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Avengers: Endgame (2019)
I've reached the Endgame
I was pessimistic and fatigued with Marvel in the past few years, but Endgame is the most enjoyable movie since the original standalone films way back when the MCU was first being set up. Where Infinity War was lacking in terms of tension, Endgame picks up the slack, with tightly bound scenes and interesting twists and turns. Characters act in logical ways and it is simply a joy experiencing and sharing in their time on screen. This was a far more fulfilling experience than I expected and I was really won over by the fantastic acting and the meticulous attention to detail in every scene.
Triple Frontier (2019)
Covering all frontiers
J.C. Chandor is known for creating tense, and atmospheric films, and Triple Frontier is yet another example of a truly fascinating director masterfully manipulating and challenging his characters with taut and frantic situations.
Triple Frontier boasts a Triple-A cast: Ben Affleck, Oscar Isaac, Charlie Hunnam, Pedro Pascal, and Garrett Hedlund. While each is given a moment or two to truly shine, the film sits squarely on the shoulders of Affleck and Isaac. The heist itself plays second fiddle to the characterisation, and the movie is all the better for it. We get glimpses of the shadowy morality at play in both the world and characters' minds, but also receive humanised versions of the precise ex-special forces killing machines.
As expected, everything is gorgeously shot, with rural scenery swathed in lush greenery, contrasting nicely with the gritty favelas and mountainous terrain. The expertly handled camerawork is meticulously edited, there are plenty of quippy action scenes, and more extended character incursions, all forging a great cinematic experience.
Triple Frontier mixes the flavours of Narcos, American Made, and 13 Hours, to create a thoroughly enjoyable action ride with interesting characters in genuinely perilous situations.
Springsteen on Broadway (2018)
A transcendent and emotional journey with The Boss
From "Growin' Up" through to "Land of Hope and Dreams" Bruce Springsteen is enchanting, emotionally bare, and thoroughly captivating. Springsteen On Broadway is a landmark occasion, allowing Bruce to guide the audience through carefully selected chapters of his life that correspond with the music he has written across his entire career.
The journey is a sprawling odyssey at over two and a half hours, but always intimate and engaging. It is also filmed in much the same way, always focused on the man as he shares the fears of his youth, his personal grief, and the legacy that pervades the paternal and guiding ancestral role he plays in our lives.
This is essential for any Springsteen fan, but even non-fans will be converted after experiencing an eloquent and entertaining evening with a truly rare master of his craft.
The Happytime Murders (2018)
Most offensive thing is it just isn't funny
The most offensive thing a comedy can do is not make you laugh. The tired setting, slow pace, juvenile attempts at humour, and lack of any characterisation beyond poorly sketched stereotype has rendered one of the least enjoyable cinematic experiences I've ever had.
The Happytime Murders centres around puppet ex-cop-turned-hard-boiled-noir-PI Phil Phillips (Bill Barretta) tracking down a serial killer who has killed his famous brother. He is aided by his former partner Detective Edwards (Melissa McCarthy) who was responsible for Phil's fall from grace. The premise of a puppet-human buddy cop movie is ludicrous and enticing enough to make a good comedy. The sad reality is a humdrum plodding through an uninspired dingy puppet stuffed world. The murders all occur within Phil's presence, which leads to the unsatisfyingly predictable police hunt of Phil, the FBI's pointless involvement, and Edwards confronting her warped hatred of Phil for saving her life to return the favour. All the above could be forgiven if the jokes were at least entertaining or witty enough to propel the film. Unfortunately, despite a wealth of comedic talent, and a solid idea, a strike rate of two laughs is not worth the other 91 minutes of utter boredom.
The Happytime Murders plays out like a Saturday Night Live skit that overstays its welcome. Don't bother giving this a cursory glance, instead watch Sausage Party again.
0.5 Stars