Movie musings - February 2024

Here are some musings on some current topics in movie, TV and pop culture. 

Movie Budgets

Hollywood needs to reign in their budgets. Last year we had Godzilla Minus One from Toho Studios cost $15 million dollars. The Creator by Gareth Edwards for $83 million. 

Gone are the days that movies automatically make a billion dollars now. $500 million is the new billion. 

Fast X cost $340 million!! Indiana Jones and the Dial of Destiny cost £295 million, MI: Dead Reckoning, $291 million, this has got to STOP!

We need film makers and studios to go back to basics, approach franchises the way say A24 would, make a Terminator movie for $80 million. Universal has just taken on Gareth Edwards to direct and fast track the new Jurassic World movie for 2025 (Why we need ANOTHER one, I don't know) but he's the guy to do it, experience in creature features as well as getting a movie that looks like it was made for $300 million be made for $120 million (The Creator as above).

Legacy Sequels

Legacy sequels, they've been around longer than you think. One of the first was The Color of Money (1986) a sequel to The Hustler (1961). In the past 10 years or so they have enabled us to re-visit such beloved franchises as Star Wars, Indiana Jones, Rocky, Blade Runner, The Matrix, Scream, Ghostbusters and Top Gun. 

Legacy sequels aren't going anywhere, a quick glance at this years release schedule confirms that. 2024 will bring us the likes of Beetlejuice 2, Ghostbusters: Frozen Empire, Gladiator 2, and Twisters (Although the latter does not star any of the original cast...that I know of yet!)

Please Hollywood use this type of movie sparingly. They can be so amazing, Top Gun: Maverick (2022) and so not The Matrix Resurrections (2021). Do it for the right reasons, not just an exercise in dropping fan boy member berries. 

Comic Book Movies - the MCU

From the year 2000 to 2018, comic book movies reigned supreme. They were event movies, audience members soon learned to stay behind for post-credit scenes which became as big a feature as the movie that had just finished. What's happened? We've gone from Thor's hammer or Cap in Times Square to Harry Styles!! Anyway, I can distinctly remember the thrilling end to Avengers: Endgame (2019) "Avengers...Assemble - Captain America" it made me feel like I was a little boy at the cinema again.

Then after The Avengers: Endgame (2019) what the hell happened? I once heard it coined perfectly, "The MCU after Endgame feels like you've completed the main missions of a game and now all you've got is side quests". 

I would say the following has contributed to the MCU's fall from grace;

• Thanks to Disney execs wanting "More More More!!" Kevin Feige and his creative team have been stretched too thin. Having to create more and more content (For the big and small screen) has led to a noticeable drop in quality.
• Asking that audience members sit through so much content to get the full experience of the movie has stripped away the pleasure of just enjoying a movie on it's own merits.
• The "Infinity Saga" was pitch perfect. Introduce each main character and then sequentially lead up to the glorious finale that was Endgame. What made the "Infinity Saga" so great? Were they all amazing movies? No. But there was direction, and an end goal which the new saga has been sorely lacking. We also cared deeply about the characters and their individual arcs. Sorry but there has been no match or replacement for the charisma, charm and likeability of the OG Avengers in the new phases.
• The "Multiverse saga" has been an absolute mess. If the new saga consisted of nothing but new properties that would be one thing, but a lot of the worst entries of phases 4 and 5 (so far) have featured characters established in phases 1 to 3, Ant-Man, Doctor Strange, Thor, Black Panther and Captain Marvel. 
• To compound the issue such mis-fires as Eternals, (which was supposed to be one of the heavy hitters post Infinity War) massively split critics and fans alike. For the record, I did not like it. That celestial in the ocean is still sitting there! 
• Having said that there have been some good entries such as the Spider-Man films, Loki (S1 & S2), Wandavision and What If? at least they have felt like the MCU of old.

So what can they do? Well to steady the ship Feige & Co are only releasing one movie this year, Deadpool & Wolverine. Similar to Superman Legacy for DCU (see below), D&W needs to absolutely crush it and also act as a reset of sorts for the ailing franchise. I really liked the trailer but want the new movie to be as gritty and violent as the first Deadpool and fear it looks a little too clean.

On the small screen we have two series left this year, X-Men 97 (Animated) and Agatha (A frankly un-needed spin off from Wandavision). Much like Star Wars (See below) they need to continue to spread out the content and make their properties event movies and required viewing for their TV series once more. People need to get hungry for MCU content again and this will only happen when the quality of the work increases.

Comic Book Movies - the DCU & Elseworlds

The DCEU is dead, long live the DCU. How long the DCU will live depends very much on the first instalment of James Gunn/Peter Safran's re-imagined universe, Superman Legacy due for 2025. If Superman soars (pun intended!) they are off to a flying start (another pun!!). However if it tanks, or even if it has a fair to middling reception and box office, the DCU could be dead before it even has a chance to live. 

One final point, I'm not massively crazy on Gunn directing the first movie out of the gate whilst also being essentially the Feige equivalent. Imagine if Kevin Feige also directed Iron Man (2008)? That's essentially what is happening here. In a sense Gunn can't win. If Superman Legacy tanks (and lets say for argument sake the DCU carries on!) and another director takes over and his or her film is success then that undermines Gunn. If Gunn's Superman Legacy is a success, that means he will have very clearly set out his vision not only for that movie but the proceeding universe. This leads me to question how much creative freedom will subsequent directors have, will they have to toe the line with Gunn's vision or will be be able to go their own way?

As for DC Elseworlds, I have really liked the two single movie entries so far, The Joker (2019) which bagged Phoenix a Best Actor Oscar and $1 Billion at BO was a runaway success. Matt Reeve's The Batman (2022) starring Robert Patterson is easily one of my favourite cinema experiences of the last few years. This was also very well received and earned nearly $900M worldwide. In my book DC Elseworlds just needs to carry on what it's doing, in releasing one quality film after another, but just keep it to the main characters and whatever they do don't be tempted to create a universe to connect them.

Star Wars

Remember back with the MCU I said that Disney execs said they wanted more, more, more? Well the same can be applied to the franchise from a galaxy far far away. I can remember watching Star Wars on VHS when I was a lad of about five in 1981, having seen that film I soon begged my parents to hire the sequel The Empire Strikes Back. Then I have a newspaper cutting advertising the last film in the trilogy "The Return of the Jedi" due for release in 1983. I was so incredibly excited to watch the last instalment, as a result the classic trilogy has been etched into my mind forever. 

Fast forward to 1996 and I could not believe George Lucas was hard at work on a new prequel trilogy of movies, "Oh my god I thought, we are going to find out how Anakin became Vader!!" And so in 1999, sixteen years after the last cinematic entry "Star Wars: The Phantom Menace" was released. Now with exception of the amazing end lightsaber fight with Darth Maul that movie was a trade negotiations dud and in my opinion was followed by two other duds (Although Revenge of the Sith has shades of greatness). 

Then, well let's just say a classic Star Wars quotes sums it up;

"For over a thousand generations, the Jedi knights were the guardians of peace and justice in the old Republic... before the dark times... before the empire" - Obi-Wan Kenobi 

He could as well have been saying;

"For over 35 years, Star Wars was adored by fans young and old alike...before the dark times...before Disney"

Disney has ruined Star Wars. It has not only produced at best varied content, it has also split the fan base and made it more toxic living on Cyrkon. Okay before I have a bit a of rant I will say off the bat that I loved The Mandalorian, season 1 and 2 and Andor season 1. Ok good stuff over, the rest in my book is crap film and TV alike. 

The sequel trilogy was a total mess. The Force Awakens was arguably the best of the bunch but they killed off Han Solo (I know it at Ford's request), but not once did Han, Luke and Leia share screen time I mean what was J.J. Abrams thinking?? The Last Jedi was a bold but extremely divisive swing on the part of Ryan Johnston. The last one, The Rise of Skywalker was an absolute disaster that nearly ruined the entire franchise and frankly shit on the memory of the classic trilogy. 

The Star Wars output on the small screen has also been an extremely mixed bag. I've already touched on the high point of The Mandalorian and Andor but the other series' have by and large been misfires. The problem with the Disney+ series' is they have tried to plug the gap in holes that didn't need filling. 

Boba Fett, the ultra-cool and mysterious bounty hunter from Jedi dies a noble death at the hands (or tentacles) of the Sarlacc pit. He's dead that's it. But no, Disney have to carve a series out of how he escaped and give us a series that by half way through they had run of material for the titular character and had to call in relief pitcher Mando to pick up the slack (Arguably the best episodes of that series). Incidentally those two episodes of Boba Fett featuring Mando and Grogu were better than the entire 3rd season of The Mandalorian. 

Obi-Wan was a very frustrating series. This should have been the big one, and undeniably it did have some good scenes between Vader/Anakin and Obi Wan that tried to bridge the gap between Sith and A New Hope and it gave Hayden Christensen somewhat of a new lease of life with fans. But the whole additional redemption arc of Reeva just wasn't needed and should have been if anything a series for that character alone. (Strong actress let down by weak material).

The other live action series I saw was Ashoka. Having never seen any of the animated Star Wars series I did not have any attachment to the characters in this series. I equally didn't really have any attachment to the characters in Rogue One: A Star Wars Story (2016) but that didn't stop me loving Andor. I didn't however love this, I found it to be extremely wooden, over serious and flat and even though as I say did not know the history and lore of characters thought the reunion between Ezra and Sabine to be so under cooked it was raw!

Star Trek

Along with Star Wars I also grew up with Star Trek: The Next Generation, and yes you can love both, and for those of you who say you can't you're an idiot, or petaQ in Klingon or Di'kut in Mandalorian. I also loved Star Trek: Deep Space Nine, Star Trek: Voyager but the Next Gen crew were my crew. I also have in more recent years watched the classic series which I loved. 

Favourite Star Trek movies, classic crew - The Wrath of Khan and The Voyage Home. 

Favourite Star Trek Next Gen movie - First Contact. 

I was nervous to hear that they were planning a news series with Picard, this feeling was confirmed with a terrible first season, even worse second. However, showrunner Terry Matalas took over for season 3 and produced arguably one of the greatest seasons of Star Trek ever, re-uniting the Next Gen crew in a superb way that gave each member of the cast time to shine as well being an awesome adventure with the beloved team.

Kudos as well to the cast and crew of Star Trek: Strange New Worlds. Having seen season two last year this series got Star Trek (After the frankly violent and weird Star Trek: Discovery) back to basics. Telling the story of the USS Enterprise before Kirk under the direction of Captain Christopher Pike (The amazing Anson Mount). Good old fashioned bread-and-butter planet per week moral adventures.

Finally as for the movies, I enjoyed the new Star Trek movies with Chris Pine et al, but think Star Trek has and will always will be best on the small screen.

Doctor Who

My first doctor was Matt Smith, I loved his tenure (albeit being a bit weaker at the end). On the strength of his episodes, I watched the series from Christopher Eccleston onwards. David Tennant soon became a joint favourite with Smith. Peter Capaldi made for a doctor with much more age and gravitas but was let down with weak episodes and storylines. I did like his last season with though with Bill as his companion.

As for Jodie Whittaker's time in the Tardis, I could not get past the first few episodes, nothing against Whittaker she is a very good actress (and its not because she is a woman!!), I just found the writing to be abysmal. I understand from friends who saw her adventures that her tenure in the Tardis was weakest since it's re-boot in 2005.

I loved the three 60th Anniversary special episodes with David Tennant and Catherine Tate and thought the choice of introducing bi-generation in the last episode was inspired. 

I am very excited for Ncuti Gatwa's tenure, I thought the Christmas special was excellent. He clearly has an abundance of joy and energy and given the series is now being spear headed by the great Russell. T. Davies (Of Eccleston & Tennant's reign) I hope for great things in 2025 and beyond!

One question, what will his catchphrase be?

Thanks for reading my musings, if you have got this far you deserve a star!

Please feel to comment down below!

The Zone of Interest Movie Review

The Zone of Interest

Synopsis: Auschwitz commandant Rudolf Höss (Friedel) and his wife Hedwig (Hüller) strive to build a dream life for their family in a house and garden beside the camp of Auschwitz.

Director: Jonathan Glazer

Starring: Christian Friedel, Sandra Hüller & Johann Karthaus

Runtime: 1 hour 46 mins

Genre: Historical War Drama

IMDb : Click Here

RT: Click Here

With A24's The Zone of Interest, I have the last piece of the jigsaw puzzle in watching all 10 Oscar nominated movies. 

Having won Outstanding British Film of the Year, Best Film Not in the English Language and Best Sound (Beating Oppenheimer of all films!) at the recent BAFTA awards, this was a movie I was very keen to add to my list. 

The Zone of Interest is an amazing film. It's a film that concentrates on not what is on screen but rather what is out of view. It is in a sense one long juxtaposition. The title, The Zone of Interest refers to the families zone or area of interest, (i.e anything within their four walls and nothing outside of it). Relative domestic bliss is juxtaposed with the horrors that are happening over their garden wall in the concentration camp. The father taking steps to block out the horrors of the camp for his children by employing the services of a soldier whose sole purpose was to rev a motorbike engine to mask the sound of screams and gunshots. (True story).

Very much like Schindler's List and The Boy in the Striped Pyjamas, The Zone of Interest is a very effecting film. What is the most chilling aspect of it is the mundane way in which the father, mother and their children just go about their everyday life. The film opens up with a relatively normal domestic household scene, kids go off to school, wife bids her husband farewell for the day as he leaves for work. But his is no ordinary job, he is not a baker, a shop owner or a tradesman he is the commandant of Auschwitz which at its height murdered 1.1 million people.

The mundane domesticity is superbly juxtaposed against the horrors of the camp, For example, Hedwig (Hüller) is trying on with delight a new fur coat in her bedroom to the backdrop of babies crying, screaming and gun shots. This fur coat itself (with lipstick in pocket) is from Kanada (Not the country Canada) but the name given to the vast storehouse in Auschwitz used for confiscated prisoners belongings. In another scene, their kids play in their garden pool, splashing and having a great time wholly oblivious to the fact there are children of the same age and even younger not 30 feet away experiencing a completely different type experience with water. 

Christian Friedel as commandant Rudolf Höss is excellent and this is the second film this month to feature Sandra Hüller, the first being Anatomy of a Fall, she is also superb as Hedwig his wife.

Special mention must also be made to sound, no wonder it won Best Sound at the BAFTAS, from the eerie prolonged opening (accompanied by a black screen) to the sporadic "Dune-esque" "tuba like sounds" it has very chilling and unique sound design. It will be a very close race next month at the Oscars with Oppenheimer.

Finally the film has a particularly poignant end cutting to present day Auschwitz showing some of the original preserved artifacts in the Auschwitz-Birkenau museum whilst cutting back to Hoss walking down an increasingly dark stairway signifying the dark path he took in humanities worst atrocity.

Not the easiest watch but unforgettable. 

Verdict: Unmissable

Wicked Little Letters Movie Review

Wicked Little Letters

Synopsis: When the residents of Littlehampton, UK start receiving letters full of hilarious profanities, Edith (Coleman) & her neighbours point the finger at rowdy Irish migrant Rose (Buckley) who has just moved to town. However, suspecting that something is amiss, the town's women investigate.

Director: Thea Sharrock

Stars: Olivia Colman, Jessie Buckley & Timothy Spall

Runtime: 1 hour 42 mins

Genre: Historical Comedy Drama Mystery

IMDb : Click Here

RT: Click Here

Remarkably based on a true story, Wicked Little Letters is a very British movie, a prim and proper exterior with a profane underbelly. The contents of the titular letters are indeed profane and at the start of the movie (When read out loud) got big laughs, but as the movie wore on it was clear the contents of these letters that kept appearing were more for titivation than genuine laughs. 

My two main gripes about this movie is one, unfortunately the pacing of the movie is quiet slow, and once the "shock value" of the letters wear of it morphs into a rather pedestrian comedy who dunnit? It's not until the last act do things really start to pick up, making the movie more engrossing. Secondly the reveal of the real culprit I felt came way too early and whilst I know it is central to the investigation, could have come a little later or be revealed in a slightly more clever way. 

The acting from the likes of veterans Spall (Coleman's nasty father), Coleman herself as well as Jessie Buckley (Who was allowed to use her native Irish accent for maximum sweary comic effect) are as you would expect flawless, their talent often elevating at times weaker material. Anjana Vasan was also excellent as police officer Gladys Moss who spearheaded the investigation to find who really wrote the letters. 

I enjoyed the movie but with some tweaks, this could have been a corker.

Verdict: Good...but not Great

Rustin Movie Review

Rustin

Synopsis: Activist Bayard Rustin (Domingo) faces racism and homophobia as he helps change the course of Civil Rights history by orchestrating the 1963 March on Washington.

Director: George C.Wolfe

Starring: Colman Domingo, Chris Rock and Glynn Turman

Runtime: 1 hour 48 mins

Genre: Biographical Historical Drama

IMDb : Click Here

RT: Click Here

Nominated for Best Actor at this year's Oscars, Colman Domingo is slowly but surely becoming an A-list actor. Whilst not the favourite to win in March (It's a two horse race between Cillian Murphy and Paul Giamatti) he clearly demonstrates that he is an actor on the rise. Having been rumoured to be taking over the role of Kang from Jonathan Majors in the MCU after having seen this movie, I welcome Domingo's chance to play the role. 

Rustin, very much like Bob Marley: One Love is a biopic with a very strong central performance in a movie that's in itself is good just not great. It is well directed and well acted, but the movie never catches fire, unlike the turn from it's lead performer. 

With the exception of a fictional affair with a married pastor, it is a faithful retelling of an important story featuring a person who before this movie I did not know existed. 

It's a solid if unremarkable movie with a dynamite turn from Domingo. 

Verdict: Good...but not Great

Anatomy of a Fall Movie Review

Anatomy of a Fall

Synopsis: Sandra (Sandra Huller) a woman suspected of her husbands murder at their remote mountain chalet, is subject to a trial to find out whether it was an accident, suicide or murder.

Director: Justine Triet

Starring: Sandra Hüller, Milo Machado-Graner and Swann Arnaud

Runtime: 2 hour 30 mins

Genre: Crime Mystery Thriller

IMDb : Click Here

RT: Click Here

Very much like Past Lives I had intended to watch Anatomy of a Fall when it was released at the cinema, but owing to it's limited release was unable to do so. 

Nominated for five Oscars and having just won best original screenplay at the BAFTA's last night, Anatomy of a Fall is a fantastic movie. There is no surprise as to why it won best original screenplay. At 2 hours and 30 minutes this should be a snooze fest but is gripping from start to finish. A true Vice Movie.

The script is amazing as is the acting, Sandra Huller gives an amazing performance in the lead with special mention to Milo Machado-Graner as her son as well. The movie is a fantastic insight into married life, tensions rise as sacrifices made on both sides are revealed, and it very cleverly shrouds their relationship and her in particular in mystery, keeping you guessing as to what happened to her husband until the end.

The movie is a mix of English and French. 

Highly recommended.

Verdict: Matched Expectations

Past Lives Movie Review

Past Lives

Synopsis: The story of Nora and Hae Sung, two deeply connected childhood friends, are wrested apart after Nora's family emigrates from South Korea to Canada. Twenty years later, they are reunited for one fateful week as they confront notions of love and destiny. 

Director: Celine Song

Starring: Greta Lee, Teo Woo and John Magaro

Runtime: 1 hour 46 mins

Genre: Romantic Drama

IMDb : Click Here

RT: Click Here

I was unfortunately unable to catch "Past Lives" at the cinema last year upon release, so was happy to see it's release on Netflix given it's nomination for Best Picture. 

I really enjoyed "Past Lives", it is a very well acted, simple & understated love story that does not go down the usual trope infested roads these movies usually take. 

It was 1 hour 45 mins but whizzed by as you are so engaged in the story of these long lost friends.

Verdict: Matched Expectations

Madame Web Movie Review

Madame Web

Synopsis: Madame Web is a standalone origin story of one of Marvel publishing's most enigmatic heroines. The suspense-driven thriller stars Dakota Johnson as Cassandra Webb, a paramedic in Manhattan who develops the power to see the future.

Director: S.J. Clarkson

Stars: Dakota Johnson, Sydney Sweeney, Isabela Merced & Celeste O'Connor

Runtime: 1 hour 56 mins

Genre: Comic Book 

IMDb : Click Here

RT: Click Here

In the last few years as we all know super hero fatigue has been on the rise and Madame Web (Which has had the most ridiculed trailer in years, that apparently created a whole TikTok trend) adds further fuel to the fire. 

When the story and screenplay can be attributed to no less than seven writers, you know you are in trouble. Add to fact the lead writer is Matt Sazama responsible for such atrocities as "Morbius", "Power Rangers" and "Gods of Egypt", "Citizen Kane", this is not. 

At time of writing Madame Web stands at 14% on Rotten Tomatoes, and having seen the movie I can see why, it was absolutely abysmal. Sony's Marvel live action pictures are just a hot mess, they have no idea what they are doing with these horrendous Spider-Man spin off movies. How can such shite be greenlit?

The movie has at it's core an interesting concept, a super hero who doesn't wear a cape or shoots webs but can actually see into the future, but the ham fisted clunky way they try to reveal this super power is very jarring. Apparently this movie was originally set in the 90's and heavily referenced Spider-Man but then at some point they decided to strip away all references to him and in doing so you can clearly see this movie has been ripped apart and stitched back together by someone who does not know how to sew.

The acting is terrible, Dakota Johnson (Who I have always rated - and no nothing to do with 50 Shades!!) is as wooden as a 3 x 2. Sweeney (Last seen in Anyone But You), Merced (Dora the Explorer) and O'Connor (Ghostbusters After Life) are all decent up and coming actors but are underserved by a script that was clearly written by committee. The dialogue is laughable and the chemistry forced. As for the villain, well the less said the better. 

For a Marvel based super hero movie as well there is a scant amount action scenes, and when they do happen (because I was not invested in the characters)they were just noise. This movie is not only bad, it's boring.

I could go on and on, but I have a life.

Verdict: One to Miss

Bob Marley: One Love Movie Review

Bob Marley: One Love

Synopsis: Rather than churn out another "Cradle to grave" biopic, the movie concentrates on the aftermath of a brutal assassination attempt on the singer's life leading to the creation of his iconic "Exodus" album of 1977 and triumphant return to Jamaica to headline the historic "One Love" concert.

Director: Reinaldo Marcus Green

Stars: Kingsley Ben-Adir, James Norton & Lashana Lynch

Runtime: 1 hour 44 mins

Genre: Biographical Music Drama

IMDb : Click Here

RT: Click Here

Bob Marley: One Love directed by Reinaldo Marcus Green (who previous helmed King Richard with Will Smith) was considered very much a passion project by Kingsley Ben-Adir. Bob Marley's son Ziggy lobbied for him to play his late father and Ben-Adir was even given the blessing of Greta Gerwing whilst on the set of his previous film Barbie (2023) to be able to study recordings of Bob Marley and recite back what he heard. 

In preparation for this movie I saw the excellent Netflix 2018 documentary film Who Shot the Sheriff? A Bob Marley story, this documentary helped put everything into context, I really recommend you watch this 55 minute documentary before watching this movie as it will put what happens in the film into context.

Whilst it never steps out of a safe space and portrays it's titular character in an almost too positive light, I enjoyed One Love, Kingsley Ben Adir (Whilst not totally resembling Marley) embodies him perfectly and IS Bob Marley. To say that the actor himself sang and learnt to play the guitar for the role, proves how much he got into portraying the legendary singer. Lashana Lynch (Captain Marvel & No Time to Die) is equally very strong as his wife Rita. If you are a fan of Marley's classic hits (And let's face it who isn't) you will be humming throughout the movie. 

What I like as well is director Marcus Green decided to not hold back on the Jamaican accent, and the actors worked very hard with their dialect coaches to give as authentic accent as possible which makes the movie feel all the more real.

As biopics go, it's a relative simple affair and at no time hits the heights of say Bohemian Rhapsody, but it zips by at 1 hour 45 mins. I would say however there are slight pacing issues as the movie flips between present day and Bob and Rita's courtship, which I found a little jarring and could have been handed differently. Also my main gripe is the crucial shooting that happens towards the start of the movie takes place before the first concert which in reality (and detailed in the documentary) took place after and that's the whole reason for the attempt on Marley's life. 

Anyway, regardless of this nit-pick, if you are a fan of biopics and Bob Marley's music I recommend you check this one out. 

Verdict: Good...but not Great

American Fiction Movie Review

American Fiction

Synopsis: Thelonious "Monk" Ellison (Wright) a novelist who's fed up with the establishment profiting from "Black" entertainment uses a pen name to write a book that propels him into the heart of hypocrisy and the madness he claims to disdain.

Director: Cord Jefferson

Stars: Jeffrey Wright, Sterling K. Brown, Tracee Ellis Ross, John Ortiz

Runtime: 1 hour 57 mins

Genre: Comedy Drama

IMDb : Click Here

RT: Click Here

American Fiction, based on "Erasure" by Percival Everett is the directorial debut of Cord Jefferson. It has been on my radar ever since it premiered at the Toronto Film Festival in September of last year and it did not disappoint, I loved American Fiction.

Thanks to a great story and a fantastic bitingly sharp and funny script, the 1 hour 57m movie flies by. Nominated for Best Actor, Jeffrey Wright is superb in the lead and is very funny as he has to more and more adopt the life of his pseudonym. Sterling K. Brown (Another Oscar nominated performance) is brilliant as his brother who has is having to deal with a collapsed marriage as well has having just come out. 

Mark Kermode said the movie was slightly held back from true greatness as the dysfunctional family dynamic takes the focus away from the more engaging story of him writing his book. I disagree as it shows the main character is more rounded.

If you are looking for a smartly written thinking man's movie, you will certainly enjoy American Fiction.

Verdict: Matched Expectations