A great month for films, but not terribly good for the cinema. I only saw two of the six films at a cinema, and there was really not much to see on the big screen.
The Ballad of Buster Scruggs
#FF18 The Ballad of Buster Scruggs is a vignette of Coen Brothers treats: sometimes odd, sometimes dark, sometimes cheerful, always funny.
— Gary Fleming (@garyfleming) December 5, 2018
The ensemble cast does a great job of bringing a larger than life Western to the screen.
An excellent film.
Spider-Man: Into The Spider-Verse
#FF18 Spider-Man: Into The Spider-Verse is delightful.
— Gary Fleming (@garyfleming) December 9, 2018
The visuals are unique and effective: pop-art with big flourishes. The humour hits a good tone, a little knowing, but light. The characters and deliver work well.
An impressive and fun animated film. Very worth seeing.
Sorry To Bother You
#FF18 Sorry To Bother You is a sharp satire about selling out… except not quite.
— Gary Fleming (@garyfleming) December 9, 2018
The world it’s set in isn’t quite ours, but built exceptionally well. The comedy works, the cast, the direction, pacing. All great.
Go into this unspoiled. A must-see, film of the year contender.
Roma
#FF18 Roma is a masterpiece. At times, the story is understated and personal, and at others it speaks loudly, and devastatingly.
— Gary Fleming (@garyfleming) December 16, 2018
Technically excellent: long shots and a slow, sweeping camera make you an observer… until you can’t help but get drawn in.
Excellent. Must see.
Bird Box
#FF18 Bird Box is a surprisingly solid horror film with interesting takes on motherhood (as intended by the director), and several interpretations as to its allegory.
— Gary Fleming (@garyfleming) December 29, 2018
That aside, the premise works, the acting is good, it’s reasonably tense, and well made. A very watchable horror
Time Share
#FF18 Time Share is a slow but decent look at the pressures of capitalism and family in modern society.
— Gary Fleming (@garyfleming) December 31, 2018
Told through two almost disparate stories of couples struggling, it might seem comical at first but that quickly goes away.
Okay. Nothing really special.
The December Winner
A genuinely tough month with two film of the year contenders, but I think it has to be Roma. Beautifully shot, fantastically constructed, artful and technically brilliant, with moments of tension and profound sadness; I cried more than once.