(film review) - The Oddysey

As some of you may know, Christopher Nolan is one of my favourite directors. Bar two films, I've seen everything he's directed, and I'll get around to those eventually. What I never thought I'd say, though, is that I'd be halfway through a Christopher Nolan film thinking, "Yeah... this one isn't for me."

Don't get me wrong, I really liked 'Oppenheimer', and I enjoyed 'Dunkirk', but neither reached the heights of 'Tenet' for me. I know Tenet divides opinion, but I absolutely loved it. Yes, Nolan maybe pushed audiences a little too hard with that one, but I was completely on board.

This? Halfway through, I genuinely wasn't. Something just wasn't clicking. I couldn't put my finger on what it was, but I remember thinking, "This isn't connecting with me at all."

Then something happened. It's like someone flipped a switch.

By the time the credits rolled, I'd gone from questioning whether this was for me to walking out saying, "That was amazing." Let me explain.


The story opens on a beach, where Elliott Page's character encounters advancing soldiers near the Trojan Horse. Fatally wounded, they manage to utter one final warning—that the horse is a gift. Naturally, the Trojans accept it. From there, Nolan does what Nolan does best, jumping across timelines as we're introduced to Odysseus' home, his family, the aftermath of the war, his legendary bow, and the trials he and his men must endure on their long journey home, all while exploring his defiance of the gods and the consequences of his choices.


I'll be honest—I don't know The Odyssey particularly well. I know bits and pieces, but it's been years since I've revisited the story, and I genuinely wondered whether my lack of familiarity was hurting my enjoyment. Maybe it was that. Maybe it was simply the way the narrative unfolded. Whatever it was, I wasn't invested... until I suddenly was.

By the final act, I was completely hooked. In fact, if one particular moment had gone the way I feared it might, I'd have wanted to flip a table in the cinema. There weren't any tables, thankfully, but the rage would've been real.

I genuinely have no major negatives.

The Cyclops sequence was the first moment that completely floored me. Without venturing into spoiler territory, the design alone was enough to make me feel genuinely uncomfortable. It was unlike any Cyclops I've seen on screen before, and it was honestly terrifying.

Then there are the giants in the forest.

You've seen them in the trailers. You've seen them on the posters. Trust me... you haven't seen them. That entire sequence is astonishing.

But the standout moment of the entire film comes later. It's graphic, brutal, incredibly tense, and, in my opinion, the best scene in the entire movie. I was completely captivated. Matt Damon's Odysseus has spent the whole film trying to get home (like other Matt Damon films — trying to get home), and for the first time, I genuinely believed he might not make it.

The remaining trials are all handled brilliantly. Some are visually stronger than others, but every challenge feels distinct, memorable, and cinematic.

Performance-wise, everyone turns up.

Regardless of where people stand on Elliott Page personally, their performance here is exceptional. There's one particular scene that absolutely had me invested emotionally and reminded me just how talented they are. The only thing that didn't quite work for me was one brief running sequence at the end of it, which I did not buy, but that's about as nitpicky as I can get.


Matt Damon is excellent throughout, while Anne Hathaway, Himesh Patel, Charlize Theron, Tom Holland, Jon Bernthal, and Robert Pattinson all bring their A-game whenever they're on screen. The cast is stacked, and it absolutely delivers.

Ludwig Göransson's score is phenomenal. At this point, the man simply doesn't miss. Every emotional beat lands exactly where it should.

If you've seen Christopher Nolan's work before, you'll know linear storytelling isn't exactly his thing. Even Tenet, arguably one of his more straightforward films structurally, literally plays in reverse. The Odyssey is no different. It jumps around, trusts the audience, and never spoon-feeds you.


Visually, though, this might be one of his most breathtaking films yet. The crashing waves at the beginning instantly reminded me of 'Inception', while the forests, landscapes, and sequence involving Elliott Page are absolutely stunning. You can also tell just how much of this was achieved practically. Yes, CGI is used where necessary, but Nolan's commitment to doing as much as possible in-camera gives the film a scale and authenticity that's becoming increasingly rare.

The giants alone left me wondering, "How on earth did they pull that off?"

What surprised me most is just how much this film grew on me. I genuinely thought I was watching my least favourite Christopher Nolan film... only for it to completely win me over.

I'm already considering seeing it again.

And if this really is only the beginning of Nolan's take on this world, then I want him to direct every single sequel, spin-off, or connected story. Because if history has taught us anything, it's that when Christopher Nolan commits to a world, you're almost guaranteed something ambitious, unforgettable, and worth watching.

(trailer review) - Dune: Part 3

(TEASER TRAILER) 

The previous trailer for this film did absolutely nothing for me. Maybe it was the mood I was in, or maybe it's because I loved the first two films so much that I was already sold. At this point, I don't need convincing—I just want to watch the movie. So, you'd think another trailer wouldn't change my mind. Well... I've done a complete 180. This is the trailer that got me excited. Maybe it's because release day is finally creeping closer, but this looks absolutely phenomenal.

The trailer opens with Paul confronting Chani as she angrily reminds him that she trusted him, and that he swore he'd never seize power in his own name. Their confrontation is intercut with flashes of happier times, brutal battles, and Paul walking away from absolute devastation. It's an emotional opening that immediately sets the tone.

Things only escalate from there. Paul asks, "What do you know about me?" before someone replies, "You have conquered the galaxy. You have destroyed thousands of worlds, and I think you are way beyond redemption." That's a hell of a line. We then get what initially looks like a sparring session before it's revealed to be a fight with someone who looks like Duncan, who claims to have brought Paul a peace proposal that would ultimately destroy him.

Then the trailer just starts showing off. Massive battles, our best look yet at Robert Pattinson's mysterious character Feyd-Rau, the Fremen standing on a beach with crashing waves—a visual I never expected to see in Dune—and the princess, played by Florence Pugh, warning that anyone trying to stop Paul has just signed their own death warrant. Feyd-Rau says, "I've found someone," before Chani slams her fist into the sand and summons a sandworm, all cut together with more breathtaking action. The trailer ends with Paul simply saying, "I'm sorry."

Visually, this looks every bit as spectacular as the previous films, but this trailer also feels far more emotionally charged. It hints at the consequences of Paul's choices, raises plenty of questions, and somehow leaves me wanting even more. Mission accomplished.

(trailer review) - Dune: Part 3

 

How incredible does this look? I watched this trailer twice… well, I got near to the end, rewound a bit to catch something, and then watched it through again—because I said to myself, “Why does that face look familiar? Who is that? Wait a minute… isn’t that Robert? Wait, that is Robert Pattinson! I didn’t know (or likely forgot) he was in this!” Although this franchise has already delivered two great films (and a TV show I haven’t watched), and I’m aware there’s much more to the story, the storytelling and directing from Denis Villeneuve is doing its best to carry the weight of everything that comes after to "conclude" the story. That’s based on what I’ve learned—not read—but even so, while I was intrigued by the trailer and excited by that reveal, it didn’t quite land for me. The franchise is starting to feel a little long in the tooth. It’s like I already know what to expect at this point: great music and score, great acting, great storytelling, and bold, immersive cinematography and visuals that feel completely real. But aside from introducing new characters, what is this trailer really giving us beyond being a teaser? Maybe I just want more than a teaser trailer—which is probably a testament to how excited I am for the franchise.

The trailer opens with Chani in the arms of Paul as they discuss their pregnancy and potential names for the baby—Leto, if it’s a boy, is a nice tribute to Paul’s father. There’s some imagery that might suggest Leto’s ring in a scene, followed shortly by a group being led by Paul as he says, “War feeds on itself.” We then see images of battle: a tower firing on attackers, preceded by shots of bodies on the ground—charred, or perhaps frozen and stiffened in some kind of solidified liquid. The next shot shows a long, diamond-shaped ship flying into space toward a massive structure, giving a real sense of scale. Over this, Paul speaks to his mother, asking for advice—a moment that’s echoed later when he wonders what his father would have done, admitting that the more he fights, the more his enemies rise against him. We get a glimpse of Robert Patinson as Feyd-Rau followed by two groups of men facing off—one possibly led by Stilgar. Then comes the line from his mother: “Your father never started a war.” More stunning shots of large-scale battles follow, along with a brief look at Anya Taylor-Joy as Alia and the unexpected return of Duncan Idaho, training or fighting with Paul. Princess Irulan appears, walking with clear determination—likely driven by vengeance. Feyd-Rautha is seen again among what looks like the Fremen, and there’s a brilliant shot of Chani, ready for battle with a fierce, warrior-like expression. But the standout moment is Paul ascending the steps before addressing thousands upon thousands of followers. The scale is immense, and as he declares, “I am not afraid to die, but I must not die… yet,” it just feels epic—simply epic. I think I’m most excited to return to this world and be immersed in its lore again. While this is only a teaser trailer, I need a bit more substance to fully enjoy it. Maybe I’m asking for too much—I just need to be patient and wait. The music is already playing in my head.

(film review) - The Batman

From the get go, I'm going to say just a few things to clear the air first. As fans of specific characters from comic books, we need to understand several things first before going into watching adaptations from comic books. First of all, directors and film studios aim to provide a great movie to make tons of money, so there might be some liberties taken with the source material to appeal to every type of audience member. Secondly, it really does not matter who the actor is playing a role, whether you agree or visualise that person as that specific character or not, the director's job is to get the best out of the actor to fulfil their interpretation of the reference material for the movie they are making. So, I would like to say to the naysayers...remember Heath Ledger, remember Ben Affleck, these actors were not a preference for MANY fans, yet we cannot really see other actors in these roles going forward. This also applies to Hugh Jackman as Wolverine, might I also add. So, put aside your Twilight hate because Pattinson is a great actor. So, I guess the burning question more than anything is, was Pattinson a good Batman, well...yes...yes he was, believe it or not!

Without going into too much details, this is year two of Bruce Wayne becoming the Batman. He is new to this. He isn't as refined or as skilled as The Dark Knight yet, but finds himself working on a case with the uneasy Gotham City Police Department (GCPD) trying to solve crimes carried out by someone who leaves riddles. These crimes seem to target high profile individuals and it is down to Batman to solve the crimes before many more people die and the truth behind the corruption in Gotham.

This film is different to ANY other Batman we have seen before on our screens, why? because this IS The Batman. For those who do not know who Batman is, Batman IS the person and Bruce Wayne IS the mask Batman puts on. To explain that further, the moment Bruce Wayne's parents died, it is said that Bruce Wayne also died in that alley and took on the persona of The Batman (at some point), so the mask he wears IS Bruce Wayne, when he is out socialising etc.  This film hammers that home. Because Bruce's parents died, Batman is the person who wants to try and make Gotham a better place so that no other child has to go through what he goes through. This is why Batman does what he does and this film hammers that home. He is a detective and he IS the shadows. This film hammers that home.  When I say to you, this film isn't like the Christopher Nolan and Christian Bale version, that it is not like the Zack Snyder and Ben Affleck version, that it is not like the Tim Burton and Michael Keaton or Joel Schumacher and George Clooney version, I mean that and you will be very surprised on how different not only this is, but how GREAT Pattison is in the role if you understand who The Batman really is.

This is a long movie and the way it is directed, as a detective noir movie, at times, it does feel like the movie is taking it's time. For 2 hours and 50 minutes or so, the movie does at times feel like it is dragging a little, but if I'm completely honest, I was starving before I went in and was more thinking of my stomach and eating than anything else. So for true transparency, I feel that did hinder my experience of watching the movie, but the movie didn't hinder the enjoyment I got from the movie. The story was great. The acting was top notch. Pattinson doesn't say a lot and does come across a little moody. What do they call it? Teenage angst? Very much that, but he delivers a young man dealing with pain, without even saying much at all very well. From subtle eye movements, body language. I mean, yes he isn't the Dark Knight yet but this film shows us where Gotham City is at present and what the city thinks of Batman, from the Police Department to the average person on the street, to the criminals.

Batman is one of my all time favourite characters because he is smart, knows every fighting style known to man, has lots of money and beats people up with an attitude like no other. He thinks several steps ahead and always has back up plans or a contingency plan for everything and everyone. When we are first introduced to Batman in this movie, the director Matt Reeves paints a very clear picture of who the Batman is in the first 10 minutes of the movie and I couldn't stop smiling. Towards the end, an interaction with a police officer, I couldn't stop smiling. In places, I was laughing because Batman literally is a man of few words and the detective aspect of this movie has never been as realised like this in film. His interaction with people as Batman and his interaction with people as Bruce Wayne are very different and while that is obvious, it's the demeanor change, everything. Which leads me onto the acting. Every actor was great and from what I hear, the director and WB are interested in producing a GCPD show as well as a Penguin show AND a Catwoman show. Some might think that this is milking the franchise dry, but if I'm going to be honest with you, I couldn't be more up for this, because Zoe Kravitz was brilliant and her character seems like it was ripped straight from the comics. Colin Farrell was brilliant and unrecognisable. He was soo good. Gotham City feels soo much like a character in itself, so it is only right to have a show based on the GCPD giving us more of Geoffrey Wright and this world Matt Reeves has created. As for the villain, masterful. Paul Dano was excellent and could likely be discussed with other great villains in the DC universe such as Nolan's Joker. Twisted and deluded, a very fast cry from Jim Carrey's version.

Although the soundtrack is great, the cinematography and camera work was also excellent.  Gotham felt lived in and dirty. Some of the shots were obscured artistically shot in a way that made you feel uneasy. Dark, dingy and out of focus at times. Matt did a great job with this movie and I'm assuming it will do well, we can have sequels where we can go into another few years as Batman learning more and slowly becoming the Dark Knight we all know and love. I just don't care for a Joker right now. Give me a Mr. Freeze or a Calendar Man or maybe someone a bit more fantastical like Clayface or something. Also, throw in a Robin or something, we need to expand this world because what has been done here is great!

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(trailer review) - The Batman

(DC FanDome Teaser)

(Main Trailer)

I'm not sure if I've said this here before, but I have about 6 favourite comic book characters.  Six.  I have various reasons as to why I like them.  Some could be because of their strength, some could be down to their enemies or "how old" they are, some are just because they are just super cool.  So, for Strength, Superman and The Incredible Hulk, because of their Enemies and their Age, Spider-Man and Wolverine, because of how cool they are...Batman.  He is rich, very intelligent and he fights incredible well and had lots of gadgets.  How about, this trailer, not only showing us practically ALL OF THE MOVIE, but showcasing a Year Two Batman up against The Riddler and maybe Catwoman?

This trailer is great.  Imagine, I had to rewind the trailer several times before I could even complete it because of Batman and his coolness.  Matt Reeves had managed to make this Batman look, sound and move cool. The fighting. The jumping off of high buildings.  I mean, the first half of the trailer was simply showcasing the Batmobile.  The was a part in the trailer where the Batmobile drives THROUGH A CONCRETE TUBE, but whatever man, if anyone can, The Batman can and I LOVED IT!  There are some stunning visuals and camera work here.  Matt Reeves is really showing us what kind of Director he is...like the last few Apes movies didn't tell us enough...damn. 

Directed by Matt Reeves an starring Robert Pattinson, Zoë Kravitz, Paul Dano, Jeffrey Wright, John Turturro, Peter Sarsgaard, Barry Keoghan, Jayme Lawson, Andy Serkis, Colin Farrell

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(trailer review) - The Batman

(Teaser Trailer)

Do yourself a favour.  Try to remember all those friends, colleagues and family members who heard Robert Patterson was going to be Batman and they all ranted, raved, screamed and cried about him.  The guy from Twilight and that he isn't a great actor...show them this trailer and listen to their views having seen the trailer.  Then cut them off and never speak to them again.  You don't need that type of negativity in your life!

This trailer looks amazing! Yo! This trailer! This trailer! That hallway bit where he is walking and they are firing at him and he is simply walking towards them... then beats them up to the muzzle flashes...man! This trailer looks amazing.  That's all I can say right now!  Shots with The Penguin.  The many shots with Catwoman. Alfred.  Matt Reeves is simply doing the damn business!

Directed by Matt Reeves an starring Robert Pattinson, Zoë Kravitz, Paul Dano, Jeffrey Wright, John Turturro, Peter Sarsgaard, Barry Keoghan, Jayme Lawson, Andy Serkis, Colin Farrell

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(film review) [STREAMING] - The Devil All The Time

When I finished watching this movie, I felt I had to watch it again.  I felt like I wasn't paying all the attention that I had needed to.  Possibly because there was narration, I wasn't fully focused, but I genuinely felt like I wasn't understanding what was going on although it was fairly simple.  Not to say it was difficult to understand but maybe it's all this streaming movies than going to the cinema.  Maybe I'm tired of it.  Maybe the film didn't really grip me, but...I enjoyed it!? So, I watched it again and this is what I have to say.

The film centers around Arvin (Tom Holland) whose father served in World War II.  After the war, Willard (Bill Skarsgård) meets a lady in a diner (Haley Bennett ) and also meets a couple who are dining there.  Willard eventually marries the lady and moves to Knockemstiff, Ohio where Arvin is born.  Being haunted by the war, Willard is somewhat troubled and tries to influence God to help assist him in a situation he is going through believing he has this power to do so due to his blind faith but the situation doesn't work out.  Some years later, Lenora's (Eliza Scanlen) father dies after he also thought he had power due to his blind faith and Arvin becomes her overprotective stepbrother.  On his birthday, Arvin is given his father's gun from World War II which ultimately gives him power.  The Reverend of the local church, Preston Teagardin (Robert Pattinson) uses his position of power to his own benefits and when Lenora tragically dies, Arvin goes looking for the reverend for answers.  Later Arvin is confronted by the same couple who were dining in the diner his father met his mother in where the two have their own ritual they often carry out which ultimately gives them power, although there is a power dynamic between them.

This film is really about religion, power, the butterfly effect and what would happen if certain situations happened how they were possibly "meant" to happen.  This film also questions faith and religion as well as the famous saying "absolute power, corrupts absolutely".  Where there are various story arcs that meet to create the over-arching story, there are a lot of people who use their "power" to control and/or influence.

This film is dark and most definitely not a kids film because young looking Tom Holland plays Peter Parker.  The cinematography is gloomy and dark.  The setting is lonely and isolating.  You are given the sense that although these people are very religious, some characters are loners and very much have their own battles they are battling regardless of having faith.  Some of the characters are predators in their own way using their power to get what they want.  The acting is great and couldn't be any better than it was from every actor in this piece.  Robert and Jason are very convincing that you may even despise them.  Tom Holland was also very good in this, especially his accent.  Along with Robert, both being British, their accents were great.  This film is also fairly slow paced with not much action so may come across boring as the story really revolves around these various characters and their life and/or actions.

I may actually watch it again as it is indeed a decent movie, but I just wouldn't rush to see it.

(trailer review) - The Batman

While a lot of us are trying to understand as to why there is ANOTHER Batman film, we need to first understand that Hollywood is a business and whatever makes the most money, they will milk it dry and then move onto the next.  With that said, we also need to understand that Warner Bros. who own Detective Comics (DC) in its entirety and all of its characters, will do whatever they can in order to gross the most amount of money in their films.  This also means using what has been successful.

The issue we had with Spider-Man (from Sony) and the multiple Spider-Men movies over the years were due to many things; too much studio control or influence, no plan or structure, lacklustre storylines etc and that isn't to mention the signed contracts and having to produce a movie every so often before the rights revert back to Marvel, like what happened with Daredevil, Punisher, Ghost Rider etc.  With Batman, it is a different type of "struggle".  Although Batman was successful on film in 1989 and then had a major dip a little later, Batman has been most successful in recent years since Christopher Nolan's 'Batman Begins'.  Everyone loves the Batman character and for the most part, he is easy to put together on film.  A lunatic dressed as a Bat goes around beating people up and stopping crime in his city, due to the loss of his parents as a child.  But the problem is, we now have Batman fatigue and we don't know who is playing Batman, which world/universe or whatever.  Do any of us even care anymore?

I do!  But for me, it's more of a, which story are they going to tell and are they going to do it successfully.  Also, is this a standalone movie not connected to anything or will we have other characters from the DC catalogue of heroes and villains.  Also Batman has a huge rogues gallery, so why do we need to see another Joker and the same faces over an over.
What I will say is, WB may have only just caught their stride and they are making movies whether it is a standalone movie or team/universe/interconnected movie and they are forcing the audience to understand that these movies will be different and while some will be connected, other may not and if I'm honest, I am totally cool with that.  If you think about it, they can make soo much more money with two Batmen running around, one connected and one not, because people will see Batman and people will be forced to identify which is which and that is not a bad thing.  Those who care will take note, those who don't, wont.  I just want them to introduce more characters now.

As for this teaser trailer though, it's not garbage at all.  From Matt Reeves, the guy that brought us the last two recent Planet of the Apes movies, this trailer looks great.  Dark, gritty, with a noir feel to it.  We see Jim Gordon, Catwoman and possibly a Robin.  Batman is using a grappling hook and beating up thugs like he should.  We even see the Batmobile.  This is Batman starting out which is different to Batman Begins and this looks good!  Imagine, they are currently still filming and this teaser trailer is great.

Directed by Matt Reeves an starring Robert Pattinson, Zoë Kravitz, Paul Dano, Jeffrey Wright, John Turturro, Peter Sarsgaard, Barry Keoghan, Jayme Lawson, Andy Serkis, Colin Farrell

(trailer review) - The Devil All The Time

So, I remember hearing about this movie a little while back and then I completely forgot about it, now that I have seen the trailer, this movie looks great!  The cast alone is great from Robert Pattinson to young Luke Skywalker aka Sebastian Stan, but what really gripped me to the trailer, was the nefarious tone and vibe to it all.  EVERYONE seems a bit sketchy and untrustworthy.  Jason Clarke alone is a little creepy in this and Tom Holland looks as though he will be playing a much darker role than what he has been recently or wildly known for as Peter Parker, Spider-Man.  Oh and Pennywise himself Bill Skarsgård...nothing much more needs to be said, I'm sure.

I can't gauge exactly what is going on in this trailer other than some, what looks like murder and ritualistic, insane, barbaric, possibly sexual, killing type craziness.  Maybe another trailer will flush out the goings on a little better!

Directed by Antonio Campos and starring Tom Holland, Bill Skarsgård, Riley Keough, Jason Clarke, Sebastian Stan, Haley Bennett, Eliza Scanlen, Mia Wasikowska, Robert Pattinson

(trailer review) - Tenet

(First Initial Trailer)

Christopher Nolan is adamant to still have this film shown in the cinema in the next few months during this here pandemic.  And although he is one of my favourite Directors to date, I'm not sure if he should really pursue this without delaying because I'm not sure how comfortable people will be in the cinema for the rest of the year let alone in a few months.

What I will say though, this looks amazing already.  It's like, can you expect anything less from a Christopher Nolan film at this point?  It looks like a guy has been chosen to have these abilities and he also enlists on the help of another guy in order to stop World War 3 from happening by using time against....the...plot? Huh? Using time from the future in order to stop the future be rewinding the present?  Whatever it is, we will know at some point and if anything, it will leave us as baffled as Interstellar and Inception.

Directed by Christopher Nolan and starring John David Washington, Robert Pattinson, Elizabeth Debicki, with Michael Caine

(trailer review) - Tenet

I remember hearing about this a good while ago and totally forgot about it.  Christopher Nolan is one of my favourite Directors to date.  I've not seen ALL his movies, but I will.  My favourites are, Interstellar, Inception, The Dark Knight Trilogy and I thought Dunkirk was decent, but THIS?

At first I got a '6 underground' premise (only because I just watched it), which then got toppled by some James Bond and Mission Impossible vibes.  This movie looks truely insane.  This movie looks soooo good. And I'm here for it alllll.

Directed by Christopher Nolan and starring John David Washington, Robert Pattinson, Elizabeth Debicki, with Michael Caine