In the picture: The Invisible Man and Spenser Confidential

movie reviews

A strong performance by Elisabeth Moss powers the uneven The Invisible Man; Spenser Confidential is a bland, formulaic action flick

The Invisible Man ★★★

Starring: Elisabeth Moss, Oliver Jackson-Cohen, Aldis Hodge, Storm Reid, Harriet Dyer, and Michael Dorman

Directed by: Leigh Whannell

Tagline: What you can’t see can hurt you.

If you need proof that a terrific actor can massively elevate the material they’ve been given, then look no further than The Invisible Man, a horror thriller that is driven by a riveting performance by actress Elisabeth Moss.

The film begins with Moss’s character, Cecilia, fleeing the house of her controlling, abusive partner, Adrian (Oliver Jackson-Cohen), who is a tech entrepreneur celebrated for his ground-breaking work in optics. With the help of her sister Emily (Harriet Dyer), Cee takes refuge at the house of her childhood friend, James (Aldis Hodge). She is petrified that her ex will come after her until two weeks later when Adrian seemingly commits suicide.

Adrian’s will, handled by his brother, Tom (Michael Dorman), leaves $5 million to Cecilia and gives her the hope that she can now move on with her life. But creepy things soon start happening around her, leaving her to wonder if Adrian is somehow tormenting her. The people around her are certain that he is dead, whereas Cecilia is convinced that he is alive and is using his optics expertise to become invisible in order to harass her.

It’s the psychological tension in the first half of the film that works rather well as the terror of the situation becomes more and more palpable. As things progress though, the movie takes a few wrong turns and ends up in fairly formulaic territory. A predictable twist then leads us to a somewhat underwhelming ending.

Not all of it feels entirely convincing, but Moss makes sure that the project remains fascinating with her intense performance. 

The Invisible Man does leave you wishing, though, that Leigh Whannell had managed to maintain the film’s anxiety-inducing tension till the end, since the psychological horror elements are so much more interesting than the eventual revenge thriller turn. Still, the film earns points for providing a new spin on the ideas of its source material, and an impressive lead performance ensures that the otherwise uneven movie remains worth a watch.

Rating: 3 out of 5

*****

Spenser Confidential ★★1/2

Starring: Mark Wahlberg, Winston Duke, Alan Arkin, Iliza Shlesinger, Bokeem Woodbine, Donald Cerrone, Marc Maron, and Austin Post

Directed by: Peter Berg

Tagline: The law has limits. They don’t.

Director Peter Berg and actor Mark Wahlberg have teamed up once again. Their fifth collaboration sees them resurrect Robert B. Parker’s Spenser by way of a very loose adaptation of Ace Atkins’s novel Wonderland.

Portrayed by Wahlberg, Spenser here is a police officer who gets into an altercation with his captain, John Boylan (Michael Gaston), after discovering that the latter has been involved in domestic violence. A five-year prison sentence later, Spenser is released from captivity, but on the very day of his release, two cops are murdered, including the aforementioned Boylan.

In a bid to find out what actually happened, Spenser teams up with his new roommate, Hawk (Winston Duke), and, with a little help from his mentor Henry (Alan Arkin), investigates the crime, hoping to clear an innocent man’s name and take down the actual guilty parties.

Things unfold pretty much as you’d expect. Despite the random insertion of a conspiracy in the second half, the overall outcome remains predictable. There isn’t anything particularly original about the project, nor is it terribly exciting. There are a few jokes that work but for an action comedy, the humour is often lacking and the overall film never settles on a consistent tone.

Wahlberg’s acting is serviceable if unexceptional. Duke, however, isn’t particularly memorable; Iliza Shlesinger (who plays Spenser’s ex) overacts and is distracting; and an unconvincing Austin Post (a.k.a. Post Malone, portraying an adversarial inmate) doesn’t exactly leave you looking forward to his next acting gig.

There’s nothing really special about Spenser Confidential, and those familiar with the character the movie is based on may be even more critical of this incarnation, but if you’re looking for a generic action flick to while away an evening, then this otherwise bland episode just might fit the bill.

Rating: 2.5 out of 5

- By Sameen Amer

Instep, The News on Sunday - 15th March, 2020 *

In the picture: Sonic the Hedgehog and All the Bright Places

movie reviews

Sonic the Hedgehog is a whole lot of fun; All the Bright Places is a derivative young adult melodrama

Sonic the Hedgehog ★★★☆☆

Starring: Ben Schwartz (voice), Jim Carrey, James Marsden, and Tika Sumpter

Directed by: Jeff Fowler

Tagline: Try to keep up.

After much-needed revamping following the furore about the character’s uncanny appearance, Sonic the Hedgehog has overcome his initial design hurdles and made his way to cinemas in a surprisingly enjoyable adventure.

Now looking suitably adorable, Sonic (voiced by Ben Schwartz) finds himself evading baddies in this live-action adaptation of the Sega video game franchise.

When his extraordinary powers of supersonic speed make him a target of power hungry bad guys, Sonic is sent to Earth where he must stay hidden and never stop running. If he is discovered, he can use one of his magical rings to create a portal to another planet where he must then continue to live in isolation.

But the loneliness is starting to take a toll on the friendless hedgehog. He has grown fond of the local sheriff, Tom (James Marsden), and his kind veterinarian wife, Maddie (Tika Sumpter), from afar, but can’t risk making contact with humans.

His frustration over his predicament leads him to inadvertently cause an energy surge that knocks out the region’s power. Evil scientific genius Doctor Robotnik (Jim Carrey) is brought in to figure out what happened; he promptly discovers Sonic’s existence and makes it his mission to capture the space creature.

Sonic then ends up joining forces with an initially reluctant Tom to reclaim the rings that he has lost in the ruckus and escape the mad scientist who is on his trail.

The adventure that ensues may not be a cinematic masterpiece but it is still a whole lot of fun. The humour generally works. Young viewers, in particular, are likely be delighted by Sonic’s antics, and there’s enough charm here to keep grownups invested too (even if they may otherwise find the tale simplistic and predictable).

The titular character is lovable, his human sidekick (portrayed by a very charismatic Marsden) is affable. The exuberant Carrey is entertaining in the comedic style he is so well-known for.

Jeff Fowler and his team have done a fairly solid job revamping a project that initially seemed to be going awry. Ultimately, Sonic the Hedgehog may not break any new ground and clearly won’t redefine cinema, but this family-friendly adventure will ensure that viewers have a good time and exit the screening with a smile of their faces.

Rating: 3 out of 5

*****

All the Bright Places ★★☆☆☆

Starring: Elle Fanning, Justice Smith, Alexandra Shipp, Kelli O'Hara, Lamar Johnson, Keegan-Michael Key, and Luke Wilson

Directed by: Brett Haley

Tagline: Live life at full brightness.

YA clichés converge in All the Bright Places, a tragic teen romance that tries very hard to tug at your heartstrings but fails to make much of an impact.

The story revolves around two high school students, Violet (Elle Fanning) and Finch (Justice Smith). Violet is struggling with the death of her sister. Finch is struggling with mental health issues. The two are brought together when Finch finds Violet standing on the ledge of a bridge. The pair bond with each other after deciding to collaborate on a class project that requires them to explore their home state of Indiana.

The project comes off as derivative from the get-go as the screenplay does little more than put together hackneyed beats. (You can easily tell from the staid storyline and how things unfold that this film found its beginning as a young adult novel.) 

The movie’s handling of some of its developments is also a tad problematic; instead of the deep take the difficult topics need, we are given shallow melodrama. The ending in particular is very weak, leaving us with rushed, unconvincing closure instead of the more raw, dark, complex outcome that would have been more realistic.

The acting isn’t exactly stellar either, especially from the stilted Fanning who seems miscast as the lead; her performance is too unnatural, and she does not feel like a good fit for the role. Smith delivers the better performance and keeps the film afloat even though the movie fails to give his story the depth it needs.

There are moments that work, but things do not come together as a touching, convincing whole. Brett Haley makes some good use of cinematography and sound, but, all in all, this predictable drama struggles because of a derivative screenplay drenched in teen drama tropes.

Rating: 2 out of 5

- By Sameen Amer

Instep, The News on Sunday - 8th March, 2020 *

In the picture: Fantasy Island and The Last Thing He Wanted

movie reviews

Fantasy Island is nonsensical; The Last Thing He Wanted is an incoherent mess

Fantasy Island

Starring: Michael Peña, Maggie Q, Lucy Hale, Austin Stowell, Jimmy O. Yang, Portia Doubleday, Ryan Hansen, and Michael Rooker

Directed by: Jeff Wadlow

Tagline: The island knows your secrets.

Blumhouse’s Fantasy Island is testament to the fact that not all old franchises warrant revivals. This horror reimagining of the 1970s’ television series of the same name lacks not just scares and thrills but even basic logic.

The proceedings commence as a group of contest winners arrive at a supposedly magical resort where “anything and everything is possible”. The island, run by mysterious host Mr. Roarke (Michael Peña), will apparently fulfil each guest’s deepest fantasy. 

The troubled Melanie (Lucy Hale) wants revenge on a childhood bully (Portia Doubleday); businesswoman Gwen (Maggie Q) wants a do-over so that she can accept a marriage proposal she rejected many years ago; policeman Patrick (Austin Stowell) wants to enlist in the army in honour of his late father; while step-brothers J. D. (Ryan Hansen) and Brax (Jimmy O. Yang) want to “have it all”.

The guests are led to their respective scenarios; the experience of each is tailored specifically to their desires. But their dream vacation soon turns into a nightmare. Stuck in an increasingly dangerous situation and obligated to see their fantasies through to their conclusion, the group must figure out what is going on and find a way to escape.

For a project that’s meant to offer a horror adventure, Fantasy Island is neither spooky, scary, or even remotely thrilling. The film might manage to generate mild curiosity but holds no actual tension or suspense. 

Fantasy Island mostly just finds itself struggling with preposterous and convoluted set-ups before ultimately arriving at its nonsensical conclusion. There is an unexpected albeit lazy plot twist (made up of elements that horror movie buffs will find familiar) in the third act; if you don’t see it coming, it won’t be because the twist is shocking or brilliant but because it’s just plain ridiculous.

The characters are grating, the acting is poor. This is the kind of project that would make sense if it landed on a streaming service or had a straight-to-DVD release, not something that deserves a big screen outing.

Its basic premise is mildly interesting, and the concept does hold some potential, but to actually make the most of that potential, the film would have had to either embrace its inherent darkness or have some fun with its preposterousness. Fantasy Island does neither, and is, as a result, neither an entertaining nor a satisfying horror experience.

Rating: 1 out of 5

*****

The Last Thing He Wanted

Starring: Anne Hathaway, Ben Affleck, Rosie Perez, Edi Gathegi, Mel Rodriguez, Toby Jones, and Willem Dafoe

Directed by: Dee Rees

It isn’t often that not even a single aspect of a film merits praise. Even cinematic projects that go awry usually have some positive elements that deserve a mention. Yet Dee Rees has somehow managed to make a movie so abysmal that it’s hard to find anything good to say about it.

The Last Thing He Wanted is a political thriller so incoherent, disjointed, convoluted, and boring that its very existence proves to be perplexing.

At the centre of its tale is dedicated, heroic journalist, Elena (Anne Hathaway, not at her finest), who wants to uncover the truth about U.S. government-sponsored violence in Nicaragua and the smuggling of weapons to a troubled region. But she is instead assigned the more insipid task of covering the 1984 election. When her estranged, sick father (Willem Dafoe) asks for her help in one of his ill-conceived moneymaking schemes, Elena finds herself in the middle of the very story she hoped to break.

Things go from bad to worse. A shady government official played by (a visibly bored) Ben Affleck enters the story, then just disappears from it for long stretches before entering it again.

Meanwhile, Elena, tries to find the truth with the help of fellow journalist Alma (Rosie Perez) … while either being aided or pursued by her contact Jones (Edi Gathegi) … while trying to placate her daughter who is unhappily stuck at a boarding school … while working as a maid at a resort owned by an expat portrayed by Toby Jones.

There are too many arcs, but not much convincing drama. Any of its many threads – brave journalism, weapons smuggling, a frayed father-daughter or mother-daughter relationship – could have made a compelling narrative. But here, none of them do.

The film seems to want to offer something deep, moving, and meaningful but instead ends up being shallow and dull. None of the puzzle pieces fall together with any elegance. Its choppy editing makes the narrative go randomly from scene to scene without bothering with things like flow and relevance. The atrocious screenplay includes lines like “You wanna see a monkey drive? Buckle up. Follow the bananas” and is over-reliant on grating voiceovers.

What you are ultimately left with is a subpar movie that takes itself too seriously, gives you no reason to care about its events or characters, has no redeeming qualities, and just wastes two hours of the viewers’ time.

Rating: 0 out of 5

- By Sameen Amer

Instep, The News on Sunday - 1 March, 2020 *

In the picture: Birds of Prey and P.S. I Still Love You

movie reviews

The uneven Birds of Prey is a mediocre DC adventure; P.S. I Still Love You is an unnecessary, bland sequel

Birds of Prey (And the Fantabulous Emancipation of One Harley Quinn)

Starring: Margot Robbie, Mary Elizabeth Winstead, Jurnee Smollett-Bell, Rosie Perez, Chris Messina, Ella Jay Basco, and Ewan McGregor

Directed by: Cathy Yan

Tagline: Mind over mayhem.

The anti-heroines of Gotham come together (eventually) in Birds of Prey, the latest flick in DC’s Extended Universe.

The film takes crazed criminal Harley Quinn (a terrific Margot Robbie, reprising her Suicide Squad role) out from under the Joker’s shadow and puts her at the forefront.

After breaking up with Mr. J, Harley deals with her heartache by giving herself a new hairdo, adopting a hyena, and blowing up the chemical plant where she pledged herself to the Clown Prince of Crime. But with her ties to the Joker now severed, Harley lacks the protection her former relationship afforded her and faces danger from adversaries, including gangster Roman Sionis (Ewan McGregor, suitably creepy in the part) who wants her dead.

Roman has acquired a diamond that is embedded with the account numbers to a fortune, but when he sends his henchman, Victor Zsasz (Chris Messina), to fetch it, things go awry and the precious gem is stolen.

After Roman captures Harely and orders to have her killed, she, in a bid to save her life, offers to recover the diamond for him.

Her story, along the scattered way, intersects with that of various fierce women of Gotham, including Dinah Lance (Jurnee Smollett-Bell), a singer at Roman’s nightclub; Helena Bertinelli (Mary Elizabeth Winstead), a vigilante avenging her gangster family’s deaths; Renee Montoya (Rosie Perez, very miscast), an undervalued cop; and Cassandra Cain (Ella Jay Basco), a teenage pickpocket who steals the aforementioned diamond.

The various threads, however, don’t come together as seamlessly as you’d hope; a better script and more focused direction would have significantly helped. By the end you are left wishing that the anti-heroines had either come together sooner and received more screen time (both as individuals and as a group) or the project had just chosen to focus solely on Harley and done away with the Birds of Prey angle. 

The tale at the movie’s core is fairly simple and straightforward although the choppy structure and editing tries to pass it off as something more inventive. The film’s vibe and humour, at times, feel a little try-hard, especially when Harley starts to come off as a female Deadpool. Harley here is vibrant and intriguing, but ultimately hard to sympathize with.

Still, there are some compelling moments in this film, as well as a few entertaining performances (Robbie and McGregor in particular). A couple of interestingly staged and choreographed fighting scenes also add an element of fun to the proceedings, even though the adventure is never terribly exciting.

All in all, this is neither the best nor the worst DC offering, but in the hands of a more capable team, it could have been a lot more entertaining and coherent.

Rating: 2.5 out of 5

*****

To All the Boys: P.S. I Still Love You

Starring: Lana Condor, Noah Centineo, Jordan Fisher, Anna Cathcart, Madeleine Arthur, Trezzo Mahoro, Emilija Baranac, Sarayu Blue, John Corbett and Holland Taylor

Directed by: Michael Fimognari

Tagline: First love. Last letter.

Lara Jean returns in P.S. I Still Love You, the dull follow-up to the middling rom-com To All The Boys I’ve Loved Before.

After the events of the previous film, Lara Jean (Lana Condor) and Peter Kavinsky (Noah Centineo) are now an item. But just as their love is blossoming, a contrivance enters the story in the form of a letter from John Ambrose (Jordan Fisher), one of Lara Jean’s previous crushes and the recipient of one of her love letters. John Ambrose then ends up volunteering at the same retirement home as Lara Jean; the two hit it off, leaving the latter conflicted. Should she be with Peter, even though she is perpetually insecure about his relationship with his ex-girlfriend (and her ex-best friend) Gen (Emilija Baranac)? Or should she choose John Ambrose with whom things feel a lot more effortless?

The character’s vapid dilemma leads to snooze-inducing drama. Instead of putting its heroine in a compelling predicament, P.S. I Still Love You chooses instead to randomly borrow clichés from the rom-com playbook, and is further let down by its amateurish structure (brief scene, then sappy song snippet, and repeat). 

Perhaps you will enjoy the movie more if you liked the young adult romance book series the film is based on, or if you, for some reason, have a strong opinion about who Lara Jean should date. For its part though, the movie doesn’t exactly inspire the viewer to care about what’s going on. You aren’t given the chance to be invested in the fate of characters like the underdeveloped John Ambrose, or even given a reason to root for the protagonist, seeing how Lara Jean’s behaviour just makes it seems like it is Peter who could do better. Condor may be a charming presence onscreen but the flimsy storyline keeps her from transferring her charisma onto her character. 

P.S. I Still Love You is just a bland teen rom-com (albeit very light on the com) that is even less interesting than its predecessor. Lara Jean could have made a more appealing protagonist had the writers chosen to make the most of her character’s potential and put her in a more memorable tale.

Rating: 2 out of 5

- By Sameen Amer

Instep, The News on Sunday - 23rd February, 2020 *

In the picture: Uncut Gems

movie review

The suspenseful, chaotic Uncut Gems offers a uniquely intense viewing experience

Uncut Gems

Starring: Adam Sandler, Julia Fox, Idina Menzel, Lakeith Stanfield, Kevin Garnett, and Eric Bogosian

Directed by: Josh and Benny Safdie

A self-destructive gambling addict who is swiftly spiralling out of control is the subject of the Safdie brothers’ latest film, Uncut Gems, an intense crime thriller driven by a terrific performance by Adam Sandler.

The protagonist is Howard Ratner (Sandler), a jeweller who is addicted to sports gambling and owes money to his loan shark brother-in-law, Arno (Eric Bogosian). His personal life isn’t faring any better than his financial situation. His estranged wife, Dinah (Idina Menzel), wants a divorce, although the couple are keeping up appearances for the sake of their children, and he is shacking up with his mistress and jewellery store employee, Julia (Julia Fox).

Howard hopes his luck with turn with the auction and sale of a rare gemstone he has acquired and that Basketball player Kevin Garnett (playing himself) has taken a shine to. But things, as you would expect, don’t go quite according to plan. With each misstep, he falls deeper into trouble. Every time the debt collectors come calling, he finds himself in hot water.

You spend nearly two hours squirming at Howard’s actions, choices, and dishonesties, wondering if he will manage to redeem himself or will instead fall prey to his own vices. But even though he is a thoroughly unlikable character, you eventually get to the point where you still find yourself hoping he wins, if for no other reason than to give the viewer a respite from the constant stress of the situation.

Between the frenetic pacing, non-stop chattering and yelling, and chaotic predicament, the tension rarely lets up. That might be why watching Uncut Gems isn’t exactly an enjoyable experience – it’s stressful and hectic and anxiety-provoking – but that doesn’t take away from the fact that the Safdies have created a drama that is downright fascinating. The setting, too, is interesting, although perhaps delving a little deeper into the harsh backdrop might have made it even more intriguing. A slight misstep also emerges in the form of the intrusive soundtrack which, it’s fairly obvious, was meant to be visceral, but is instead often jarring, especially in the initial sequence.

The credit for carrying the film goes entirely to Sandler who is surprisingly terrific in his role as a hustling sleazeball. It really is a shame that the actor didn’t get an Oscar nod, and whether you have liked his previous work or not, chances are you will walk out of Uncut Gems impressed by his performance (while simultaneously dreading and looking forward to the terrible movie he promised to make if he was snubbed by the Academy).

Rating: 3.5 out of 5

- By Sameen Amer

Instep, The News on Sunday - 16 February, 2020 *

Memorable moments from the 2020 Oscars

award season

The award season came to an exuberant crescendo on Sunday night when the stars of the big screen gathered in Hollywood for the 92nd Academy Awards.

The evening belonged very vehemently to Parasite, the black comedy that has been gathering accolades throughout the season. The South Korean film walked away with four trophies, winning not just the Best Picture honour but also earning the coveted golden statuettes in the Director (Bong Joon-ho), Original Screenplay, and International Feature Film categories. Sam Mendes’s critically acclaimed 1917 also enjoyed some success, but mostly in the technical departments (Sound Mixing, Cinematography, and Visual Effects).

There were no surprises in the acting categories. The four victors – Joaquin Phoenix (Best Actor), Renée Zellweger (Best Actress), Brad Pitt (Best Supporting Actor), and Laura Dern (Best Supporting Actress) – were all widely predicted to win.

The ceremony – conducted sans a host for the second year in a row – featured many memorable moments. Here’s a look at what went down.

Janelle Monáe’s opening performance

The show began with a gloriously bizarre number by the wonderful Janelle Monáe, who “celebrated the art of storytelling” with a performance that featured references to several movies. Beginning with a tune inspired by A Beautiful Day in the Neighborhood before transitioning to ‘Come Alive’ with Billy Porter, the singer celebrated the world of cinema, applauded female directors, gave a mention to Black History Month, and invited her famous cohorts to sing along. It was an energetic, if weird, start to the show, and by the end of the outlandish piece, it did feel a bit like the Oscars were interrupting a Monáe gig.

Steve Martin and Chris Rock’s monologue

In the absence of a host, the duties to deliver the opening (non-)monologue fell on the legendary Steve Martin and Chris Rock, who took shots at everything from Hollywood’s diversity issues to Jeff Bezos’ wealth. The comedians, both of whom have hosted the ceremony in the past, also lamented their demotion to presenters this year. Seeing how good they were, maybe having a host next time wouldn’t be a bad idea after all.

Maya Rudolph and Kristen Wiig’s witty display of dramatic chops

If the Academy Awards are indeed in search of a host for the next ceremony, then they might want to consider the delightful Maya Rudolph and Kristen Wiig, who humorously used their presenting gig as a platform to audition in front of the many directors present at the gathering, showing off their dramatic skills by pretending to storm off in a rage, tearing up, and singing. In a bid to prove they do “more than comedy”, the actresses showed us just how terrific they are at their comedic craft.

Eminem’s surprise appearance 

No one may be entirely certain why Eminem showed up at this year’s Oscars, but his surprise appearance did turn out to be a treat and also earned him a standing O. The rapper came onstage after a montage celebrating the music in films, and performed ‘Lose Yourself’, his Oscar-winning song from the 2002 film 8 Mile.

International Elsas

Idina Menzel and singer Aurora were joined by nine of the world’s Elsas – that is, nine women who have voiced the character of Elsa in different countries/languages – for a rendition of ‘Into the Unknown’ from the Frozen II soundtrack. It wasn’t the most seamless performance, but it did stand out for its concept, and the nod to both the international artists and viewers was surely admirable.

Billie Eilish’s performance

Fresh off her conquest of the Grammys, teen singer Billie Eilish took to the Oscars stage to perform a cover of the Beatles’ ‘Yesterday’ for the In Memoriam segment. Accompanied by her brother Finneas on piano, the singer delivered a touching, sombre rendition of the Fab Four classic, as the film fraternity took a moment to remember all the men and women that the industry lost during the last year.

Kobe Bryant featured prominently in the segment, which opened with his picture alongside his quote, “Life is too short to get bogged down and be discouraged. You have to keep moving. You have to keep going. Put one foot in front of the other, smile and just keep on rolling.”

Joaquin Phoenix’s acceptance speech

After receiving his Best Actor trophy, living legend Joaquin Phoenix took the opportunity to talk about injustice, highlighting in particular the plight of animals and humanity’s disconnect from the natural world, imploring the audience to reconsider our egocentric world view in the process. It was raw and heartfelt, and ended with a tip of the hat to his late brother, River. A well-deserved standing ovation followed.

Also notable was the acceptance speech of Best Supporting Actor Brad Pitt who was as witty and charming as he has been throughout the award season. Best Actress award winner Renée Zellweger’s rambling speech, on the other hand, was memorable for a whole other reason, and a gloomy reminder that the legendary entertainer she portrayed for her winning role never won an Academy Award in her own right.

Parasite’s victory

In what feels like much-needed course correction following the Green Book controversy last year, the Academy bestowed its highest honour on a non-English language film for the first time in Oscar history. South Korean dark comedy Parasite was the night’s biggest winner, which might be seen as an upset given the momentum with which 1917 entered the race, but which wasn’t exactly a surprise to anyone who was following the predictions; those in the know (including Rotten Tomatoes) had been forecasting a Parasite triumph all along. The victory of Bong Joon-ho and his team was nothing short of historic, and what it represents for inclusion and diversity is, in itself, a reason to celebrate.

- Sameen Amer

Instep Today, The News International - 5th February, 2020 

In the picture: Dolittle and Spies in Disguise

movie reviews

Dolittle struggles in almost every department; Spies in Disguise is mediocre but occasionally fun

Dolittle

Starring: Robert Downey Jr., Antonio Banderas, and Michael Sheen

(voices) Emma Thompson, Rami Malek, John Cena, Kumail Nanjiani, Octavia Spencer, Tom Holland, Craig Robinson, Ralph Fiennes, Selena Gomez, and Marion Cotillard

Directed by: Stephen Gaghan

Tagline: He’s just not a people person.

The folks behind the new film, Dolittle, seem to have taken its title as a literal directive. Everyone involved in the movie appears to have done as little as they possibly could while making this project. The result, disappointingly, is a film that suffers because of the incompetence with which it was handled.

The live-action/CGI hybrid revolves around the famous eccentric doctor, created by Hugh Lofting almost a century ago, who can talk to animals.

After the death of his wife, Dr. John Dolittle (Robert Downey Jr.) has become a recluse. He lives with animals (a whole menagerie in fact, voiced mostly by miscast celebrities) and refuses to interact with other people. But when two youngsters – a boy (Harry Collett) seeking aid for an injured squirrel (voiced by Craig Robinson) and Queen Victoria’s (Jessie Buckley) maid (Carmel Laniado) summoning him to cure the sick monarch – arrive simultaneously at his home, he very reluctantly agrees to help them. Eventually, upon realizing that the Queen has been poisoned and must be given a fruit from a faraway land as an antidote, Dolittle and his friends set off on an adventure wherein he must outsmart his foe (Michael Sheen) and face an old rival (Antonio Banderas).

But what could have been a charming kids’ movie – and you do get the sense that somewhere in there really is the potential for a sweet children’s adventure – quickly turns instead into a disjointed, chaotic mess. Between the poor script, dodgy accents, underdeveloped characters, weird editing, and some truly bizarre plot points, especially one towards the end (spoiler: dragon proctology), Dolittle falters in so many areas.

A fairly nice animated sequence at the start of the movie, however, leaves you with the sense that a fully animated style (instead of live action drenched in poor CGI) would have been better suited for the tale. (And a director who had the faintest clue of how to put together a joyous fantasy comedy would also have helped considerably. Projects like the lovely Paddington movies have shown us that talking animal films can indeed be delightful, so there’s really no excuse for the mess Stephen Gaghan has made instead.)

Amidst all the chaos, there are hints of a potentially pleasant, emotional story here, but ultimately it’s just a shame that Dolittle doesn’t make the most of both its acting talent and a mindbogglingly high budget. 

Rating: 2 out of 5

*****

Spies in Disguise

Starring (voices): Will Smith, Tom Holland, Rashida Jones, Ben Mendelsohn, Reba McEntire, Rachel Brosnahan, Karen Gillan, DJ Khaled, and Masi Oka

Directed by: Troy Quane and Nick Bruno

Tagline: Super spy. Super fly.

After suffering multiple delays (seemingly at the hands of the Fox-Disney fusion), Blue Sky Studios’ Spies in Disguise has finally made its way to cinemas, but while it may not exactly have been worth the wait, it’s still fun enough to keep younger viewers occupied for an hour and a half.

The titular spy is Lance Sterling (voiced by Will Smith), a cocky operative who, we are told, is the world’s most awesome secret agent. After returning from a mission to recover an attack drone before it falls in the hands of terrorist mastermind Killian (Ben Mendelsohn), Sterling confronts and fires Walter Beckett (Tom Holland), a young scientist with somewhat pacifistic ideals who has equipped Sterling’s suit with nonlethal weapons.

But when video footage suggests that everyone’s favourite secret agent might actually be a traitor, the beleaguered Sterling decides to seek Walter’s help, hoping a concealment invention will help him disappear. What happens instead though is that Sterling unknowingly drinks a concoction that inadvertently ends up transforming him into a pigeon. Stuck in the form of a bird until Walter can make an antidote, Sterling and his new sidekick must evade capture, chase down the villain, clear the spy’s name, and perhaps even turn him back into a human.

The film plays, in part, as a sort of James Bond knockoff – a conceit about as tired as can be – but it is neither sharp enough to be a satire nor exciting enough to work as an homage. The storyline is typical, the twists predictable. The script is in need of new ideas and more polish. The comedy is uneven; some attempts at humour work, while others, not so much. (Also, for a kids’ movie, there is probably more adult humour here than you would expect.)

The animation, too, isn’t particularly special, and the occasional odd character design – a pigeon with teeth and eyebrows, more disconcerting than cute – is a bit underwhelming. The characters are voiced by a supposedly star cast (because what better way to attract kids than the voice of DJ Khaled), most of whom sound distractingly like themselves.

Whereas the finest animated films by the likes of Pixar have been so impressive because of their creativity and originality, Spies in Disguise is just a transparently commercial endeavour that falls far short in comparison to the many better examples in its medium. The film does espouse a positive moral philosophy (using non-lethal force), which is commendable, even though it doesn’t seem very convincing in the context of the storyline. Still, it’s an admirable idea that will hopefully leave children with a positive message. All in all, this isn’t a deep or inventive adventure, but it still has enough moments of fun to entertain undemanding viewers.

Rating: 2.5 out of 5

- By Sameen Amer

Instep, The News on Sunday - 9th February, 2020 *