Film Fight 2020: June

#FF20 The Orphanage follows an Afghan boy forced into a Russian-run Orphanage in the 1980s.

It switches between slice of life moments, surviving with bullies, to fantastical musical and action numbers, without breaking a sweat.

At times delightful, and others brutal.

Very good

— Gary Fleming (@garyfleming) June 4, 2020

#FF20 The Wrong Missy is moderately better than the sum of its parts. Where most recent Happy Madison comedies have been terrible, this is... fine

A little wrong-headed in places, but funny in others. If it's late, you've had a drink, and want something easy, this might work. Ok

— Gary Fleming (@garyfleming) June 16, 2020

#FF20 Da 5 Bloods is a solid film about friendship, ageing, trauma, and what motivates us.

The central cast are great, funny and well-fleshed out. The peripheral characters less so.

Longer than it needs to be, but not aggrevatingly so. A solid film.

— Gary Fleming (@garyfleming) June 16, 2020

#FF20 The Banker is a solid, historical drama about two of the earliest Black Americans to own a bank.

The core cast, Mackie in particular, are good, the pacing works well, and you'll be charmed by how they figure out how to beat a system that is against them.

Very watchable.

— Gary Fleming (@garyfleming) June 28, 2020

#FF20 Krabi, 2562 is a distant look at tourism and Thailand, against the backdrop of advertising, mysticism, and an unusual woman.

It sounds better than it is. Lingering shots of the environment are beautiful but boring. Nothing really goes anywhere, it's more about mood.

Skip.

— Gary Fleming (@garyfleming) June 28, 2020

#FF20 The Last Days of American Crime: I can accept the silly premise.

I can’t accept the awful dialogue, empty action, mountains of cliched plotting, awful characters, exposition, languid pacing etc.

If you’re going to overproduce a heist movie, do it in 90 minutes. Not 150.

— Gary Fleming (@garyfleming) June 28, 2020

#FF20 Eurovision Song Contest: The Story of Fire Saga is an almost entirely forgettable comedy.

The idea is fine, but there are too few laughs and too many things we've seen before for it to be lasting.

Dan Stevens and Graham Norton have the best moments.

Meh.

— Gary Fleming (@garyfleming) June 28, 2020

#FF20 The Ghost Who Walks follows a recently released convict trying to reconnect with his family, and avoid a hit.

It looks good, particularly the lighting and framing in action sequences, but it doesn't deliver. The wider cast are not great, and the writing is cliched.

Meh.

— Gary Fleming (@garyfleming) July 5, 2020