Film reviews

All of Us Strangers Review

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The major vibe is distress on a journey of loneliness in this film. All of Us Strangers takes a deep dive into the core of finding where to fulfill disconnect. It is a portrait of sadness and finding light while dealing with the harsh reality of life as a screenwriter. The film is about the creative process of a screenwriter and is also process for its audience. It causes viewers to think about personal challenges, issues of acceptance, and how others view them. Written and directed by Andrew Haigh, All of Us Strangers is a film about the ups and downs in the life of a screenwriter who is stuck with both heartache and desolation.

The film opens with the screenwriter named Adam (played by Andrew Scott). Adam lives his life of mental suffrage in anapartment in London but has a secret. He is a closeted gay. Adam meets his neighbor Harry (played by Paul Mescal) who helps Adam change how he sees himself. Harry is also gay, and they begin to form a loving relationship. Closeness is what both Adam and Harry have been most deprived of. Adam searches for answers in different places and struggles with writer’s block. Harry’s mum is played by Claire Foy and his dad is played by Jamie Bell. Given Adam’s life of secrecy about his sexuality, his harsh memories frequently come to mind when spending time with Adam and his parents. The search for acceptance while navigating life’s challenges is the focus of the artistic journey in All of Us Strangers.

The relationship between Adam and Paul is where the film excels in displaying the impact of love. Mescal and Scott are brilliant in terms of their chemistry as they fight despair and find hope. Adam struggles to accept his true feelings for Paul and himself because he questions how his parents will feel about it. Adam’s parents find themselves confused and distraught about trying to accept their son’s sexuality. Their delayed acceptance causes Adam to revisit his haunting childhood. In fact, he feels like reality is against him throughout the story and the way the film presents his feelings is mesmerizing.

All of Us Strangers is a set in a society where being gay is questioned. The love between Adam and Harry is deep and their endearing love story is about finding what it takes to be fulfilled. The experience portrayed through the film’s writing and lighting is both hard and real. The harshness of Adam’s parents withtheir ridiculous expectations is why he struggles to have faith in himself. Harry is the only one that helps him have faith. There is more positive energy in Adam’s life when he is in Harry’s company and their relationship is their wonderland. Adam’s escape from Harry leads to choices that are harmful at times, but that’s because of the strength of their bond. Can Adam live a life of happiness without Harry?

The brilliance of All of Us Strangers lies in its presentation of Adam’s life of turmoil. The reality of Adam’s closeted secret is his nightmare. The audience gets to experience what’s on the mind of this screenwriter with an unexpected story. During the film, I felt the pain in Adam’s eyes as he faced regret and neglect. The continued frustration with his parents impacts his ability to enjoy his life with Harry. Why do Adam’s parents struggle to accept that their son is gay? Adam cannot help butwhat his heart wants. Nothing is more powerful than knowing there are people who care. The experience of disconnection and love in this film created a daring experience that left me in tears. Four out of four stars for All of Us Strangers.

Film reviews

The Iron Claw Review

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The legacy of wrestling is displayed in the strong elements of a true story in The Iron Claw. Written and directed by Sean Durkin, this faithful adaptation is about the life of a family that built a wrestling franchise based upon discipline, honor, and commitment. The film is a monumental and emotional achievement in which the characterizations glisten with brilliance. The story of the Von Erich brothers is one for the ages. In The Iron Claw, Zac Efron is Kevin Von Erich, Jeremy Allen White is Kerry Von Erich, Harris Dickinson is David Von Erich, and Stanley Simons is Mike Von Erich. Their parents are played by Holt McCallany as Fritz Von Erich, and Maura Tierney as Doris Von Erich. The entire cast delivers outstanding performances portraying a family that sticks together no matter what the cause.

The film takes place in an era when wrestling is beginning to have competing divisions. Fritz has trained his boys to become pro wrestlers, win championships, and accomplish what he could never accomplish. Not only do his boys win, but they also gain media attention. Kevin Von Erich is the strongest of the four brothers and despite plateaus has some title shots. Kerry has failed as an Olympic athlete which is why he joins his brothers’ group in hopes of fame. David is the brother that stands on the sideline as a spectator, but also dreams of fighting in the ring. Finally, there is Mike, the brother with more artistic than physical talent. Fritz pushes his boys to adopt the mindset that they are undefeated. However, they begin to feel drained and defeated by this mentality not only in the ring but in life. One of the messages in The Iron Claw is that choosing battles in life has consequences.

With the intense focus on championships and glory, each brother finds himself falling into a pattern of despair. Kevin feels he must be a leader to fulfill his father’s dreams. Kevin must also think about his wife Pam (played by Lily James), and what his future with wrestling will look like. Kerry sees wrestling as his biggest fallback, because of errors while being an Olympian. Kerry’s ego is at the root of his problems. David finds himself making brotherhood and reputation a priority. However, his fame gets ahead of his performance. Finally, Mike is the brother with the least athletic talent. Each brother falls into patterns which drain their energy, impede their success, and have irreparable consequences. The expectations of their father causes them to feel like they can never give up. The Iron Claw displays that the Von Erich brothers were so focused on their fame and glory, they never truly thought about the impact wrestling would have on them.

The pressure of achieving fame leads to despair in The Iron Claw. The writing is strong in portraying human sadness as the family navigates through the pressures of their franchise. Their trademark is the movie’s title and their signature move, i.e., The Iron Claw. In this riveting tale, the concept of giving up does not seem to be an option.

As a fan of wrestling, I found the division in the film to be similar to All Elite Wrestling which is more realistic and followsold school rules. The other division, World Wrestling Entertainment, is more commercialized and scripted. The Iron Claw is more faithful to the tone and sportsmanship of All Elite Wrestling. The matches are more real, like they were in the days of the Von Erich family. The combination of realism and old school rules are where the jam of wrestling lies as a form of entertainment that has an enthusiastic fan base.

With the various setbacks faced by the family in their pursuit of fame, the film weaves a nostalgic historical trail. This is enhanced by tying in the fame of wrestlers Ric Flair (played by Aaron Dean Eisenberg) and Harley Race (played by Kevin Anton). The early days of wrestling display how competition in the ring was meant to be a riveting event for the world to experience. With the Von Erich brothers always striving to impress their father, the bigger names in wrestling served as their competition. Sadly, a loss would mean a reckoning and additional mental hardship for them. The Iron Claw shows that the ring of fame is not always a center of fulfillment but is often a reality check of the challenges faced by each brother individually. The film is unforgettable and riveting. Four out of four stars for The Iron Claw.

Film reviews

Chicken Run: Dawn of the Nugget Review

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I was much younger get when the first Chicken Run film opened in the summer of 2000, but that film made me realize how enthralling stop motion animation can be. Twenty-three years later Chicken Run: Dawn of the Nugget still made me gasp and jump out of my seat numerous times. The legacy of the franchise holds true in its faithful brilliance to the brand and the invigoration of its animation technology. Chicken Run: Dawn of the Nugget is a family film for both children and adults, and it has joyfulness that flows throughout the film.

The plot of the film begins on an island. Ginger (voiced by Thandiwe Newton) is back with Rocky (voiced by Zachary Levi). Ginger and Rocky have a daughter, Molly (voiced by Bella Ramsey). The other fun chickens are back ranging from Bunty (voiced by Imelda Staunton) and Mac (voiced by Lynn Ferguson), to Ferguson (voiced by David Bradley). The chickens have escaped the Chicken farm that was run by the wretched Mrs. Tweedy (voiced by Miranda Richardson) and have made a home for themselves many miles away from the farm. But Molly has her parents’ adventure gene, and the troubles return. Molly escapes the island and finds herself on a new type of chicken farm—one with huge high-tech air fryers! Ginger and Rocky must do what they can to save Molly, but the worst part is that Mrs. Tweedy is back and the War of the Chickens versus Mrs. Tweedy is on for a second time. Fortunately, the chickens are smarter than they previously were when Mrs. Tweedy tormented them for ages. But have they learned enough to make it out alive?

I love animations that have a semi-serious premise but know how to keep the funniness in tune. Chicken Run: Dawn of the Nugget has that in spades. The creators know how to portray danger that keeps viewers on the edge of their seat while also keeping them rolling in the aisles with laughter. Chicken Run: Dawn of the Nugget stands to bring the success of the franchise to new heights in this long-awaited sequel. Despite the long time between films, the writing of this film is faithful to the brand and the world they created is evolving of many wonders.

So finally, after far too long, the classy animation returns … and it makes for a rollicking fun time. Chicken Run: Dawn of the Nugget is a journey where the impossible becomes possible. The chickens are even more savvy than before, making the film suspenseful, enthralling, and filled with laughter for all ages. Mrs. Tweedy still has her evil side, but it doesn’t prevail because although she’s still a psycho, she’s an absent-minded psycho. So twenty-three years after the first film, the chickens continue to be heroes. Three out of four stars for Chicken Run: Dawn of the Nugget.

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