'Hotel Artemis' Review

Hotel Artemis is a movie that I was pretty confident that I would enjoy. Everything about it is right up my alley. Neo-noir dystopian future? Check. Hyper-violent action scenes? Check. Goldblum? You betcha. Thankfully my high expectations din't lead to disappointment because Hotel Artemis is great.

Set in 2028 Los Angeles, where society has been torn apart by riots and street violence, we follow the story of 'The Nurse' (Foster), whom, with the help of her man mountain orderly Everest (Bautista) runs the 'Hotel Artemis' - a secret, members only emergency room for criminals. Tensions start to rise as the patients begin to rub each other the wrong way, threatening to break the rules that the establishment is based upon. The situation reaches boiling point when news that the infamous Wolf King of LA (Goldblum) is on his way. 

The cast of this film is absolutely stacked, and the interplay between them is one of the film's strong points. The differing personalities of Charlie Day's obnoxious arms dealer, Sofia Boutella's cold hearted assassin and Sterling K. Brown's calculated bank robber bounce of each other really well and lead to some humourus yet tense interactions. They all have different agendas, not all of which are going to allow for overlap. Jeff Goldblum is suitably menacing and unhinged as the apparent big bad. Dave Bautista is ever present and as usual he is responsible for most of the film's biggest laughs. 

The crowning jewel, though, is Jodie Foster, who is truly outstanding. Beneath the hard exterior shell that she portrays to her patients (she greets most of the terrible events that come her way with flippancy - 'Just another Wednesday'), is a fragile, vulnerable old lady who has been through immense tragedy and become tied to the hotel herself as though it's a part of her. There is huge pathos associated with her character and Foster convey's it perfectly. You can sense the weight of responsibility upon her. Even when surrounded by some truly awful people, her willingness to help people is rock solid, which further endears us to her. Her performance really elevates this movie, and she fells like the linchpin that holds the whole thing together. 

The action throughout is also strong. We get brief glimpses of extremely visceral violence, but most set pieces are stylised and almost cartoonish. They're not edited as well as some other examples of modern fight scenes, but the idea of cramming such dangerous people in such a confined space adds another element to the stakes and the impact of the action. In fact, the Hotel itself is just as important as it's inhabitants. The blood stained cushions and rickety elevator feel a thousand miles away from the high tech world outside, but this only adds to the intrigue and mystery about the screws the hotel is hiding. 

I feel like I've been saying this a lot lately, but this is yet another impressive directorial debut, this time from Drew Pearce. Hotel Artemis is a stylish, uber-violent action film, which main strength lies within the interactions of the stellar cast, anchored by an excellent performance from Jodie Foster.

4/5 Stars


*Also please be sure to follow me on Twitter (@T_F_T_S_R) and Letterboxd (theboymarshall) for more film related fun.

'Mamma Mia! Here We Go Again' Review

I'm not ashamed to admit that I have a certain affection for Mamma Mia. I think it boils down to the idea that it's so bad that it's good. In some ways, the sequel is much of the same. However, there are some seemingly intentional precautions taken that lift this movie to heights that the first one never reached.

The story is split between the past and the present day. As Sophie (Seyfried) prepares for her own daughter to enter the world, we learn more of her mother's story through flashbacks of a young Donna (James) arriving on the island. The interwoven stories are actually executed really well, with certain scenes intentionally mirroring prior/future events. There is good balance between the screen time of the old guard and their younger counterparts, although I personally found the flashback sequences far more interesting that the continuation of the present story. One of the biggest improvements is that the whole affair feels more knowing. Fun is poked at the preposterousness of the plot in a way that wasn't the first time round. It certainly feels more like we are laughing with the movie rather than at it. But even with the self referential tone, there are still some really emotional moments. In particular, the ending scene in the church caught me of guard with it's tenderness and heart.

One of the strongest draws to Mamma Mia was it's extremely likeable cast, which is only further bolstered by the new recruits. Jeremy Irvine, Josh Dylan and Hugh Skinner all do solid jobs of capturing the essence of Sam, Bill and Harry, but the lovely Lily James is the star. Her heavenly voice and bubbly screen presence are responsible for much of the films joy. Most of the original cast up their game too. Julie Walters and Christine Baranski are both hilarious. Brosnan's improvement vocally is pretty impressive - he sounds far less like a terrible David Bowie impersonator and offers genuinely emotional moments. In fact, the film as a whole does a good job of making you feel exactly what you should in any given moment. Special mentions must go to Omid Djalili, who's expertly dead-pan persona steals every scene he is in.

My criticism of the film might be due to a fault in myself rather than the movie. I'm a fairly passive Abba fan - I enjoy a lot of their songs but I'm by no means a super fan. As a result, a lot of the songs were unfamiliar to me. Now I understand that I would be a mistake to simply repeat the soundtrack from the first movie song for song. Variety is the spice of life and all that. Yet, another part of me feels like you've got to stick to the hits. Other than the obvious: Dancing Queen, Mamma Mia, Fernando etc, there weren't many songs I recognised which left me a feeling a little disengaged during some of the musical numbers. But as I said, that's probably my fault. One the whole the music is really good and there are noticeable improvements to the choreography.

It may not be spectacular, but Mamma Mia! Here We Go Again is a solid movie. It's a definite improvement from the first movie - the performances, the musical set pieces and the overall tone are all significantly better. As far as feel-good, summer movies go, it's certainly one of the better ones.

3/5 Stars

*Also please be sure to follow me on Twitter (@T_F_T_S_R) and Letterboxd (theboymarshall) for more film related fun.

'The Incredibles 2' Review

The Incredibles is one of Pixar's many nailed on 5 star classics. It's popularity made the possibility of a sequel a near certainty. Now, after taking several forms in the development merry-go-round over a whopping 14 year gap, the Parr family are finally back in action. Whilst Incredibles 2 doesn't quite reach the same heights as the original, it's still a hugely entertaining movie.

Unlike the 14 year break between films, the story picks up immediately after the first film ends. Supers are still illegal and their reputations are being further tarnished by media. The Parr's fear they will be forced back into hiding, until they are approached by two wealthy benefactors who want to put superheroes 'back in the sunlight'. The catch is that whilst Elastigirl is out trying to catch the mysterious 'Screenslaver', Mr Incredible is left at home to deal with all the obstacles that come with a anxious teenage girl, a hyperactive pre-teen boy and polymorphic baby.

It was a smart move from Brad Bird to resist moving the universe forwards along with the real world. The opening scene of this film comes literally seconds after the epilogue of the first with the Underminer attacking the city. Whilst it might have been fun to the the superheroes with a bit more autonomy (we undoubtedly will down the line), continuing the story in the already well established world gives this movie a point of difference from other superhero films. The heroes' pent up frustrations at the hostility and scepticism thrown their way and their subsequent attempts to break free from them was one of the first film's most joyful elements and it's good to see that concept continued here.

Bird also develops the family drama aspect of the series to good effect here. Pixar movies in general have always been great at blending the ordinary with the extraordinary and this film is a prime example. Among the action and chaos, the movie isn't afraid to slow down and show some more intimate family moments. Certain beats like Mr Incredible struggling to help Dash with his homework because they have 'changed math' and Helen and Bob discussing the intricacies of her new job through mouthfuls of toothpaste feel relatable and familiar, which makes the dynamic of the family all the more genuine.

The action throughout this film is really great and there are some extremely entertaining and humorous set pieces. All of Elastigirl's new assignments are engaging and tense, keeping up with the Bond esque tone established in the first movie. The powers of the Parr family and the new roster of heroes are used in some really clever and inventive ways, with Void being my pick of the new bunch. The star of the show, though, is Jack-Jack. His seemingly unlimited range of powers are at the forefront of many of the movies best scenes, including one particular sequence with a racoon that had my howling with laughter. He is hilarious (almost always unintentionally) and I'm eager to see what they do with his character going forward.

If I had one complaint, it would have to be the villain. The limitations of the antagonist might be the only thing separating this film from the quality of the first. Yet, whilst Syndrome was an original and interesting villain, Screenslaver falls a little flat. The idea of the character is a fairly intriguing one, but the 'reveal' of their real identity comes far too late into the story and is signposted so heavily throughout that even the youngsters will see it coming.

Overall, I had a great time with The Incredible 2. It may have a weak villain, but the enthralling action, charming family dynamic and Jack-Jack's antics ('Jack-Jantics' if you will) ensure this is a highly entertaining film that the whole family can enjoy.

4/5 Stars

*Also please be sure to follow me on Twitter (@T_F_T_S_R) and Letterboxd (theboymarshall) for more film related fun.