2019 Preview & 10 Films I am Looking Forward to

Let’s face it 2019 is the year of Disney. 2019 sees the release of following Disney movies – Captain Marvel, Dumbo, Avengers: End Game, Aladdin, Toy Story 4, The Lion King, Artemis Fowl, Frozen 2, Star Wars Episode 9. I can see 3 or 4 of them breaking the $1,000,000,000 barrier with Toy Story, Avengers: End Game (Captain Marvel is a dark horse for that billion dollars), Frozen, Star Wars being the most likely to smash that barrier.

Aquaman

Slowly the DC Cinematic Universe (DCCU) is building its own world to match the colossus built by the MCU. The next Justice Legend to get his own origins story is Aquaman, but quite when this origins story is set is massively unclear apart from a line of throw away dialogue. However, a quick search online informs me that events in Aquaman take place after the events of Justice League but it would be difficult to tell because events of Justice League seemed to have very little bearing.

Thursday Movie Picks: 2019 Movies You're Looking Forward To

Let’s face it 2019 is the year of Disney. 2019 sees the release of following Disney movies – Captain Marvel, Dumbo, Avengers: End Game, Aladdin, Toy Story 4, The Lion King, Artemis Fowl, Frozen 2, Star Wars Episode 9. I can see 3 or 4 of them breaking the $1,000,000,000 barrier with Toy Story, Avengers: End Game (Captain Marvel is a dark horse for that billion dollars), Star Wars and Frozen 2 being the most likely to smash that barrier.

Leave No Trace

Leave No Trace is about a father and daughter who try to live their lives completely off the grid, leaving as little of a trace to their existence as possible. They do this by living in the woods and going to the local town for only the most basic of supplies. However, when Tom (Thomasin McKenzie) is spotted by a jogger she and her father (Ben Foster) are forced to find a living situation more suitable for her. The pair try to adapt, however, as Tom reaches a precarious age the two want different things.

Roma

Alfonso Cuaron’s last film was quite literally out of this world yet his latest effort brings him back to Earth but with a story no less epic and profound. Roma is partly based on the director’s life but is told through the eyes of the nanny/maid, Cleo (Yalitza Aparicio), whose experiences reveal the extent of classism and racism in 1970s Mexico.

Fantastic Beasts: Crimes of Grindelwald

Grindelwald (Johnny Depp) is being transported from America to Europe to face prosecution for his crimes on European soil. Unsurprisingly, he escapes, and builds an army of followers to help him create a wizarding world of entirely pure-blooded wizards. Dumbledore (Jude Law) enlists the help of Newt (Eddie Redmanye) to help move against the dark wizard.

Suspiria

Dario Argento’s Suspiria is a gory classic with the most incredible colour palettes to ever grace a horror film. It’s brisk running time, corny script and iconic score only adds to the film’s everlasting legacy. So, when it was announced that the 1977 classic would be remade there were murmurings of discontent among horror aficionados who wondered if anything sacred was safe from the evils of a remake? Then Luca Guadagnino announced himself as director and, following the success of A Bigger Splash and Call Me By Your Name, people were curious. 

They Shall Not Grow Old

 

Visual history has always provided us with a means to gain a better understanding of the past. It’s much easier to interpret something if we can see it for ourselves rather than trying to imagine it second hand. Even motion pictures have their use because they not only provide an understanding of the period they were made but they also provide an emotional understanding of the period they are set. Documentaries, books, journal articles give you the vital insight to critically analyse the visual medium of history.

Widows

It’s been five years since Steve McQueen’s previous feature film 12 Years a Slave which not only received widespread critical acclaim but won the Oscar for Best Picture also (however McQueen did not to win Best Director). Everyone was curious to see what his next project would be, and it was a curiosity that would be fed for almost five years.

Thursday Movie Picks - Museums

Museums tend to have a lot important stuff that’s of great value. Thus they are often target of a heist and two of my picks are heist movies.

Please check out wanderingthroughtheshelves.blogspot.com

Peterloo

The Peterloo massacre is relatively unknown event among British people, yet it was still nominated as one of the events most in need of a proper memorial to commemorate the 15 people who were mowed down by the 15^th Hussars in 1819. Mike Leigh’s film follows a shell-shocked soldier and his family as they try to live on meagre suppliers as their oppressors live lavishly off their hard work and suffering. Eventually, the family become involved in the revolutionary movement and find themselves at Petersfield on that fateful day.

Thursday Movie Picks

I know I’ve been away a while, just found it hard to watch as much films as I would need to in order to participate. Anyway, im here this week!

And this week the theme is gangsters. Funsies. Of course there are a ton of famous gangster movies such as The Godfather, Goodfelleas, Casino, White Heat but the gangster genre was at its peak around the time talkies were all the rage (and just before the Hays Code) so it’s not a surprise one of my picks is from that era.

Dialing up the Terror

I was watching Don’t Hang Up and I began wandering what makes telephone calls so creepy? I think the most obvious reason for this stems from the fear of the unknown as you do not know who or what is on the other end of the line. Most of the time in horror films the voice is distorted (Scream) so the horror stems from not knowing who is making the call as you can only hear the voice. The fear is doubly worse when the caller knows precise information about you and your whereabouts. Another aspect of pure terror stems from the sheer helplessness of hearing something on the phone and being unable to do anything about it, especially when you hear someone being hacked to death on the other end of the phone (think Halloween and Sorry, Wrong Number).

Bohemian Rhapsody

Queen are and were a big deal. The Beetles claimed they were more popular than Jesus, well, Queen are more popular than royalty. Their range of music was diverse, each album was a step into another genre but was always rooted in rock and roll. Like many bands of the era, the critics didn’t always get Queen but among the public they caused quite a storm. This is the Queen that Queen wants you to know. It’s one of the film’s merits as well as a detriment. 

Sunset

 

Set in Budapest 1913, a year before The Great War, the film follows Írisz Leiter (Juli Jakab) as she tries to get employment at an upmarket hat store that was previously owned by her parent until they died (the shop still bears her family name). Her arrival to Budapest has sparked murmurings and mutterings among the people of Budapest as her brother is wanted for murder. Irisz was previously unaware she even had a brother, having been adopted at the age of two following her parent’s death, and she seeks to find him but it proves to be difficult.

Les Guardians

There aren’t a great deal of films about the experience of women during the First World War, however the one that instantly springs to mind is Un Long Dimanche de Fiançailles (A Very Long Engagement) - a drama about a woman who tries to find her missing fiancé. Even historiography about women in war time is a little thin on the ground, but its perhaps because more people are interested in the military history aspect than the social aspect.

A Simple Favour

Paul Feig has built an entire career making movies that see women dominating the screen. With Ghostbusters to Bridesmaids and The Heat to Spy all featuring women in the main roles, it’s no surprise to see his latest film is also female led. 

Venom

Apparently, Lady Gaga fans have been going so gaga for her movie that they have taken drastic action by tweeting disparaging tweets about the Venom movie which just so happens to release on the same week as A Star is Born. This came to light when a series of identical tweets about Venom were reported. In a world of fake news and political meddling on Twitter, it’s not a surprise that is the latest tactic employed to take down a film and boost another.

BlacKkKlansman

 

The most shocking thing about Spike Lee’s latest joint is the footage that plays just before the end credits. The footage, taken from events in Charlottesville the year before, mirror events in the film and aim to show how little has changed in America since those days in the late 70s. With Blackkklansman being Lee’s biggest release since Trump was elected there are naturally indirect references to him, one example being Ron Stallworth saying that America wouldn’t elect somebody like David Duke (he was branded for being naive by making such a statement) and with Trump’s statement, that suggested criminal equity between the two sides in the clashes in Charlottesville, it is clear Lee isn’t hiding his true feelings.

The Nun

For one reason or another, horror in 2018 was the year of the nun. There were four films (that I saw) that featured nuns as the primary antagonist (to an extent). St Agatha (Darren Lynn Bousman’s best film to date), The Devil’s Doorway (decent found footage debut from Aislinn Clarke) and Heretiks (there was a reason why this was in production for years) were the three I saw at Frightfest and the fourth, and final nun film, was Corin Hardy’s The Nun which was the biggest horror film of the year (and the biggest disappointment).

Climax

Climax is the first ever Gasper Noe film I ever watched and not only was it the first Noe film I ever watched I actually watched it with the director in the same theatre. Obviously, I knew who he was and his reputation for controversy and diverse reactions to his films so I was excited to be in the same room as him. Not only did I see the guy, I briefly spoke to him and the spluttered out that was the first film I’ve seen of his. I think his misheard because he said ‘thank you’ (thinking I said ‘best’) and then again when I called his film ‘interesting’ (which is basically a euphemism for ‘I don’t know what to think’).

Antman and the Wasp

In-between the release dates of The Avengers: Infinity War and Antman and the Wasp, Marvel was hit by a small scandal which ended up in James Gunn losing his job. Granted James Gunn has been borderline insufferable on Twitter, but we are left with no doubt that this attack (started by a right-wing scumbag named Mike Cernovich) was simply done to attack someone on the different side of the political spectrum. However, the left is just as guilty of similar. It just seems that too many people just don't like hearing things they dont like.

Mission Impossible: Fallout

A mission in Berlin goes horribly wrong when a large volume of Plutonium falls into the hands of a dangerous, rogue terrorist organisation named the Apostles. The IMF must team up, and with the "help" of the CIA, recover the Plutonium.

Hereditary

A24 seem to specialize in making horror movies that people have quite adverse and polarized reactions to. The Witch, It Comes at Night and most recently Hereditary have also been praised by critics, but left a sizeable number of audience members bored to the core. It’s perhaps because the respective film’s trailers didn’t promise the scare a minute fest that people were expecting, hence the word of mouth for all films involved took a dramatically decline following the first week of release (I have one major issue with the trailer for Hereditary but it’s not that it promised a vastly different film).

15:17 to Paris

Back in 2015, three Americans, one Brit, and two French nationals successfully subdued a terrorist before anyone was killed. These few minutes in which the attack took place cemented themselves as heroes. The attack last only a few minutes, and whilst the subject is an honourable one, it seems strange that a whole feature film would be dedicated to this short event. 

Jurassic World 2

When the island's dormant volcano begins roaring to life, Owen (Chris Pratt) and Claire (Bryce Dallas Howard mount a campaign to rescue the remaining dinosaurs from this extinction-level event.

Solo

Solo tells the backstory of the rebel, maverick pilot Han Solo, epitomised as the great swashbuckling hero of the Star Wars Franchise. On the planet of Corellia both Solo (Alden Ehrenreich and Qi’ra (Emilia Clarke) are on the run. However, in a bid to escape the pair are separated and Qi’ra is captured. Solo vows to return to recuse her from her captors, but first he must find his own ship by any means possible.

Deadpool 2

When a visit to an orphanage lands both Deadpool (Ryan Reynolds) and antsy mutant teenager Russell Collins (Julian Dennison) in a mutant jail, things look as though they could not get any worse. However, the arrival of a time traveling mutant (Josh Brolin) looking to kill Deadpool’s child cellmate (who commits a deadly act in the future) may just be the chance that reunites Deadpool with his wife.

Revenge

Jen (Matilda Lutz) is having an affair with a handsome married man named Richard (Kevin Janssens). She cares very little about the fact that he married and is simply looking for a good time. This wish is shattered when two of Kevin’s hunting buddies arrive unexpectedly. They dance and drink the night away, and in the morning, when Kevin is away, one of the two men rapes Jen after having his advances rejected. Instead of comforting her attacker, Richard implores Jen to keep quiet but when she refuses he leaves her for dead. However, from sheer strength of will, Jen survives and goes looking for revenge. 

The Avengers: Infinity War

Over 10 years of the Marvel Cinematic Universe has been leading to this precise moment. The first part of The Avengers: Infinity War clearly marks the biggest movie of Marvel’s Universe, and its grand scale, infinite characters and multiple locations didn’t disappoint. This film is important, so I will reveal little except for the superheroes of the MCU team up to stop Thanos (James Brolin) wiping out half the universe.

Ready Player One

The early films of Steven Spielberg often became a major part of many nostalgic yearnings for the childhood years of many directors influenced by his work. Films like Super 8 in particular pay homage to that period of Spielberg’s filmography and the original novel, Ready Player One, also included countless references to Spielberg’s work. 

Tomb Raider

Ever since the first Lara Croft Video Game was released back in 1996, Lara has been a major part of gaming and popular culture. Such significance was its impact that it got the attention of people who didn’t even play video games (my mum for instance) and many of those people were women. Perhaps the attention it got from women was that fact that a woman was the central character (a rarity in that era). As time went on the games were criticised for their oversexualised depiction of Lara. I for one never sexualised Lara, a) because I was under 10 last time I played it and b. I’m just not turned on by pixeled boobs.

Netflix Double Bill - Mute and Cloverfield Paradox

The quaility of Duncan Jones’ first two films (Moon and Source Code) placed him on the map of the most promising up and coming directors. Whilst Warcraft wasn’t anywhere near to being a masterpiece it wasn’t the cinematic atrocity people claimed it to be either, Duncan Jones was in great need of hitting the big time again. However, it’s unlikely Mute is going to be the film to help him achieve that.

It seems a bit cliché to describe any future set film to be greatly reminiscent of Blade Runner, but the comparisons between Mute and Blade Runner are unmissable, especially when you compare the representation of the futuristic cities and the neo-noir plot. Although set in  a different country, Mute’s 2050s Berlin has many similarities to Blade Runner’s 2019 LA with its futuristic tech, bustling sex industry, and flying cars.

Berlin certainly makes more a potentially interesting setting, acting as a East meets West melting pot of immigration, but director Duncan Jones doesn’t make the most of it. He focuses on a mute bartender’s, Leo (Alexander Skarsgård), quest to find his missing girlfriend where the only link appears to be a pair of surgeons, one of whom wants to escape Berlin for America with his daughter.

Whilst I wasn’t greatly enamored with The Shape of Water, Sally Hawkins did show how much power can be garnered from a performance with no dialogue. Skarsgård, undoubtedly a good actor, is a little boring in this film showing nothing more than rage tinged with occasional sadness. Still, he isn’t the worst performer as a miscast Paul Rudd fails to carry his side of the story as he just wasn’t threatening enough to be believable in his role.

Paul Rudd’s gangster side story is where the most questionable aspect of the film arises. The film’s highly odd depiction of a very dark subject matter is done is such a blasé way that is has to be seen to be believed. 

2/5

On the weekend of 04/02 there was some rather large sporting event where two American football teams compete to wim a super bowl. Quite what makes this bowl "super" is anyone’s guess, but the event is just as famous for dropping major movie trailers during the half time show. One of the trailers dropped was for another Cloverfield movie which was released on Netflix that very night. Quite why Netflix suddenly dropped this bombshell on us was anyone’s guess, but we weren’t complaining because we had something to watch that weekend. It soon transpired that the reason why this was released with very little fanfare is that is really isn’t very good.

The film’s only saving grace, with exception of one or two good moments, was a superb, and emotionally raw performance from Gugu Mbatha-Raw. Mbatha-Raw, all on her own, makes the entire film worth watching because you do connect with her character (or what there is of her character) due to the her brilliant performance. The Interstellar like moment where she watches her family is a generally engaging moment in a film where these moments were few and far between. The performances of her fellow stars are fine but they may as well not even be there because their boring cardboard cut-out personalities ensure they don’t even make the slightest blip on the radar. 

The Cloverfield aspects feel as though they were tacked on to a random movie (which probably wasn’t very good anyway) which is let down by clumsy exposition (we have these terrible scenes where the characters, via voiceover, debate what to do next) and poor dialogue. The film is also a horrible mismatch of deadpan humour (Chris O’Dowd’s character seems to have rather blasé attitude towards losing one of his limbs) and intense horror with neither really coming to the forefront. The film, all in all, is a bit of mess, and randomly adding aspect that would make it part of the Cloverfield franchise probably didn’t help.

2/5

Annihilation

Based on Jeff VanderMeer's best-selling Southern Reach trilogy, Annihilation is about a team of scientists who investigate this mysterious and deadly shimmer which has already claimed numerous lives. Each member of the team has nothing to live for, hence the suicidal mission into the Shimmer, but Lena (Natalie Portman) enters the Shimmer with the purpose of finding out what happened to her husband (Oscar Isaac).

Black Panther

The country of Wakanda is seemingly the poorest country on Earth, but, in reality they are the most technologically advanced nation on the planet. They, have, however ensured that this secret does not become wider knowledge as it would threaten Wakanda’s peaceful tranquility. However, an outsider threatens to use Wakanda’s power for evil and aims for world domination meaning that Wakanda’s secret may no longer a secret to the outside world.

Three Billboards

When no progress is made on solving her daughter’s rape and murder, Mildred Hayes (Frances McDormand) takes matters into her own hands and hires three billboards that try to shame the police into proper action.

Darkest Hour

2017 saw two movies released about War-time Prime Minister Winston Churchill. Those two films, coupled with the release of Dunkirk, focused on a similar period of history in which Winston Churchill was faced with some tough decisions that could decide the fate of the nation. Despite taking place in different periods of the war, both Churchill and Darkest Hour are remarkably similar.

Coco

Miguel Rivera (Anthony Gonzalez) is an aspiring musician, who is very talented with a guitar, but he has never performed for anyone. This is because his family hate music and have done everything within their power to ban it so that the music is never heard by the Rivera family. This is because Miguel’s great-grandfather left his family to peruse his music career. Miguel, however, rebels against this rule, steals the guitar of the legendary Ernesto de la Cruz (Benjamin Bratt) and finds himself in the Land of the Dead having stolen the property of a dead person. 

The Death of Stalin

With all that’s going on in the World with Donald Trump becoming US President and the UK breaking away of the EU (first time I mentioned on its blog) the world is ripe for an Armando Iannucci political satire. However, Armando Iannucci decided not to take aim at Trump or Brexit (low hanging fruit I suppose) and went for Soviet Union, focusing on the clambering for power shortly following Stalin’s death in 1953.