10 Mini-Reviews of 2023 & 2024 Films

Poor Things (2023). I almost stopped writing these little reviews because of this movie, because this movie does so much that I should either write a whole essay about it, or simply say that it is absurd, hilarious, grotesque, confident and unique. I loved it. The amount of work that went into it is stunning. It’s a very intense viewing experience. Stone and Ruffalo delivered amazing performances. The music is unusual yet highly effective. Film of the year for me. 5/5

Leo (2023). An animated movie that is funnier than one would expect, coming from Adam Sandler and Bill Burr. The concept behind the movie is pretty funny and the end result is quite wholesome. 3/5

Ferrari (2023). A troubled picture of Enzo Ferrari and his professional and marital struggles, by Michael Mann. Much of it was subtly written, but I found it a bit unengaging. The film works as a period piece, but both the car stuff and the drama stuff felt a bit half-hearted. Driver and Cruz are both excellent though. 3/5

All of Us Strangers (2023). A deeply heartfelt film about a gay man working through his memories with his parents. Or, conversations he could have had with them, had they not passed away when he was still a preteen. A magical realist element suffuses the film and brings it all out in the open. A beautiful and emotional film. 4.5/5

Dune: Part Two (2024). Absolutely fantastic film. A little different from the book in parts but I thought most choices lead to a fantastic film with a strong climax that fits this adaptation. What this film added over part one was the emotional anchor of Paul and Chani, buoyed up by Zimmer’s great score, and made Chani in particular a far more interesting character than in the novel, which also helped to portray Paul more strongly as an anti-hero. Sense of location, the landscapes, the action and incredible scale of things were overwhelming. I think for people who are really dissatisfied with one detail or another from the book, I think they’re being a little persnickety as book fans. There are no issues that could not be addressed well in a third film, in my mind. From the perspective of film-making, this is a monumental achievement and the best adaptation since The Lord of the Rings. 5/5

The Marvels (2023). A film that typifies the gradual downfall of the Marvel superhero films. A messy story that tries to tie a few TV shows together. Characters that try so hard to be cool and fun that they turn out annoying and arrogant. A story full of arbitrary rules about space nonsense to set up unearned dramatic moments. 1.5/5

A Haunting in Venice (2023). Kenneth Branagh takes his moustache to Venice for another atmospheric, old-fashioned murder mystery. The haunted house elements are executed well and the film is tighter than Death on the Nile (2022). The only thing that didn’t work for me was a woman put in the film as a counterweight to Poirot. Something in the acting or the script made her role confusing. 3/5

Dream Scenario (2024). Nicolas Cage plays an ordinary, boring college professor who suddenly starts appearing in people’s dreams all over the world. This puts him so in the spotlight of everyone while he is a far too gentle and uncertain man to deal with something strange like that. It’s a funny thing that he feels validation through this sudden fame, although he didn’t do anything. Funny too how it leads to tension with his wife, because she is used to seeing him as a…. Well as a nobody and she gets jealous. There is a lot going on in this film about relationship dynamics, psychology and the nature of fame. I kept wondering where this was going and really enjoyed the ride. 3.5/5

Spaceman (2024). A serious, slow-moving film with Adam Sandler as an astronaut and an alien space spider who gives him marriage counselling. The film is a little artsy with a retro USSR look and the interaction with the CGI alien is purely for psychological plot purposes and not for any hard SF ideas. The film is better than online ratings suggest, but a little soporific. 3/5

Civil War (2024). A powerful film. Political mostly in the sense that it is against fascism but not clearly pitting one political party against the other. It is less interested in the cause behind it than in the dehumanising aspect of war. It’s bound to leave people speechless after it is done. Also, it’s much more than just the harrowing spectacle of war in the US, it is also a personal story of Kirsten Dunst as a war photographer wrung out to the bone and that of a young girl who wants to follow in her footsteps. A perfect blend of the personal and the epic for me. Full of impressive scenes. 4/5