Love Hard – A Predictable, Yet Still Funny Rom-Com – Film Review

Posted on November 6, 2021 by ashleymanningwriter

Director: Hermán Jiménez

Writers: Danny Mackey and Rebecca Ewing

Starring: Nina Dobrev, Jimmy O. Yang, Darren Barnet, and Heather McMahan

Rating: ★★★

Netflix’s latest offering is an early Christmas rom-com. The title, Love hard, is a mixture of the main characters favourite Christmas films, Love Actually and Die Hard. Yes, this is a film that has a running joke about whether Die Hard is a Christmas film. To put the record straight, it’s not. You would watch Die Hard in June with no questions asked, while you wouldn’t watch The Muppet’s Christmas Carol then.


Natalie (Nina Dobrev) is a writer who has a popular column about her failed dates. It’s not that she’s looking for bad dates, she’s just unlucky in love. After setting her dating app to search beyond L.A. she connects with Josh (Jimmy O. Yang), who appears like the perfect guy for her. After a throwaway comment that he wishes she was with him for Christmas, Natalie flies across the country to surprise him, only to find out that the profile pictures are fake. She stays in Lake Placid, as the person who’s pictures that Josh had used also lives there, Tag (Darren Barnet) and Natalie believes she could still have a happy ending with him. Natalie and Josh make an agreement that she will pretend to be his girlfriend in front of his family for Christmas, while in return he will help her with her dream guy.

The premise behind this film is so obvious, that it probably already exists. You know the profile pictures are going to be fake, you know she’s still going to fall in love, that the truth will come out and then there will be a big romantic gesture for everything to come together. Rom-coms can be predictable and still be great, thankfully, Love Hard manages to be lovable despite relying on tropes and clichés.

Natalie and Josh and likable characters. Even though he has a fake profile picture, everything else about him seems to be genuinely nice. The reason he lied is also relatable and feels genuine. It’s his own self-insecurities that drives him to it. Natalie does the same thing to Tag, pretending to like the same interests. There is a sense in the real world that using a fake picture is worse than pretending to like something you don’t. The film does raise this question. Natalie falls in love with Josh through his texts and phone calls, and that’s his true personality. While Tag falls for Natalie based on lies and deception. We’re so used to people pretending to be someone they’re not in rom-coms, that it doesn’t seem that big of a deal compared to using a fake picture.

Josh’s family are great. They are so happy to see that he has a girlfriend, since Josh is the black sheep of the family. His dad doesn’t see eye to eye with him, his mum can’t believe Natalie is real and his grandma wants tips on how to use online dating. There’s an awkward level of cringe comedy as their lie gets bigger and bigger, with some genuine laugh out loud moments.

The biggest problem is a lot of the comedy is borrowed from elsewhere. The debate about Die Hard is all over the internet every Christmas, and at points it feels like a Twitter argument. The big romantic gesture towards the end is literally lifted from another rom-com. It’s not even changed that much. It’s still funny and sweet, but does feel kind of lazy.

You know the story going in with something like Love Hard. It’s still a good film, with great characters and moments, but this isn’t an all time classic.

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Bottle Rocket – A Quirky and Charming Heist Story – Film Review

Posted on November 5, 2021 by ashleymanningwriter

Director: Wes Anderson

Writers: Wes Anderson and Owen Wilson

Starring: Luke Wilson, Owen Wilson, Robert Musgrave, Lumi Cavazos, and James Caan

Rating: ★★★½

Wes Anderson’s first film was an expansion of his short film, Bottle Rocket. The story was co-written between Wes Anderson and Owen Wilson. Wilson also stars in the film alongside his brother, Luke Wilson. While the film was largely unnoticed at the time, although positively received by critics, it has since grown a cult following. It’s always interesting to see the first piece of work from such a unique artist, such as Anderson, you can see all of his usual techniques being fleshed out and worked on. While Bottle Rocket is a little rough around the edges, there is still a funny and wacky heist at its centre with three lovable characters as the leads.

Anthony (Luke Wilson) is nearing the end of his stay in a voluntary psychiatric unit. His close friend Dignan (Owen Wilson) doesn’t understand that he’s staying voluntarily, so plans to break Anthony out. Not wanting to let his friend down, Anthony goes along with the plan and on their way back home finds that Dignan has planned out the next fifty years of their lives. They are going to start a gang, complete heists and make a lot of money. They start small, robbing a book store and go on the run, before the plan starts to fall apart.

Luke Wilson is fantastic in the role of Anthony. He cares so much about his friend Dignan, and just wants to see him happy. He will go along with almost anything, from escaping the hospital, to joining his gang, just to make Dignan happy. It’s a really sweet friendship they have. Anthony has been in hospital as he’s struggling to find happiness in the world. He finds happiness in the simple things. There is a moment where he has a routine, running and working and he finds solace in that. He doesn’t need anything fancy, and finds the happiness in the small things.

Dignan on the other hand wants to be the next big criminal. He sees Abe Henry (James Caan) as his role model and wants to emulate him. He drags Anthony down a road that isn’t going to end well. The other main character is Bob (Robert Musgrave), Anthony’s friend. The three of them are the gang at the centre of the story. Their interactions are what make the film so interesting and enjoyable. Their dialogue is written really well and feels natural and there is so much stuff left unsaid. You feel like there is so much more beneath the surface with all three of them, and they genuinely feel like real people.

Typical of all of Anderson’s films is a wacky sense of humour. They rob a book store, having to fill up tiny bags with notes. Dignan and Bob go to a barbers and loudly discuss hiding their identities. The humour isn’t the funniest, there isn’t any truly laugh out loud moments, but it’s still charming and will keep a smile on your face. The music is also fantastic. The soundtrack is filled with classic and hidden gems, something that would become one of Anderson’s trademarks. The music reflects the film so well.

Bottle Rocket may not be the best film ever made, but it’s an facisnating insight into the mind of one of the greatest directors of recent years. The story still feels fresh a quarter of a century later. While fans may be let down, when comparing it to the high standards that Anderson has gone on to create, there is still a lot to love here and it’s more than worth checking out if you haven’t seen it before. It also has a more grounded tone, so those put of by Anderson’s more story-book films like The Grand Budapest Hotel may find something they like here.

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Wes Anderson’s Films Ranked

Posted on November 5, 2021 by ashleymanningwriter

When I was younger, my mum gave me The Royal Tenenbaums to watch. I really enjoyed it, but it took a long time to get around to watching the rest of Wes Anderson’s filmography. For some reason Fantastic Mr. Fox was the missing piece for a long time, until this week’s Criterion Collection release. I’ve now seen all ten of his films and thought it was a good time to go through my ranking of one of my favourite director’s films.

10 – The Dajeeling Limited – ★★½ 

The Darjeeling Limited - Film - Review - The New York Times

There has to be a weakest link to every person’s body of work, and I think this is Anderson’s. It just didn’t click with me in the same way that his other films have. I found the story quite cold. There are still the usual flourishes of his work, the huge cast of characters and some funny moments. I just found it slightly hollow when I finished it.

9 – The French Dispatch – ★★★

The French Dispatch movie review (2021) | Roger Ebert

I feel like The French Dispatch is too much Anderson. It’s an overload of strange and weird. There are some great moments, but I think it went on way too long and I struggled with it. I feel it would be better on a second viewing but haven’t had the chance just yet. This is the most disappointed I’ve been in a film for a long time.

8 – Bottle Rocket – ★★★½

Bottle Rocket (1996) directed by Wes Anderson • Reviews, film + cast • Letterboxd

While it’s his first film, you can still see how great his work would become. His style is rough around the edges here, but the trademarks as still there. The music is excellent. It’s Owen and Luke Wilson’s first film as well, and Owen Wilson co-wrote the script. It doesn’t have the same warm feeling that his later films would have, but it’s still a great film.

7 – Rushmore – ★★★½

Rushmore (1998) Movie Review from Eye for Film

Anderson’s second film is where he really defined his style. Jason Schwartzman is absolutely great in this one, as is Bill Murray. It’s a strange film about a student in love with his teacher, and the student is a genius. It’s a great film and again one great soundtrack. This is the first Bill Murray appearance in Wes Anderson’s filmography and he would go on to appear in every film since. There are some great funny moments in this one. The plays that Max writes are excellent.

6 – The Life Aquatic with Steve Zissou – ★★★½

The Life Aquatic might not be Wes Anderson's best film. But it is his greatest. - Vox

I feel like this is on the verge of being a perfect film. There’s just something off with it. This is co-written with Noah Baumbach, and you can feel it. There’s Anderson’s style and dark themes mixed with comedy and the underlying melancholic feel of Baumbach’s work. They work really well together. Bill Murray is excellent, a strange soundtrack featuring almost exclusively Bowie covers, one hell of a strange story. It’s an experience watching it.

5 – Isle of Dogs – ★★★★

Isle of Dogs (2018) - IMDb

This was the first Anderson film I saw in the cinema. I really like the animation, there’s a dark quality to it and a rawness. Like his other films, there’s a killer cast. I know there has been some criticism of cultural appropriation, but I feel it’s more in honouring Japan. Maybe I’m just not educated enough on the subject, but for me the animation and bleak visual style is just gorgeous. I just found out it’s on Disney Plus, like most of Anderson’s films, so I’ll be watching it again soon.

4 – The Royal Tenenbaums ★★★★½

The Royal Tenenbaums Review | Movie - Empire

So this is where it started for me. Ben Stiller is great in it, as is everyone else. The story is a little strange and the whole thing is completely original. There’s a dark theme of family and isolation hidden underneath a wacky comedy. It’s very funny and moving in places.  It’s full Anderson with the storybook style storytelling, camera movements and oddball characters.

3 – Fantastic Mr. Fox – ★★★★★

Fantastic Mr. Fox (2009) | The Criterion Collection

I can’t believe it took me so long to get around to see this one. It’s just brilliant from start to finish. So many laugh out loud moments. It’s a children’s film but has Anderson’s trademark style. The cast are all great, the animation is awe inspiring. I loved it.

2 – Moonrise Kingdom – ★★★★★

Moonrise Kingdom - Film | Park Circus

This reminds me of Badlands with children at the centre. It feels like a stage play at points. Wes Anderson’s flourishes are in full force here. It’s charming, funny, moving and bizarre all at the same time. There are so many people in this film and they are all fantastic.  

1 – The Grand Budapest Hotel – ★★★★★

The Grand Budapest Hotel' Review: Wes Anderson's Brilliant 1930s Caper - Variety

The quintessential Wes Anderson film. The miniatures, the cast, the set design, it’s all charming and perfect. The story is a story within a story, within a story. It’s clever and has a lot of heart. It feels like everything he had made up to this point was all in preparation for this film. It’s just perfection, if you haven’t already, see it now.

So that’s my ranking for Wes Anderson’s films. There wasn’t much deliberation about the ordering, it just felt natural. Let me know which one is your favourite.

Thanks for reading and until next time,

Ashley

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Fantastic Mr. Fox – A Utterly Charming Animation – Film Review

Posted on November 4, 2021 by ashleymanningwriter
Fantastic Mr. Fox (2009) | The Criterion Collection

Director: Wes Anderson

Writer: Wes Anderson and Noah Baumbach

Starring: George Clooney, Meryl Streep, Jason Schwartzman, Bill Murray, Willem Dafoe, Owen Wilson, Michael Gambon, Eric Anderson and Roman Coppola

Rating: ★★★★★

After using animation in some of his earlier films, Wes Anderson created his first fully animated film with Fantastic Mr. Fox. The screenplay was co-written by Anderson and Noah Baumbach, after the pair had previously worked on The Life Aquatic of Steve Zissou together. While it is an animated film, and definitely aimed more at children, this is still a Wes Anderson film with all of his stylish flourishes and absurdist sense of humour.

Foxy Fox (George Clooney) and Felicity Fox (Meryl Streep) leave the life of stealing chickens behind to settle down and start a family after their cub, Ash (Jason Schwartzman), is born. Two human years (twelve fox years) pass and Foxy is bored with domestic life. He wants to live on the edge again and plans to steal chickens from three local farmers. Once his heists are complete, the farmers want revenge and start an all-out war with the Fox family.

The stop-motion animation is simply beautiful. Ever scene is hand-crafted and you can feel the love that went into creating every character and miniature set. The actual animation is smooth and fluid and you’ll be forgiven for believing it is fully computer animation. The new Criterion Collection edition also has some great behind-the-scenes featurettes that show how it was created, they’re really interesting and well worth checking out.

All of Wes Anderson’s usual flourishes are here, from the deliberate camera work, use of bold colours, miniatures, and comedy. It translates so well into animated form, something he had dabbled with before Mr. Fox in films such as Steve Zissou. Most of Anderson’s films have a storybook feel to it and it’s no wonder that his style works so well in stop-motion.

There are a few of Anderson’s usual cast here, including Jason Schwartzman, Owen Wilson, Willem Dafoe, and obviously Bill Murray. Joining them are George Clooney and Meryl Streep, who are just as great as usual. George Clooney is the perfect choice for the charming and untrustworthy Foxy Fox. Jason Schwartzman is also great as Ash, who is struggling to live up to his father’s legacy. He doesn’t fit in and is lashing out.

There are moments where the film does get a little dark and scary for a children’s film. It’s nothing extreme, but it keeps you on the edge of your seat. The uncanny stop-motion adds to the fear as well. At the same time Fantastic Mr. Fox is a laugh out loud film, from puns, visual jokes and just strange situations that get many loud laughs. There’s a strange back and forth between Foxy and the farmers, where they send each other note using cut out letters from magazines. Since they know who the notes are from, they both question why the other one does it.

Fantastic Mr. Fox is a great film for everyone, not just children or die-hard Wes Anderson fans. The film is one of Anderson’s best, filled with great comedy, stunning animation, a stellar cast, and a charming story that you’ll fall in love with whether you’re aged five or ninety-five.

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Books I Haven’t Read But Probably Should Have By Now

Posted on November 4, 2021 by ashleymanningwriter

I’ve been a big reader for most of my life. I took every optional literature class at school and studied Literature at university, despite that I still have a long list of essential classics that I haven’t read. I wanted to list a few, and then in the future at some point come back to the list and see if I’ve read any of them. Let me know in the comments if you’ve read any of them and what you thought of them, or if you have any big gaps on your bookshelf.

Pride and Prejudice by Jane Austin – In my first week at uni, the head of literature asked how many people had read this book, and less than half put their hands up. She said that it was a must read and to make it a priority during the course. I own this book, but I’ve never gotten around to it. I know it’s a classic, I know the story pretty much, I just haven’t read the book. One day I will, but I just haven’t. The only Austin book I’ve read is Northanger Abbey, which I did enjoy.

To Kill a Mockingbird by Harper Lee – At school, we started this one but then our class switched over to Of Mice and Men instead and I never read Mockingbird. This is something that shocks people that I haven’t read and I’m a little embarrassed about it. I know the story and I’ve seen the film, but the book is still sitting on a shelf waiting to be finished.

The Catcher in the Rye by J. D. Salinger – I’ve been told by many people to read this book, but haven’t ever read it in full. I started it once, but couldn’t get into it. It was a library copy, I gave it back and that was that. I know this is an important book, and one that is well written, but it’s just never appealed to me. Maybe I should give it another shot.

The War of the Worlds by H.G. Wells – I honestly don’t have a reason for why I haven’t read this. I’ve read The Time Machine, but never this one. It’s just something I’ve always put to one side as something I will get around to at some point, but that just hasn’t happened yet. I’m a big sci-fi fan and this should be a priority.

Ulysses by James Joyce – I don’t know if this counts as a book I should have read, but it’s one I would like to read one day. I do own it and did start it just before moving home and then life got busy and I never got back to it. One of my lecturers told me in uni that if I ever meet someone who said they’ve read it fully and enjoyed it, then they’re lying. I’m sure a lot of people genuinely love the book, but form my experience of the first 40 or so pages, it is dense.

So those are my five picks. There are obviously a lot of other books I haven’t read that I would like to, like The Three Musketeers, The Count of Monte Cristo, Moby Dick, plus many others. I’ve also never read or seen Macbeth or Hamlet, which I feel I should have. I didn’t come across any Shakespeare during uni, which I think it weird.

So what about you? What are some books you feel you should have read, but haven’t?

Thanks for reading and until next time,

Ashley

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