Movies reviews

• As Above, So Below

  Watched on 30th May 2022

  8

  When a team of explorers ventures into the catacombs that lie beneath the streets of Paris, they uncover the dark secret that lies within this city of the dead.

  

  Review

  A "found footage" horror that I had little knowledge or expectations about. After an action-packed introduction, a brisk setup introducing the characters and their quest, it moves down to the catacombs underneath Paris. Similar to The Descent, it uses the claustrophobic setting to great effect. This is combined with a great telling of Dante’s Inferno 9 Circles of Hell allegory and creepy characters it has genuinely frightening moments. Running at a brisk 90 minutes, it uses every inch of its runtime to fantastic effect.

• Digging for Fire

  Watched on 29th May 2022

  5

  The discovery of a bone and a gun send a husband and wife on separate adventures over the course of a weekend.

  

  Review

  Bit of a nothing movie, that doesn’t really go anywhere, yet passed easily enough. Absolutely stacked cast.

• Thoroughbreds

  Watched on 28th May 2022

  8

  Two upper-class teenage girls in suburban Connecticut rekindle their unlikely friendship after years of growing apart. Together, they hatch a plan to solve both of their problems-no matter what the cost.

  

  Review

  This is a strange unconventional movie. It's quite small in scope, with the two main protagonists, played by Anya Taylor-Joy and Olivia Cooke, conspiring to murder. There is great cinematography and lingering long takes combined with minimal sound design occasionally punctuated with great use of soundtrack. The violent undertones are only implied but manage to convey the creepy story convincingly.

• Greener Grass

  Watched on 27th May 2022

  5

  Suburban soccer moms find themselves constantly competing against each other in their personal lives as their kids settle their differences on the field.

  

  Review

  WTF. This is the most beautifully absurd movie I’ve seen. Absolutely mental.

• Bad Neighbours

  Watched on 25th May 2022

  5

  After they are forced to live next to a fraternity house, a couple with a newborn baby do whatever they can to take them down.

  

  Review

  Seth Rogan is weed-smoking Seth Rogan, Rose Byrne is an odd-pairing but gives as good as she gets. Zac Efron plays the hot frat boy and Dave Franco smiles his way through.

  There are some proper laugh-out-loud moments in this crass raunchy comedy. The De Niro party was the cleverest scene, followed by the explosive airbags in the office, but the milking scene was hilariously vulgar.

  Overall, I found this to be an OK movie, but if you're a fan of these types of comedies, then it's definitely worth a watch.