West Side Story – Film Review

Posted on December 11, 2021 by ashleymanningwriter
West Side Story (2021)

Director: Steven Spielberg

Writer: Tony Kushner

Starring: Ansel Elgort, Rachel Zegler, Ariana DeBose, David Alvarez, Mike Faist, and Rita Moreno

Rating: ★★★★

Arguably the most well-known director of all time, Stephen Spielberg, has gone all out again for his latest film, the second film adaptation of the classic Romeo and Juliet inspired musical West Side Story. With a career like Spielberg’s, he has nothing left to prove, but he is still reaching for something new. It’s been three years since his last film, the CGI-fest and surprisingly decent Ready Player One, and now West Side Story is finally released, which also marks his first musical.

Two gangs, the Jets and the Sharks, fight for control of San Juan Hill neighbourhood in New York. They’re both planning a large brawl to decide who can keep the territory, with the Jets hoping their founder Tony (Ansel Elgort) to back them up. Tony has spent a year in prison after a previous fight that went too far and wants to leave that life behind him. He then goes to the school dance, feeling like he doesn’t have a choice, and falls immediately in love with Maria (Rachel Zegler), whose brother runs the Sharks. The tension between the two rival gangs grows reaching the breaking point, with Tony and Maria stuck in the middle of it.

The film is very similar to the previous adaptation, with a few changes here and there. Some of the songs are sang in a different order, and in different locations. Most notable is the scene where Maria and Tony go on a date together, before discussing how to stop the big fight. It’s a good addition and makes sense. One of the stranger changes is the choice to change Maria and her friends from working in a bridal shop to being cleaners. It doesn’t make that much difference to the overall story, but as pointed out by writers such as Aurora Flores, it ignores the important historical presence of Puerto Ricans in the garment industry, which was present in the 1961 film.

The story still resonates, even if some of the changes make little sense. The idea of trying to find somewhere you belong, is sadly just as relevant now as when West Side Story was first produced as a musical on stage in 1957. That’s what the two gangs are fighting for, wanting to belong in the neighbourhood they live in, there’s an irony to that as well, since the neighbourhood is being torn down, which the police point out early in film when they break up the first fight.

The classic songs are all still here. Even people who aren’t familiar at all with the stage musical or 1961 film will still most likely recognise songs like ‘America’, ‘I Feel Pretty’ and ‘Maria’. The lyrics may be slightly changes at points, but they still work. ‘America’ is still the biting look at how immigrants are treated in America, as it was in 1961. The lyrics, that were changed from the more positive stage musical for the 1961 film, feel like something that could have been written today. It’s also very fitting that Rita Moreno, who played Anita in the 1961 film, plays Valentina (a reimagining of the character Doc), and sings ‘somewhere’, showing how the main themes still matter.

The visuals of the film are beautiful. There’s a washed-out saturated look to the colours that makes it feel authentically from the 1950s. The choreography, by Justin Peck is brilliant, with every song looking as grand and dramatic as possible. It’s a joy to watch. The scenes with Spanish dialogue aren’t subtitled, because Spielberg wanted to respect the language and not double down on English.

Rachel Zegler is absolutely wonderful as Maria. This is her first full-length film, and she’s stunning in it. There’s so much emotion in every scene that she’s in. Mike Faist as Riff is also great. Everyone in the cast feels natural and effortless. The weakest link is Ansel Elgort, who doesn’t quite fit Tony. He’s okay, but he feels awkward in places, especially when he turns up to the school dance looking more like a teacher chaperone than a teenager. There are moments where it’s hard to believe that Maria would fall in love with him so instantly. He’s not horrendous in the role, but there must have been someone better.

West Side Story is still a great time. It’s too early to say if this is just as great as the 1961 adaptation, but it definitely captures the energy and vibrancy Spielberg’s first epic musical is a giant success.

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The Unforgivable – Sandra Bullock is Excellent in This Predictable Drama – Film Review

Posted on December 10, 2021 by ashleymanningwriter
The Unforgivable (2021) - IMDb

Director: Nora Fingscheidt

Writers: Peter Craig, Hillary Seitz, and Courtenay Miles

Starring: Sandra Bullock, Vincent D’Onofrio, Jon Bernthal, Richard Thomas, Linda Emond, Aisling Franciosi, Rob Morgan Viola Davis

Rating: ★★½

The new Netflix film, The Unforgivable, is a crime drama based on a British drama series from 2009, called Unforgiven. Sandra Bullock stars as Ruth Slater, an ex-con who is trying to rebuild her life after being in prison for killing a cop. She just wants to see her sister again, but there are blocks in the way, at the same time she finds that being branded a ‘cop killer’ makes it a lot harder to get her life back on track.

The film starts with us showing the hectic moment that sent Ruth to prison. It doesn’t show everything, but enough to give you an idea. The moment is revisited throughout the story in flashbacks as it slowly reveals exactly what happened. Most of the film is set in the days following her release as she tries to settle into her new life. The people she has to live with in the half-way house are drug addicts, that go through her stuff when she leaves the room. The first job she goes for, which she had already been accepted on, rejects her when she turns up for her shift because she’s a convict. Ruth ends up working in a fish factory, before getting another job in construction.

Sandra Bullock is absolutely great in the film, her performance is really strong and believable. You feel for her struggle, as she’s trying to rebuild her life. Bullock is the best thing about the film and beyond that it feels very predictable and a wasted opportunity. Most of the side characters are wasted, particularly Jon Bernthal, who’s normally great in everything he’s in. He’s very underused, and there just to move the plot forward before being left to the side.

A lot of the plot feels like t hat as well. It’s there to create this really downbeat and depressing tone and once it’s done that, it’s forgotten about. The people that Ruth is living with, aren’t mentioned, or shown again once it’s been set up. There’s a co-worker who Ruth works with that hates her, but once that scene is done, then it’s forgotten. Everything has a purpose just to show that Ruth’s life is as hard as possible and that’s it. At one point Ruth goes back to the house where the incident happens, and runs into the new homeowner, who just happens to be a lawyer who can help her see her sister again. It’s very convenient. In the same way that everyone treats her poorly because she’s a con, except when they need to help her, so the plot moves forward. An emotional breakdown that Ruth has late in the film, is completely undercut by a character completely changing their opinion on her, because if they didn’t the finale couldn’t happen. It’s contrived beyond belief to that point that it loses your interest, no matter how good Bullock is.

The Unforgiveable could have been a really great film, and it almost is if you’re just watching Bullock’s performance and ignoring everything else going on. Instead, it feels like a forced drama that’s completely forgettable. It’s okay when it’s on, but you’ll likely have forgotten about it by the end of the day.

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My Top Five Horror Films of 2021

Posted on December 10, 2021 by ashleymanningwriter

2021 has been a fantastic year for horror fans. There’s been so many great releases, both big and small. Ranging from the typical slasher to the strange and bizarre. Before writing this list, I rounded up every horror film I’ve seen that was released in 2021 and listed them. It’s a total of 41, and I know there are others that I haven’t seen. An exceptional year, so without wasting anymore time here’s my top five horror films of 2021

Honourable Mention – Slumber Party Massacre

Something that I didn’t expect to end up anywhere near this list before I watched it, and while it just missed the cut it’s a lot closer than I expected. It’s a really clever and well-written parody of slasher films, while at the same time being a slasher film. I’ve not seen the original, but from my understanding it was supposed to be a parody and was turned into a standard slasher by the studio, so the 2021 version is a lot closer to the original intention. I really thought this was going to be boring and typical when I started it, then it switched things around in a really interesting way. It’s a perfect film for horror fans and a hell of a lot of fun.  

5 – Malignant

Malignant (2021) - IMDb

One of the most divisive horror films of the year, without a doubt. The new James Wan horror shocked audiences when it was released, with some loving it’s strange and weird twists, while others thought it was silly. I really enjoyed it. Yes, it was over the top, yes, the twist was a little silly, but I feel like it stuck the landing. It committed to being as far out there as possible and it worked. Wan threw everything at the wall and a lot of it stuck. The only reason it’s not higher is because I feel once the twist happened the tension was completely gone. I was unnerved for the first half of this and I think it got silly as it went on. It’s still something I want to go back to again.

On a side note, when I put my review up for this film it became my most read post ever in about 2 days, doubling my next most read one. It’s been beaten now, but at the time my views skyrocketed, and I think it’s purely because it was so divisive, and people were out looking for any opinions on it – for or against.

4 – The Night House

ODEON Ireland - The Night House – trailer, release date, plot and all about this psychological horror movie

There’s a sequence in The Night House, that may be the most scared I’ve been in the cinema ever. I’m not going to spoil anything, but the way the camera was moving, the sound and what was happening had my heart racing. It’s one of the only things I’ve seen where people were screaming at moments. It’s a really tense film, that I feel is kind of let down by the ending. It doesn’t feel complete and that’s a real shame. The build up is excellent and I really enjoyed it for the most part. The lead up to the final moment is also great, it’s just the final moment itself that doesn’t add up to me.

3 – Last Night in Soho

Last Night in Soho Review: Visually Lovely But Stumbles in the 3rd Act

Edgar Wright’s latest classic is a Giallo nightmare infused with 1960s London. The music, the outfits, the visuals. It’s all brilliant and just has everything in it that I love. I’ve had Edgar Wright’s playlist that he made on Spotify on while working and can’t get enough of it. The twist in this film is something I didn’t see coming at all and it really worked for me. I know some people didn’t like it, but it really clicked with me. There’s a specific shot in the film that really felt like something out of an Argento film. It’s bloody, violent and creepy. It’s very jumpy as well, but not too much.

2 – Censor

Censor (2021)

Earlier in the year, I spent a fair bit of time making my way through early 1980s horror films, that would have been classed as ‘video nasties’ in the UK at the time. Films that were censored or banned outright. So, something like Censor felt like it was made for me. There’s a good portion of this film that’s just Enid watching horror films, with her glasses acting as a barrier, and making notes about what should be censored. I would have enjoyed it if it was just a drama about that, but then it turns into a horror film. It’s really trippy and strange. It’s a mind-melding film and that ending is just sublime. It really reminded me of Saint Maud, another horror that’s just perfect. Censor is one hell of a film and a real treat for horror fans.

1 – In the Earth

In the Earth (2021) - IMDb

This is something I didn’t know what to expect from when I watched it. I’d read an interview with Ben Wheatley and thought it sounded interesting. Then when I saw it, I was blown away. It’s so strange and unsettling and creepy, in the best way possible. It’s an absolute assault on all of your senses, and something that I’ve never seen before. I know it sounds pretentious, but this is something that needs to be seen on the biggest screen possible with the best sound system possible. In the cinema, it felt like you were being attacked, the sound is throbbing, the visuals are flashing and glaring that it has its own seizure warning written into the film at the start and it’s not a joke, this is relentless. Reese Shearsmith is absolutely perfect in this film. He’s really unsettling while at the same time just as funny as he normally is. There’s a joke that takes half the film to get to the punch line and it’s so good.

So those are my top 5 horror films, and there’s so many that I didn’t talk about. Candyman, Spiral (the best Saw film since the original), The Conjuring 3, A Quiet Place II, The Forever Purge (The best of the series so far), Escape Room 2, Fear Street. So many great horror films. I don’t think I’ve ever seen a year with so many great releases, but hopefully I will again. So I’ve told you mine, what’s your favourite horror films of 2021?

Thanks for reading and until next time,

Ashley

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The Detective – Film Review

Posted on December 9, 2021 by ashleymanningwriter
The Detective (1968) - IMDb

Director: Gordon Douglas

Writer: Abby Mann

Starring: Frank Sinatra, Lee Remick, Jacqueline Bisset, Ralph Meeker, Jack Klugman, Horace McMahon, Lloyd Bochner, William Windom

Rating: ★★★★

Roderick Thorp’s 1966 novel The Detective was adapted into the 1968 film of the same name starring Frank Sinatra. Over a decade the novel and film came out, Roderick Thorp wrote the sequel, Nothing Lasts Forever, which was adapted into Die Hard. Due to contracts Sinatra had to be offered the role in Die Hard first, which he declined (As did others including Stallone and Schwarzenegger). There’s a different timeline somewhere that has Frank Sinatra instead of Bruce Willis in Die Hard. It would have been a very different film, but as it stands, they are completely unrelated other than sharing the same book series as their inspiration. Before John McClane, there was Joe Leland a detective who just wants to help make New York a better place.

Joe Leland (Frank Sinatra) is investigating a horrifically violent murder, while at the same time trying to handle the breakdown of his marriage to Karen Leland (Lee Remick). He’s all but promised a promotion if he can solve the case. After getting a confession from the lead suspect things carry on as normal but something doesn’t sit right with Leland, who finds that one of his next cases may be linked to the murder.

Frank Sinatra is phenomenal as Joe Leland. He’s giving it everything he’s got; from the no-nonsense attitude he has one the case to the cold stare into the camera while remembering his relationship. It’s a perfect performance that fits the tone of the film nicely. Leland isn’t like the other cops on the force, he sees the madness and horrors that are happening around him, with the civil unrest of the time. The film tackles mature themes for a cop film of the time, especially the heavy-handed measures the police use to try and get confessions, that can lead to false-imprisonment. There’s a scene where Leland comes back to the station and finds and then stops a colleague who has stripped down a suspect in front of everyone and is humiliating him to get a confession, because it’s something the Nazis used to do. The film isn’t really about the crime, it’s a character study on a man who has become disillusioned with his life, with both his job not living up to what he wanted and his marriage breaking down.  

This is a noir thriller through and through, the dialogue feels like it’s taken out of something from Raymond Chandler and there’s a scene where Leland is driving, thinking back on his relationship with Karen that bleeds into a flashback, where it wouldn’t be out of place if there was a voice over narrating it. The style is more modernised than the classic noir films of the 40s, but it still feels right at home with that kind of detective story.

The actual crime itself takes a backseat to the drama. This isn’t something where you can piece together the mystery and try to solve it at home. It’s more about Leland and how he got to where he is and why he’s struggling with the reality of the world around him. He sees the growing tension in New York and knows that something has to be done. There’s a general distrust towards the police and he’s aware of that and understands why. He’s a good cop in a broken system.

The Detective is really worth seeking out. Sinatra is absolutely great in it and carries the whole film. It’s something that completely absorbs you while it’s on and should be spoken about more than it is.

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My Favourite Episodes of TV Shows

Posted on December 9, 2021 by ashleymanningwriter

My friend Liam, who I went to school with, suggested that I write a post about my favourite episodes of TV ever. It’s been something that I’ve gone over in my head for a few weeks, and I’ve put my selection together. Before we start, there will be spoilers so if you haven’t seen these shows and plan to, probably skip this one. They’re not in any order, because I couldn’t figure out which was my all-time favourite. All these episodes have left a lasting impression on me and have stayed in my mind since I first watched them.

The X Files – Squeeze

The X-Files" Squeeze (TV Episode 1993) - IMDb

For me, ‘Squeeze’, is the ultimate X Files episode. It was the third episode of the first season, and I feel like it was where the show really got into its groove. It isn’t about aliens and instead is the first ‘monster of the week’ about Tooms, who can squeeze into smaller places and lives off human livers. It’s a genuinely scary episode and has in it everything I love about The X Files. It’s my favourite episode of the series and the one that never gets boring, no matter how many times I’ve seen it.

Cobra Kai – No Mercy

What Cobra Kai Fans Think About Robby's Guilt In Season 2's Finale

The most recent episode on this list. I came to Cobra Kai after it joined Netflix. I only watched it because Kevin Smith raved about it, and I trust his opinions. I’m so glad I did. It’s quickly become one of my favourite shows. The whole of season 2 builds toward ‘No Mercy’ perfectly. There’s so much growing tension, and it leads to an epic fight sequence in the school, that is incredibly well shot and exciting. I remember being like a little kid on the edge of my seat the first time watching it. Then towards the end, with Miguel falling, simply heart breaking. With hints of what’s to come that left me so excited for the third season. I really connected with this show, in a way that I haven’t for a long time. I’m so invested in it, and I can’t overstate how much I love it. Season 4 is out this month, so I’ll probably be binging 1-3 again before watching 4 in one sitting.

Buffy The Vampire Slayer – The Body

Joss Whedon Says The Best Thing He'll Ever Do Is Buffy's 'The Body' Episode

This isn’t my favourite episode of Buffy, so maybe this doesn’t belong on this list, but at the same time I really think it does. My top episode is a tie between the musical episode, ‘Once More with Feeling’, and ‘Buffy Vs. Dracula’. The reason why I’ve included The Body here instead of one of them is because it’s probably the best episode objectively. It follows on from ‘I Was Made to Love You’ which is a really silly episode about a robot made to love someone who wants to forget about the robot. That episode is incredibly silly and light-hearted and right at the end Buffy comes home to find that her mother, Joyce, has died, something that even though it was hinted at happening throughout the season up to that point, it’s still a massive surprise. ‘The Body’ picks up right from that moment and shows the grieving processes. There’s a lot of silence in the episode which was a massive shift from the show’s usual loud and energetic tone. There’s no supernatural villain, it’s just facing the reality of life. It’s also very emotional Anya not quite understanding what death is, but just knowing that Joyce won’t ever be able to drink fruit punch again makes her very sad and confused. It’s an impactful moment. The whole cast is on top form throughout the episode with some powerful performances. It was a risky episode that really paid off, and one that has stayed with me since I first watched it.

Star Trek – The City on the Edge of Forever

Star Trek: The Original Series" The City on the Edge of Forever (TV Episode 1967) - IMDb

McCoy accidently takes a dangerous drug and escapes from the Enterprise onto a strange planet. He jumps through a portal in an archway which transports him back in time to 1930s New York. Something in the present has changed massively so Kirk and Spock follow him to try and correct the timeline. It’s the quintessential time travel story, where order has to be restored because one tiny incident changes the fate of the entire universe. Edith Keeler must die for history not to be changed, and Kirk and McCoy must let her die. It’s a really emotional episode that was written by Harlan Ellison, at least the original script was, it went through revisions before the episode was actually made. It’s my favourite episode of Star Trek ever, from any of the incarnations. William Shatner is really great in it and doesn’t get the credit he deserves. It’s a really well written, and acted, sci-fi story that is completely stand alone from the rest of the series. Kirk falls in love with Keeler and it’s a true tragedy with no punches held back. It’s almost 55 years old but it’s one of my favourite episodes ever made.

Community – Digital Estate Planning

Community" Digital Estate Planning (TV Episode 2012) - IMDb

There had to be a Community episode somewhere in this list. This episode shows Pierce and the gang having to play a video game, so Pierce can win his inheritance. It’s a custom-made game that was designed for this very purpose. It’s one of the funniest episodes of the whole series. Most of it is set within the game with some great animation. Abed having a second life within the game is brilliant. It also inspired some fans to make their own game, which was really fun to play. I love Community, and there are so many episodes to choose from that are equally as great, this is just one that’s stayed with me for a very long time.

So those are some of my favourite episodes of TV ever. What are yours?

Thanks for reading, and until next time,

Ashley

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