Film Fight 2024: December

#FF24 Rumours is a slightly self-indulgent, dry, absurdist comedy about the political classes.

The humour is amusing in moments, but the whole thing doesn't hang together. It overstays it's very short run time, reiterating short bits on the same, thin material.

Meh.

— Gary Fleming (@garyfleming) March 2, 2025

#FF24 Juror #2 is a courtroom drama where we know early the outcome unless one man steps up.

Hoult gives a career best performance as the titular character, with Collette hardly slacking.

The rarest of films: one that arguably ends at exactly the right moment.

Very good.

— Gary Fleming (@garyfleming) March 2, 2025

#FF24 Carry-On is slightly better than your typical streaming service, action movie slop - but not by much.

Egerton is fine in the lead, but Bateman is clearly having a lot of fun.

Almost nothing in the film holds up to scrutiny, but it's fine for a couple of hours.

Okay.

— Gary Fleming (@garyfleming) March 2, 2025

#FF24 Dear Santa is a Christmas film you'll probably watch once.

Jack Black plays an over the top demon who grants a kid three wishes. Some of it plays out in a fun way, but it's mostly forgettable with some pretty terrible moments.

Meh.

— Gary Fleming (@garyfleming) March 2, 2025

#FF24 Subservience is part of the growing genre around lifelike robots that eventually turn to murder.

You'll see every single beat of this film coming, but that doesn't stop it occasionally being fun.

Fine.

— Gary Fleming (@garyfleming) March 2, 2025

#FF24 Red One, despite its short cinematic release, is the worst kind of streaming slop.

Clearly built with franchising in mind, it failed at the first step of being interesting, well-made, or vaguely sensible. With an enormous budget, you won't see any of it on screen.

Awful.

— Gary Fleming (@garyfleming) March 2, 2025

#FF24 Anora is torn between tense drama and black comedy.

Madison is excellent, managing the slight tonal shifts perfectly. The film is exciting, dark, (mostly) propulsive - and heading for an obvious conclusion. I have nits to pick, but this is well worth seeing.

Great.

— Gary Fleming (@garyfleming) March 2, 2025