Jonathan Hopkins

I’m a sucker for this kind of fare, and I will probably always give JJ Abram’s projects the benefit of the doubt. Obviously lots of cool sci-fi moments and ideas in this - like the Earth disappearing, but the characters didn’t gel. You just didn’t care enough. Chris O’Dowd’s humour was tonally way off. This should have been a lot darker and simpler and maybe it could have worked. 

When it does stray into that area - usually through Mike’s thrilling storyline - things really get going. It is excellent writing though and the brother’s feud is particularly interesting.

Through this monster movie you realise that without speech, emotions can be heightened and more intimate. I would say the one weakness in this film was the aliens. They were best when you didn’t see them. But ultimately I felt their monster design was not particularly original and there were too many plot holes surrounding their presence and ability. For example, if sound is their one sense, surely someone else would have figured out that sonics could be a weapon used against them?! The storytelling and humanity in this movie was pretty exceptional. This is a rare horror that is superbly crafted, touches your heart and transcends the genre.

The characters were three dimensional, the story kept going at a kinetic pace. I enjoyed the black humour, the heart and the poignancy of the film - highlighted and neatly bookended by the final scene with the same character. Talented film making brothers these guys.

Did it have the power to mentally scar me in ways that other racially fuelled movies like 12 Years A Slave did? Was it searingly original enough to last in my memory? Maybe not - but this is strong storytelling none the less.

I enjoyed this film. Well made, good-looking with solid turns from the cast, but I wished it had somehow been darker. That festering madness was not acute enough for me - the film could have been more unforgiving/shocking to the audience. Maybe that’s harsh, but compared to the psychological trauma suffered from watching the likes of Stephen King's Misery or The Shining, feels like a trick was missed here.

The characters were well drawn, the gimmick of the shimmer was a great hook. The film looked beautiful and the VFX work was top notch. The music was bold, unusual and hugely effective. This story fired my imagination and had me guessing. I loved the concept of us blending with the organic matter around us. The image of the man who’s body has exploded into mould scarred my brain. In my opinion, this movie establishes Alex Garland as one of the big hitters in this genre and I am extremely excited to see what he does next.

This is top level TV with excellent characters and beautifully fabricated storylines. It’s hugely watchable, but after two series I find myself wondering if I will continue. My main negative is that everything is happening slowly and I don’t like feeling that a show is taking advantage of me. The moments of danger and illicit behaviour - which is when things get exciting - are just too far and few between. 

What always impresses me is with R&M is the scale and detail of the world building and ideas. The comedy is wild and wacky, but it is the design of the universe and impressive scientific concepts that takes this concept, and the humour, to a stratospheric level. And there are surprising moments of poignancy too - where we see infinite versions of a person...what that might do to you, psychologically. On a rare critical note, not sure I enjoyed the increase in swearing.

For me, this film was all about the obsessive pursuit of perfection - encapsulated by the lead character’s drive, but I saw a more personal angle to this too - for Day Lewis was playing a kind of version of himself - an actor renown for going to crazy lengths to perfect a role. Bear in mind this is Day Lewi’s swan song. And as a director myself, I imagine the Anderson saw this as an allegory for his own crazy pursuit trying to lift the heights of his own craft. 

The probability of a film about a mute woman having a sexual relationship with a fishman being any good is remote. Yet, this film smashes it. All elements of craftsmanship were excellent. Fantasy film making at its very finest. I often find Del Toro is guilty of over-doing it with effects, but the stripped back vibe of this film cements Del Toro as a true master with a real sense of style and nuance.

A2 were a bit naughty on the marketing/advertising - this is not the infection/apocalypse horror movie they advertised to the public. I imagine a lot of people were disappointed. It’s a slow burner, character piece. Falls into The Witch category.  Lovely, intelligent example of low budget film making. A very useful reference for writing Unify, which is nearing completion.

From the opening scene where the cop uncovers the Billboards in a perfectly weight black comic tone, I was hooked. I feel like I’ve seen a lot of films a set in this same sleepy US setting, but portrayed as delightfully quirky and original as this. The writing is sublime. The actors are loving their parts and there are star turns throughout. The overall craft of the film is faultless and the film seems destined for classic status, alongside the best of the Coen Bros movies. One oddity a lady friend raised: why we’re all the wives/girlfriends unrealistically pretty in such a realistic portrayed world? I would like to know the creative reason behind that.