Film Review Club

A New York paramedic starts to show signs of clairvoyance as her late mother’s mysterious past is intertwined with the man hunting three familiar teenagers.  The discourse around Madame Web has been a savage one to say the least, I’m here to say that it’s truly not as bad as most people make out. Is it a good movie? Not really but it certainly isn’t the 1 out of 10 film that some are making it out to be. What I will say is that it’s a clear example of how dialogue can completely determine public perception because in my opinion, the root of the problem lies there! In addition to this, the mess that is the antagonist in the movie does not help matters. Paper thin motives and a pretty bad execution means you just couldn’t care any less about him. A superhero movie can only be as good as its villain and if they’re not worth watching, people will think the same of the film as a whole. The story components are pretty solid, you can see the intention there but as I mentioned the dialogue was

The heartbreaking true story of the Von Erich brothers who made history as Professional Wrestlers in the 80’s, battling trauma and tragedy at every step. The Iron Claw is an impactful insight into the incredibly tough lives of professional wrestlers, especially during the 80’s as the sport was really making strides. But the film actually lets wrestling take a back seat as it focuses on the heartbreaking story of the Von Erich brothers, which if it were not based on a true story, you’d simply think the storyline was unrealistic! To think that they even left out yet another one of the families tragedies to avoid overwhelming the audience, is simply unbelievable. I’m a little disappointed this movie isn’t getting more traction from the award bodies, the script is amazing, the cinematography is stunning and it’s a career best performance from Zac Effron, who delivered on both the physical aesthetic and the tough emotional outlook of Kevin Von Erich. The cast is stacked with really talented

Lou Bloom, a petty thief, becomes a photojournalist, capturing footage all across LA throughout the night. Soon Lou takes desperate measures to stay ahead of his competition. Nightcrawler is one of my all time favourite Jake Gyllenghaal performances and it’s films like this and Prisoners too, that really illustrate just how good of an actor Jake is. The attention to detail in his character is extraordinary, creating a truly unnerving protagonist. The writing is carefully orchestrated to reveal the underlying sinister nature of Lou Bloom, starting from a little weirdness and unravelling to become a true sociopath. Dan Gilroy directed plenty of moments in the movie that have the audience uncomfortable, anxious and unsure about the protagonist they’re witnessing on screen. The cinematography from Robert Elswit is also a notable aspect of the film, creating an array of shots that not only set the tone but also help instigate that anxiety inducing atmosphere of Nightcrawler. Riz Ahmed is th

A man walks with Ghosts, witnessing the subtle beauty of their journeys and their desires. I won’t proclaim to have watched a vast amount of short films but nonetheless, I Walk With Ghosts sits firmly at the top of the metaphorical mountain. The beauty in its storytelling and cinematography make the 7 minute run time fly by and in such a short amount of time, ignites such pure emotion towards its subject matter. The soft narration matches the tone perfectly, illustrating the strength of the script but its technical elements are just as strong too, even nailing the visual effects. It’s made me incredibly excited for short films and that’s the biggest compliment I can give. Congratulations to Grant Clover and Michael Metzler. Overall (9/10) Thanks for reading. Callan