Murder Mystery - an unexceptional, unmemorable summer movie

movie review

Murder Mystery

Starring: Adam Sandler, Jennifer Aniston, Luke Evans, Gemma Arterton, Adeel Akhtar, and Terence Stamp

Directed by: Kyle Newacheck

Tagline: First class problems. Second class detectives.

After starring together in 2011’s Just Go With It, Adam Sandler and Jennifer Aniston have reunited for another comedy outing. But instead of going the big screen route this time around, they have chosen to bring their adventure to the smallest of small screens. Available on a smartphone – or laptop if you so prefer – near you is the duo’s new film Murder Mystery, the tale of a getaway gone awry that is now streaming on Netflix.

Created in the image of the many mystery movies before it, only with a more comedic slant, the project focuses on a couple that goes to Europe on a vacation and ends up getting embroiled in a murder investigation.

Police officer Nick Spitz (Sandler) and hairdresser Audrey (Aniston) have been married for 15 years, but they have yet to go on the honeymoon that the would-be detective promised his mystery-novel-obsessed wife when they wed. When Audrey confronts him, a strapped-for-cash Nick pretends he was planning the trip as a surprise, and then puts together a low budget bus tour of Europe.

But on the flight to Spain, Audrey ends up befriending a rich Englishman, Charles (Luke Evans), who invites the pair to a party on his family’s yacht celebrating his elderly uncle Malcolm’s (Terence Stamp) wedding to Charles’ former fianceé Suzi (Shiori Kutsuna). 

With close family members and friends – including Malcolm’s disappointing son (David Walliams); a famous actress (Gemma Arterton); a Spanish Formula One driver (Luis Gerardo Méndez); and a one-eyed Namibian colonel (John Kani) – in attendance, Malcolm berates the gathering and announces that he is cutting them all out of his inheritance and leaving his massive fortune to his new wife.

It doesn’t come as a shock then that the old man is soon murdered. Anyone who was present could be the killer, but stereotypical French inspector Laurent Delacroix (Dany Boon) sees the Spitzs as the prime suspects.

It is then up to the American couple to figure out who actually committed the murder and clear their own names.

Like a comedic take on Murder on the Orient Express – a reference at the end affirms this connection – Murder Mystery ambles along amicably enough while occasionally making fun of its genre. But the proceedings aren’t quite as exciting as one would have hoped. The film spins a very typical mystery, and doesn’t really manage to establish its stakes or create a sense of excitement.

While it may, on the whole, be competently – if unexceptionally – made, the project basically struggles with inventiveness. There is nothing particularly distinctive about Kyle Newacheck’s direction. James Vanderbilt’s script doesn’t deliver anything beyond a few chuckles and is rarely laugh-out-loud funny.

Neither a hilariously silly romp, nor a sharp parody, the film relies mostly on the camaraderie of its leads to keep viewers invested. To their credit, the actors are well-suited for their roles and make sure that the movie remains watchable even when the plot isn’t exactly riveting. Aniston in particular is as charming as ever, although the film does leave you wishing the vehicle has made better use of the actress’s considerable comedic talents. 

Built on a well-worn genre that is perfect for parody, Murder Mystery had the potential to really dig in and come up with something amusing and interesting. Instead it waddles down a typical mystery path and offers nothing new. This is, ultimately, an unexceptional, unmemorable summer movie, but thanks to the talents of its cast, it is still a pleasant enough way to while away a lazy summer evening.

Rating: 2.5 out of 5

- Sameen Amer

The Express Tribune Blog - 18th June, 2019 *

Frozen II - prepare to be enchanted by some more musical magic this winter

trailer review

Just when we finally managed to get ‘Let It Go’ out of our heads, Disney has decided to unleash another instalment of Frozen, and the trailer for the upcoming sequel suggests that the past isn’t quite in the past anymore.

History, in fact, appears to be of some importance in Frozen II, the much anticipated sequel that continues the tale of Queen Elsa (Idina Menzel) and Princess Anna (Kristen Bell), the feisty sisters from the Kingdom of Arendelle who won our hearts in 2013 when the original adventure – which was inspired by Hans Christian Andersen’s fairy tale ‘The Snow Queen’ – arrived in cinemas and triumphed at the box office.

This time around, it looks like Elsa will have to venture into enchanted lands and journey into the unknown in what appears to be a dark, dramatic adventure. “The past is not what it seems,” our heroine is told in the trailer. “You must find the truth.”

The quest for said truth is evidently perilous, at least according to this short preview, which makes the new film seem more grim and sombre than its predecessor. Elsa appears to be battling a raging ocean and facing a mysterious threat. Anna too seems to be on a dangerous journey. Ominous magical horses make an appearance. And we are given the sense that the fate of the world relies on Elsa’s powers.

We see no evidence of merriment in this melancholy trailer, but hopefully it won’t all be doom and gloom. Snowman Olaf (Josh Gad) is back, hopefully with some comic relief or at least some more irresistible adorableness, as is reindeer Sven and his owner and Anna’s love interest Kristoff (Jonathan Groff). 

Much of the filmmaking team behind the first movie – including directors Chris Buck and Jennifer Lee – is returning for the sequel as well. Also – and perhaps most importantly – the brilliant Robert Lopez and Kristen Anderson-Lopez will once again lend their songwriting magic to the franchise, which means there is sure to be another anthem that kids can put on repeat for the next couple of years. Commiserations, in advance, to all parents of young children!

Disney may not be best known for its sequels, but it’s a safe bet that the studio will make every effort to please (merchandise buying) fans with this continuation of its billion dollar franchise. This is, after all, the follow-up to the highest-grossing animated film of all time. (And the studio obviously has a lot of merchandise to sell.)

Prepare to be enchanted by some more musical magic this winter, as Frozen II arrives in cinema on 22 November 2019.

- Sameen Amer

The Express Tribune Blog - 15th June, 2019 *

Netflix special: shows you can watch amidst a sea of options

netflix reviews

In It’s Bruno!, there is enough passion, charm, and oddball characters to amuse viewers; fans of the more loud and silly SNL sketches in particular might enjoy I Think You Should Leave with Tim Robinson; while The Unauthorized Bash Brothers Experience is a ridiculous combination of utterly random ideas

It’s Bruno!

Starring: Solvan Naim, Rob Morgan, and Shakira Barrera

Created by: Solvan Naim

A dog lover and his canine companion take centre stage in It’s Bruno!, a quirky web series that follows a man and his four legged friend as they go about their lives.

Series creator Solvan Naim stars as the protagonist, Malcolm, a man from Brooklyn whose love for his puggle, Bruno (played by Naim’s actual dog), keeps leading him into absurd adventures. The show comes in the form of eight short episodes of zany antics, often with only a sliver of a story holding it all together. Malcolm navigates romance, dodges dognappers, gets into a fierce rivalry with another dog owner, and tries to find a way to take Bruno into a supermarket that doesn’t allow dogs, all while amusing and charming viewers.

This is the kind of show that you’re likely to simultaneously find both ridiculous and stupidly funny. And if you’re a dog person, then you’ll probably find It’s Bruno troublingly relatable.

There isn’t heaps of depth or vast character development here, but there is enough passion and charm in this short series and its oddball characters to keep you interested in the tale of a devoted dog owner and his pet. It may not be the kind of show that will inspire you to subscribe to Netflix, but it’s worth a look-see if you are a member of the streaming service.

Rating: 3.5 out of 5

*****

I Think You Should Leave with Tim Robinson

Starring: Tim Robinson

Created by: Zach Kanin and Tim Robinson

Directed by: Alice Mathias and Akiva Schaffer

Saturday Night Light alum Tim Robinson takes his comedy to Netflix in the sketch series I Think You Should Leave, a collection of skits that often take things to the absurd extreme.

The content is basically similar to SNL sketches (unsurprisingly some of the shorts are in fact SNL rejects) but with stronger language. Most sketches start in a normal, often pleasant setting but then things quickly escalate into some form of human madness. 

Robinson mostly plays with clever ideas, although some work better than others. An airplane sketch featuring the terrific Will Forte is a highlight. Other former SNL members and several actors – like Sam Richardon, Vanessa Bayer, Cecily Strong, Steven Yeun, Andy Samberg, Fred Willard, and Tim Heidecker – also show up during different clips.

You’re likely to get different mileage out of the various sketches, and ultimately how funny you find any of this will purely come down to a matter of taste. Fans of the more loud and silly SNL sketches in particular might enjoy this series.

Rating: 3 out of 5

*****

The Unauthorized Bash Brothers Experience

Starring: Andy Samberg, Akiva Schaffer, and Jorma Taccone

Directed by: Mike Diva and Akiva Schaffer

It’s hard not to be fascinated by the minds that came up with The Unauthorized Bash Brothers Experience, a ridiculous combination of utterly random ideas, the mere existence of which is amusing in itself.

Billed as a “visual poem”, The Lonely Island’s Netflix special is presented as a rap album made by baseball players Jose Canseco (portrayed by Andy Samberg) and Mark McGwire (Akiva Schaffer) in the 1980s when the pair was known as the Bash Brothers.

The 30 minute special reimagines the sportsmen as a Beastie Boys-like outfit performing a Lemonade-esque visual album about steroids and father issues, loaded with baseball references and featuring appearances by the likes of Maya Rudolph, Jenny Slate, and Hannah Simone, as well as a standout Sterling K. Brown who appears as singer Sia. The third member of the trio, Jorma Taccone, plays various different characters.

The comedy rap group mock the Bash Brothers, spoof Beyoncé’s 2016 visual album, and indulge in general silliness as they make their way through this pseudo concept set. There are some delightful moments here, and even some skilled rapping (‘Let’s Bash’).

Not everyone will vibe with The Lonely Island’s over-the-top style of humour, but if you’ve enjoyed the trio’s work in the past, then you might want to give this special a try. And if you’ve always wanted a parody visual record based on two steroid-fuelled baseball players from the ‘80s, then, well, here you are.

Rating: 3.5 out of 5

- Sameen Amer

Instep Today, The News International - 15th June, 2019 *

Artemis - one giant leap in the wrong direction for Andy Weir

book review

Book: Artemis

Author: Andy Weir

The massive success of a debut project may propel its creator to global stardom but it can also have some side effects. Operating under the shadow of an acclaimed first effort while struggling to meet its standards thenceforth can have its downsides, an idea that is conveniently illustrated by the phenomenon of the sophomore slump.

Artemis appears to be Andy Weir’s sophomore slump.

The American writer’s first novel, The Martian - story of an astronaut stranded alone on Mars - was one of the most exciting, interesting, and compelling science fiction adventures of recent years.

Unfortunately … exciting, interesting, and compelling are three of the things that its predecessor, Artemis, is not.

Weir shoots for the Moon with his second novel, stationing the proceedings on Earth’s satellite where a lunar city serves as the centre of the action. 

The protagonist is Jazz Bashara, a porter and smuggler of Saudi origin who moved to Artemis, the city on the Moon, when she was 6. Now in her 20s, she has established a reputation for drinking and sleeping around, having given up her religion, much to the disappointment of her welder father, Ammar, who is a devout Muslim.

When an underhanded businessman offers her the chance to make a fortune by sabotaging a rival company, she hatches an outlandish plan to carry out the job. But her scheme doesn’t go quite as planned, and she ends up running into a conspiracy that could have dire consequences.

Admittedly, the setting – the Moon! – is quite fascinating and it is fun to read about the lunar city and what it might be like to actually live on the lunar surface. Plus Weir is clearly adept at weaving science into his tales. All that, sadly, is undercut by a convoluted plot that is just plain ludicrous when it isn’t busy being preposterous.

It also doesn’t help that Jazz is about as irritating as a protagonist can be. A grown woman with the personality of a teenage boy, she seems immature, lazy, unnecessarily profane, amoral, and the opposite of bright. We’re repeatedly told that Jazz is very intelligent but she never bothers to actually demonstrate said intelligence at any point. She is meant to be witty but her attempts at humour are groan-worthy.

And why should we care about the fate of a reckless smuggler-turned-saboteur? Weir doesn’t venture an explanation. The Martian was a triumph because Mark Watney was working against astronomical odds, struggling for survival. Jazz, on the other hand, is trying to make a quick buck by destroying someone else’s property, causing extensive damage, and putting hundreds of lives at risk. All that – even if seen under the light of the absurd conspiracy – does not make her someone to root for.

Weir tries to create a multi-cultural society, but instead of coming up with something smart, he keeps stumbling on stereotypes. Parts of his characterizations are cringe-worthy; others are downright offensive. Everyone appears to have been given a nationality, religion, and sexual orientation seemingly at random. The supporting characters seem like they are diverse just for diversity’s sake.

There are plot points that ultimately don’t go anywhere. The pacing is off. The dialogues seem forced and unnatural.

Artemis is one giant leap in the wrong direction for Andy Weir. But what’s most frustrating about the book is that it could actually have been very interesting. At its core, there really is a fascinating idea – colonizing the Moon and all its wonderful, messy outcomes. Had this premise not been paired with an unsatisfying caper featuring a grating heroine, we might have landed on a tale that wasn’t this disappointing.

- Sameen Amer

The Express Tribune Blog - 14th June, 2019 *

Aladdin - all spectacle, no heart

movie review

Aladdin

Starring: Will Smith, Mena Massoud, Naomi Scott, Marwan Kenzari, Navid Negahban, Nasim Pedrad, and Billy Magnussen

Directed by: Guy Ritchie

Disney has been busy churning out live action remakes of its animated classics, and these revisits have been earning tonnes of money despite the fact that they invariably fail to elevate the original material in any significant way.

The studio’s latest remake is Aladdin, a live action adaptation of the beloved 1992 animated film of the same name. 

And does it exceed or even match the joy of the original?

No. No, it does not.

The storyline is all too familiar. 

With his pet monkey and partner in crime, Abu, by his side, Aladdin (Mena Massoud) – a street urchin and petty thief – meets and falls for a woman who turns out to be Jasmine (Naomi Scott), the princess of Agrabah. The feisty Jasmine isn’t impressed with the kind of royal suitors that she is expected to marry, and is yearning for positive change in her kingdom.

Meanwhile, the wicked Grant Vizier, Jafar (Marwan Kenzari) – who wants to overthrow Jasmine’s father and become the Sultan himself – convinces Aladdin to retrieve a magic lamp hidden in a cave, offering him riches in return. But things don’t go quite as planned. When Aladdin rubs the lamp and unwittingly summons the Genie (Will Smith) who lives inside, the powerful Genie grants him three wishes.

Aladdin must figure out how to win Jasmine’s heart and defeat the power hungry Jafar while making the best use of his three wishes along the way.

The plot is mostly faithful to the original with only a few minor changes – Jasmine now wants the throne, and the Genie has a love interest – that don’t alter the story too dramatically. It is hard to deny the nostalgic draw of this project. Those who grew up with the animated Aladdin will surely find themselves emotionally drawn towards this remake. And there are a lot of familiar elements and colourful spectacle here that fans of the original will enjoy.

But as a movie, this project does falter on many counts. Director Guy Ritchie doesn’t do anything particularly inventive with the material. And the filmmakers’ decision to muddles up Arabian and Indian aesthetics is disconcerting. A Western view of the Eastern world that conflates different cultures as well as makes the suggestion that people of colour are interchangeable seems downright problematic.

Scott, who tries a little too hard throughout the film, in particular, sticks out. Her looks, outfits, and performance are more in tune with Bollywood than “Arabian Nights”. It also doesn’t help that her character is given a new, standard pop song, ‘Speechless’, the style of which simply feels out of place in the musical.

Also, the CGI isn’t exactly stellar. Jafar’s pet parrot, Iago, isn’t particularly well rendered. Abu isn’t as adorable as he should be either. And the effects used to turn Smith into the swirling Genie are, at times, a little odd.

Smith’s Genie, however, is also the movie’s MVP. The actor gives a charismatic performance in the role, and the film doesn’t really come to life till he finally appears on screen. Smith doesn’t try to imitate the incomparable Robin Williams and manages to make the part his own while honouring the legacy of the original.

Some of the film’s casting choices work better than others. On one hand, Massoud makes a charming Aladdin; on the other, Kenzari is woefully miscast as Jafar. As a result, Aladdin is disappointingly uneven. 

The new Aladdin had a tough predecessor to follow, and it simply isn’t as vibrant or joyous as its 1992 counterpart; nor does it do anything creative enough to justify its existence. Like all of Disney’s live action adaptations so far, this one too leaves us wishing that they had done something original instead. Sure the studio is making bucket-loads of money, but they have yet again failed to deliver the exciting, imaginative cinematic experience that the audience deserves.

Rating: 2.5 out of 5

- Sameen Amer

The Express Tribune Blog - 11th June, 2019 *

Abida Parveen's son Sarang Latif pays tribute to her legacy in a new web series

interview

Sarang Latif has been blessed with the chance to view the Pakistani music industry from a very unique vantage point. The youngest offspring of legendary Sufi singer Abida Parveen and renowned Radio Pakistan producer Ghulam Hussain Sheikh, Sarang was born into a family with deep ties to the musical realm. It was inevitable then that he’d be drawn into the world of music as well, a journey he started in 2013 as a producer; he has since worked with various artists and multinational companies. Now he is pouring his passion for the craft into a new project, Bazm e Rang, which is all set to premiere on Eid-ul-Fitr this year.

Conceived, directed, and produced by Sarang himself, the venture takes the shape of a series of songs which are being released online and feature his mother as the main artist. The set will find Abida Parveen performing her tracks both as a solo artist and in collaboration with other renowned singers.

The idea for the project was born out of admiration for Abida Parveen’s music. “Ammi has done more than 138 albums, MashaAllah,” Sarang gushes, “and I had always wanted to experiment with her music. I had been planning Bazm e Rang for the last five to six years but just couldn’t put together all the pieces of the puzzle until now. I guess there’s a time for everything!”

The first chapter of Bazm e Rang will begin airing in June, and will comprise of ten songs, one of which will be unveiled at a time. Kicking things off will be the track ‘Parda Dari’ featuring Atif Aslam. Other names that will lend their vocals to upcoming releases include Rahat Fateh Ali Khan, Waqar Ehsan, Jabir Abbas, Khurram Waqar, Qasim Azhar, and the band Khamaaj.

“I wanted different renowned music artists to collaborate with Ammi, singing her very own compositions,” says Sarang. “Unfortunately, what most people still don’t know is that 99% of the kalaams that my mother has sung in her entire life were composed by her, and she has set a world record for having composed hundreds of kalaams.”

A quest to revisit those kalams and see them in a new light as well as the chance to create new songs led to the production of the web series. The words of celebrated ancient poets and Sufis will form the basis of the songs. “Ammi has selected poetry by the likes of Hazrat Bedam Shah Warsi r.a, Hazrat Shah Niaz Barelvi r.a, Hazrat Baba Bulleh Shah r.a, Hazrat Baba Zaheen Shah Taji r.a, Hazrat Shah Abdul Latif Bhittai r.a, Hazrat Amir Khusro r.a, Hazrat Maulana Rumi r.a, Hazrat Moinuddin Chishti r.a, Faiz Ahmad Faiz sahab, Gulzar sahab, Hazrat Ghalib, and Sabir Zafar sahab. Amanat Ali and myself have arranged the music for the whole project.”

The series really was a labour of love for the producer who says he took the initiative all on his own, and made the whole thing without any sponsors whatsoever. Unable to find the appropriate venue for filming the performances, Sarang, along with his wife Shireen Benazir Bijarani, came up with the idea of building the set at his own studio hall. The production was handled by his friends at Placid Films, who “understood the concept really well and worked extremely hard at odd times” to make the series happen.

The songs are being released online not just because of the high expenses that would have been required to release the set on television, but because the producer feels that “people are more into YouTubing and Facebooking rather than watching TV, so it felt more appropriate to release it online so that people can watch it whenever they want.”

Sarang says that working on the project was a remarkable experience, not just for himself but clearly for everyone else who was part of the team as well. “There are many memorable incidents that happened during the project, but the one that touched my heart the most was during a shoot, when Ammi was singing. One of the cameramen, Tayyab, left his camera unintentionally and started listening to her, forgetting his job totally and then all of a sudden everybody noticed him sitting down without his camera, lost in Ammi’s soulful voice.”

The impact of Abida Parveen’s voice is something Sarang has been experiencing first hand since he was a child. “When she used to do rehearsals at home, Ammi’s voice used to give me goosebumps. I always tried to sit beside her to watch her rehearse, as that would give me some sort of satisfaction that can’t be expressed in words.” And what was it like growing up with the legendary singer as his mother? “Ammi was always strict and really busy, but it was always inspiring to see her work so hard,” he recalls. “Her passion and dedication towards her work along with my father used to have a great positive impact on me and I would always think that one day I would also be working like her with passion.”

As the first set of songs awaits its release, Sarang has already started working on the second chapter of Bazm e Rang. He wants the project to “cater to people of all ages – teenagers, middle-aged, and even old people” and “act as therapy for the mind, body, and soul”. And he hopes that the project will help him honour his mother. “With this platform, I would like to express my gratitude to my mother and say to her that I am truly proud of her. She is my source of inspiration, she is the only reason behind Bazm e Rang. I thank Allah for blessing me with such an amazing mother.”

- Sameen Amer

Images, Dawn - 8th June, 2019 *

In the picture: horror special - The Curse of La Llorona and Us

movie reviews

The Curse of La Llorona is too generic to make an impact; Us spins a fascinating yarn but struggles with plausibility

The Curse of La Llorona

Starring: Linda Cardellini, Roman Christou, Jaynee-Lynne Kinchen, Raymond Cruz, Patricia Velásquez, Marisol Ramirez, and Sean Patrick Thomas

Directed by: Michael Chaves

Tagline: She wants your children.

A Mexican folklore comes to cinematic life in The Curse of La Llorona, a fairly standard horror flick that fails to make the most of its creepy premise.

Offered as the sixth instalment in The Conjuring universe, the supernatural thriller stars Linda Cardellini as a social worker who, while pursuing a child endangerment case, ends up facing an evil spirit.

Anna (Cardellini), a single mother of two young children – son Chris (Roman Christou) and daughter Samantha (Jaynee-Lynne Kinchen) – is assigned the task to investigate the case of her client Patricia Alvarez (Patricia Velásquez), who appears to have locked up her two sons. An attempt to help the boys goes awfully awry, revealing the presence of a supernatural entity that subsequently decides to target Anna’s own children. Anna must figure out how to defeat the malevolent being in order to save her family and survive this ordeal.

The Curse of La Llorona is built on an intriguing legend with a lot of potential for spooky storytelling, but the film doesn’t quite manage to capitalize on the eeriness of its myth. Instead, it all unfolds like a typical horror episode and leads to a predictable, unexciting ending; there are no surprising twists and turns along the way. From the standard ghost-like appearance of the titular La Llorona to the film’s overreliance on startling jump scares, the movie repeatedly falters and fails to offer anything exceptional.

Cardellini is fairly good in the lead role, as is the supporting cast in their respective parts. But the actors simply don’t have any strong, thrilling material to work with. The viewer never fears for the characters or feels any sort of dread over their predicament despite the fact that they’re basically being chased by a demon.

Pretty much everything about the project is too generic to really make an impression. Michael Chaves does display the occasional stylistic flair in his directorial debut, but he generally plays it too safe. As a result, the film is neither scary, nor memorable, and is ultimately just a waste of what could have been a compelling scenario.

Rating: 2 out of 5

*****

Us 

Starring: Lupita Nyong'o, Winston Duke, Shahadi Wright Joseph, Evan Alex, Elisabeth Moss, and Tim Heidecker

Written and directed by: Jordan Peele

Tagline: We are our own worst enemy.

It’s almost surprising how well the horror genre suits Jordan Peele. The comedian-turned-director made quite a mark with Get Out in 2017, and he continues to impress with his second offering, Us.

The film tells the story of a family whose vacation takes a nightmarish turn when their doppelgängers suddenly show up.

Adelaide (a fantastic Lupita Nyong’o), her husband Gabe (Winston Duke), and children Zora (Shahadi Wright Joseph) and Jason (Evan Alex) visit their family’s lake house for a holiday. But Adelaide is apprehensive about a trip to the beach, since she encountered a doppelgänger of herself in the area when she was a child.

Her fears are realized when doppelgängers of the whole family – dressed in red jumpsuits and brandishing golden scissors (guaranteed to be the go-to look this Halloween) – show up at the house and start terrorizing the occupants.

Peele creates an intense environment and a creepy ambience that immediately sucks viewers in and confronts them with the sheer horror of the situation. Plus he skilfully uses the plot to comment on classism, shedding light on the plight of the marginalized.

The premise, however, works better on a metaphorical level than on a realistic one, since it really doesn’t hold up to even minor scrutiny. The implausible elements get more distracting the more we delve into the film’s universe, where the ideas are intriguing but the mechanics are never fully explained. A twist at the end just raises more questions which detract from the ending’s emotional impact.

The cast though is absolutely stellar. Nyong'o in particular is so terrific that her performance leaves you hoping she’ll get some attention this award season.

On the whole, this intense thriller benefits from its interesting ideas, fascinating visuals, and the remarkable acting of its fantastic cast. Its first half is stronger than its seconds, but Peele’s filmmaking is impressive throughout. And while it may leave us with some questions that we wish it would have answered, Us still makes for a fairly rewarding ride.

Rating: 3 out of 5

- Sameen Amer

Instep, The News on Sunday - 2nd June, 2019 *