Movie Man Darian Watching All Night Long

Power Ballad

This is as of writing this my favourite film of the year! John Carney has captured a tender film once again about the power of music and the impact it plays on people’s lives in a very deeply personal way. The film provides I think is Paul Rudd’s finest hour as an actor he’s tremendous in this. Nick Jonas also gives a terrific performance of an artist struggling to remain relevant and there is so much depth of the character he can apply his personal life to the character. Power Ballad is a film I feel will come and go and if not for word of mouth will be overlooked entirely. Which is a shame as the film is in my opinion one of the most heartfelt and best films of the year that has stuck with me since I’ve seen it and keeps growing as a fantastic film that I wanna go back and revisit. 

Firstly, The film’s themes of self worth, ownership over your art and personal drive Is amazingly touched upon in the film. As the film explores both spectrums of it we see Paul Rudd’s character who has very little but you can see he has always dreamed for more than what he is doing in terms of a musical career. Then you have Nick Jonas’s character that has everything he could want but feels emotionally very unsatisfied with his situation. The film shows greatly how both bond over their love for music but when they collectively collaborate together on a song which was initially Paul’s song they find a great wavelength but sadly since their both career driven Nick’s character goes to a low to release the song as if it was his and not credit Paul Rudd’s character as the initial writer on the track. What I love about this concept and premise is that its about writing ownership and essentially about owning the piece of art you made and when proper due credit isn’t given how it can alter your life and brain chemistry and truly do lasting damage to how you perceive success. The way this story is executed I think was incredibly touching and moved me to tears. John Carney captures the artistic pain of wanting to be credited in such a raw and emotionally expressive way that so many people that are artistic in any sense can relate to. I love how the film constantly shows the contrast between both of their lives and how music individually impacts them and the way the story is presented really impressed me some of the best parts of this film lies in the writing which is a true standout. 

Secondly, in terms of the performance’s Paul Rudd is sensational! Now there are a ton of great amount of actors in this film but it is very much the Paul Rudd show. He gives an emotionally tender performance that is unlike something he has ever brought to the screen that both works to his strengths comedically but also we see parts of his dramatic heart shine through in ways that haven’t been brought to the big screen in this kind of way. He I still think gives his all time best performance here and I would love to see more roles like this given to him as he is so so good when he gets parts like this. Nick again is also so strong in the co lead role of a struggling musician I don’t want him getting overlooked either but it is very much the performance from Rudd that walks away with the film. 

Lastly, Power Ballad Is an emotionally powerful film that speaks from the heart and delivers a powerhouse of tender moments that will stay with you all year! Paul Rudd delivers a sensational turn that is among the best work of his career and John Carney delivers once again another astonishing heartfelt film about the power of music and the impact of ones art has on another’s life regardless of how big or small that person may feel it will make ripples in their life and this film greatly shows that, Power Ballad is sensational! I recommend anyone who follows this directors filmography will love this film as his entire body of work surrounds music and this film is no different I feel the need to have to tell people to seek this film out or else no one will know about it see this on the big screen if you can.  

This film is about a small Time wedding band singer who bumps into a world famous singer and when they are throwing ideas around for a song he takes this wedding singer’ song and releases it as if it was his own and never credits him and the whirlwind of craziness ensue 

Rated R : Some Drug Use|Language Throughout

Paul Rudd : This is his finest hour as an actor! I have been following his career as a performer since the early 2000’s from his raunchy comedies with Seth Rogen and into his big franchise films like the Ant-Man films he has popped up here and there in small dramatic roles like Perks Of Being A Wallflower or the comedic offbeat film Friendship that I thought was just fantastic. He always is on point with his comedic chops but there is a sincerity to him under the surface you can tell that is aching to just come out. Here he finally puts his heart on full display with his role in Power Ballad a role that just works tremendously well to his strengths as he is still able to give that signature Paul Rudd wit we have come to love from his previous roles but still able to explore new emotional sides to him that we have not seen him tap into before. He plays this wedding singer that you can tell his vibrating full of ideas creatively he wants to express but unfortunately feels so limited by his resources around him that let him do these things. As the film begins we see him playing an original piece and he gets instantly shut down for even trying something a little different from the setlist they usually do and then when we see him meet the Nick Jonas character we see that he feels in his element because someone is finally encouraging that spark he has been trying to put more effort into. But when his creative expression gets taken advantage of it feels so grossly inappropriate and he feels so used in a way that makes him at first feel utterly shocked someone would take something that to him or any artist really is very personal and intimate and try to make it their own as they can’t relate to that art as they themselves never built it but is just exploiting it for their own success. Paul Rudd goes through a many amount of emotional peaks and valleys from as I mentioned shock, denial, then came the anger where he just starts spiralling totally out of control and lashing out on the ones that were his support system and because of that emotional embarrassment  he feels the need to have to get a direct answer from the person that wronged him so he can finally be at peace. When we see Rudd go through the motions of this all their is so much he is taking on and you feel every ounce of that emotion as it is so telling in his eyes and voice you can see the pain the sorrow the sadness behind those eyes of his and he is tremendous and being able to present it in a way that feels so raw and genuine. When we see him finally confront the singer he has no want for fame or any of the materialistic  things but the fact he just wanted the truth so he knows he can rest easy knowing that he himself knew he wasn’t going crazy and that all of this emotional stress was not for nothing. Paul is able to show how frustrating it is a creative to be wronged and not credited for ones work and how that really can mentally take a toll on your brain and the way it impacts those around you in a very big way. As I mentioned he was so hopeful in the first 30 minutes but as this whole drama goes on he starts going on a very tough journey but he learns so much about himself as a person and the way he can be at peace with his art though moving forward and knowing that sure he may not be super famous but the little life he carved out for himself is enough to fill his cup. Paul has a great arc that goes through hell but he is able to as I mentioned go through a full spectrum of emotions that we the audience have not seen him dig so deep into his soul life this before and he bears his heart on the screen in a way that genuinely moved me. Anyone that has been creative in any aspect of their life if its writing, film, music can to a extent relate to the creative frustration he feels so the audience has a direct link to him and the viewer can see themselves so much in this character I think Paul delivered a sensational role that is truly the best work of his career! He should take on more roles like this I do love though that his body of work is so vast that it is not just one type of role he plays he loves taking on roles that are sure fun but challenge him and this is the kind of role that I feel will be talked about for the rest of his career he is tremendous at bringing this creatively stunted wedding singer to the big screen with a emotionally charged heart that will move you to tears Paul Rudd is terrific! 

John Carney : Carney has again crafted another beautiful film about the impact of Music! Now I have loved his filmmaking style since 2006 when he came on the scene with his tender and intimate film Once which changed my brain chemistry and truly opened my eyes to independent music films. As he loves showing the way that music can touch ones life and make a profound impact on it if its Once, Sing Street or even Begin Again he just loves telling great narratives through the genre of Music which I freaking love. He this time shows the intense and complicated  relationship between artist and the art they themselves craft and how if not getting proper credit can change everything. I love the fact he shows the contrast between both of their lives and how they see themselves very differently and sure Nick Jonas’s character have tons of money and success is nice but if he can’t speak his mind creatively nothing will satisfy him and keep him stuck and then you have Paul who has very little but knows he can do so much more but does not have the means to be able to have that a reality. So when they finally cross paths and he takes advantage of Paul in a creative sense their is this great focus on how it can ruin a person’s view of themselves creatively after that makes them not want to sing another song and become so angry because they never got that break in life and it could of changed their entire life for who the other person is just a throwaway thing is world changing for the other. John Carney explores these two people’s lives in a really well done way that shows how tortured creatively they are and how they both view themselves when it comes to art. I love the journey he brings the viewer on with Paul’s character and how he goes through so many stages of emotions and by the final act their is this incredibly moving part where he comes to peace with the life he has and I think their is so much the viewer can take away and learn from this film. At the same time he is never repeating other films he has done he keeps finding new ways to explore the complicated relationship that is music and how it is never simple and presenting these relatable characters to the screen with amazing music that plays as the heartbeat of their respected films and John Carney has once again crafted another modern masterpiece with Power Ballad that is both relatable with artists, and also a moving story about art that truly is profound and I think one of the best films he has brought to the big screen. I love that he never does a film each year but waits a while until he knows he has a genuinely strong idea that is worth pursuing and then knocks it out of the park Carney crafts another truly great film that I hope is not overlooked as this is a brilliant piece of filmmaking and he once again gives another astonishing film with such great direction.  

Obsession 

This film is one of the most multi layered and truly thought provoking films of the year! Now I remember when this went to the festival in Toronto last year and it made its world premiere. Since then it has had a quiet release in May and has taken the Internet by storm and word of mouth has spread like wildfire in terms of this films’s success and growing popularity. Curry Baker has crafted a film that is not your traditional cookie cutter horror film it is a genre film that takes on the topic of Consent, mens view of woman in romantic ways and how they go about it when they desire them and it shown through the lens of a thriller like lens that makes for a very striking result. Obsession is a film that has such solid performances but the one specific performance everyone has taken away is the Star making performance from Inde Navarrette who gives an all timer performance in terms of leading performances from this type of genre film she blew me away and chews up each scene she is in. She is monumental and a force to be reckoned with as a whole Obsession is one of the strongest most originally compelling films of the year that is bound to be among so many people’s favourites of the year when best of lists are made in December and I can understand wide Obsession is terrific from top to bottom. 

Firstly, This film has so much to dissect and analyze that I wanna talk about. The film is yes shown through the lens of a thriller but it is at it’s core about the view on how men treat woman when it comes to their bodies and their ideology with love in the modern dating world and the toxic aspect of that. The film has you really sit with the ideas of what is being said as their are two ways people will view this story either that the girl is psychotic and the guy was within every right to tell her that her ways of being fixated on him has gone to far or you see him as the antagonist due to how he went about approaching his feelings towards her that can be viewed as incredibly problematic. The film tackles the intense passion of desire and what happens when you’re in love with the idea of what someone presents but not the person themself. The film talks on a grand scale about if he went about expressing his feelings the right way sure it may of felt like an awkward conversation but that is the healthier way to go about it. The main character we follow instead takes it upon himself to use what is essentially a spell to have her want him in a very strong way that when she does it he enjoys this fantasy he has painted in his brain for so long but once it gets “creepy” and borderline scary in his eyes he starts withdrawing from the relationship but as the viewer you are confused because isn’t that what he quite literally asked for a girl to be utterly obsessed with him? And when she becomes that very thing that he asked for it he rejects it because he enjoys her for a while yes but he never as we learn genuinely cared for who she was as a person he wanted her for what she had not for what she is on an emotional level. I do feel that is the important takeaway because so many will be yes quick to judgment and say oh no she was psychotic and he was within his right to label her as so but if you look at it from her perspective the whole concept of what he is doing is essentially non consensually getting her to have these intense feelings about him against her will so nothing is ever really her choice it is forced onto her. The film deeply delves as I have mentioned into the emotional minefield that is the face of idolizing someone for what they present at surface level but never really wanting to be with them and support them as a person. As I picked up on it he enjoyed the emotional high it gave him finally getting what he wanted yes but he could of went about it in a healthy way that benefited both parties but by doing what he did not only is he forcing her against her will it is an entirely selfish act on his part that says more about his intentions and who he is as a person then it ever does about her. I think this is such an important film for people to watch especially if your in your early to mid 20’s about the fantasy of what people think love is and the entire topic of desire as Curry Barker has crafted a film that is so complex and rich with subtext that this film will be deconstructed for years as I love that the internet and people are responding so strongly of the heavy meaning that is being spoken about within the film and sparking great online discussions. The themes of love, idolization and consent is greatly touched upon in ways that is essential for people to learn from as Horror and thrillers are one of the best genres that give fantastic social commentary on todays important topics I find and Obsession has some of the most compelling writing and storytelling I have seen that will for me at least rank among some of the best of the year as their is so much to take from this story. 

Secondly, The performances from the whole cast is great but we all know who the stand out that has the internet ablaze is Inde Navarrette who presents one of the most powerful star making performances of the year! Now I will say I had not been familiar with her work prior to this film as I had known of her work on the streaming series 13 reasons why but that was my extent of her work I knew. She will be getting so many offers after the success of this film and not just because it is a well done film but her role itself is brilliantly executed as this is a performance that in many other hands could of been one note and annoying very fast but she accessed it in a way that felt so layered and explored so many spectrums of the internal conflict going on within her character. She steals every single scene she is in and makes you unable to look away from what she is delivering to the screen she has such a heartbreaking performance in so many ways that has you feel for her as she struggles to grasp a hold of her authentic self slipping away Inde Navarrete delivers a sensational turn that will be among one of the greatest of the genre. Michael Johnston gives a terrific turn as well as someone that at first feels he has control over her actions and the situation but as the film progresses we see he has no idea what he has done to her and the way he reacts to the situation is essential to how us the viewer view his moral ethics about her. Johnston presents what is essentially the “nice guy” persona but is in my mind a wolf in sheep’s clothing and we see those layered peeled back further and further and the way he presents that conflict to the screen was brilliantly done and his performance is truly tremendous and should be equally as applauded due to the complicated morally grey area his character operates in and he had to do it justice without being judgmental of his character. Johnston is tremendous and delivers such authentic emotional depth that is felt in each frame. Everyone else is truly terrific but it is very much the central performance from Inde Navarrette that walks away with the film in terms of the performances. 

Lastly, Obsession is one of the finest films of the year that has an incredible screenplay with rich depth that I would go as far as saying it feels like the 2020’s version of Get Out. What I mean by that is when that film came out so many were quick to call it a “horror” film but it is not a traditional horror film by any means that film was so impactful because it discussed the topic of race in America at that current moment in time and it hit so many people in a very real way. This I feel is very much similar in story structure to a Jordan Peele film and how it has something to say under the surface of a thriller and Curry Baker has done a phenomenal job at analyzing toxic love and magnifying it with a truly sensational performance from Inde Navarrette who dominates the screen in this role Obsession to many is a “horror film” but in my view point yes it is a horror film but the real horror is the way that Curry Baker executes the nice guy persona and shows what happens when they have ill intent that to me is the true Horror of the film. Obsession is one of the best films of the year and truly unique in its storytelling and tone that will linger with so many after it is over. 

This film centres around a guy that makes a wish that his crush was utterly obsessed with him and after he does that lets just say he gets what he asked for 

Rated R : Grisly Images|Brief Graphic Nudity|Pervasive Language|Sexual Content|Strong Bloody Violence

Inde Navarrette : Inde gives one of the finest performances of the genre with her turn in this film! Now she has been very well known on the small screen for her work in 13 Reason’s why but has not really made a transition to the silver screen until now. The layers that are peeled back about her character and the emotional complexity of her heart is staggering. As she is this very laid back person that gets along with everyone in the room she captures a very specific personality type that most to anyone can relate to having a friend like this and so the character itself is very much rooted in truth. Their is that friend people either have thought of or entertained the idea of more then a friend but never really acted on those thoughts and which that person is liked by the entire friend group and lights the room up by simply entering it. That is how Nikki is looked at through the first 20 minutes and you can’t help but be drawn to how she is presenting this character onscreen as she is simply magnetic and the flow of her emotional dialogue just rolls off her so naturally. When the film does switch up though and she essentially becomes a prisoner within her own body that is when we see her brain kind of switch into this alternate version of what Nikki is and how she presents herself going forward is more of a false truth of what she stands for. Inde has this constant need to feel validated by Bear in the film and her brain chemistry is solely focused on wanting to be seen by him and her actions that he deems is across the line or downright weird she views with a totally separate lens as she thinks everything she does for him is out of love and sheer devotion to him. So their is this really opposite way of what they view as appropriate ways of showing affection and in the beginning its all fun for her because he is presenting that love back to her but as he grows tired of her he starts rejecting her affection and you can see the mental strain it takes on her and Inde really in the second and final act of the film shows such a terrifyingly heartbreaking side to her that just shines through the frame in such a tremendous way that leaves you rattled. You can see her heart in conflict with her brain as she just wants to feel that she is being acknowledged but as I also mentioned she is very much is a prisoner within her own body and those cracks of her real self start to come out more and more and its horrifying and you can see her true self trying to come out but gets suffocated due to what he has done to her. Inde walks a tough line as so many other actors would of just gone knee deep in the campy way of presenting this character and just resort to a very cartoonish take on it but Inde knows exactly the emotional requirements needed to best execute this character without her feeling one note or repetitive in any way. She was able to go through so many levels of emotional tenderness while allowing herself to present it in a very real way that just vibrates off the screen the amount of pain and suffering in her tone just breaks your heart and Inde Navarrette delivers a performance that I can easily see going into the hall of fame of all time great performances from this genre. She will be Huge after the success of this film as she is the driving force of the film in terms of performance and she commits to each single frame and just devours every second of this role she is sensational and truly is one of the strongest performances of the year for sure Inde is sensational in what will become a legendary performance when we look back on this film in a couple years from now she is truly terrific and brilliantly heartbreaking. 

Curry Barker : This guy has such a bright future ahead of him! Now he like a good handful of filmmakers in the last couple years has carved a name for himself from YouTube and gone on now to make a huge impression within the industry and sent shock waves due to his incredible work on Obsession. Now the only other filmmaker that is getting as much attention as him at the moment that also has made a genre film is Kane Parsons due to their age in their 20’s and they came up around the same time as content creators on the same platform making very successful debut films. Now what is so damn good about what Curry Barker has done with how he went about telling this story was he never complicated the narrative he does not bog down the film in heavy plot points he keeps it very simple and to the point. He takes a premise as simple as a guy wanting to tell a girl his feelings and he then he puts his original spin on what that would look like their is a ton of deep rooted themes and messages woven into the narrative but he does not try to achieve a million things he at the core of it is just trying to entertain the audience while giving them something to walk away with that can truly start conversations and he achieved that and so much more. He does not want to try to replicate others that came before him but create his own distinctive style which I respect so much as I have voiced already people have called this a “horror” it more is in my viewpoint a psychological thriller with deep rooted themes of consent but at the same time the horror landscape is so vast it can also fall under the umbrella of elevated horror due to its non traditional execution of the material. Curry captures such rich themes while also creating such a fantastic amount of lore so if he ever wanted to revisit this world he can expand upon it or leave it as a total original piece he was able to accomplish both things in the way he went about planting those seeds of his own story. The film is tremendously written as I have mentioned to a great extent already but the way he captures tone and sheer emotional uncertainty was great as you never knew where the story was going if it was going to switch up or rattle the audience the next he constantly keeps the audience on their toes and has them guessing where this film will end and having them truly locked into the characters arcs and what the eventual outcome will be. Curry Barker has demonstrated amazingly well that even with less then a million dollars he can wield a story to the screen that is well structured, has great pacing, fantastic tone and depth and scares that don’t feel cheap but genuinely are effective. Regardless of what he does next everyone’s eyes are on him to see what his next creative move is and for good reason he is a breath of fresh air to the film landscape and I cannot wait to see what he does next all I do know is I will be there opening night truly amazing direction and outstanding vision from Curry Barker. 

The Drama 

This film is one of the most powerful and important films A24 has ever made! Now when I heard this was in production a while ago I was so excited to see what the result would be as Robert Pattinson and Zendaya are among some of the hardest working actors together and to see their first onscreen collaboration together I felt would be something truly special and it did not disappoint. This film has some very hot topics that it discusses that is bound to spark heavy discussion told through the framework of a relationship that is being tested due to the strain that is on it from personal secrets. The drama is a film I feel will only age better as time goes on and people see how incredibly well structured and thought provoking the message and tone is executed. The film will shock and amaze you if it’s from the plot or the great central performances this is one to see on the big screen with a packed house. 

Firstly, Their is so much about this film I wanna discuss so I am just going to jump right in. Now something I feel I need to put out there is this is not like some rom com that is in the same vein of ones we have seen in the early 2000’s as some people felt mislead to believe that was the creative avenue this film was going for and that is not the case at all. When I saw the trailer for this film i felt their was some very serious dark undertones or themes that were going to be discussed not once did it give Drew Barrymore romance film vibes at all and I hope people don’t trash the film for feeling like the marketing led them astray. As it seemed very clear within the posters and the entire promotional run that this is not your traditional romance film sure it is surrounding a couple and their relationship but it is not a cookie cutter film in the slightest. Now the film discusses very heavy topics such as gun control, school shooting and deep rooted unsolved trauma and in todays political climate I can see why so many have been divided on their feelings on this film but they are very big concerns and they need to be discussed they cannot be just swept under the rug and pretend like this does not go on. As the film does not take on the topic lightly it charges it head on and shows the implications it would have on someones mental health if they had those thoughts on causing a mass shooting but never acting on it. The way it is handled is with such care and respect as well they Bring up the question would you look at someone differently or reevaluate your relationship with someone due to their mind once being in such a dark place but since it happened so long ago and their no longer that person can you still see them for the same person you thought they were before learning that information. The film raises some very big things and the way they show it through the lens of a couple that is about to get married but this information throws everything into question and The film shows how someone has evolved to be better then their dark past but once that ashamed moment of Sinister thoughts is brought to life they essentially have to revisit that dark part of their life and be totally judged for it even though they beg the people around them to not let it be a defining moment of their life. The film does not take sides of what is right and what is wrong they show arguments on both angles of the conversation and let the audience come to that conclusion on their own. I love how in such a divided time that a filmmaker was able to take this on and present it in brutal truth and is the film divisive oh for sure but the fact of the matter is the impact of this film was to spark conversation on this very real issue that surrounds America and that is what is happening because of the film that people are having those tough discussions so the film I would say was very effective with its intent on its audiences. The film has romance and shows the way they fell in love and then how they go about dealing with this when it effects their relationship greatly the way this film is structured and written is as impactful and important as Alex Garland’s Civil War and I think it stands next to that film as one of the most important films A24 has ever put out. Just like how Civil War divided audience but has since aged better as time has gone on I think this film will have the same kind of shelf live. 

Secondly, The performances from its two main leads Robert Pattinson and Zendaya are magnificent! Both of these actors are at the top of their game in terms of film choices and they are some of the hardest working actors of their generation so seeing them paired together was so exciting to see how they would work opposite of one another. Pattinson delivers this very emotionally confused and quiet performance of someone that is trying to piece everything in his brain for it to make sense all the while he is dealing with a whirlpool of emotions that he is trying to sort out on his own and I think it is one of his best performances he has brought to the screen. Zendaya I would say gives her second best performance next to her work in Challengers here as she goes through the whole spectrum of emotions and she is so fragile but also strong and she plays the character with someone that just wants to be loved for who they are now and not be judged for their past actions. Both of them give some of the greatest work of their respected careers and they are truly sensational and shout out to Alana Hamm for doing a great job at being one of cinemas best despised characters in recent memory she also is terrific but I feel won’t get as much air time as it’s two leads. Everyone in the film is terrific but the film rests solely on its leads and they do not disappoint. 

Lastly, The Drama is one of the best films of the year I am going to say it because I see myself talking about this film all year for the way I felt watching it and also just recommending to people it will for sure fall somewhere on my top 10 of the year. This film is masterfully acted, brilliantly written and brings a bi spotlight on very important issues that need to be talked about and the Drama has great twits and turns you never see coming while Also never talking down to the audience and I give massive credit to a24 for letting such a heavy political film be made because I could not see any other big studio take this on and I think again this film will age better and better with time The Drama is truly outstanding.  

This film centres around A couple that is about to get married but when they find out a secret from their past it throws everything into the air, 

Rated R : sexual content, some violent/bloody images, language throughout, and brief drug use. Sex & Nudity

Zendaya : Zendaya gives one of the best performances of her career with her work on this film! Now it would be my favourite if Challengers was not here but it is a compliment to her talents that she has such a rich body of work that its hard to pick that is a good problem to have. She plays a emotionally complex person that has buried a dark secret for a Long time and when socializing she reveals that she at one point was heavily considering shooting up a school and got very close to doing it but backed out at the last moment and when she revels this information the response from everyone is shock, denial and then builds up over to anger and her partner played by Pattinson is more in the mindset of trying to make sense of it all but I will discuss his emotional journey later. Zendaya plays this role very carefully as she has such a fragile heart and she wants people to see the fact she is better now shows that she is not that person anymore and regardless they hang her up on this and it alters how people interact with her and think of her going forward and she hates every moment of it as she does not want it to define who she is. Was it a terrible lapse in judgment yes but she knows it was wrong to think it but despite her explaining her feelings over and over it just makes it worse for herself as she drives the people closest to her away and it creates a huge strain on her relationship. Because we as the viewer are thinking the same things the people around her do we know her really and is she mentally sound now or is that a lie? It goes back and forth trying to explain both sides of that coin and it results in terrific emotional rawness for Zendaya to delve into and show aspects of her range as an actor we haven’t seen much from her. You can see how embarrassed she feels and how she could fall apart to the brink of tears within seconds if someone looks at her any longer with a judgmental stare. Zendaya is truly terrific baring her soul onscreen and digging into deep aspects of herself that are so tender to give this character the proper justice it deserves and it also just makes the performance that more authentic. Zendaya feels every line and springs it to life with such honesty that her delivery has such impact and she also can tell the audience so much without saying much either she truly blew me away in this film and what a great way to start her massive year ahead of her. I know she has more projects coming out this year but I can say with confidence that this performance will remain my favourite of hers by the end of the year out of the work she releases this year. Zendaya is magnetic and emotionally extraordinary. 

Robert Pattinson : Pattinson is far more louder in terms of his performance and I loved each second of it. Now Zendaya is more pulled back he is the more emotionally louder one out of the two and that never really happens usually Pattinson is more reserved but here he speaks his mind which was a nice change of pace. Pattinson I cannot stress enough is one of the greatest actors of his generation and people in 20-25 years from now will look back and see how incredible his body of work he has build up truly is. Here he plays a loving man that is about to get married when his entire relationship is thrown into hell. At first he is as I mentioned like the rest he is in shock at what he is hearing he actually thought it was a joke cause their is no way that it could be true which is when the denial sets in and then confusion, anger and acceptance he goes through so many spectrums of emotions and we see him hit each single one so strongly. The performance never felt over the top and cartoony but it was emotionally loud in a way that felt grounded and realistic. Pattinson wants to be there for his partner though this tough time for them and not be judgmental when they need them more then ever but he does his best to hide his real thoughts on the matter but the more he hides and ignores his emotions about it the more that it bleeds out of him in ways he didn’t want to. He becomes paranoid, has odd like visions starts seeing things that bother him in his day to day and it gets to a point where he can’t socialize with anyone without feeling totally emotionally compromised and overwhelmed.  Pattinson wears his heart on his sleeve and commands the screen with such visceral emotional realness that vibrates in each frame he is in. You see how he wants to be the loving understanding partner but the moment she told him that secret of hers without thinking about it the more he sat with it the more uneasy he felt about the fact he does not know her at all but he is doing his best to be there for her and not make it about him but he cannot help but spiral. Pattinson showcases a whirlwind of emotional vulnerability in his performance that I would say ranks among some of his best work of his career. He is magnetic onscreen and the performance is so greatly executed by him with such great exploration him and Zendaya also have such great chemistry and he can say so much like Zendaya in the quite moments but doing so little you can see the pain weighing on his shoulders as the story progresses and eventually he breaks down as he can’t carry all that weight anymore. He is truly amazing once again showcasing another strong performance that is truly terrific Pattinson shines amazingly in this film! 

Kirstoffer Borgili : Borgili captures such an incredibly important topic so tenderly onscreen! Now I have yet to see the amazing breakout film that is Dream Scenario but I know how highly respected that film of his is and he splashed onto the scene with such a distinctive flare that made him one to watch. Here he showcases the importance of gun violence told through the lens of a relationship. He talks about the delicate topic of gun violence in America and how the mental health with itself can impact a relationship and those around them. It is as I mentioned earlier a very hot topic that is quite sensitive to many which is the reason why this film has been plagued with “controversy” slapped on it. Now to be fair yes it is a sensitive and ongoing issue in America but it is something we should have deep conversations about so their can be ways to fixing the issue if we simply just ignore it and pretend it never goes on their will be zero progress made and by having this be such a big talking point of the film it forces the audience to have to confront these topics head on and if it makes them uncomfortable  that is the point. He is never disrespectful when discussing it but he is driving to show the glaring issue about it though and huge props to him as many would not dare touch this kind of topic in the polarizing political time we are in at the moment but I do see his vision of what he was trying to go for by tackling these themes. He wanted to ask the question if someone had these really dark thoughts and was so close to acting on them but didn’t and has since then become a better person should they still be looked down upon or should we demonize them still for even the thought of entertaining those ideas. It isn’t a easy question to pounder and I like that though it has started so much online discussion which was the point of all of this and it is not a traditional romance film but to be fair has A24 ever made a cookie cutter romance film? I like that he makes this really multi layered film about relationship strain and  having to deal with mental health  with having truly dark thoughts like mass shootings. I think the longer the time passes the more people will chip away at this film and see how smartly written it is and how amazingly well structured the tone is and it truly is a great think piece while capturing some of the most authentic and emotionally honest performances of the year through Pattinson and Zendaya. Kristoffer delivers such a tremendous film that has no issue asking big questions and you don’t need to have all the answers he wants to leave the questions on the table and have the viewer figure it out for themselves and I love that truly one of the smartest written and directed films of the year. 

Project Hail Mary

This film makes you remember why you fell in love with film and the wonder like charm that washes over you when you see something truly magical and transcendent. This film is one of the best space films of this decade now it is not the next Interstellar but I can see this becoming a classic for sure and a huge highlight of the year for many people myself included due to the amazing visual spectacle that it is among the fantastic leading performance from Ryan Gosling to the way the film is able to both be emotionally impactful, heartwarming and inspiring and give you quite the emotional journey to go on and by the end of the film you will be smiling with tears in your eyes wanting to go back again to experience it all over again. Project Hail Mary is a visual masterpiece that has some of the best eye popping imagery I have seen this decade in not just a space film but also just a film in general 

Firstly, the visual storytelling of this film Is staggering! The old school filmmaking of how they crafted this film is remarkable their was no green screen used at all in this film and my brain is still trying to wrap itself around that fact along with the alien friend in this film is made purely out of old school puppetry and practical effects made the film feel so much more grounded. This film sucks you in within the first frame and does not let up the entire time it is a fateful adaption of the book it is based on but makes it mainstream enough for casual film viewers to be able to still enjoy while satisfying the fans at the same time. It is also a film for people who have ever looked at the stars and wondered for the nerds, the space junkies all the ones that wanted to be an astronaut and I love that quality of the story is that it is very much the underdog backed into a corner and what he has to do to get out of the situation and how they brought this film to the big screen on a technical scale is nothing short of extraordinary. The care and sheer passion put through this film is felt in each frame and you can see the handwork pay off as everyone has been singing the praises of how incredible this film looks and if it does not get noticed at the 2027 Oscars for the crafts and tech categories I will be stunned. The film isn’t just your typical run of the mill save and rescue mission it is about friendship and finding a connection within the silences to help fill the sadness within you and bring those parts alive again. The way the deeper moments are allowed to be felt without undercutting it with humour was so smartly done at the same time there is a tom of humour and the amount of heart is infectious and brilliantly done. Project Hail Mary may have an ending that feels familiar but how we get their was totally refreshing and kept me on edge the entire way though I had not seen a theatre so engaged and holding their breath to a film in a while and part of the enjoyment of this film is seeing it on a big screen with a live audience. The amazing practical affects will floor you and blow your mind as well as the way they handle the emotional beats of the story. 

Secondly, now Sandra Huller is amazing I wanna just say that now she has a smaller supporting performance but her karaoke Scene sent chills down my spine she is great in this film not much screen time but makes the most of the scenes she is in. That being said this is very much the Ryan Gosling show and understandably so he drives everything about why you care about his character and the way he brings him to life has so much deeper meaning then I expected and he balances out the dramatic depth with that humour like wit he is known for that is very dry but so funny that it makes you laugh each time Ryan drives home another truly remarkable performance that proves why he has been one of the best leading men since 05. The rest of the cast is very limited but Ryan is sensational in this film.

Lastly, Project Hail Mary is one of the best films of the year I can say that their are a handful of films I have already seen I can confidently say I know will be talked about when I am putting together my top 10 list of films of this year and Project Hail Mary will for sure make the cut. This film is fun, it is whimsical, it inspires you to dream and believe in the good in people and like Sinners last year this film shows you why you fell in love with filmmaking and the craft of it and the reason to go to the movies Phil Lord and Chris Miller knocked it out of the park giving a faithful adaptation of the book while giving so much heart, emotional depth and Adventure the whole family can enjoy with stunning visuals that look like oil paintings lead by a captivating Ryan Gosling Project Hail Mary is destined to become a science fiction classic! Please I beg you see this on the big screen do not watch this on streaming go to your local cinema if if you have access to IMAX see it in that formatting With the best sound system and take it all in I guarantee you it will be among one of your favourite theatrical experiences of the year. 

This film centres on a science teacher  that is put into a situation to help save the earth or else all of humanity will be compromised 

Rated PG - 13 : Suggestive References|Some Thematic Material

Ryan Gosling : Gosling gives one of his best performances in this film! Ryan has been on quite the run recently I know like 5 people saw the Fall Guy but I thought that was such a celebration for Stuntman and the craft of it and he was so fun in it. Here he gives his first space film since 2018’s First Man and personally I think this film is superior to that film in almost every way his performance here explores so many emotions that he gets to explore. Ryan plays Grace an overqualified teacher that is put in a very tough spot when the government approaches him to help save all of humanity and really don’t give him much of a choice in the first half he plays it like a fish out of water like personality that makes for a lot of funny moments but within that awkwardness you can see he feels this is way overwhelming for him and that he is incredibly over his head. It is played for laughs but you can see the sheer panic in his eyes that yeah he knows the science aspect of it but he feels that this should be put in more professional hands as he is petrified that he does not belong there and Sandra Huller’s character keeps trying to tell him their is no one else they want to invest their time into but him which only heighten his already high anxiety about the situation. When we get into the second part of the film when he is put into space by himself we see that he is the only person aboard and he goes through a mind melting crisis that if he does not sort out this now its do or die that he could die in space and no one will know about it if he does not find his way back to earth. When he stumbles on an alien form that is not versed in English he learns to use his smarts to help translate the language so he can understand him better and they form this friendship and you can see that his soul needed to talk to someone or else he would of fallen into a deeper depression. His joy and ability to bring the light out of his soul was heavily contributed from the friendship he forms that brought him out of that depression. He becomes very emotionally invested into the friendship he forms as they create a partnership to help one another out and what is so great about how Ryan explores Grace is that he never just lets it be comedically driven as their is quite a lot of dramatic depth that is very moving you can see he struggles with his anxiety in the situation and Ryan is not afraid to show that vulnerability but he also lets his heart bear onscreen in very touching ways that will bring you to tears. That being said like mentioned earlier he has this ability of using his comedic wit in very smart ways that just perfectly are timed for scenes in the film that never feels repetitive or too much and it melds well into the character he is playing a lot of people will say this performance is alike many others from Ryan I disagree he gives such a terrific performance that is captured in isolation and we see how he would react under such a unique situation like that. Ryan is hilarious and emotionally gripping in one of his best performances of his career that will have you smiling from ear to ear. By the time we get to the third act your heart melts for him and their is not one moment your not actively rooting for him Ryan captures this character beautifully onscreen that is among one of his best characters and performances. 

Phil Lord & Christopher Miller : I am tired of people not giving these two filmmakers the proper credit they are among some of the best creative voices of their generation! They have given great film after great film with comedies like the Jump Street films they kickstarted the child video game genre that have now become so popular with the Lego Movie, Then they also co write the Spider- Verse films they are truly talented artists that deserve the proper recognition. They give a large scale Hollywood film with old school effects which rarely happens with a studio film like this nowadays. In a world of green screens and CGI it is nice to see a space adventure done the old school way which made the film have a more psychical feel even though it is in space their was a deep appreciation from me at least to see hard-work of craftsmanship done to bring this to the screen. They give a fateful adaption to the book but also make it accessible to audiences to still be able to enjoy and some will draw similarities to Cast Away and Apollo 13 specifically but as someone who has seen a lot of space film this film felt like a nice breath of fresh air that was needed for the genre. The film explores deep themes of Isolation, anxiety and abandonment and how a friendship can help feed the soul to bring the light back into your heart and regardless if it human or not that sense of connection is essential for human beings and non humans too. The message and how they drive that home had me in a puddle of tears that will move audiences while still delivering that sense of adventurous fun and humour Ryan is so talented at delivering. I could argue this is the best film they have ever done from a directed point of view as so much of their personality shines through in the work here as it shows the dramatic beats that breath and deliver amazingly well without feeling undercut and it also has that shining humour we love from them but also that childlike wonder that makes their films so fun. Project Hail Mary you can tell they had so much fun making but also wanted to give people a space adventure they have not felt before and they delivered on all fronts giving some of their best work yet Phil Lord and Christopher Miller are truly gifted artists that are overlooked far too often.  

Good Luck Have Fun Don’t Die

This film is a balls to the wall wild ride that is one of Gore Verbinski’s best films of his entire filmography! Now this film very much in the vein of Terry Gillian’s obscure vision that is so striking but it never feels like they’re borrowing his style if anything it feels like an homage to his brand. It has so much to say it is a comedy wrapped in a dystopian nightmare that many will compare to the show Black Mirror. Sam Rockwell and the entire cast is fantastic and it has its finger on the current pulse of what is going on at the moment in terms of technological advances and what can can be a slippery slope to hell in so many ways if not careful with it. Some will call the film far fetched but it is cautioning people to invest themselves into people and not into tech as heavily and it is such a fun time that drives home a very serious message. 

Firstly, Gore Verbinski has crafted one of the best middle finger films to AI I have ever seen! Now I love the style and vision of Gore Verbinski I think he is one of the most interesting stylistic voices from the 2000’s that went heavily under appreciated if it was from The Pirates of the Caribbean trilogy that quite literally breathed life back into the pirate genre after decades of it being. Dead. His amazingly well animated film Rango and now this he has always had a fun sense of adventure to his films that is impossible to not have fun with when watching his films. This though I feel is his most imaginative film in terms of style due to how bonkers the film is and it takes big influence from the filmmaking vein of Terry Gillian. The film tackles very important themes about the dangers of technology and the use of artificial intelligence and I can compare this film to Civil War the 2024 Alex Garland film as many at the time called that film politically ridiculous and now it is more relevant. Then ever. I Think the way this film ages will be done very well due to how relevant the subject matter is and also just in the way it is executed is so striking within it’s imagery the film holds nothing back it talks about how out of touch many of us have become with human connection and will replace deep rooted relationships for false realities. It discusses the dangers of tech, school shootings and AI topics most filmmakers would not dare touch these topics for how they can be controversial for audiences to digest but as I have been saying this film is hilarious, weird, and grim but necessary. Gore does not want to sugar coat these conversation topics he wants to tell it for how it is and bringing this brutal truth. The way that Gore goes about telling this story and the creatives behind it did a tremendous job that makes this one of the most bizarrely striking films of the year with one of the most brutally honest stories. 

Secondly, The performances from the whole cast is great but the two performances that stood out to me was Sam Rockwell and Hailey Lu Richardson and Hailey Lu Richardson was a star that was trying to breakout right before the pandemic and sadly never got her due in the spotlight. She did a small romance/ drama called Five feet apart which I think is such a cute yet devastating film more people need to watch. I am glad she is still getting opportunities to be able to get her name out their in films like this she plays this emotionally hurt character that has been affected by the effects of Tech in her personal life and she has a very complicated personality that Is hard to pin her motives down but Hailey Lu does an amazing job at brining such an emotional sincerity to the character that has you drawn into her role in each scene she is in. Then you have Sam Rockwell who is and I stand on this the most underrated actor of his generation he gives a wild performance in this film and the first scene he plays in was so reminiscent of Network’s Howard Beale’s genius speech on people waking up from the television set and here Sam Rockwell gives what feels like a 8 minute monologue on the madness of how people just don’t care about human connection and if we don’t do anything about the dangers of it that we are all doomed and people are looking at him like he is certifiably insane. Sam Rockwell delivers one of his career defining moments in that scene he plays this comedic but tragic character that has so much depth and he is brilliant in this film giving another sensational turn here. Overall everyone in the cast is splendid but it is the work of Sam Rockwell and Hailey Lu Richardson that blew me away. 

Lastly, Good Luck Have Fun Don’t Die is one of the best films of the year that I can see myself putting on my top 10 of the year later on this year when it comes to discussing films that stayed with me. Gore and the creatives involved delivers a needed reminder to invest into people and not tech as human connection is where the soul and heart lies led by a spectacular leading performance by Sam Rockwell with a great cast surrounding him this is one of the most wild films of the year that will leave you gobsmacked. I recommended people to see this on the big screen the way it is meant to be seen if you’re a fan of supporting small original films please see this in a theatre. 

This Film centres on a man that is sent from the future to warn people of the developing of AI before it destroys the soul of humanity before it is too late

Rated R : for pervasive language, violence, some grisly images and brief sexual content.

Sam Rockwell : Rockwell is one of the best actors of his generations and no I will not shut up about it because I am so tired of him being overlooked as he is a tremendous talent and here he proves why that is so! Here he plays this really eccentric but tragic person that is haunted by the things he has seen of the future and wants to warn humanity to listen up before it is too late to save the human race from becoming brain numbed technology driven people that are destroyed by the thing they helped advance. The opening scene he is in for his character is again I cannot stress one of the best monologues he has ever given in his entire career. You can see all the shades of his character within that one scene alone from the charm, swagger, desperation and grim nature of why he is their with a sprinkle of humour he goes through each side of his characters complex brain within those few minutes so we know completely of who he is. He walks into the scene like a cannonball of charisma and he locks you into who he is within the second he enters the frame as Sam Rockwell has this ability to draw you into his characters due to his amazing ability to grab your attention and here he does so once again with this cover the top petrified person that knows if he can’t get through to even a few people with this story that humanity could collapse. Sam channels this character that knows the dangers of what tech can do and how they ruin lives if not having the proper safe guards on them and he has this over the top way of delivering his dialogue that just works perfectly for the character due to his ability to always be high energy. He also wraps his sadness in humour so people can never really know how hurt he is but the pain is written all over his eyes and the way he delivers a line with such raw emotional depth. He has this Groundhog Day affect happen to him where he has lived this situation many times over and he needs these group of people to be different otherwise he will have to start over again which he does not want to do he wants to be able to get far enough that he has faith in these people he picks to carry the mission all the way. Sam Rockwell has this sad clown affect to him that he wants to hope that their is still good in people but at the same time he also has grown jaded and cynical due to the environment he has been exposed to. Rockwell is able to capture that emotional space that he operates in and he is amazing in it he can give great wit and then hard hitting emotional truth to the people that follow him along this wild journey and Sam keeps proving that he can still carry a film as the lead for a film because he for the longest time was just given supporting characters to play and he knocked each out of the park but I am so happy that studios can see that he is talented enough to be given leading roles. Rockwell gives a sensational Howard Beale like performance of maddening lengths that also have quite it’s fair share of comedy that has you totally hooked the whole way through he Is so captivating and it is a shame that his performance in this will probably go overlooked as it is one of my recent favourites of his he just chews up the scenery so damn well in this role. 

Gore Verbinski : Gore has knocked it out of the park with his take on the dangers of AI with this film! I have been raised on his films from the pirates of the Caribbean trilogy he crafted in the early 2000’s to Rango the underrated animated film that is one of the best of that decade he has such a singular voice that when you see his films you can tell he is having the absolute most amount of fun. Here he paints a frame that if we don’t take the proper precautions to secure a future where AI is used safely it can easily become a descent into basically hell for how humans function in a society going forward. I understand it is scary for people to think and talk about but it is a conversation starter that has to happen because it is a very real issue that needs to be addressed and I love how out front about it he is that he goes as far as he can to tell people that this is a warning that we need to sit up and take notice of and Sure he puts it through the landscape of a film and with over the top antics but a lot of what he is showing the audience is not that far away from the truth. Sure he makes the film fun with great set pieces and injects it with humour that is primarily dark but still very much there but the takeaway for me on how he set the tone was that of a black mirror episode. He is using the style of Terry Gillian and his own to show this over the top visual style while keeping the message of the film entirely relatable for the viewer he goes as far as discussing school shootings and trauma some of these topics are so current many filmmakers don’t want to talk about it but I applaud filmmakers like Gore and Alex Garland for having the hard discussions with viewers that need to be had to tell people what is happening needs to be spoken about so people can hopefully do something about it or at least watch out for it. Gore still isn’t all gloom and scares he is able to have fun in ways with the material he is making while still towing the line of fun and hard hitting truth and one never compromises the other in style or tone which I deeply appreciated how he executed that. Overall the way he brings the story to life was greatly done and I think it is one of Gore’s best films ever that has one of the most hard hitting themes he has ever touched upon in any of his films getting an original 2026 Gore Verbinski film we should not take for granted.