in brief: with the fate of the war in the balance, allied forces plan for D-Day, a beach assault with airborne support; but the leading british and american meteorologists disagree on whether the weather will even allow the operation to take place. for me: war is all about preparedness, which is no doubt why Pressure has three baristas listed in the crew. on the face of it, a war film with no war, no enemies, and wall-to-wall weather chat should be the dullest, most insufferably british thing in existence, but the story is thrilling and emotional, even without the personal … Continue reading quick hits // Pressure

in brief: despite trying to cut magic out of her life, The Owens’ Curse still reaches out to one of Sally(Sandra Bullock)’s daughters, sending the family to England, a mysterious professor, and the origins of the family’s witchcraft. for me: i’m not as wedded to the original as some, given that my watch of it on netflix a few weeks ago might have been my first, or maybe second at very most. it was fun and funny, romantic and sad, and the dark plot machinations slightly distracted from the family dynamic that was really all that mattered. whilst far from … Continue reading quick hits // Practical Magic 2

in brief: grieving the loss of her thrill-seeking sister, Jax (Harriet Slater) meets Luce (Arsema Thomas), who persuades her to memorialise the dead by ticking a daring ascent off her unfulfilled bucket list, despite many potentially fatal impediments. for me: against all logic, this absolute wuss loved the bits of Fall i could see through my fingers. the characters made sense, the challenge was somewhat meaningful, and brilliant performances and stunning visual effects made it all seem horribly real. it was a trauma i will never put myself through again, but it was a genuinely great film. this follow up … Continue reading quick hits // Fall 2

in briefs: college graduate Elliot (Cooper Hoffman) lands an intern role with a sexually free modern artist, who begins to lead him into experiences he could never have imagined. for me: i have finally popped my Gregg Araki cherry, and it was wonderful! I Want Your Sex takes the vibrancy and liberation of Almodovar, stirs in the surreal subversiveness of Waters, and bakes it in a 50’s-noir shaped cake tin. it’s gonzo and unapologetic and sexual and shallow and smart and dumb, and while it may not be as good as Olivia Wilde‘s most recent sex comedy, it’s up there! … Continue reading quick hits // I Want Your Sex

in brief: living in an empty world in the years after a global pandemic, Hig (Jacob Elordi) has a safe haven, a light aircraft to search for supplies, and the company of his dog, Jasper (Raksha), but not everyone who survived wants to live in peace. for me: it’s true that i could happily watch Margaret Qualley stare blankly at a wall for two hours, but even putting that aside i don’t understand the negative murmerings i’ve heard from professional reviewers. there isn’t much original to do with a post-apocalyptic world, so the challenge is to make it real and … Continue reading quick hits // The Dog Stars

in brief: in the near future America has made extra-marital sex illegal except for one night a year, so Owen (Callum Turner) and Allie (Monica Barbaro) should really be out there trying to pull instead of spending all night failing to avoid each other. for me: i get some of the criticisms. there are many logic flaws, so much in-world time wasted, and too many empty coffee cups, not to mention a tacit acceptance of fascism (although, if you don’t want to go to jail or become celibate, what is the option here?). however, there are also funny lines, romantic … Continue reading quick hits // One Night Only

in brief: with nobody left to share his secret, Peter Parker (Tom Holland) is still keeping New York safe as Spider-Man, but whether it’s the demands of hero life or the pain of isolation, something is going wrong, just in time for an invisible foe to start tearing the city apart. for me: i loved the poppy, youthful energy of the Jon Watts trilogy, as Spidey tackled villains and Peter battled growing up. the final part of that series served up a double tragedy, as (spoilers that you should really know already if you’re wanting to watch this one) Peter … Continue reading quick hits // Spider-Man: Brand New Day

in brief: there’s a lot of tension in Joe (Seth Rogen) and Angela(Olivia Wilde)’s marriage, so it might not be the best night to invite the liberated, freewheeling upstairs neighbours Piña (Penelope Cruz) and Hawk (Edward Norton) round for an evening of flan, tequila, and honesty. for me: it’s tempting to watch this dialogue-heavy comedy-drama and say that ‘they don’t make films like this anymore,’ but not only is that not true because they do, but because Olivia Wilde does specifically. Booksmart, her directorial debut, was whip-smart high-schoolers being open about their feelings and finding their true selves through awkward … Continue reading quick hits // The Invite