Category: reviews

THE LIGHTHOUSE (2019)

One half a slow, darkly funny buddy-sailor drama about isolation, one half a hallucinogenic, intense psychological nightmare.

Brilliantly disturbing performances from both Dafoe and Pattinson draped in gorgeous cinematography, stark imagery of tempestuous dread and unnerving sound design.

That it’s filmed in a square aspect ratio only further serves to make it feel like the horrifying relic of some dark, forgotten avenue of filmmaking.

Not for everyone, but those who can appreciate it will find a lot to chew on here.

Recommended for a stormy night.

by Thomas Scott Holland

THE WEDDING SINGER (1998)

You probably remember this as “one of the good Adam Sandler movies”. I know I sure did.

But I’m here to break it to you, bucko, that you only really remember the awesome soundtrack and that it’s a bad movie.

Not as outright terrible as a lot of Sandler films, but still a bad movie. Google Adam Sandler Movie Bingo instead and save yourself 96min.

by Thomas Scott Holland

DOCTOR SLEEP (2019)

A pitch perfect follow up to THE SHINING that makes the world of people gifted with the Shine much larger and much more dangerous.

Compelling characters, fantastic visuals and stylish direction from King champion Mike Flanagan.

A little slow at the start to build the world and populate it, but once it gets going it’s a great take on a classic.

Absolutely worth your time.

by Thomas Scott Holland

LIVING WITH YOURSELF s01 (2019)

What if MULTIPLICITY but Paul Rudd?

Feels like a drawn out BLACK MIRROR episode erring on this side of existential terror. It’s good, but didn’t delve into the scifi/identity crisis aspects as deeply as I’d have liked in any ways that haven’t been explored with more complexity elsewhere.

Still, worth a watch with potential for developments in seasons going forward.

by Thomas Scott Holland

TUCA & BERTIE s01 (2019)

Basically what would happen if you gave BROAD CITY a bunch of mushrooms and speed and then cast it with animated birds.

A rare thing to have a show about modern friendship told in such an irreverent, hallucinatory way that also highlights what’s possible with an animated medium when you skew hard for an adult audience.

It’s disappointing then that T&B didn’t get renewed and will remain a single season gem so full of energy and promise.

It’s fun and weird and really good and you should watch it.

by Thomas Scott Holland

BOJACK HORSEMAN s06 (2019)

As BOJACK goes this is by a wide margin the most existentially optimistic season, taking the time to explore each of the characters at turning points in their lives where they’ve mostly grown out of their old selves but are still feeling out where to go next and who they now are.

And knowing BOJACK one can’t help but feel uneasy, that this is the calm before some terrible storm, that all the work that’s been put in for everyone to pull themselves out of their black pits and to make genuine, earnest, earned progress… that all of it might be the setup for an even bigger fall. For a riotously funny show about anthropomorphised animals behaving more humanly than humans it always feels like it’s dangling over the edge of the abyss. It’s frequently a masterful exploration of the darker aspects of humanity and modern life, and a little reprieve from the earlier seasons’ heaviness is welcome.

So this season was emotionally hopeful, and if it ended here that could be enough in many ways. But, being BOJACK, something dark is waiting when the final stretch of episodes lands early next year. There are still consequences due.

by Thomas Scott Holland

TOY STORY 4 (2019)

The only place really left to go after the crescendo of TS3 was out into the wild, into the larger world, and in doing so opening up some bizarre questions about the nature of living toys and their identities.

Sure, it’s a fun and beautifully realized film but Pixar has once again instilled that wonder with mature questions that would sail over children’s heads and send their parents into existential crises.

Surprising that they managed to make such a compelling case in the fourth film, and with it create some of my now favourite characters from the whole franchise. Pixar really are the best of the best.

Not as emotionally heavy as #3, nonetheless highly recommended.

by Thomas Scott Holland

MEMORIES OF MURDER (2003)

A solid serial murder mystery decorated with some of the most infuriatingly incompetent police operating under the military dictatorship of Korea in the 1980s.

It’s good, but maybe a bit overshadowed in retrospect by the great things Director Bong Joon-Ho (PARASITE, THE HOST) would go on to make.

Still, worth your time, especially if true crime is your jam.

by Thomas Scott Holland

THOM YORKE // Orpheum Theatre, Vancouver // 21.10.2019

Another one for the bucket list, with a backing band of visual composer Tarik Barri and the inaugural “sixth” Radiohead member (and reputable producer in his own right) Nigel Godrich.

Absolutely synapse-searing visuals and great live versions from across Thom’s solo act, including Atoms For Peace, often chopped together so as to cram a tonne of material into a single set. Only thing missing from the set below is “Ladies&Gentlemen/2feetofftheground”, which isn’t available on Spotify.

From looking at other tour date setlists, the second encore is usually either something unreleased, a B-side, or a Radiohead track. We lucked out and got ‘Suspirium’.

SET PLAYLIST:

by Thomas Scott Holland

IN THE TALL GRASS (2019)

Another one for the Golden Age of Stephen King adaptations.

Two siblings hear a voice calling for help from within the long grass by the side of a road, but stepping in they suddenly find they can’t get back out.

Really minimalist and strange, as to be expected from director Vincenzo Natali (CUBE). Some of the CG is wonky and I feel like they could have gone even more minimal and not lost anything of value.

Was kind of expecting a bit more of a twist to the end to really drive home some cruel irony inherent to the story, but even lacking that it was an entertaining, trippy 100min.

It’s on Netflix now.

by Thomas Scott Holland