The Holdovers (2023)

The Holdovers (2023)

 8/10

 

Starring

Paul Giamatti

Da'Vine Joy Randolph

Dominic Sessa

 

Directed by Alexander Payne

 

Even though it starts slow, when it gets going, there are no pandering, just a little slice of life glazed with just the right amount of comedic tonic, making this comedic drama, The Holdovers, an enjoyable masterpiece. I enjoyed how well the acting in this movie draws you into their lives, and you wish you could reach into the screen and hug them.

The story is well written to make you feel you’ve got the plot figured out as the movie develops, then it takes a turn. A helicopter arrives, and we are left with the three leads. The plot pulls you into the story of three different people, but balances the plot to ensure you get enough fun and drama from their stories and struggles. It does not wave a Hollywood magic wand at the end, where everyone gets the ending we all wish for. Instead, it ends and lets you decide how you think it is going to play out for each of the characters.

This movie’s key power is not just the story, but the acting is also magnificent. Paul Giamatti is clearly having the best time of his life as an actor, doing all the movies he wants, in the way he wants.

Set in the 70s, the movie explores the intertwined lives of three people in a private boarding school. Giamatti’s character, Paul, is a strict teacher disliked by both students and teachers in the school. During the Christmas break, he is left to care for five students whose parents cannot accommodate them for the holidays. Helping him is Mary, the cafeteria manager and a bereaved mother, whom Paul is fond of.

The three characters whose lives become entwined are Paul, Mary, and Tully. Tully is left behind at school because his mother wants to go on a honeymoon with her second husband.

Together, the three find a way to bond over their differences, challenges, and unfortunate situations as they spend Christmas and New Year’s together.

There are some weaknesses in the movie, if you are not used to dramatic slow pacaed movies, you can get bored and walk away before the movie does get started.

There are some weaknesses in the movie, one of which is—if you're not used to dramatic, slow-paced films, you might get bored and walk away before the story truly begins.

The movie received five nominations at the 96th Academy Awards and was listed among the top ten movies of 2023 by the American Film Institute. You will enjoy this movie very much, as it will not give you the sense that you can guess how it will end from the way it starts. At the very end, after all the bonding, you can piece together what the characters might do next, but the joy lies in the journey of watching this movie.

The Fall Guy (2024)

The Fall Guy (2024)

 

7/10

Starring

Ryan Gosling

Emily Blunt

Aaron Taylor-Johnson

Hannah Waddingham

 

Directed by David Leitch

 

It has been a while since I saw a movie that had nothing to do with politics, pop culture, or trying to stay woke. This movie is pure action/comedy with just the right dose of romance to ensure it isn’t an all-out macho show. If you're looking for something logical or realistic, then I’m sorry you’re sitting in the wrong cinema seat. This movie was made purely for enjoyment. Out of nowhere, the main character gains fighting skills, can withstand injuries and drugs, all to foil the “bad guys’” plans.

The movie boasts amazing explosions, stunts, scenery, and acting that will make you feel like you’re back in the 90s, reliving the action movies of that era.

The plot follows Colt (Ryan Gosling), a stuntman who has built a reputation as a talented performer behind the scenes. He works as the stunt double for Tom Ryder (Aaron Taylor-Johnson), a wealthy and famous actor. While working on a film with his girlfriend, camerawoman Jody (Emily Blunt), an accident leaves Colt severely injured.

He falls into a dark place, abandoning the stunt world and Jody for eighteen months.

Now working as a valet, Colt gets a call that Jody has landed her first big break as a director and has asked for him to be part of her project. He hasn’t spoken to Jody since the accident, and the idea of working with her again prompts him to accept. Upon arriving, Colt learns that Jody doesn’t know he’s there and never requested him. Producer Gail (Hannah Waddingham) lied to bring him on board. She reveals that Tom has gone missing, and without him, Jody won’t be able to finish the film. Gail convinces Colt that, as someone who knows Tom well, he’s the best person to find him. Keeping this under wraps is crucial to prevent the studio from shutting down production. This guilt-tripping by Gail worked on Colt and instead of being smart and speaking with Judy first, he decided to jump on the wagon to find Tom.

His search for Tom plunges him into a dark web, leading to a murder he didn’t commit and forcing him to go on the run.

It’s an amazing movie, the acting is fantastic and the way the story is laid out for us to see is also fun. The only thing is the movie didn’t stay in theatres long enough for more people to see it. Thankfully, it’s now available for streaming.

The Ministry of Ungentlemanly Warfare (2024)

The Ministry of Ungentlemanly Warfare (2024)

 

7/10

Starring

Henry Cavill

Eiza González

Alan Ritchson

Alex Pettyfer

Hero Fiennes Tiffin

Babs Olusanmokun

Henry Golding

Cary Elwes

 

Directed by Guy Ritchie

 

I, for one, am happy and fortunate not to have lived through the Second World War. The tragedy and unbelievable events that occurred during the war form the basis of many movies and heroic film characters we see today.

Even though war and violence still persist, with even more unspeakable acts being committed, I consider myself fortunate not to have directly witnessed them (only through TV and the internet). It remains deeply sad that such atrocities continue.

This film tells the tale of Gus March-Phillipps and his team, who were sent on a mission that played a part in helping Europe defeat Hitler. It is based on Churchill's Secret Warriors: The Explosive True Story of the Special Forces Desperadoes of WWII.

The way Guy Ritchie crafted this film is what I love about it. There’s an intensity that comes from the team striving to achieve something seemingly impossible, coupled with the fear of what might happen to any one of them. I intentionally distanced myself from the story to focus on the entertainment aspect, not worrying about which characters were real or fictional. It was worth it. The film’s well-crafted dialogue made it easy to follow the plot. The visuals also added to the experience, as the scenes conveyed additional subtext and character development alongside the dialogue.

The plot revolves around how British intelligence persuaded the Americans to join the Allies during World War II. German U-boats were preventing American ships from reaching Europe. To counter this, the British devised a plan to sink the U-boats by targeting their supply ship, which was docked in a neutral region. Since the area was neutral in the war, bombing it was not an option. Gus March-Phillipps and his team were tasked with destroying the supply ship. Operating on neutral soil meant they couldn’t be linked to the British government, they were entirely on their own. The film depicts their planning, failures, and improvisations, highlighting the political stakes and showing how the success of the war hinged on their mission.

With a moderate budget, it’s surprising that this film isn’t raking in millions at the box office. However, it will likely appear on streaming platforms soon, and I encourage you to watch it, it’s worth your time.

There is a sense that the movie moves quickly. Even though the director did a good job with character development, some character dynamics feel underdeveloped—perhaps intentionally to set up future sequels.

It’s easy to imagine how busy Winston Churchill must have been during the war, given all the events we’ve read about or seen in movies. Similarly, the Germans, as portrayed in many World War II books and films, must have been highly technologically advanced and well-prepared. Without worldwide efforts like this one, the war might have ended differently.

Ghostbusters: Frozen Empire (2024)

Ghostbusters: Frozen Empire (2024)

6/10

Starring

Paul Rudd

Carrie Coon

Finn Wolfhard

Mckenna Grace

Kumail Nanjiani

 

Directed by Gil Kenan

 

It felt like this movie was rushed out, even though the last Ghostbuster movie was three years ago. Then it was a thrill to see a CGI of the late Harold Ramis (Egon Spengler). The film did a wonderful job when it came to comedy and science. The all-round guckingness of the cast members and the coming together of the crew to save the day, with the addition of the family of the Spenglers, was a nice job. Still, it felt like we just got over the first one and here is another.

As you would expect, the acting was cool. It was a wonderful job the cast did in the movie, but this new addition introduced more characters into the mix, and at times it felt crowded. There were too many people involved in stopping this bad guy that it just did not feel right.

The movie digressed a lot from the matter at hand, and the matter at hand was a creature called Garraka from thousands of years ago, who was trapped in an orb and kept there to save the world from his anger. Now, this creature is no ordinary ghost. The proton packs do not work on this creature, so trying to stop it will require certain skills from the descendant of the people who caught him thousands of years ago.

The movie starts with these new four (Gary, Callie Spengler with her two children Trevor and Phoebe) going about busting ghosts. If you are a fan of the Ghostbusters, you know in doing this, they are also making a mess of the city of New York, and everyone is not happy about it, especially the mayor.

Turns out, Phoebe Spengler was too young to be running around busting ghosts and needed to be benched, which did not go well with her. She was forced to make friends with a ghost in her loneliness.

On another note, the ghost tank in the firehouse is getting full, and they need to transfer the ghosts from there to a new, bigger tank. With all this happening, the orb in which Garraka was trapped was sold to Ray Stanz, who then took it to the company which Winston runs for them to extract the paranormal being in it. But when they tried, it caused so much chaos in the new lab, and almost caused the person working on it to lose a hand to frostbite.

But Garraka wanted out, and he is able to communicate with other ghosts from within the orb to help him get out, promising them anything they wanted.

As you would expect, he got out, and we watch the team, now united with the old team and with the new set of casts, try to stop Garraka and put him back into the orb.

I can say, the movie was not bad, but it still felt like it was too soon, and we have had enough of ghostbusting for a while. The combination of the nostalgic nods, the Spengler family integration, and the dynamic interplay between the new and old cast offered some bright moments, but the story didn’t always deliver the freshness needed to keep the audience thoroughly engaged. While it was enjoyable, it feels like a breather before the next installment would have made this experience more impactful.

Godzilla x Kong: The New Empire (2024)

Godzilla x Kong: The New Empire (2024)

 

5/10

Starring

Rebecca Hall

Brian Tyree Henry

Dan Stevens

Kaylee Hottle

 

Directed by Adam Wingard

 

There must have been two reasons for this film to be like this:

1)      Many people must have clamoured for a film with monsters fighting from start to finish.

2)      The rights to the franchises were going to end and Universal had to make a film to keep it.

This was not a good film. The plot is so straightforward that you could watch it without sound and still understand everything. Monster fights dominate from start to finish, and since Godzilla and Kong are clearly the good guys, anyone opposing them is automatically the villain. Dialogue feels almost redundant, as most of it revolves around Godzilla absorbing radiation and Kong navigating the Hollow Earth, both preparing for an inevitable showdown.

Set three years after Godzilla vs Kong, the film follows Kong exploring Hollow Earth and encountering massive creatures that he quickly dominates. However, he soon comes across a smaller ape-like creature, and their confrontation leads him to a lair filled with others like himself. Here, he faces off against the leader—a sinister ape intent on breaking into the surface world and triggering an ice age. This villain wields control over a Godzilla-like creature, forcing Kong to retreat after a fierce battle.

There are also people living in the hollow earth. It is like a society which seems to have been around for ages, just as long as these monsters have. In this society, they have a prophecy that sees the only savior of the earth is Godzilla and a large butterfly creature working together. You can gather from them that this is not the first time Godzilla had to save the earth, and this is not the first time he had to work together with this creature to do it.

Meanwhile, Godzilla instincts tell him there is a rising threat and begins absorbing all forms of radiation to prepare for the fight. How Godzilla's instinct, somehow tied to the threat and all the reasons he is absorbing, are not well put together. Although mentioned, I felt the movie could have given in to explaining more about the past battles, how these creatures work together. Anyway, it felt like a hole they could have addressed. So as Godzilla is gearing up for a fight, the humans are busy trying to wake the creature that will aid Godzilla in this fight.

The action sequences produce spectacle, but the film lacks balance, with too few moments of human connection or meaningful plot development. If your sole desire is to watch epic monster fights to save humanity, this movie delivers. Otherwise, it offers little substance and feels like an uninspired continuation of its predecessors.

Monkey Man (2024)

Monkey Man (2024)

 

7/10

Starring

Dev Patel

 

Directed by Dev Patel

 

This is Dev Patel’s directorial debut, and he also co-wrote the film. This action thriller follows the classic 80s revenge movie formula but with a modern twist. It doesn’t just focus on the intent for revenge but delves into the deeper reasons behind it. The idea that one man can orchestrate an elaborate plan with some luck and well-placed allies might seem far-fetched, but the film does a commendable job making it feel plausible, as long as you don’t overanalyze the things you see.

The film carries a political tone, with graphic scenes of violence that might not sit well with the Indian community in which it is set. It portrays Third World struggles with corruption, discrimination, and poverty, where individuals exploit spirituality and leadership roles to gain power. Corrupt officials, who should be enforcing checks, only fuel this cycle, amplifying the power of such opportunists.

The movie teases viewers with mild violence early on, leading you to wonder, “Is this what people find so extreme?” Then, at about thirty-seven minutes in, the intensity escalates, delivering moments that truly shock.

The story follows Kid/Bobby/Monkey Man (Dev Patel), who witnessed the massacre of his mother and village as a child. Haunted by the face of the man who robbed him of his family, he dedicates his life to revenge. The film begins with Kid donning a Monkey Man mask and getting beaten in a rigged underground fighting match to earn money. Once he saves enough, he sets his plan in motion. He starts by infiltrating the network of a woman who supplies girls and drugs to influential politicians. Rising through the ranks, he becomes a VIP server and, at his first chance, attempts to kill his target. However, the attempt fails, leaving him on the run halfway through the movie. The rest of the film focuses on his journey to regain focus and complete his long-awaited revenge.

Bringing this film to audiences was no small feat. Concerns about its reception in India delayed its release, with Netflix shelving it after acquiring it in 2021 due to fears of backlash. Thanks to Jordan Peele and Universal Pictures, this film finally saw the light of day. Despite its roots in 80s revenge storytelling, it stands out with cultural depth and a touch of class.

While it may not become a blockbuster for everyone, I assure you that it is an engaging watch. If you’re a fan of revenge thrillers with a unique cultural lens, this film will not disappoint.

The Beekeeper (2024)

The Beekeeper (2024)

3/10

 Starring

Jason Statham

Emmy Raver-Lampman

Josh Hutcherson

Bobby Naderi

 

Directed by David Ayer

The Beekeeper is a Jason Statham action film that delivers exactly what his fans have come to expect: intense fight sequences, implausible feats, and a lot of over-the-top bravado. However, don’t let its flashy presentation or the actor's star power fool you this movie falls short in almost every other aspect.

The dialogue is painfully bad, often feeling as though it was cobbled together by chance, like letting a monkey loose on a typewriter, rather than intent which you will expect from a prolific film writer. The script’s overuse of bee-related terms like "bees," "beehives," and "beekeeper" is relentless and eye rolling. They shoehorned these words into almost every conversation, which then made you feel like screaming and making the movie look silly, repetitive and unintentionally comedic.

The film plot is not manageable, and the execution is laughable. The plot is centered on retired "beekeeper" Adam Clay (played by Statham). In this world, beekeepers are elite killers created by the U.S. government to handle covert or unmanageable situations. Adam, now retired and tending to bees in solitude, is drawn back into action when his friend and neighbor tragically takes her life after being scammed. This sparks Adam's quest for vengeance as he hunts down and takes out those responsible. The premise, while promising some emotional stakes, fails to deliver due to poor execution.

The action sequences are classic Statham, he strolls into a room full of men with guns, and suddenly he has the ability to dodge every bullet and take down everyone with absurd ease. While entertaining at times, the sheer invincibility of his character renders most conflicts predictable and, eventually, tiresome.

I understand that he must be a top-notch unstoppable guy, but there is a point when it started to look ridiculous. It got to a point where his replacement (someone supposedly as good as he is and should be able to stop him) was dealt with, with ease, like pushing over a crying two-year-old.

The movie’s serious tone clashes with its outlandish narrative, making it difficult to invest in the story. Even moments that should feel climactic or emotionally charged are overshadowed by the nonsensical plot and poorly written characters. Despite this, the film seems intent on setting up a sequel, hinting at even more outrageous antics for Adam Clay in the future.

In the end, the film sets itself up for a second part, with many more insane things for Statham’s character to do. With the kind of money it made from the release, I believe a second part will not be far away from production.