A Quiet Place (2018)

One of the most creative and innovative horror films I have seen in a long time, this is the story of a family whose very existence is under constant threat from a largely unseen adversary.

The film initially has a sort of post-apocalyptic feel, as the town in which we first meet this family seems completely deserted, but it isn’t long before we discover that something much more sinister is going on.

The town - and it seems, the world - has been overrun by aliens who seem hell-bent on destroying everything in their wake. The difference between the aliens in this film and those in every other film of the same genre is that these aliens are completely blind, and rely only on the sense of hearing to locate and destroy their prey.

And so, the means for survival is to remain absolutely silent at all times at all costs.

Evelyn (Emily Blunt) and Lee (John Krasinski).

Married couple Evelyn (Emily Blunt) and Lee (John Krasinski) have managed to survive for nearly ninety days at the beginning of the film, along with their three children Regan (Millicent Simmonds), Marcus (Noah Jupe) and Beau (Cade Woodward). Their daughter Regan is deaf, so the entire family communicate exclusively with Sign Language.

They also have many safeguards in place, and strategies for living silently, such as walking everywhere barefoot, and laying paths of sand on which to walk, all the way to painting footsteps on the floorboards of their house to identify the sections of floorboards that don’t creak.

After an horrific incident which takes the life of their youngest son, the family are very much on edge for the remainder of the film. Things seem to be going relatively smoothly, until Evelyn falls pregnant again (and giving birth in total silence is not going to be easy, not to mention keeping a newborn baby completely silent).

Beau (Cade Woodward).

The screenplay, by Bryan Woods & Scott Beck and director John Krasinski, is, as you would imagine, incredibly clever. Every detail has been meticulously crafted, and every pitfall and difficulty reasoned out. Seeing how this family manage to survive day to day while not making a sound is incredibly riveting, and the film is guaranteed to have you on the edge of your seat from the opening sequence all the way through to its remarkably moving conclusion.

Each character has more than their fair share of conflicts, both internal and external, and each also has their own distinct personality and approaches.

The score, composed by Marco Beltrami - what little there is of it - is absolutely superb. It is never complex or complicated, and the film is most definitely not overscored at any point. There is not a lot of music in the film, indeed the majority of the film’s soundtrack is completely silent, which only adds to the tension and suspense.

Regan (Millicent Simmonds).

Charlotte Bruus Christensen’s cinematography is up there with the best I have seen in recent times. Significant chunks of the film take place in near-total darkness, with light, dark, shadow and contrast all used brilliantly to add to the overall feel of the film. Camera angles and framing are used to their full potential to also bring about an overarching sense of unease and dread.

The performances of the cast are - without exception - spectacular. Krasinski and Blunt - who are also married in real life - both shine in their respective roles. The chemistry and connection between them is present in each and every moment. Simmonds - also hearing-impaired in real life - and Jupe are also brilliant in their roles, and have an ability that is far beyond their years.

Director John Krasinski has made a truly innovative film here, in which I notice different things every time I watch it. With most of the film taking place in complete silence, one cannot help but be glued to the screen for the duration. If you haven’t seen it yet, you definitely need to avail yourself of the opportunity as soon as possible.

9 out of 10.

Into the Woods (2014)

All your favourite classic fairy tales collide in this feature film adaptation of the Broadway musical with songs by Stephen Sondheim and book by James Lapine.

The intertwining of the various plot lines and characters is quite intricate, and I won’t go into great detail of them all here, but you are definitely in for a treat.

Or that would be true if you were just watching the show on Broadway. But somehow, this film version doesn’t quite measure up, despite an all-star cast, and usually brilliant director.

The show itself is very good, with clever dialogue and staging, and of course (as with any occasion when Sondheim puts pencil to manuscript paper) fantastically creative music that pushes boundaries and lyrics that boggle the mind with their incredible rhyming schemes.

Unfortunately, the same cannot be said of the film version. This feels like a mostly unnecessary addition to the ever-growing catalogue of Broadway show to film adaptations, and very few of the cast deliver their best in my opinion. (Please feel free to disagree with me in the comments, or whatever; I always appreciate the opportunity to discuss films and put my position to anyone who will listen, even if we may not see eye to eye on everything).

James Corden and Emily Blunt (playing a baker and his wife) - both of whom have proved themselves before in musical roles - fail to steal the show in the way these characters should. Rather, their bickering and arguing just becomes more and more tiresome as the film goes on, and their performances more and more grating.

Even those oft-lauded royalty of film, Meryl Streep and Johnny Depp, are less impressive than their previous films might lead one to believe.

The film is quite dark throughout (I mean dark as in low-light, in a cinematic sense), which while it suits the underlying themes of the show overall, feels a bit much after two hours of near darkness.

The only saving grace of this film version in my view is the music, which is of course identical to the music of the Broadway show.

If you get the opportunity to see this film, I wouldn’t necessarily suggest you take it. If you get the opportunity to see it performed on stage, make every possible effort to take it; you will enjoy yourself so much more.

5 out of 10.

Mary Poppins Returns (2018)

The wait is finally over. The sequel to the 1964 classic is here. And it is something to behold.

It is 30 years after the events of the original. Jane and Michael Banks (Emily Mortimer and Ben Whishaw) are now grown up. Michael has 3 children of his own: Anabel (Pixie Davies), John (Nathanael Saleh) and Georgie (Joel Dawson). Their mother has recently passed away, and their life is difficult to say the least.

It is into this situation that Mary Poppins (Emily Blunt) steps in to help sort things out.

Also in this film, we meet Jack (Lin-Manuel Miranda of Hamilton fame) who was an apprentice to Bert from the original film. He is a lamplighter in the streets of London, and has his own part in the ensuing adventures.

I won't say anything more about the plot, because I believe to do so would spoil your own enjoyment of this film. I thought long and hard about something I could say, or give away, but there really is nothing.

For fans of the original film, this film will give you that same enjoyment, as the tone and feel of the film are so similar, as Rob Marshall - the film's director - is a huge fan of the original, and has tried to create something that is so close to the original, but also goes further in telling the story of these characters. And he has done a wonderful job of that. If you are not a fan of the original film, I would advise you not to worry too much about seeing this one, as whatever it was that you didn't like about the first film will be just as present in this one, and you wouldn't like this, either.

But being a fan of the 1964 film myself, I loved this sequel. Emily Blunt is inspired casting at its best, and portrays this role made famous by Julie Andrews, with impeccable skill. Her portrayal of Mary is not completely identical to Julie Andrews, but she brings her own abilities to the fore throughout. And it is still very much the Mary Poppins we have known and loved for decades.

Speaking of inspired casting, Lin-Manuel Miranda is also incredible in his role. In fact, his first musical number - which appears right at the beginning of the film - is by far my favourite song in the entire film. I left the theatre humming the tune, and still at the time of writing this review have the words stuck in my head. And he even nails the Cockney accent!

The rest of the cast are great, too. There is not a person out of place in this film as far as I could tell. Other notable appearances include Meryl Streep, in a role that showcases her musical abilities in an even greater way that Into the Woods did years ago; Colin Firth as a truly believable villain, played in a not-too-understated way; and Karen Dotrice, the original Jane Banks, in a beautifully sweet cameo that fans of the original will love. Even Dick van Dyke makes an appearance, and shows that even at the age of 92, he can still pull off a ripper of a song and dance number.

Of course, one can't review a musical film such as this without talking about the songs. Marc Shaiman (music) and Scott Wittman (lyrics) have created some really fantastic moments throughout, even using Miranda's abilities with rap (again, think Hamilton) to great effect.

The animation sequences are done brilliantly, and again harken back to the original. All the voice cast have been chosen well, and there was not a moment where I doubted that the characters were truly in a magical world.

Everything about this film is a reminder of just how enjoyable the first film was all those years ago, and indeed, has been for years since and continues to be, while at the same time, bringing these characters and stories to a whole new generation of fans. I enjoyed almost every moment of it.

9 out of 10.