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The Holdovers

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UK Release Date:  19 January 2024 Certification:  15 Director:  Alexander Payne Cast: Paul Giamatti, Da'Vine Joy Randolph, Dominic Sessa Rating:   81% Review: Alexander Payne's, The Holdovers is a refreshing piece of cinema. The phrase 'they don't make films like this anymore' is often thrown around but it has never felt more warranted. A clear homage to film of the 70s whilst also tapping into John Hughes' filmography of teenage self-discovery that came merely a decade later.  The Holdovers is fairly grounded plot wise. A teacher at a New England boarding school is tasked with caring for the children who remain at the school over the holidays. Although, what the film lacks in sprawling storytelling it more than makes up for in rich thematic ideals. Presenting the audience with three characters dealing with grief in a variety of ways and exploring the detrimental impact that lingering feeling has on their personas and perspective of life. The anger, guilt...
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Poor Things

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UK Release Date:  12 January 2024 Certification:  18 Director:  Yorgos Lanthimos Cast:  Christopher Abbott, Suzy Bemba, Jerrod Carmichael, Willem Dafoe, Margaret Qualley, Mark Ruffalo,  Emma Stone, Ramy Youssef Rating:   79% Review: Yorgos Lanthimos' latest film, Poor Things , is by far his most ambitious feature.  Tackling feminist ideals, a woman's appreciation of her own body and the transition from childhood to young-adolescence - most of which is layered in metaphorical subtext. There is a lot to take in and process fully.  Akin to Mary Shelley's gothic tale of Frankenstein and his monster, Poor Things explores that godlike complex that the 'scientist' has over its 'experiment'. With Bella (Emma Stone) referring to her surrogate father, Godwin (Willem Dafoe), as God. It creates an interesting dynamic between the two that shapes the opening act of the film. There's a certain level of respect and admiration that was never present in ...
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Priscilla

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UK Release Date:  01 January 2024 Certification:  15 Director:  Sofia Coppola Cast:  Ari Cohen, Dagmara Domińczyk, Jacob Elordi, Lynne Griffin, Tim Post, Cailee Spaeny Rating:   77 % Review: Sofia Coppola's answer to Baz Luhrmann's  Elvis  - there's a world where both can coexist as they give a unique account of the time period. A more intimate and private exploration of character.  Priscilla is an authentic and meaningful narrative ultimately detailing the dangers of grooming for young girls around the world.  Caught up in the whirlwind of excitement and attention, Priscilla's lifestyle completely flipped on its head as she accepted an older Elvis' advances. Somewhat unaware of the position she finds herself in but in the moments of rest-bite Cailee Spaeny plays it perfectly. A feeling of isolation, loneliness and anxiety can all be found solely within her eyes. Subtly making the audience aware of the fear she felt at times.  The film ...
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La La Land

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UK Release Date:  13 January 2017 Certification:  12A Director:  Damien Chazelle Cast:  Ryan Gosling, John Legend, J.K. Simmons, Emma Stone Rating:   96 % Review: Continuing with my new found love for Damien Chazelle, La La Land is his examination of being able to follow your passion trapped in the constraints of a charming musical. An exuberant glorification of Los Angeles compared to the cynical narrative present in Babylon . What begins as a glamorous and energetic tale of romance finishes in complete devastation - a metaphorical depiction of betrayal present in the medium of film. La La Land is a punch to the gut. By the end of the film I was left in floods of tears.  The wave of emotion is predominantly down to the excellence of Justin Hurwitz's jazz-centric score - who picked up an Academy Award for his efforts. 'Mia & Sebastian's Theme' is absurdly painful to experience. A heartbreaking piece of music that becomes increasingly delicate as diff...
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Babylon

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UK Release Date:  20 January 2023 Certification:  18 Director:  Damien Chazelle Cast:  Jovan Adepo, Diego Calva, Lukas Haas, Olivia Hamilton, Li Jun Li, Tobey Maguire, Brad Pitt, Margot Robbie, Eric Roberts, Jean Smart, Olivia Wilde Rating:   89 % Review: Manny Torres - "I just love watching movies, you know?" Nellie LaRoy - "I love watching movies too." This is the representation I needed in film.   Babylon is Damien Chazelle's love letter to Hollywood, the era of transition between the silent film and the modern motion picture, but more importantly cinema itself. The genre of glorified depictions of Hollywood often felt pretentious to me ( Sunset Boulevard ) but both Babylon and Once Upon a Time... in Hollywood have potential to be amongst my favourite films of all time upon rewatch. Chazelle handles the deconstruction of Hollywood with expert precision, essentially belittling the dream of being involved in film production - pr...
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Birdman or (The Unexpected Virtue of Ignorance)

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UK Release Date:  01 January 2015 Certification:  15 Director:  Alejandro González Iñárritu Cast:  Lindsay Duncan, Zach Galifianakis, Michael Keaton, Edward Norton, Andrea Riseborough, Amy Ryan, Emma Stone, Naomi Watts Rating:   47% Review: Winner of three Oscars, including best picture and best director at the 87th Academy Awards, Birdman or (The Unexpected Virtue of Ignorance) is essential viewing for any modern cinephile.  A fading actor (Riggan Thomson) struggles to be taken seriously following his retirement as superhero, Birdman, attempting to mount a comeback with a Broadway play before succumbing to his alter ago towards the end. The film acts as a metaphorical representation of Michael Keaton's career after he portrayed the caped crusader in 1989's Batman and returned this year in The Flash .  First of all, the camera work is exquisite. Emmanuel Lubezki's cinematography is extraordinary. He is given numerous instances to simply show off his e...
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Apollo 10½: A Space Age Childhood

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UK Release Date:  01 April 2022 Certification:  12 Director:  Richard Linklater Cast:  Jack Black, Milo Coy, Lee Eddy, Natalie L'Amoreaux, Zachary Levi, Glen Powell, Josh Wiggins, Bill Wise Rating:   49% Review: Richard Linklater garnered a reputation for crafting delightful coming of age films - Boyhood , Dazed and Confused and School of Rock - as well as completing one of the most acclaimed trilogies with 'The Before' trilogy.  Apollo 10½: A Space Age Childhood released on Netflix  last year to diminishing buzz and to some became an underrated gem of the 2020s.  For me that wasn't the case. I couldn't connect to the animation style for the life of me. It felt so off and unauthentic compared to the sincere story being told, not fitting the plot whatsoever. From a surface level the backgrounds shine with their unique level of intricacy and detail but the character design looks awful - rather artificial. And if an animated film fails to enti...
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