I didn’t much like The Wolf of Wall Street, finding it a story of unbridled excess with no redemption. It might be based on truth, it might even be completely accurate in its portrayal of Jordan Belfort and his exploits, but I felt like I’d watched something rather pornographic rather than a film exploring the excesses of 90’s Wall Street. A better film exploring the same topic, also starring Leonardo DiCaprio, was 2013’s underrated The Great…Read More
Review: Hugo
Once in a while, a film comes along that defies simple explanation. The story proves complex, the characters unexpectedly nuanced, and the entire narrative experience is beyond anything you expect. Hugo is just such a movie, a story that succeeds as a children’s fable in the spirit of childhood fantasies like Chitty Chitty Bang Bang and City of Ember, and simultaneously offers a surprisingly deep and profound exploration of love, family and what it means to be…Read More
Review: Shutter Island
The film version of Dennis Lehane’s creepy psychological thriller Shutter Island has taken a while to get on the big screen, but it was worth the wait. With Leonardo DiCaprio in the starring role as US Marshall Teddy Daniels, it’s one of the best psychological thrillers in quite a while. With its leisurely pace, moody ensemble and positively sinister exteriors, it’s also a nice reminder that intense movies don’t need to involve massive explosions, zombies,…Read More