Reviews

In the final instalment of Daniel Craig's action packed tenure as James Bond, No Time to Die tries to offer a rare, emotional send off to, perhaps, its best Bond actor since Sean Connery. Unfortunately, the way it attempts to emotionally unlock its protagonist falls into old, cliché tropes that almost make your eyes roll in their absurdity.

The pros are few, but worthy of mention. Daniel Craig's (James Bond) continues to give life and breath into a character that has already gone through half a dozen incarnations, and he does so with an ease not previously seen in his former movies. Maybe it's because he'll finally be free of the 007 clutches? His action scenes serve to work on his favour, with delightful camera shots situated on his back, that make you feel as if you control his actions. Ana de Armas (Paloma) is a breath of fresh air in her youthful glee, lethal as she is beautiful and wonderful for the few minutes she plays alongside Craig. All the recurring characters (Whishaw, Harris, Fiennes) pick up where they left off, with Fiennes offering a cold, domineering finality to Craig's impulses. Lynch was good as someone to rattle Craig, but I feel her role was a bit too much on the nose, given the circulating rumours of the next Bond (rumours I sincerely hope are false). Also, the music is, as always, really good.

Now, on the cons.

Rami Malek (Lyutsifer Safin) is as underused as Christoph Waltz was in Spectre. His character spends more time conversing with Léa Seydoux than Bond himself, and even when he does, his motives remain unclear. His story never fully develops, the explanation for his revenge feeling incomplete and somewhat immature. Killing nearly half the population using a deadly virus for... what? Malek himself, unfortunately, doesn't give the necessary life that his character needs, making him feel monotonous and rather boring.

Regarding his "masterful" plan, the deadly virus, that as well feels as if it's missing something. It is explained by three different characters, and yet it never feels coherent enough, lost in brow-rising biological explanations that make it a bit too easy to be spread and cost lives. By the way, this is what kills Blofeld. For real.

The biggest, and most disappointing, flop of all is Léa Seydoux's (Madeleine) and her relationship with Bond. The residue lack of chemistry that was so evident in Spectre carries over into No Time to Die, but this time feels exponentially more stark because it's the main arc of the story, and the supposed driving force of Bond's decisions in the second half of the movie. Not only that, but Madeleine and Bond have a daughter. Yes, you heard right. Nothing more cliché than putting a child into the mix and using that as a catalyst for your self-sacrificing, paternal reactions. Too bad that Craig had more chemistry with Lisa-Dorah Sonnet (Matilde) than he ever did with Seydoux. Even the way he looks into Vesper Lynd's grave at the beginning holds more, real emotion that any looks he gives to Madeleine.

All in all, it is a heartfelt send off to a beloved actor, but, unfortunately, Spectre's fatal flaws never really leave this movie to breathe. Plus, the sentimentality that is used to portray Craig's Bond as different from its predecessors might have worked better if anyone actually CARED about the safety of Madeleine.

Having said all that, I give Daniel Craig my sincerest congratulations and wish him the best on his future projects. He gave Bond a life of his own into the 21st century, long after everyone thought him a relic of the past after Die Another Day. And that was, certainly, no easy task.

Let me begin with the most important notion, the one you should keep in mind whether you go watch this movie or whilst publishing a critic on it; Birds of Prey was released neither as a tragic documentary nor a philosophical approach on the ways of life. It is, simply, a fun movie, a colourful, action heavy and easy way to enjoy yourself at the theatre. It doesn't need the dissection people put the Joker movie under, or the deep excursion into yourself, and society in general, that Parasite put you through.

Birds of Prey is, to a point, what Deadpool is to Marvel. A crazy, roller-coaster ride from one of DC's craziest antagonists, as she tries to survive in a city she has no one to protect her from. The plot is just a plot of "I got myself into this mess and now I must somehow untangle from it" and, honestly, it doesn't need to be anything else.

Margot Robbie visibly attempted to distance her iconic character from the clutches of Suicide Squad, where she was, more often than not, the version of Joker's girlfriend. In this movie, she shines through as Harley Quinn without being vulgar, carries a movie on her shoulders through light, sometimes not as funny, humour, fantastic action sequences (you'll see the John Wick elements before you realise who directs them), and a narrative, twisty trip through a Gotham that, quite frankly, wants her dead.

Along the way, she meets exquisite singer Black Canary, the assassin with the cross - um, I mean the Huntress, aspiring lieutenant Renee Monroe, and a pickpocket in Cassandra Cain. I'd like to avoid spoilers, so I'll say that all these characters somehow find themselves on the path of Roman Saionis, the flamboyant yet sadistically crazy villain whom Ewan McGregor portrays just wonderfully. Along with his henchman Zsasz (oh my God, will they ever stop making one of Batman's biggest villains into a sidekick?!), he'll require something precious that Cain has stolen, and Harley, Canary, Cain, Monroe and the Huntress will find themselves trying to either get that back or trying to protect the one who has it. All, while Roman's patience wears thin.

Heavily packed with wonderfully choreographed action scenes, which use just the right amount of slow motion, laced with a powerful soundtrack and a dynamic performance from Robbie, Birds of Prey is a movie that won't make it into the annals of the pantheon of cinema, and that's okay. Just like Deadpool, this was never its purpose. Its purpose was to make Harley Quinn a character of her own, while establishing a movie that is sure to leave you, above all, grinning.

I mean, Deadpool had no plot at all and no backstory whatsoever to its supporting cast and it somehow earned the praise of everyone on the planet. So, I ask you to approach Birds of Prey with the same mindset. Quite honestly, anyone who praises Deadpool but has issues with Birds of Prey harbours problems that go beyond cinematography, and that's that.

I definitely recommend it, and I'd love to watch it again.

Critics have praised it, given it a perhaps unwarranted hype. Let's not forget that this still remains an origins story, which means that it is not a Hollywood re - shaping movie. Well, maybe not in the way most people expect.

-- THIS REVIEW MAY CONTAIN SPOILERS -- First of all, if you are a person who loved Guardians of the Galaxy 2, you might as well just skip ahead and don't watch this one. It is not goofy, it is not simple, it does actually have a good plot and a better script. I am sure you understand by now to what type of people I am referring to.

The movie sets right after the events of Captain America: Civil War, where t' Chakka, king of Wakanda, has been murdered in a terrorist attack. As the king, his children must take succession to the throne, a thing his elder son, T challa (aka the Black Panther) has been groomed and raised to take for years. All goes well, the traditions are carried throughout the obscure kingdom, and t' Challa successfully earns his place as the King. Wakanda survives off the technological advantages their most precious natural resource, vibranium, has given them, and the powers of the King himself. When, however, a notorious terrorist possesses some of the precious vibranium, and cooperates with a mysterious young man, who has a vindictive agenda of his own against Wakanda, the Black Panther must rise to the occasion, and prove to be a King unlike his predecessors, with the necessary sacrifices and changes to old traditions.

You can nitpick every little thing you want just to satisfy your craving to bash this movie. You may mock the accents, scoff at the socio-political cape of the movie, or claim that "it wasn't as you expected it". In the end, however, it remains as one of the most well rounded origin stories, similar to the first Spider Man and the Iron Man, with a simple yet carefully crafted story around a character who was born from the social injustice many wouldn't want to see in a heroic movie. Tough for you. Besides, while the racial differences may be the fuel behind the antagonist's actions, they do not gloss over the aspects of a Marvel film. The action sequences are very well choreographed. The soundtrack couldn't have been better, as Ludwig Goransson glorifies and honours traditional African music and songs.

Lastly, the cast itself is sublime, full of known and new actors who meld wonderfully to their characters, whether they are a traditional warrior or an outcast with a vengeance. Chadwick Boseman (t' challa/Black Panther) plays and moves well beyond his 40 years of age, and portrays emotion in a moving way when faced with tough decisions. Danai Gurira (Okoye) is an excellent "Grace Jones" lookalike in the form of a warrior, and she presents herself wonderfully in battle and in peace. Lupita Nyong'o (Nakia) gracefully graces Boseman's side and acts as the link to tradition and modern times, while Letitia Wright (Shuri) steals the show as the comic relief genius, who is ready to assist in anyway she can. Last but certainly not least, Michael B. Jordan (Erik Killmonger) gives a great dimension to an otherwise typical villain, and even though he follows the classic revenge scenario, he does so with a way and a persuading performance that you can't help but understand his motives and even support his way of thinking; his last scene is especially powerful.

It's not groundbreaking, certainly, but it's one of the best origin stories out there, offering an entertaining time as it crafts and moulds a nation and a character very different from the others, under an idea that could have easily escalated at the hands of another director. Ryan Coogler does not let the self righteousness drape over the core of this movie, and the result is a wonderful tribute to tradition, racial respect and the eternal message that hatred is never the way to go if you want to prove yourself right.

Most rom - coms made in Hollywood were either told by a woman or written/thought by one, so we always got a one sided affair that contained emotional swings, unreal scenarios, fantasy endings and plot twists that only strengthen the happy ending; an ideal scenario to a female fantasy regarding love, born out of fairytales. Additionally, when such movies were more realistic and on the mature side, they continued to tell the story through a woman's lenses.

High Fidelity is such a poignant chapter in the Hollywood annals of romantic comedies precisely because it breaks the norm - the story of love, sorrow, confliction, friendship and personal psyche is finally told by a male's point of view, and explained in a very realistic scenario of a simple, every day man. Rob Gordon (John Cusack) owns a record store in Chicago, and he is going through a break up. A man who always seems to have everything sorted and in order, he narrates through the whole movie, cataloguing his top 5 break ups up to the recent one, explaining the reason they occurred.

Through the course of the film, we see him going through the motions of his break up, the so called five stages of grief, so to speak. Along the way, with his ex - girlfriend Laura (Iben Hjejle) constantly on the forefront of his mind, Rob tries to sort out his feelings, going into deep musical conversations with his employees Barry (Jack Black), an elitist music lover who often connects day events with a "top 5 tracklist", and Dick (Todd Louiso), the sentimental part of the trio. Along the way, Rob goes through a soul search of his own, eventually coming to conclusions about his character, his behaviour, and acceptance that for love and a relationship to survive, you have to take a leap of faith into the unknown.

Do not believe that this movie is anything sappy, for it remains a comedy for the bigger portion of its 2 hour course. Black ensembles a perfect character on himself, and you'll definitely laugh with his constant opinion on contemporary and old music alike, especially when he downgrades a poor old customer about it. Cusack is as believable as it gets, bringing forth every emotion possible associated with falling in love, from anger to envy, and nostalgia to care.

Above all, it's a very educational film into the male psyche, and will definitely become a favourite of both genders, because it lacks any "fairytale ending". It's a dive into an emotional trip, seen through the eyes of an everyday man, where it is bound to stay with you long after the credits roll.