Andrew Burgemeister

Acclaimed master director Martin Scorsese (‘Taxi Driver’, ‘Raging Bull’ & ‘GoodFellas’) teams up with with producer and frequent collaborator Leonardo DiCaprio in this tale of greed and debauchery focusing on real-life stock broker and convicted fraudster Jordan Belfort in his rise to the top of the world of seedy Wall Street investing before his fall through the excesses of drugs and sex and illegal activities. In 1987, the money hungry Belfort (DiCaprio) finds work on Wall Street as an entry-level trader at a blue chip investment bank before the catastrophic Black Monday market crash leaves him out of work. Rebounding to Long Island to sell risky and largely unregulated “pink sheet” shares, Belfort teams up with business partner Donnie Azoff (Jonah Hill) and a few other sales people to start his own brokerage firm Stratton Oakmont selling stocks to wealthy investors whilst rampant prostitution and drug-fuelled antics play out on the trading room floor and Belfort and his associates run an illegal pump-and-dump scheme to get rich off over-inflating stock prices. In the meantime, Belfort finds a new wife Naomi (Margot Robbie) who’s relationship is tested and strained with Jordan’s behaviour whilst FBI agent Patrick Denham (Kyle Chandler) puts Jordan and Stratton Oakmont under the microscope with intense scrutiny. Whilst not quite at the same level as Scorsese’s masterpieces, ‘Wolf’ is a quintessential film of his most recent filmography and is definitely his most funniest and outrageous film, whilst also serving as a cautionary tale much like ‘GoodFellas’ and ‘Casino’ borrowing their narrative structures and use of narration but replacing the visceral violence seen in those films with plenty of scenes depicting sex and drug use, along with a record amount of swear words (569 “F-bombs” were dropped in the film, a record which still stands for a widespread theatrical release). DiCaprio is perhaps at his best in this film playing the sleazy and narcissistic Belfort, whilst his co-star Jonah Hill delivers plenty of laughs and maintains excellent chemistry with DiCaprio in their scenes together. Margot Robbie in her breakout role as Naomi is a standout in the film and definitely one of the best casting choices in a Scorsese film, while Matthew McConaughey in a brief 5 minutes of screen time as broker-cum-mentor Mark Hanna also delivers an excellent performance that makes you wish he was in the film longer. ‘Wolf’ is definitely a hilarious but also horrifying depiction of a man’s greed that spirals out of control and costs him everything but nothing in the end, perhaps also reflecting on the audience of Belfort’s outrageous tale still wanting to be like him.

A film so horrifying that you simultaneously never want to see it again but can’t take your eyes off while watching it, Ari Aster’s impressive debut Hereditary pays tribute to genre classics such as The Exorcist and The Shining whilst focusing on a complex family drama interwoven with themes of intergenerational trauma and mental illness. The Graham family led by it’s matriarch Annie, played by Toni Collette at her very best, put Annie’s complex and secretive mother Ellen to rest and begin to come to terms with her death and the trauma Annie experienced as a child that spread to her children Peter (Alex Wolff) and Charlie (Milly Shaprio) in what supposedly is the path to recovery. However, sinister forces and unexplained events soon manifest within the family, and a tragic event begins to tear apart the family fabric already damaged from the traumatic family history. The key highlight of this film for me is Toni Collette’s devastating and simultaneously terrifying performance as Annie. The Australian actress known for her performances in films such as Muriel’s Wedding and The Sixth Sense gives what is considered her best performance in a film to date, exploring the depths of motherly guilt, grief and explosive rage as the family gets pulled further and further apart. Many people expressed disappointment in the fact she received no major awards recognition and I have to echo those sentiments as she gives one of the best performances in a horror film seen to date. In terms of the film, Aster’s Hereditary is somewhat misleadingly described as a pure horror movie. Whilst it does share similarities and themes with classics like The Shining, the film is best described as a family tragedy/drama about mental illness and trauma akin to a Greek tragedy with horror and supernatural elements drawn around it. Aster’s writing and direction along with the performances make this film a lot more scarier than recent horror movies to date in a genre saturated by cheap thrills and gore, focusing instead on psychological terror and hallucination borne out of a horrifically damaged family unit. Hereditary is a film so horrifying and realistic you will never want to see it again, but is a must-watch for horror fans longing for a film going back to the genre roots with traditional psychological horror. 4.5/5

A dark and heavy thriller from modern auteur Denis Villeneuve in his first Hollywood foray, 'Prisoners' ponders on the questions of religion, guilt, vengeance and grief in its story on a child abduction in rural Pennsylvania. Keller Dover (Hugh Jackman) and his wife Grace (Maria Bello) spend Thanksgiving lunch with their close neighbours Franklin (Terrance Howard) and Nancy Birch (Viola Davis) with both families' children, only for the Dover's daughter Anna and the Birch's daughter Joy to mysteriously disappear, sparking a police investigation lead by Detective David Loki (Jake Gyllenhaal) and the arrest of an intellectually-challenged suspect Alex Jones (Paul Dano) accused of abducting them. With Alex released due to his mental capacity and lack of evidence, an unconvinced and enraged Keller decides to take justice into his own hands whilst raising questions of who is responsible for the abduction of the children and how far a parent will go to protect their loved ones. Jackman and Gyllenhaal give terrific lead performances wonderfully complimented by the supporting cast playing devastated and grief-stricken characters, with Villeneuve showing his early promise and talent with his lingering shots complimenting the narrative photographed brilliantly by the acclaimed cinematographer Roger Deakins. A great starting point for the Hollywood period of Denis Villeneuve's career which is followed by 'Sicario' (2015), 'Arrival' (2016), 'Blade Runner 2049' (2017) and 'Dune: Part I' (2021).

'The Lord of the Rings: The Two Towers' is an excellent second-part act of Peter Jackson's film trilogy based upon J.R.R Tolkien's epic fantasy novel, managing to succeed in juggling multiple storylines while complemented with the established ensemble cast, fantastic visual effects and the wonderful score from Howard Shore. Following on from the events of 'The Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring' (2001), The Fellowship has been separated in the quest to destroy Sauron's Ring in the fires of Mount Doom in the land of Mordor. The Hobbits Frodo Baggins (Elijah Wood) and Samwise Gamgee (Sean Astin) continue the journey along while meeting and being guided by the villainous creature and the Ring's former owner Gollum (portrayed by Andy Serkis in a ground-breaking motion capture performance) to the secret stairway to Mordor. Aragorn (Viggo Mortensen), Legolas (Orlando Bloom) and Gimli (John Rhys-Davies) arrive to the nation of Rohan, whose King Theoden (Bernard Hill) is under the spell of the treacherous white wizard Saruman (Sir Christopher Lee) who is building an army "worthy of Mordor" in union with Sauron to crush Middle Earth in which Rohan must defend herself. In the third story line, the Hobbits Merry (Dominic Monaghan) and Pippin (Billy Boyd) evade capture from Saruman's Uruk-hai and encounter the ancient living trees the Ents, led by Treebeard (also portrayed by John Rhys-Davies in a voice role) in preparing for war against Saruman's forces and his fortress of Isengard. Much like it's predecessor and it's sequel 'The Lord of the Rings: The Return of King' (2003), 'The Two Towers' continues in the tradition of providing an "Extended Edition" release with an additional 46 minutes of new footage, special effects and music along with fan credits which is well worth a watch alongside the original theatrical release.

The first chapter of the acclaimed ‘The Lord of The Rings’ film trilogy adapted from J.R.R Tolkien’s epic high fantasy novel by New Zealand director Peter Jackson, ‘The Lord of The Rings: The Fellowship of The Ring’ is a definitive fantasy classic that introduces film audiences to Tolkien’s Middle Earth universe and the many great characters and stories that inhabit it. A mixture of groundbreaking practical and digital special effects and a large ensemble cast including Elijah Wood, Sir Ian McKellen, Viggo Mortensen, and Sir Christopher Lee amongst others brings the unique world to life. Frodo Baggins (Wood) lives a relatively quiet life in The Shire alongside his fellow Hobbits, humanoid-like creatures half the size of an average human, until his departing Uncle Bilbo (Sir Ian Holm) entrusts him with his ring, which is the feared One Ring crafted by the Dark Lord Sauron of Mordor that rules over all in Middle Earth and threatens to plunge the land into a second darkness. Guided by the legendary wizard Gandalf the Grey (McKellen) and acquainted with The Fellowship of The Ring consisting of human warriors Aragorn (Mortensen) and Boromir (Sean Bean), the Elf Legolas (Orlando Bloom), the dwarf Gimli (John Rhys-Davies) and fellow Hobbit and best friend Samwise (Sean Astin), Frodo must make the perilous journey to Mount Doom to destroy “The One Ring to Rule Them All” and defeat the evil of Sauron. The spectacular film was shot in New Zealand with it’s renowned scenery and natural beauty alongside the following two films ‘The Two Towers’ (2002) and ‘The Return of The King’ (2003) during a period of 18 months during 1999 and 2000, with reshoots and additional footage being shot from 2001 right up to early 2004. An ‘Extended Edition’ was released in 2002 that adds additional footage, special effects and music that improves on an already great film and is well worth a watch to compare with the original Theatrical version.

Considered by many to be David Fincher's magnum opus with an engaging dialogue-driven script from Aaron Sorkin, Facebook drama 'The Social Network' is still as relevant as ever just over 10 years from it's release given that we are truly in the age of the internet with the enormous power of social media and tech giants holding market power. In 2003, Harvard Psychology/Computer Sciences sophomore Mark Zuckerberg (Jesse Eisenberg) launches 'Facemash' to determine the attractiveness of female students against one another with a "Turing" effect after he goes through a breakup. The site becomes an overnight sensation among Harvard students, but stirs controversy due to violations of Harvard computer and privacy policies and due to the network being brought down by the site's popularity. This however spurs further innovation from Zuckerberg and his close friend/business partner Eduardo Saverin (Andrew Garfield) who together launch 'The Facebook' in early 2004, which would become the world's biggest social networking site 'Facebook'. However, Zuckerberg is soon pulled into legal action and the destruction of friendships and business relationships through allegations of intellectual property theft and share dilution of Saverin's stake and his partnership with internet bad-boy and Napster co-founder Sean Parker (Justin Timberlake). An extremely well-directed and acted film, and the Oscar winner for Best Adapted Screenplay, Best Film Editing, and Best Original Score (although controversially losing Best Picture and Best Director to Tom Hooper's 'The King's Speech'), 'The Social Network' is a must watch for cinema enthusiasts interested in looking at a time period where the internet was rising up again after it's bubble-burst in the early 2000's, and where whizz kids could easily find themselves transported from a dormitory room on the East Coast to the sunny tech-driven Silicon Valley on the West Coast, only to face betrayal and conflict.

Adapted from the page to the screen by novelist Gillian Flynn and directed by the modern master of psychological thrillers David Fincher ('Se7en', 'Fight Club' and 'The Social Network'), 'Gone Girl' is an intriguing and unsettling mystery thriller that has us questioning what our protagonists have "done to each other" and what they will do. Ben Affleck and Rosamund Pike star as Nick and Amy Dunne, a seemingly happy married couple in a sleepy town in Missouri coming up to their 5th anniversary when Amy suddenly vanishes in suspicious circumstances. Nick becomes a prime suspect in the disappearance and soon faces intense media scrutiny, however questions start to be raised about the true nature of his relationship with "Amazing Amy" and who she really is. Is he responsible or is there something else we don't know about? The film is a dark, moody and twisting film that surprises and shocks, with questions raised about who we can believe and who we trust with the story. Rosamund Pike gives the highlight Oscar-nominated performance as Amy in her most notable and best role to date, with Ben Affleck turning in another solid performance in his acting resume. Surprises also include dramatic turns from Neil Patrick Harris and Tyler Perry in their supporting roles, but perhaps the best is Carrie Coon as Nick's twin sister Margo, potentially the only rational person the audience can identify with in this dark and somewhat insane narrative. Fincher's direction is once again on point with the performances and the shots he gets in the film to drive the story, by this film he had perhaps truly solidified his reputation as what some may say as a modern-day Hitchcock. Perhaps the best thing in the film though is the ambient and anxiety-producing score from Trent Reznor and Atticus Ross in their third collaboration after 'The Social Network' and 'The Girl With The Dragon Tattoo' which keeps us constantly on edge on what will happen next and who the characters really are. While it may have some flaws here and there, 'Gone Girl' is definitely well worth a watch and will leave viewers very unsettled long after the credits have rolled.

David Fincher’s ‘Seven’ holds it’s place as one of the pinnacle films of the neo-noir, psychological thriller and serial killer genres 25 years on through it’s dark production design and solid direction from Fincher, a former music video director who had unsuccessfully cut his teeth in the film industry with ‘Alien 3’ three years prior, but shows his talents to full display here. Written by a former record store employee Andrew Kevin Walker and starring Brad Pitt and Morgan Freeman, ‘Seven’ tells the story of a retiring detective William Somerset (Freeman) who is teamed up with the young, rebellious and newly transferred detective David Mills (Pitt) when they encounter a grisly, almost art-like murder of a fat man forced to eat till he bursts. A second body of a lawyer soon shows up with the word “Greed” displayed in blood, bringing to light along with the first killing that this is the work of a highly-skilled, patient and methodical serial killer inspired by the seven deadly sins: Gluttony, Greed, Pride, Sloth, Lust, Wrath, and Envy. The race for is on for Somerset and Mills to stop the killer before they complete their “masterpiece”. In what may seem a repetition of “the odd couple” with the story of the protagonists, ‘Seven’ rises above most with it’s dark production design to show the hellish environment in which the story takes place, an unnamed rain-soaked city that is a literal hell on Earth. The cinematography from skilled Iranian cinematographer Darius Khondji gives a throwback to noir films of the 1940’s with the high contrast light and darks in the picture, the shadows representing the blurred morality of the detectives. The Oscar-nominated editing from Australian editor Richard-Francis Bruce (a back-to-back nomination following his work on ‘The Shawshank Redemption’ the previous year) paces the procedural film along in an engaging way and adds tension and perspective with the choice of shots and cuts, and composer Howard Shore creates a moody, dark score to underline the horrors and mysteries that confront us during the story In terms of the performances, Brad Pitt shows he is more than just looks in the first of his three collaborations with David Fincher (followed by ‘Fight Club’ and ‘The Curious Case of Benjamin Button’) with his performance as Mills showing a youthful but somewhat aggressive young detective, while Morgan Freeman delivers one of his best performances as the wise, but jaded and nihilistic senior detective Somerset who just wants to go “far away from here.” Supporting performances also include Gwyneth Paltrow as Mills’ bubbly wife Tracey, the late R. Lee Ermey of ‘Full Metal Jacket’ fame as the Police Captain and the role of the serial killer whose identity is kept a mystery until the final act. Fincher’s direction in the film highlights his strengths as a visual director of world-building and narrative which would solidify his reputation as one of the best directors of the current day with his films ‘The Social Network’, ‘The Girl With The Dragon Tattoo’ and ‘Gone Girl’. Much discussion of the film rests upon it’s bleak and harrowing ending originally resisted by the studio, but the inclusion of which would make it one of the most “ruthless and merciless films ever made in the Hollywood mainstream” according to the late Roger Ebert. As highlighted by this, the film is a grotesque, bleak, and occasionally grisly film from beginning to end, but highly recommended for fans of the neo-noir and psychological thriller genres.

My favourite film from my birth year and one of my favourites of all time!! Boogie Nights succeeds at telling a story about the concept of "family" and the search for identity against the backdrop of porn's "Golden Age" in the late 70's and early 80's with both written and visual narrative from Paul Thomas Anderson. The ensemble cast consisting of Mark Wahlberg, Burt Reynolds, Julianne Moore, Phillip Seymour Hoffman, and John C. Reilly among others brings out varied, but always great performances, particularly from Reynolds in his comeback role as porn director Jack Horner and Moore in her role as porn queen/surrogate mother Amber Waves. Mark Wahlberg of "Funky Bunch" fame delivers perhaps his best performance as Eddie Adams, who becomes XXX-rated sensation Dirk Diggler in a dramatic rise to fame in the San Fernando Valley, only for the excesses of consumption through drugs and ego to bring him tumbling down. With influences from Scorsese et. al, Paul Thomas Anderson presents a sweeping film that doesn't bore in it's 2.5 hour length, being funny, sad, tragic, and thought-provoking in many different ways. A highly-recommended film for any film buff and anyone interested in great ensemble dramas.