The Intouchables – Film Review

July 16, 2017June 18, 2021yggdrasille

A charming feel-good French drama/comedy about an unlikely friendship, The Intouchables is maybe not the most original film ever and doesn’t dig into its premise all that deeply. But it remains irresistible thanks to the exuberant lead performances and the film’s belief in the power of human empathy and resilience.

The Wicker Man (1973) – Film Review

July 13, 2017July 22, 2019yggdrasille

I watched the so-bad-it’s-good remake with Nicolas Cage a while ago, so I thought I’d look up the original British cult horror movie with Christopher Lee. I really mean it in the best possible way, but my reaction could be boiled down to, what the hell did I just watch?

Kiss Kiss Bang Bang – Film Review

July 11, 2017October 19, 2017yggdrasille

This movie is just as entertaining and smartass as its title suggests. Penned and directed by Shane Black, who did The Nice Guys, another highly entertaining buddy/neo-noir comedy from last year, it similarly dances on the right side of knowing and snarky, and features another odd couple and much riffing on the noir detective tropes. It’s also a sign of being on the other side of 35 that this movie turned out to be twice as old as I thought it was. I could swear it was maybe six years old, but nope it was released in 2005.

Alien vs. Predator – Film Review

July 6, 2017August 23, 2024yggdrasille

Maybe it’s just the power of lowered (and I mean lowered) expectations, but to my surprise I didn’t hate this much-maligned crossover, and, from a certain perspective, found it a more enjoyable experience than the recent Alien: Covenant.

Dr. Strangelove – Film Review

July 3, 2017October 19, 2017yggdrasille

or: How I Learned to Stop Worrying and Love the Bomb

Finally got to watch the classic Stanley Kubrick political satire/black comedy about that most hilarious subject, the global nuclear holocaust.

Kedi – Film Review

July 2, 2017October 10, 2023yggdrasille

This enchanting, leisurely and good-natured documentary combines two of my favourite things in the world: cats and the city of Istanbul.

Brazil – Film Review

June 25, 2017November 4, 2021yggdrasille

A bonkers trip into the warped and wonderful mind of Terry Gilliam that has nothing to do with a soccer-loving country in South America, and more to do with 1984, George Orwell’s dystopian masterpiece. It’s also set at around Christmas, so I think I’ll be happy to think of it as an alternative Christmas movie a la Die Hard.

Calvary – Film Review

June 23, 2017September 11, 2023yggdrasille

An unsettling but worthwhile viewing, with a sharp, intelligent and compassionate performance from Brendan Gleeson.

Cabaret – Film Review

June 20, 2017October 17, 2017yggdrasille

As I’ve mentioned in some other reviews, musicals are not really my cuppa, so if you bring up a classic movie musical chances are I haven’t seen it. Same went for this 1972 film directed by Bob Fosse; the only two things I knew about it was that 1) it starred Liza Minnelli and 2) it’s set in Weimar era Germany, at the time when the Nazi Party was on the rise. After watching the film, I can happily add one more musical I really like to my short list. Maybe my issue is more that I don’t care for the wholesome happy musicals?

Wonder Woman – Film Review

June 13, 2017October 17, 2017yggdrasille

With the quality of the recent DC output, Wonder Woman basically needed to be merely decent and competent to qualify as the best of the bunch. And compared to something like Suicide Squad, Patty Jenkins’s film is an outright revelation, but to someone who’s had their fill of merely decent superhero movies, it comes off as mostly rote and by-the-numbers origin story except that, this time, it stars a female superhero. Which yes yes is a cause for celebration, but I just wish there was more to distinguish this movie other than its femaleness.