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Tag Archives: Rebecca Ferguson

Doctor Sleep- Movie Review

31 Thursday Oct 2019

Posted by liammgaughan in Drama

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Doctor Sleep, Drama, Ewan McGregor, Horror, Jacob Tremblay, Mike Flanagan, Rebecca Ferguson, The Shining

doctorsleep.jpeg

The Shining is my favorite horror film of all-time; it’s a timeless masterpiece that’s so inked in detail that its hidden meanings are still up for debate today. It’s also somewhat controversial within the world of Stephen King adaptations, and the ongoing debates regarding both King and Kubrick’s interpretations will forever be linked to the film. With Doctor Sleep, the adaptation of King’s sequel to his own novel, there comes the expectations of both artists and the pressure to live up to each distinct vision.

Doctor Sleep is much more King than Kubrick; it’s a film very interested in mythology and world building, and while there are echoes of the creeping tension found in the deterioration of Jack Torrance’s mind, this is an unabashed fantasy adventure mystery that doesn’t pander with more obvious scares. I appreciate the willingness to delve into the minutia of King’s material, but at a towering 153 minute runtime it’s often a film that feels short on story.

Decades have passed since the Torrances first visited the Overlook, and a grown up Danny (Ewan McGregor) has struggled with forgetting the complicated figure that was his father. Death haunts Danny, and having felt so close to death all those years ago has made it hard for him to cope with its finality, causing Danny to spiral into alcoholism. Magic is now something Danny has come to accept, and uses for things as simple as reminding a neighbor about chores, but a dark cult of magic users called the True Knot, led by the enigmatic Rose (Rebecca Ferguson), once again draws Danny into a darker world.

The most debated aspect of this film will most likely be the characterization of Danny. It goes without saying that Ewan McGregor is fantastic and is able to hide a quiet trauma within Danny’s reluctance to see the mystical, but often it’s a character that feels cold and distant. It takes a long time for Danny to enter into the main story, and while there are flashbacks with a younger Danny that paint how he’s changed in the thirty years since we last saw him, Danny’s decisions at the film’s climactic finale feel as if they could have more weight behind them.

Similar to the other major King adaptation this year, It Chapter Two, this is a long movie that takes awhile to get going. It’s not at first clear who the main character is, but through a slow first act we gradually are introduced to Abra Stone (Kyliegh Curran), a middle school girl who also has “The Shining.” Like Danny, she’s crushed by the weight of hearing voices around her and seeing the lives in danger, and the connection between the two and their mystical communication is one of the film’s best aspects. Abra is only briefly introduced in an early origin scene before disappearing for a good chunk, but once she and Danny begin to learn from each other the film goes from atmospheric to exhilarating.

Alongside Danny and Abra, there’s an equal amount of attention devoted to the True Knot, the evil magic users that feed off of the life force of others in order to live for centuries. This group is filled with marvelous character actors (Twin Peaks‘s Carel Struycken! Westworld‘s Zahn McClaron!), and we get a sense of how this group operates through the introduction of a new member Andi in an effective scene that explores the group’s motivation for stealing life and their revolving mortality.

That being said, the group is only as strong as its leader, and I was truly blown away by Rebecca Ferguson’s performance as Rose. Rose couldn’t be any more different than Jack Torrance; her emotions are always hidden and the creepy grace with which Ferguson carries herself is both mysterious and menacing. This is a film with a relatively low kill count, and I think it’s fair to criticize the lack of tension in the early parts of the film, but Ferguson’s performance and the mystery behind it are at least able to drive the narrative until Danny and Abra become introduced to the larger magical world.

The slower pace early on actually leads me to what I think is the film’s greatest strength: director Mike Flanagan. When looking past the “King vs. Kubrick” debate, it’s important to note the impact of Flanagan, whose quietly been building a solid repertoire of horror stories, and with Doctor Sleep he’s created a visually enticing, moody tone that builds an entire world based on what “The Shining” would look like if it weren’t confined to one hotel. While I’ve criticized the first act’s mostly unsuccessful attempts to build sympathy for Danny, the scenes of Danny getting a job, joining a support group, and discovering Abra risk being really dull, and I credit Flanagan for making such a solid foundation.

Of course, we know where the story is going, and although the film runs the risk of exploiting the imagery from The Shining for the sake of nostalgia bait, there’s enough clues and hints early on to suggest that the Overlook is both the beginning and end of Danny’s story. The flashbacks to scenes from The Shining and recreation of the Overlook feels much more molded in the minutia of King’s world-building, but it never feels exploitive of Kubrick’s work and still feels like it could exist within the same canon. The mystery of the Overlook still exists, and one of the film’s smartest decisions is to make the Overlook itself a character; even in a world where magic exists, the Overlook remains a place out of time that can’t be defined by any traditional logic.

It’s interesting to see how this take differs from The Shining, and while it’s unfair to compare Doctor Sleep to one of the greatest films ever made, I think there are some things that Doctor Sleep could’ve carried over. In The Shining each scene progresses the tension of this breaking family dynamic, and in Doctor Sleep there seems to be a real distinction between the character development scenes and the world-building scenes. While these films are similar in length, the limited scope of The Shining is one that allows for a deeper look at each characters, and despite it’s massive runtime, Doctor Sleep also feels spread thin with its attempts to build a larger world.

I left Doctor Sleep impressed by the tone, the direction, and the creativity of how the magical interactions worked, but despite some great performances the characters often feel secondary. There’s a lot of intersting ideas about the permanence of death and what it means to different people, and while I don’t think the film ever culminates into a strong thesis, it has enough striking visuals and creative mind games to keep the entertainment value high. Doctor Sleep won’t be remembered for 40 years like its predecessor, but it’s a engaging companion piece to The Shining that interprets its legacy as the first drop of madness in a crazy world. Grade: B

Mission: Impossible- Fallout- Movie Review

27 Friday Jul 2018

Posted by liammgaughan in Action

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A+ Films, Alec Baldwin, Christopher McQuarrie, Henry Cavill, Michelle Monaghan, Mission: Impossible, Mission: Impossible- Fallout, Rebecca Ferguson, Sean Harris, Simon pegg, Tom Cruise, Ving Rhames

fallout

Mission: Impossible- Fallout isn’t just the perfect Mission: Impossible film, it’s pretty much everything you could ask an action movie to be. This is a franchise that has built itself on excellent craftsmanship from unique filmmakers, and a star that cares perhaps a little too much about giving the audience the most authentic movie possible. Fallout is the culmination of a twenty-two year odyssey of consistently outdoing our expectations. The staging and precision of the action is simply gorgeous; everything from the lighting to the majestic score to the dance-like choreography is so perfect in it’s composition that it’s almost difficult to simultaneously revel in the craftsmanship and lose oneself in the experience. It’s not that they don’t make them like this anymore- they don’t make them like this period.

Despite thwarting members of the Syndicate terrorist organization on a previous adventure, Ethan Hunt (Tom Cruise) is once again joined by Benji (Simon Pegg) and Luther (Ving Rhames) in order to stop the insane anarchist Solomon Lane (Sean Harris) from possessing nuclear weapons. Hunt is begrudgingly paired with the brutish C.I.A. operative August Walker (Henry Cavill), but his duty to his mission is questioned by the appearance of old flame Ilsa Faust (Rebecca Ferguson), who has her own agenda. Perhaps the plot is derivative of other Mission: Impossible films, but Christopher McQuarrie knows when to key the audience into upcoming twists and when to genuinely surprise them. The logic is sound enough for the world McQuarrie has created, and there’s enough added stakes and complications added throughout to increase the unpredictability.

As always, the craftsmanship on display here is simply unparalleled. While the creative action setpieces and ludicrous stunts are a hallmark of the series, McQuarrie has brought a strange sense of beauty to the experience; the shots are gorgeous, and while some haunting dream sequences are beautifully realized, even the most visceral of action scenes look like portraits (a nightclub sequence in particular is striking its use of color). Each scene is filled with movement; there’s a direction and kinetic energy to each scene, with the action feeling both relentless and unpredictable. This is also a credit to how sharp McQuarrie’s script is; even the expositional scenes feel urgent, and there’s enough humor from these well rounded characters to give necessary tension breakers.

Of course, the other appeal of the Mission: Impossible films is the unmatched star power of Tom Cruise. One should look no further than Cruise’s extensive thirty year filmography to see that he is a great actor (I could name about twenty truly great films he’s starred in), but his power as a movie star is unique. Cruise has created a symbiotic relationship with his audience; he cares about the realism and authenticity of the stunts and emotions, and in turn, he cares about the audience, so seeing his effort makes him all the more exciting. Cruise has an electric presence onscreen, lighting up each scene with confidence and charisma, and the unrelenting character of Ethan Hunt is a perfect match for the tone of these films. Cruise is also backed by a great ensemble; Pegg, Rhames, and Ferguson work very well together, and there’s a lightning in a bottle magic of seeing them onscreen together that goes beyond the script.

Fallout isn’t a traditionally inventive film by the standards of plot mechanics, but there’s a deep love for the medium of film seen here that simply isn’t seen in other directors, stars, or franchises. Mission: Impossible has always been about realizing the incredulous and exciting, yet taking the time and effort to do so, and Fallout is a tribute to that spirit. I can’t say enough of the experience of seeing a film like this unravel, other than the obvious- this is why we go to the movies. Grade: A+

The Greatest Showman- Movie Review

23 Saturday Dec 2017

Posted by liammgaughan in Drama

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Drama, Hugh jackman, Michelle Williams, Rebecca Ferguson, The Greatest Showman, Zac Efron, Zendaya

The Greatest Showman is a great musical, and while it does seem more suited as a musical than a film, it boasts a great soundtrack that warrants a recommendation alone. The music feels both classical, yet modernized, and the film simultaneously opens with a retro 20th Century Fox logo while featuring heavy CGI in elaborate dance members. The film is deliberately simple, yet each character has motivation, and the corniness of some elements feels in line with what one might see on stage.

Hugh Jackman stars as P.T. Barnum, a down on his luck working class man who’s inspired to channel his inventiveness into the world’s first circus. Jackman is one of those rare screen personas who can elevate a film based on his presence alone, and the film relies on the fact that he’s such a charismatic guy for all of the film. Michelle Williams is also strong as his wife, and while she’s not given a whole lot to do, her vocal work in of itself is incredible.

The film is a tribute to the “weirdos” and “freaks” of the world, and while it’s not explicitly attempting to be topical, it does feel timely, and the film is overall charming and endearing to it’s approach to show business. Barnum’s cast of characters are an entertaining crew, giving fun performances and killing it in the musical numbers. Zac Efron is surprisingly nuanced in his approach to the material, and I was impressed with Zendaya’s blunt approach, as well as how much of an emotional punch she gave to the film.

That being said, I can’t overstate just how good the musical numbers are and how well they work in telling the film’s central narrative; it’s more or less a really long music videos with dialogue transitioning between numbers, as all the character development and important plot points reside in the musical numbers, from Rebecca Ferguson’s incredible opera house scene to a great closing number. Maybe it’s a really strong musical stuck in the body of an occasionally slow film, but I appreciated the straightforward approach that The Greatest Showman took, and it’s one of the best genuine crowd pleasers I’ve seen this year. Grade: B+

Life- Movie Review

27 Monday Mar 2017

Posted by liammgaughan in Action, Drama

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Action, Daniel Espinosa, Drama, Horror, Jake Gyllenhaal, Life, Rebecca Ferguson, Ryan Reynolds

Life is a solid example of sci-fi filmmaking, coupling solid direction with rather familiar material. The film follows a group of astronauts, including David Jordan (Jake Gyllenhaal) and Rory Adams (Ryan Reynolds), who live on the international space station, and intercept a Martian life form. When the life form turns out to be a deadly one, the crew must survive against a species that threatens life as we know it.

No, it’s not the most original plot, and the films twists are fairly predictable, but director Daniel Espinosa does an excellent job bringing space to life; there’s nuances to what astronauts go through that are brought to life, and the beautiful cinematography and score create a haunting portrayal of space. If there’s a major weakness, the characters aren’t as fleshed out as they could be; Gyllenhaal is given the most to do and gives another strong lead performance, and Reynolds’s side performance gives the film the right dosage of comedy.

The visuals are solid, and in many ways the story’s simple, survival story line allows for the most suspense to be built. Although the characters are in need of more development, it’s easy to empathize with them, and the film’s approach seems to take the material just seriously enough. It’s not particularly original, but it’s well made entertainment complete with a slow burn opening and a killer ending. Grade: B

Florence Foster Jenkins- Movie Review

30 Saturday Jul 2016

Posted by liammgaughan in Comedy, Drama

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Comedy, Drama, Hugh Grant, Merryl Streep, Rebecca Ferguson, Simon Helberg, Stephen Frears

Florence Foster Jenkins is delightful, a whimsical comic romp that cuts to the heart of the love for music. The film follows the story of the titular Florence (Meryl Streep), an aristocratic benefactor for the arts living in New York City with her husband Clair Bayfield (Hugh Grant), who’s convinced her that she’s a brilliant singer. Florence teams with a charismatic young piano player (Simon Helberg), who begin to work together.

To say Meryl Streep is fantastic is unnecessary, but what’s fantastic is the writing of the character; Florence has to be funny yet sympathetic, and relatable yet tragic, and Streep nails the nuances as always. Hugh Grant is also a great character here, a character with a flexible morality that is charismatic and sweet throughout the film. However, the real standout of the film is Simon Helberg, a brilliant performance that is so full of life, proving to be a great duo with Streep.

What’s so brilliant about Florence Foster Jenkins is not just how hilarious it is, but the films sincerity. The comedy is brilliant in more than many ways, but the serious moments feel earned, and there are more than a few memorable and emotional scenes. The cast is all Oscar-worthy, and Stephen Frears proves once again how he’s able to generate an emotional and genuine tale. Grade: B+

Mission: Impossible- Rogue Nation- Movie Review

30 Thursday Jul 2015

Posted by liammgaughan in Action

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Action, Action Movies, Alec Baldwin, Christopher McQuarrie, Jeremy Renner, Mission: Impossible, Mission: Impossible- Rogue Nation, Rebecca Ferguson, Simon pegg, Summer movies, Tom Cruise, Ving Rhames

Mission: Impossible- Rogue Nation is one of the best genre movies in recent memory, and a standout for both the franchise and the summer. Though the action is some of the best ever committed to screen, the film succeeds in drawing the audience to the characters and intriguing them in an engaging cat and mouse chase throughout the entire runtime. Grade: A

To check out my full review, check out my review on About.com:

http://kidstvmovies.about.com/od/Mission-Impossible-Rogue-Nation-2015/fl/Mission-Impossible-Rogue-Nation-Teen-Review.htm

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