Film Fight 2024: February

#FF24 Self Reliance is an interesting, and slightly odd, dark comedy about a man who volunteers to be hunted for money.

The film keeps you guessing about a number of aspects of the game that is being played. Johnson and Kendrick keep you engaged throughout.

Good comedy.

— Gary Fleming (@garyfleming) February 25, 2024

#FF24 American Fiction is an excellent look at society's expectations of race and the prejudice therein.

Wright is excellent, playing comedy and drama equally well, through very light and dark moments. As well as the more overt statements, it has a rich subtext too.

Very good.

— Gary Fleming (@garyfleming) February 25, 2024

#FF24 Suncoast is a family drama about a girl whose brother is terminally ill.

It doesn't always find the right tone, and much is about her trying to live her life, rather than a tightly plotted drama - it moves at an okay pace. Linney is excellent as the mother.

Okay.

— Gary Fleming (@garyfleming) February 25, 2024

#FF24 The Iron Claw looks at the real wrestling family who faced tragedy after tragedy.

The entire cast sell the film incredibly well: physically and in delivery, both in and out of the ring; this could be Efron's best work. One ill-judged dream sequence aside, it's very good.

— Gary Fleming (@garyfleming) February 25, 2024

#FF24 The Zone Of Interest is a powerful look at the Nazis living next door to Auschwitz.

Much of the film is relatively (and intentionally) mundane; dealing with petty family moments, party politics, and life. But the dark underbelly is there and disturbing. Not easy

Excellent

— Gary Fleming (@garyfleming) February 25, 2024

#FF24 Wicked Little Letters is amusing, as it looks at how class and prejudice affected a real case of poison letters.

Colman/Buckley are strong and keep the film moving. The plot, though, is pretty predictable. The letters are mostly too chaste to be consistently comedic.

Fine

— Gary Fleming (@garyfleming) February 25, 2024