Seven films for May.
All The Old Knives
#FF22 All The Old Knives is a very solid, mid-budget, spy thriller.
— Gary Fleming (@garyfleming) May 7, 2022
It, rightly, focusses on espionage and intrigue, rather than action. The cast (Chris Pine, Thandiwe Newton) do a great job of pulling you into the drama, as the narrative threads shift around.
Worth seeing.
The Contractor
#FF22 The Contractor fails to do much interesting with its premise.
— Gary Fleming (@garyfleming) May 8, 2022
The slow and uneven pace don't help with the vague stakes, and predictable plot turns. The action lacks energy; with most sequences feeling very staged. The cast can't do much.
It's not bad, it's very average.
Doctor Strange In The Multiverse Of Madness
#FF22 Doctor Strange In The Multiverse Of Madness is fine, if you enjoy Marvel films.
— Gary Fleming (@garyfleming) May 15, 2022
Raimi does a great job of injecting an 80s horror vibe, with a surprising amount of violence for the rating. It's a relative tame take on the multiverse, and not one well-explored
Fine.
Operation Mincemeat
#FF22 Operation Mincemeat is a historical drama focussing on espionage in WW2.
— Gary Fleming (@garyfleming) May 15, 2022
While it tells the story well enough, it doesn't go into any depth. All of the sharp edges have been sanded down, and a by-numbers romantic subplot bolted on. The cast are fine.
Decent if lightweight
Everything Everywhere All At Once
#FF22 Everything Everywhere All At Once is the kind of weird, fun sci-fi we need more of.
— Gary Fleming (@garyfleming) May 15, 2022
The cast helps the emotional weight of the story shine through, where it might have been lost to the wacky concepts. The directors are showing off with great nods to world cinema
Excellent
Jackass 4.5
#FF22 Jackass 4.5 does largely what you expect. As with the other .5 increments, it's a mix of making-of documentary and unused footage from the main film.
— Gary Fleming (@garyfleming) June 12, 2022
It's fun to see the chaotic thinking behind the scenes, but isn't going to be for everyone.
Fine.
Emergency
#FF22 Emergency plays with its tone well.
— Gary Fleming (@garyfleming) June 12, 2022
It has the setup of a college comedy, with an elaborate drinking quest but quickly it becomes something far more serious, flipping between moods.
Solid performances throughout but the fear/raw emotion in the last act is stunning.
Watch
The May Winner
The May winner is the unexpected brilliance of Everything Everywhere All At Once.