and inspiration, to confusion; from anger and disgust, to shame and - dare I say - pity. Simply put, this was acting at its pinnacle. How she, or any other actor, can top such a towering performance ever will be fascinating to watch! 


However, Field too deserved the accolades for writing and directing this tour de force. Superficially, this was a film about cancel culture. It was about how power seduces and corrupts. It was about power dynamics. But those were just scratching the surface. Field had smartly not firmly established his own opinions and deliberately left many things open ended and to allow the audience themselves to contemplate  and complete the story. Implications (and accusations) were made, but nothing was shown on screen. And as we were made to follow Blanchett’s Tár point of view, we can never really be sure whether she was truly a sexual predator or just a selfish manipulator. This grey area and that delirious, frantic third act (and epilogue) really thrusted this film into an echelon high above most films. 


Other than Hoffmeister’s gorgeous cinematography, Guðnadóttir’s brilliant score that mixed in Mahler’s Fifth and Elgar’s cello concerto, the other stunning craft work was Monika Willi’s editing. The tight editing not only helped to tell Field’s story maintaining its tautness and tension but also gave power to Blanchett’s performance as she wrestled with whatever demons that may be plaguing her. 


Also quick shout out to the Hair & Makeup, and Costume Design team! Also to Nina Hoss and her arched eyebrows as Tár silent but strong partner and Noémie Merlant as her assistant who may or may not be as she seemed. 


“TÁR” has now jumped to be the frontrunner of my Oscar pool. If it was up to be, it should be awarded for at least 4 of its 6 nominations: Best Picture, Best Director, Best Actress and Best Original Screenplay. I would definitely watch it again to catch even more details of this phenomenal masterpiece. 

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Close


Belgium director Lukas Dhont’s Grand Prix winner at last year’s Cannes Film Festival was a small and intimate examination of masculinity, friendship and homophobia (not homosexuality) in the guise of a family/coming of age drama. 

It’s always a risk when a film is carried on the shoulders of not only a first time actor, but a first time child actor, and Dhont directed the gorgeous and intense-eyed Eden Dambrine and the lovely soulful Gustav De Waele beautifully and expertly. In particular, act one was so achingly sincere and tender that we absorbed bought into the boys’ friendships and brotherhood (it also helped that the boys were friends already). 


However, other than the innocence of these boys, the biggest strength of Dhont’s almost documentary-like film was the delicate navigation of the emotional landscape surrounding the central conceit of the story. Simply put it was about the friendship of the two boys and how society had conditioned and manipulated our views and opinions of boys, men and masculinity. How even in this day and age, progressiveness may not have penetrated as widely as we think despite the digital age and the ubiquitous nature of social media.  


As the film carried on, it slowly veered from Dhont’s documentary style follow through of our protagonist to a more straight forward family drama climaxing in an effective but manipulative ending with a satisfying epilogue. A lot of the heavy emotional lifting came from the parents but Dambrine was also excellent (and excellently directed) in the quieter more introspective moments. 


It will be interesting to see whether Dambrine and De Waele will continue acting after this, and if so how will they care, but Dhont continues to be an exciting director to keep an eye on. The Palme d’Or will be his one day. 

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The Son


What a tremendous fall for director/co-screenwriter Florian Zeller. From Best Picture and Best Director nominee (and Best Actor winning, for Anthony Hopkins) for “The Father”, to possibly one of the worst movie ever made about mental health illness. I feel so highly offended for all the people suffering from psychiatric disorders, and also their families and loved ones. 


This was a film that had no finesse and no nuance. Zeller (and co-screenwriter Christopher Hampton) told everything with a sledgehammer and bludgeoned it all bluntly into a deeply insulted audience. It grossly misunderstands what mental health illnesses are and gratuitously misused it for dramatic effects. 


At just over two hours long, it was tiresome by the time we reached the halfway mark. Nothing would have been lost if Zeller had edited himself better and trim the film by 20 to 30 minutes. In particular, that whole epilogue and the flashbacks served no purpose other than handholding an imbecilic audience. 


There honestly was a great story within this film. An exploration of inter-generational trauma, a meditation on a failed marriage and its associated harm, or even simply a story about moving on. Perhaps it worked better as a stage play and Zeller’s ideas translated better in its original French (and without Hollywood interference). 


Instead, we had this misguided Oscar bait. If not for the big named stars attached to this film, this could easily have passed off as a clichéd, melodramatic Hallmark/Lifetime movie. 


Hugh Jackman and Laura Dern tried their best. Dern, in particular, had some good moments, but Jackman, clearly the leading role, was saddled with an abominable script, an unsympathetic and annoying character and was just so flat such that his big moments felt unearned and only triggered even more eye-rolling. 


Vanessa Kirby was honestly barely trying. Any one could have played her role. And poor Zen McGrath, as the troubled son, I hope his acting career recovers from this debacle. 


The only bright spark was a cameo by Hopkins. Those brief minutes showed why he is such a revered actor and why he won his Oscars. 

Zeller needs to go back to his roots. Trust his stories and his words as they were. Or if something new, stay away from (big) studio notes.   

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Women Talking


Sometimes the most horrifying stories are based on real life and “Women Talking” was a truly horrific story powerfully acted by an ensemble of phenomenal female actors (and one lone man) and assuredly written and viscerally directed by Sarah Polley. 


This film was truly an ensemble piece and any of the women in the film were deserving of accolades that had unfortunate alluded them this award season. Rooney Mara was the closest to a leading role, and she exuded warmth, love, grace and compassion despite being in a horrendous position. However, the biggest showstoppers and scene stealers were Jessie Buckley and Claire Foy. They had the showiest roles as they negotiated the messy and uneasy roles their complicated characters inhabited. These two ladies should have been nominated for Oscars! Shout out also to Frances McDormand in a small, yet memorable role, and to Judith Ivey, Sheila McCarthy and Michelle McLeod. 


Also, kudos to Ben Wishaw, as the lone male actor, who was brilliant in a restrained and surprisingly layered role that stood out for its tenderness and vulnerability. 


This film was, as stated in its opening, an “act of female imagination”, and it could not have been adapted by a male writer or made by a male director. Polley’s adaptation was smartly written and her direction was intelligent and uncompromising but yet delicate and sincere. Polley presented the story much like a biblical parable - a touch of distance, matter of fact yet true, and with a moral lesson but not didactic or bludgeoningly obvious or saccharinely sincere. She did not shy away from the visceral horror of the truth but yet she did not dwell on them, instead focusing on the complicated emotional journey that such trauma carried. 


Polley should have been nominated for a DGA or an Oscar for directing, and sight unseen, Kazuo Ishiguro may be Polley’s biggest competitor for the Best Adapted Screenplay Oscar. 


Luc Montpellier’s flattened and desaturated cinematography took a while to get used to, but it made sense as the film went on where we were shrouded in the same darkness these women were in - isolated, no electricity, uneducated and unsure. These women could be any woman, their features are not important, but their stories are. 


Hildur Guðnadóttir’s score was also hauntingly beautiful with its simplicity which then made the intrusion of modern music slightly jarring yet narratively effective. 


It is unlikely that “Women Talking” will win Best Picture. It is too small, too niche and obviously alienating to the typical Academy voter. But it was truly one of the best films of the year.  

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Ant-Man and the Wasp: Quantumania


Jonathan Majors as a terrifyingly complex villain and Paul Rudd as the reliably funny, wise-cracking, unexpected hero could not save this mid-tier MCU entry. Phase 5 has sadly officially started not with a bang but with a soft yelp. In today’s parlance, this was more a soft launch than a grand entry. In totality, this was a “Star Wars”meet “Honey I Shrank the Kids” that lacked both the former’s drama, intrigue and pathos, and the latter’s humour and tenderness. It was a fun, entertaining 2 hours with some chuckles and scattered laughs, but at the end, it was hollow and did not really made me excited for the next instalment. That said, after “Loki” and this, I do want more Kang. 

The biggest problems that contributed to the emotional vacancy were the supporting characters and the overwhelming use (and reliance) on CGI. 


Without a good supporting cast to prop up and support our hero and villain, the story simply lacked an emotional core no matter how hard Rudd and Majors tried to make us care. And boy, Majors really chewed his scenes and exuded an enigmatic malevolence, and Rudd was a constant comedic presence as a almost-reluctant hero. 


On our hero side, Kathryn Newton as Rudd’s on screen daughter simply has no comedic chemistry with Rudd. She is a good actress but her comedy chops needs work, and with her having the most screen time with Rudd, their banter did not work which made their scenes rather trying to watch and the second act less urgent and weighted than it should be. 


Evangeline Lily, whether it was due to her personal views and opinions or not, was majorly sidelined considering The lWasp is in the title itself. As a result, their emotional payoff was vacant. 


But at least we had Michael Douglas - who stole the show - and Michelle Pfeiffer - acting her heart out - to provide the levity, wit, quips and love. 


Pfeiffer also had the best scenes with Majors. Though they may have been exposition heavy but, by golly, these two acted against each other so well. 


On our villain side, M.O.D.O.K was a hoot!! Deadpanned, absurdist humour that got the best laughs. However, at times it did seem out of sync with the rest of the film. Director Peyton Reed should either have leaned into that aspect for the whole film or used 

MODOK a little more sparingly. 


The whole movie was also practically one big CGI extravaganza with at least 90% filmed on a green screen (other than the cold open and epilogue). This distinct lack of real sets (yes, I know we are in the Quantum Realm) lent a sense of detachment, both emotional and realistically. It did not help that 

Marvel’s CGI quality seemed to be getting worse. This was definitely no “Avatar 2”. 


Nonetheless, kudos to the actors for acting in such conditions but director Peyton Reed, writer Jeff Loveness, and MCU head honcho Kevin Feige could have done better. A smaller story with more intimate story telling, without losing the grandeur and immensity of Kang’s plans, could have been done. 


Stay to the very end for both a Kang Dynasty (mid-credits) and a Disney+ series (post-credits) scene setters. 


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Corsage


A fantastic, highly nuanced showcase for a magnetic Vicky Krieps as the complicated Empress Elizabeth, but in a film that could neither match or carry Krieps’, or Sisi’s, complexity and weightage. 

The emotional shallowness surrounding the character was as light as Sisi’s weight despite writer/director Marie Kreutzer’s similar obsessiveness to create inter-character conflicts. There were multiple interesting threads, Sisi and her children, Sisi and her husband, Sisi and her horse-riding “instructor”, Sisi and her cousin King Ludwig, but they all failed to be anything more than superficial lip service - an excuse for Kreutzer to film some beautiful scenes and string together vignettes of moments that supposedly should deepen Sisi’s characterisation but simply lacked substantial purposes. 


Perhaps the most meaningful relationship was between Sisi and her lady-in-waiting Countess Marie Festetics, and that relationship would have been so much interesting if, like most of the film, Kreutzer had fictionalised more of it. 


That said, as the protagonist we were still deeply empathetic towards Sisi as she struggled to find a way to fulfil her feministic desires and ideals in a misogynistic society but the narrative failed to provide a reason for us to root for her. And Krieps was really selling it giving us a full tour of Sisi’s interiority and, if there was any justice, she would have deserved an Andrea Riseborough-esque grassroot Oscar campaign!

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White Noise


The best and most unbridledly joyful entertaining moment in Noah Baumbach’s big budget Netflix absurdist dramedy was the closing credits with the whole cast dancing to LCD Soundsystem’s “New Body Rhumba” in a supermarket. And even that, “Pachinko” did it better with their opening credits. 

That says a lot about Baumbach’s latest Lynchian-like horror/sci-fi family drama that was actually just a Trojan horse for his usual marital drama. Kudos to him for venturing out of his wheelhouse and comfort zone, but unfortunately it was more miss than hit with its absurdist bent that tried to cover too much ground. It ended up being interesting but distant, with no emotional connection or relatability. 


Every character was a caricature of some form and laden with unnecessary exposition and dialogue that Baumbach tried to pass off as banter rather unsuccessfully. Again, it says a lot when the kids were more interesting than the adults. 


Adam Driver did his best but his character was neither relatable or sympathetic, and this wasn’t a role Greta Gerwig was meant to play. Perhaps it was just Baumbach’s direction and purpose to have his leads be as exaggerated as the 80s the show was set in, but it just grated. And boy, was Jodie Turner-Smith wasted.


Unfortunately, other than a shot for a Best Song nominee, “White Noise” was mostly just that. 

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Im Westen nichts Neues (All Quiet on the Western Front)


Based off the original 1929 German novel, and a remake of the 1930 Best Picture winner, this German production by Edward Berger was a terrifying, brutal and visceral depiction of the futility of war that may have been the most immersive war movie since “Saving Private Ryan” and really ought to be screened in cinemas. Not only for the epic and distressing battle scenes but also to fully appreciate the stark beauty of James Friend’s cinematography that punctuated the film and the ominous dread of Volker Bertelmann’s score. 

At almost 2.5 hours long, Berger’s film was well paced as it negotiated the final months and days of the war, juxtaposing the tragic ignominy and brutal horror with the youthful optimism and idealism. The stark contrast really drove home the underlying anti-war message especially as Berger also highlighted the parallel storylines of diplomats/politicians trying to negotiate an armistice in the comfort of their fineries and the generals and military leaders in their literal high towers pursuing their “false pride” and oblivious to the morality of their vainglorious decisions. 


Superbly acted by newcomer Felix Kammerer as we followed his journey, experiencing both his horrors and the occasional joy amidst the camaraderie of his childhood friends and found family. Especially in that final long epilogue, the feeling of dread and possible inevitability was expertly stretched out and teased by Berger and performed by Kammerer. 


Experienced actors Albrecht Schuch and Daniel Brühl buttressed the rest of the lesser known cast and their presence and performance were assured and helped to inform the emotional truth of war. 


A definite Best International Feature Film Oscar nominee and also a possible front runner given its many below-the-line standouts: sound, editing, music, cinematography, hair and makeup, and costume. 

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Guillermo del Toro's Pinocchio


A re-imagination that borrowed elements from the classic Disney animation and the original 1883 Italian novel but entirely stamped with Guillermo del Toro’s storytelling vision, aesthetics and cinematic style. A gorgeous stop-motion animation musical fantasy that showcased not only the phenomenal animation of the creative team but also boasted a brilliant voice cast, and together they painstakingly brought all the amazing characters to life retelling a familiar story but one now imbued with del Toro’s characteristic wonder, pathos and heart. 


An absolutely entertaining animation for the whole family! The children will delight in the cuteness and relate with our titular Pinocchio; the adults will enjoy the richness of the themes of death, life, love, war, responsibility and family. 


Like all of del Toro’s fantastical creations, the character and creature creations were standouts. The simple complexity of Pinocchio was a sight to behold especially considering the technical difficulty of animating him. Then we have all the non-human characters: Ewan McGregor’s cricket, Cate Blanchett’s monkey, Tilda Swinton’s sphinx and sprite, Tim Blake Nelson’s rabbits and the voiceless Dogfish. Each of them were spectacular creations and each voice actor capably  imbued their character(s) with distinction and individuality. 


Of the human characters, David Bradley as Geppetto was a heartbreak and a half; Christoph Waltz as Count Volpe was a cruel, nasty piece of work, a villain we all rooted against; and Ron Perlman as the Podestà was unsympathetic and cold. 


However, one of the biggest star and highlight of the film was Alexandre Desplat and his amazing score. The score drove a lot of the scenes through the film and it was characteristic without being overwhelming, and emotive without being manipulative. It may very well get Desplat another Oscar win (a nomination is assured!). 

A sure Best Animated Feature Film nominee, and a long shot for Best Picture, “Marcel” will be its closest competitor. As good and as entertaining as the former was, “Pinocchio” edged out with its technicality and complexity, and overall entertainment.  

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Glass Onion: A Knives out Murder Mystery


“Glass Onion” was a whole lot of fun! A star studded whodunnit crime thriller that had a good twisty central mystery and also offered up laughs along the way as the misdirections and red herrings kept piling up. And for that reason, it actually made sense for this to be a Netflix film - the communal experience of guessing and theorising and gasping really enhanced the viewing pleasure. Because without it, if you just stripped this film to its core, it only worked because of its pedigree - Rian Johnson and its well-liked prequel. 


Otherwise, objectively and on its own, besides the script and some standout performances (and cameos), this film’s core cast lacked the electrifying chemistry that the first movie’s cast had and, most importantly, it lacked any sort emotional weight or heart. We barely cared for the victim and none of the suspects were sympathetic. Sure, the script and mystery was rather smart, but at over 2 hours long, we barely cared for any of them. We just wanted Daniel Craig’s Benoit Blanc to solve the mystery - to see if we got it right or not. 


But thankfully we had Craig. He was brilliant and he has really hit a post-Bond gold mine with this role. There was enough camp in his performance to make him interesting but not too offensive (hint: Hugh Grant!). Janelle Monáe also stood out, and without spoiling too much, she would be the only one of the cast to perhaps deserve an acting nomination. The last standout, was surprisingly, Kate Hudson. She really went all out and embraced her ditsy blond character and got the biggest laughs. 


Kathryn Hahn, Leslie Odom Jr and Jessica Henwick were wasted; Edward Norton over acted - as usual - even for his character; did not care for Dave Bautista who still cannot act; and Madelyn Cline was interesting but underbaked. 


As proven, “Glass Onion” is a Golden Globes sort of film, but to crack into the Oscars it will be a long shot. Nonetheless, still looking forward to Benoit Blanc’s next adventure, but perhaps maybe a bit less “White Lotus” and more “Knives Out”. 


 

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Marcel the Shell with Shoes On


A beautifully crafted and indescribably cute live action, stop-motion animated mockumentary about family and community with a poignant dose of existentialism. As an introvert, I feel so seen!


The combination of stop-motion and live action worked very well in this film, giving it both a sense of surreality and groundedness that helped to anchor the magical realism of the story and allowed the audience to accept the premise and integrate the artificiality of stop-motion into real life. 


Directed by Dean Fleischer Camp, and co-written by Camp, Jenny Slate (who also voiced our titular Marcel) and Nick Paley, the film was a surprisingly moving depiction of life, death and community. It was also a great comedy, largely courtesy of Slate’s voice acting when Marcel delivered his wry commentaries about Camp’s life and simple, nonchalant - but incisively accurate - insights into life.


At a tight 90 minutes, Camp et al had effectively expanded their viral shorts into a beautiful and moving cinematic experience that may be more movingly affective for adults than children who may just be moved by the superficial primary story of community, and be amused by the cuteness of the animation. However, the deeper layers of existentialism, introversion, may allude them. 

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The Banshees of Inisherin


Martin McDonagh’s latest film, written and directed by himself, was searingly witty and funny, and also unexpectedly poignant that may have worked a lot better as a stage production than a cinematic experience. It told an intimate story of being unexpectedly blindsided that a relationship is over, and the fallout from that on both parties and the people around them. What could be more intimate than grieving, because really this was a story about people coming to terms with death and the end. But perhaps McDonagh could have been a wee bit less heavy-handed with the metaphors and allegories, especially that rather unnecessary epilogue highlighting that what we had just watched was a metaphorical allegory to the Irish civil war. Nevertheless, the core cast was exceptionally strong and like “The Power of the Dog” may very well land all four of them Oscar nominations. 


Colin Farrell continued his renaissance, that started with 2008’s “In Bruges”, and is definitely deserving of the Best Actor Oscar for a touchingly affecting and finely nuanced performance that asked for a lot from a non-showy character. And Farrell absolutely delivered with a full-bodied, all-in performance and lots of face and eye acting. 


Brendan Gleeson as the other half of this bromance was a complex curmudgeon that just wanted his space. A lonely man that wants to be alone, but yet not. Gleeson portrayal was oddly relatable and although his character may be highly contentious, Gleeson injected in him a deep sense of empathy and sympathy.


The other Best Supporting Actor in contention was Barry Keoghan. His role may have been small but it was memorable and truly the innocent heart of the film.


Lastly was the only female character of note as played by Kerry Condon. If Keoghan was the heart of the film, Condon was the brain. The smart, intelligent one who deserved better and knows she deserves better. However, as a character, she lacked urgency. Condon got short shrift by McDonagh who used her more as a plot and narrative device to move his two male leads to where he want them to be. Nonetheless, Condon shone when she got her own moments. 

A definite year-end awards contender for multiple categories, including Best Picture, Best Cinematography (for Ben Davis), Best Score (for Carter Burwell) and Best Original Screenplay for McDonagh, with McDonagh a long shot for Best Director.  

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