Okay, this is probably the biggest Film Fight to date, with a huge 14 films!
I, Tonya
#FF18 I, Tonya is an interesting biopic: the conflicting stories of the involved parties are used to frame the story in a way that works. The main performances are all very good, but the direction really stood out to me: kinetic, assured, full of subtle hooks. Very good.
— Gary Fleming (@garyfleming) March 4, 2018
Ravenous
#FF18 Ravenous is a French-Canadian zombie film that builds up some tense and brutal moments, littered with some lighter touches.
— Gary Fleming (@garyfleming) March 4, 2018
It’s gorey in places, but also a bit weird. The zombies here are… different. One of the best in the genre in a while. Worth seeing.
Red Sparrow
#FF18 Red Sparrow is a surprisingly decent spy thriller. It’s got some creepy characters and brutal moments, but shows the remarkably unsexy side of this kind of espionage.
— Gary Fleming (@garyfleming) March 4, 2018
Slow, measured, and assured, the plot plays out in a satisfying way, but doesn’t quite surprise. Good.
Game Night
#FF18 Game Night is a decent enough comedy, with enough big laughs to hold it after a somewhat quite start.
— Gary Fleming (@garyfleming) March 8, 2018
The cast is solid, but Jesse Plemons steals the show. Worth mentioning the neat (faked) one-shot in the middle too. Watchable.
You Were Never Really Here
#FF18 You Were Never Really Here is simultaneously repulsive and compelling; drawing us in with this story about trauma, whilst pushing us away with the results.
— Gary Fleming (@garyfleming) March 12, 2018
The score and audio mix is as disorientating as the choppy editing, reflecting the lead performance. Very good.
The Outsider
#FF18 The Outsider is cold, beautiful, but brutal.
— Gary Fleming (@garyfleming) March 13, 2018
Leto’s performance is too reserved to be affecting. There’s really nothing new here, plot-wise, but what we get is affecting through it’s precise cutting (not just a metaphor).
Okay, but not outstanding.
Mom and Dad
#FF18 Mom and Dad was remarkably dull given the absurd and extreme premise. It doesn’t seem interesting in following through.
— Gary Fleming (@garyfleming) March 17, 2018
There are moments of over-the-top silliness, but these are mired too many badly acted flashbacks. Avoid.
Annihilation
#FF18 Annilhilation has mysteries at its core but its the exploration thereof, rather than the answers, that provide the enjoyment.
— Gary Fleming (@garyfleming) March 17, 2018
It’s a little weird, very pretty, and well put together. Less accessible than Garland’s last film, but enjoyable nevertheless. Watch.
Pacific Rim: Uprising
#FF18 Pacific Rim: Uprising, Boyega aside, has some one-note performances, expositional dialogue, and plot holes aplenty.
— Gary Fleming (@garyfleming) March 24, 2018
The fights are still fun, and there was one bit I didn’t see coming (rare for me, these days). It’s dumb. Not as good as the original. Passable.
Ready Player One
#FF18 Ready Player One tries to use nostalgia and frantic things happening, instead of any real plot or character development.
— Gary Fleming (@garyfleming) March 29, 2018
An awful opening hour due to lengthy exposition, a flabby runtime, and one-note villains. It has fun moments but is mostly empty. Skip.
Game Over, Man!
#FF18 Game Over, Man! is part gross-out comedy, part dumb action comedy. It takes too long to get passed some tiresome stoner-humour, but once it does the blend of action and comedy works surprisingly well.
— Gary Fleming (@garyfleming) March 31, 2018
Far from a classic, decent entertainment when you want something light.
First Match
#FF18 First Match is the story of a girl who decides to take up wrestling to try and reconnect with her father.
— Gary Fleming (@garyfleming) March 31, 2018
It’s a masterclass in telling a story without exposition. Relationships are often conveyed in glances and camera moves.
Subtle, sad, powerful, hard. Very good film.
Blockers
#FF18 Blockers is, at best, a so-so comedy. The premise and continuation thereof is not so much farcical as flimsy. The kids do a decent job but the adults, who have all done much better, fail to deliver pretty much any laughs here.
— Gary Fleming (@garyfleming) March 31, 2018
Hollow, dull, and done before. Skip this.
Happy Anniversary
#FF18 Happy Anniversary is a pretty decent indie romcom. There are moments where the perceived slights are a little cliche but, on the whole, it works as a light-hearted relationship critique; with just enough chemistry to work.
— Gary Fleming (@garyfleming) March 31, 2018
Not perfect, but works well in the short runtime.
The March Winner
Despite a couple of clunkers, there’s a tonne of great films here, so it’s hard to pick a winner. First Match was really close to winning, but I think I, Tonya edges it for the excellent direction, odd framing (that works), and fantastic lead performances.