Teenage Fan Club: Review of Spiderman: Homecoming

Spiderman: Homecoming

Director: Jon Watts

By Alex Watson

Spiderman has been a hit and miss affair ever since he webslinged his way onto our screens in 2001. Sam Raimi's original trilogy brought us two excellent outings and completely forgettable third. Marc Webb's two Spidey pictures were excellently acted but seemed to lack a certain substance. For Spiderman: Homecoming, director Jon Watts goes with a lighter touch and for the most part succeeds. This movie might just be the most accurate depiction of Peter Parker yet.

Still buzzing from helping Tony Stark (Robert Downey Jr) in Berlin, Peter Parker (Tom Holland) is anxious to make full use of his powers. Given a new suit, he is soon keeping the neighbourhood safe while at the same time crushing on classmate Liz (Laura Harrier). Former salvager Adrian Toombs (Michael Keaton) has moved into the heist business as flying criminal Vulture. Despite the warnings of Stark, Parker is determined to bring him down.

What makes Spiderman: Homecoming a breath of fresh air is how honestly it portrays Peter Parker. Coming off as the ultimate Avengers geek, we see him make a video diary of his time in Berlin. The bane of Happy Hogan's (Jon Favreau) phone, Parker is shown as your typical immature adolescent. This side of the character was always lacking before and he never seemed to come across as uncool enough. Watts puts all that to rights because Parker is believably nerdy alongside his fellow geek friend Ned (Jacob Batalon). Always failing to keep his feelings for Liz under wraps, his problems are always neatly (and sarcastically) summed up by classmate Michelle (Zendaya). Keen to run before he can crawl, Peter doesn't know the limits of his own powers. Tony Stark in this picture comes off as the surrogate Dad figure, who is always scolding his new prospect for the right reasons.

Vulture is definitely Marvel's most straight up villain but unfortunately not its deepest. A former blue collar worker attempting to salvage scraps from the Avengers New York Smackdown- he is sadly booted off the site by Stark's people. Toombs is in the game to make some green, so there's no tragic backstory or sinister revenge motive needed. Despite some well-acted moments, he just doesn't come across as particularly threatening. He is a smart guy and his schemes are always fool proof, this movie needs a stronger nemesis to make Spidey sweat. Another key issue is the lack of love interest, while Liz is a pretty and sweet young thing- she just doesn't seem deep enough for Peter repeatedly crush on. Aunt May (Marisa Tomei) feels drastically underused but thankfully she doesn't have the task of reminding us of power and responsibility. Despite these minor flaws, there is little else to really grip about.

Watts had a tough job balancing Spiderman: Homecoming, but he seems to stick the landing. His control of the action sequences is never less than gripping. The standout sequence comes when Spidey must save his friends at the Washington Monument. Rather than just retread the old and well known Peter Parker backstory, Watts simply gets on with the job. This lighter touch serves this reboot well and avoids adding more content than the film can handle. Peter's new suit is a recurring source of laughs, especially since he is barely in control of it. An array of cool new weapons (who knew Spidey had grenades?) could be a handy tool in future outings.

Tom Holland has been the perfect choice for Peter Parker and he comes the closest to accurately playing him. So lame he kind of cool, Holland embraces the awkward yet brave side of the character. Running headfirst into difficulties, Holland's over-excited Parker is believably rash when it comes to his choices. However, he gives this character a maturity that serves him well in the later stages. Michael Keaton again shows what great presence he can bring and how intimidating he can be in the right role. The problem is his Adrian Toombs doesn't have enough outside his tough guy persona. Keaton is great as the everyman wanting to provide, but this character is made for heavy lifting.

Spiderman: Homecoming shows that despite excessive reboots, Spiderman is still a character that has not lost its appeal.

The Guest: Review of The Beguiled

The Beguiled

Director: Sofia Coppola

By Alex Watson

Sofia Coppola was deservedly awarded the Best Director award at the Cannes Film Festival. The Beguiled is a movie that oozes sexual tension and makes the most of its dark and tense feel. Showing the consequences of desire, Coppola focuses on the arrival and later descent of an unwelcome male visitor in a strong female house.

John McBurney (Colin Farrell) is a wounded Union soldier who has deserted during the Civil War. Chancing upon young student Amy (Oona Lawrence) he asks for refuge. Reluctantly taken into an All-Girls school by Martha (Nicole Kidman), his presence causes friction among the women. Although charming and appealing, soon his behaviour becomes a cause for concern.

There is a disturbing ambience to the Virginia setting from the opening frame of The Beguiled. The isolation of the woods and loneliness of the location alone creates an almost haunting atmosphere. John's appearance lights the fuse and from there Coppola slowly builds the seductive feel. Having the enemy lodging in a Confederate territory is not an appealing prospect, but frequently they relent because it is the charitable thing to do. McBurney is a slippery fish to handle as he seduces and flirts with all who comes across him. Teacher Edwina (Kirsten Dunst) is conscious of the danger he possesses but still gets caught up in his charms. Young student Alicia (Elle Fanning) is more direct and confident in her pursuit and this competition soon threatens to unbalance everyone.

It could be viewed that Coppola's movie is as much about female relationships as it is about unspoken desires. John views himself as the potential man of the house, a view we all debate vigorously throughout. The innocence that Martha has worked so hard to attain is quickly ripped apart and soon the school is ablaze with rumours and whispers. McBurney at first has a ball fighting for their affections and Irish lilt gives him the lovable rogue quality. The threat of having to turn their deserter guest over to avoid trouble is a never ending back and forth debate. What McBurney could do if tossed out of the house feels like more trouble than its worth. During the movie's middle section, Coppola excellently gives her movie an internal strife despite some obvious red flags.

The sheer shock and awe that goes into the final third marks The Beguiled out as Coppola's finest in some time. Having been a contented house guest, McBurney shows a different and altogether frightening side when things come full circle. Like a wounded tiger trapped in a cage, his presence goes from unwelcome to downright hostile. Coppola smartly shows which side holds the cards and the female bonds go deep. Paying attention to the small details is a wise move in this picture because they are ones which come back to haunt people. The ending given is as stone cold as any you will see this year. Sofia Coppola has had an up and down career, for every Lost in Translation there's a Marie Antionette. This picture shows what a talent she can truly be.

Colin Farrell gives a fine two-sided performance as John. On the one hand, a good man stuck in a bad situation, on the other a trickster who is bluffing his way through life. Farrell makes full use of his natural charisma and makes it fully believable how one man can cause so much havoc. Nicole Kidman is likewise excellent as the lady of the house Martha, a character who adheres to a strict code of conduct. Despite her concerns, she succombs to the same thoughts and feelings of those around her. Previous Coppola contributor Kirsten Dunst gives a wonderfully repressed performance as Edwina. Trying to remain true to herself, John is making her want to abandon her life. Elle Fanning gives one of her strongest performances as the no longer innocent Alicia and shows just why she's one of the finest young actresses around.

The Beguiled is a movie that firmly demonstrates Sofia Coppola's talents and makes us wonder what she has up her sleeve for the future.

While You Were Sleeping: Review of The Big Sick

The Big Sick

Director: Michael Showalter

By Alex Watson

Based on the real-life relationship of star Kumail Nanjiani and his wife Emily V. Gordon (also co-writers of the film) there are not many films as touching and authentic as The Big Sick. Its genre is tough to define because it walks the line between romantic comedy and emotional drama. Director Michael Showalter brilliantly showcases both the unique humour and heavy sadness that fill this movie.

Kumail (Kumail Nanjiani) is a struggling Chicago stand-up whose strict father (Anupam Kher) and mother (Zenobia Shroff) are hoping to marry off. Wanting to live his own life, one night he meets the charming Emily (Zoe Kazan), who hopes to be a therapist. Although their relationship blooms, the risk of his families disapproval becomes too great. Ending their relationship- Emily soon falls into a coma due to an infection and a distraught Kumail must now contend with her parents Terry (Ray Romano) and Beth (Holly Hunter).

Although they make a small alteration to the portrayal of their relationship, most of what Nanjiani and Gordon show of their relationship is true. The Big Sick makes this pairing winning from the get-go with a meet-cute when Emily calls out during Kumail's gig. Playfully scolding her for 'heckling' him, the pair soon falls hard for each other despite Kumail's 'two-day' dating rule. The early part puts a big emphasis on the cultural barriers between the two. Forced by his mother to endure a number of 'surprise visits' from eligible Pakistani women- his family makes it clear he may only marry within his own culture. This confession to Emily is the first sign of the movie's sad feel and the break up that follows is devastating. However, this emotional punch is weak compared to the brutal one-two combo that follows.

The picture's real heart comes from the bonding between Kumail, Terry and Beth. Openly hostile to her ex at first, the pair merely wants him to go on his way and let them do the heavy lifting. Once the early anger subsides, all three clue into the fact they need to pull together. Much of the movie's humour comes from the most unlikely places- like Terry awkwardly mentioning 9/11 and Kumail's priceless response when asked about his stance "Oh anti- we lost 19 of our best guys!" Beth and Terry are going through own issues due to one of them having an extra-marital affair which has strained their marriage. Kumail seems to be a healing factor for them as much he aids them to cope with the potential loss of Emily. One scene sees Beth passionately stand up for Kumail when he's racially heckled during a performance.

A portion of The Big Sick deals with Kumail attempting to find his own identity in America against his Pakistani Muslim upbringing. Refreshingly how Showalter shows his relationship with his family is done with great skill. Shown as affectionate people who love their son but are bound by rules and tradition. Kumail's desperately wants to please them but wrestles with wanting his own life. Even when not on screen his longing to reconnect with Emily is painful to watch. Showalter slowly builds up the emotion to almost boiling point which causes Kumail to have a meltdown during a key moment of stand-up "It's hard doing stand up while your girlfriend is in the hospital!" Few movies have one a better balancing act than this film and its a credit to the believable and heartfelt script of Nanjiani and Gordon.

Playing himself Nanjiani loses none of his likeability and this raw and honest depiction draws him to us throughout. A man torn between two different paths, Kumail wants to go his own way but risks losing those closest to him. Together with Zoe Kazan, the pair is quite possibly the loveliest couple to make their way on screen in 2017. Although her screen time is limited, Kazan's presence is felt even while absent. Making full use of her down to earth and sweet persona- she is utterly winning. Ray Romano and Holly Hunter also make great support as the bickering parents. A pair going through every parent's worst nightmare- both have scene's with Kumail that reveal the sweet-natured people that lie underneath the concern.

Not many movies will make you go through the entire emotional spectrum quite like The Big Sick. Proof that the smaller movies are starting to take over this summer- this is one I urge you to seek out.

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!