Category: reviews

EL CAMINO: A Breaking Bad Film (2019)

Poor, poor Jesse Pinkman.

Of everyone in Breaking Bad he really got it the hardest, and while his final moments in the series were of a kind of ecstatic, cathartic release after all he’d suffered his story was still always overshadowed by Walt’s.

Great then to spend some more time with him both as a retrospective on what made BB such a brilliant show and as a way to give Jesse and a handful of the supporting characters one last moment in the sun.

If you’re a fan of the show you’ll probably have already watched it like everyone else this weekend. Highly recommended.

by Thomas Scott Holland

BIG MOUTH s03 (2019)

Feels a little more refined in its exploration of middle school life, having stripped back a few of the more superfluous characters (Coach Steve) to give more screentime for the good hormone monsters and the changing friendship dynamics of the core group.

Still a better sex ed class than anything I remember from highschool, funny that such a crass, gross show would also manage to be very much progressive and open in discussing the change to adulthood and all the mess that comes with it. Some sidesplitting gags in there and some hilariously inappropriate musical numbers.

If you didn’t like the prior seasons you might find this one a bit less weird for the sake of weird and a bit more focused, if you liked the previous two seasons you’ll enjoy this one too.

Felt like it’s been readying itself to step up to bigger things or evolve and grow with the kids, I’d be interested to know how they’re aiming to approach future seasons.

by Thomas Scott Holland

IN THE SHADOW OF THE MOON (2019)

Promises a complex mythos of a time-travelling serial killer early on and then just sort of shoves it over the line in the end — having someone explain the pretense to you in two mintues will probably stimulate the same amount of intruigue as the whole two hour runtime.

For a time travel movie it’s incredibly linear, and too shallow in its rules and consequences. Figured out the plot about 20min in and none of the other stuff was really fascinating in its own right.

It’s fine, but PREDESTINATION is still the gold standard for this sort of movie and you should watch that instead.

by Thomas Scott Holland

HIGH LIFE (2018)

Uncomfortable and confronting, full of surrealism, body horror, disturbing psychosexual imagery and violence.

Some fantastic visuals and good design wrapping around a minimal, slow tone and dark, weird story choices.

More SOLARIS than INTERSTELLAR, definitely not for everyone.

Don’t know if I liked it, but it was certainly interesting.

by Thomas Scott Holland

BACURAU (2019)

If Robert Rodriguez or Quentin Tarantino were scruffy indie filmmakers in near-future Brazil, this would be right at home in their collection.

Brought together by the death of their matriarch and then set upon by foreigners, the tiny town of Bacurau turns out to be anything but the quaint speck on the map it presents itself as.

Great tone and place and sense of community personality, every character feels real even if they never get a single line. Feels like part SERIES 7, part BLACK MIRROR, part BATTLE ROYALE.

Loose and rough and charming. Great fun, especially watching with a crowd of Brazilians who’ve taken up its spirit against their corrupt government and have been rallying around it.

Definitely check it out.

by Thomas Scott Holland

KINGDOM s01 (2019)

South Korean feudal era zombie series.

That’s about the gist, and it’s great!

A fun take on the genre with a good spin on the creatures that sets up a tonne of intrigue and possibility for seasons moving forward.

The worst part of which is now having to wait for them.

by Thomas Scott Holland

PARASITE (2019)

Bong Joon Ho (OKJA, SNOWPIERCER) is one of those directors whose projects vary so wildly from one another as well as within their own runtimes that it’s a disservice to try and say something like “oh, it’s a social commentary con-artist movie comedy thriller I guess?”

Every film of his is its own rollercoaster through genre, tone and style and 2019 Palm d’Or winner PARASITE is probably the very best example — having just stepped out of it I’m at a loss to describe it in any way meaningful beyond a very strong recommendation and that this would have to be his best film in a cadre of great films.

I skipped the trailer, you should too, just go in for a wonderful, hilarious, dark ride.

by Thomas Scott Holland

FLEABAG (2016/19)

A few weeks ago I wondered who is this Phoebe Waller-Bridge person whose name keeps coming up everywhere?

Having now watched the two seasons of FLEABAG (which she wrote and stars in) over as many days, I get it. She’s a big big talent. And this show is absolutely killer.

Funny, dark, more than a little mean spirited but also sincerely affecting and executed with a deft hand.

The hype is justifiable. It’s fantastic. Go find it.

by Thomas Scott Holland

DEERSKIN (2019)

If you only watch one movie about a lonely man and his love affair with a jacket and also the jacket wants to be the only jacket in the world, make it this one.

From the guy who brought you RUBBER (a movie that I fell asleep partway through and never returned to) comes something so delightfully surreal and odd and continually surprising that it can’t help but be charming.

Much of the fun of it hinges on the boundless charisma of Jean Dujardin (THE ARTIST, CAIRO: NEST OF SPIES) but as a tiny indie film that knows its scope and works with it, this was a great time.

Best enjoyed knowing absolutely nothing more about the premise or plot.

by Thomas Scott Holland