Random Ravings 8 - Baby Grobags

Just time for a look at a few movies I've seen recently...

Arrival
An intelligent, thoughtful, mysterious, epic yet inmate and wonderfully acted piece of science fiction cinema. It's Amy Adams's film throughout and she doesn't disappoint. It reminded me a little of "Contact", but only in the best possible ways. My wife was less enamoured but still enjoyed it and was the first of us to figure out one of the film's big twists (I worked out the other). Sadly the deception of how nations, governments and the military would respond to an alien visitation is entirely accurate.

Passengers
The trailers seemed to promise an action-packed space movie, but this is so much more than that.  Both Jennifer Lawrence and Chris Pratt are on fine form and have a real chemistry - essential as they are basically on their own for 90% of the running time. I really don't understand why it has been so critically mauled  The production design is also just incredible.

Fifty Shades Darker
Look I had to take one for the team and go with my wife okay? All I can say is that it was better than the first one - but that's like saying botulism is better than tuberculosis.

John Wick Chapter 2
I thought the first film was one of the best action movies of the last decade and this sequel is just as much violent, bloody fun. It's rare that an actor gets more than one iconic role is their career, but Keanu Reeves now has two - Neo and Mr John Wick. The film manages to keep up the pace of it's predecessor, while expanding the world of the assassins. I also have to praise the cinematographer as the use of light and colour throughout is exceptional. This film looks amazing. Roll on Chapter 3...

The 9th Life of Louis Drax
Now this is an odd one. A mystery which is one part supernatural, one part domestic drama and two parts is this all in someones head. I couldn't quite work out what it was trying to be and although the final revelation is shocking the parts don't really add up to the whole. It just all felt a bit uneven. However twelve year old Aiden Longworth is uniformly excellent as the "accident prone" boy who ends up in a coma. He's going to be someone to watch.