(film review) - Queen & Slim

It is nice to learn of Black actors who are NOT your Samuel L. Jackson, Denzel Washington, Forest Whitaker or now, Idris Elba coming up.  We have a Michael B. Jordan, Chadwick Boseman and now, a Daniel Kaluuya.  Strangely enough, the last ones are British and are doing soo well in their field.  I learned of Daniel from the Movie 'Get Out' and I recognised him from an episode of 'Black Mirror', and although his character was weird and intense in that show, I've come to realise that Daniel and his efforts in acting, the way he has honed his craft is simply phenomenal.  He didn't do much in Kick-Ass 2, but in this movie, he showed a side of him we have never seen which also helped to elevate this movie to such new heights.  I'll explain.

Queen (Jodie Turner-Smith) and Slim (Daniel Kaluuya) is about two people who meet each other, get into a altercation with the Police, end up shooting the Police and then going on the run, the end.

It is really that simple, but for obvious reasons, I cannot go into any more details due to spoilers.  The story has a background of complexity woven throughout it and the characters themselves have layers that slowly get peeled back during the course of the movie because they are both two completely different people who have lived different lives.  Whilst one is religious and would pray before eating food for example, the other was not religious at all and there were reasons behind their behaviour.  But this is a character driven film and not about a gun-ho couple driving through the US murdering people.  They are not trying to seek revenge for all the wrong-doing going on in this world committed by bad people or glory; they are just two people who are thrusted into a situation and only really have each other.

If I'm going to be brutally honest (in which I am in all my reviews), this movie was an oxymoron for me.  I absolutely hated it, but I loved it at the same time.  The content was dark, the film was intense and I was on the verge of tears the entire movie, but the film was also very colourful, vibrant, soothing, calm and at times I was happy and smiling.  The soundtrack alone is amazing.  There were funny elements in this movie yet, there were moments I was soo angry, by the end I couldn't hold back my tears any longer.  I could identify with these characters and their situation.  I could feel their struggles.  It is bad enough struggling as a black person, but to then commit a murder, and the murder being a Police Officer knowing it's a shoot first, ask questions later or death penalty and/or the eletric chair, brought a realism to the movie I could relate to and was extremely sadden by.  These things are happening in the US right now.  What is known as a routine traffic stop escalates into death more often than it actually should, especially when there are no weapons, drugs or bad behaviour behind it.  Some people are being choked out, tazered and/or shot because the Police Officer didn't like a legitimate question asked.  You just need to look in the papers or online and it wouldn't take long before you found an article about a Police Officer killing a person of colour and what makes it worse, getting away with it.  I was angry and I was scared for the two of them.  For the most part, it was knowing that, I was watching two dead people living out the rest of their lives because of the actions of one Police Officer who was doing way too much and being a nuisance.  But when the layers were being pulled back and the characters were embracing their life on the run (and I say that losely) they were getting to know each other and experiencing life a little more care-free and it was beautiful to see.  Take the moment you are in now because tomorrow is never promised.  By the end of the movie, my defensive walk crumbled and the tears came streaming and this very rarely happens.

Other than that, the movie was acted well, shot well, the dialogue was great.  I mean, for first time writer of a movie and first time director of a movie, this film is up there.  Jodie was also great.  This is the first I am seeing of her and I didn't even know she was a model, but you could tell because she moved with grace and she has a model look.  I could understand people might want a Thelma and Louise or Bonnie and Clyde, but this movie is way bigger than that.  It just isn't that kind of movie as it is something that has a message which isn't necessarily about race or cop killing, it is bigger than that.  The impact you have on others.  The need for Justice.  The need to be loved.  The need to just be you and free.  I definitely recommend this and it would be nice if an Oscar was won.

(film review) - Ex Machina

What have we learnt about artificial intelligence? So many films have covered this and for some reason, like Time - travel, Zombies and Vampires, we do not tire from these stories. I'll ask you again. What have we learnt about artificial intelligence? Well, that it isn't real, yet. What if you are able to create an intelligence soo real, you'd mistake it for real intelligence and not an artificial one. What if you are able to create an intelligence soo real which also inhabits a humanoid body soo real, you'd mistake it for a real organic human being and not an artificial technological construct. Is this a scary thought? Does this intrigue you?

The film stars Caleb (Domhnall Gleeson) who is a computer programmer who wins a company lottery syndicate which allows him to meet the CEO of his company, Nathan. Nathan is an eccentric genius who lives in the mountains in his plush home with his only assistant, Kyoko and wants Caleb to spend a week there to perform a series of tests on a humanoid robot named 'Ava'. The tests are to establish if the android's artificial intelligence can be distinguished from human ones. However, Caleb runs the risk of becoming too involved with the experiment and trying to figure out, what is real and what isn't.

I hadn't seen the trailer to this movie, but the movie poster intrigued me. Knowing nothing whatsoever and entering the cinema with a blank slate was refreshing. Sometimes it is great to know absolutely nothing about the film you are about to see. With that said, damn, what an eff'ed up movie. At least had I known what I was getting into, I would have realised this film was a Thriller, a good one, but sometimes knowing just that much helps a great deal. Also with that said, also allows you to pick out the plot. With a small twist at the end which left me dumbfounded, I can honestly say that, visually, this film was great. The storyline and the acting was decent and intriguing. Not once did it get boring or feel strained and Nathan is such an odd character, you want to know more about him along with Ava and everything what is going on in this house. With the tension and suspense building, the final few scenes are dark and twisted, yet gratifying to an extent, but along with being anti-climatic, leaves you wanting more. Maybe they will do a sequel. SkyNet, anyone?

(film review) - Dredd

I am the Law!!!

Do you remember that line? I'm sure it was in the trailer for the original Judge Dredd. Delivered by the blue or was it, grey!?! I think, grey-eyed Sylvester Stallone, way back when, in 1995 just before, well, you know, when things started going a bit bleak for the actor. I mean, Demolition Man was a great film and Cliffhanger also, but other than the Rambo's and Rocky's, what else was there?

I couldn't tell you how old I was when I watched the first Judge Dredd, but I remember watching it with my mum and thinking, this film is rubbish. At that time I thought, meh. I barely knew about the comic as I had read 1 or 2 but the film was very lackluster for me. How many years later, with what I believe to be not much hype around a brand new film based on the same character, which is not a sequel, but as a reboot for possibly a new franchise, (most likely, as they would like to do a Trilogy) one would wonder, is this reboot necessary or better yet, was it all worth it? Well, I'll put it simply. This Judge Dredd movie makes the previous Judge Dredd look like My Little Pony. I'll explain.

Dredd is set in a future where the earth has been destroyed and has become a irradiated waste land known as cursed earth. Population is high and on the east coast lies Mega-City One which inhabits 800 million residents and has a crime rate of 17,000 crimes a day. In way of law enforcement "Judges" police the city by being Judge, Jury & Executioner, on the spot. On a routine shift, Joseph Dredd (Karl Urban) is tasked with evaulating a rookie Judge, Cassandra Anderson (Olivia Thirlby) in becoming a Judge and investigate a 200-story slum tower block called "Peach Trees" where a ruthless drug lord Ma-Ma (Lena Headey) dwells who is responsible for the new drug sweeping the city called 'Slo-Mo', which slows the user's perception of time to 1% of normal time. Ma-Ma traps Judge Dredd and Anderson in the block and mark them for death in which both Judge Dredd and Anderson will need to now make a desperate attempt to bring Ma-Ma down and make it out alive.

Sounds like a horror story, right? Or better yet a computer game. It kinda reminds me of the Die Hard Triogy game which came out in 1996 where you had to work your way up the Nakatomi Plaza. I digress, but I'm sure you know what I mean. 200 levels until the end boss (drug kingpin) and 199 levels of enemies. Could you imagine how much sneaking around, bullets being fired, explosions, blood and gore there would be? Yes, this is THAT film. The 3D wasn't GREATLY in your face but it was decent enough and used effectively. I didn't get that funny feeling you (or just me) sometimes get between the eyes, but visually, I have no complaints. The cinematography is top-notch and even the slow-motion bit is used heavily, but not rinsed out to where you are bored of it. It's Stylish, it's bloody and it's also what Judge Dredd needed to be. The storyline is very linear and clear cut and the actors do a very good job. Karl Urban is a great actor and he seems to have nailed the Judge Dredd character as well as he nailed "Bones" from Star Trek. The posture, the mouth, the stubble, it's all there. If you like action, this film has your name all over it. And for me, what makes the film even more enjoyable is the simplicity of the storyline as well as the accuracy. You might not get that CLASSIC Sylverster Stallone 'I am the Law' line delivered the same way as he did, but then, didn't he take off his helmet!? And if you know Judge Dredd, Joseph never removes his helmet. Enjoy