Movie Man Darian Watching All Night Long

28 Years Later : The Bone Temple 

This film is a tremendous follow up to previous film! Nia DaCosta brings a different flare and approach to the franchise that is very much brutal in the execution and incredibly human in her approach to the wonderful screenplay written by Alex Garland. The film is not as stylistic as Danny Boyle’s direction that is absent from this entry but what it lacks in specific style it makes up for in sheer emotional drive which is the big thing that DaCosta Taps into more then ever with this film. The film is about a brutal world that these people have to live in it and how it has affected everyone in different ways to this new way of living and how that mentally would take a toll on people. Now that was explored in the first film and has been a ongoing theme but it explores it to great depth this time around and their are parts of this film that had my jaw on the floor 28 Years Later The Bone Temple is the first great film of 2026 that I will not be surprised if it ends up on many peoples best of the year lists including my own. 

Firstly, The way Nia DaCosta goes about exploring the arc of Samson and Ian the doctor we were introduced to in the first film is a integral focus point to the film and it is a paring you never expected would work but ended up being one of the strongest emotional aspects of the story. Now just like the last film this one is slow In the way the film unfolds it is not at all trying to be a fast paced and slick horror film by any means but instead is a meditative piece on the Human condition. That  is  an element that Nia taps into far more this time around that Danny Boyle didn’t in the previous film which is how far the brutality goes. If the first film was bleak this one cranks it to an 11 with the descent into hell of how people’s minds can turn into a very warped sense of reality and that is shown In brutal detail from what we Get to know as the Jimmy’s and the film has a huge delve into cultism and Satanic worshipping and the way Alex Garland pushes the insanity of this franchise is staggering because we see what happens in the first film when their is a sense of community to protect themselves from harm but then their is another flip side to that coin of what if their was a sense of unity and community built off the backs of evil and delivering a message that is derived off inflecting violence on others. That being said the film does not hold back it shows it all in its ugliness and how terrifying it can go if a person or group of people are pushed far enough. The ways’s it is explored on a psychological level is so interesting and Alex Garland and Nia DaCosta do a tremendous job at Bringing the great writing to the screen and I actually would go as far as saying it is as strong if not more so then what we got in the last film from a storytelling point of view. As having Samson and Dr Ian becoming unlikely friends and generating a great emotional bond was so moving to see the evolution of that and in the final act of the film the story of the Jimmy’s and the Dr Ian plot line intertwine in such a fantastic way that works so well. The film explores places of the characters in a deeper way we had not seen in the first film and Also show the darker and human sides of peoples hearts and both sides of that are greatly executed in a very emotionally affective way. Overall the way the writing has not only strengthened which I thought was impossible as it is already so good Garland still finds new ways to expand this franchise and keep it fresh and brining on Nia was great as she gives such a different look to the franchise but one that is a amazing addition. 

Secondly, The performances from everyone is great but the two actors everyone will be talking about is Ralph Fiennes and Jack O’ Connell who in their own ways give such powerful onscreen performances. Ralph Fiennes once again delivers another top notch performance that proves why he is the amazing actor we all know him for. We see him tap more into the depths of who Dr Ian is and he shows both his deep knowledge on medicine and how strict he is about his ways of living but we see how much he is in dire need of a human connection and Finnes is able to tap into that sensitive heart in a very captivating way that makes you unable to take your eyes off of him the entire time. Then you have Jack O’ Connell who delivers a performance that somehow tops what he did in Sinners with his turn as the head of the Jimmy’s. He plays this unpredictable personality that believes in a higher calling but uses it for all the wrong reasons he lures you in with his charismatic energy and once he has your attention he is able to change the temperature in the room from how he can change his emotional tone within seconds and command the screen with an iron fist of intimidation Jack O Connell is truly magnetic in this film. Everyone else all give great performances but it is the work from both Jack and Ralph that really walk away with the film in terms of performance. 

Lastly, 28 Years Later : The Bone Temple is the first truly great film of 2026 and if films are going to be on this caliber of good it is going to be a great year of films I cannot wait. Alex Garland and Nia DaCosta work together to create the bridge between the first last film with exploring the dark intentions people can have when they manipulate someone far enough in dire situations but also to show how beautiful it is to create a connection with someone and watching that evolution of a bond blossom overtime it is able to go back and forth and explore both ends of that in great detail. 28 Years : The Bone Temple is at the core of it about humans and why we do what we do in a new world that is plagued with nothing but unpredictability around every corner and how we would go about living in such a world Garland and DaCosta do a great job at giving a great follow up to the first film that pushes the world even further and deepening the depths of the characters we were introduced with in the first film with great twist and turns and a gut punch of emotion this film is truly phenomenal! I recommend everyone who likes this franchise to see it on the big screen with an audience it really will make that experience that more special. 

This film picks up where 28 Years left off with now Spike having no choice but to have joined the group known as the Jimmy’s but what they want him to do is darker then he can imagine 

Rated R : Graphic Nudity|Gore|Brief Drug Use|Language Throughout|Strong Bloody Violence

Ralph Fiennes : Ralph gives one of the most memorable performances of his career with his turn in this film as Dr Ian! Now this man is one of the most underrated actors that has had a crazy run of films this decade from The Dig, The Menu, Conclave to now two 28 years films the guy has had exceptional work this decade and it unfortunately is not getting the recognition he deserves. Whatever he is in he gives his absolute best and this performance is no different we saw his introduction in the first film as this eccentric doctor and yes he did get about 20ish minutes of screen time where we found out a little about him but not much. Here we really see who he is on a deeper level and he bears his heart with his work on this film. As we see his day to day ways of living and how he has survived so long by living on his own and how he has maintained a distance between him and the infected people taking his life. Their is a man that goes by the name Samson and he has found himself intrigued by him as he has sedatives that help him from getting harmed he uses on the infected but once he uses it on this one man he is interested to see if their is any way to reverse the virus and see if he can become human again. The sheer will and want for him to help him is so admirable but also you can see that both of them benefit from the situation as he is in essential need of human connection and Samson the man he is studying can be saved so it is a win win on both ways of looking at it. There is something emotion wise he taps into with this character that almost feels Shakespearian in his approach to the role that just makes you so intrigued into his arc of the character. You can see that he does not scare easily due to of seen so much violence and carnage but behind the walls of being confident in his safety their is a longing he has for wanting to have a friend or a basic connection with someone once again and it reads all over his eyes and he presents that through all the raw emotion that is right on his face and Ralph says so much without feeling the need to have to communicate that to the audience with words. Once he starts working on his relationship with Samson you can see that he feels alive again as their is something that gives him a reason to wake up in the morning and have something to look forward too instead of the same old routine day in and day out. When he expresses he is scared it comes from such a real place in his heart as it seems that nothing can shake this man but he is vulnerable like the next person but due to him getting so emotionally attached into Samson it now gives him something to loose which is not something he has had to think about in a very long time. Ralph Fiennes plays this character in a very emotionally reserved way that starts showing more of his emotional depth as the film progresses in very subtle ways and in the final act he gives some of the best acting of his career he surrenders himself to the material and gives his entire body and being to the work and you can see the sheer commitment but also fun he is having at exploring Dr Ian. Ralph Fiennes is magnificent in this film giving what I think is one of his most fascinating and emotionally captivating roles he has put to screen. 

Jack O’ Connell : O’ Connell gives his most terrifying performance yet with his work in 28 Years Later : The Bone Temple! Now Jack O’ Connell is finally getting the recognition he deserves as he has been working for so many years I remember him from way back when he did Unbroken directed by Angelina Jolie and being totally blown away by his talents and somehow in the last decade he has flown under the radar until his big villainous turn in Sinners. If you thought he played a antagonist in that film what he does here is unheard of he plays a bone chilling personality named Jimmy Crystal and brings chaos, violence and inflicts pain on anyone in his path he comes across that he wants to just cause he can. His motives we do not even learn about until later on which is terrifying which means he just does it to get a kick out of people crying in pain and he laughs out of sickening excitement and pleasure in their pain. Jack O’ Connell soaks in this role like a sponge and becomes totally immersed into the psyche of the character when you see him despite his evil and unlikeable motives he is so striking to see onscreen he has such a strong screen presence that is felt in every frame. He follows a strict guideline to being in his deranged group of followers and if you can’t stomach the pain and animalistic nature of it not only will he kick you out he will make sure you go down so you cannot get away. Jack O’ Connell’s character is a devil worshipper and follows the word of him to guide him in his day to day decisions even though it seems he uses religion in a way to justify the horrible actions he does and Jack disappears entirely into the character with the track suit and upside down cross he walks differently and has so much hate in his heart but their is a playfulness about him that is always on display he will bring down the hammer of punishment when he has too and makes that fun personality be a front for who he really is. Emotionally Jack O’ Connell gets to explore so much of who this complicated person is and Does a staggering job at that he thinks what he is doing is the right way to live and treat others which is horrifying. Jack O’ Connell gives what I think is the strongest performance he has shown onscreen thus far and he digs deep into the dark parts of himself to bring this terrifying person to the surface but it is always dripping in charisma that you can’t look away he chews up the scenery in each scene he is in and steals the show in terms of performance Jack O’ Connell is truly sensational! 

Nia DaCosta : Nia brings a beautiful addition to the franchise with giving her own interpretation on the franchise without loosing what the core message of these films are! Now Nia has a short resume she’s worked on the Candyman remake, Hedda and now this among a few others but what she brings to the table creatively was so impressive with her take on this film. She of course lets Alex Garland’s script be her guiding star but the way it is presented style wise is very different then how Danny Boyle does these films. Nia is more quiet in her approach to the story and isn’t as fast paced with kinetic energy she lets the frame burn slowly and lingers longer on shots which is fine I love her voice on this film as she also brings a sense of brutality to this film that has not gone to these kinds of heights of violence before. She never lets the brutality of it all be placed in it for the sake of it but letting it be justified in the way we better understand characters motives theirs a reason behind each decision she makes in this film and smartly at that. She and Alex worked together greatly to explore the relationship of Dr Ian and Samson and how their relationship blossoms overtime all the while exploring the sinister side of Jimmy and his whole situation and what she focuses on is what these films have always been build on which is how humans react under urgent circumstances and how psychologically it affects them and in what way they will adapt to their new settings and the way she presents it is both beautiful and terrifying as she shows the beauty and darkness that comes with that. I think Nia understood the exact kind of tone that was needed to further the plot of this trilogy and expand the arcs of these characters we have become intrigued by overall I think Nia DaCosta brings a respectful and singular vision to the franchise that is a fantastic addition that works so well.    

My Top 10 Favourite Films Of 2025

1. Sinners 
2. One Battle After Another 
3. Wake Up Dead Man : A Knives Out Mystery
4. Bugonia 
5. 28 Years Later
6. Companion 
7. Thunderbolts 
8. The Long Walk 
9. Caught Stealing 
10. One Of Them Days

My Top 10 Favourite Films Of 2024

1. Juror 2
2. The Substance 
3. Conclave 
4. Challengers 
5. Nosferatu
6. Longlegs 
7. Sing Sing
8. A Diffrent Man
9. Saturday Night 
10. Civil War

Wake Up Dead Man : A Knives Out Mystery 

This is one of the best films of the year! Now this film I think will be the most divisive film of the trilogy due to the themes this film discusses and it is not as comedically strong as the previous films as the direction this film goes into is a far more dramatic depth which I think is really cool as it refuses to repeat what it has already done. Now people will say the formula is getting repetitive but these are murder mysteries but it is all about how we get to the destination that matters and the way Rian paints these characters and the over arching look of the the plot is riveting and gives one of the most unpredictable ways to the revel you genuinely do not see coming. Wake Up Dead Man is a blast to be had with truly solid performances from the entire cast involved. 

Firstly, This is Rian Johnson’s most personal story he has written as he explores the themes of faith and devotion to religion in this film that has some of the most polarizing writing he has put to the page. We see a lot of Rian Johnson’s personal feelings about his thoughts on faith really shine through the frame in a way that comes across really exciting in his feelings on the subject. As Josh O’ Connor’s character is someone who has had a troubled past and feels finding his faith has saved him from continuing down that troubled path and Josh Brolin’s character uses his platform to spew anger to his followers and those two clash constantly on how they use their power within the church to preach very different outlooks on faith. As one is coming out of a place of anger another coming from a sense of calm and seeing both sides of that coin was very intriguing to watch unfold. You can see how this film is far more dramatic in its execution compared to the films that came before it as the first two are yes Murder mysteries but it has very smartly placed humour within the narrative this film felt more like a straight forward murder mystery in a sense and the comedy seemed to take a backseat this time around which I didn’t mind but I feel some will feel it is less good in comparison to the other two due to the lack of comedy that is here. I love that 3 films in Rian Is still bringing such fresh ideas in where he wants these films to go and what themes they can tackle and having it take on faith and beliefs I think was such a great way into this murder mystery while also not repeating the same patterns of the previous entries so it never becomes repetitive. This film takes as I mentioned a more serious approach to the subject matter and the way they go about expressing it was brilliantly tackled. The writing is still as sharp as the other two films but it is a tall order to try to top the first film as that is in many ways a perfect film that is impossible to try to recapture that magic again. But I love how episodic these films feel what I mean by that is none of these films are continuing plot lines that carry over to the next they start fresh in each film so you can watch them in any order you want. Wake Up Dead Man has razor sharp dialogue that opens up conversation about deep discussions on faith and religion while still giving that signature style of murder mystery we have come to love from this franchise. 

Secondly, The performances of the entire cast is solid but I have to say the single best performance from the ensemble is Josh O’ Connor! Now I will say a minor gripe I had with the cast here this time around they were good but they didn’t stand out to me as memorably as the past few cast we have gotten now to be fair the biggest draw of the performances aside from Daniel Craig as I mentioned is Josh O’ Connor who gives a sensational turn as a priest trying his best to be the most clear headed priest that wants to spread pure forms of faith that represents positivity in a very difficult time where it is easier to spread hate instead of joy. He brings such emotional tenderness to the role that has you invested into who he is within the first Frame Josh O Connor is magnificent in this film! Then you have Daniel Craig stepping back into the role that I will say is his second most iconic role of his career and he still finds new things to reveal about the character within the the mystery without taking away the mystique of who he is and keeping us in the dark of who he is. We for the first time see his stance on religion and the topic of faith while also delivering another sensational turn as the detective we love and here he seems more grounded in drama instead of comedy while he gives great laughs his performance of the iconic detective he played a lot more straight and I think it was amazing to see Craig still find new things to peel back about this wonderfully written character. Craig is tremendous and has a great back and forth chemistry with Josh that results in crackling chemistry onscreen. Overall the performances are all solid but Josh O Connor did steal the show with his magnetic turn as the conflicted priest in this film. 

Lastly, Wake Up Dead Man is one of the years best films that has some of the sharpest dialogue I have seen as well as Rian Johnson has crafted a film that makes him come to terms with his personal feelings on faith and giving it a fantastic platform through this film and giving great twists and turns you genuinely do not see coming and again brings another great cast together all of which give solid performances with a scene stealing Josh O’ Connor! Now the film pulls back on the comedy and grounds itself with more dramatic depth this time around and I think it is one of Rian’s best written films he has ever put to the screen and another truly fantastic entry in the Knives Out brand with Daniel Craig also giving another great charismatic and magnetic performance this film is phenomenal and will make you want to watch it over and over again! I recommend seeing it on the big screen if you can and if you’re a fan of the Knives Out films you will love this next chapter in the franchise. 

This film centres on a murder that occurs in a church after a Monsieur gives his sermon and they have to get to the bottom of who committed this heinous crime

Rated PG - 13 : Some Crude Sexual Material|Smoking|Bloody Images|Strong Language|Violent Content

Josh O’ Connor : Josh gives a sensational turn as the priest with conflicted feelings of emotional torment going on in his heart! I first really took notice of O Connor in 2024 when he did the tremendous film Challengers and his amazing turn in that film made me keep a look out for anything he does moving forward as he is a terrific actor with fantastic emotional range. He plays Father Judd who is doing his best to follow the way of Christ within a time where there are shady people everywhere he turns. You can see that he has been working his best to try to cleanse himself of his past and write a better path for himself moving forward as he yes acknowledges the person he was in the past which was angry and even hateful but he dose not want to associate himself in that emotional frame of mind anymore and instead wants to help lead people into a peaceful and loving way and unfortunately when he is transferred to a new church and the current Priest that resides there spews anger and toxic ways of using his platform to persuade people into this negative mindset and Josh O’ Connor’s character takes serious offence of using the image and representation of Christ and his faith in a negative way in any form instead of the way he was intended to be represented as in his beliefs. The two clash over their ways of speaking their views on faith and you can see how his character will stop at nothing to make sure people see the good in others and not to feel lied to and or mislead in their pursuit for finding answers that help them on their path to enlightenment. Then when a death shakes the place he is the person everyone turns to as suspect number one due to his strong disliking for the priest but even though he didn’t like him he wouldn’t go as far as ending his life to rid of him. Josh O Connor gets to play in the arena of emotional back and forth with this personality that is done in such an incredibly nuanced way that has you glued to his arc the moment he comes onscreen. You can see that he is trying his best to see the best in others even when people refuse to see the light in him he is doing his absolute best to be a shining example of how redemption in others can be shown with a troubled past. He tries not to let others shake him and he takes emotional hit after hit and their is a point where he is almost in tears within the house of god but when the detective we love comes in played by Craig it gives him someone to confide in that isn’t corrupted by the thoughts of the priest in town but sees him as a person that wouldn’t do these horrible things he has been found to be accused of. They also share differences in views on religion but they can still respect each other despite their differences which is what he can’t do with the other priest. Josh O Connor tries to prove that his past dose not define him as a person and he truly has changed into a better person and that in so many ways faith saved his life and the way O’ Connor channels into the emotional depth of the character is truly terrific to watch as you see the raw emotional pain he is for a good portion of the film for being the number one suspect but still feeling the need to prove that he isn’t the person people view him as. Josh has this way of showing the vulnerability to who he plays with great honesty through his ability to read it all over his face and his eyes and he is truly outstanding in this film I think it is one of the best pieces of acting he has shown so far and with every performance he seems to prove upon the last one as he is an amazingly talented actor that I hope goes on to do big things. Josh O Connor plays the conflicted priest who’s heart is in the right place and the amount of layers that are peeled back about this character is magnificently shown by O’ Connor in a truly sensational turn in this film. 

Daniel Craig : Craig gives another strong turn as the southern detective we all love! Now Daniel Craig has played Benoit three times now and what I love about his approach to the role each time is he finds new ways to explore sides of him we have yet to see and keep him fresh each time we see him onscreen which makes it so fun to see what fun antics he will be up to. I love the approach of not revealing everything about this amazingly well written role that is one of the most compelling original characters we have seen in the last 30 years. He does not want to tell you each aspect about him but keeping that mystique about him is part of the fun of seeing him is not knowing everything is part of the fun. Instead of just laying out his entire personality for us to know all about him he instead gives tidbits of sides to his personality within every film and case. Like we learn his stance on religion and how he does not believe and we learn why but that there is not revealing too much about him but it gives you enough to find out something new to be intrigued by and Daniel Craig gets those new bits of his personality that is revealed that he gets to play within of the detectives arc. We see him grapple with his thoughts on how faith how impacted himself personally and that Father Judd isn’t trying to convert him but try to listen to why he thinks the way he does about faith. Both of them also have amazing onscreen chemistry and they bounce off one another so well Craig does not overstay his welcome with his character which I think is important to talk about because he lets the conflict that is going on with Father Judd be explained in great detail first before dropping into the story and I love that Rian only injects Benoit into the story when he feels it is the right moment. Craig also is not as comedic as he usually is which I think was a great change of pace he does sure have moments of comedic wit for sure but it is not the driving tone of his performance this time around and I love that he will find new ways into the character to explore we don’t know about him and even if it means changing up how we have seen him in the past is amazing. Craig once again delivers another great turn as the southern detective he may not be in the film for as long as people expected but he does such a great job with the screen time he does have and shines a hole through the frame in each scene he’s in Craig is magnificent and even though Benoit may not be a believer by the end of the film you can see his newfound respect for religion and faith Daniel Craig is amazing once again. 

Rian Johnson : Rian has crafted truly one of the best films of his career with the writing on this third entry in the Knives Out Brand he has carved out for himself. Now these films he has given us over the course of 6 years have been amazing as he surrounds each film with such a terrific set of actors and all of which give their absolute all while capturing such great dialogue that perfectly suits each character and layers it with mystery and intrigue that you have no idea where the film will turn next. I wrote back in 2019 in my first review for Knives Out how incredibly hard it is to craft a well thought out murder mystery and Johnson has cracked that formula and knows exactly how to give some of the greatest murder mystery stories we have seen in over 30 plus years. Each film he has given us has had commentary on something larger at hand as the first one was about immigration and the rich and the power dynamic between the two the second film was about the pandemic and out of touch billionaires and tech bros and then with this film it is about religion. I think the way he tackles his thoughts on faith is very profound as Rian Johnson has been very vocal about his conflicted feelings on that specific subject since his early upbringing and how his relationship with faith has changed over the course of his life so incorporating those complex personal thoughts and injecting it into the narrative was a smart way for him to come to terms with his thoughts on the matter. The film is about being a better person through the prospect of faith and the way he opens the film up with Father Judd and how he has had a troubled past but wants to be better then what he was in the past is so touching and so he turned to faith for a recourse of his life going forward and how he wants to show people how they can as well be shown the positive ways of religion. When he is met with a very hostile person who uses the subject of faith in a very negative way he finds that he has to protect the church in anyway he can to preserve the pure message of what the church is supposed to represent and Rian is able to tackle all of that all before Daniel Craig even enters the frame is is amazing as he wants the audience to become emotionally so drawn into father Judd and his journey before he drops Craig into the narrative which I think is such a genius idea. As then the moment Craig is in the film we see how his relationship with Blanc is and how Blanc is not a believer of the subject of religion and despite their differences can still respect one another and the film still wraps the audience in the murder mystery you come to expect from these films but it is not just a retread of what we have seen before. He is able to pack such a powerful emotional punch with the themes of faith, redemption and religion that yes I was deeply satisfied with the way he was able to incorporate the two in a way that complimented one another and worked thematically so well. The film at times I felt this old fashioned gothic mystery element to the frame because of where the film’s location takes place. Some people will knock this film for not having a more detailed Mystery element in the sense the first film made motives on how each character could of potentially of done the murder where as this film is more about a meditation on religion and the way the murder mystery element is done is from the perspective of a locked room mystery which they actually point out within the film. I think this is right next to the first film for being the second best Knives Out Story as a film but in terms of wiring this is his sharpest Knives Out film. Rian Johnson only seems to get better and better with each entry and I cannot wait to see what direction the next one can go into As Rian Johnson has cemented him as the modern day Murder mystery genius writer overall great direction and phenomenal writing by Johnson that is about the fragility topic of religion wrapped in a murder mystery.

Bugonia

This is one of the best films of the year and is right next to Poor Things to being my nee favourite second Yorgos Lanthimos film! Now I have been very vocal of how I am a huge fan of Yorgo’s films over the years and how he has such a distinct and specific style that is so uniquely him. This film is about paranoia, damaged hearts and what happens when conspiracy theory goes to total madness Jesse Plemons and Emma Stone deliver dominating performances that are among some of the best work of their career Bugonia is strange, a twisty and turny tale of sheer insanity to the 100th degree Yorgos may have just delivered the best work of his career with his execution of this narrative. 

Firstly, As I mentioned it is no surprise I sing the praises of Yorgo’s work as I have been praising his talents since I saw the Lobster in 2015. He has given some of the most striking films with truly mind boggling stories that spark such great discussions among the film community and I love that. He always infuses his own spin on very deep rooted themes and here he gives what may be his most political take on things we have seen so far and I love the ballsy moves he is doing with this film in particular. As this film delves into the places of conspiracy theory and how maddening it can be and how there are some people that are so deep into that mindset that whatever they read off the internet they will believe with their full being to a terrifying extent. He shows what happens if someone who believes in that toxic way of thinking could go a step further to dangerous degrees and I love the exploration of it. As the film toys with the idea and concept of this woman they think is an alien and their so sure of it their is no turning their brains but what the film also shows is the paranoia of it all because the film plays devils advocate in a way where they think their an alien and Emma Stone is constantly trying to tell these two men she isn’t but what Yorgos captures so well is self doubt with the audience because he makes you start to not know who to trust because is Emma Stone being totally truthful or are they guys purely insane and made a huge mistake abducting this powerful woman. It goes back and forth arguing both sides and the film weaves through so many twist and turns that you don’t see coming it kept me on edge the entire time their was not one moment I was bored or felt disengaged from the story. Yorgos and the whole team have crafted a film that I think is one of his finest films that again is able to have serious discussions while showing it in the obscure way he likes to do and some may shrug this film off and say it is too weird and obscure but I disagree because if you have seen any of his other films you know that is how he goes about telling his stories. This film though do I think is better than kinds of Kindness? yes but that isn’t a knock on the quality of that film I just felt this film is more tightly written with a engaging plot line that grabs hold of you. He once again brings that pitch black humour to the frame he is known for the film is the exploration of madness and conspiracy to the the most wild degree and Yorgos captured it magnificently the tone set for the film was great and the way it was written is truly terrific. 

Secondly, The performances from everyone but I will say now the biggest performance of the film that really chews up the scenery is Jesse Plemons who gives I think his finest performance in this! He plays this man obsessed with the notion that their are aliens walking among us through the bodies of rich millionaires or wealthy people and he is driven by the notion of trying to stop them and he feels so sure of it that nothing can shake him and he brings a awkwardness and unpredictability to the role that is utterly terrifying but you can’t look away from it is his finest hour as an actor and shows everyone he is a perfect fit for leading man roles. Emma Stone is equally as great giving what I think is her second best performance right next to Poor Things as she plays a woman that is thrust into this situation where she has to find ways to better her situation without making it worse for herself as she knows it can end vert badly if she says the wrong thing and the way she shows the pure desperation in her eyes while also trying to remain strong in spirit is truly incredible to watch onscreen. The two performances from Jesse and Emma are phenomenal and seeing them going back and forth is a great chess match of acting to watch that left me floored. 

Lastly, Bugonia is one of Yorgos’s strongest films of his entire career with his ability to keep finding ways to bring the audience into his strange worlds and approaching them in fresh new ways that never feel repetitive as he crafts his most political spin through his obscure lens with his work on this. He never made the film feel preachy but worked it into the story that felt smart and packed a powerful punch that will make you think. the film shows what happens to someone who gets in their own head with paranoia and acts on it and goes about it in all the wrong ways to the most insane degree and the way he explores the mindset of these characters is incredible while packed with truly spectacular performances Bugonia is one of the most thought provoking and well acted films of the year that will for sure be on a lot of peoples favourite films of the year list I know it’ll be on mine for sure Bugonia is chaotic madness presented masterfully by Yorgos. I recommend if your a fan of his work or just great original storytelling go see this on the big screen. 

Two men abduct a powerful business woman under the impression she is an alien 

Rated R : Bloody Violent Content|Suicide|Grisly Images|Language

Jesse Plemons : Plemons delivers his finest work of his career with his turn in this film! Now as I said last year seeing him getting his first big lead role with Kinds Of Kindness was a big deal as he has for a long time has been playing supporting roles and he proved with his work in that he can anchor a film as the lead and here he shines amazingly as the lead of this film once again giving full confidence he is leading man material. Here he plays a man dead set on the notion that there is a woman that he has been following for a while is an alien that must be stopped. The film opens with lots of dialogue of why he thinks the way he does and we get a crack inside his brain of how he ticks and it is disturbing because their are so many people that do think the way he is speaking and their is so much reality in his performance. You can tell that what he has read on the internet has infected his way of thinking and going about his way of living we see that he is so confident in those topics because of his heavy research on it and by believing it heavily gives him a purpose as you can see in his eyes he is a lost soul that has a heavy amount of trauma and disguises it through his maddening obsession on this topic. When he abducts Emma Stone’s character at first we think he just grabbed her because he thinks she is an alien and has studied her for so long but as the film goes on we learn that they have a shared history between the two of them and the reasoning he targeted her could of been due to being emotionally motivated instead of it at first feeling like a isolated event. Jesse has perfected the ability to play these socially awkward characters that feel so uncomfortable in their skin but here he plays someone that has so many insecurities and at the core of it feels he has a handle on the situation when in reality he has no idea what he is doing and when Emma’s character calls him out on his lack of planning and sloppy execution he gets mad very easily as you can see he has a short temper that can’t take criticism. He thinks he has the upper hand in what is happening but since he is so off the deep end mentally what makes him scary is he will resort to psychical violence if it means it proves to her that he is in control and not her which is scary as it shows that he has no limit to what he can and will do to protect his pride. You can see in the way he looks that he feels so confident in the beginning but as the film goes on you can watch the layers of insecurity just shed off him like a snake and his patience and calm way of dealing with it become less and less and he starts cracking under the pressure leading to violent outbursts that make the situation only worse for himself furthering proving the point that he has no idea how to deal with what he chose to do. This character is so multi layered in insecurity and to a degree insanity as well and he didn’t just play him as this big terrifying antagonist but you can see that he took the approach of people that have been mentally unstable and clutch themselves to unhealthy things on the internet and then blow that up to a crazy degree and what would happen if someone acted on those ill thoughts and believed all these outlandish things and spoke it as if it was their truth. Jesse has this slow but gradual progression into mental madness and he cranks up the volume on it slowly but surely in a way that works for the film and is so incredibly emotionally affective in his screen delivery. I think the way he plays the character is brilliant and is his finest hour as An actor as he has so much to work with in terms of showing sides of who this person is and you can see the sheer amount of depth exploration that Plemons puts into the role is truly amazing. Jesse Plemons delivers a phenomenal performance of a man that starts as a guy that could not be rattled but then becomes sick with paranoia in his brain and the way Jesse shows that onscreen truly blew me away from his line delivery to the emotional vulnerability he presents from just the look in his eyes he is amazing here I really hope he gets award attention for his work in this film he is outstanding! 

Emma Stone : Stone gives another sensational turn with her partnership with Yorgos! These two have become such great collaborators and they creatively bring the best out of each other as once again Emma shines as this rich mogul that is thrust into a dangerous situation that she has to find a way out of without getting killed. Now I want to add Emma Stone has become one of my favourite actors working today she constantly finds characters that challenge her as an actress that raises the bar of what she can do each time which makes her so fun to watch their is really not any genre she can’t do. Here as mentioned she plays this rich mogul and when she is awakened in the basement to these two men that are under the impression she is an alien her first response is to get angry and try to tell them that their horribly mistaken and that the law enforcement will be knocking their door down any minute as she finds if she approaches it by instilling fear then that will get them to crack under the pressure of using her power status to intimate them. When she comes to the hard realization early on that tactic won’t work to her surprise as she thought it would scare them and when they are found to just laugh her off and go upstairs showing they are the ones in control she then goes to her second option which is desperation and she goes through many levels of emotional stages as the second one yeah was desperation as she begins to plea and beg to let her go and regardless how many tears she sheds or how she tries to reason with them she finds herself still cuffed to that bed and unable to go anywhere which then leads to her third attempt which is to play along and feed into their delusions when she starts cooperating and just begin agreeing that she is an alien they are at first not convinced and takes a lot for her to make them agree that she isn’t manipulating them but is she? She knows that these men are mentally not well and so why fight them when she can just try to agree for a while to talk her way out of it. She tries to be kind she really does but their is a moment where she gets into a heated disagreement with Jesse’s character over some past business they had with one another and it results in his hands being around her throat and after that moment she realizes this man’s violent outbursts has caused her to have to get out of there asap as she knows he will end her if it comes to it as at first she just he may never lay a hand on her but when that is proven false she then does her final attempt to find a way out which is shedding the begging and pleading and kindness persona and showing him that she is strong at heart and has never been weak and she has this monologue that feels 5 to 7 minutes long and it left my jaw on the floor as like I said when we first see her she is desperate but by the final act she makes Jesse full of self doubt and second guessing his moves as she proves to him he messed with the wrong person. What is so brilliant about Emma in this film is the many phases she goes through and how she is able to deliver such a powerful punch of emotion in each layer that is peeled back she brings such a amount of emotional grit to the role and again she gets so much to work with in terms of emotional range with this character. Emma is phenomenal and you can tell that upon the first night in that basement that she is someone that has the confidence Jesse’s character wishes he had and you can see the seeds of resentment grow from that first encounter. Emma Stone gives an emotional stability to Jesses’s madness which makes for a great acting showcase between the two onscreen the entire time. Emma Stone once again gives another terrific turn in this film that is among her best work she has ever done she is emotionally powerful in this film! 

Yorgos Lanthimos : Yorgos gives again another modern masterpiece with his work on this! Yorgos I will never stop gushing about his creative brain as he is one of the most imaginative creatives working today that finds such engaging stories that never feels like his previous films he is always giving fresh new takes with such unique looks on the human condition. Now again this could be his most polarizing film yet with the political take he has on it and some may say it is too heavy handed I don’t think so as I have not seen such a true and honest look at conspiracy theory to a psychotic degree shown like this before. He does not his punches he shows how mentally unstable, scary, and dangerous it can be when you let falsehoods from the internet become your version of the truth and then at the same time is Emma’s character being totally truthful we don’t know which then makes us what agree with Jesse’s character not exactly but it creates self doubt in both characters which makes for a more unpredictable ending. You have no idea how the film is going to shake out and I think Yorgos did a tremendous job at not letting people know where the plot was going to go keeping the audience on their toes the whole time. he does not spoon feed the audience and tell them who is right and who is wrong he is amazing at showing flawed characters and their actions but leaving it up to the viewer to decide if what their doing is wrong or not and the only other filmmaker that has perfected that is Scorsese. Yorgos explores paranoia, madness and what happens if someone was pushed too far to act on their own suspensions from what they read online and the way he delivers that is amazing and so well done as he also gets great performances from his lead actors while giving that signature Yorgos black comedy as well where you don’t if you should laugh at parts of the film but find yourself giggling. Yorgos once again proves why he is one of the most compelling voices working today and he has yet to find a genre he cannot tackle he loves exploring what makes people tick and here Bugonia is one of his finest films he just did a truly remarkable job.  

Good Fortune 

This film is one of the most heartwarming and wholesome films of the year that left me with a big smile on my face! I remember seeing the announcement of this casting when it went into production with the likes of Aziz Ansari, Seth Rogan and Keanu Reeves was such perfect casting as firstly we have not seen Keanu Reeves in a traditional comedy in quite some time. Not only is he good in this film he is the scene stealer of the picture and gives one of the finest performances of his career. The film packs so much heart and humour and I do feel with the release of all of the films that have come out this month this film will be looked over which is unfortunate  as it is a gem of a film. It feels like a modern take on Frank Capra’s Its a wonderful life and now I feel it does a great job at modernizing the message of that film here. Good Fortune is a wonderful time that has great laughs an amazing amount of heart and a lesson for the audience to walk away with.

Firstly, This film does have quite a lot of political and social issues woven into the narrative that some may feel is far to political for a comedy like this but I found it quite affective in it’s approach. Now the film talks very much about eat the rich in terms of it’s political message and for a lot of people they either will get behind it and see the huge significance  in that especially in the moment we are in right now or will not be invested in that entirely. For me I liked the fact the film was able to go those deep places with current political and social issues that do tackle it in a way that Is serious sure their is a comedic element to it but not in a way that undervalues the seriousness of the tone it is trying to set it with. The film talks about the Class differences between the working man and the rich 1% of the world that gets to enjoy the fine things in life with very little concern where majority of people have to scrap to get by and their is a serious sense of relatability for a ton of people in the conversation Then you also have the subject of treating service workers like human beings and not just disregarding them like their feelings don’t matter their is so much current political themes in this film that this film hits right on the head and I think delves into each single one masterfully. Some may as I mentioned will say it is too heavy handed I disagree I think Aziz Ansari did a tremendous job at balancing the comedy with the drama as the comedy never felt over the top or too cartoony but it also is not your straight forward drama either it was able to blend both elements that compliment one another really well. The film walks a fine line as I said between comedy and drama while also serving a ton of political and social messages throughout for the audience to relate to in a very authentic way. The sheer tone and way this film is done was greatly executed. 

Secondly, The performances of the whole cast was splendid! Now you have the likes of Aziz Ansari, Seth Rogan and Keke Palmer but the person that stole the show in terms of performance is none other then Keanu Reeves giving what I think may just be a top 5 all time performance from him! He channels a lot of Bill and Ted into his performance of Gabriel the angel while also showing that his man wears his heart on his sleeve. Their is not one moment when he is onscreen you get tired of him when he is offscreen your constantly waiting for him to show up again as the way Keanu explores the depths of this character is staggering and you can tell he is having a blast with this role. Keanu Reeves is sensational! Now Seth and Keke do a solid job for sure and the only gripe I would give the film is as well directed and written the film is I did not think Anziz had to star as the lead of the film as well he could of found another actor to play his part and it would of been just as affective. Now again the performance to walk away with that really blew me away was Keanu Reeves work in this. 

Lastly, Good Fortune is one of the funniest, charming and feel good films of the year! Keanu Reeves delivers one of his finest performances of his career and has electric chemistry with Seth Rogan and they make for such a fun comedic duo you never would have thought you needed they are amazing together onscreen. As the film delivers genuine laughs that work each time thanks to the great writing by Aziz Ansari but it also has a great amount of genuine heart that relates through the viewer of struggling to get by in a time where their is a divide between the rich and the blue collar workers and how their lives could not be further apart from one another and what would happen if they saw things from the other perspective from once. The film is hilarious, emotionally affective and one of my favourite films of the year I can see becoming a classic in no time Good Fortune is a great time that I can see myself revisiting multiple times over. I recommend anyone who loves films like the old fashioned early 2000’s comedies of that era will find a fantastic time with this picture. 

This film centres on two guys who couldn’t have more opposite lives with one running into hurdle after hurdle until s Guardian Angel steps in and swaps their lives to show them how the other side lives only for it to backfire 

Rated R : Some Drug Use|Language

Keanu Reeves : Keanu delivers one of the finest works of his career with his turn as Gabriel the angel in Good Fortune! Now I have been a fan of Keanu from when I was a kid to now and he has always constantly been around in terms of his films if it was the fun nature of Bill and Ted, the science fiction masterpiece that is the Matrix or the thrilling action franchise that is John Wick even his summer action blockbuster Point Break is one of my favourites of his. He has always delivered top notch quality films and I think I can speak for many when I say he is a favourite to watch onscreen regardless of what the role is he is just so charismatic  in whatever he does. Here he plays Gabriel an Angel with a heart of gold and the way that Keanu springs this character to life harkens back to the comedic roles he did in the late 80’s and early 90’s and you can see him channel that kind of personality for this role and it works beautifully. As I heard someone say “he acts as if Paddington bear was a human being” and that honestly sounds like the perfect description for his character as their is a childlike innocence he shows onscreen thorough the lens of this role that just makes you smile from ear to ear. As he constantly is worsening the situation for others and himself but has no idea he is as he means well he just has no idea how to go about things in a way that benefits himself and others as he thinks with his heart and not his head. For instance when he is punished for not doing his duties the way he is told to he is stripped of his powers and has to be a human until things are fixed and when he gets to explore the world as a human for the first time it is the most hilarious and heartwarming thing you’ll see onscreen. As in a way he is seeing the world for the first time as he has never had a meal, danced or enjoyed the basic things in life we take for granted in our day to day routine and the way Keanu goes about showing that through his performance is magnificent. He does not play this character as a one note performance as so many actors would have but he tries to explore the human element in someone that has never explored the human condition before and you see him go through moments of doubt and depression on himself and at times really beat himself up over the situation he is in as all the hardships do get to him eventually. Keanu goes through an amazing arc feeling the highs and lows of what it is to be human while also giving this golden retriever persona that is one of the most wholesome things you will see all year. Keanu’s comedic timing is also so freaking brilliant he knows exactly when a joke is the perfect place to hit and is executed amazingly well overall Keanu Reeves delivers what I truly thing is one of his finest hours onscreen in a performance I would rang among one of his all time best Reeves is a revelation in this film giving a comedically brilliant turn that will leave you warm and fuzzy.

Aziz Ansari : Aziz you can tell is tapping into A Wonderful Life and Trading Places with his film Good Fortune! Now he is not making a carbon copy of those two classic films but is giving his own spin on a genre that has been revisited many times over but he does it in a way that sure is familiar but is different enough in his presentation of it that keeps it fresh and new. The film does have at times a predictable outcome of where the characters end up but the performances are so good you’re willing to overlook the tropes that Aziz falls into. Now the only gripe I will give him is the fact he cast himself as the lead in this film he did a decent job directing and writing the film for sure but their was no need to have to throw himself as the lead of this film a good replacement he should of hired would of been Dave Franco but if you were to replace him as the lead and cast someone else it would not make any difference on how the film would of looked in some areas it would of improved as Aziz I find to be a far better creative behind the scenes that is not in front of the camera. I do though love his ability to craft a story that feels very much like the comedies of the early 2000’s we have not seen in a long time and the only other film that comes close to capturing that magic was Bottoms and No Hard Feelings. Now the film also is able to walk the great line between comedy and drama as he has some very social and political themes he wants the audience to take away from this and I thought it was greatly done. The casting of Seth Rogan and Keanu Reeves is truly amazing work and getting Keanu to play a guardian Angel is one of the best casting choices I have seen this year in a film. The film is able to deliver well earned laughs that work and don’t ever feel forced same goes for the dramatic weight of it was able to have great depths for the characters we follow through the course of the story. Aziz Ansari brings homage to films that came before it while also delivering a magnetic film that is destined to be a classic and will leave the audiences feeling good and learn a lesson or two along the way great writing and direction from Aziz Ansari.