Back to the Cinema - First Three Film Reviews

It's been a while, hasn't it? It has been a long time since I was able to sit back in a comfy leather seat, sip on a fizzy drink and immerse and introduce myself to a world new world. It has been immensely refreshing, and I have seen some amazing films. Below are the first three films I've managed to see since returning to gaze upon the wonders of the big screen, and my opinions on them.

1. Cruella - 7.8/10

You may be wondering why I haven't given this film a rounded number. To that, I'd say that it is so close to being an excellent film, but just misses the mark. It deserves more than a 7.5, in my opinion, but not quite an 8. Why? It has nothing to do with those critic opinions on glorifying a villain - I in fact have issues with their issues on this. No, it has to do with the ending. Without giving it away, to me, it felt as though there were some themes that could have been explored in more depth, and things could've gone even darker, had Disney been able to make it a 15. That said, it was surprisingly entertaining for a Disney live action remake - if I could class it as a remake. For someone who isn't big on fashion either, this film thoroughly impressed me, and it is, in large part, what carries this film, along with Emma Stone and Emma Thompson, who are just deliciously evil.

2. A Quiet Place - 8/10

An excellent horror film. I am not a massive fan of the genre, but this is one that I will look back on with an immense amount of respect. Having not been massively impressed by the first instalment - certain mistakes by certain characters having felt ridiculous to me - the second part delivers on building up to a thoroughly tense and impressive sequence of events, and demonstrates character development that perhaps makes me appreciate the first one that little bit more.

3. The Father - 9/10

A hauntingly tragic story of an elderly man named Anthony, and his daughter, and how they cope with the former's Dementia. The disjointed nature of the narrative creates audience confusion, which places you as the protagonist; we see things through Anthony's eyes. I am not expert on dementia and the lives of those it affects, but this film gave me just a glimpse into what it must be like. You hear about how those with the condition are affected, but you never get to immerse yourself in what it must be like, which this film helps achieve, at least in small ways. The film doesn't explain everything that happened, either. Because it doesn't need to. The Father is an incredibly subtle film. This isn't a story with plot twists and action, so if that's the sort of thing you're looking for, I'd look elsewhere. But the ending made me sob like a little baby. It made me realise my own mortality. We all are, after all, in many ways, like children who never really learned to grow up.