Sami de Jong

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Tenet is certainly an extremely ambitious project even for a director like Nolan, who will use any means necessary to achieve his vision. The film is supposedly shot using zero green screens, not to mention less CGI than most romcoms, and it really shows. The spectacle is absolutely off the rails this time, with some of my favourite set pieces from any film ever. There was one action sequence in particular that I won’t spoil, but I even preferred it to the infamous rotating hallway sequence in Inception. However where Tenet absolutely excels in it’s action and scale, it completely fails to miss the mark with its exposition. I’ve always believed that Interstellar has it the worst of all the Nolan films, but Tenet hits a new low in that regard. I cannot count the sheer number of times a vital piece of storytelling was explained in a quick exchange that, if you somehow didn’t hear, you will most likely not understand half of the proceeding events. They even used the classic ‘fish out of the water' technique, in which the character is introduced to a new world of sorts, and taken through it step by step, but somehow the audience will still somehow not feel like they’re learning with the protagonist. Maybe it’s just the case that the brilliantly complex narrative is simply too hard to instantly comprehend in your first viewing, but I firmly believe it could’ve been handled better. On the bright side, Tenet doesn’t rely on deep meanings in its story (unlike interstellar which felt almost like a Terrence Malick film), but rather leans into what Nolan is good at; Weaving intrigue and intricacy into the plot, and like in all of his previous attempts it works wonders. The film has perhaps one of my favourite iterations of the time travel formula, and once you to an extent understand what’s going on you feel instant satisfaction. I’m certain the film will demand several viewings to get what is happening at all times, but for now I simply don’t have the intellect to tell you if it makes 100% sense.  John David Washington and Robert Pattinson make a fantastic duo, and I enjoyed every minute they shared on screen, however none of the other characters really resonated with me. Kenneth Branagh is a decent villain but at times it feels like he’s just forcing his lines. Elizabeth Debicki was the pretty much the only character I could sympathise with, but at times she only felt there like a damsel in distress or a plot device, and they even took the time to try and flesh out her relationship with Washington, but then decided to take it absolutely nowhere.  Something I realised when I walked out the cinema, was that I could barely remember any instance where the musical score was memorable. Ludwig Görrason’s soundtrack is simply quite unremarkable. It’s certainly not bad, and it suits the atmosphere well, but in comparison to both Zimmer and Julyan’s work in other Christopher Nolan movies it just feels lacklustre at times.  To sum up, Tenet is certainly a highly enjoyable action movie, and for spectacle alone it’s worth seeing on the big screen, but a mediocre script, convoluted plot and an altogether forgettable ensemble cast prevent it from being anywhere near my favourite Nolan film.

There’s a reason why people think that 'Do the Right Thing' deserved the Oscar far more than this film. Whilst Spike Lee dares to show the world that racism is still a prominent issue in modern society, 'Driving Miss Daisy' would have us believe that it was a problem of the past, that only lingers in small instances. That being said it is still a decent movie with some heartfelt moments and strong acting, so I can’t just give it 1 star and leave it there...

Max Barbakow’s new Groundhog Day inspired Rom-com is a fresh new take on the pre established formula. Cristin Milioti’s Sarah falls victim to an infinite time loop on the day of her sister’s wedding. The unique twist to the genre is that in this case she is also trapped with Andy Samberg’s Nyles, who has been stuck in there so long that he doesn’t remember much of his life beforehand, and together they try to find meaning in a reality where their actions are meaningless. The movie definitely has some quality moments of comedy, but underneath all the laughs it is a poignant reflection on life and depression. Whilst a huge part of this movie is obviously derivative of Groundhog Day, like other movies of the genre (for example Edge of tomorrow), it does enough it terms of originality and sheer enjoyment to stand on its own. If I delved into all the individual aspects that made this feel unique I’d have to spoil the entire movie. Both Samberg and Milioti are phenomenal, and paired with some really sharp dialogue they are a both convincing and hilarious duo. Of course there are also moments of sincerity, and both actors pull them off perfectly. In Samberg’s performance especially he shows many hints of sadness and misery, whether it be subtle or at other points straight up breaking up into tears. I’d say my one issue with the film is that at times the there is a bit too much exposition, and some of the supporting cast feels a little bit lifeless, but as the focus is almost exclusive to the two protagonists it doesn’t really matter all that much. Ultimately Palm Springs is an enjoyable ride from start to finish with some excellent humor and a unique take on Groundhog Day’s ideas, and although it borrows greatly from the 1993 classic, It does enough to separate itself from the other movies of the genre.

Kajaki is without a doubt one of the best war movies I’ve ever seen. Like the Safdie brothers film Uncut Gems, this movie does everything humanely possible to stress you out, but unlike Uncut Gems this is a true story, so anything goes. Usually a plot will follow a somewhat predictable formula. You might say “they can’t kill off this character as they are too important for the narrative”, but in Kajaki this is not the case. Everyone is expendable, and no one is safe, which makes the movie quite possibly the most intense 2 hours (1hr 48) I’ve ever watched. As you’d expect from a film shot in Afghanistan, the landscapes, particularly during the opening 20 minutes of the film, are absolutely jaw dropping. I’d even go as far as to say it’s one of the most beautifully shot war movies I’ve ever seen (although there is a lot of competition). The acting is also top notch, which is made considerably more impressive by the fact that pretty much all the cast members are relatively unknown. I really liked the fact that they all had a variety of heavy regional accents, like British soldiers would in real life, however I would assume they would be fairly difficult to understand for anyone outside of the UK, so I strongly recommend to foreign viewers that you watch it with subtitles on. I’d also like to stress that this movie is not for the faint of heart. There are plenty of gruesome and disturbing images (think the mine sequence in Da 5 bloods, or the frequent dismemberment in hacksaw ridge), and you’ll find at many points the dialogue is nearly drowned out by the screams of dying soldiers. Ultimately Paul Katis’s Kajaki is an extremely suspenseful war drama that despite not taking the conventional approach, stands out amongst the ever growing stream of war movies.

Spike Lee’s Da 5 Bloods is an emotional reflection on the brutality of the Vietnam war, and (Like Lee’s other movies), a deep dive into racial injustices in the United States. Spike Lee has never been afraid to express his opinions on political events and examples of discrimination, however in Da 5 Bloods this comes out in full force by the first 20 minutes of the film. The movie opens with a small montage of influential figures such as Muhammed Ali all trying to raise awareness for racism in the US, and ends with a Black Lives Matter rally. I don’t know how everyone will feel about these kind of things, but in my opinion they are very fitting and essential in a time like this. The plot of the film is pretty straightforward: In the modern day four Vietnam veterans return to the country after roughly 45 years in an attempt to reclaim some buried gold and find the remains of their fallen comrade. On the journey they are constantly reminded of the horrors they have experienced, and we, the audience, see flashbacks of the characters in their youth. The flashbacks are probably my favorite aspect of the entire movie. In the name of authenticity, the flashback sequences were shot on 16mm reversal stock (with the seamless transition marked by the sound of a camera click), which is how journalists in Vietnam would’ve filmed their footage. In addition, there is a 4:3 aspect ratio (screen width) in contrast to the modern day’s aspect ratio of both 2.39:1 and 1.85:1. These changes, and the addition of Chadwick Boseman (who gives a stellar performance in his limited screen time) really give the flashbacks a unique feel. The main cast is also full of great performances, with my favorite being Delroy Lindo’s Paul - a character who die to the guilt of his past actions, is slowly going insane. To emphasize this insanity there are many point at which Lindo is alone, at random points halting, and directly speaking to the camera. Throughout the course of the film there were plenty of hard-hitting moments, some of which took me completely by surprise (think the hurt locker), and ultimately I was thoroughly moved by the end, however these moments don’t really appear in the first act of the film, and are instead completely packed into the rest. Whilst Da 5 Bloods is not an action movie, I think it’s worth mentioning that the few action sequences are executed extremely well, with some shockingly realistic gore effects (especially at one point which isn’t an action sequence, but features a character who has been exposed to a landmine). Whilst the film is paced a tad unevenly, I wouldn’t describe it as boring, considering plenty happens throughout the course of the film. Unfortunately there are three characters (I won’t spoil) who aren’t given a huge role, but whilst they are present really destroyed the pacing for me. There are also quite a few cliches that bothered me, such as aid arriving just when it was needed, or a protagonist stumbling on their goal whilst taking an irrelevant detour. Whilst I wouldn’t say they at all ruined the experience for me, they were blatantly obvious and made me scoff each time. The main antagonist of the film also seems like he was plucked straight out of an old James Bond movie, but fortunately he wasn’t extremely prominent so that is something I can forgive. Otherwise, there isn’t really much to criticize... Da 5 Bloods is fantastic movie, and despite a considerable number of flaws, it’s still just pure Spike Lee magic, and I absolutely recommend you check it out!

Francis Ford Coppola's 1979 Classic - Apocalypse Now, is a dark, ambiguous reflection on the insanity inflicted by the Vietnam War. Having been fortunate enough to have watched the final cut in cinemas, I have to say Apocalypse Now is truly an experience like none other. Its hard to pin down what makes the movie so extraordinary; whether its the impressively put together sets (particularly during the flight of the Valkyries), the breathtaking shots of silhouetted figures in the dark of the jungle, or even the phenomenal use of 'The End' by The Doors at both the beginning and the end of the film. Roughly six months after initial viewing I decided to watch 'Hearts of Darkness', a documentary on the infamous shooting of the movie shot by Coppola's wife Eleanor. It gave me some insight into the chaos that occurred during filming, and the madness that ensued. Martin Sheen, who played Captain Willard, badly wounded his hand upon accidentally breaking the mirror upon shooting the first scene. Drunk and drenched his blood, he then continued to act out the scene in a much more convincing manner that brought out the insanity and misery the of actor and character alike. This is one of the many examples of how each of the members of the cast gradually completely lost their minds, and as a result, were absolutely phenomenal. Even Marlon Brando and Dennis Hopper, who are only introduced in the final act of the film, really give it their all. The dialogue in the film (and also the monologues from Sheen), is also fantastic and really gives you a solid understanding of each of the characters. For example; Lt. Colonel Kilgore (played by Robert Duvall), is an insane, reckless warmongering leader who amongst the screams of dying Vietnamese innocents, can only think about whether or not the waves are suitable for surfing. His heartless insensitive attitude is summed up really well by the line "I love the smell of Napalm in the morning", although to my understanding Duvall came up with that line himself. Unfortunately there are a few issues I find with film. The most recent cuts of the movie have added a notable amount of new footage, most of which is great, but I find issue with the whole French family sequence. The idea was to show that despite the fact the war is going on, some people still refuse to accept it, and due to their stubborn nature, dismiss the idea of leaving the country. I understand the sentiment, and that Coppola put a lot of effort into creating these scenes (which is probably why he added it back), but the fact is that they aren't that interesting and completely break up the pacing. However I won't let that detract from the overall score, as this issue isn't present in the theatrical release. Apocalypse Now, is in my opinion nothing short of a masterpiece. Thanks to its haunting narrative, exceptional acting, impressive sets, extraordinary pacing, fantastic use of music and beautiful cinematography, it has become one of if not my favorite move of all time.