VOD: The Green Knight (dir: David Lowery, 2021)

"Are you real or are you a spirit?"
"What is the difference?"

The style of the opening sixty seconds will determine whether or not this long-haul film is for you.  The film condenses the medieval epic poem quite effectively and conveys the literal and internal journeys of Sir Gawain to meet his fate at the hands of The Green Knight one year after their initial encounter.   The film  lurches between tone poem, blockbuster-ambition visuals (the short 'giants' sequence is stunning) and stylised artistry, but it maintains a careful and thoughtful feel and pace throughout.  Use of camera is never dull, background action and art direction never fail to interest, and David Lowery has a clear vision of how to tell this story, all held together by another mature and compelling performance from Dev Patel.  The film demands patience but it is quietly rewarding.
 

VOD: The Conjuring 3 - The Devil Made Me Do It (dir: Michael Chaves, 2021)

"Being brave doesn't mean you're not scared."

Starting with the Warrens attending the exorcism of an eight-year-old boy in 1981, the lively opening throws in everything from The Exorcist to The Amityville Horror to Poltergeist.  As the possession passes to the older brother, who is subsequently arrested for a vicious murder, the Warrens are charged with proving that 'the devil made him do it' and subsequently discover the case is not as straightforward as it might seem.  Rooted in true events, this third film in the main series is the lesser of the three, lacking the real rollercoaster jolts of the first film and the artistic chills of the second.  The focus on the Warrens' investigations takes much time away from the potentially-interesting possessed character, and the opening up of the narrative sacrifices the claustrophobic intensity of the first two films.  Wilson and Farmiga are as reliable as ever if a little subdued here, but overall this entry feels somewhat more routine and workaday than the first two Conjuring movies.
 

DVD: Black Widow (dir: Cate Shortland, 2021)

"Your pain surely makes you stronger."

If you are wondering why Marvel chose to kick off Phase Four of the MCU with this belated flashback solo outing for Johannson's Black Widow, you have to wait for a beautiful additional scene at the very end of the credits (which also ties the film in to the newly-minted TV series outings which this film's original 2020 release would have pre-dated), but for the movie itself it surpasses expectations by being very strong indeed.  First, it is a very well-controlled movie to watch, with direction that is evidently confident and creative throughout, and as an action movie it certainly delivers very well in its sharply-delivered set pieces.  Johannson and Florence Pugh make for a great 'sisters' double-act with their spiky love-hate verbal sparring, action-duo fighting and genuine connection on screen, with Pugh often scene-stealing effortlessly which bodes well for her involvement with future MCU stories, and the addition of David Harbour as the ageing Red Guardian is hugely entertaining.  The overall story is disappointingly somewhat thin, and the villain of the piece is very cartoonish, but these blips are more than compensated for by the wonderful dysfunctional family created here and its well-delivered action.
 

VOD: Everybody's Talking About Jamie (dirs: Jonathan Butterell, Dan Gillespie Sells and Tom MacRae, 2021)

"I don't want to be a drag queen.  I have to be one."

From BBC TV documentary to hit stage musical and now film, Everybody's Talking About Jamie makes the musical transition to the big screen in this colourful, featherlight and enjoyable confection.  Juxtaposed with the film's very grounded and very British setting, the slick music and MTV-friendly production numbers sound very much an eye is kept on the American market with its mix of frothy dance-pop and schlock-Broadway.  It is warm, funny and entertaining, but it also conveys a sense of LGBTQ heritage effectively, and the real world only occasionally intrudes into this somewhat romanticised vision of events.  There are some delightful performances to enjoy here, including an effervescent turn from Max Harwood in the central role, Lauren Patel as his best friend, Sarah Lancashire in the best loving-mother mode, Sam Bottomley as Jamie's nemesis and Richard E. Grant as veteran drag queen Hugo who takes Jamie under his wing.  Being a typical film musical, the big goofy feelgood finale delivers, and this film adaptation of Jamie conveys its messages of equality and acceptance in a warm-hearted and engaging manner overall.
 

VOD: Chaos Walking (dir: Doug Liman, 2021)

"I can hear everything you're thinking, you dumb s**t!"

Directed by Doug Liman, co-written by Patrick Ness, based on the hit YA novel and starring Tom Holland - what could possibly go wrong?  Set in 2257AD on a planet colony where the women have been killed by attacking locals/aliens and all internal thoughts can be heard as a running (voiceover) commentary (and indicated by a CGI haze effect around the speaker's head).  The problem when developing the film apparently lay in realising this central conceit on film, and whilst it is a real attempt to achieve it effectively, it makes for an often messy and annoying viewing experience.  The overall story is a fairly straightforward cat-and-mouse hunt, but the world-creating is done reasonably well.  Tom Holland is as energetic, committed and engagingly watchable as ever, wringing the last drop out of whatever scraps are available, but sadly Daisy Ridley almost fails to register in a very underwritten role as the crash-landed female being hunted down by this utterly patriarchal society.  Chaos Walking is not the disaster that some critics have made it out to be, but it is not especially enjoyable or entertaining.
 

VOD: Wrong Turn (2021) (dir: Mike P. Nelson, 2021)

"These are clearly not good people."

In this reboot/reimagining of the relatively recent horror VOD stalwart franchise, Wrong Turn 2021 starts as expected with our six multi-demographic-friendly roadtrippers antagonising some grizzled locals in a bar before venturing into the remotest woods on the Appalacian Trail and, er, taking a wrong turn into a hidden society with appallingly gruesome consequences for all.   At times more restrained and sombre than the old-school thrills of the original, this version nonetheless delivers on some ferocious gore gags and the increasingly claustrophobic camerawork works well.  Here, the film veers into Tucker and Dale vs. Evil territory by questioning who are the real villains in its early stages, but ultimately the viewer is positioned into feeling little sympathy for either the youngsters or the isolated society, and as such it is simply a matter of seeing who remains standing at the (unsurprising) coda.  To its credit, the 2021 movie tries something a bit different within the very basic framework, but really it is just another way of delivering more of the same efficiently.
 

VOD: Mortal Kombat (2021) (dir: Simon McQuoid, 2021)

"I'm not the fighter that I used to be."

With its main aim of delivering a full-blooded cinematic version of the classic videogame franchise, this 2021 movie version certainly delivers on copious digital splatter.  With MMA and superhero elements brought to the fore for the contemporary audience, the mythology of competing dimensions coming together to decide the generations-long battle for control of 'EarthWorld' feels rather simplified and thin, the acting performances will certainly not be troubling any Oscar voters' lists, and the wayward music soundtrack annoys when it suddenly veers too self-consciously into videogame-style.  Nevertheless, there are merits to be found, from the nicely-mounted historical opening sequence to some contained and well-choreographed fight set pieces, sweeping location work and a deliciously freewheeling performance by Josh Lawson as the hilariously direct war-worn mercenary Kano.  This may be another videogame adaptation about which it is easy to say that playing the game is more engaging than watching the film (like the recent film attempts at Tomb Raider and Assassin's Creed), and Mortal Kombat 2021 rarely rises above adequate, but it passes its time in a moderately entertaining manner for its type.
 

VOD: The Voyeurs (dir: Michael Mohan, 2021)

"To wonderful, terrible decisions..."

In what appears to be Amazon Studios' answer to the Netflix hit 365 Days, this equally lurid and silly potboiler may be an example of a new sub-genre, the depressing erotic thriller, and whilst skimpy on the latter two elements, The Voyeurs offers plenty to be glum about.  An unconvincingly chipper young couple move into a Montreal loft-style apartment (no curtains of course) and become fascinated by the sexual antics of the couple in the opposite building, which leads inevitably to their lives intertwining, obsession, jealousy, infidelity and then takes some very dark turns in the second half.  The theme of watching is hammered home bluntly and mercilessly - the naive woman is an ophthalmologist (bizarrely, but crucial to the story) and the predatory young man is a photographer - and even the not-so-surprise big plot twist manages to throw in comment on our careless use of consent in the modern world.  The film is let down by the dull writing and unengaging performances (with only Brit Ben Hardy delivering a convincing character as the photographer), although it is quite well shot, and the melodramatic finale brings this daft and messy story to a suitably eye-rolling conclusion,

 

VOD: A Quiet Place Part II (dir: John Krasinski, 2021)

"It just works."

Following the creative and financial success of A Quiet Place, the prospect of a worthy or even necessary sequel being delivered was a concern, but Part II juggles extremely effectively the demands of balancing the elements that made the original film work and a mild but sympathetic world expansion.  The sequel opens with a blistering flashback to Day 1 - the creatures' arrival - in an energetically dynamic and attention-grabbing showstopper sequence, and then picks up directly the story following on from the first film.  Krasinski proves again to be a bold and brave director which makes this film so engaging, Emily Blunt again immerses herself in the situations and character so effectively, but even more striking in this sequel are the older children played by Millicent Simmonds and Noah Jupe, who both have to carry some charged and challenging scenes and succeed admirably.  The use of parallel narratives is very well-handled, and not only is the use of sound (or its absence) again so striking and powerful here, Marco Beltrami's glorious and beautifully haunting score is a real pleasure.  The ending may be a bit abrupt and sequel-baiting, but overall A Quiet Place Part II really delivers.
 

VOD: Cruella (dir: Craig Gillespie, 2021)

"Don't cry."
"I'm not."
"You will."

Disney pretty much nailed its sweet live-action 101 Dalmatians films, and whilst this lavish and extravagant (almost to the point of indulgence) prequel is extremely well-made in every respect, it is rather long and perhaps a little unnecessary.  In a riff on The Devil Wears Prada, orphaned and abandoned Estella (excellent work from Emma Stone) falls in with a Disneyesque gang of petty London villains and pursues her dream career in fashion design, falling under the wing of a monstrous but celebrated designer (played with precise relish by Emma Thompson).  The trainee usurps the mistress, family secrets unravel and many twisty plot turns make story dense and engaging, and although this need to explain the character's development and motivations is exhaustive in detail the simplistic time-worn nature vs. nurture debate is never far away, and the criticisms of the portrayal of mental health issues in the film are partly valid if a little overstated.  Cruella is well-written, effectively delivered on all fronts and great to look at, but its existence does not necessarily convince as an artistic extension of the property rather than a cash-grab.
 

VOD: Peter Rabbit 2 (dir: Will Gluck, 2021)

"...and that's why adults shouldn't do kids' stuff!"

Peter Rabbit 2 was one of the first films to open in cinemas following the extended pandemic closure, and it proves to be a very safe bet, as it is simply more of the same formula delivered by the first film, with returning director Gluck and human leads Gleeson and Byrne together with voice lead Corden all returning to familiar territory.  It is gently entertaining, with David Oyelowo providing a suitably pantomimic antagonist as a money-grabbing franchise-building publisher which makes for some mild comment on artistic exploitation, but overall it is all about the cute CGI creatures - again, very well realised and integrated - as they venture into the big city on various Dickensian-style adventures, and on that score the film delivers well for its young target audience.