|
|
House of Gucci
(2021)
|
James Marsh
|
"There's a trashy air to it, it's very melodramatic, it feels like a soap opera at times, it takes wild swings in every direction...it isn't a train wreck, but it's a film about a train wreck."
Posted Nov 30, 2021
|
|
|
The Last Duel
(2021)
|
James Marsh
|
"It should come as no surprise that what the film does is highlight that the problems women faced in the late 1300s are not so different today. The period detail is spot on and the action sequences, not least the duel of the climax, are expertly staged."
Posted Oct 19, 2021
|
|
|
No Time to Die
(2021)
|
James Marsh
|
"An incredibly bold, brave, fitting ending...not a slam dunk, but it's incredibly ballsy and there's a lot to enjoy & admire."
Posted Sep 30, 2021
|
|
|
Dune
(2021)
|
James Marsh
|
"If there is one word to describe this film it is epic...It has an immense, almost overbearing sense of scale, coupled beautifully by this overwhelming, reverberating score...It is absolutely gorgeous, it is fascinating, I was completely absorbed."
Posted Sep 19, 2021
|
|
|
Birds of Prey (and the Fantabulous Emancipation of One Harley Quinn)
(2020)
|
James Marsh
|
I came in hoping this would be a triumphant all-girl, kick-ass, riotous action movie. In the end I found it to be unfocused, derivative, loud, obnoxious, and actually kinda boring.
Posted Feb 07, 2020
|
|
|
A Beautiful Day in the Neighborhood
(2019)
|
James Marsh
|
I thought it worked fantastically well ... [Rogers] has such a genuine curiosity and compassion for other people ... I came out of the film wanting to be a better person.
Posted Feb 07, 2020
|
|
|
Uncut Gems
(2019)
|
James Marsh
|
The Safdie Brothers manage a constant cranking, winding up of tension, as this escalating situation gets from bad to worse, as Sandler's character makes bad decision after bad decision.
Posted Feb 06, 2020
|
|
|
The Farewell
(2019)
|
James Marsh
|
A fascinating film, very well observed ... highlighting all those contradictions, as we might see them, that I do find myself on occasion disagreeing with, but having no leg to stand on.
Posted Feb 06, 2020
|
|
|
Spies in Disguise
(2019)
|
James Marsh
|
It's not nearly as fun or as entertaining as it should be ... It's serviceable, it's perfectly fine, and passes the time, but these days, your animation game needs to be better.
Posted Feb 06, 2020
|
|
|
Dolittle
(2020)
|
James Marsh
|
Dr. Dolittle has to pull a set of bagpipes out of a dragon's bum. Now I know it's a kids' movie, and some kids might think that's funny, and in the right context that could be funny, but it's not.
Posted Feb 06, 2020
|
|
|
Enter the Fat Dragon
(2020)
|
James Marsh
|
I didn't really get the point of it ... Donnie Yen in a fat suit ... is still as agile, fast, and as good at martial arts as he ever was.
Posted Feb 06, 2020
|
|
|
Hustlers
(2019)
|
James Marsh
|
A cross between The Big Short and Showgirls ... a film made by women with great respect ... although some sequences are seductive and sexy, it's never leery ... it's a film about strong women at a time when we need more.
Posted Jan 17, 2020
|
|
|
Bad Boys for Life
(2020)
|
James Marsh
|
People don't really want to support maverick police work these days ... but the comedy dynamic is still there, and Adil & Bilall do a fair job of emulating Bay's style of high-octane, flashy action.
Posted Jan 17, 2020
|
|
|
Judy
(2019)
|
James Marsh
|
Renée Zellweger does an absolutely incredible job, not only of performing these iconic musical numbers, but of portraying a woman teetering on the brink of complete physical, mental, psychological collapse.
Posted Jan 17, 2020
|
|
|
Marriage Story
(2019)
|
James Marsh
|
The most entertaining characters are the two lawyers ... they're both just awful and they're in it for themselves ... I would happily watch an entire film or series just about [them] going at each other.
Posted Jan 16, 2020
|
|
|
Portrait of a Lady on Fire
(2019)
|
James Marsh
|
It's about women finding a voice, finding the agency ... to sketch out a life and an identity for themselves ... it's beautiful to look at, and beautiful to listen to ... I kinda loved it.
Posted Jan 16, 2020
|
|
|
Jumanji: The Next Level
(2019)
|
James Marsh
|
Only in the second half, when it finds its feet and gets back into the groove of what did work in the first film, does it allow itself, and therefore us, to have a good time.
Posted Jan 16, 2020
|
|
|
Bombshell
(2019)
|
James Marsh
|
It's rather broadly handled, but I thought it was rather well handled, and the performances are all great.
Posted Jan 15, 2020
|
|
|
Ip Man 4: The Finale
(2019)
|
James Marsh
|
This is [Yen's] real flagship franchise, and I think he's done a fantastic job with it ... it's good for the fights but there's a little bit too much superfluous plot going on.
Posted Jan 15, 2020
|
|
|
Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker
(2019)
|
James Marsh
|
The first half of it just feels unnecessary, with lots of wheel-spinning, and then the second half is just a lot of pandering to people who should have been ignored.
Posted Jan 15, 2020
|
|
|
Richard Jewell
(2019)
|
James Marsh
|
It's a skilfully made film, there are good, strong performances ... but there is a niggling doubt over exactly what some of Clint Eastwood's motivations for making the film are.
Posted Jan 14, 2020
|
|
|
Little Women
(2019)
|
James Marsh
|
It's beautifully realised, and the production design is great, and the costumes are great, and the sense of time and place is great ... everything up there on screen is done incredibly well.
Posted Jan 14, 2020
|
|
|
1917
(2019)
|
James Marsh
|
The sheer practicality of executing this movie is quite phenomenal ... it is a technical tour-de-force.
Posted Jan 14, 2020
|
>