After screening a film to his students, one character in White Noise jovially informs his audience that ‘There is a wonderful, brimming sense of innocence – and fun’. Unfortunately, Noah Baumbach’s latest feature doesn’t quite warrant the same glowing praises. Based on Don DeLillo’s celebrated novel of the same name, Baumbach regular Adam Driver plays Jack Gladney, a revered history teacher who witnesses his college take a turn for the worst as it experiences what a title card describes as an ‘Airborne Toxic Event’. Chaos ensues, and his family fall into increasing turmoil as apocalypse approaches.
Continue reading “Review: White Noise”Review: His Dark Materials, Season 3
To say that Chris Weitz’s The Golden Compass was disappointing would be an understatement. It ripped away all the religious themes that made the book great, and it also committed the crime of altering the book’s sad ending. As a director working from prose, you’re inevitably going to have to condense the text, prioritising some elements and getting rid of others. Admittedly, from a commercial point of view, the film almost certainly wouldn’t have performed as well worldwide if it hadn’t removed some of the book’s controversial ideas. But there’s still nothing to justify that changed ending. Roger needed to die not only to bring the narrative to its cathartic close, but also to set up the Land of the Dead storyline that forms a major part of Philip Pullman’s third and final entry. Perhaps the only major outcome of The Golden Compass was its shiny cover in Empire Magazine that ultimately led me to subscribe to the publication.
Continue reading “Review: His Dark Materials, Season 3”Minimalist Moments: Dunkirk
So, 2022 is over. Time to get geared up for more fun film drama. And I’m not talking about the genre. I’m talking about THAT moment involving the actor Chris Pine and a certain member of One Direction. You know what I’m talking about. It barely needs explaining. Did he spit, or did he not spit? To spit or not to spit. That’s the question that a famous bard definitely didn’t ponder. Anyway, the reason I reference that moment is because Harry Styles also features in Nolan’s 2017 epic war film. And, like Don’t Worry Darling, he’s pretty…meh. Not terrible, exactly, but not great either.
Continue reading “Minimalist Moments: Dunkirk”Review: Knives Out – Glass Onion
My knowledge of Foghorn Leghorn is somewhat limited. While I’m aware that he’s a cartoon character with a distinct southern American accent, my main references derive from my father’s finely sharpened impressions, usually a mix of ‘I say I say boy’ and ‘Put a bit of pepper on it, son’. But the accent took on a persona of its own when Daniel Craig shed the suit of Bond in favour of the charismatic Benoit Blanc. It was accent that waxed lyrical about the mysteries of donut holes and their inception-like complexities.
Continue reading “Review: Knives Out – Glass Onion”Minimalist Moments: SpongeBob SquarePants, ‘The Snowball Effect’, Season 3
The main festive period might be over, but at least we can look forward to some potential snowy weather, what with our old friend global warming shaking things up and probably making the chances of some decent snow more likely.
Continue reading “Minimalist Moments: SpongeBob SquarePants, ‘The Snowball Effect’, Season 3”