Reviews

So I recently watched Robert Eggers directorial debut, the 2015 horror film 'The VVitch' and it was pretty good. I've been excited to see this movie for a while due to the critical and financial success it garnered in it's opening week, I never had a proper chance to view it until now and I can say that I am satisfied. The film centres around a small family in the 1780s living in a cottage just off the edge if the woods where strange occurrences begin to happen to them and they have no idea what's causing them as they slowly fall into madness pointing fingers at each other. The story is simple yet effective, the thing that helps seperate this film from others that came out in it's time was how it chose to focus on the characters and how they are coping with the situation they find themselves in rather than placing the focus on cheap jumpscares and monster effects. The script really makes you invested in the story and characters to the point where I wouldn't even really class it as a horror movie and more of a fantasy drama. Like I said this was Robert Eggers first time helming a film and I'd say he did a good job, the directing is crisp and meaningful with a lot of thought clearly put into it. The cinematography by Jarin Blaschke was by far the best thing about the film with plenty of intricate shots and moments that were rather ambitious in scale and I don't believe could've been accomplished without the combined efforts of both the director and cinematographer. The acting was great for the most part although there are some lines and moments that in my opinion could've been done better from the child actors in the film, that being said a lot of the time child actors really suck but these ones actually delivered a convincing performance. The music was great and really helped add to the creepy atmosphere the film was going for. The primary problem I encountered from having a fully immersive experience was that the characters speak in a very old dialect that I found incredibly hard to understand even at full volume, I eventually had to turn on subtitles to just understand what was actually happening in I had to keep them on for the duration of the movie. No idea if it was just my tv and if i could have had a more fulfilling experience in a theatre, regardless it hurt my enjoyment quite a bit. Overall The VVitch is a very well crafted piece of cinema from a director who clearly cares about his art. Not sure if I'll ever rewatch it or not but none the less I'd recommend it for it's fantastic presentation.

Joker is a movie that I was cautiously optimistic about, the film marketed itself as a Scorsese-esque style film based on the likes of King of Comedy and Taxi Driver. I was initially worried that this film would try too hard to be like these other films rather than making an attempt to differentiate itself. And while I do not believe I was wrong to be cautious I am happy to report that this film not only differentiates itself but goes above and the in making sure that watching this film will be an experience you never forget. Joaquin Phoenix mesmerises the audience with his portrayal of the Joker character that is likely to become as iconic as Jack Nicholson's or Heath Ledger's own performances. The direction from Todd Phillips is very purposeful and intelligent mixed in with the fantastic cinematography creates one of the best looking films all year, I never once questioned why I was seeing the film from a certain perspective or why the director chose to focus on specific elements in a scene. The score is also very atmospheric and haunting, helping to aid to the misarable dark tone and depressing environment that is Gotham city. Joker is a masterfully crafted, purposefully executed movie and is sure to be remembered for many years to come.

It's probably cliche as hell to say this at this point but the point still stands, Toy Story 3 was one of the most perfectly conceived and executed endings to a trilogy in movie history. So when it was announced by Pixar that a fourth movie was in the works I was sceptical at best and terrified at worst. And boy was I right to be worried. Sitting through this movie was an incredibly dull experience for me and my friends, we were willing to give it a chance yet it still disappointed. The plot is paper thin and covers all the old ground of the other movies but significantly worse, the voice acting was passable with Tom Hanks probably giving the strongest performance, the animation and lighting was easily the most enjoyable part of the film, this is Pixar's best looking film and it's a marvel seeing how far they've evolved since the original Toy Story. This isn't enough to save the movie however as the amazing visuals are constantly overshadowed by the mediocre writing and story. Overall this movie doesn't really try in regards to the story, the animation really showed how much effort was put in to make this the best looking Pixar film, but beyond that it's pretty shallow. Check this movie out if you just want to see Woody and Buzz again, but if your looking for a movie that is anything above mediocre you'll be severely disappointed.

Saw is a perfect example of a movie that should have been standalone, because the sequels really ruin all the mystery and atmosphere established in this film. Saw works great as a horror/crime drama with an intriguing plot and twist that while convoluted and requires a bit of suspension of disbelief is still shocking and effective.