FILM RECOMMENDATIONS: RECENT RELEASES (2017-18)

Marvel Studios, Walt Disney Studios Motion Pictures

Age Certificate: 12A

IMDb: 7.9/10

Rotten Tomatoes: 92/100

Plot

Imprisoned on the other side of the universe, the mighty Thor finds himself in a deadly gladiatorial contest that pits him against the Hulk, his former ally and fellow Avenger. Thor's quest for survival leads him in a race against time to prevent the all-powerful Hela from destroying his home world and the Asgardian civilisation.

Review

The third film in the trilogy; director, Taika Waititi, takes a turn on the film as he changes the tone to be less "dark" as shown in the first two films and more colourful (as seen by the poster), fun and a more comedic even for a Marvel film. In my opinion, though Thor is the lead character, it's Loki, played by Hiddleston, who always steals the show. Korg was also another scene stealer (portrayed by Waititi).

My rating: 8.5/10

TSG Entertainment, Fox Searchlight Pictures
Age Certificate: 15

IMDb: 7.4/10

Rotten Tomatoes: 92/100

Plot

Elisa is a mute, isolated woman who works as a cleaning lady in a hidden, high-security government laboratory in 1962 Baltimore. Her life changes forever when she discovers the lab's classified secret - a mysterious, scaled creature from South America that lives in a water tank. As Elisa develops a unique bond with her new friend, she soon learns that its fate and very survival lies in the hands of a hostile government agent and a marine biologist.

 Review

This film received 13 Oscar nominations and won 4 out of the 13 categories. Guillermo del Toro is a brilliant director with a creative imagination for a film narrative. The cinematography and the tone of the film are a few aspects of the film which I admire. The story does resemble real life issues including politics. Even though the relationship between Elisa and the Amphibian man was "weird" (the idea of them being sexually attracted to each other), the friendship she had with the creature, as well as the other characters in the film, was worth the watch. The film also touches on the subject of racism and sexuality with one of Elisa's friends, Zelda, being a Black American woman and the other, Giles, being a closeted gay man.

My rating: 8/10

LuckyChap Entertainment, Neon

Age Certificate: 15

IMDb: 7.5/10

Rotten Tomatoes: 89/100

Plot

In 1991, talented figure skater Tonya Harding becomes the first American woman to complete a triple axel during a competition. In 1994, her world comes crashing down when her ex-husband conspires to injure Nancy Kerrigan, a fellow Olympic hopeful, in a poorly conceived attack that forces the young woman to withdraw from the national championship. Harding's life and legacy instantly become tarnished as she's forever associated with one of the most infamous scandals in sports history.

Review
Funny yet dramatic at the same time. Margot Robbie and Sebastian Stan take on real life figure skater (Harding) and ex-husband (Jeff Gillooly); I wonder why Stan never received an award for the role, he did his research on the character as well as taking the time to meet the man he would be portraying on screen and then to give one of his best performances; was just brilliant. One of the best parts of the film was the relationship she had with her family; both her mother and her husband/ex-husband. It added depth to her character and made me actually think and consider her sincerity. The pace of the film was perfect, it did not drag and every scene had importance to the narrative which kept me engaged. I was invested in Margot Robbie's performance, her iconic close-up mirror shot describes the tone of the film.

My rating: 8.7/10

Warner Bros. Pictures, Amblin Entertainment

Age Certificate: 12A

IMDb: 7.6/10

Rotten Tomatoes: 73/100

Plot

Set in 2045; the world on the brink of chaos and collapse but the people have found salvation in the OASIS, an expansive virtual reality universe created by the brilliant and eccentric James Halliday. When Halliday dies, he leaves his immense fortune to the first person to find a digital Easter egg he has hidden somewhere in the OASIS, sparking a contest that grips the entire world. When an unlikely young hero named Wade Watts decides to join the contest, he is hurled into a breakneck, reality-bending treasure hunt through a fantastical universe of mystery, discovery, and danger.

Review
Steven Spielberg continues to showcase another film that is worth recognition. A combination of both motion capture performances and acting with set props, all done by a cast of young actors. The film manages to show the fun and adventure there is within a game in a not-so-distant future. It also engages the audience to solve the puzzles within the games along with the characters (if you have not read the book). It is visually creative and is fairly accurate to how games look in today's generation.

My rating: 7.9/10

New Line Cinema, Warner Bros. Pictures

Age Certificate: 15

IMDb: 7/10

Rotten Tomatoes: 83/100

Plot

Max and Annie's weekly game night gets kicked up a notch when Max's brother Brooks arranges a murder mystery party - complete with fake thugs and federal agents. So, when Brooks gets kidnapped, it's all supposed to be part of the game. As the competitors set out to solve the case, they start to learn that neither the game nor Brooks are what they seem to be. The friends soon find themselves in over their heads as each twist leads to another unexpected turn over the course of one chaotic night.

  Review
A duo I never knew I needed to see. This film seems to be very underrated considering with all the superhero films that were coming out around this year. It is comedic and interactive - audience can engage with the mystery/crime in the film. You don't know what to expect, who you could trust, what is real and what is the game. Is it even a game anymore or maybe it wasn't a game in the first place? It is quite confusing but it wraps up nicely at the end with a plot twist/s in between.

My rating: 6.8/10

Marvel Entertainment, 20th Century Fox

Age Certificate: 15

IMDb: 8/10

Rotten Tomatoes: 83/100

Plot

Wisecracking mercenary Deadpool meets Russell, an angry teenage mutant who lives at an orphanage. When Russell becomes the target of Cable - a genetically enhanced soldier from the future - Deadpool realises that he'll need some help saving the boy from such a superior enemy. He soon joins forces with Bedlam, Shatterstar, Domino and other powerful mutants to protect young Russell from Cable and his advanced weaponry.

Review
The film gets better than the first Deadpool film, in my opinion. Ryan Reynolds continues to show that he IS Deadpool and I can't imagine anyone else playing this anti-hero. I'll keep this short as I've already written a full review on Deadpool 2 on my blog.

My rating: 8.5/10

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This is the first post of the film recommendations series - I will be writing up classics next.

Next film and TV series that I am planning on reviewing soon;

👉 Incredibles 2

👉 Anne with an 'E'

Sabina 🦁