Reviews

While its distinct animation style feels dated by today's standards, Shrek retains its charm and appeal, mainly due to its witty script and standout voice performances, notably from Mike Myers as Shrek and Eddie Murphy as Donkey. The chemistry between Shrek and Donkey consistently delivers laughs and heartwarming moments.

Shrek masterfully combines a classical fairytale narrative with a contemporary sense of humour. Its tone, a unique blend of satire and sincerity, is reminiscent of Rob Reiner's The Princess Bride. While the central romance between Shrek and Fiona is sweet, it occasionally takes a backseat to the film's persistent efforts to subvert traditional fairy tale conventions.

Wolfwalkers is a visually stunning animation. The imagery is so captivating that one could easily watch it without sound and still be mesmerised. But beyond its beauty lies a story just as engaging as the breathtaking images it presents.

Set against the backdrop of Kilkenny, the film delves into Irish mythology and history in a refreshing and authentic manner, avoiding clichés of generic portrayals of Ireland. It's a rare gem that not only appeals to audiences of all ages but also enriches their understanding of Irish culture and history with its rich storytelling and cultural depth.

One of its standout features is the brilliant differentiation in animation styles between the human and wolf perspectives. This unique approach to the animation is both a brilliant visual and narrative device.

While the narrative might lack engagement, *Postcard From Earth* compensates generously through an overwhelming, visually arresting spectacle that unfolds on the most enormous scale possible.

For the most part, the imagery of *Postcard from Earth* is quite simple, encapsulating vast landscapes, along with footage of both animals and humans. The Sphere's immense screen, enveloping over 180 degrees of the auditorium and boasting a startling 16K resolution, elevates these images to another level. The visual experience extends beyond conventional boundaries, offering an overwhelming and enthralling cinematic immersion.

The pinnacle moment of *Postcard From Earth* arrives when the screen expands from a standard cinema screen size to 160 square feet, provoking audible gasps from the audience, including myself. The scale achieved at this juncture is nothing short of jaw-dropping, creating a unique cinematic moment that remains etched in my memory.

While the film excels in its overall visual impact, there are sporadic instances where specific special effects are unconvincing. This may be due to a higher frame rate than a conventional film. Nevertheless, these CGI shots are infrequent and do not significantly diminish the film's overall visual grandeur.

Christopher Nolan's debut feature film is a tightly crafted thriller that cleverly twists and turns. It's remarkable that Nolan managed to execute the film so seamlessly, considering he made it on a shoestring budget of around six thousand US dollars, filming on weekends with his friends.

Despite the absence of a grand scale often associated with Nolan's work, the film still contains his signature elements. The sharp, non-linear editing is paired with an unpredictable and intriguing narrative, while an exciting score enhances the suspense.

However, the movie falls short in terms of acting and dialogue. Though the performances are not entirely amateurish, they feel somewhat dry and detract from the overall engagement. Nevertheless, Nolan's directorial prowess shines through, making this debut a promising start to his illustrious career.

The Bourne Identity, the first movie in the Bourne series, is a captivating mystery and an excellent beginning to the story of Jason Bourne. Although it doesn't have the same hyper-realistic direction as its sequels, Doug Liman does a fantastic job of bringing the amnesiac assassin to the big screen.

While the film is well-made, some editing choices, sound effects, and the score feel a bit dated. Despite this, the movie is still an exciting, fast-paced thriller that never loses momentum. The action scenes are well-executed, and Matt Damon delivers a terrific performance as a man trying to uncover his past. Although it may not be as polished as the later films in the series, The Bourne Identity is a promising first chapter in this larger story.

While it has occasional signature flourishes from director Brian De Palma, Domino is an immensely disappointing film. The film feels cheap and amateur, with horrendous cinematography.

The film's troubled production history is glaringly evident in the final product. Every aspect, from the music to the editing, comes across as haphazard and incomplete. The score seems out of sync with the visuals, as its classical elements clash with the film's modern and realistic look.

Despite these myriad issues, there are fleeting moments where De Palma's talent for crafting suspenseful set pieces shines through, particularly in the opening and closing sequences. However, the bulk of the film that lies in between these moments is shockingly subpar.

Oppenheimer is an exceptionally immersive cinematic experience, delving into the life of Robert Oppenheimer, the father of the atomic bomb. This dense, three-hour history lesson is at once both an intimate character study and a historical epic on an enormous scale.

In contrast to Christopher Nolan's usual action-packed films, Oppenheimer is primarily a drama. Yet, it retains Nolan's distinct filmmaking style by utilising IMAX cameras to create an immense and immersive experience. The IMAX technology is applied uniquely here, capturing breathtaking closeups of the actors' performances rather than solely focusing on action and establishing shots. Notably, the film utilises black and white IMAX for the first time, to beautiful effect.

And just like the cinematography, Nolan's approach to music doesn't change with the more intimate story either. The music is just as loud, bombastic, and rousing as his previous films. Ludwig Göransson returns having previously composed the music for Tenet. With this score, he completely reinvents himself. The score is more classical compared to his previous work. Yet it is no less exciting here.

In a typical Nolan fashion, Oppenheimer employs an unconventional narrative structure, splitting the biopic into two distinct storylines: Fission and Fusion. Fission provides Oppenheimer's subjective perspective in colour, offering glimpses into his awe-inspiring yet terrifying psyche. Fusion, shot in black and white, is centred around a 1959 Senate confirmation hearing for Lewis Strauss, portrayed remarkably by Robert Downey Jr.

Cillian Murphy delivers a standout performance as Oppenheimer, with an understated yet Oscar-worthy portrayal. He embodies Oppenheimer flawlessly, capturing his accent, physical presence, and emotional depth. The haunting look in his eyes after the atomic bomb's detonation over Hiroshima is particularly astonishing.

The film also has one of the most incredible ensemble casts I've ever seen. Nolan has spoken about how he wanted to avoid having composite characters in this film, meaning the cast is enormous. Matt Damon, Emily Blunt, Florence Pugh and Robert Downey Jr get the most to do from the supporting cast, yet the film is rounded out by big-name actors in roles both big and small. Gary Oldman, Benny Safdie, Dane Dehaan, Alden Ehrenreich, Mathew Modine, Josh Hartnett, Tom Conti and Jason Clarke all bring weight to roles that could have been forgettable.

While the film is short on action, it has one of the most nerve-wracking, suspenseful and incredible set pieces I have seen in the form of the Trinity Test. In true Nolan fashion, he somehow manages to recreate the first atomic bomb test without the use of CGI. The explosion itself is both beautiful and frightening. There are shots where it feels like this colossal explosion is so large that even the IMAX cameras cannot fully capture it. The setup is equally, if not more impressive, to this sequence. It is incredibly orchestrated, with Göransson's score reaching unimaginable heights in tension. The build-up was one of the most heart-pounding cinematic moments I've ever experienced.

For all its brilliance, the film is not perfect. The last act is not quite as compelling as the first two hours leading to the Trinity Test. While still very engaging, the post-war hearings don't have the same stakes as the race to create the atomic bomb. And while the scene in which Oppenheimer gives a speech following the dropping of the bomb on Hiroshima is phenomenal, I wish we got more scenes like this, which brilliantly show us how conflicted and horrified Oppenheimer was about his creation post-war. Nonetheless, the film's final scene is both powerful and haunting in this regard.

Oppenheimer's relationships with the two most influential women in his life, played by Emily Blunt and Florence Pugh, also felt a little underdeveloped. While the film is huge, dense and fast-paced, a greater emphasis on these pivotal relationships would have been beneficial. While Blunt has a fantastic scene towards the film's end, I wish we got a deeper look at her relationship with Oppenheimer. As for Pugh, I found her relationship with Oppenheimer thinly written also. While the sex scenes add a layer of intimacy to a historical epic of this scale, they aren't enough to help understand this strange relationship.

Ultimately, the film tackles some of the most complex and significant moral questions in human history without giving you an easy answer, because there isn't one, making it a thought-provoking and immersive cinematic experience.

While presented in a very straightforward and dry manner, Trinity and Beyond offers an insightful exploration of the US nuclear tests conducted between 1945 and 1962.

However, it's worth noting that the footage used in the film is in dire need of serious restoration. Despite this drawback, witnessing the sheer power and impact of nuclear explosions is both awe-inspiring and terrifying.

One particularly disturbing aspect of the documentary that has stuck with me is the footage depicting animals being used in atomic tests, highlighting the harsh realities of these experiments on innocent creatures.

The film is primarily composed of raw footage, which adds an authentic and unfiltered touch to the documentary. Although fascinating, some may find the continuous 90 minutes of explosions overwhelming and repetitive.

Dr. No is an enjoyable entry in the James Bond series, bringing the iconic spy to the big screen for the first time. As the first 007 movie, it operates on a lower budget and a more modest scale compared to later instalments. Consequently, the action scenes are relatively subdued.

Unlike its sequels, Dr. No does not contain a pre-credit sequence, nor does it have a signature song that plays out over the opening credits. Instead, the credits feature three different songs, including the now-famous James Bond theme. This credit sequence is weak compared to the rest of the series, feeling jarring as the song repeatedly changes.

While the film's opening is underwhelming, the introduction to the famous British agent is fantastic and iconic, with Sean Connery uttering the famous "Bond, James Bond" line for the first time on the big screen. Connery's Bond exudes charm, humour, and likability while simultaneously embodying the cold-blooded killer that Bond is.

The first half of Dr. No is somewhat lacklustre and forgettable, aside from Bond's captivating introduction at the casino. However, the film gains momentum in the second half when the story shifts to Dr. No's island. From this point onwards, it takes on the tone of a thrilling serial adventure featuring enjoyable yet unremarkable action sequences.

Ursula Andres leaves a lasting impression as Bond girl Honey Ryder, particularly in her memorable introductory scene emerging from the sea. This scene would later be homaged by Halle Berry in Die Another Day and Daniel Craig in Casino Royale.

Like the film itself, the character of Dr. No is a mid-level bond villain. His introduction, in which we hear only his voice, is menacing. However, his impact diminishes as the story progresses, as he is not provided ample opportunity to shine. Nonetheless, his island lair showcases the classic Bond villain aesthetic with meticulously crafted and visually stunning sets.

My initial experience watching Tenet in cinemas left me disappointed. While I enjoyed the experience, I struggled to keep up with the plot. By the third act, I was utterly unengaged with the story and was simply admiring the visuals. However, upon multiple rewatches, I've come to appreciate Tenet more and find it increasingly rewarding.

Tenet is undeniably Christopher Nolan's most challenging film and stands as one of the least accessible mainstream blockbusters I've seen. It not only benefits from repeated viewings but actually requires them. While some may consider this a failure on the part of the filmmakers, I found it intriguing. Tenet is undoubtedly one of the most ambitious and original blockbusters in recent memory.

Arguably the most confusing sequence in the entire film is the opening. While I understood the general plot, it was unnecessarily complex. To add to the confusion, the dialogue is tough to hear in several scenes, which has become the norm in Nolan films. The fact that the characters are wearing masks also makes it impossible to lip-read. Because this opener is so dense with its plotting, it does feel like you are playing catchup from the beginning. Nevertheless, it is an astonishing action sequence with incredible stunts, cinematography and music. The imagery of trains moving forwards and backwards simultaneously perfectly captures the film's core ideas.

Breaking from tradition, Christopher Nolan enlisted Ludwig Göransson as the composer instead of Hans Zimmer, and Göransson delivers an outstanding score. It possesses the same level of intensity as previous Nolan-Zimmer collaborations while having its own quintessential Göransson touch. As the story becomes more complex, with certain characters moving backwards in time while others move forward, the score follows suit, incorporating compositions played in reverse. Overall, Göransson has crafted a classic score featuring standout compositions like "RAINY NIGHT IN TALLINN," "MEETING NEILL," "747," "SATOR," "TRUCKS IN PLACE," and "POSTERITY."

Kenneth Branagh's portrayal of the villain, Sator, is a standout performance. Although the character may seem generic on paper, Branagh brings him to life with a wonderfully over-the-top performance and a sinister Russian accent that surprisingly works.

While the movie's main talking point is the use of time and, more specifically, inversion, the first half of this film plays out like a James Bond-type spy thriller, albeit an incredibly complicated one. Once inversion is fully introduced, the movie becomes insane, with characters going forward and backwards in time simultaneously. Like Nolan's other high-concept sci-fi films, such as Inception and Interstellar, he excels at grounding these seemingly fantastical concepts in reality through practical effects and realistic action sequences. The first inversion scene, seen from The Protagonist's perspective (played by John David Washington), effectively immerses viewers in this extraordinary concept.

And while the film's second half deals with inversion and time travel, it is less complicated than the first hour. Along with the score, which helps distinguish forward and backward scenes, the colours of red and blue are also used to brilliant effect here. Nolan's colour palettes are often awash with browns and greys, so the use of reds and blues is pretty startling.

While grounded in reality and featuring familiar scenarios, the action sequences gain a refreshing uniqueness through the element of inversion. Whether it's a one-on-one fight or a car chase, the aspect of time travel adds an entirely fresh and original dimension. By the final act, the action becomes pure chaos, as armies battle in an urban setting while simultaneously moving forwards and backwards in time.

While I enjoy all the characters in this film, it's mainly due to the compelling and charismatic performances of the wonderful cast, including John David Washington, Elizebeth Debicki and Robert Pattinson. Nevertheless, this wasn't a massive problem for me, especially on rewatches, as I was so wrapped up in the plot. If the story loses you, however, the characters themselves may not be strong enough to hold your interest. The film heavily emphasises making Kat (played by Debicki) and her son the emotional core, which sometimes feels a little forced.

Overall, Tenet is not perfect. For a film with such high concepts, the overall narrative plot points are a little too complicated, especially in the first half. The characters may lack depth, and it may take multiple viewings to fully comprehend the plot. Despite these issues, Tenet remains an incredibly original and awe-inspiring film that respects its audience's intelligence. Even if the story proves elusive, the visual experience alone is worth the watch. As Clémence Poésy's character wisely suggests, "Don't try to understand it. Feel it."

Love, a film by the provocative French director Gaspar Noe, offers a unique perspective on sex and relationships. While it can be considered an arthouse porn movie, Love's well-crafted cinematography and authentic portrayal of relationships make it intriguing.

Notably, the film sparked discussions due to its unsimulated sex scenes. Noe treats these sequences like meticulously choreographed action pieces, broken up by scenes of dialogue and drama. While one could debate the necessity of these scenes, they undeniably contribute to the film's pursuit of authenticity, as the actors genuinely engage in sexual acts. This rawness adds a level of intimacy seldom witnessed on screen. This added realism is necessary, as the acting, while serviceable, is never great.

However, the inner monologue of our protagonist, Murphy, often comes across as painfully pretentious and grating, detracting from the overall experience. Similarly, the confrontations between Murphy and Electra are cringe-inducing, intentionally highlighting the discomfort and awkwardness that often accompanies real-life relationship conflicts when viewed from the outside.

At 134 minutes, the film is too long, especially when the main character is as unlikeable and toxic as Murphy. It's surprising that a movie titled Love presents such a pessimistic view of love and monogamy, yet this unexpected perspective enhances the film's intrigue and allure.

A Trip to the Moon is one of cinema's first true sci-fi pictures. While I find the film quite dull by today's standards, looking at the movie in the context of the era, it is remarkable. Director Georges Méliès, a true pioneer of his generation, showcased his boundless creativity in this work, blending his roles as both magician and filmmaker.

Méliès's technical prowess was truly ahead of its time. He introduced and popularised innovative techniques like multiple exposures, dissolves and even invented substitution splicing. Notably, he meticulously hand-painted each frame of his films, resulting in both colour and black-and-white versions of his movies.

However, apart from its groundbreaking special effects, what truly distinguishes A Trip to the Moon is the iconic image of the rocket lodged in the eye of the moon's face. This imagery has endured for over 100 years, affirming the film's lasting impact.

Season of the Witch is a dull, lifeless adventure film with a dull, lifeless performance from its lead, Nicholas Cage. Set in medieval Europe during the Crusades, Cage and Perlman, playing deserting soldiers, don't even attempt appropriate accents and simply use their natural American accents. This creative choice is distracting and feels entirely at odds with the world the film is trying to invoke. However, the accents of the entire cast are completely all over the place, and not just with our two main characters. Unfortunately, this is only one of many issues this movie has.

While a movie about witchcraft in medieval times should be fascinating, it is presented lethargically in this movie, making for a tedious viewing experience. The decision of Cage's character to abandon the Crusades after a decade of fighting seems weak and implausible. Witnessing the killing of civilians, including women and children, during a battle failed to convince me that this soldier would be shocked by such atrocities after years of similar conflicts.

The film boasts a talented supporting cast, including Stephen Graham, Robert Sheehan, and Claire Foy, in her theatrical movie debut as the suspected witch. Even Christopher Lee make a brief appearance, heavily disguised under prosthetic makeup. However, these actors are underutilised, and I was left indifferent to their characters, with any deaths feeling inconsequential. The film's attempts at humour through banter between Cage and Perlman's characters fall flat, as the dialogue feels anachronistic and out of place.

While the prosthetic makeup used for Christopher Lee's plague-riddled Cardinal D'Ambroise is quite impressive, the digital effects in this movie are appalling. From poorly rendered battle scenes with large armies to an unconvincing action sequence involving CGI wolves and the climactic scenes featuring a computer-generated demon, the visual effects come across as laughably bad, leaving the film feeling cheap.