Oliver Battershall

X2 (2003) 4/5
This was great! A proper sequel that develops on the first movie with new interesting characters and enriched thematic depth. I thought having a human villain worked really well especially through the lens of the Luther King/Malcolm X allegory between Xavier and Magneto. This also allowed for a succinct exploration of how society can reframe oppressed minorities as aggressors, something all too relevant these days. I thought the conflict throughout this was more successful and layered than the simple infighting between the two from the first movie. Every character gets their moments (e.g. Wolverine’s great fight scene and Nightcrawler’s whole character arc) and I’m left really caring about each mutant as I prepare to progress further through the franchise.

Indie Game: The Movie (2012) 4/5
A bittersweet exploration of the dogged pursuit of artistic and personal satisfaction in an unforgiving capitalist climate. The neurotic subjects of this documentary are of iffy likability but all undeniably fascinating in regards to their ambitions and complicated relationships with their own work. A moving study on sacrifices, trauma and the unrelenting passage of time.

X-Men: The Last Stand (2006) 3/5
By comparison to the second movie this feels somewhat more like a join-the-dots exercise at times with its added emphasis on CGI battles but I thought it was still an adequate conclusion to this part of the saga. I certainly had some gripes with the writing though, for example I don’t think the deaths were handled with enough weight. I would have to issue an apology to Bryan Singer if he wasn’t a sex pest because with his departure the franchise has certainly lost a bit of sauce. Hold on, I’m getting news that Brett Ratner is also a sex pest, whoops. My excitement level for the next one: Tentative anticipation.

A Monster in Paris (2011) 3/5
An enjoyable little film that feels like a nice middle ground between indie stylings and big budget bankability. The steampunk-lite environments and cute soundtrack make this feel memorable amongst its peers.

The Joke (1969) 4/5
At the heart of the Czech New Wave psyche lies a burning propensity for mischief. You have the more innocent, endearing mischief of adolescence in hits like Daisies or Closely Observed Trains, but also a more sly, devious form of it in something like this. Of course, the ultimate intention of ridiculing the Communist state unites all these depictions of mischief but the more wry and devilish style here certainly suits the very literal and brazen social critique found within. This was really great in that respect, I enjoyed The Fireman’s Ball the other week with its silly fun and creative power allegory but seeing something that feels much more grounded and punchy like this while still remaining funny is quite refreshing.

The Rider (2017) 3.5/5
I trekked through biblical rain to get to Broadway’s monthly mystery film tonight. What I was met with was satisfyingly quiet and introspective after my journey. Films that aim to build sympathy for a somewhat self-destructive character can feel frustrating, but this navigated that well, especially through its ending. I enjoyed the non-professional cast and the sprawling landscape shots. When I saw Chloé Zhao’s name in the credits it made lots of sense to me in that respect, Nomadland is unfairly maligned by the intelligentsia!

The Indian in the Cupboard (1995) 2.5/5
When I saw this pop up on my random movie picker I did a little cartoonish tug on my collar. Generally you don’t want your first impression of a movie to be “They shouldn’t have been calling them that in 1995 right?” Thankfully though this surpassed my abysmal expectations and despite the expected noble savage stuff I’m not having to write this review with my Woke Hat on. The kids are annoying (the main one has a particularly gormless vibe) and some shots are uncomfortably/laughably drawn out, but the effects are good and there is somewhat of a spark to the rest of it. Gun to my head though I could not tell you the moral of this story.

3 Idiots (2009) 3.5/5
My first ever movie in Hindi! All the language switching was pretty cool. This is a hard one to review because it tries to be and say so much. As a result three hours pass fast but the inevitable rapid tone shifts can be fairly jarring. I was vibing to one of the songs then ten seconds later someone’s died! Many segments felt a little blunt, of the same ilk as those social commentary Facebook videos that go viral with grandparents across the world. But stuff it does do well it does very well. For example, there’s a million movies out there that explore parental expectations but this did it in a way that felt distinctly touching and human among its clichéd counterparts. As a whole it was impossible not to get wrapped up in this multi-faceted non-linear storyline that felt like a real journey.

Troy (2004) 3/5
A resoundingly adequate piece of post-Gladiator Rome-slop. Not much to say about this but was happy that Sean Bean didn’t die for once.