No Time to Die – Film Review

Posted on September 30, 2021 by ashleymanningwriter

Director: Cary Joji Fukunaga

Writers: Neal Purvis, Robert Wade, Cary Joji Fukunaga and Phoebe Waller-Bridge

Starring: Daniel Craig, Rami Malek, Léa Seydoux, Lashana Lynch, Ben Whishaw, Naomie Harris, Jeffrey Wright, Christoph Waltz, David Dencik, Ana de Amas and Ralph Fiennes

Rating: ★★★★

Finally, after eighteen months of delays No Time to Die is finally here. It’s taken so long for the new entry to the Bond series to arrive that its name has gone from sounding like a parody to a classic title we’ve all known since childhood, like You Only Live Twice or For Your Eyes Only. This is also Daniel Craig’s final outing as James Bond, fifteen years after he set a new standard with his debut in Casino Royale. The fifteen years also makes Craig the longest running Bond, with No Time to Die as a fitting swan song.

Craig has always put his all into playing Bond, it’s his career defining role and he’s still on top form in No Time to Die. He is an excellent Bond and will be a hard actor to replace. This is without a doubt, his film (as it should be) and while the additional characters are all great, they don’t steal the show. When he was first cast way back when, criticisms were thrown around that he wasn’t right for the role, being blond and rough around the edges. He’s disproved critics time and time again and has done the same with No Time to Die.

The previous film, Spectre, tied all of Craig’s films together under the banner of the secret organisation named Spectre. No Time to Die continues this, picking up five years after James and Madeline walked off into the sunset. His happy ending, as expected, doesn’t last long and he’s brought back into the world of espionage in a plot that involves a bioweapon that can target its victims with nanobots.

Cary Joji Fukunaga wonderfully directs exciting action sequences, with a stunning opening, followed by massive set pieces and a climactic finale that has you on the edge of your seat. Even though the runtime is heading close to three hours, it doesn’t feel long at all. The script is tight, and every scene feels necessary. The punchy dialogue is filled with comedy and emotional weight. The film does not shy away from being the end of an era. Craig’s Bond has always felt more grounded and three dimensional compared to previous incarnations and all that has been built up in the films since Casino Royale is paid off here.

Lashana Lynch is excellent as Nomi the new ‘00’ agent that has replaced Bond since his retirement. The way Nomi and James play off each other is perfect and one of the highlights of the film. Nomi is a great character, and it would be a real shame for her not to appear in future films. Joining Nomi is another spy, Paloma (Ana de Amas), who only gets a brief and great appearance. Paloma is a great character, who Amas plays perfectly, and really deserved a bigger part in the film.

The villain this time around is oscar winning Rami Malek as Lyutsifer Safin. Malek’s role is sporadic throughout the film, not getting a lot of screen time, but whenever Malek is on screen he is sinister and intense. Safin will go down as an iconic Bond villain.

Favourites from Craig’s era appear in what feels like a victory lap for returning characters, who appear in smaller roles throughout. Blofeld (Christoph Waltz) is back, as is Felix (Jeffrey Wright), M (Ralph Fiennes), Q (Ben Whishaw) and Moneypenny (Naomie Harris). It’s a true reward to long-time fans of Craig’s era.

Without going into spoilers, for what is one of the most anticipated films of the last two years, No Time to Die lives up to the hype in almost every way. The only downfall is the ending. It feels really cheap and it’s a real shame after such a great film.  

No Time to Die manages to honour the almost sixty years of Bond’s legacy (almost seventy if you are going by the novels), while at the same time breathing new life into the series, with fresh ideas, higher stakes, and great characters, all of which makes this a vital entry to the long running series. The final five minutes don’t detract from that. Craig’s era is the definitive Bond era and No Time to Die is a great send-off to it.

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Mike and Dave Need Wedding Dates – Film Review

Posted on September 30, 2021 by ashleymanningwriter

Director: Jake Szymanski

Writers: Andrew Jay Cohen and Brendan O’Brien

Starring: Zac Efron, Anna Kendrick, Adam DeVine and Aubrey Plaza

Rating: ★★½

Mike and Dave Need Wedding Dates is loosely based on a true story about two brothers who posted on craigslist that they needed dates for their cousin’s wedding. They interviewed countless strange and sometimes scary people but didn’t actually take any of them to the wedding, instead choosing to take friends to the wedding. The film changes this to their sister’s wedding and they are conned by two girls who just want a free vacation to Hawaii.

It’s a goofball comedy where you know what’s going to happen before it’s even started. There are no real surprises, it’s a feel good film that centres around a wacky premise. It’s full of adult humour, and enough jokes that even though half of them don’t land, it’s still funny and a good time.

Everything hinges on the cast and they are all fantastic. Zac Efron (Bad Neighbours) is always brilliant as the loveable goofy screw-up, and it’s on full show here. Anna Kendrick (Pitch Perfect) is hilarious as Alice, who was recently left at the altar. She’s always one mention of the word wedding away from a full melt down. Adam DeVine (Modern Family) is great as someone who’s always trying to be the best at everything but isn’t. The standout performance is Aubrey Plaza (Parks and Recreation). She is perfectly cast as the twisted Tatiana, who concocts the plan to con the two brothers.

For every joke that lands, there’s another that falls off to the side. There are plenty of jokes, and enough to keep it entertaining. The massage sequence, which because a main plot point, was probably funnier on paper, on screen it’s just awkward. There is a lot of adult humour and it’s really a mixed bag, it’s crude and goes for the easy laughs which don’t always work, but there’s still some genuine laughs to be found.

The biggest issue is that the film lacks a lot of heart. While the characters are funny and the performances are great, there’s no reason to really care about them. It’s not satisfying when things start to come together and it’s not sad or emotional in anyway when they fall apart. It’s just stuff that has to happen for the film to make it to the finish-line. Thankfully the great cast make this entertaining to watch and there aren’t any boring moments.

Mike and Dave is currently on Disney Plus, as one of the films they acquired from Fox. It’s not a classic film by any stretch, but there is fun to be had. It’s a good film to switch off to and laugh a little, but it’s nothing more than that. 

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The Hunger Games – Franchise Catch Up

Posted on September 30, 2021 by ashleymanningwriter

I didn’t watch The Hungers Games as they came out, the books meant a lot to me, and I just couldn’t see the films doing them justice. When I was in my final year of school, in the middle of exams, the librarian at my school recommended me The Hunger Games. I borrowed the first one and started reading it one night, when I should have been trying to sleep. I ended up sitting up until quite late in the night reading by my bed-side lamp and read the book in one sitting. I did the same with books 2 and 3 over the next few days. I loved them so much and the films just didn’t interest me. Last year when the prequel book was released, I had that ordered and started reading it as soon as it came out. I enjoyed it a lot, but it took me quite a while to figure out that I was reading President Snow’s origin story. It was then that I realised it had been about a decade since I read the original trilogy and didn’t remember that much about them. That’s why I’m now visiting the films, enough time has passed that I won’t be comparing them to the books all the way through.

For those that are new, Franchise Catch Up is where I take a series of films (of at least 3 or more) and binge watch them, writing a initial thoughts for each one shortly after watching it. If you haven’t seen The Hunger Games series and are curious, or you love the franchise and want to see what a newbie thinks, I hope you enjoy.

The Hunger Games – ★★★★

I’m glad I waited to see this film. I really enjoyed it, but I’m sure I wouldn’t have when it first came out, because of how much I loved the books. Instead, I’ve been able to enjoy this in a fresh way with the books a distant memory. I still remembered the basic plot points, the beginning, the end, and snippets all the way through, but it still felt newish to me. I also really enjoyed it. The darkness of the books is still there and even though it’s clearly a teen film, it doesn’t shy away from the more brutal moments of the story. Jennifer Lawrence is excellent as Katniss. The reaping scene at the beginning is harrowing. The action is entertaining, and the film keeps a nice pace throughout. It’s quite long but doesn’t feel it. I’m glad I’ve finally watched this, and I hope the sequels live up to it.

Catching Fire – ★★★★

While I remembered a fair bit about the first one, I barely remember anything about this one, other than the ending and the games involved previous victors. This one is really great. The action isn’t as brutal and it feels that the games are shorter in this one, but it’s still entertaining. I do question how they expect to show them all turning on each other if they are killing them so quickly with the environment. Donald Sutherland is great. I haven’t seen many films with him in, but he’s quickly becoming one of my favourite actors. Looking forward to the last two now.

Mockingjay: Part One and Two – ★★★½

I watched these two back-to-back so am writing about them at the same time. This really should have been 1 film, the book is dragged out way too much for 2, 2-hour films. It could have been a great 2 and a half/3-hour film and instead it’s really badly paced and is a poor send-off to the series. There are so many characters that are just pushed to the side-lines in these two. It’s over 4 hours in total. Why not a little time with some of the side characters? Jennifer Lawrence is great, as she has been throughout the series. Donald Sutherland is excellent. When the film works, it really works and if it was trimmed down then it would be a great final part of an excellent trilogy. In the end it’s still a good film and it gives everything a nice conclusion but watching them back to back was a struggle.

Final Thoughts

So now that I’ve watched The Hunger Games, I’m glad I have. I really enjoyed them. Now that I’ve seen them all, I am sure that I wouldn’t have liked them when they first came out, purely because the books were so fresh. I think the first one is the best, and 3 & 4 are the worst (purely down to pacing issues). They are still entertaining. It’s a shame Mockingjay was split up, because it’s clear that was purely down to doubling the box office. The final films for Harry Potter and Twilight were both split up, but it works with them because the books were so long. It didn’t work here. There is anew film on the way, adapting the prequel book and I have high hopes for that one.

Thanks for reading and until next time,

Ashley

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No One Gets Out Alive – Film Review

Posted on September 29, 2021 by ashleymanningwriter

Director: Santiago Menghini

Writer: Jon Croker and Fernanda Coppel

Starring: Cristina Rodlo, Mar Menchaca, David Figlioli, David Barrera, Joana Borja and Alejandro Akara

Rating: ★★½

Based on the novel of the same name, by Adam Nevill, No One Gets Out Alive is the latest horror film from Netflix. It has all the tropes of a classic ghost story without any of the pay-off. Ambar (Cristina Rodlo) is an undocumented immigrant who has come to America for a better life. Without a lot of options, she moves into a cheap and decaying apartment building, while trying to raise enough money to buy ID to get a proper job. The apartment seems to be haunted by ghosts and Ambar has to escape.

There are a few chilling moments in the film, especially during the first act where a lot of atmosphere is built up with the ghosts appearing. It’s not clear what is happening, and it keeps you hooked for the first half of the film. It’s just a shame that it doesn’t do anything with the tension it builds. There isn’t enough story for the, already short, run time. It feels really dragged out and by the time the final act happens, with some nice effects and gore, you’re just waiting for it to be over.

Director Santiago Menghini excels at creating suspense, with dark and dreary lighting for every scene, unlikeable and sinister characters that Ambar has to deal with, and the ghosts. Ambar sees them in flashes with their footsteps remaining on the ground. There are a few chilling moments where you feel the film is going to be great, it just doesn’t keep it up for the whole film.

Cristina Rodlo is great as Ambar, you immediately care for her and want her to survive and unlike so many other horror protagonists, tries to leave when the ghosts start to appear. It’s her circumstances that stop her from truly escaping. She has no one to turn to and not enough money to escape by herself. There is a political undercurrent at the beginning, with undocumented workers being exploited in a factory, with news reports showing other factories being raided and workers being arrested, while the owners aren’t punished. The film isn’t overly political, it’s just a set up for why Ambar can’t get away.

No One Gets Out Alive just feels underdeveloped. Without going into spoilers for the ending, the hauntings don’t feel fully explored and the film really drags. It’s not even ninety minutes long, but feels a lot longer. There are some great chilling moments at the start, and horrific moments of violence towards the end but this film is destined to be lost in Netflix’s endless options for something to watch.

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End of September 2021 Update

Posted on September 29, 2021 by ashleymanningwriter

Hi everyone,

I would like to start with a massive thank you to everyone who recommended me horror films when I put a post up earlier in the month for suggestions. Through comments, emails and Facebook messages I received over 80 recommendations. Which is beyond my wildest dreams. I’ve written the entire list up in a word document and I’m currently looking through them to choose 31 to watch and review throughout October. If you have any last minute picks, let me know in the comments. A big thank you to everyone who’s suggested anything, it’s all welcome and I’m sure I’m going to find some new favourites. The ones that I don’t get round to in October will be watched eventually as well, so no suggestion will be wasted.

My internet is still down, which is frustrating. I’m still working out of my mum’s house and when I’m at home using phone data to upload posts. They need to go digging in the street as something has snapped, but they need permission to do so and it’s taking a while to get that. It’s frustrating because it means getting up a lot earlier each day to commute and going to bed earlier. I’ve gotten used to working from home and having more free time.

The cinema this week has been a Godsend. The re-releases of The Lord of the Rings trilogy in IMAX have been playing nightly at the local cinema, and it feels almost like a holiday to be completely absorbed into the film for 3 hours. I haven’t seen The Lord of the Rings in such a long time, and have been loving watching them again. Monday was Fellowship, yesterday was Two Towers and tonight is Return of the King. I’m going to be a little sad once it’s over because I’ve enjoyed them so much. Thursday is No Time To Die, so at least there’s that.

Today I’m going to be finishing up The Hunger Games film series, watch the first film for my horror marathon and try to read as much as possible.

Thanks for reading and until next time,

Ashley

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