Bombshell: 

I watched this film as a straight white male in exactly the same way I watched the "12 Years A Slave” .... through my fingers, wincing, sighing and cursing all the way till the credits rolled.  

The style of this film, which was directed by Jay Roach, owes a lot to films like The Big Short and The Wolf of Wallstreet, all of which involve a lot of fourth wall narrative exposition. It tells the events, scandals, and sexual harassment law suits occurring over at Fox News at the beginning of the century. 

The best thing about this film was the magnificent acting from our leads, Charlize Theron, Margot Robbie and a hugely disgusting portrait of Roger Ailes by John Lithgow. Each one of these actors were transformative in their roles with a big nod to the prosthetics used for John Lithgow and Charlize Theron, who, especially when Charlize is concerned, were unrecognisable. I sense an Oscar coming for Kazu Hiro, head of Hair and Makeup. 

The real stand out performance for me was Margot Robbie’s. Margot had the biggest character arch going from a Fox News fanatic to being hugely influential in bringing down its top “dog.” The scene with Roger Ailes (John Lithgow) where Kayla (Margot) is trying to get a promotion to be on air for Fox News was as spellbinding as it was tortuous to watch. I genuinely felt very ill watching Roger exercise his power to sexually harass and humiliate Kayla but both performances where incredible and very powerful. The scene then outside the bar when Kayla confesses over the phone to "giving into Roger" broke my heart and firmly puts her in the running for best supporting actress this year. Margot's got stiff competition from Florence Pugh and Laura Dern but, what with her stunning performance in Once Upon A Time In Hollywood earlier on in the year I think she's got a fighting chance. 


Overall all I give this movie A RATING OF 8.5/10 and before the Oscar results come out go and see this film in the cinema and make your own damn mind up!

I've been Christopher Whitmore, thanks for reading.

1917: A man's journey through hell via British actors. 

“THIS IS STILL THE SAME SHOT ... ITS STILL 

GOING.” This is what kept going through my head when I was watching this epic bit of cinematography. It actually was quite distracting but still does not take away the masterpiece of footage Sam Mendes has created in 1917. (In 2019) 

Does it deserve to win the Oscar of Best Picture this year though? Is it better than Little Women, Marriage Story or Parasite? These are the questions we have to ask ourselves as we approach the awards season. Acting-wise all the movies in this category have 1917 beat in spades. There were nice moments but they pale in comparison to the other films. As for the script, I would have to say the same, but as a motion picture and shear directional brilliance, 1917 has it, and that puts it firmly in the running for that Oscar.  

Some of my favourite visuals in this film was when our lead was making his way through a village at night that had been shelled to smithereens. The lights from the flares trying to eliminate our hero as he ducks and dodges the shafts of light moving in the sky made for very tense and compelling storytelling. This was then completely juxtaposed by the next scene that was tender and beautiful when he finds shelter with a French survivor. 

I have a slight issue with the potential vilifying of the German who crash lands and also with the very fast resolution at the end, which I feel could have had some more resistance due to the previous foreshadowing. But on the whole, I couldn't have been more happy with the end result. Cliche I know but it really was a roller-coaster of a movie and the one shot element really tajes  

I, therefore, give this film a very respectful 8.6/10 and a very large recommendation to go and see this in it's intended viewing platform THE CINEMA!! 

I've been Christopher Whitmore, thanks for reading.  

Jojo Rabbit: Give it a little Heil. Just a little one. 

As soon as I saw the poster for this movie and realised Taika Waititi was directing, I couldn't be more excited. And when I saw the trailer my enthusiasm increased two-fold. Taika Waititi giving us a dark comedy about the Hitler youth with Taika playing a child's perception of Hitler himself? Sounds just about insane enough to work!

And goddamn it did work! It seems we're always safe in the hands of Taika who has brought us yet another smash hit and it looks like this one might gain some awards to boot. 

The premise is simple enough but with a very complex and potentially problematic outcome. Jojo Rabbit is a 10-year-old staunch nazi and part of the Hitler youth. Jojo has an imaginary best friend, Hitler, who is played by the director Taika Waititi. Taika portrays Hitler as a child's view on what that dictator might be like which was the cause of much hilarity during the film. Jojo gets disfigured and injured when blown up by a grenade at a Hitler youth camp. Trying to impress his peers, who had nicknamed him Jojo Rabbit after he couldn't kill a rabbit,  Johannes Betzler, tries to regain some respect but ends up in the hospital. He takes some time to recover and spends it at home with his mother doing odd jobs for the local war effort. This is where he discovers his mother has been harbouring "a Jew” in the walls of his late sister's room. The film progresses from there as Jojo slowly comes to term with that fact the Nazis might not be all they’re cracked up to be and may have been spreading some vicious lies about the Jewish people. 

As you can imagine this is some rough terrain that Taika is trying to navigate here and there has been divided opinion on whether he has been successful in broaching this very sensitive subject. I am in the ”well bloody done Taika camp” and I was fully invested in that boy's story of being a Nazi but I do understand they did slightly gloss over the holocaust. 

I thought this film was very funny in moments and truly heartbreaking in others, and a film that pulls me from one to the other so seamlessly gets a huge thumbs up from me! There were some really gorgeous scenes, and they didn't get any better than the ones Scarlett Johansson were in. Scarlett played Jojo’s rebel mother and this actress keeps going from strength to strength. I didn't think she could top marriage story but here she is one movie later blowing it out the water. 2020 is going to bring big things to Scarlett and I can't wait to see what they've got in stall for her in her own marvel ‘Blackwidow‘ film. 

Roman Griffin Davis who played Jojo and Thomasin Mckenzie who played Elsa, the Jewish girl, really pulled it out if the bag too and it was great to see outstanding acting on the big screen from such a young cast. They have wonderful and believable chemistry and some beautiful, engaging scenes together, holding the camera and storyline well. Sam Rockwell was perhaps a tad OTT in this picture but I always enjoy a bit of Rockwell so didn’t mind too much. 

The direction itself was very compelling and some very well placed shoes paid off well in the end. Overall I loved this film and I would give it A RATING OF 8.6/10 and I hope it picks up a few awards over the next few months. 

I’ve been Christopher Whitmore, thanks for reading. 

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Little Women: A film that belongs firmly in the fridge. 

What a gloriously touching, beautiful, poignant and devastating film. I will agree with the critics in the fact it’s fairly route one film making; modernising an old narrative with multiple timelines and the use of warm, soft, colourful lighting for the past, and cold, starker, greyer lighting for the present is pretty rudimentary. This did not put me off at all however, and I truly enjoyed this movie from beginning to end. More remarkable performances from Saoirse Ronan, Florence Pugh, Timothe Chalamet and Laura Dern (who’s making a very enjoyable “reDern” to cinema) and the chemistry the four sisters have is infectious and wonderful to behold, without, the film would have been dead on its feet. 

One such scene that had me laughing out loud was the four sisters playing dress up like aristocratic men in their attic and clinking pipes like cheersing glasses, such a brilliant moment that felt very real and genuine. 

This all couldn’t have been accomplished without the incredible direction and novel to script adaptation by Greta Gerwig. Greta is a real talent, inspiring laughter and tears at the drop of a most beloved sister who’s touching scene playing piano for Mr Laurence had already started the water works. What was most impressive about Greta’s adaptation was even though like previous versions Jo was the lead sister mirroring some of Louisa May Alcott’s life as well and therefor the character the audience has most affection for, unlike some previous versions, the other three sisters had some real depth of character too and we warmed to all four of them. This made the previously potentially vilified Amy much more dynamic as a character which the flawless Florence Pugh really managed to capture in every complexity. 

This was a great way to start 2020 for film and indeed for the decade and I hope that it continues in such fashion. I give this film a rating of 8.5/10 and a big recommendation to all, MEN INCLUDED, to go and spend time with these Little Women in the cinema. 

I’ve been Christopher Whitmore, thanks for reading. 

Knives Out: And if this doesn’t win a few awards then “I suspect foul play” 

A true contender for my film of the year! All my life I have sat and watched murder mystery after murder mystery with my family. From your Agatha Christie’s to your Midsummer Murders, Morse to Monk I’ve seen them all, and this one, although be it a tad predictable to the trained eye, was an absolute bundle of fun for all involved. With a wall to wall cast of the creme de la creme of acting royalty flounced across the screen, it wasn’t long before I relaxed into a cracking two hours of pure entertainment. Some great stand out performances by Christopher Plumber, Chris Evans, Michael Shannon and Toni Colette (yes that is most of the cast but that’s how good it is.) However the two I want to talk about are our next Bond due, an early glimpse to some wonderful on set chemistry, Ana De Armas who plays the magnificent lead an Mr Bond himself, Daniel Craig.

Everything you need to know about this film is explained within the first 10 minutes, including a beautifully genius characteristic of our lead Ana De Armas, who can’t lie without vomiting, a trait that plays out very nicely as the film progresses. Each actor seems to be playing their opposite casting with great mirth and none so much as Daniel Craig who plays a private detective with the most ridiculous southern American accent that can’t help but put a smile on your face, inspiring the iconic line form Chris Evans “what’s this CSI KFC?” 

Ryan Johnson has done a fantastic job of directing and writing these wonderful characters in a brand new modern take on the classic ‘who done it.’ These characters do appear fairly one dimensional at the beginning but as the plot thickens, so does the characterisation of these potential perpetrators by a truly phenomenal cast. 

This is a brilliant movie to take the family to see over the Christmas holidays with performances that all can enjoy. I give this film a very high rating of 8.9/10 and a must must see for all you murder mystery fans out there. It is certainly much better than the travesty that was the newest adaptation of Murder On The Orient Express and I’m very glad Ryan Johnson wasn’t put off making this movie, when after that ‘train crash’ by Kennith Branagh, there may not have been a market of Knives Out. 

I’ve been Christopher Whitmore, thank you for reading. 

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The Irishman: Englishman and a Scotsman walk into a bar and three hours later they start contemplating their own existence. 

Martin Scorsese’s latest movie is a masterpiece in character lead story telling. It is a tad long yes, but that is how long it takes to tell an almost entire and extraordinary life of the lead character Frank Sheeran (no relation apparently). Played by a man who needs little introduction, Robert De Niro who, unsurprisingly, really delivered with this performance. When you then back that up with stellar performances from Joe Pesci, Al Pacino and Stephen Graham it’s very hard to go wrong.

Hoooooowever ... I’m definitely one for slow paced, long scenes of epic dialogue, heck I even enjoyed Once Upon a Time in Hollywood, but I do have to admit that even I was limping to the finishing line with this one. But this wasn’t an issue with lazy editing, no. The reason why I think this film was verging on the tedious was this whole de-aging fad. This coming from a man (Scorsese) who has caused huge

controversy with Marvel fans saying their beloved movies are more “theme park rides than real cinema.” The hypocrisy of it is maddening. The technology itself, even though it’s putting actors like me out of work, isn’t the issue. It was actually pretty good in this film and didn’t distract too much. The problem I had with it is they de-age the face but they can’t de-age how an actor moves. In scenes when a “younger” Frank is threatening and being physical with people who cross him and his family, unfortunately Robert De Niro’s movement was laughable. When you take the threat and the danger out of a movie like this, scenes lose tension and drive, so even the best dialogue and acting can’t stop you thinking “but it looks like a light breeze would knock him down ....” This is why this film for me will always pale in comparison to Goodfellas or The Godfather when these actors were in their prime. Just use younger actors to play the characters younger selves! That way you can establish these aggressive mafia dons early on so when you do have scenes of long dialogue with the older actors they have more potency. 

I did still very much enjoy large parts of this movie. My favourite scene where Stephen Grahams character Tony is late for a meeting Pacino and from interviews I've seen I know a lot of that scene was improvised and it's lovely to see the actors have some real fun with it. I can happily give it a solid 8/10, but as I said it won’t be going down in the history books as one of the all time greats in my opinion. In fact it’s not even the best film of the year, which is still held by ‘Joker.’ Being on Netflix however does make it very accessible, so I would highly recommend sitting down with some popcorn and once again just hash it out with our “old” friends Scorsese and De Niro. 

Le Mans 66 or the better non Steve McQueen title; Ford Vs Ferrari.

“Caaaaaawww blimey” what an excellent movie! In fact one could probably say it’s better than “a fur covered frog” (new favourite phrase, thank you Jez Butterworth) 

Now if you were to write a perfect film for Christopher Whitmore then it would be about car racing and star three of his favourite actors, Matt Damon, Christian Bale and Jon Bernthal, so well done TSG you’ve well and truly won my money. 

This film tells the story of the famous battle Ford had with Ferrari to topple the iron like vice Ferrari had over the most prestigious of races, Le Mans. Ford buy the services of Carol Shelby (Damon) a former Le Mans winner and all round racing fanatic. He then enlists the help of his business partner, racing driver and mechanic extraordinaire Ken Miles (Bale). 

Together they rage war against Ferrari to create one of the most iconic cars of the 60’s; the Ford GT40. The story really progresses from there and the banter between these two actors/characters is wonderful to watch, even if their accents are a little broad ranging, with Bale's in particular wandering around the Midlands and then further up north on the odd occasions, making it sound like a particularly dodgy episode of 'Peaky Blinders'.

The drama of the whole thing is very much driven by the pantomime like baddies that do stray into the ridiculous at points, but that is all part of the fun in my opinion. Enzo Ferrari seems to be portrayed as a Godfather like mafia boss rather than the engineering genius he certainly was and Josh Lucas plays a sensationally irritating, single-minded and classically middle management arse, who is hell bent on removing our boys from the history books at every chicane. 

So we have all of this petrol fuelled tension and we haven't even got to the gritty racing itself, where you won’t find more dramatic revving and gear changes outside of The Fast and The Furious franchise. This visceral experience where you feel you're in the car with the drivers really keep this film moving at a tremendous pace and I couldn’t have enjoyed it more. No it probably won’t win any Oscars but for pure enjoyment you won’t find much better at the cinema this year.

Overall I’d give this film A RATING OF 8.3/10 and an absolutely massive recommendation for everyone who wants to have a bit of fun coming into the Christmas period. 

My names been Christopher Whitmore and thanks for reading!