Tag Archives: Focus Features

Film reviews

Hamnet Review

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This is a powerful, transformative movie about the world of Shakespeare. Political themes play out in a medieval era filled with dynamics of power, love, and loss all performed on a stage. This is Hamnet, a thought-provoking portrait of challenges and turmoil in situations that should be black and white. The conflict between good and evil leads to connections and brilliance on a stage. As one who loves theatricals, my mind was blown away by two things during this film. First, the chemistry between the main characters. Second, the effective portrayal of powerful emotions. Hamnet is well-written and demonstrates the humanistic value of sadness and grief.

The film’s love story takes place in the 16th century. The lovers names are Agnes and Will who are played by Jessie Buckley and Paul Mescal. In a time in which villages have restrictions, love is what matters in the eyes of the main characters. This film is a tale about the journey they are on as parents. It explores the moments they have with their living children as well as the ones they have lost. This portion of the film involves an emotional narrative and is spot-on with the way it utilizes the Shakespearean context to effectively fan the fire. My heart was pounding intensely as the various conflicts played themselves out. 

Agnes is the character telling the story so much of the focus tends to be on her. However, Will has many significant points as well during an era in which he is trying to create a play based on his life and what he has loved and lost. At the same time, he wants to bring his creation to fruition for audiences. The world is hoping for magic to happen on the stage in Hamnet. Many of the disagreements in the film end up being rewarding scenes. Will has been raised in a household where he is frowned upon, and Agnes has been raised without a mother. The hardship in Hamnet is shown through the power of love and sacrifice. Writer and director Chloe Zhao paints this picture quite thoroughly and extremely well.

As the persistence of family and love contain diverse challenges for Agnes and Will, the times they’re living in also present several additional issues. Will’s dynamics continue to impact him, and all he knows how to do is utilize his hardship in his craft as a playwright. The difficult losses Agnes and Will face add meaning to their story. In their life, they are meant to experience happy moments even when things go awry. At the same time, they can pick each other up. Their persistence dazzles in a mesmerizing pattern. Buckley and Mescal burn up the screen. Their performances tell a story that unfolds with many revelations. The film is like a play that has transitions that allow audiences to take a moment and step back. When those moments occur, the deep feelings of acceptance and love shine through. Four out of four stars for Hamnet.

 

Film reviews

Anemone Review

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Daniel Day-Lewis once said he was done with acting after Phantom Thread. That is not the case with Anemone where he is back as an actor on top of his craft portraying someone with vengeance. The story’s writing has a foundation based on solitude and layers of underlying conflicts that go way back. The director is Daniel’s son Ronan Day-Lewis. Daniel wrote the film with his son. Anemone is a film about resentment, challenges, and acceptance. In a cinematic sense, it explores the question of when enough is enough. That question expands for seemingly endless miles in Anemone, across the unique landscapes, waters, and shores of Northern England. The vast landscapes weave all kinds of feelings through a dark and rugged terrain of cinematic wonders.

Daniel Day-Lewis plays Ray and Sean Bean plays Jem. Theirs is a brotherhood filled with hatred over many years and a dynamic that is completely thunderous with conflict. Much of this stems from the performance of Day-Lewis which is often rapid and petrifying. He always has a way to give emotion to humanistic characteristics when weaving in his character’s anger. Jem decides to try to make peace with Ray because he had an affair with Ray’s wife. A confusing dynamic is then created for Ray’s son Brian (Samuel Bottomley). Ray’s former lover Nessa (Samantha Morton) is now with Jem. She has tried countless times to reconnect with Ray, due to her concerns about Brian. Throughout this film, a bad past will simply not let go.

One of the most daring and egotistical portrayals I have seen from the talented Daniel Day-Lewis. He plays the role of wanting his vengeance to linger so well. He has that mind-boggling voice and twisted sense of humor that is not one to contend with. Sean Bean’s character keeps trying to make peace while also holding his anger. However, at the same time, the brotherhood connection remains strong. Elements of hate linger in cinematic qualities that are just beautiful yet monstrous. Daniel’s son, Ronan, has an effective eye for capturing humanistic qualities which explode given the anger although there are times when alternative outlets might be much healthier. 

The film is thought-provoking as it goes into uncharted territory that can chill audiences’ guts to the bone. The hatred in the performance of Daniel Day-Lewis, and the frustration in the performance of Sean Bean are both so pure. It is a brotherhood filled with jealousy fueled by masculinity which causes the film to hit a cinematic reel of glory. The story hits it so hard becausethese actors’ efforts to burn up the screen succeed. Anemone may be one of the best films of 2025, and another resurrection of Daniel Day-Lewis. His life as an actor will always include spell-binding performances. He has a unique ability to bring back sides of his artistic repertoire with even more aggressive and thought-provoking performances. He always shines brightest in the British landscape where there is a setting of solitude. Three-and-a-half stars for Anemone.

 

Film reviews

The Roses Review

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This is a film in which the subject of change finds common ground. Storylines that focus on relationships tend to have an appeal that leads to a deeper narrative. The narrative in The Roses results in an expanded portrait. Directed by Jay Roach, this film has a form of transformative humor that is special. The Roses presents a negative dynamic that gradually gets worse, but at the same time it thrives with humoristic value within the depths of its dark comedy. With Benedict Cumberbatch and Olivia Colman playing a husband and wife, and Andy Samberg and Kate McKinnon playing spouses as witnesses—the challenges are explored through a clever style of writing. The dramatic downfall results in the epitome of wonderful creativity in The Roses.

The film features Theo and Ivy Rose (Cumberbatch and Colman), and a couple that are facing several hurdles. They present a positive attitude about life, but then jealousy rears its ugly head. Theo was once a successful entrepreneur, but then later encounters some flaws. This causes Ivy to be the bigger breadwinner in the family. As Theo spends more time at home, he gets their kids to be more actively sporty and involved with life. Their friends Barry and Amy (Samberg and McKinnon) sense a form of injustice. At the same time, the success Theo and Ivy are experiencing is presented in a way that leads to unexpected, envious results.

To elaborate, I found this film to be classy. The subject matter made me think about what families disagree about and what parents might feel they are doing in terms of their parenting skills. The format of the writing seems to be in “keep the peace” mode, but gradually there is a mental ring of fire that boils the pot silently and ferociously. Lots of the intensity comes from Ivy, and because her kids are thriving based on what their dad has taught them. The competitive issues faced by the Rose family lead to a variety of interesting scenarios in The Roses.

To transition my train of thought a bit, the bright side of life also sparks glimmers of hope and optimism in The Roses. The challenges caused by failures end up opening new approaches to life which have better outcomes. There are moments of conflict, quirks, and giggles, but many scenes are presented with exaggerated and drastic measures. My point, however, is that the story presents how hard it can be to accept how things in life sometimes turn out. The pursuit of success not always being what it is cracked up to be is uncovered in The Roses.

Overall, the movie is a lovely portrait of a couple discovering more about what their guts are telling them. The family values portrayed through the performances of Cumberbatch and Colman are priceless and should not be missed. These actors are true gems which results in a film that is just shy of outstanding. The writing is classical. The Roses is filled with hidden envy, but reminds audiences to love and accept family. Three-and-a-half out of four stars.