Movie Review: Ammonite (2020)

Genre: Romantic Drama  

Director: Francis Lee  

Starring: Kate Winslet, Saoirse Ronan, Gemma Jones, James McArdle  

Running Time: 117 minutes  

Synopsis: The setting is the small English seaside village of Lyme Regis in the 1840s. Fossil collector Mary Anning (Kate Winslet) runs a small shop with her mother Molly (Gemma Jones), and spends her days on the beach looking for geological artefacts. Mary is single and never received recognition in a male-dominated profession. Her mood is further soured when she is asked to care for the ailing Charlotte Murchison (Saoirse Ronan), a neglected wife recovering from a miscarriage while her husband (James McArdle) travels in Europe. But gradually, romance blossoms between Mary and Charlotte.

What Works Well: A historical fiction story constructed around real characters, this romantic drama uses sparse words and focuses on a sense of time and place. Director Francis Lee conveys a tough existence within a rustic village ambience, Mary in her element on windswept beaches and relishing the muddy work of finding and extracting fossils. With Mary overlooked by her profession and Charlotte ignored by her husband, the romance unfurls with tenderness, two women finding passion in the absence of respect.  

What Does Not Work As Well: The pacing is glacial and the mood uniformly dour - smiles less common than precious archeological finds. The focus on a fictional romance rather than Mary's professional achievements and struggles is a dubious narrative decision.

Key Quote:

Charlotte: You look after me like your child. You don't have any?

Mary: What a lot of questions. I might have preferred it when you were unconscious.

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Movie Review: Downhill (2020)

Genre: Dramedy  

Director: Nat Faxon, Jim Rash  
Starring: Julia Louis-Dreyfus, Will Ferrell, Zach Woods, Zoe Chao  
Running Time: 86 minutes  

Synopsis: Married couple Billie and Pete Stanton (Julia Louise-Dreyfus and Will Ferrell) arrive at an Austrian Alps ski resort for a vacation with their two teen-aged sons. There is tension in the marriage, and Pete is frequently distracted by his phone. An avalanche mishap exposes Pete's poor judgment under pressure, and Billie is further infuriated when he avoids communicating. The arrival of Pete's friend Zach (Zach Woods) and his partner Rosie (Zoe Chao) adds further strain.

What Works Well: This remake of Force Majeure occasionally finds the biting seam between compromise and confrontation. Billie and Pete are largely performing as happily married for the benefit of their children, but she is reaching the end of her patience bandwidth. When he flees the avalanche leaving his family in harm's way, pretense is replaced by barely contained hostility. While their passion suffocates beneath the snow, moments of irreverent humour lighten the mood.

What Does Not Work As Well: Although they try hard, Julia Louis-Dreyfus and Will Ferrell are both miscast, their personas less than suitable for the dark hypocrisy, emotional vengeance, and self-delusional defensiveness required by this story. The short running time does not allow a deep dive into churning emotions, and the ending is abrupt and all too pat.

Key Quote:

Billie (referring to the avalanche): It looked like it was gonna kill us...

Pete: For a moment.

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Movie Review: I Met A Girl (2020)

Genre: Romantic Drama  

Director: Luke Eve  

Starring: Brenton Thwaites, Lily Sullivan, Joel Jackson, Zahra Newman  

Running Time: 108 minutes  

Synopsis: In Perth, Devon (Brenton Thwaites) is a musician suffering from schizophrenia. After a meltdown at the wedding of his brother Nick (Joel Jackson), Devon is institutionalized. Five years later, Nick and his wife Olivia (Zahra Newman) ask Devon to move into his own apartment, triggering a crisis. Devon is saved by the caring Lucy (Lily Sullivan), and they bond over a magical night. When she disappears leaving a note asking him to follow her to Sydney, Devon embarks on a cross-country journey seeking the love of his life.

What Works Well: This mix of romance and mental trauma treats a delicate topic with demonstrative sensitivity. Writer Glen Dolman humanizes Devon but avoids sugarcoating his ordeal, and several scenes capture harrowing disorientation when competing inner voices, one of them vicious, demand his attention. Elsewhere, the difficulties faced by a family caring for a mental health patient are presented through the pragmatic perspective of Nick and Olivia, who have to balance empathy for Devon with protecting their newborn.

What Does Not Work As Well: The narrative is choppy in service of the "is Lucy real or is she fantasy" quest, and Devon's road trip meanders through a few too many detours and quirky encounters. A twist arrives too late to deliver the desired impact, and the ending succumbs to tidiness.

Key Quote:

Devon (to Lucy): It's like you're from a fairytale. Like I've dreamt you.

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Movie Review: Remarkably Bright Creatures (2026)

Genre: Drama  

Director: Olivia Newman  

Starring: Sally Field, Lewis Pullman, Sofia Black-D'Elia, Joan Chen, Kathy Baker, Colm Meaney, Alfred Molina  

Running Time: 111 minutes  

Synopsis: In the idyllic seaside community of Sowell Bay, Washington, Tova (Sally Field) is the lonely nighttime cleaning lady at the local aquarium, and still grieving the loss of her teenaged son years ago. Her one true companion is the aging octopus Marcellus (voice of Alfred Molina, who narrates). Cameron (Lewis Pullman) arrives in town looking for his long-lost father, and befriends Tova and local shop owner Avery (Sofia Black-D'Elia). As Tova and Cameron gradually find out more about each other, they confront the past and re-examine their attitudes.

What Works Well: The adaptation of Shelby Van Pelt's best seller is a heartwarming story about human connections, the nature of family, and the ghosts of the past influencing the present. Sally Field finds another great role as Tova, and in several scenes she expresses the pain of profound loss, regret, and unanswered questions. Director Olivia Newman captures a scenic small-town setting (filmed in Deep Cove, British Columbia) populated by gossipy but charming locals (including Joan Chen, Kathy Baker, and Colm Meaney), and crafts the perfect balanced tone between drama, humour, octopus wisdom, and pathos. 

What Does Not Work As Well: On a few occasions the plot requires a distinct absence of curiosity to hide crucial revelations until the final act.

Key Quote:

Marcellus (narrating): I can deduce that the cleaning lady and the juvenile share a similar affliction.

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Movie Review: Invasion U.S.A. (1985)

Genre: Action  

Director: Joseph Zito  

Starring: Chuck Norris, Richard Lynch  

Running Time: 107 minutes  

Synopsis: Heavily-armed terrorists assembled by evil masterminds Rostov (Richard Lynch) and Nikko (Alexander Zale) land on a Miami beach, jump into waiting trucks, spread out into neighbourhoods, and start slaughtering civilians. Retired CIA Agent Matt Hunter (Chuck Norris) is Rostov's nemesis, and returns to action to stop the carnage. Meanwhile, a reporter (Melissa Prophet) tries to cover the story.

What Works Well: Retreading the America-under-attack threat from Red Dawn, this B-movie deploys a relatively large budget to unleash impressive destruction, including residential homes and a shopping mall slated for demolition in real life. The stunt performers are the real stars, dodging danger amidst the pyrotechnics. 

What Does Not Work As Well: The early scenes tracking the terrorists getting organized (involving the Coast Guard, a drug deal, and an arms depot) appear to be fragments of incomplete ideas, and the subsequent endless action set-pieces fail to coalesce into a movie. Despite the generous running time, not even rudimentary attempts are made to round-out the characters or describe the ultimate objective (or backers) of the ragtag invasion. A largely disinterested but absolutely indestructible Chuck Norris cruises through the action spouting a variety of one-liners but careful to maintain a singular expression.

Key Quote:

Rostov: 18 hours from now, America will be a different place.

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Movie Review: The Rental (2020)

Genre: Suspense Horror  

Director: Dave Franco  
Starring: Dan Stevens, Alison Brie  
Running Time: 88 minutes  

Synopsis: Two couples decide to spend the weekend at an idyllic but secluded California ocean-front rental home. Charlie and Michelle (Dan Stevens and Alison Brie) are a couple, while Charlie's business partner Mina (Sheila Vand) is in a relationship with his brother Josh (Jeremy Allen Wright). After the house caretaker Taylor (Toby Huss) hands them the keys, tensions and romantic complications arise, before a disturbing discovery in the shower increases the stakes.

What Works Well: Dave Franco's directorial debut invests admirable time defining the four main characters, drawing out an entangled bundle of emotions. Charlie and Mina work closely together, generating natural unease within Michelle and Josh. Mina's ethnicity exposes Taylor's potentially racist attitudes, while Josh is the less impressive brother, susceptible to a short temper and bursts of violence. When bad decisions set the stage for real trouble, the final third enjoys a suitably ominous soundtrack and pointedly challenges genre cliches.

What Does Not Work As Well: The aesthetic and visuals are frequently a combination of murky and muddy, and the vacationers become less likeable as they reveal their true characters. While the theme of surveillance tied to danger holds interest, fundamental narrative decisions related to the source of villainy are polarizing.

Key Quote:

Michelle: This will never be over.

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Movie Review: The War With Grandpa (2020)

Genre: Family Comedy  

Director: Tim Hill  

Starring: Robert De Niro, Uma Thurman, Christopher Walken, Jane Seymour, Cheech Marin  

Running Time: 94 minutes  

Synopsis: Widowed grandpa Ed Marino (Robert De Niro) reluctantly relocates to the family home of his daughter Sally (Uma Thurman). He settles into the room previously occupied by his 11-year-old grandson Peter (Oakes Fegley), who is disappointed to be shunted into the attic. Egged on by his 6th grade classmates, Peter declares war on grandpa in order to reclaim ownership of his room, resulting in an escalating series of pranks.

What Works Well: The Robert Kimmel Smith book is adapted into a breezy screen comedy, with a steady stream of chuckles. Robert De Niro brings heart to the grandpa role, reluctantly but effectively engaging in the prank war while maintaining an anchor of love and trying to impart words of wisdom to his grandson. In the opposite corner, Oakes Fegley adds mischievous enthusiasm, while the efficient running time keeps the pacing brisk.

What Does Not Work As Well: Co-stars Uma Thurman and Christopher Walken generally embarrass themselves, while Cheech Marin and Jane Seymour are largely wasted. Some of the edgier practical jokes involve the threat of physical harm and reside uneasily within a narrative that is not supposed to involve villains. Some secondary characters (including Peter's classmates) fade away from relevance, and a Christmas theme is wedged into a July setting.

Key Quote:

Grandpa Ed: You're not putting me in a home!

Sally: What if it's our home?

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Movie Review: About Adam (2000)

Genre: Romantic Comedy  
Director: Gerard Stembridge  

Starring: Stuart Townsend, Kate Hudson, Frances O'Connor  

Running Time: 105 minutes  

Synopsis: In Dublin, waitress and part-time singer Lucy (Kate Hudson) finally stumbles upon a seemingly perfect boyfriend in Adam (Stuart Townsend). Lucy is close to her two sisters, the bookish Laura (Frances O'Connor) and the married Alice (Charlotte Bradley), and brother David, who has a girlfriend Karen. Lucy and Adam seem to be edging towards a marriage proposal, but unknown to Lucy, Adam is also busy fulfilling the romantic needs of her other family members.

What Works Well: This Irish-based rom-com dares to challenge the genre's fundamental formula. Adam is more of a naughty cupid catalyst than a standard lover, and his self-assigned duty is to nudge multiple unsuspecting romantic partners towards better outcomes. Director Gerard Stembridge feints a traditional structure for the first act, before confidently navigating a sharp left turn to reveal what else Adam has been up to during his flirtation with Lucy. The sheer scope of manipulative ambitions deserves applause.

What Does Not Work As Well: It's all too easy for Adam to seduce every member of Lucy's orbit, his button-pushing expertise and ability to juggle multiple hidden commitments eroding any sense of reality. Perhaps out of necessity, Adam remains an undefined presence available as a fill-in-the-blank fantasy to break out of emotional ruts.

Key Quote:

Adam: I like to give people what they want, if I can. Whatever makes them happy it's a very easy thing for me to do.

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Movie Review: Pretty Lethal (2026)

Genre: Comedy Horror Action  

Director: Vicky Jewson  

Starring: Uma Thurman, Maddie Ziegler  

Running Time: 88 minutes  

Synopsis: Five young women from a Los Angeles ballet company travel to a competition in Budapest, although the two principal dancers Bones (Maddie Ziegler) and Princess (Lana Condor) can barely stand each other. A series of travel mishaps land the dancers in the middle of a spooky Hungarian forest, and they take refuge at an isolated hotel owned by Devora (Uma Thurman), an ex-ballerina who was forced into retirement. The five ballerinas soon realize they are surrounded by ruthless gangsters, and after witnessing a murder they have to fight for their lives.

What Works Well: This genre mash-up aims squarely at silly unconstrained fun, and delivers satisfying choreographed carnage. The five tutu-clad ballerinas are plunged into a fight-or-die nightmare providing plenty of opportunities for dancing-with-death highlights, embellished with empowerment messages about strength hiding beneath elegance. Director Vicky Jewson amps up the Tchaikovsky music, lines up an army of goons, and lets her inner vintage Tarantino rip (hello, Uma Thurman). The internal rivalries, distinct personalities, and yucky moments add juice.

What Does Not Work As Well: The close quarters combat in confined surroundings does get tired and repetitive, and the ability of lightweight dancers to overcome heavy-set thugs stretches all credibility, even within the unserious bounds of comedy horror.

Key Quote:

Devora (to her goon): There are naughty little girls in the house. Find them. And silence them.

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Movie Review: Mercy (2026)

Genre: Techno Crime Thriller  

Director: Timur Bekmambetov  

Starring: Chris Pratt, Rebecca Ferguson  

Running Time: 100 minutes  

Synopsis: In a crime-ridden Los Angeles of 2029, the Mercy artificial intelligence system speedily resolves trials. Police detective Chris Raven (Chris Platt) wakes up from a drunken stupor strapped to a chair and facing AI Judge Maddox (Rebecca Ferguson), accused of murdering his wife Nicole. Maddox appears to have indisputable evidence of Chris' guilt, but he has 90 minutes to introduce reasonable doubt. He connects with daughter Britt (Kylie Rogers) and police partner Jaq (Kali Reis) to help uncover events leading to Nicole's death.

What Works Well: Writer Marco van Belle extrapolates to a society overcome by lawlessness and seeking AI-driven efficiency to speed-up the justice system. Judge Maddox is fair enough to allow Chris to access surveillance files and connect with potential witnesses, and director Timur Bekmambetov succeeds in opening up the premise from one chair and one screen to a breathless race-against-the-clock conspiracy thriller. As multiple competing agendas are exposed, Chris Platt and Rebecca Ferguson generate emotional momentum despite their state of confinement.

What Does Not Work As Well: The availability of instantly accessible audio and video files seemingly capturing everything everywhere all at once stretches the erosion of privacy to evisceration levels. With every new revelation the plot is increasingly packed with characters and details, and the final act dips into over-the-top territory.

Key Quote:

Chris: Human or AI. We all make mistakes... and we learn.

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