THE IMITATION GAME ★★★★☆
Surprised how engaged I was by this Oscar bait. Conveys Turing's importance on several levels. 99 HOMES ★★★★★ Might've been syrupy kitchen-sink flick, is instead exhilarating capitalism drama. The Dardennes meets BREAKING BAD. STILL ALICE ★★★★★ Julianne Moore-Alec Baldwin-Kristen Stewart. Excellent Alzheimer's drama. (Was strong enough without weepy music.) THEY HAVE ESCAPED ★★★★☆ A teenagers on the run love story that keeps shifting gear, until a surprisingly brutal climax. AMERICAN HEIST ★★★½☆ Hayden Christensen - Adrien Brody. Hubristic crime title not matched by result, but is fitfully entertaining. MISS JULIE ★★½☆☆
Feels like an unnecessary adaptation from Liv Ullman. Chastain-Farrell-Morton perform to the back row. LOVE & MERCY ★★★★★ What a music biopic! Masterstroke casting Paul Dano & John Cusack, over two timelines, as Brian Wilson. LEARNING TO DRIVE ★★★★☆ Director Isabel Coixet goes ONCE + humour. Actors Ben Kingsley & Patricia Clarkson make it look effortless. GOOD KILL ★★★★☆ Andrew Niccol channels his inner Ken Loach/Paul Laverty, to create an engaging state of the nation war flick. CAKE ★★★½☆
Shock: Jennifer Aniston & Sam Worthington actually stretch themselves! Grief drama, liberally sprinkled with wry humour. GENTLEMEN ★★☆☆☆ A mess of ideas and characters. Kinda THE GREAT GATSBY transposed to 1970s Sweden. WHILE WE'RE YOUNG ★★★★★
Has director Noah Baumbach reached his apex of cataloging our capacity to be insufferable? I hope not. KILL ME THREE TIMES ★★½☆☆ RED DOG director has made an underwhelming crime caper. Simon Pegg best thing, as a douche bag assassin. LUNA ★☆☆☆☆ Visual imagination, of director Dave McKean (MIRRORMASK), is redundant in face of excruciating writing and ropey acting. ESCOBAR: PARADISE LOST ★★★★☆ For better/worse, goes LAST KING OF SCOTLAND as an entry into such an extreme world. Out to own today: Bad Neighbours
A Single Shot
A Thousand Times Good Night
THE COBBLER ★☆☆☆☆
Tom McCarthy - Adam Sandler, an inane modern fairy tale. How is this from the director of WIN WIN/STATION AGENT? BANG BANG BABY ★★½☆☆ Surreal musical drama. Vivid production design, but weak story/characters. Interesting mix of hope/pessimism. THE REACH ★★☆☆☆ Michael Douglas and Jeremy Irvine fight it out in the desert to lacklustre effect. [REC]4: APOCALYPSE ★★★☆☆ Solid zombie escapades, this time on the ocean. Made watchable by continuing straight from second. WELCOME TO ME ★★★☆☆
Kristen Wiig + team skewer self obsession & emotional exhibitionism. A look-through-your-fingers awkward comedy. BIG GAME ★★½☆☆ President Samuel L Jackson crashes in a Finnish forest, and hunted by adversaries. RARE EXPORTS director underwhelms. SHELTER ★★½☆☆ Paul Bettany directorial debut. Homeless love story. Might have been LEAVING LAS VEGAS meets CATHY COME HOME. Wasn't. NIGHTCRAWLER ★★★★★ As a creepily compelling bottom feeding newshound sociopath, Jake Gyllenhaal excels. |
This website is written by Hemanth Kissoon.
Filmaluation is dedicated to arts culture, with a particular focus on film. I care about intelligence, quality and entertainment. Need some movie and TV show recommendations? See the drop down to the right of the Home tab. Enjoy. The vital ambitions of art and entertainment: - Perceptiveness - Illumination - The unexpected - Innovation Brains and soul are key; but adrenaline junkies do not fret, there is also much love for an experience that delivers a sucker-punch to the guts via stunningly delivered thrills. Noun, “filmaluation”: The evaluation of a film Verb, "to filmaluate”: To evaluate a film I am well aware how difficult it is to make a film, put on a stage play, create a television show, write a novel, let alone make something of note. (That appreciation doesn’t stop me from having high standards though.) This online magazine is edited by Hemanth Kissoon. Filmaluation is owned by Filmaluation Limited (Company number 8549302. Registered in England and Wales) Archives
May 2024
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