After a quiet Summer in film, with many studios pushing the release of their movies until post-Covid, things are starting to get back on their feet again. Drive-in theaters have sprung into life, cinemas are forming plans to reopen, albeit with new rules and regulations, and many of the postponed release dates are now upon us. Hollywood is once again finding itself in the news cycle after a polarising but enticing month for film.
Mulan
Mulan came out at the start of the month, the live action reboot of Disney’s 1998 animated film, after being stalled from release in March. Starring Liu Yifei in the titular role for her first American movie. Though hitting pretty hard at the box office and with many critics applauding it’s action sequences and performances, the majority of Chinese audiences have found the film offensive and that Niki Caro’s adaptation reinforces Western stereotypes about Chinese culture.
Tenet
Christopher Nolan has returned to the spotlight with his latest Sci-Fi blockbuster and fourth highest grossing movie of 2020, Tenet. Casting BlacKkKlansman star John David Washington and reeling in a strong but understated supporting cast with Robert Pattinson, Elizabeth Debicki and, of course, Michael Caine, Tenet has been described as a James Bond movie with time travel. Though criticised for convoluted themes, it’s universal praise for being a spectacular and exciting cinematic experience makes Tenet the one to watch.
I’m Thinking Of Ending Things
Netflix have kept their momentum as the world’s busiest movie service with several new releases. I’m Thinking Of Ending Things stars Jessie Buckley in the lead role, supported by Fargo television stars Jesse Plemons and David Thewlis. The lead performances have been unanimously praised in Charlie Kaufman’s psychological drama. The French coming-of-age Drama Cuties has been subject to global scorn as the public accuses it off sexualising children, the very message it is trying to convey. Love, Guaranteed is the rom-com to watch this month, following a heart-broken man wanting to sue a dating website for lying to him..
The Babysitter: Killer Queen,
The Babysitter: Killer Queen, sequel to the 2017 film, The Babysitter, has had a largely negative response. British Netflix production Enola Holmes stars Stranger Things actor, Millie Bobby Brown, as Sherlock Holmes’ sister in the famous detective’s origin story. And finally, psychological thriller The Devil All The Time features a stellar cast (Tom Holland, Bill Skarsgard, Riley Keough) with multiple interesting narratives to portray within a small rural setting. All in all, Netflix have had a big month and year.
#Alive is the latest zombie-based film. A South Korean production, this survival story follows a video game streamer as he fights for his life in the Korean capital, Seoul. You can also find this film on Netflix and, just like the most recent Best Picture winner, is worth persevering with subtitles.
Barbie: Princess Adventure
Barbie: Princess Adventure and Red Shoes and the Seven Dwarfs are light-hearted animated movies for the children to enjoy. The latter is another South Korean production but the English voice actor cast features Chloe Grace Moretz, Sam Claflin and Jim Rash.
