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An emotional and dark drama, with a great sense of humour Directed by Martin McDonagh, Three Billboards Outside Ebbing, Missouri is a film about a mother grieving after the murder of her daughter; and yet it's much more. It's about the self-destructive nature of anger, and regret. It's about racism and peoples inability to accept or tolerate horrific circumstances. Most of all, it's about an intimate community dealing with everyday life, their relationships and dramas. It's a film that juggles the darkest of subject matters with a genuine and deep-set humour. Combine this with some of the most dazzling performances of the year so far, and you have a film that's difficult to forget. "Anger only begets more anger" says Charlie, Mildred's abusive ex-husband. Ironic for a man who obviously has serious anger issues himself, and yet anger – or at least the self-destructive nature of anger – is the biggest and most important recurring theme throughout the film. Both lead characters suffer from problems with anger that stem from profoundly different places. What makes Three Billboards, so interesting is we sympathise with them as people, despite the fact that they often display very unpleasant characteristics. Frances McDormand (as Mildred), gives one of her finest performances to date. Grieving the murder of her daughter, angry at the preconceived inability of the local police force to solve her murder, and regretful of their last days together; Mildred decides to hire three billboards for a year, along the same stretch of road her body was discovered. After storming into the office of the company that owns the billboards, Mildred throws $5000 at Red Welby (Caleb Landry Jones) and hands him a note with the slogans for each billboard. They read: "Raped while dying" "And still no arrests?" "How come, Chief Willoughby?" The billboards split opinion. Whilst some people are very supportive, many are not; seeing them as a personal attack on Chief Willoughby, a very popular and respected police officer who has also been hiding (although most of the town seem to know) his battle with terminal cancer. No one is more incensed than, Officer James Dixon. Dixon (played by Sam Rockwell), also well-known around town doesn't carry the same level of respect as, Chief Willoughby. Dixon's reputation comes from his alleged torture of a black prisoner, being an alcoholic and still living with his officious mother (which is probably one of the reasons for his alcoholism). He does, however, idolise Willoughby and aspires to be like him. Mildred and Dixon regularly come into conflict with one another, and It's Willoughby who plays the voice of reason; keeping both of these impulsive and obstinate personalities from doing anything too rash. The trio shares a really dynamic and difficult relationship, and it's only down to the brilliance of the three actors (McDormand, Rockwell and Woody Harrelson) and the writing that it never seems manufactured. A sudden tragedy exacerbates the situation between these two and things deteriorate rapidly; acting as a catalyst for wildly extensive character arcs. The extended cast is equally impressive, with seldom a foot put wrong. Abbie Cornish (as Anne), Chief Willoughby's wife, Caleb Landry Jones (as Red Welby) and Peter Dinklage (as James), a love-struck car salesman are all excellent and aptly showcase they're all facing their own demons. I feel a special mention should also be made to Samara Weaving for her role as Penelope (Charlie's 19-year-old girlfriend). Despite being a minor part, her bubbly and enthusiastic nature, coupled with her inappropriately timed interjections made me smile and brightened up some very dark moments during the course of the film. The relationships between all the characters here seem organic and genuine. There's clearly an undisclosed history amongst the people going back many years. For the most part, we don't know the details; we don't need to know, because we believe it. One of my favourite scenes in the movie is when Chief Willoughby brings Mildred in for questioning after she assaults someone. He starts interrogating her. He puts on his best bad cop routine and is as authoritative as one would expect a seasoned police officer to be. Then, suddenly and unexpectedly, he coughs up blood which splatters Mildred's face. Both are clearly shocked, and in an instant, the whole dynamic of the scene is flipped on its head. Willoughby is reduced to something like an apologetic, badly scolded child. Mildred becomes the comforting mother; holding Willoughby in her arms and assuring him that everything is alright. It's an incredibly tender scene, and these sorts of dynamic shifts are found throughout the movie. They showcase the films ability to seamlessly flip between different ambiences as and when it suits; keeping us guessing as to what might happen next. Verdict Three Billboards Outside Ebbing, Missouri is a crime drama with a deeply distressing setting; a mother, desperately trying to galvanise the local police to solve her daughter's horrific rape and murder 7 months prior. And, yet, due to the superbly written understated and genuine humour found throughout, the film never feels as unbearable or dispiriting as it should. That's not to say it doesn't have heart-rending moments of intense emotional pain. It does, by the bucketful. It's just it never feels overdone or overbearing; it's genuine and heartfelt. The film – due to some excellent cinematography and writing, a great score and superb acting – tiptoes effortlessly between dark humour and utter despair and tragedy without ever making me want to stop watching. Quite the opposite in fact, it hooked me from the first scene and still hasn't let go. I was so intrigued by the story and so invested in the characters that I couldn't stop watching; I didn't want to stop watching. It's a difficult balance to strike, and a difficult thing for a film to do, but Three Billboards – like Room before it – manages to get it absolutely perfect! 10/10

Not quite as good as it should have been, but considerably better than it could have been Tomb Raider is an adventure film based on the 2013 reboot of the popular game franchise. It begins the story of how Lara Croft became the "tomb raider." Unfortunately, it fails to achieve its aspirations of either reaching the high Indiana Jones benchmark it draws inspiration from or recreating the success of the game's excellent story. What it does manage, however, is to surpass the older Tomb Raider movies; by a considerable margin.  Lara Croft (Alicia Vikander) is the fiercely independent daughter of Lord Richard Croft; an adventurer who has been missing for 7 years. Working as a bicycle courier due to her reluctance to claim her father's fortune; with no money and facing eviction, Lara enters an illegal bike race with a substantial financial reward. During the race, Lara crashes into a police car and is arrested. Ana Miller (Kristen Scott Thomas) her father's ex-business partner pays Lara's bail but warns that if she doesn't claim her inheritance it will be sold off. Finally accepting this, Lara visits her father's office and sets off a chain of events that sends her on her first adventure. The writing is one of the movie's biggest flaws, and it extends to the characters and plot. In regards to the plot, there is nothing original here. Worse than that though, is that it's contrived and awkward. The plot feels too rushed, and there are some peculiar divergences from the story of the game that I didn't think was necessary. Something the film does do very well, however – and should receive a huge amount of credit for – is the number of game references it manages to squeeze in (no, I don't mean that crap scene at the end with the guns.). There's a hell of a lot, and I'm sure I missed many more. So much so, I've begun playing the game again so that I'm better prepared to spot more the second time around. For a fan of the game (like myself), it's almost worth watching just for this, and I found myself nudging my partner in excitement to point them out whenever they appeared. The other thing that makes the film worth watching is Lara herself. Alicia Vikander is an incredible actress, and it's her that holds the film together; shining through the occasionally weak dialogue and rushed plot. Not only does she physically embody Lara – gaining 12 lbs of muscle to better represent her – she also gets her personality perfectly. To my knowledge, Alicia did her own stunts (another reason for the muscle gain) because she wanted the film to have a real physicality to it. The way her character moves around the environment: the jumping and the running, the sliding and falling, and of course the fighting; it almost always felt real. As a result, the film feels more real, more gritty, more painful. Her performance also confers most of the films only genuinely emotive moments (her first killing being one). Unfortunately, many of these moments are interrupted by the hurried nature of the film before they really have a chance to take hold. Alicia manages to be believable, in spite of some questionable things going on around her. The rest of the cast, on the whole, is a collection of fairly forgettable characters. The most disappointing being Lord Richard Croft (Dominic West) and Mathias Vogel (Walton Goggins). It's not that they're bad, in fact, both give very adequate performances, and in some instances, these result in some very moving moments. It's just that they're both such talented actors, and their characters, so interesting that they should have been considerably better. Daniel Wu - playing Lu Ren, again gives an admiral performance as the boat captain Lara hires to get to the island. As one of Lara's rare allies in the film, Daniel's role should have been very important. The problem is, I didn't care for him. Actually, I didn't really care about anyone, other than Lara. You can't blame the actors, there really isn't much for them to work with. Only Lara gets any real character development or backstory. Verdict Tomb Raider, for me, is a confusing film. One that has brought disappointment, but also a great pleasure. For all of its faults, you can't take away from the fact that the film does what it sets out to do. It's an entertaining and gritty action adventure movie. Yes, it's hampered by writing issues, but it also has some brilliant actresses/actors who give very good performances. No, it's not Indiana Jones, but it is doing the genre justice, containing everything you'd expect: from deadly traps to thousand-years old tombs. Perhaps more importantly – and despite some questionable divergences – the film stays true to the game. There are hidden references throughout, which are a joy to spot and the story doesn't stray too far from the game's story. It's not easy to condense the story of a nine-hour long game into just under two, but they've had a good go. And it's for that reason that I can overlook the films pacing and writing issues, and would happily watch and purchase the movie upon release. 7/10

A Quiet Place is written and directed by John Krasinski and starring himself as Lee, his wife Emily Blunt as Evelyn, Noah Jupe as Marcus Abbott and few others. It seems like Krasinski didn’t get the roles that he wish for, the big ones. So he made his own film and got the role that he wanted. Here’s my spoiler-free review of A Quiet Place. The film is about a family that live in silence due to the fact that there are monsters who attack by sound. It may seem simple but it’s definitely not, these creatures cannot see so they only attack by sound *almost like cockroaches* so all you have to do is stay quiet to survive. From the start of the film you see the family of five in a grocery store, it feels weird like when they talk by sign language you get it if one of them do, but all the members of the family communicate with hand gestures. It is that intense any little sound they make these creatures hear… but the main problem is they have kids and sometimes they don’t get it. As for the first scene we see one of the kids, take a toy from the store with batteries inside and that NASA space shuttle toy make a sound. Not exactly every single sound, they can obviously walk, their footsteps cannot be heard thus they should be very gentle soft steps, their daughter Millicent Simmonds as Regan Abbott is genuinely deaf so she from the start of the film, every time she see these creatures it’s different from the other family members, when something happens and it led them to go into someone/something they can be very loud, you can hear them from miles away but Regan can’t and that kind of helped her. Regan always thought that her dad don’t love her and doesn’t care about her as much as he does for Marcus and all that is for something that happened before which she always blames herself about, her father Lee is overprotective of her that’s why, every time she wants to do something he tells her not but it’s not the same with Marcus. Sound is one of the main things I look and focus in a horror film and the way it was delivered by the sound department in the film was perfect, every time the film focuses on Regan the sound goes completely silence which is a weird feeling that you get inside a theatre full of sound speakers, yes of course it happens with many movies but in this one it was different for the fact that Regan was deaf and how we the audience get to experience her position and what she goes through at the same moment. Also it made the whole experience even more terrifying, you legitimately don’t know when you’ll hear a sound. Everything was hard for Lee his wife Evelyn was pregnant, he have to deal with his other kids and also protect them, but also it was the same with Evelyn I mean she only had few days left for her birth. So they both were in an unbelievably hard time, especially the fact that they have to deal with a newborn baby which as most babies do when delivered is to cry, so not only physically but also mentally they had to wait for that day. I don’t get goosebumps from watching a horror movie, I feel like it’s impossible but man for some scenes in this one I felt as I’m in that cornfield with them and my heart was pumping too fast. Everyone acted great in this film, especially Emily Blunt I think she was brilliant. I swear I can’t believe this film is not related to Stephen King by any way possible, it felt as something he could write or even have wrote before ! I legitimately think that this movie should be experienced in cinemas, not necessarily a big screen but in a theatre because I think the way John Krasinski made the film is to be seen in cinema, it wouldn’t work at any theatre what makes it special is the silence of the theatre you at, you can see how it’s hard to not make any sound, I mean that’s what these characters of the film are doing. Staying quiet and I think you should to, for a better experience. You can genuinely see what they are going through. Especially how hard it is to stay quiet. Sooo, I’m not too sure with the originality of the film. For me I don’t see it as an original film because I think it’s kind of inspired by some of the older horror films definitely not the new ones. Even from the video game “The Last of us”. But A Quiet Place is one of the best horror movies ever made ! Yes, it’s only got released and I really just two hours ago got out of the theatre from watching the film, but I’m 100% sure of my love of this great horror film and it is on my top 10 or even top five *I’m not sure on that I guess it will take time for adjustments* favourite horror movies of all time. Best horror film I’ve seen in a long time, precisely 2014 It Follows, if you know me you’ll know how much I love It Follows, but I LOVED A Quiet Place very much that I’ll have to say that I loved it more than It Follows. The film reminded me of A24’s It Comes At Night, not as I’m comparing the two films but how dark A Quiet Place were made remember A24 2017 horror film, how each film characters were hiding in a place trying to escape, but again I’m not comparing them It Comes At Night was really good horror film, but A Quiet Place was something else. I love how many or maybe all the critics/audience are praising this film that I think came of nowhere, John Krasinski and the rest of the crew deserve every bit of the love they’re getting. I certainly will pre order the blue ray the second it gets release. DEFINITELY GO SEE THE FILM, as soon as possible. It’s a really good cinematic experience but you should be careful on where you’ll see it, well, try to go to an empty theatre because some people won’t shut up, and the film is quiet as it says by the title. I give A Quiet Place 8.7/10

An incredible and absurdist film, but one that's profoundly relevant With not being particularly familiar with Wes Anderson's previous work, but a big fan of stop-motion animation, I had no idea what to expect. I thought – having seen the trailer – I may get some slightly bizarre, other-worldly tale of a boy and his dog. And I suppose I did really! But there's so much more going on here. What makes this movie so accessible is that it can be enjoyed on so many levels by people of just about any age. For me, the movie was contemplative of the political climate we find ourselves in. Particularly on the subjects of capitalism, authoritarianism and of immigration. But yeah...it's also a film about a boy and his dog! In the dystopian, near-future Japanese city of Megasaki, Mayor Kobayashi (Kunichi Nomura) issues a decree that all dogs be outlawed and quarantined to "trash island" due to an outbreak of snout fever that is threatening to cross species. Although this motion is put to a vote, it's clear that people have been manipulated by the state-controlled media; with interpreter Nelson (Frances McDormand) pondering: "Whatever happened to man's best friend?" Despite Professor Watanabe (Akira Ito), of the science party assuring people that he can find a cure within six months; the vote is overwhelmingly in favour of the government. To demonstrate his commitment, the first dog to be dispatched is Spots (Liev Schreiber), the pet and bodyguard of Kobayashi's orphaned nephew, Atari. As Spots is caged and taken away, Atari (Koyu Rankin) watches from the shadows. We're soon introduced to the dominant group of dogs as they challenge another pack over food scraps. A rag-tag pack consisting of Rex, Boss, King, Duke and their leader, Chief (Edward Norton, Bill Murray, Bob Balaban, Jeff Goldblum and Bryan Cranston respectively). The ensuing fight (which is essentially just a ball of cotton wool with limbs sticking out) is indicative of the look and feel about the film as a whole; it's scrappy and rough, but the attention to detail is phenomenal. After seeing off the rival group and eating the food scraps, a small plane – piloted by Atari – stutters overhead and crashes. Upon finding the "little pilot", the group debate whether to aid him or not. Chief insists on abandoning him, but the others "put it to a vote" (they like voting on things, a lot) and set about searching for Spots. The film gets off to a sluggish start; taking a long time to establish the characters and setting. This isn't necessarily a criticism, and it didn't bother me in the slightest, but it will undoubtedly put some people off. It's only during the second act that the film really seems to get moving; with our group's departure to the other side of trash island, where they've learned Spots may be the prisoner of a tribe of "cannibal dogs." The visuals on display are nothing short of stunning. From the loving close-ups of the dogs remembering their favourite treats, with fur ruffling in the wind, to the panoramic shots of the landscape complete with cellophane rivers. The attention to detail is amazing throughout the film; not just in the principle subject of the scene, but in the background too. A relief, as movies like this, tends to live and die on the quality of the animation. That's not to say the story isn't important though, and I'm happy to report that on the whole, it doesn't disappoint. Despite persistent flicking between scenes on trash island and scenes concerning the ongoing political situation in Megasaki; I never got confused or lost. My only criticism with the story is that during the first act and beginning of the second act we invest a lot of time with Rex, King, Boss, and Duke; with Chief being more in the background. But then, during the end of the second act and into the third act, this dynamic changes and Chief takes centre stage. This is fine, and narratively, there's a valid reason for it, but I did kind of feel that the other dogs got swept aside and lost along the way as a result. I did have concerns that my children (ages five and eight) might have had trouble keeping up or even lost interest. They didn't, and both enjoyed the movie very much. Verdict The Isle of Dogs is a beautiful, hilarious and intelligent movie. With a PG rating; it's certainly suitable for children, and mine loved it. Be that as it may, this is not a sweet and cuddly film and some children may find certain scenes a little intense. Right near the beginning of the movie, a dog has an ear chewed off, and later, we're shown a chef preparing live sushi; nothing too graphic, but it's worth considering if you have squeamish or sensitive children. The cinematography and soundtrack work in almost perfect unison to create a film that – when it wants to be – is surprisingly moving and always, utterly breathtaking. So perfecting is the stop-motion animation with the ambience of the film that it's hard to think of this movie existing in any other arrangement. There is so much going on, and so much detail layered throughout that I didn't feel satisfied with just one viewing. It is a movie that demands to be purchased and scrutinised again and again, and I for one am only too happy to oblige. 8/10

(Release Info London schedule; April 28th, 2018, Curzon Soho) "Lean On Pete" In 'Lean On Pete', Vlautin’s characters are distinctly non-judgmental whether the young protagonist Charley ( Charlie Plummer), supporting characters like Del Montgomery (Steve Buscemi), Bonnie (Chloé Sevigny), and Silver (Steve Zahn), the drifter Charley meets in Laramie, Wyoming during his travels. The novel has a humane approach to characters and their struggles. The novel does not vilify any of the characters, even when they act in less than admirable ways. These are people struggling to keep their head above water, and that has a profound impact on how they act. In many ways the novel is about the need for kindness and compassion to those that are in need. This is a deeply personal story about one boy searching for a home and a family, but it also has an epic scale with political importance. Charley is at the center of the story, but it’s also about how we’ve come to abandon some of the most vulnerable people in Western society. The protagonist embodies this; his journey to survive and find a home is something we're struggling with on a large scale right now. Del is a cantankerous 'Quarter Horse' racer who gives Charley a summer job caring for 'Lean On Pete'. Del’s a guy who grew up around the racetrack, following in his father’s footsteps most likely, and it’s kind of all he knows, He laments the glory days, but, since he’s getting older, he’s catching the tail end of all that, and he struggles. He’s got a good heart, but he’s not a sentimental guy. He’s had a hard life and that informs everything he does. Del isn't the bad guy because he’s someone who's trying to get by. Charley’s hard-living, philandering father Ray (Travis Fimmel) and Silver are two very similar characters at each end of the story. Both are big kids who can’t grow up and who can’t protect those they really meant to look after. Both characters are instinctually good people that make bad decisions, and Travis and Steve nailed that complexity. Bonnie is a kindly but hard-living jockey, who warms to the film’s teenage protagonist as he yearns for family and community. She's close confidant of Del Montgomery who becomes a maternal figure to Charley after they meet at 'Portland Meadows'. Bonnie is salt of the earth, grounded, and material. Although you’d expect the only major female in the movie to be more nurturing, she’s more like, whatever, kid; I’ll buy you a soda. She doesn’t treat Charley like a little boy, which makes for a nice relationship. She’s a real horse person, coming from a world she’s known all her life. She’s been thrown from horses a few times but still gets back up and goes for it again and again, because otherwise she’d be waitressing. She loves the excitement of the track and has a long history Del Montgomery. They've a kind of camaraderie and ease, working together when it’s convenient. Charley is constantly in search of love, from his father, from Del and Bonnie, eventually from his aunt. When Pete gives him that kind of love, it’s the most amazing feeling in the world to him. You've to learn a lot of sensitivity when you’re around them because every environment they go into is diferent to them. You learn where to nuzzle them or stroke them to make them feel more comfortable. Charley's struggle is less a coming-of-age identity quest than something more fundamental; what drives him is his desperate need to find that feeling of home; somewhere he can feel safe and secure. "Lean On Pete" continues with it's non-human cast members, including twenty 'Toroughbreds' for 'The Portland Meadows' racing scenes and six performing” horses, including 'Starsky', who makes his feature film debut as 'Lean On Pete'. Horses are smart and can sense whether or not you’re comfortable with them. One is a performance entailing interaction with the human actors; the emotional part of the story that needs to be told; and the other requires physical actions, like horse races or the accident that arrives at the story’s midpoint. It isn't simply "Lean On Pete’s" distinct world of small-time horse racers and gamblers that makes the novel feel cinematic; even more palpable and immediate it's the sense of yearning and loneliness, dovetailing with the tenor and themes of Haigh's work. In "Weekend", two strangers come together for a 48-hour period after meeting in a night club, finding unexpected intimacy and friendship in their brief encounter; in "45 Years", a married couple grapples with their history together over the course of several days leading up to an anniversary celebration of their nearly five-decade union; in the 'HBO' series 'Looking', and group of close-knit San Franciscans come together and fall apart as they navigate personal and professional challenges in a gentrifying metropolis. Haigh captures a simplicity to "Lean On Pete". The film captures the lush green tones of 'The Pacifc Northwest' and the parched, sun-drenched, wide-open spaces of the high desert terrain that marks Charley’s later journey toward Laramie, Wyoming and Denver, Colorado. There's a sense of epic desolation in America’s remote corners. Haigh pushes the emotional efect of the film’s visuals, striving to elicit to maximum feeling through the images of William Eggleston, Steven Shore, and Joel Sternfeld. The center-framed Charley as much as possible and shot in the 1:85 aspect ratio instead of the more traditional 2:35 in order to emphasize height above, rather than width on either side, resulting in screen characters that become almost dwarfed by the vast landscape surrounding them. The film possess a gentle beauty and a tender realism. It’s a staggeringly beautiful country and it takes years to come to grips with it as a nation. But it has an identity and drive that’s radically diferent from Europe. One of the most striking aspects in this regard is the country’s rich cultural and geographic diversity. The personality of Utah is very diferent from Colorado. Portland itself feels miles away, socially and politically, from 'Eastern Oregon'. It's sometimes shocking to see the intense patriotism some Americans have for their country, even when faced with intense economic difculties. People still seem to believe in 'The American Dream', even as it continues to fail so many. "Lean On Pete" adopts a wistful, nostalgic and peripatetic approach to it's story of friendship and survival on the road. In the simplest terms, it’s a love story about a boy and his horse trying to hold on in an unforgiving but resilient America. The story is contemporary, but it’s more connected to the classic American movies of the 1970s, like 'Midnight Cowboy'. We don’t see these types of human dramas much anymore.

(Release Info London schedule; May 2nd, 2018,.Rio Cinema, 18:30) "Revenge" Richard (Kevin Janssens), Stan (Vincent Colombe) and Dimitri (Guillaume Bouchède), three wealthy, married family men, get together for their annual hunting game in a desert canyon. But this time, one of them has brought with him his young mistress Jen (Matilda Lutz), a sexy 'Lolita', who quickly arouses the interest of the two others. Things get dramatically out of hand. Left for dead in the middle of a desert hell, the young woman comes back to life and their hunting game turns into a ruthless manhunt. "Revenge" is the story of the sloughing of a woman. A young, frivolous and naïve 'Lolita', subject to men’s desires and which men only see as a sexual object. An object which has to satisfy their desire. Even if it means dying. Even though she doesn’t die physically, the character dies symbolically. Physically wounded, this sweet and inconsequential doll will be reborn as a harsh, beastly and unforgiving woman. One that no one nor anyone can manipulate or abuse. At first weak and superficial, the character blooms into a wounded but strong woman who, by drawing up her revenge, will end up taking control over her life again. On a different level, it’s really about symbolizing the sloughing of a certain way women are represented in films; too often viewed as a foil or a sexual object which one undresses or belittles, the film plays at the beginning with this representation which it pushes to it's fullest in order to switch it brutally the other way round. The character thus becomes the strong figure of the film, a female super hero and the driving force of the action. This sloughing is deliberately radical. The film wants to be as powerful as it's unpredictable. A new character is reborn on this branch. A skin which she takes off and which she leaves behind. Molded around 'The Myth Of The Phoenix', which rises from the ashes and controls fire more and more at each resurrection; Jen wakes up transformed and possessed by a new strength. As if she has fed off the violence which has struck down against her in able to find a new incarnation. The highly uncluttered narrative thread aims to shed light on the symbolic and initiatory dimension of the film which will be powerfully conveyed by it's staging. For it's indeed the staging of the story which is at the very core of "Revenge’s" narrative. A staging which will submerge the spectator into a harsh, carnal, highly sensory, hostile and violent world. Pure genre which instills an atmosphere which makes you feel, a world which multiplies sensations, a total immersion into a sensory whirlwind caught between phantasmagoria and reality. As the story moves forward, the dialogues become more and more scarce until disappearing completely, simply replaced by sound, images and sensations. Music is the keystone of this hellish experience which grows more and more harsh and hostile. A repetitive and hypnotic score strongly tainted with electro which progressively puts one in a trance like those of John Carpenter, Etienne Jaumet or Thomas Banglater. The film references span from "Sailor" and "Lula To Drive", "Under The Skin" and the films of David Cronenberg. True carnal and diehard genre filmmaking in which violence and dreams co-exist and where the strength of symbols literally explodes. Until now, this type of filmmaking has been made practically exclusively by men. To explore the genre is not a position or a statement. It's the possibility of evocative power, of sensations, of fears and frights. A truly philosophical dimension which passes through a highly symbolic, playful and sensory media. "Revenge" can finally be perceived as the sloughing of a certain way genre films are embodied. It's action-suspense with plenty of surprises and reversals of fortune and a lot of blood. It's in the finest 'French Grand Guignol' tradition, alongside such films as "Lancelot Of The Lake" and "Haute Tension". Although transpiring in a decidedly more hospitable climate and over a much smaller area, the film has unmistakable similarities to "The Revenant". The main character left for dead who manages to self-recover through agonizingly painful procedures to embark on a payback quest. Her transformation from a philandering husband's sex kitten mistress to a semiautomatic-wielding vengeance machine is most impressive. The film is written and directed by Coralie Fargeat, and she definitely makes a convincing case that women can play hardball as well as men can. The plot is straightforward, but the execution is anything but paint-by-numbers. If you've ever enjoyed a revenge flick, you will definitely like this. While exploitation revenge flicks are common since it's birth with "I Spit On Your Grave", "Naked Vengeance" and "Savage Streets", the film gives us not only the same concept of rape revenge but what makes "Revenge" unique is it's style and tone that's thankfully done perfect with it's cinematography and camera work. There are moments of surreal imagery, graphic wounds and bloody kills. This is a brutal, gritty, taut film. The climax is excellent.

A worthy sequel for the potty-mouthed red menace After suffering a personal tragedy and hitting rock bottom, Wade Wilson (Deadpool) finds himself seeking consolation at the X-Mansion where he's reunited with Colossus and Negasonic Teenage Warhead. However, after a training mission goes badly wrong and spending time in the Icebox – a notorious mutant prison – Deadpool's priority changes. Deadpool sets about building a team of rogue mutants with the aim of rescuing Russell – a 14-year-old boy and fellow mutant – from the clutches of the brutal, time-traveling mutant known as, Cable. I had been concerned about Deadpool 2 after the news that director, Tim Miller had left the project over "creative differences" with the lead actor, Ryan Reynolds: stating he "didn't want to make some stylised movie that was 3 times the budget." I have to say, that is essentially what has happened, and something that made Deadpool the success that it was has been lost along the way. Deadpool 2 then, is another example of bigger not always being better. Fortunately, the film retains enough of its predecessor's charm, wit, and other unique qualities to get it through. The cast from the first film are back in full force: Ryan Reynolds reprises his role of Wade Wilson (Obviously - who else?) and T.J. Miller returns as Weasel, Wade's wise-cracking but cowardly friend. Fan favourites, Brianna Hildebrand and Stefan Kapicic return as Negasonic Teenage Warhead and Colossus respectively, along with a mixed bag of new mutants including the brilliant Zazie Beetz as Domino. Deadpool 2 is another strong outing for Josh Brolin in his second Marvel appearance of the year and – like Thanos before him – is able to create a truly three dimensional and sympathetic character in Cable. Overall, the cast is excellent, I enjoyed all the new characters and was thrilled to see Brianna and Stefan return. My only issue with the film (in regards to the cast at least) is that I'd like to have seen a good deal more from Brianna and Shioli Katsuna - who plays Yukio, a new addition to the cast and Negasonic's girlfriend. Negasonic was one of my favourite characters in Deadpool, but here, she never really gets involved, and Yukio's abilities are teased towards the end of the third act but never really explored sufficiently. The soundtrack and cinematography are adequate but nothing like as memorable as Deadpool and the action scenes are competently shot, although some of the larger set-pieces do suffer from the usual Marvel movie problem of looking over-manufactured. In contrast, the smaller fight scenes feel considerably more physical, concise, and enjoyable; something sorely missing from many recent Marvel releases. Verdict Whilst never quite reaching the same heights as its predecessor, Deadpool 2 retains its razor-sharp wit, deadpan humour, and proves itself a worthy sequel to one of my favourite 'superhero' movies of recent years. Deadpool 2 keeps up the tradition of its fourth wall breaking, self-referential humour and parodying of superhero genre cliches, even if it does fall into a few in the process. The cast is superb and – working off a splendid script – delivers their lines faultlessly. Where the film falters slightly is, firstly in the story, and secondly in trying to be bigger and louder than it needs to be. No-one goes to see a film like Deadpool 2 to watch something with an underlying, philosophical message about the importance of family. I'm sorry, but they just don't, and yet that's exactly what this film attempts. There's also a real fear for me that the Deadpool movies may be getting a bit too big for their boots, as they say. The first film was better for being less over the top and more modest in the scale of its set-piece action scenes. I fear that future films could soon become more corporate and lose more of what made them special; until they're just more of the same. For now at least, this will be another film to add to my collection and one I very much enjoyed seeing at the cinema. 8/10

To be or not to be: Star Wars meets Shakespeare. Hamlet’s famous soliloquy is presented as the inner voice of a Stormtrooper, demonstrating the way Shakespeare’s language still echoes down to us through the centuries and remains as relevant today as ever---not to mention as well in a galaxy far, far away… a 8 min. short film by Maxime-Claude L'Ecuyer Follow us on Facebook, twitter, instagram and redbubble (t-shirts): facebook.com/SquadLeaderTD73028/ twitter.com/TD_73028 instagram.com/td73028shortfilm/ redbubble.com/fr/people/MCLEcuyer/shop?asc=u

Red Sparrow is a 2018 spy-thriller film directed by Francis Lawrence who worked with Jennifer Lawrence (the star here) on a couple of the Hunger Games movies, but this is a very different beast. Jennifer Lawrence plays Dominika Egorova (with a not entirely convincing Russian accent), and Joel Edgerton, Matthias Schoenarts and Charlotte Rampling star as the film's secondary characters. This one is a pretty big departure from what Lawrence has done in the past, although it has to be said that she's making some pretty bold career choices. I'm not the first one to say that, and for a good reason: it's true. After last year's Mother! it appeared as if she was trying purposefully trying to appear in more "mature" films, and believe me, it doesn't get much more mature than Red Sparrow. The film plays out like one of those schlocky exploitation from the seventies, in that there's sexual violence, sex, violence, torture, and all manner of nasty things, but it looks like an expensively produced blockbuster. Red Sparrow wants to be both of those things, but unfortunately, it ends up being neither. Among those scenes (some of which do seen drawn out for the sake of it), characters sit in rooms and talk for minutes at a time, and you don't get a sense that any of them are real people. It's partly because every Russian accent in the film is dodgy, and partly because there's no chemistry between any of the actors. At no point did I buy the fact that Matthias Schoenarts was Lawrence's uncle, nor did I believe she and Joel Edgerton were in any way interested in each other as people. Despite all of the espionage and secrecy going around, the film is remarkably uninteresting. It's also the best part of two and a half hours, and it doesn't need to be that long. The first forty minutes or so could have been condensed into a ten minute montage, and the audience would have understood what was happening. Unfortunately, as it stands, the film is relentlessly and unnecessarily drawn out. The subtle intrigue of the script is mired in performances by actors who are doing the best with a script and a production team who are unable to match their level of talent. There's a good film in there somewhere, but it's not the one that's gracing cinema screens all over the world. Score: 5/10