Mac's Movies

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...

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 ...

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...

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...

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...

UK Release Date:  22 October 2021 Certification:  15 Director:  Wes Anderson Cast:  Mathieu Amalric, Bob Balaban, Adrien Brody, Timothée Chalamet, Willem Dafoe, Lyna Khoudri, Frances McDormand, Bill Murray, Edward Norton, Tony Revolori, Saoirse Ronan, Stephen Park, Kiev Schreiber, Léa Seydoux, Tilda Swinton, Benicio Del Toro, Christoph Waltz, Owen Wilson, Jeffrey Wright, Henry Wrinkler Rating:   55 % Review: The French Dispatch saw Wes Anderson tell an accumulation of short stories through the technical lens of a magazine detailing events taking place in the fictional town of Ennui-sur-Blasé.  Strictly, from a narrative standpoint this is the best way for Wes to convey his signature distinct style. There's an abundance of ambitious filmmaking flair on display. Constantly shifting between black and white and colour as well as aspect ratios - the film is a technical marvel. The trademark symmetry, the elaborate set-designs and the dynamic frames of vivid col...

UK Release Date:  20 June 2023 Certification:  12A Director:  Wes Anderson Cast:  Bob Balaban, Adrien Brody, Steve Carell, Bryan Cranston, Willem Dafoe, Hope Davis, Grace Edwards, Rupert Friend, Jeff Goldblum, Tom Hanks, Maya Hawke, Scarlett Johansson, Edward Norton, Stephen Park, Tony Revolori, Margot Robbie, Jake Ryan, Liev Schreiber, Jason Schwartzman, Tilda Swinton, Jeffrey Wright Rating:   75 % Review: Wes' most visually striking film to date. He has became renowned for his eccentric, quirky style that has taken over the internet in recent months. At the height of his popularity, Wes released perhaps his least accessible film to date - it's not got to win anyone over but fans of his work will thoroughly enjoy Asteroid City . Exceptionally lit monotone shots detailing the production of the play combined with the glorified vibrancy of the play itself. The sets are designed with perfection in mind. Costume designs fit the aesthetic.  Neon greens, vast blu...

UK Release Date:  21 July 2023 Certification:  12A Director:  Greta Gerwig Cast:  Kingsley Ben-Adir, Michael Cera, Will Ferrell, America Ferrera, Ryan Gosling, Ariana Greenblatt, Simu Liu, Emma Mackey, Kate McKinnon, Helen Mirren, Issa Rae, Margot Robbie, Alexandra Shipp Rating:   55 % Review: Admittedly, I'm not the target audience - I am a teenage male that can't relate to the problems of a woman in modern society - and women have gotten a lot out of the film, specifically mothers, which is great but Barbie just felt like a strange amalgamation of social commentary and product placement. When tasked with making a film on the issues of toxic masculinity and the empowerment of feminism, whether intentional or not, it is baffling that a man completely stole the show. Before the film had even been released the public were rallying for Ryan Gosling to receive an Oscar nomination at next year's Academy Awards, demanding a solo film featuring Ken. That is the comple...

UK Release Date:  23 September 2011 Certification:  12A Director:  Glenn Ficarra, John Requa Cast:  Kevin Bacon, Jonah Bobo, Steve Carell, Ryan Gosling, Joey King, Julianne Moore, Emma Stone, Lio Tipton, Marisa Tomei Rating:   72 %                                                                                                                                                     Review: Crazy, Stupid, Love. is a delightful ...

UK Release Date:  19 May 2023 Certification:  15 Director:  Ari Aster  Cast:  Stephen McKinley Henderson, Richard Kind, Patti LuPone, Armen Nahapetian, Joaquin Phoenix, Parker Posey, Amy Ryan Rating:   41 %                                                                                                                                                                                         Review:   Joaquin Phoenix...

UK Release Date:  25 February 2005 Certification:  15 Director:  Wes Anderson Cast:  Cate Blanchett, Willem Dafoe, Michael Gambon, Jeff Goldblum, Anjelica Huston, Bill Murray, Owen Wilson Rating:   76 % Review: The Life Aquatic with Steve Zissou , a delightful, if under appreciated, entry into Wes Anderson's filmography. A revenge story, a rekindled relationship between father and son, an exploration of grief - there's a bit of everything in The Life Aquatic with Steve Zissou .  The way the film is shot is gorgeous. Wes Anderson's symmetrical style is of course there but it's a lot more subdued, present in the background rather than the main feature itself. It's documentary-like filmmaking involves the audience with the band of the Belafonte, leading to stronger emotional connection. The stop-motion animation of sea life is magnificent, adding to Wes' impressive talent for stop-motion - seen in  Fantastic Mr. Fox and Isle of Dogs . Underwate...

UK Release Date:  10 September 2004 Certification:  12A Director:  Adam McKay Cast:  Christina Applegate, Steve Carell, Will Ferrell, Kathryn Hahn, David Koechner, Chris Parnell, Paul Rudd, Fred Willard Rating:   77 % Review:   Quintessential 2000's comedy. Everyone here is on top form. This isn't a particularly well made film but Adam McKay's witty writing, a staple of his career, pulls through to create one of the most re-watchable films due to it's endless laughs.  Ron Burgundy (Will Ferrell) is an anchorman in 1970's San Diego with an award winning news team behind him - Brick Tamland, Champ Kind and Brian Fantana (Steve Carell, David Koechner and Paul Rudd respectively). The chemistry between the four characters is electric. They bounce off each other effortlessly. I forgot just how funny Will Ferrell truly is as Ron Burgundy. Over the top poetic lines and physical slap-stick combine perfectly. But one character rises above all in Anchorman: The L...

UK Release Date:  15 March 2002 Certification:  15 Director:  Wes Anderson Cast:  Danny Glover, Gene Hackman, Anjelica Huston, Bill Murray, Gwyneth Paltrow, Ben Stiller, Luke Wilson, Owen Wilson Rating:   65 % Review: The Royal Tenenbaums is Wes Anderson's third feature film and a charming addition to his filmography. Placing a broken family dynamic within a comedy allows Anderson and the cast to have a lot of fun within the film.  As is to be expected with a Wes Anderson film, the cast is packed full of world class actors and actresses. For me, Ben Stiller and Owen Wilson are the two standouts with impeccable comedic timing. Stiller's dead pan, brooding delivery is excellent - providing a self-aware commentary on the events seen in the film. Furthermore, any line of dialogue spoken by Eli Cash (Owen Wilson) left me in bits. The scene involving him doing a TV interview whilst high is quite possibly the most I've ever laughed in a cinema.  The trademar...

UK Release Date:  14 August 2019 Certification:  18 Director:  Quentin Tarantino Cast:  Austin Butler, Leonardo DiCaprio, Emile Hirsch, Timothy Olyphant, Al Pacino, Brad Pitt, Margaret Qualley, Margot Robbie Rating:   95% Review: Esteemed director, Quentin Tarantino, explores 1960's Hollywood putting his own spin on history in his ninth feature film, Once Upon a Time... in Hollywood . The world created feels immersive, transporting the audience back in time, due to intricate set-designs and a vibrant, swinging soundtrack.  As the film progresses, characters become entangled with certain members of the Manson Family.  Obviously, the Manson murders are a horrific part of history. It's a huge challenge to be able to explore the Manson Family in a sensitive manner. If done incorrectly, there would have been a real danger of  Once Upon a Time... in Hollywood  becoming exploitative but I thought it was handled well. Scenes aroun...

UK Release Date: 22 April 2022 Certification: 15 Director: Tom Gormican Cast: Nicolas Cage, Tiffany Haddish, Neil Patrick Harris, Sharon Horgan, Paco León, Pedro Pascal Rating: 50% Nicolas Cage is Nick Cage. Review: I'm not a hundred percent sure where I land surrounding Nicolas Cage's acting capabilities. At times he can come across as amateurish, almost as if he isn't putting in any effort. But simultaneously, as with The Unbearable Weight of Massive Talent , his unique style is energetic and often quite contagious. It's the perfect casting in the most meta of roles with Nic Cage playing a glorified version of Nic Cage to the full Nic Cage in a movie about Nic Cage. His chemistry with superfan, Javi, played by Pedro Pascal makes the film. It's electric, the two actors bounce off of each other with every single line somehow creating a strong, emotional bromance-like relationship in the middle of an action-adventure comedy. Their constant back and forth had me gri...

UK Release Date: 08 June 2022 Certification: 15 Director: Jeremiah Zagar Cast: Robert Duvall, Anthony Edwards, Ben Foster, Juancho Hernangomez, Queen Latifiah, Adam Sandler, Kenny Smith Rating: 69% Adam Sandler at his brilliant best.  Review: Hustle is the latest in line, following on from Uncut Gems , of films that are redefining Adam Sandler's career as a serious actor. And he makes this film work with his subtle and understating performance as basketball scout Stanley Sugarman. Sandler's also heavily involved throughout the production and that thoughtfulness and care taken with the movie bleeds through onto the screen. His love for the game is evident and it only heightens his brilliant performance. He does his usual comedic beats but it's never overwhelming and emotion is favoured instead.  Sandler's chemistry with newcomer, Juancho Hernangomez (Bo Cruz), is the best aspect of Hustle . They have the heartwarming moments that help form a real bond between the two...

UK Release Date: 31 May 2019 Certification: 12 Director: Nahnatchka Khan Cast: Vivian Bang, Michelle Buteau, Daniel Dae Kim, Randall Park, Keanu Reeves, James Saito, Karan Soni, Ali Wong Rating:   44 % Keanu saves the movie. Review: Always Be My Maybe is nothing new, the story’s been done before and whilst there are a few comedic elements that make the movie enjoyable enough it isn’t a huge revitalisation on the rom-com genre or one that I think I'll ever revisit.  Randall Park and Ali Wong in the two leads, as Marcus and Sasha, are charming and the chemistry between both actors is fine but the problem is that they aren't very funny - bar a couple of exceptions. Park and Wong are starring in a rom-com in Always Be My Maybe but the problem is, I wasn't at all invested in the relationship between Marcus and Sasha. I don't think the actors are entirely to blame for the lack of care about their characters as the script simply doesn't work. The supporting cast aren...

UK Release Date: 07 February 2020 Certification: 15 Director: Cathy Yan Cast: Ellie Jay Basco, Ewan McGregor, Chris Messina, Rosie Perez, Margot Robbie, Jurnee Smollett, Mary Elizabeth Winstead Rating: 66 % A movie that's whole purpose is to put a smile on your face.  Review:  DCEU's Birds of Prey: And the Fantabulous Emancipation of One Harley Quinn is a fun, colourful action movie with some superb performances. Margot Robbie is irreplaceable as Harley Quinn. She plays every side of the character so well from her psychotic tendencies to the drastic range of her emotions. Margot Robbie is also incredibly charismatic in the role and does the majority of the stunts by herself. Ewan McGregor is one of my favourite actors and he really gets a chance to shine as the mad man villain, Black Mask showing his incredible acting range. The supporting cast are all nice additions especially Mary Elizabeth Winstead who fits the role of Huntress terrifically. Making me laugh whilst being ...