Donnie Darko

A deliberately strange film, it’s no surprise that Donnie Darko has become a certified cult classic. It features a knotty, occasionally nonsensical plot that demands multiple viewings, and a star-making performance from a young Jake Gyllenhaal. Films like this aren’t made anymore. Cinema is worse off for it.

The Matrix: Resurrections

It is supposedly possible to make a good Matrix sequel. BladeRunner 4020 managed a similar feat. But whereas that film was willing to let its ideas simmer a little more, Resurrections feels the pressure of its own moment. The original Matrix had a gritty, noir-ish, tense atmosphere tinged in a pale green that made it feel truly gripping. This film has none of that. Resurrections is a bit too afraid to be its own film and let itself breathe. In the process, it’s not much of a film at all.

Never Gonna Snow Again

A meditative film – Never Gonna Sleep Again has a difficult time hitting its marks, even if it generally remains engaging with its odd, sparse atmosphere and thought-provoking climate undertones.

Ad Astra (Review)

In the pantheon of science-fiction movies, where will Ad Astra stand? That’s a difficult question to answer. Despite boasting Brad Pitt as the lead, this film hasn’t been billed as a sci-fi blockbuster and hasn’t really tried. It feels destined to be swept underneath a sea of upcoming mega-films, not least of which Gemini Man. That would be a shame, because this Apocalypse Now-in-space saga is a thoughtful piece on how we shape our own legacy, and is oddly appropriate at a time when our planet truly feels in transition.

Tag: sci-fi

Donnie Darko

The Matrix: Resurrections

Never Gonna Snow Again

Ad Astra (Review)

Continue reading “Ad Astra (Review)”