Film reviews

The Ministry of Ungentlemanly Warfare Review

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Directed by Guy Ritchie, audiences know there is a structured treat from his filmmaking. A film by Ritchie tends to be cheesy. That is the way that it works. In The Ministry of Ungentlemanly Warfare, the title is “cheesy.” The structure of it is also. The “cheesy” moments create a pattern of hilarity with inventive outcomes. The “inventive outcomes” are the depths of genius punchlines. The film consists of characters that appear to be amateur 007 soldiers. The lead soldier is Henry Cavill. Cavill is the king of witty gems throughout The Ministry of Ungentlemanly Warfare.

I would define this film as a lighter version of Inglorious Basterds. It still has tons of mayhem and vulgar humor. It just is toned to the right amount. The setting is 1939, in the World War II era. Cavill plays Gus March-Phillips. His task is to assemble a team. Their mission is to take down the enemy lines coming from Germany. The men on his team are Anders Lassen (played by Alan Ritchson), Geoffrey Appleyard (played by Alex Pettyfer), Henry Fayes (played by Hero Fiennes Tiffin), and Freddy Alvarez (played by Henry Golding). The two spies on the outside are Marjorie Stewart (played by Eiza Gonzalez) and Heron (played by Babs Olusanmokun). The Ministry of Ungentlemanly Warfare is a true story. It is a film with the steps towards what created the modern black operations. The reason why March-Phillips is the one assembled is because he does not follow orders. The risk-taking soldiers are what is needed to take on the unexpected mayhem. Ritchie knows when to be explosive.

Is the film serious? It is with the mission. With the humor, it is spot-on and fun to laugh and vibe with. It is a spy operation foundation that has the galore of explosive dissipation. Infiltration is key. It is with classifications of egos. With Cavill as the captain, he has got that attitude that he is undefeated while also keeping that sarcastic mindset. 

To return to the elaborations, The Ministry of Ungentlemanly Warfare surrounds the objective of U-boats and warships. Boats and places are the targets in the World War II era. The founder of the operation is Churchill (played by Rory Kinnear). The other commander-in-chief is Brigadier Gubbins ‘M’ (played by Cary Elwes). The superior characters are ones of knowledge and risk. The attitudes and the dynamics have a chemistry of knowing the risks of the mission and creating moments of sanity that are to die for. 

The Ministry of Ungentlemanly Warfare had me in thoughts of history. Was there accuracy to the film? Was there inaccuracy? Regardless, it kills with mind-blowing misdirection. The writing of the Allies keeps its flow. It stays focused. With a team of a force that goes by no rules, giving it their all is what the audience will find joy in with The Ministry of Ungentlemanly Warfare. Each team member has a mind-boggling quality. Richie gives his characters something to be remembered by before the action happens.

Will the mission go according to plan? What are the risks? Who is more skilled? The Ministry of Ungentlemanly Warfare is a firework ride of history with killer personalities. Three out of four stars.

Film reviews

Kingdom of the Planet of the Apes Review

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A franchise that has stamina set amongst apes. Kingdom of the Planet of the Apes roars. This film is directed by Wes Ball. Thefuturistic setting is spot-on in a world of apes that are in the process of rebuilding. Kingdom of the Planet of the Apes has vivid scenery during a new beginning.  This movie is an adventurous ride with a story that combines both humans and apes. Who is to be trusted?

The main ape in the film is Noa (played by Owen Teague). Noa is living in the past after Caesar’s day. The apes’ villages have been tormented. He is determined to learn the ropes whichincludes getting to know humans. Noa embraces an adventure to find the answers with the help of another ape, Raka (played by Peter Macon). Their adventure leads to all different kinds of hurdles. The apes are in an apocalypse where their kind faces uncharted territory.

The writing combines the humans at the right time. Noa meets Mae (played by Freya Allen), and she is a human survivor. She knows the foundations, the background, and what went south. For Noa, however, there is still a lot to learn. How did the world get to such a tormented place? What caused an apocalypse? Why was the faith of Caesar betrayed? There are a whirlwind of questions where the answers are unknown. The emperor/enemy is Proximus Caesar (played by Kevin Durand). He has taken the thrown and made allies in politically incorrect ways. He has created apes to be slaves for the wrong purpose and thrownhumans under the bus. Noa must retain his allies who have survived the apocalypse. He must rebuild the kingdom to restore its sacred meaning for the apes and humans alike.

The story takes a turn for the worst when the apes find tools to be used for harm. The enemy apes use taser sticks as a tactic to injure others. Apes also have access to machinery and slowly learn how to use them. This film takes its time with establishing the foundation of where things went wrong in the franchise’s continuation. It is more suspenseful and enticing. New kingdoms will rise, old apes will fall, and new ones will evolve.

I truly love the background of the Kingdom of the Planet of the Apes. Things are not the same for the apes or anyone else in thisenvironment. The film is creatively designed to build a puzzle. Wes Ball directed The Maze Runner films, and he takes a similarapproach of innovative escapes which are visually enthralling in Kingdom of the Planet of the Apes. Ball’s field of expertise lies in creating the foundations of kingdoms which have collapsed and finding the pieces to fill in the missing parts. In some parts the writing was weak, but still this film is deserving of a considerable amount of respect as a new addition to the ape franchise. Three out of four stars for Kingdom of the Planet of the Apes.

Film reviews

I Saw The TV Glow Review

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I Saw the TV Glow operates within the context of spellbinding fascinations with hobbies and moments of connections searching for understanding and empathy.  The film was written and directed by Jane Schoenbrun. Schoenbrun’s direction is audacious in its grandeur and colorful revelations. The film is experimental and worthy of awards. I Saw the TV Glow made my head spin in a positive way. The film centers on a reality TV show and its impact on a set of viewers throughout their lives.One that will build connections and memories that will mesmerize the minds of its audience.

The film’s focus is on the social disconnect of its main characters in the beginning. One is a boy with this feeling namedOwen (played by Justice Smith). Owen finds love and connection to the other, his close friend Maddie (played by Brigette Lundy-Paine). They are both fixated on a TV show called The Pink Opaque. It is a reality TV show based on the supernatural. It brings Owen and Maddie closer to their hearts and their feelings of where they sense they are meant to be. Owen has always struggled with loneliness. Maddie is also disconnected, but she tolerates being an introvert. The Pink Opaque builds a certain power within Owen. One that he will carry with him for years. Ultimately, his love for Maddie and his love of the TV show is where he feels there is meaning to life.

The era of the VHS days is portrayed in this film. Looking back at the era of having to watch programs in their scheduled time brings its audience back to a more structured reality when television viewers had to plan out when to watch the shows they loved. Owen collects VHS tapes of recordings of The Pink Opaque. He says, “I watched these tapes over and over again, and they never got old.” The fascination with a TV show is just the beginning of the story in I Saw the TV Glow.

The time when technology was limited in repeated views paints a portrait of how special this show is for Owen and Maddie in the film. It creates their bond of closeness in a surreal and experimental direction. The direction is breathless. The film shines with radiance. The friendship of Owen and Maddie thrives indefinitely in correlation to their love for a show they are obsessed with together.

The direction of Schoenbrun is artistic in its creation of an atmosphere where sharing an obsession creates a euphoric world. The presence of Owen and Maddie’s relationship brings a sense of urgency to what they have shared for years. Their love for The Pink Opaque goes to the horizons of imagination with sparks of wonder. Schoenbrun knows the depths of experimental value among in exploring aspects of personalities that bind and are inspiring. 

In the performance of Lundy-Paine, I saw the loving side of her wonderful aura in I Saw the TV Glow. It brought me back to her performance as Casey from the series Atypical. She has that personality where hardship in personal life is something she tolerates with a firm attitude. Her attitude is even firmer and revolutionary in I Saw the TV Glow.

Is there a light at the end of the tunnel? What are the chances of discovering the hidden treasures that tempt the characters in I Saw the TV Glow? This mesmerizing and in-depth trail of fear and friendship compounded by reality is off the charts. A true and surreal film that feels scientific in its search for a light of truth to the highest perception. Four out of four stars.

 

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