Author: brieflyplease

Yes – A recommendation.

Sure – A conditional recommendation.

No – Probably wouldn’t bother if I were you.

Director – Evan Morgan; Credited Screenwriter – Evan Morgan

The elevator pitch is a deconstruction classic, well-worn and much abused by second rate Edinburgh Fringe productions; the precocious 12 year old private detective, of the Hardy Boys or Famous Five sort, all grown up, still at it, and finding the world to be a much darker and more complicated place than it once appeared. The film, however, is saved by an intriguing mystery at its centre, confident tonal shifts and wraps up with one fantastic needle drop. This is all held together by assured direction and one fantastic central performance by Adam Brody.

Even Briefer, Please: A firm Yes, much better than it has a right to be.

Director – Greta Gerwig; Credited Screenwrier – Greta Gerwig

Incredibly entertaining and joyous experience. Cast excellent across the board – except for a painful show from Emma Watson, indeed, casting her as a wannabe actress is perhaps the best gag of the film, and Meryl Streep who insists on chewing on the scenery as if it was made from the same chocolate as those foil-wrapped Oscars she keeps winning. Despite this, the characters are beautifully drawn and have one crying and laughing and whooping for joy right along with them. Cutting back and forth through time felt ultimately pointless, but no more so than the device often is.

Even Briefer, Please: Definitely a Yes, a film that defies a sour mood.

Director – Zack Snyder; Credited Screenwriter – Chris Terrio

Not a film in the conventional sense, it would never have been released in this state originally, even if Snyder were given the final-cut. But as a relatively unprecedented experiment, it’s ultimately an engaging watch. Better overall than Batman V. Superman: Dawn of Justice, probably not quite as good as Man of Steel. It’s surprisingly decently written, albiet in an arch, ever so slightly camp, comic book sense. ZSJL is presented in an almost square (4:3) aspect ratio, which would seem distracting but actually ended up making the whole thing look like a comic book panel, which overall worked in its favour. It’s a very silly film and far too long, held together primarily through the strength and charm of the movie star acting talent on display. The main problems are the very wobbly stakes which are never quite explained well enough and next to no personal engagement for the main characters other than the vague sense of duty and, I suppose, the end of the world.

Even Briefer, Please: A resounding Sure, an experiment worth undertaking, though perhaps not worth clearing the schedule for if you’re not already a fan of the genre.

Director – Paul Thomas Anderson; Credited Screenwriter – Paul Thomas Anderson

On a beautifully scarred 35mm print, on a well cared-for screen in central London, with one large glass of red wine down and nursing a second, this film has the captivating and mystifying sense of trying to decipher an old anomalous memory of childhood. On an iPhone during a loo break at work? Probably a bit pondering. But when seen, at least once, the way the filmmaker intended, Licorice Pizza is a stunning & provocative achievement.

Even Briefer, Please: A Yes, but not without reservations; for those who liked Once Upon a Time in Hollywood but wished it was made by the guy who made Inherent Vice.

Director – Lana Wachowski; Credited Screenwriter(s) – Lana Wachowski, David Mitchell & Aleksandar Hemon

An almost obscenely sentimental and earnest film that cuts to the core of what the hell this absurd franchise was always about; love and self-expression against all odds and oppression. Those odds can shift and that oppression can change forms but the bit that remains is the love. Otherwise some wonky VFX, a clearly less action-focused direction, and a recasting that was a bitter red and/or blue pill to swallow. Shooting on digital over film felt like a certain downgrade – but one can’t rule out that this choice was as much creative as financial. Performances were all rather good regardless, especially Reeves, Anne-Moss and Groff.

Even Briefer, Please: A slightly wobbly Yes; much to recommend, much to question, worthy of conversation.

Director – Todd Phillips; Credited Screenwriter – Todd Phillips & Scott Silver

Perfectly good, beautifuly shot, Phoenix is excellent but the film only half works, in two ways. As a supervillain origin it half works, as a Taxi Driver or King of Comedy homage it half works. A decent enough movie that has an excellent movie hiding somewhere inside it, if it were only willing to commit to one of those two poles over the other. The most shameless example of filmmakers invoking comic books to sell an seemingly utterly unrelated film so far.

Even Briefer, Please: A confident Sure, with hints of a shaky Yes – an exersise in homage that otherwise seems unsure as to what it was all about anyway.

Director – Martin Scorsese; Credited Screenwriter – Steven Zaillian 

The de-ageing effects work if you’re not too worried about that sort of thing but if you’re looking out for it, it will definitely take you out of the film. Although they are still incredibly impressive, they will likely age (or de-age) poorly. This is an especially difficult pill to take when so little of the flashback characters-in-their-youth section is really needed for the story being told. The last third or so of the film holds its own as an extraordinary feat, with performances at near career-best level for De Niro and Pesci and a decent showing from Pacino. But it just doesn’t feel like Scorsese’s heart is in the classic gangster stuff in the first two acts. Despite all of this it is still an vital and engaging watch, but is kept from any of the career-best accolades you’d so want to give it.

Even Briefer, Please: Two thirds of an upper end of Sure, one third a resounding and heart wrenching Yes.