'DUNKIRK' - REVIEW

Release Date: Friday 21st July (UK Release)

Directed By: Christopher Nolan

Written By: Christopher Nolan

Produced By: Emma Thomas and Christopher Nolan

Starring: Fionn Whitehead, Mark Rylance, Tom Glynne-Carney, Cillian Murphy, Jack Lowden, Tom Hardy and Kenneth Brannagh

Distributed By: Warner Brothers Pictures

Widely regarded as bringing about the reinvention of the modern blockbuster, Christopher Nolan has come a long way from his 1998 debut 'Following', which gave hints to an inventive and boundary pushing director. It wasn't until his 2000 breakout feature 'Memento' however which proved that greatness would be upon Nolan with his unique manipulation of time serving to provide a new way of storytelling as well as allowing the audience to be challenged through intellectual story telling. Now, 17 years down the line after revitalising the superhero genre, taking us into the mind of a corporate CEO, deducing a deadly feud between two victorian magicians and taking us through wormholes in the near future, Nolan returns with in  many ways his most personal film yet.

The year is 1940 and British forces have been pushed back from France to the beaches of Dunkirk. As over 400,000 men wait along the shoreline stranded, the enemy closes in by both land and air. With the British Navy having to hold off their ships in preparation for the coming attack, it's a story of determination and endurance as safety lies so close yet so far. 

One of the first things noticeable about Nolan's latest epic (the only word to describe the sheer scale of this picture) is that the depth of the characters may seem somewhat lacklustre in comparison to some of his other works. Indeed the silent cinema techniques utilised here result in minimal dialogue with a reliance on visual story telling. 

Despite some characters not even receiving a complete arc, it becomes clear that this is a story about the event and not a display of how every character is feeling and their individual goals. Due to the nature of the event taking place, the characters used are taken from numerous perspectives, the soldiers on the beach, civilians, officers and pilots resulting in a canvas of character experiences, changing the tone of the narrative from being potentially laced with sentimentality, to one of visceral integrity. That’s not to say the lack of dialogue results in poor performances as across the board, all actors bring their A game. In particular Cillian Murphy’s shellshocked officer and Mark Rylance’s Mr Dawson shine in their shared scenes in displaying two men conflicted between doing what’s right for themselves and a moral obligation. 

As the aforementioned silent cinema techniques are displayed, much of the performances are made up simply of facial expressions. From moments of sheer panic and bewilderment, to an expression of bitter defeat courtesy of Kenneth Branagh’s Naval Commander as he surveys the grey skies and smoking village behind the iconic beach. Should any particular accolade be given for powerful expressional performances however, the clear winner is Tom Hardy. Entirely consumed by headgear and breathing apparatus save for a pair of piercing eyes and some of the hardest working eyebrows in Hollywood, Hardy effortlessly conveys an individual who becomes the hero of the hour whilst barely exiting the cockpit of his Spitfire. 

As to be expected with Nolan, his approach to narrative is far from conventional, with the event split into three initially separate time periods. The soldiers perspective from the beach taking place over the course of a week, Mr Dawson’s attempted ‘pleasure craft’ rescue over the course of a day and the experience of three pilots over the course of an hour. These three narratives manage to intertwine at various instances before becoming one towards the third act, making for another unique storytelling experience all bound perfectly by frequent collaborator Hans Zimmer’s breathtakingly immersive score. Serving to initially set the tone of dread and despair, Zimmer then begins to turn the screw and ratchet up the tension to Hitchcockian levels, sure to bring the audience member to utilise that edge of the seat, rarely deemed necessary by cinema goers these days. 

In order to bring about the sense of being fully immersed within the panic and disorder of the events over those days, the diegetic sound used, results in one of the most engaging experiences and expertly succeeds in executing Nolan’s original pitch for the film in being a virtual reality experience without the goggles. Engines roar overhead and bullets whiz past in a frenzy of sound culminating in booms, decibel shattering enough to shatter the speaker system. 

Alongside his championing of time manipulation as a story telling device, Nolan also executes his flair for huge scale story telling. Choosing to yet again shoot on 70mm IMAX cameras now becoming something of a staple camera choice for him, it’s safe to say that IMAX has never been used to such effect before. Cinematographer Hoyte Van Hoytema takes you right inside the action from the confined space of a Spitfire to the waterlogged hold of a sinking ship, ‘Dunkirk’ serves to visualise the horrors of war, without means of any gore or splatter but by no means underwhelming in terms of effect. Adding further to the scale and humanity of the situation is the abundance of practical effects, another welcome staple of Nolan’s filmography, the use of real vehicles including aircraft and historic naval vessels, adds a further layer of immersion and actuality to every scene. All of these factors are added to wonderfully by seeing this on the biggest screen possible, this is a visual blockbuster begging to be seen on the big screen, the way IMAX was meant to be seen. 

The pitfalls of Nolan’s historical epic, ironically enough lie within the historical facts themselves which will divide audiences on their preference on historical accuracy in the realm of Hollywood. The power of the iconic RAF Spitfire maybe somewhat emphasised to suit the plot, along with dramatising the state of the beaches which during that week were not the same as envisioned on the silver screen, the result of which would serve to change the entire narrative arc.

The dialogue too suffers somewhat with references to “Frogs” (The French) and accents being deemed “Thicker than Sauerkraut Sauce”, seeming misplaced in a film with weightier themes of the human spirit and endurance against seemingly insurmountable odds, themes which seem all the more essential given Britain’s post Brexit state. Whilst it may not stand as Nolan’s Magnum Opus, (arguably ‘Inception’ or ‘The Dark Knight’ stand in stronger contention) Nolan has delivered a blockbuster sure to put you through the ringer, leaving you to marvel at the level of visual art laid before you with Nolan creeping ever closer to gaining his status as the Kubrick for the 21st Century. 

“You can almost see it from here. Home” - Commander Bolton

'WAR FOR THE PLANET OF THE APES' - REVIEW

Release Date: Tuesday 11th July (UK Release)

Directed By: Matt Reeves

Written By: Mark Bomback and Matt Reeves

Produced By: Peter Chernin, Dylan Clark, Rick Jaffa and Amanda Silver

Starring: Andy Serkis, Steve Zahn, Woody Harrelson, Amiah Miller, Karin Konoval and Terry Notary

Distributed By: 20th Century Fox

With a cinematic anthology of films spanning television, animation and of course big screen, the 'Planet of the Apes' franchise has always served as holding one of the most iconic moments and quotes in cinematic history. In 2011, the announcement of a prequel to the franchise had many questioning it's necessity, particularly given the last representation was (shudder) Tim Burton's 2001 big budget botch job. Rupert Wyatt's Mo Cap driven spectacle however, gave a new lease of life to the simian saga and brought forth a new perspective to the story. Six years and one sequel later, the final instalment has arrived and War has come. 

'War' sees the leader of the simian revolution Caesar (Serkis), hiding away in the forests with what remains of his ape followers, desperate to find a place where apes can live in peace, away from the remaining human's, persistent in achieving the extermination of all apes. As a potential utopia is found by members of Caesar's scouting party, hope still remains. However, following a particularly devastating attack, Caesar sets out to end the war once and for all and so a journey begins, filled with homages to our world's dark past and potentially its equally bleak future. 

As is the way with final instalments in blockbuster trilogies, the trope has a tendency to set aside any deep sense of story and instead allow the visual thrills to saturate the audience for 2 hours. The genius of the new Apes trilogy has always been to have the character development at the forefront of the narrative, using the big budget action set pieces as a means to move the story forward and not just for the joy of seeing apes with machine guns spraying bullets on the big screen. 

Here the depths of the characters are explored to their fullest, in particular, Serkis' Caesar who's dark side is explored to a new level, haunted by the killing of Koba in 'Dawn' by his hand, Caesar's initial moral code of killing only to protect apes is pushed to it's limit in his search for the mysterious Colonel (Harrelson). It's here the film takes it's darker turn as a revenge thriller, whilst also seemingly paying homage to Coppola's 'Apocalypse Now' seen at various instances but most notably in the literal sense as we see the rhetoric "Ape-pocalypse Now" graffitied upon a tunnel wall. There's also numerous references to westerns of old as Caesar's band of heroes traverse, woodland, beach and snow, discovering these strange new places as well as displaying truly breathtaking natural locations, truly enveloping the sense of scale director Reeves has created, growing from the previous instalment in terms of both character and narrative. 


With the tone at it's darkest yet, not just for this franchise but for a blockbuster in general, the themes of slavery along with religious iconography rife particularly in it's second act, Reeves opts to evoke imagery akin to human atrocities past, most clearly, the holocaust labour camps in a harrowing scene in which captured apes are forced to work construct a wall (an oddly relevant metaphor perhaps?) as a browbeaten Caesar watches on. Serving as a well needed injection of levity however is the semi tragic character Bad Ape (Zahn). Amidst the moments of monkey melancholia, Bad Ape, left alone for years, revels in finding someone to spend time with. His moments of isolated innocence cannot help but bring a grin across the face. 

As always with this series, the strongest and deepest characters have ironically been those generated by motion capture. The human counterparts unfortunately haven't carried the same emotional weight with the questionable exception of James Franco's Will Rodman in 'Rise'. In 'War', the character with the deepest development, or at least the most exposition is Harrelson's Colonel who's sunglasses wearing, head shaving demeanour gives a visual homage to Colonel Kurtz. Whilst Harrelson gives it his all as the disaffected military veteran, despite a lengthy scene of verbal exposition, little is given to him in terms of development leaving for an imposing, if underwhelming villain. 

Human characters aside, the real stars of this film naturally are the apes. With many deeming mo cap a step away from acting, here the argument can be made it is a step beyond as the physical embodiment of their simian counterparts truly blurs the line of reality, thanks to the astonishing developments in Motion Capture technology by Weta Digital. That said, the strongest performance unquestionably in not only this picture but the entire trilogy is of course, Andy Serkis as Caesar. A role which will now become as associated with him as Gollum, Serkis has proven time after time to be one of the finest actors of his generation and this century with accolades in the future almost certified. Not only providing a physically astonishing performance as we have watched Caesar grow from baby chip to upright ape, Reeves utilises intense close ups at numerous intervals showcasing not only Weta's incredible talent but also Serkis' ability in giving a mind blowing performance just from the eyes, with The Colonel even commenting on Caesar, claiming his eyes to be "Almost Human". A subtle hint of meta behaviour? Either way it serves as a unquestionable truth when seen on screen. 

The scale of this trilogy has in the way of it's titular characters, blossomed to arc beautifully in serving as one of the finest trilogys of it's time and this decade. Serving to display Caesar as an almost Biblically mythic character, the numerous religious references smattered across the final film, Reeves has unquestionably succeeded in revitalising a franchise almost fifty years old, providing a unique interpretation and a final instalment which works to bring tears to to the audience in an emotional finale of closure tinted with hope for the future. Not sparing the spectacle or holding back on it's payoffs, 'War' works as the smartest blockbuster in a long while which wears it's heart on it's sleeve and serves as a lesson for other franchises of the future. Apes. Together. Strong. 

"We are not savages. Apes fight only to survive" - Caesar

'SPIDER-MAN HOMECOMING' - REVIEW 

Release Date: 7th of July (UK Release)

Directed By: Jon Watts 

Written By: Jonathan Goldstein, John Francis Daley, Jon Watts, Christopher Ford, Chris Mckenna and Erik Sommers

Produced By: Kevin Feige and Amy Pascal

Starring: Tom Holland, Michael Keaton, Jacob Batalon, Robert Downey Jr, Laura Harrier, Marisa Tomei and Jon Favreau

Distributed By: Sony Pictures Releasing 

Almost ten years since Robert Downey Jr made a comeback for the ages in Marvel's maiden voyage for their cinematic universe in 'Iron Man', the franchise behemoth shows no signs of slowing at all despite dips in quality with some characters. Here however, one of Marvel's most iconic properties' standalone film marks a severe change of approach for the new wave of superhero cinematic outings of the future with the consequences of the Avengers fuelling the heart of this film.

After his brief yet lasting cameo in 2016's 'Civil War', Tom Holland's interpretation of the quippy Peter Parker and his web slinging alter ego finds himself waiting for the call from Tony Stark to officially join the ranks as an Avenger in between High School (The age old issue). Whilst wrestling with the everyday teenage problems; decathlon competitions, house parties, the upcoming homecoming and being immensely unpopular, Peter stumbles upon a series of robberies which seem to be utilising equipment crafted from alien technology sourced from previous Avengers battles. At the heart of these robberies is salvage worker turned crime boss Adrien Toomes (Keaton) who's drive for success could spell doom for Parker's city of Queens. 

When it was finally announced that Spiderman would be joining the Marvel cinematic universe despite being a Sony property, trepidation was rife as this would mark the third representation of the comic book wall crawler in 15 years and Spider-Man fatigue was a high risk reaction given Marc Webb's lukewarm 2012 and 2014 releases. Not to mention the confirmation that the new films would focus on the youngest Peter Parker yet with a High School age Spider-Man at the heart of the story. With 'Homecoming' however, the direction taken by Watts marks a refreshing perspective on the titular character as we find him as a highly excitable and freakishly athletic teen still finding his feet both as a superhero and a student. 

This is arguably one of the films strongest aspects as Watts is clearly drawing influence from the classic High School/ coming of age films. 'Feris Bueller's Day Off' and 'The Breakfast Club' in particular serve as a point of levity in between the inevitable bombastic CGI segments. Despite some references being a little on the nose at times (One aforementioned classic screening in the background of a particularly memorable chase sequence), the tone created certainly deems this new incarnation to be of merit and justifies this new take as part of Marvels mega franchise. 

With a plethora of new characters introduced in this first outing, the vibrancy and variation of character serves as a shot in the arm to those who've become saturated with the primarily white casting choices. A particular highlight is in Jacob Batalon's classic geeky sidekick Ned. Aspiring to be Peter's 'Guy in the Chair', Batalon's previous lack of acting experience is unrecognisable as Ned's gawky charm serves as a particular performance highlight. Not that any performance in show here is sub par, Holland as the titular Parker shows signs of becoming a fan favourite within the MCU, still bringing his goofy, teenage wonder alongside his more serious and imposing superhuman compadres. 

Another notable trope within this cinematic universe is its renowned lack of depth with it's villains, with a select few meriting intrigue. With the first on screen version of The Vulture, with many weird and wacky ways the character could have gone, Keaton's take makes for great watching. A third act reveal brings forth a new layer to the character as well as enhancing the stakes in the film in an unexpected way, with implications set for future films too, Adrien's modus operandi as the vulture gives this previous Birdman and Batman another winged menace to fear. 

What separates Watt's vision from features past is his willingness to bring localise the scale of Spidey's outing with the third act not depending on an entire city being decimated and instead, focusing more on the coming of age element as Peter needs to make the transition from Spider-Boy to the iconic hero we all know. It's this break from the incessant world building and visible stink of desperation for even more superhero films to be made which adds further charm to what could have been a rushed mess, harming one of the most essential commodities of the Marvel train for good. 

That said, there has yet to be a Marvel film which third act devolves into a heavily computer generated smackdown of sorts. Whilst the threat level may be localised to being close to Stark tower, the heavy amount of green screen work and severe lack of in camera effects makes for a third act climax with a minimal sense of threat and tension. The same could be said for the numerous action set pieces which seemingly fall flat with the realisation that there is no sense of realism to the threats Parker faces. 

That said, this take on Spider-Man doesnt hinge on the high octane fisticuffs with numerous thugs, this plays out more akin to a father/ son story, with Stark providing the father role and distant teacher to our over eager arachnid friend. Despite minor elements of relation to the larger Marvel universe, (Notably an ingenious repeated cameo starring an avenger at numerous intervals) Downey Jr's contribution serves to add another layer to the overbearing loudmouth he's become akin to in his 10 year run. 


Given that the plans have been made clear for Holland's character for the foreseeable future, it's clear that the character is going nowhere. This incarnation certainly serves as a well needed combination of wit, light heartedness and character introductions which work to provide a concise standalone as well as providing a wealth of interesting new characters for the future. The Homecoming king has arrived, he's nerdy, strong willed and moral to the core. He's Spider-Man!

"If you're nothing without the suit, then you shouldn't have it" - Tony Stark

'BABY DRIVER' - REVIEW 

Release Date: Wednesday 28th of June (UK Release)

Directed By: Edgar Wright

Written By: Edgar Wright

Produced By: Tim Bevan, Nira Park, Liza Chasin, Rachael Prior and Edgar Wright

Starring: Ansel Elgort, John Hamm, Jamie Foxx, Lily James, Eliza Gonzalez and Kevin Spacey

Distributed By: Tristar Pictures

As any British cinema fan should know, the release of an Edgar wright film is something to be treated with great anticipation and excitement. In this generation of seemingly endless world building, franchise domination and CGI driven blockbusters, Wright has always served as a beacon of hope for cinema goers who strive for something fresher with their visit to the local multiplex. Not having released a film since 2013's 'The World's End', the final chapter in his non linear Blood and Ice Cream Trilogy, Wright proved himself one of the few directors who would not bow to the franchise machine when in 2014, he walked away from Marvel's 'Ant Man', a film he had worked on for almost a decade. 

With creative differences being the cause of the departure, (Wright's trademark wit and style usually splashed across his screenplays marks one of his core strengths) he then set about working on a passion project which dated back to his early twenties. A getaway driver with a hearing impairment, a debt to pay and a story crafted around a collection of perfectly chosen tracks. This, was Baby Driver.


The basis for the film can be seen in Wright's earlier work, his music video for the song "Blue Song" by the band Mint Royale. Here however, Noel Fielding's un named driver is replaced by Ansel Elgort's Baby. A young, almost mute getaway driver who has a great talent for sticking pedal to the metal, suffers from tinnitus, a "Hum in the Drum" as a result of an accident as a child. As a means of drowning out the said hum, Baby keeps a constant playlist of varied tracks playing from one of a selection of Ipods, keeping him focused as well as a means of choreographing his day to day activities, which happen to include assisting in bank robberies. 

Indebted to heist planner and swift talking criminal Doc (Spacey), who never works with the same crew twice, Baby serves as his 'lucky charm'. The core crew members however consist of Buddy and Darling (Hamm and Gonzalez). Interspersed alongside this crew include the likes of John Bernthal's Griff, Lanny Joon's JD, Flea's Eddie No Nose and last but by no means least, Jamie Foxx's Bats. With one last job to finish before he is straight with Doc, Baby's life makes a handbrake turn with the arrival of waitress Deborah (James), who's equal adoration for music and the dream of the open road stirs something inside of him, a desire to get away from the lifestyle which has consumed him. 

Whilst on paper, this may seem a fairly bog standard car chase driven thriller, as with ever Edgar Wright film, there is much more going on which brings the film to atmospheric levels of filmmaking bliss. Put simply, Hot Fuzz's Danny Butterman's longing for "Gunfights, car chases, proper action and shit" is brought to life in a wholly refreshing manor. Minus the shit naturally. With Wright's renowned knack for picking seemingly spot on music to fit the genre, here his particular choices serve to structure the entire narrative, from the opening car chase set to John Spencer Blues Explosion's "Bellbottoms", to Simon and Garfunkel's titular folk ballad, the film doesn't just serve to display cool action set pieces paired with finger snapping tracks, but that the music and visuals entwine beautifully to become a cohesive behemoth of inspired and fantastically original story telling. 

With Wright clearly a fan of the cinematic form from his early career with the wonderfully referential sitcom 'Spaced', here the influences consist of the classic heist films, the top one most notably being Walter Hill's 'The Driver (The director himself receiving a brief cameo). Michael Mann's 'Heat' is also a clear point of reference as the third act unfolds in true Wright style with handbrake turns both on the road and in the script alike. 

A crucial element of Wright's directing skills is reflecting in his experience of creating Iconic and unique characters. Here yet again he presents a rich palette of glorious performances across the board. Elgort's performance becoming much more of a physical one as the film continues, but some of the strongest scenes come from those shared with his deaf foster father, played by CJ Jones, in which no dialogue is heard yet all emotions are made clear. Just as joyous to watch as in any great thriller are the antagonists, here yet again all performances are first rate with all different crew members bringing their own stamp of individuality, the two standouts however being Jamie Foxx's deranged Bats and John Hamm's sly and slick Buddy. With both heavyweight's clearly relishing the roles, the third act quickens pace to a new level and brings these two characters in particular to the forefront with unexpectedly heart pounding results. 

One of the most exciting aspects of this film however, consists of the sheer talent of all technical aspects. Editor's Johnathan Amos and Paul Machliss (Both previous Wright collaborators), break new ground in the linking of image and sound. It isn't only the action set pieces which deliver high octane editing as even its slower paced moments deliver subtlety sure to result in at least a smile of appreciation. Bill Pope as DP also delivers in spades presenting the bustling life of Atlanta with flair and vigour in every frame, perfectly executing Wright's swift style. 

The true genius of the film however, lies within Wright's attention to detail. As per usual this film maintains a distinct necessity to be re-watched as in every scene there lies some reference or feat of visual wit, this being most notable in the post opening credits scene in which Baby traverses an Atlanta street on a coffee run to Bob and Earl's "Harlem Shuffle" in a single take in which the street and song coincide in a smooth and seamless steadicam shot with lyrics appearing on the walls, the beeps of cars forming the beat all held together by Elgort's charmingly humble Baby. 

As per usual with Wright, there lies an abundance of genre elements within this film, with the obvious action/ thriller tropes expected with a picture focusing on a getaway driver, Wright also flexes his comedic and romantic skills, with usual swift wit and efficiency. A film which serves as a pure shot in the arm for Hollywood as a blockbuster with brains, the only downside of this film is the potential of losing Britain's most exciting and inventive filmmaker. If this is what happens when Marvel are unwilling to accept a director's original vision, one can only hope this occurs more as Wright has unquestionably delivered the best film of 2017 which serves as an ode to 70's cinema with a unique 21st century spin. The breath of fresh air cinema needs right now, Wright is back and better than ever! 

"In this business, the moment you catch feelings, is the moment you catch a bullet" - Bats