Pig In The City: Review of Okja

Okja

Director: Bong Joon-ho

By Alex Watson

A sweeter and less brutal outing than Bong Joon-ho's last movie Snowpiercer, Okja is a movie that is difficult, to sum up in words. Describing a young girl's love for her genetically modified super pig, Joon-ho alternates between wordlessly beautiful and some gut-wrenching horrors. Together these make for a unique experience no matter what media platform you view it on. Few CGI animals will be as adorable or memorable as this massive pig.

Mija (Ahn Seo-Hyun) is a young girl living in the South Korean countryside with her uncle and giant pig Okja. Bred by the Mirando corporation which is owned by Lucy Mirando (Tilda Swinton), there is a competition to see who can breed the biggest pig. Leaving peacefully and happy life, her joy is disrupted when Mirando demands that Okja be returned to New York. Refusing to let go of her childhood friend, Mija decides to give chase.

The first half hour of Okja gives us all we need to know about our heroine Mija. In a minimum of words, we see the two joyfully playing among the trees. It shows the strength of Mija and her complete love of her creature. Then along comes Dr Johnny Wilcox (Jake Gyllenhaal), an overzealous tv personality who gushes over Okja. Mija, of course, sees right through the facade and soon her worst fears are confirmed as Mirando Corp takes her friend away. What starts as a bright and happy opening quickly switches over into a darker territory.

You get the sense this movie is as much a commentary on the immortality of corporations and the treatment of animals as much as it is about saving a friend. Reaching Seoul, Joon-ho gives us the movies most pulse racing sequence as Mija along with surprise allies the Animal Liberation Front take part in a glorious chase scene. Best of all, it ends with the animal saving them by shooting faeces. Paul Dano's Jay serves as the movie's voice of reason and his fears are well founded. Throughout Joon-ho shows us some truly horrifying visuals of what happens to these animals during the meat production process. Wilcox also reveals a borderline sinister side which conflicts with his 'animal lover' persona.

While Okja doesn't necessarily work on all levels with its uneven tone and phoned in acting, Joon-ho makes it impossible to dislike. This creature shows a remarkable range of emotion and its innocent eyes make us instantly fall in love with it. Like Snowpiercer, this movie is a tough balancing act and there is both bleakness and warmth to found in unlikely places. This filmmaker is one that keeps pushing the boundaries and you never what to expect. Releasing this on Netflix might have been a slight handicap because this would have played out far better with a cinematic release.

The performances of the Hollywood A-Listers are a funny breed, Tilda Swinton is satirically brilliant as the self-obsessed Lucy Mirando.  Deliberately hammy and wonderfully exploiting her characters past issues with her father, Swinton again is the most memorable. Paul Dano in a quieter more intense role equally impresses- Jay is a man whose passion for animal's run thicker than loyalty to his peers. The less said about Jake Gyllenhaal the better. Usually, a movie's strength, his cartoonish caricature Johnny is like nails on a chalkboard! Looking like Dr Robotnik and sounding almost like Richard Simmons, we shudder whenever he enters a room. Ahn Seo-Hyun's brave and bold performance is what you come away remembering and this is one talent to keep an eye out for.

Okja might divide opinion but you cannot deny the originally on display. Bong Joon-ho is quickly becoming one of South Korea's finest, who knows what his next idea will include?

Baby You Can Drive My Car: Review of Baby Driver

Baby Driver

Director: Edgar Wright

By Alex Watson

Absent from our screens since 2013's The World's End, Edgar Wright has truly come back with a bang! Baby Driver is one ride that is impossible to resist and throughout manages to skillfully manage high-octane thrills with comedy and some lovely romantic tones. Featuring a wonderful ensemble cast and a belting soundtrack that will have you nodding your head for hours afterwards- Wright has produced one hell of a picture.

Baby (Ansel Elgort) is a talented getaway driver who has headphone's permanently attached to drown the tinnitus ringing in his ears. In debt to mob boss Doc (Kevin Spacey) after stealing one of his cars as a kid, Baby simply does the job he's asked and looks forward to getting out. When he meets waitress Debora (Lily James), the young man sees a future in front of him. Doc, however, is keen for him to keep working but Baby's quiet way doesn't sit well with criminals Bats (Jamie Foxx), Buddy (Jon Hamm) and Darling (Eiza Gonzalez).

Opening with possibly the best scene of the year (expertly soundtracked to The Jon Spencer Blue's Explosion track Bellbottoms) Baby Driver shows its A-game early. A spectacular and jaw-dropping car chase sequence soon follows- marvel at everything from the beautiful choreography to just how well Wright fits the action around each song. Although a gifted driver, Baby is out of place among his peers. Assumed to be either mute or mental due to his lack of words and constant listening to tunes. Doc favours him highly because "he's been boosting cars since he could see over the dash!" Underneath the cool facade is a switched on and likeable young man who cares for his elderly and deaf foster father Joseph (CJ Jones). Secretly he pines for his lost mother (who died in a car accident when was young) and he records conversations with the thugs and mixes them into tunes.

Meeting Debora should have been the start of a new life as she breezes in while working at the same diner his mother once worked. Having other ideas Doc ropes him back in with apparent ease which is a testament to the menacing charm Spacey holds. The crew is what makes this picture really fire and Bats is the unpredictable element in the equation. Having a hair trigger temper and constantly suspicious of everyone he meets or sees, things can get ugly in a heartbeat! "I'm the one whose got the mental problems in the crew. Position taken!" he publically declares and he really isn't lying. Party Animal Buddy and his wife Darling are equally troublesome on the job. A former Wall Street trader turned bad, Buddy chose to run off with his stripper mistress and turn to crime. His descent into madness gives the final act a magnificent tension along with several nice comedic touches.

A remarkable original piece of work, Baby Driver manages to excellently blend romance with high-speed thrills. The movie's final act is the best-crafted piece of cinema you will see this year. During this sequence, Baby's strength as a character is truly revealed. A young man forced into a terrible position, he is willing to do whatever it takes to get out. Wright wonderfully combines his desire to leave with Debora alongside several brilliantly executed action sequences. He is a character with big brains and heart but also a clean-cut conscience. Egged on earlier by criminal Griff (Jon Bernthal) to get blood on his hands, Baby is always thinking two moves ahead and these kinds of smarts make him so appealing. Perhaps the real star of Wright's movie is the soundtrack including Queen, Barry White, Beck, Martha and the Vandellas and The Button Down Brass. Each song fits around every scene so well and always dedicate the pace.

Ansel Elgort has the role he was born to play and as Baby, he is a cool and iconic figure. Though it could have been tempting to simply copy from Ryan Gosling in Drive, Elgort gives him a wonderful human feel. Baby underneath is a boy who longs for his mother and wants a clean break in life. His vulnerability is what draws him to us and Elgort shines brightly here. Lily James while a sweet, wholesome and heart stealing is given little to work with. While she and Baby share the same dreams, we learn next to nothing about her. Jon Hamm makes for great support as Buddy, the at first kindly yet deranged bank robber- his turn into something more sinister makes for great viewing. Hamm is always capable in a big movie and he makes full use of himself here. As the unpredictable Bats, Jamie Foxx gives his strongest performance in years and serves a timely reminder of how captivating he can be in the right role.

Baby Driver is not only the best movie this summer has to offer, but one of the best pieces of cinema you will have the pleasure of seeing in the coming months. Expect this movie on everyone's top-10 lists come the end of the year.

Friends With Money: Review of Beatriz at Dinner

Beatriz at Dinner

Director: Miguel Arteta

By Alex Watson

The theme of white privilege is tackled hard in Miguel Arteta's Beatriz at Dinner.  Despite not taking full advantage of the increasing animosity on display, there is a powerful and tragic message underneath. At heart, this is a hard-hitting character study of a woman who still feels oppressed in the country she lives in. It is also a wonderful satire of Donald Trump's America and the tactlessness of the social elite.

Beatriz (Salma Hayek) is a healer and masseuse living in Los Angeles, who love the environment and animals. After a tough start, she travels out to Newport Beach for her appointment with client Cathy (Connie Britton). When car trouble prevents her departure, Cathy invites to stay for dinner much to the aggravation of her husband Grant (David Warchofsky). Once the party begins Beatriz has the displeasure of meeting boorish billionaire Doug (John Lithgow) whose views soon make her feel very unhappy.

The intentions of Beatriz at Dinner are carefully laid out early on. During the movie's opening, Beatriz finds that her beloved pet goat has been strangled to death. Even after years in America, she is still viewed as a guest and being accepted is a faraway dream. Her views on the world are that it is too be loved which almost immediately puts her at odds with her affluent hosts. Arteta does an excellent job of letting the anger simmer. Although Cathy claims to love Beatriz like family after aiding her daughter through cancer, their relationship is purely monetary. Even her attempts to bond with fellow rich guests Alex (Jay Duplass) and Shannon (Chloe Sevigny) are met with mockery. Her outcast status is made painfully obvious and her strained attempts at conversation threaten to pop the happy capitalist bubble.

When Doug arrives he firmly represents everything Beatriz despises. He's rude and arrogant, happily exploits workers, kills animals for fun, uproots people's homes to make way for his new hotel's and worst of all, he pollutes the earth. Yet despite all these shortcomings, his fellow co-workers and their wives adore him for providing the cash to live their wealthy lives. Almost immediately the pair butt heads and Mike White's script makes full use of the mutual hatred. Beatriz is the one compassionate voice in a room full comfortably blind followers. Although it begins to feel increasingly stagey, Arteta does a fine job of keeping this showdown between two world's feel brutally relevant. Doug is a man whom people will always admire no matter what wrongs are committed. The increasingly sharp dialogue lands the intended blows each time, but we wonder how much steam Beatriz really has left?

Although this is a brilliantly executed piece, Beatriz at Dinner feels way too short and the fact that Arteta refuses to give us the desire explosions leaves us feeling deflated. However, take nothing away from the shocking ending that occurs because the final image is one that will haunt you afterwards. Throughout the movie, there is a sense of injustice that carries well in Trump's America. Hard-working and kind people like Beatriz are considered a dying breed whose voice is gradually fading away. Her hosts will happily take all the wrong roads as long as the money keeps coming in. Arteta also gives a powerful social commentary at the difficulties immigrants now face and the uncertainty of what could be.

One of Hollywood's most underrated talents, Salma Hayek gives a performance of pure class as Beatriz. A very new age soul, Hayek injects a great deal of heart and feeling into this character. Believing that all humans are connected, her views are dismissed as ludicrous and her ever increasing disillusion is heartbreaking. John Lithgow makes a fine verbal duelling partner and as the repulsive Doug, he gives us the most gut-wrenching character 2017 will bring. Giving his character a sickening smugness, Lithgow forgoes any kind of charm and gives us the ugly face of Corporate America.

Beatriz at Dinner is a movie that although it leaves us wanting way more, is still a movie that deserves recognition.

Walk Like An Egyptian: Review of The Mummy

The Mummy

Director: Alex Kurtzman

By Alex Watson

Already this summer's worst reviewed movie, The Mummy reboot is a mess that even Tom Cruise can't save. With a poor script and a wonky narrative, Alex Kurtzman doesn't earn any points in the director's chair. The Dark Universe is unlikely to get kick started with this lazy first effort. It also begs the question of needing to reboot this franchise in the first place?

Nick Morton (Tom Cruise) is a US Army soldier who seems more into looting than serving with distinction. Along with his partner Chris Vail (Jake Johnson) and archaeologist Jennifer Halsey (Annabelle Wallis), the trio discovers an old mummy tomb in modern day Iraq. Unfortunately, Nick awakens the power thirsty Princess Ahmanet (Sofia Boutella) who now sees Nick as her chosen one to bring the god of death to earth.

Possibly the greatest offence of The Mummy reboot is how Kurtzman takes what could have been a solid action/adventure story and turns into a bad rehash of Fatal Attraction. From the very beginning, the story wanders all over the place- Nick's position in the US Army is never explained and we're never quite sure why he hasn't been tossed out? There's also a confusion about how much Kurtzman is playing this for laughs? There's a clear intent to entertain throughout and there is a silliness to everything. This element comes across in some utterly bizarre ways, see the zombie Vail side story which is never as funny as it wants to be.

The introduction of Ahmanet could have been a game changer as she makes full use of her alluring presence. Sadly the movie relegates to her to the role of jealous stalker. Determined to make Nick her sacrifice for the greater good and bring the god Set to reign down destruction, this story has potential. The movie, however, seems more concerned with being another 'Cruise on the run' picture and Kurtzman has his star sprinting all over London. Mixing and match different Dark Universe characters is of vital importance to this picture- so it's no surprise to see Russell Crowe pop up as Dr Henry Jekyll. This does provide some real intrigue as he waxes lyrical about great evils while barely containing his own personal difficulty. When his 'friend' Eddie Hyde is revealed, Kurtzman does give us a great round of fisticuffs for our trouble.

The Mummy really suffers from its lack of focus and most of the story elements feel tacked on. Expecting to rely on heavy thrills, ironically it's this part that is missing the most. Constantly relying on flashbacks and hallucinations to tell its story, we wish the movie would just stick to one course. Though partly a homage to the B-movies of old, no amount of gloss can hide the cracks. Ahmanet should be wreaking havoc left, right and centre, not pining for a man she barely knows. The lack of action in what is supposed to be an action flick is very ironic. Despite some fine individual moments, such as Cruise undertaking a semi-thrilling underwater sequence, there just isn't enough to keep us occupied. Kurtzman is a fine blockbuster writer, but behind the lens exposes his shortcomings. This movie is perfect if you are looking just to disengage and enjoy for a couple hours- just try not to think too hard afterwards.

Tom Cruise does the best with what he is given, but sadly even he is not able to make this enjoyable. Nick Morton is a walk in the park character wise for this guy- especially since he gets to play the attractive ladies man. Cruise brings his regular charm and as usual is a solid presence, just a shame he wasn't required to bring much else. Sofia Boutella makes for a great and menacing villain and brings a nice grace to Ahmanet. Her seductive but dangerous style makes her rise above the riff-raff in this piece and presents an actress who is quietly making a name for herself. While Boutella is memorable, Annabelle Wallis comes off worse with a poorly written do-gooder role which has little persona outside her telling off Tom Cruise.

The Mummy will most likely generate enough revenue for a sequel- the big question is do we really want one? Maybe someone should give Brendan Fraser a call just in case!

Here Comes The Night: Review of It Comes at Night

It Comes at Night

Director: Trey Edward Shults

By Alex Watson

Trey Edward Shults keeps the suspense building in his picture It Comes at Night. The premise of a cabin deep in the woods might seem familiar, but Shults' use of the dark keeps us continually on edge. The notion of family and survival are the key ingredients to success, from this the movie develops a wonderful paranoid edge that keeps the lines of reality blurred.

After a highly contagious disease, ravages the nation, Paul (Joel Edgerton), Sarah (Carmen Ejogo) and their son Travis (Kelvin Harrison Jr) live in seclusion. Their lives are one of strict routine and they are always on guard. One day Paul catches survivor Will (Christopher Abbott) try to break into their home. After misunderstandings are cleared up, his wife Kim (Riley Keough) and their son are invited to live in their home. Soon a series of strange misadventures will threat to tear both families apart.

What is perhaps the most effective and scary part of It Comes at Night is what is not told to the audience. Opening on Paul and Sarah being forced to kill their sick and infected father, there are no news reports or explanations as to what the disease is or how it started? What is the mysterious unseen presence that may or may not lurk in the bushes? Is this what causes their dog Stanley to suddenly go berserk? Shults demonstrates a really smart approach to his direction by refusing his audience any straight up answers. His command of the horror is what will stick with audience members. Surrounded by endless lush green woods, there is no hope of escape. Never once yield to the urge to simply scare people, Shults gives such a subtle yet unnerving visuals that will haunt your dreams for quite a time.

Will and Kim are what really throws the cat among the pigeons and this where the movie's paranoia superbly kicks in. Like Paul and family, there are merely trying to survive. Believing in strength in numbers they slowly earn the trust of their hosts. Do they carry the disease? Are they trustworthy? All these questions surround their arrival and both sides cannot seem to shake their doubts. Shults is forever testing us on what we think we know. And every little moment seems to carry a variety of questions alongside it. Travis emerges one of the key characters as his sleepless nights often uncover some clues which could be essential. During his dreams, this is where Shults blurs the line between fantasy and reality. Is what he sees forboding? Or is this a terrible and haunting premonition that will lead to worse happening!

During It Comes at Night's final act the simmering tension boils over. Read as little as you can about this picture before going in- it will ensure the cold-blooded finale will leave you speechless. The front door is the only way in or out the property. Soon this becomes the focal point of tensions as sides become taken. Secretly we question whether Paul and Sarah's overworked minds are just playing tricks on them? Continually Will manages to placate the pair and explain his way out of mysterious situations but his real intentions are left in the air by Shult's. While the lack of explanation may be maddening to some fans, others will marvel at its ambiguity

Joel Edgerton is proving to be one of Hollywood's most effective actors and that trend continues as Paul. Both protector and interrogator, he is a man determined to keep his family safe no matter what it takes. Edgerton is mesmerising whenever he appears and is very much the movie's troubled conscience. Christopher Abbott is also strong as Will and gives his character a likeable yet immensely mistrustful feel. Kelvin Harrison Jr, however, is the one whom the audience will likely remember. A boy being forced into manhood early, Harrison's innocence that he brings to Travis is truly heartbreaking.

It Comes at Night is an experience that few will forget, excellently mixing scares with a post-apocalyptic feel- few horror pictures will beat Shult's effort anytime soon.

The Goddess of War: Review of Wonder Woman

Wonder Woman

Director: Patty Jenkins

By Alex Watson

After suffering the wrath of critics, Batman vs Superman definitely wasn't the dawn the Justice League was looking for. Nor was the equally mauled Suicide Squad. Wonder Woman is the film that threatens to give this franchise fresh hope. Scene stealingly brilliant in her brief appearance in Dawn of Justice, her first feature film is an experience to remember. A tough, strong and smart heroine like Diana is the ace this movie needs. Director Patty Jenkins delivers a thoroughly entertaining and surprisingly moving action flick which leaves us wanting more.

Diana (Gal Gadot) is a Princess on the island of Themyscria who has been living peacefully among her Amazon tribe. After American soldier Steve Trevor (Chris Pine) crash-lands in the ocean, Diana is swiftly thrust into the fog of war. Unwilling to let countless lives be lost, she sets off for Europe which is being ravaged by WW1. German General Erich von Ludendorff (Danny Huston) and masked scientist Dr Isabel Maru aka 'Dr Poison' (Elena Anaya) have some dastardly plans to draw out the war.

Wonder Woman like Captain America before it benefits by setting this origin story in the past. Beginning on sunny Themyscria- we see Diana as a wannabe warrior princess who is discouraged by her Queen mother Hippolyta (Connie Nielsen). Though under the command of her aunt, General Antiope (Robin Wright) she soon becomes well-versed in the art of combat. Tapping into the Greek mythology, the side story of her people being enslaved by man and corrupted by the God of War Ares sets up later events nicely. When it comes to Steve's arrival, gives this film a fun role reversal. Steve might be the war veteran, but Diana very much is the hero. His mission success relies entirely on her involvement and without her strength, he cannot hope to succeed. The chemistry between the two is what makes this adventure so poignant. Borrowing notes from Richard Donner's Superman, Steve like Lois Lane has fallen hard for a God- but how can their relationship blossom amongst so much carnage?

The backdrop of WW1 is one area that may divide fans. There are some funny and charming early scenes as Diana enters the real world and stumbles her way around cluelessly. Seeing men for the first time touches upon some big trust issues and Steve here carries her hopes of potentially finding Ares. Some visual are jarring such as viewing the wounded and shell-shocked soldiers returning from the hell of no man's land. This section is also one that opens up Diana's eyes to the corruption, brutality and sexism the world carries. She cannot comprehend how a race of people can turn against one another or why so many people have been lost- but this only fuels her desire to save all she can. In the villain department, Ludendorff carries a flat taste and has little else to do than skulking around looking devious. Elena Anaya does have fine moments as the disfigured and gas loving Dr Poison, she alone could have made a compelling nemesis.

Wonder Woman's trump card is most definitely Diana herself. A ballsy and battle ready vixen- this woman carries the movie's spirit. Her steadfast commitment to being guardian of the earth is what draw us to her. Sprinting fearless across no man's land dodging bullets, Diana is the protector that the human needs. Her trust issues are another area where the picture excels, coming from an all-woman nation of good and honest people, these men and their war continually test her intentions. Even Steve and his rag-tag crew of misfits (Ewen Bremner, Said Taghmaoui and Eugene Brave Rock) are not far from her suspicions. While the movie might fall down with a hard-hitting but predictable ending, Patty Jenkins has created a character who truly is a wonder.

Gal Gadot is the glue that holds this film together and her brave turn is simply magnificent. A smart and deep character, Diana is a woman compelled to save despite her misunderstanding of humanity's savage nature. Beautiful, battle born and capable of heavy emotional lifting, few woman will make a bigger splash than Gadot in 2017. Chris Pine makes full use of all his Captain Kirk charm and rings in a fine supporting turn as Steve Trevor, An 'above average' human, his romance with Diana is one that will capture hearts. A man dedicated to his mission even when trapped in the 'Lasso of Truth' Pine once again has a fine presence in a big blockbuster.

Many DC Universe fans might have feared the worst- but fear not because Wonder Woman is the first great movie this summer has to offer!