Will Blinded by the Light make us fall in love with Bruce Springsteen all over again?
Of late, the international film industry seems very enamoured with projects based on the lives, music, and/or impact of some of the world’s greatest musicians. The (otherwise disappointing) Freddie Mercury biopic Bohemian Rhapsody just won Rami Malek an Oscar earlier this year. The Elton John biographical musical Rocketman is set to arrive in cinemas soon. Yesterday – the Danny Boyle directed comedy about a musician who proceeds to take credit for The Beatles’ songs after finding himself in a world where he is the only one who remembers the Fab Four – is also awaiting its summer release. Also inspired by the world of music is Blinded ...
Read Full PostThe Silence is nothing more than a cheap knockoff of A Quiet Place
It would seem rather obvious that attempting a cheap knockoff of a well-made, successful film merely a year after its release is not the best of strategies. Clearly Hollywood didn’t get that memo. Almost exactly a year after A Quiet Place arrived in cinemas, Netflix has unveiled The Silence, a movie which follows pretty much the same premise, albeit a lot more shoddily. Just like the John Krasinski hit, John R. Leonetti’s thriller is set in a world which is under attack by creatures that hunt by sound and tells the tale of a family with a hearing impaired teenage ...
Read Full PostCan Adam Sandler and Jennifer Aniston’s comedic chemistry save Netflix’s Murder Mystery?
Based on his long list of frequent collaborators, it is only logical to surmise that it must be fun to work with Adam Sandler. But while everyone may have a great time making films with him, the end results aren’t always as much fun to watch as they may have been to make, which explains why the critical reception for most of Sandler’s films has been mixed, if not altogether negative. Still, there have been a number of Sandler movies such as Punch-Drunk Love, Reign Over Me, Funny People, and the more recent The Meyerowitz Stories, that have managed ...
Read Full PostOur Planet is more traumatic than it is engaging, and therein lies its greatest fault
Filled with majestic views, dazzling imagery and mesmerising natural spectacles, Our Planet is undoubtedly visually stunning, but it is also traumatising. The nature documentary that arrived on Netflix earlier this month aims to take a look at the impact of climate change on the various life forms which populate the Earth, but takes a few questionable turns along the way. Evidently, years of work have gone into the creation of this visual masterpiece. Over the course of eight episodes, the series takes the viewer from frozen worlds to lush jungles to stunning water bodies, showing how animals live in these ...
Read Full PostHomecoming will make you marvel at Beyonce’s talent and leave you exhausted by her resilience
Beyoncé made Coachella history last year when she became the first female African American artist to headline the popular music festival. Now the singer has marked the anniversary of her performance by looking back at her triumphant show in Homecoming, a concert film that captures the spectacle onstage as well as sheds light on how it shaped offstage. Released on Netflix last week – right when Coachella was rolling in for its annual visit – the film basically shows just how Beyoncé transformed Coachella into Beychella. The piece features her nearly two-hour long set, seamlessly splicing together her performances from the first ...
Read Full PostWill Stuber manage to get a five-star rating?
Dave Bautista and Kumail Nanjiani have teamed up for Stuber, an action-comedy that seems to be built around a very familiar premise. When Uber driver Stu (Kumail Nanjiani) picks up a passenger, Vic (Dave Bautista), he unwittingly becomes part of a dangerous chase. Vic, it turns out, is a cop who is going after a brutal killer, and Stu has to go along for the ride. Anything for a five-star rating, right? But it seems highly unlikely that the film itself will merit five stars. This ride share adventure seems to be built on the beats of the worn-out buddy comedy. Only recently, ...
Read Full PostThe Lion King 2.0: Because we can’t resist Disney’s evil sorcery
Me: “These live-action adaptations of animated classics are such a racket. Disney is basically reselling us the same story with these pointless remakes, because why would they spend time and energy on creativity and new ideas when they can just use the powers of nostalgia to manipulate us into giving them all our hard-earned money? Shame on you, Disney!” Can we all make a pact not to see the Aladdin and Lion King reboot so we get something new and original from Disney for the first time in 10 years — Coleo is Cooleo (@coleoisherio) April 11, 2019 Also me: “Oh my ...
Read Full PostToy Story 4 may seem unnecessary but we should know better than to doubt Pixar
The Toy Story series is one of the brightest gems in Pixar’s dazzling crown. The acclaimed franchise not only helped the studio establish itself in its budding stages but also ensured that Pixar cemented and maintained its position as an animation powerhouse. From Toy Story (1995), Pixar’s first feature film, to Toy Story 3 (2010) – arguably the best movie of its year, animated or otherwise – the saga of Andy’s anthropomorphic toys has been a delightful, emotional ride that has impressed viewers of all ages. Photo: Giphy Nearly a decade after their last adventure, the toys are now returning to the ...
Read Full PostCan Late Night’s stellar cast save the film from an otherwise uninspired script?
When Late Night premiered at the Sundance Film Festival earlier this year, the critical consensus appeared to be generally positive, with praise directed at the movie’s heart and wit. Watch its new trailer though and you might be left confused why the film drew such favourable comments. The comedy drama tells the story of a talk show host, portrayed by the ever-terrific Emma Thompson, who is “a little old and a little white” and on the verge of losing her show. She hires a new writer, Mindy Kaling, a ‘woman of colour’ who revamps the show and helps revitalise the program. [caption id="" ...
Read Full PostA whole new world indeed: Disney’s new Indian-esque Aladdin has left us confused
After leaving viewers less than impressed with the initial teasers for the upcoming live-action adaptation of Aladdin, Disney appeared to have upped its game with the full-length trailer for this fantasy revisit. We might not be in masterpiece territory just yet, but things are certainly starting to look a lot more promising for this film, directed by Guy Ritchie. The production, which has been mired in controversy ever since its inception, primarily for its casting choices, finds the studio continuing its trend of turning their animated classics into live-action adventures. We return to Agrabah, as the CGI-filled spectacle reunites us with street ...
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