November-January movie Wrap up (awards season)

By Rob Ryan

With November to January being the era of the prestigious movies coming out in weekly succession, I thought it only be best to go through all the most talked all new releases I saw in the months of November to January as the majority feature some of the most talked about of last year, from prodigious award pictures to Saltburn. I also plan to make this a monthly series where every month I will review all of the new releases I saw that I didn't write extensive reviews of so keep an eye on that for the coming months. :)

Bottoms

What the hell even is this movie? I believe it's supposed to be a parody of high school comedies of the 80s to the 2000s with the twist being instead of a bunch of heterosexual men trying to get laid, it's two lesbian girls who form a fight club to slowly convince their crushes that they are worth their time and attention. It's about as ludicrous as it sounds and the movie knows it but perhaps too well. Like all parody movies of its ilk, it falls into the trap of constantly reminding you that it's in on the joke and as a result the novelty wears itself very thin after 20 minutes. Some gags go on for too long and the movie relies a little too heavily on ad-libing. With that said I did laugh a few times, especially in the last act when the movie gives up on making any kind of logistical sense and does whatever it likes and it does redeem it to a mostly passable comedy that is better to view with a very receptive audience. It should also be said that Rachel Sennott and Ayo Edebiri are two very funny comedic performers and their show on Comedy Central is genuinely hilarious from what I've seen so it's nice their getting their big break at least.

Anatomy of a Fall

Anatomy of a Fall is probably my favourite movie of last year and probably one of if not my favourite movie of the decade so far. I won't spoil too much but not since Saint Omer there has been a courtroom drama that manages to be a thorough and intricate character study that is emotionally satisfying and exhausting at the same time, It's raw and honest, the performances are fantastic, the dialogue is particular and enjoyable. It's a long movie that never once loses its footing in pacing or atmosphere. The characters feel like real people and it's all told with a level of restraint and confidence that few filmmakers can today. Director Justine Triet is certainly one I will make sure to look out for in the future. If you have not seen it yet. Please do!

Saltburn

Saltburn is probably the most divisive and talked about film late last year, with some people praising it as "the craziest movie they've ever seen" and others saying it's "The most irredeemable piece of cinema they've ever seen in their lifetime" to me it's neither of those things. There are some decent performances and some funny and enjoyable interactions, the movie looks nice and there is some good music here and there. (not counting the one everyone is talking about) but unfortunately, the movie takes a long time to where it's trying to go and during that time the movie sort of meanders with a bunch of wired sexually charged moments that go on for way too long and a bunch of boring and unlikeable characters and by the time the movie reached the last act, I was not only waiting for it to be over but I was left unsatisfied by the final twist as it was nowhere near as shocking and subversive as the filmmakers thought. It's also a twist that would only be possible through the power of extreme plot contrivance and convenience as everything just works out for this character very well. In the end, this is a well-acted and good-looking movie that thinks it's making a profound statement by actually saying little of anything.

The Killer

Probably the most disappointing movie of last year. David Fincher's The Killer is nothing more than a generic script carefully disguised as a prestigious action flick. With a bunch of annoying monologues that go on for way too long and have some unintentionally hilarious lines within them, a plot that is boring and pedestrian and a protagonist that has absolutely no personality whatsoever. Even as an anti-hero he still manages to be completely uninteresting. The movie isn't even Fincher's most polished as there is some obvious terrible CGI in the background of some shots and the whole movie is completely monotone throughout without little in the way of any kind of levity. There is only one well-done and brutal fight scene that is perfectly executed but other than that there was very little I took away from The Killer

May December

May December is a hard movie to discuss and talk about upfront due to the uncomfortable nature of the subject matter but after much reflection, it is the most fascinating look at exploitation I have ever seen, from a relationship founded on an unbalanced power dynamic to Hollywood adapting said story to film for millions of people to view, judge and speculate from far away. It's a movie that as a result of these elements at play morph into a story of a man slowly coming to terms with the harsh reality that he is living in a personal tragedy. Throwing him into an existential crisis all the while his kids are leaving him behind, his abuser whom he now marries doesn't believe she did anything wrong and the actress set to play her becomes almost as gross and as opportunistic as the abuser due to her getting too comfortable in the role. It's a bright-looking film with dark undertones throughout to the point you will want a shower once the movie reaches its conclusion.

Eileen

Eileen is a classic noir thriller that never quite gets off the ground. Despite a terrific performance from Thomasin McKenzie, beautiful old-fashioned cinematography from Ari Wegner and a Jucy orchestral Jazz score from Richard Reed Parry, The movie is all build-up and little payoff. As a result the movie abruptly concludes leaving certain plot threads hanging and It feels like there's a last act or an epilogue missing, Which is a shame because everything leading up to that point was very well done. Just didn't quite hit the landing

Fallen Leaves

Fallen Leaves, is a very simple tale of two people just trying to get by, it's a movie that feels timeless while also making it crystal clear of its contemporary setting. With its minimal dialogue and deadpan humour it also morphs into a tale of learning to break the cycle of addiction and learning to take responsibility despite all the social-political circumstances stacked against you. It's nothing profound but sometimes it doesn't have to be. Just a small tight good story.

It's a Wonderful Knife

If you've seen the title and poster you can probably guess what this movie is about. Imagine it's a wonderful life but it's a slasher movie, and that's pretty much it. It's not hard to see that this was a very cheap and rushed production like other Christmas movies of its ilk and the elements it introduces in the last act are incredibly half-baked and don't make any sense and there is one scene where the killer gets knocked out by the bottom of the stairs and instead of moving the body, taking the knife, or just quickly jumping over it and getting the fu** outta there, they choose to slowly walk over him while being very quiet about it, It's about as moronic as it sounds. But besides that, it was a passable fun time for what it is.

Chicken Run: Dawn of the Nugget

Me being a huge fan of Andaman and the original Chicken Run it was a no-brainer that I had to view this sequel 20 years in the making. Predictably it doesn't hold a candle to the original and the movie has a very rocky start (no pun intended). It isn't as consistently funny as the original and some of the new cast aren't as good as the original voice cast but once the movie reaches the factory, it's a fun time and proves that Ardaman have consistently maintained their charm to this day. Did I think this was going to be on the same level of quality? no, but was I satisfied? yes.

Anyone But You

Starring the most attractive double act anyone could possibly ask for Anyone But You is another Rom-com containing a plot and scenarios that wouldn't have happened if the people in them chose to get their heads out of their asses, stop acting like children and just apologise and move on, but I guess that would make for a pretty unexciting movie for it's target audience. If there's anything that the movie gets right is that it is a very fine commercial for Australia, I don't blame any of the actors for wanting to take part in this, it must have been the best free holiday they have ever been given even if they are making a rom-com with every single rom-com cliché in the book. It's also nice to know that writer-director Will Gluck is a big Natasha Bedingfield fan I guess.

One Life

Nicolas Winton's story sounded so perfect to adapt into a film that I'm surprised that no one has bothered to touch it at all but better late than never I guess. While the movie has a few moments that come across as stagy and contrived and put the real-life legitimacy of some moments into question, the movie nonetheless works as a harrowing tale of one man's compassion to help those in times of need. Showcasing the best of humanity in its darkest of times. It's hard to not get choked up at this and provides a universal message that we can and must share in our hearts for generations to come

Priscilla.

Sofia Coppola's Priscilla is a personal account of her marriage and relationship to Elvis, from meeting him in Germany when she was just 14, to her isolation in Graceland. A tale of two people with two radically different ideas of each other that neither of them can live up to. With Priscilla's childish fantasising about being swept away to a world she never thought possible, to Elvis seemingly wanting a young, trophy wife, one that he would never fully commit wholeheartedly to a loving normal relationship. Part of it does feel fragmented but I think that's almost the point, almost as if we are watching a memoir of someone reflecting on a time that was the best time of their life until it wasn't any more.

The Boy and the Herron

The latest Studio Gibli is in my opinion not one of their best (for my money it's Kiki's Delivery Service) but none the less as far as world-building, characters and all sorts of fascinating creatures it certainly is a visual feast and a grand experience with a hidden emotional core with many sort of existential questions about the kind of world we should be making. It does overstay its welcome and some element's are not as fleshed out as others but it none the less it is another winner in their long line of classics.

Poor Things

Much has been said about Poor Things for ages now and I thought this would've been another Everything Everywhere All At Once where the hype ruins your experience somewhat but that was not the case for me, Poor Things is Yorgos Lanthimos at his most confident, and least restrained, which is saying something considering his filmography. While Anatomy of a Fall was my favourite movie of last year, this is probably the best-produced movie of this year and maybe this decade, from the cinematography, the music, production design, and costume design all come together to create a world, and experience that feels familiar, universal, funny, heartbreaking while also being unique and alien at the same time, all the while telling a story of a woman rediscovering herself in way's that are relatable, timeless, accessible and existential. Like The Boy and the Herron, it deals with a lot of themes in the span of a long runtime and can risk overstaying its welcome but once you reach the end you will be more than grateful that you stayed. I am not someone who passionately watches the Oscars, but if the awards all went to every single technical category, as well as Emma Stone for actress and best picture, I wouldn't be upset

The Holdovers

The Holdovers feels like being sat down with a really good therapist for a long time, who tells you that you're doing ok, you're going to be ok, and you are ok. It's a film that makes the perfect case of why in your darkest hour, sometimes it's just best to talk to someone. Even in the most unlikely scenario. A warm, subtle, gentle and likeable experience that never reaches the point of melodrama. All of the lead performances are perfect, the retro feel of the movie is captured perfectly and it manages to be very funny while not shying away from depressing material.

The Zone of Interest

The Zone of Interest is probably the most unique and harrowing portrayal of the holocaust ever put on screen in a long time, rather than resorting to melodrama, director Jonathan Glazer shows the life of SS officer and Commandant of Auschwitz, Rudolf Hoss and his family next to the camp, living their lives as normal all the while the sounds of people screaming, guards wailing, a train arriving in the distance and the smoke of the chimneys flying up in the air take up 90% of the soundscape as the scariest element of the film is not only what's not being shown, but the people accepting this as normal while they have conversations about their lives and their plans for the future as normal people. The film is minimalist in cinematography, often using the same angles, letting scenes play out in real-time with little in the way of music getting in the way of what's presented. A disturbing and unique experience that you will think about long after it's over.

All of us Strangers.

Probably the saddest film of last year, All of Us Strangers highlights one man's inability to let go and let people in, all told in an almost fantastical way to the point you are not sure if what you seeing is literal or if this is all happening in one man's mind, it's essentially a ghost story but so far removed of the typical conventions that the genre carries. Andrew Scott is fantastic and his chemistry with Paul Mescal is beyond exquisite. A movie that is personal, and heartbreaking while also filled with so much love, empathy and nostalgia at the same time. I'm not sure all of it came together, but it managed to work at being truly moving.