All Quiet on the Western Front (2022) - SPOILER-FREE Review

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All Quiet on the Western Front (2022) - SPOILER-FREE Review

Directed by: Edward Berger

Written by: Edward Berger, Lesley Paterson, Ian Stokell

Starring: Daniel Brühl, Albrecht Schuch, Sebastian Hülk, Felix Kammerer, Aaron Hilmer, Edin Hasanovic, Devid Striesow

Runtime: 147 min

Synopsis: The gripping story of a young German soldier on the Western Front of World War I. Paul (Felix Kammerer) and his comrades experience first-hand how the initial euphoria of war turns into desperation and fear as they fight for their lives, and each other, in the trenches.

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Black Adam (2022) - SPOILER-FREE Review

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Black Adam (2022) - SPOILER-FREE Review

Directed by: Jaume Collet-Serra

Written by: Adam Sztykiel, Rory Haines, Sohrab Noshirvani

Starring: Dwayne Johnson, Aldis Hodge, Noah Centineo, Sarah Shahi, Marwan Kenzari, Quintessa Swindell, Bodhi Sabongui, Pierce Brosnan

Runtime: 124 min

Synopsis: Nearly 5,000 years after he was bestowed with the almighty powers of the ancient gods - and imprisoned just as quickly - Black Adam (Dwayne Johnson) is freed from his earthly tomb, ready to unleash his unique form of justice on the modern world.

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Other Films Watched | LFF 2022

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Other Films Watched | LFF 2022

Here, you'll find quick, mini-reviews about films I watched throughout this year's London Film Festival that I didn't have time to write a full, lengthy article about. By clicking on the titles below, you'll be redirected to the respective review.

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Women Talking - SPOILER-FREE Review | LFF 2022

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Women Talking - SPOILER-FREE Review | LFF 2022

Directed by: Sarah Polley

Written by: Sarah Polley

Starring: Rooney Mara, Claire Foy, Jessie Buckley, Ben Whishaw, Frances McDormand

Runtime: 104 min

Synopsis: In a remote Mennonite community, women have been waking from sleep bruised and battered, some are pregnant. Religious leaders argue it’s God’s punishment for their sins. But when one wakes to find an attacker in her room, the horrible truth comes out. In a sunlit barn, the women debate: will they stay, as is expected, and forgive their attackers?

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Empire of Light - SPOILER-FREE Review | LFF 2022

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Empire of Light - SPOILER-FREE Review | LFF 2022

Directed by: Sam Mendes

Written by: Sam Mendes

Starring: Olivia Colman, Monica Dolan, Micheal Ward, Tom Brooke, Tanya Moodie, Hannah Onslow, Crystal Clarke, Toby Jones, Colin Firth

Runtime: 115 min

Synopsis: Hilary (Olivia Colman) manages a seafront picture palace. Once an opulent multiscreen cinema with a dance hall overlooking the sea, now only one screen remains open, albeit a grand one. In preparation for a regional premiere of Chariots of Fire, Hilary and her colleagues spruce up the venue. Outside, the town itself is crumbling, with a rising far-right presence and Stephen (Micheal Ward) regularly harassed by skinheads. A story about human connection and the magic of cinema.

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Bros - SPOILER-FREE Review | LFF 2022

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Bros - SPOILER-FREE Review | LFF 2022

Directed by: Nicholas Stoller

Written by: Nicholas Stoller, Billy Eichner

Starring: Billy Eichner, Luke Macfarlane, Ts Madison, Monica Raymund, Guillermo Díaz, Guy Branum, Amanda Bearse

Runtime: 115 min

Synopsis: Career-wise, Bobby Lieber (Billy Eichner) has it sussed. Not only has the lovably misanthropic podcaster scooped the prestigious Cis White Gay Man of the Year Award, he is also a board member for a museum of queer culture. But when it comes to matters of the heart, Bobby doesn’t have a clue. Always the groomsman, never the groom, Bobby sidesteps emotional introspection with self-deprecating humor, proudly wearing his singledom like a badge of honor. But then he meets all-American dreamboat Aaron (Luke Macfarlane), and the unthinkable happens – there’s a spark.

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The Whale - SPOILER-FREE Review | LFF 2022

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The Whale - SPOILER-FREE Review | LFF 2022

Directed by: Darren Aronofsky

Written by: Samuel D. Hunter

Starring: Brendan Fraser, Hong Chau, Sadie Sink, Ty Simpkins, Samantha Morton

Runtime: 117 min

Synopsis: A reclusive English teacher suffering from severe obesity attempts to reconnect with his estranged teenage daughter for one last chance at redemption.

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The Son - SPOILER-FREE Review | LFF 2022

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The Son - SPOILER-FREE Review | LFF 2022

Directed by: Florian Zeller

Written by: Florian Zeller, Christopher Hampton

Starring: Hugh Jackman, Laura Dern, Vanessa Kirby, Zen McGrath, Anthony Hopkins

Runtime: 123 min

Synopsis: Peter (Hugh Jackman) has a busy life with new partner Beth (Vanessa Kirby) and their baby is thrown into disarray when his ex-wife Kate (Laura Dern) arrives with their troubled and distant teenage son, setting the family on a dangerous collision course.

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BARDO - SPOILER-FREE Review | LFF 2022

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BARDO - SPOILER-FREE Review | LFF 2022

Directed by: Alejandro G. Iñárritu

Written by: Alejandro G. Iñárritu, Nicolás Giacobone

Starring: Daniel Giménez Cacho, Griselda Siciliani, Ximena Lamadrid, Iker Sanchez Solano

Runtime: 163 min

Synopsis: Meet Silverio (Daniel Giménez Cacho), a filmmaker and journalist who has always sought to make socially relevant work that challenges, questions and exposes. When he receives the prestigious Alethea award from the American Society of Journalists, he returns home to Mexico to celebrate. However, ‘home’ isn’t easy to define when you’ve been living in the USA for 20 years and you can’t fathom what Mexico now means for you or your immediate family.

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Pinocchio (2022) - SPOILER-FREE Review

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Pinocchio (2022) - SPOILER-FREE Review

Directed by: Robert Zemeckis

Written by: Robert Zemeckis, Chris Weitz

Starring: Tom Hanks, Benjamin Evan Ainsworth, Joseph Gordon-Levitt, Keegan-Michael Key, Lorraine Bracco, Cynthia Erivo, Luke Evans, Kyanne Lamaya, Giuseppe Battiston, Lewin Lloyd

Runtime: 111 min

Synopsis: A live-action, CGI retelling of the beloved tale of a wooden puppet who embarks on a thrilling adventure to become a real boy. Tom Hanks stars as Geppetto, the woodcarver who builds and treats Pinocchio (Benjamin Evan Ainsworth) as if he were his real son. Joseph Gordon-Levitt is Jiminy Cricket, who serves as Pinocchio’s guide as well as his "conscience"; Cynthia Erivo is the Blue Fairy; Keegan-Michael Key is "Honest" John; Lorraine Bracco is Sofia the Seagull, a new character, and Luke Evans is The Coachman.

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