Eleanor Reviews

*** The world as we know it is under threat - time travel has been weaponised and World War Three is on the horizon... So, I've seen Tenet  and I have a question: what the bloody hell is going on? Actually, that's not true - I have many questions, but that's the main one. Upon returning from the cinema in a state of confusion and questioning my own intelligence, I took to the internet to uncover what I had just witnessed, and found that just about everyone else on the planet had spent the lengthy runtime going 'huh?'. This might partly be because Ludwig Göransson's score (no Hans Zimmer this time!) is at its loudest and most eardrum-popping when various characters are talking, or it simply might be that Christoper Nolan has created a film that is almost completely incoherent. I fear it may be the latter. It's not just that Tenet is less than the sum of its parts (there are some good sequences), it's that Nolan completely over-complicates an idea - becaus...

Director:  Andrew Patterson Cast:  Sierra McCormick, Jake Horowitz Where can I watch?:   The Vast of Night  is streaming on  Prime Video Rating:  3.5/5 Review:  As debuts go, Andrew Patterson's The Vast of Night is a pretty solid outing. Stripping away the graphics, explosions and outer-space drama that usually accompanies sci-fi films, Patterson brings it all back to basics with an eerie nighttime drama that cleverly utilises the static of retro televisions and blank screens to create a suspenseful, low budget watch. The cast is small, with just two central protagonists: arrogant radio host Everett (Jake Horowitz) and switchboard operator Fay (Sierra McCormick). Both have dreams of getting out of their old frontier town in New Mexico and, through very natural conversation (there's no forced exposition here!), their relationship develops as they begin to unpick the mysterious noise that's passing through the radio signals. Patterson foc...

***** In the midst of World War One, two young British soldiers are tasked with delivering a message that will save 1600 soldiers from certain death. Before 1917 was even released in the UK, it was already collecting accolades aplenty, with big wins at the Golden Globes in the first week of January. Plus, with nominations for Best Film and Best Director at the BAFTAs and almost guaranteed nods at the Oscars, it seems like Sam Mendes' foray into the war genre will be taking home yet more gongs before awards season is over. Naturally, when a film receives quite so much hype, the idea of going to see it can make me feel a little trepidatious - however, as a self-confessed lover of war films, there was no way I was going to miss this... I needn't have been worried: without a doubt, 1917 is one of the best films I've seen in a very long time. From the moment the central pair of young soldiers, Blake and Schofield (Dean-Charles Chapman and George MacKay, respec...

***/**** (3.5 stars) DVD release/Available to stream Disclaimer: The version I saw had been edited for content on an Emirates flight. Queen 's appearance at Live Aid is considered one of the most iconic musical performances of the 20th Century. And yet, it almost didn't happen. Charting their formation, meteoric rise and subsequent heartbreak, Bohemian Rhapsody tells the story of one of the world's most loved rock bands. Queen 's songs are the very definition of 'timeless'. I remember listening to We Are The Champions on cassette tape (yes, I am that old!) in my Dad's car as a child, and stomping my feet along to We Will Rock You. Once I attended a concert at the Emirates Stadium and, before the band came on, they played Bohemian Rhapsody on the loud speaker - every one of the thousands of people in the ground sang along at full volume (including the high notes of 'Galileo'!) and there may even have been some air guitar here ...

***** Following on directly from the cataclysmic events of Infinity War , Endgame finds our remaining heroes in a state of despair and depression. Setting aside their differences and disregarding the odds, the Avengers decide to reunite and undo Thanos' deeds. From the opening scene, directors Anthony and Joe Russo make it very clear that Endgame will be a wholly different experience to Infinity War . Whilst the latter was all spectacle, frivolity (apart from that one scene) and a sort of amazement at getting so many of these huge characters together in one space, the former has a far more sombre and reflective heart. It doesn't shy away from the grim conclusion of Infinity War nor trivialise it - the remaining Avengers haven't walked away unchanged, with one turning to alcoholism, one to group therapy and another desperately trying to keep team motivated and together. The first act is indeed a contemplative piece. With the coming of the second act, our h...

***** It's 1962. Tough guy bouncer, renowned 'bullshitter' and family man Tony Lip finds himself out of a job. When he receives a call from a doctor looking for a driver, he jumps at the chance. But Dr Don Shirley is no ordinary doctor, and his journey across the Deep South will be far from easy... There's not really any other way to say this, so I'll just come straight out with it: I loved Green Book . A poignant tale of injustice, it's strong central message shines out brightly without dipping into the realms of cliche - and this is thanks to both the eloquent, intelligent script and the outstanding performances from Viggo Mortensen as Tony Lip and Mahershala Ali as Dr Shirley. Blending the themes of sadness, strife and ignorance with our very human ability to laugh and connect with others, it resonates as a timeless tale of friendship in the face of continuing adversity. The addition of the visually striking musical pieces brings an extra ...

**** Arriving on the shores of Scotland, Mary Stuart moves to reclaim her title and her position as Queen. A Catholic and with a claim to the throne of England, she immediately poses a threat to Queen Elizabeth, a Protestant and the last of the House of Tudor.  The relationship between Mary Stuart and Elizabeth Tudor is one that has fascinated historians and artists alike for centuries. In a history that's dominated by male sovereigns, Mary and Elizabeth ruled alongside each other until Elizabeth had her cousin executed - surely that means that the two hated each other? In his play which premiered in 1800, Friedrich Schiller portrays Mary's last days, and the fraught relationship between the two women - one that is far from the 'black and white' dynamic that you might expect. Since then, numerous historians have revisited this momentous moment and dissected the connection between the two. One such biography is John Guy's Queen of Scots: The True Life ...

**** Whisked from her quiet, sheltered life in the country to the dizzying heights of Paris after marrying socialite Willy, Colette finds herself putting pen to paper when her husband's business begins to crumble. The resulting novel,  Claudine à l'école, is a resounding success - but it isn't Colette's name on the cover... Keira Knightley has been away from our screens for a little while. A problematic actress, she's somewhat renowned for her wooden performances and jutting jaw. However, she's back in sensational style as Colette, the remarkable woman who wrote some of the best-selling novels of the 20th Century on behalf of her husband, Willy (Dominic West). Something of a female bildungsroman, the film follows her from naive country girl to oppressed writer, fashion icon to pioneer of sexual expression - and Knightley captures each stage with subtle grace and understanding. Initially wide-eyed, she goes from rage at her husband's infid...

***/**** (3.5 stars) In the early 18th century, England as at war with France. In the Royal Palace, however, a much more dangerous battle is unfolding as two women vie for the affections of a frail Queen Anne. I like a clever film. I like quirky films, and unusual films and films that would be described as 'art house'. I appreciate that as much as a swirl of paint on canvas is a piece of art, a film can be one too. I enjoy being tested, educated and shocked by a film as much as I like to be entertained by one, and I like to think I don't confine my viewing experience to just one type of film.  Described as shocking, acerbic (a word that I shall now use all the time!) and heralded with a plethora of five star reviews, The Favourite certainly piqued my interest. Well, I was left wondering if I was missing something - was I not clever enough to find it as amazing as the work of other critics had led me believe? Do I just not appreciate art or cinematic maste...

***** When their husbands are killed in a botched heist, four widows form an unlikely alliance to overcome the debt left behind. In the hands of a less skilful or sensitive director, Widows  could have easily become a film rife with cliches and eye-rolling parody. Instead, with Steven McQueen behind the camera, this unassuming film has become, almost undoubtedly, one of the movies of the year. An articulate study of grief, social politics and female determination (as well as an impressive explosion or two along the way), Widows  makes for a gripping, emotionally intelligent piece of filmmaking. This isn't just a heist movie with females at the helm - it's a smart depiction of women under pressure, as well as the juxtaposition of the haves and have nots, and the corruptible nature of power. From the very opening, we are plunged into a world of violence and ruthlessness. Juxtaposing contrasting scenes of home life with the drama of a heist gone wrong, we find...

**** Living off-grid in a vast forest, Tom and her father have a quiet but happy existence. One day, a small mistake puts their way of life in jeopardy... Today, Post Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) is a part of public consciousness - no longer is it a shameful thing, but something that we, as a society, openly discuss and try to understand. Take BBC's record-breaking Bodyguard as an example - our central protagonist is suffering the effects of the life and experiences he endured in conflict and, at the show's conclusion, PTSD charities hoped that other sufferers would feel empowered to come forward and receive help. This is just one of the many on-screen depictions of PTSD in recent years, and now Leave No Trace can be added to that catalogue. However, the decision to view the world through the eyes of a thirteen-year-old girl (newcomer Thomasin McKenzie) makes this exploration into the aftermath of war a far more subtle and delicate affair. In fact,...

*** On July 20th 1969, Neil Armstrong became the first man to walk on the moon. In the years preceding this most iconic of events, he, NASA and his family overcame incredible odds - this is that story. It's a strange feeling to watch a film that you really, really wanted to see, only to find it to be somewhat disappointing. I want to make it clear from the start, however - First Man is in no way a bad film, it just failed to live up to my high expectations. And what expectations they were: a star-studded cast; an award-winning director; a real life story of love, loss and tragedy; and engrossing trailers with the enigmatic voice of John F. Kennedy telling us that we do these things 'not because they are easy, but because they are hard'. It held so much promise, and yet I found myself propelled from moments of wonder and tension, to scenes that almost made me fidget with boredom. Let's start with the good bits. It can't be denied that the scen...

*** After inadvertently becoming the host to an alien symbiote, Eddie Brock is forced to embrace the powers of the new being inside him in order to save the world from invasion. To say I have issues with Venom would be something of an understatement, so prepare yourself for something of a 'ranty' review. It's not that Venom is a bad film, it's just that it could've been so much more!  OK, first of all, let's talk about the rating. As it stands, this theatrical release has been awarded a 15 certificate, but it's clear from the way that the film has been cut and edited that some scenes or segments have been removed to obtain this rating. In short, the 'powers that be' have played it too safe, which juxtaposes the character of Eddie Brock (Tom Hardy) and Venom entirely. In comparison, Logan (also classified by the BBFC as a 15, but teetering on the edges of an 18) pushed the audience in terms of violence shown, which made it a brave, ...