Three-time Oscar winner (and seventeen-time Oscar loser, technically) Meryl Streep takes on the challenge of publishing a news story. What sounds like a relatively unexciting premise turns out to be a relatively unexciting film. Despite Tom Hanks by Streep's side giving it his best shot, he's unable to make the film what it could be.
What the film could be is a great newsroom melodrama, landing somewhere between All The President's Men and Spotlight but in reality falling short of both of them. It is well trodden ground and nothing new is added in The Post except some great characterisations from the likes of Hanks and Odenkirk.
Three Billboards Outside Ebbing, Missouri
Imagine a world painted in grey. That is the world that Martin McDonagh has consistently portrayed in his films (In Bruges, Seven Psychopaths) and is most fully realised in Three Billboards. Ultimately a story of revenge but how far is too far in the search for justice? That is the question posed by McDonagh here and it is a difficult pill to swallow.
Blurring the lines by removing the 'good' from the 'good guys' and adding humanity and pain to the anger and resentment, and in many senses ignorance, McDonagh brings something darkly unique to his film. Despite being side-splittingly funny, Three Billboards is a hard watch. It's narrative is grounded in the unspeakable - rape, brutal murder, suicide, cancer - but few films about these issues could be so entertaining without making light of its subject matter. There's no tidy resolutions here, but then again, when are there in life?
Imagine a world painted in grey. That is the world that Martin McDonagh has consistently portrayed in his films (In Bruges, Seven Psychopaths) and is most fully realised in Three Billboards. Ultimately a story of revenge but how far is too far in the search for justice? That is the question posed by McDonagh here and it is a difficult pill to swallow.
Blurring the lines by removing the 'good' from the 'good guys' and adding humanity and pain to the anger and resentment, and in many senses ignorance, McDonagh brings something darkly unique to his film. Despite being side-splittingly funny, Three Billboards is a hard watch. It's narrative is grounded in the unspeakable - rape, brutal murder, suicide, cancer - but few films about these issues could be so entertaining without making light of its subject matter. There's no tidy resolutions here, but then again, when are there in life?
Lady Bird
Growing up is something that everyone has to face, whether they'd like to or not, so the having that reflected in film is something we can all relate to and none do it better than Greta Gerwig with Lady Bird.
The complexity of relationships and reputations in teenage years is hard to grasp on film, not just for the young protagonist, but also for their families. Set against the backdrop of Christian doctrines and American poverty, the conflicts are all the more real, all the more touching. The film boasts outstanding performances by Saoirse Ronan and Laurie Metcalf who make the film what it is, the mother daughter relationship/ conflict being central to the narrative (and in a more subtle sense, the name of the film). It's hard to be heartfelt and heartwarming but this does just that and makes it seem effortless.
Growing up is something that everyone has to face, whether they'd like to or not, so the having that reflected in film is something we can all relate to and none do it better than Greta Gerwig with Lady Bird.
The complexity of relationships and reputations in teenage years is hard to grasp on film, not just for the young protagonist, but also for their families. Set against the backdrop of Christian doctrines and American poverty, the conflicts are all the more real, all the more touching. The film boasts outstanding performances by Saoirse Ronan and Laurie Metcalf who make the film what it is, the mother daughter relationship/ conflict being central to the narrative (and in a more subtle sense, the name of the film). It's hard to be heartfelt and heartwarming but this does just that and makes it seem effortless.
Darkest Hour
Whilst its easy to write a biopic of Winston Churchill off as pure 'Oscar Bait' (and many have - or at least described it as such - more on this another day), that would be to overlook the feat that is Darkest Hour. Gary Oldman's performance is the selling point here, which isn't wrong, but it is a pity.
What's being overlooked here is a powerful visual story teller in Joe Wright. As darkness descends over Britain, darkness surrounds Churchill on screen. Wright is not fearful of negative space claustrophobic space, an under-rated quality in an age of mega-Marvel cinematic universes, and despite the darkness, he creates something that is often funny, engaging, and moving. Is it cliched, yes. Is it predictably structured, yes. But most importantly, does it still manage to be innovative and fresh. The answer is still yes.
The Shape of Water
The Oscars are no stranger to an all out romance film, but they don't normally involve swamp men. Guillermo del Toro creates something sinister yet beautiful in his lagoon-loving monster and builds a world around him that emphasises that. Michael Shannon, the testosterone fuelled patriot, presents the sinister whilst Sally Hawkins, the mute monster lover, is the beautiful.
There are clear senses of right and wrong on display here; it is an ultimately moral film. It's easy to get your teeth into - which is certainly helpful considering the absurdity of the central romance - which only goes to demonstrate how brilliantly talented del Toro is in crafting the bizarre. It feels nostalgic, but not familiar. It deals with the difficult, but is never difficult to watch. It's about as unique as you can get and it never seems to take itself too serious - Octavia Spencer - an African-American in the sixties - and Richard Jenkins - a gay man in the sixties - providing some much needed heart and comic relief. This is film-making at its finest.
Whilst its easy to write a biopic of Winston Churchill off as pure 'Oscar Bait' (and many have - or at least described it as such - more on this another day), that would be to overlook the feat that is Darkest Hour. Gary Oldman's performance is the selling point here, which isn't wrong, but it is a pity.
The Shape of Water
The Oscars are no stranger to an all out romance film, but they don't normally involve swamp men. Guillermo del Toro creates something sinister yet beautiful in his lagoon-loving monster and builds a world around him that emphasises that. Michael Shannon, the testosterone fuelled patriot, presents the sinister whilst Sally Hawkins, the mute monster lover, is the beautiful.
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