Fallen Leaves (2024) ★☆☆☆☆

More like Falling Asleep. Directed by Finnish filmmaker, Aki Kaurismäki, Fallen Leaves tells the story of Ansa (Alma Pöysti) who works in a supermarket and resents her job, and Holappa (Jussi Vatanen), an alcoholic, whose paths have accidentally crossed. Despite their differences, they try to leverage a relationship. Fallen Leaves is brutally awkward. Though not…

Poor Things (2024) ★★☆☆☆

An excellent use of puffy sleeves. Every year, there’s a critically acclaimed film that makes you question just how the critics glossed over all of its absurdity. This year, it’s Poor Things. The film pairs Victorian dark horror with steampunk, adapted by screenwriter Tony McNamara from the 1992 novel by Alasdair Gray and directed by…

Jackie (2016) ★★★★☆

Where is the Best Picture nomination?  All from her point of view, Grief-stricken Jackie Kennedy (Natalie Portman) recounts the events leading up to the assassination of her husband. This is captured through an interview with an unnamed journalist (Billy Crudup). You’d expect this version to strike as nothing more than a run-of-the-mill Oscar bait biopic. In fact, Jackie surprises…

Hacksaw Ridge (2016) ★★★★★

“Help me get one more.”  Set in World War II, Desmond Doss (Andrew Garfield) enlists as a medic in the Army. Unlike the rest of the soldiers, and due to his own religious practices, Desmond refuses to use a weapon in battle, making him a conscientious objector. He faces a lot of opposition to his decision,…

La La Land (2016) ★★★★★

“Someone in the Crowd” could take you where you want to go.  Aspiring actress, Mia (Emma Stone), works as a barista in a coffee shop on the Warner Bros studio lot. She dreams of becoming an actress, but spends too much of her time auditioning for bad roles. Meanwhile, struggling jazz musician, Sebastian (Ryan Gosling), hopes to…

Christine (2016) ★★★★☆

“In keeping with Channel 40’s policy of bringing you the latest in blood and guts, and in living colour…” When News Reporter, Christine Chubbuck, committed suicide live on air, it shocked the world. It is significant that the reporter suffered from severe depression throughout her career. When she decides to change the opening of the…

A Monster Calls (2016) ★★★★☆

Tissues at the ready… 12 year old Conor O’Malley, (Lewis MacDougall) must learn to deal with the deterioration of his mother (Felicity Jones) due to terminal cancer. His only further help comes from his Grandmother (Sigourney Weaver), whom he dislikes. Friendless at school, Conor also has to deal with bullies. He soon confides in the Tree Monster (Liam Neeson) who pays…

Nocturnal Animals (2016) ★★★★★

“My Husband used to call me a Nocturnal Animal…”  Art gallery owner, Susan Morrow (Amy Adams) lies in a loveless marriage with husband Hutton (Armie Hammer), but is troubled due to past events with her first husband, Edward Sheffield (Jake Gyllenhaal). When he sends her his unpublished novel, of which he has dedicated to her, Susan…

The Martian (2015) ★★☆☆☆

Merely a long, drawn-out science lesson.  When a storm hits Mars, Astronaut, Mark Watney (Matt Damon), is left stranded, and presumed dead after being hit by flying debris. Alive and well, he must now find a way to contact NASA. The Martian isn’t particularly “dreadful”, but it certainly didn’t live up to the overwhelming hype set before us. The amount of critics that…