Zoë Rose Bryant has written 268 reviews for films during 2018.
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The Ballad of Buster Scruggs 2018
The Ballad of Buster Scruggs goes to great lengths to transport viewers into the authentic atmosphere of the American Wild West, and although the narratives of a few of these tales can be slight or underwhelming at times, the tone and voice of the Coen Brothers continues to shine through.
On technical merits alone, this film deserves considerable acclaim. Bruno Delbonnel’s astounding cinematography beautifully captures the rough terrain and open skies of the West. Carter Burwell’s melodic, folksy score adds…
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Black Mirror: Bandersnatch 2018
Black Mirror: Bandersnatch is more impressive as a episodic entertainment experiment than as a cohesive narrative (merely due to the structure inherent in the “choose-your-own-adventure” approach applied here), but it certainly left quite an impact on me nonetheless. The reveals are handled expertly, and the themes of “free will vs. control” spur the philosophical and existential consideration that Black Mirror is iconic for. It’s very hard to judge the story, as it’s quite unlike any previous episode in this series…
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Vice 2018
While Vice may be a bit scattered in editing and structure at points, it ultimately lands the horrifying impact Adam McKay intended thanks to a witty screenplay and dedicated performances (led by Dick Chen- I mean, Christian Bale 😉)
Vice fires out of the gate with a burst of energy, sending us on Dick Cheney’s mindboggling ascension through the political ranks after receiving a verbal ass-kicking by his wife Lynne after one-too-many acts of drunk foolishness. The pace is suitably…
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Holmes & Watson 2018
While not the absolute trainwreck I had anticipated going in, Holmes & Watson is nevertheless a notable step-down from the giddy heights of Talladega Nights and Step Brothers for the talented duo of Will Ferrell and John C. Reilly.
For starters, writer/director Etan Cohen is no Adam McKay. Since McKay has moved onto to more "prestige" fare, the irreverence and spunk he brought to features like Talladega Nights and Step Brothers is sorely missed. His scripts certainly bordered on stupidity at times,…
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Bird Box 2018
Bird Box is by far and away one of the strongest feature-length efforts from Netflix yet, combining potent apocalyptic sci-fi thrills with genuinely humanistic performances, led by a commanding Sandra Bullock.
Although the script (adapted by Arrival's Eric Heisserer from the 2014 novel by Josh Malerman) may feel a tad derivative of other sci-fi horror/thriller flicks such as A Quiet Place, The Happening, and The Mist, this doesn't make Bird Box any less effective. Heisserer provides the protagonist, Bullock's Malorie…
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Welcome to Marwen 2018
It really pains me to say this (as a long time fan of both director Robert Zemeckis and lead star Steve Carell) but Welcome to Marwen is an underdeveloped, unsettling mess full of grating characterizations and manipulative schmaltz.
Carell tried his best with a complicated role (further undercut by a woeful screenplay), but rather than evoking sympathy from the audience, his performance is considerably uncomfortable. The hate crime Mark endured isn’t near as fleshed out as it could’ve been, and…
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La La Land 2016
nothing like some good ol’ emotional devastation the day after christmas
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Second Act 2018
Second Act may have a typical safe/predictable comedy template, but Jennifer Lopez turns in a great lead performance and the narrative has just enough bumps and twists to keep you engaged throughout.
For starters, the story develops far beyond what’s been presented in promotional materials, and while you won’t be getting any spoilers here from me, I actually really enjoyed the depth these additional plot lines provided. The film may be light overall, but it blended broad, witty comedic beats…
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Isle of Dogs 2018
Impeccably crafted in both its stunning visual style and its endlessly quirky and inventive screenplay. May be in the minority here, but this is easily top three Wes (if not his best).
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Vox Lux 2018
Vox Lux attempts to draw connections between a variety of hot button issues in today’s society, and while the film’s reach somewhat exceeds its grasp, Brady Corbet’s feature is held together by effective moments of resonance and the powerful character of Celeste, brought to life by Raffey Cassidy and Natalie Portman.
Corbet’s direction is endlessly entrancing, aided by cinematographer Lol Crawley. Both inject the world of Celeste’s rise to fame full of grit and realism with a sugary pop glaze…
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Mary Queen of Scots 2018
Mary Queen of Scots can feel a tad overstuffed and overlong, but it benefits from a screenplay full of resonant, feminist themes and two supreme leading performances from Saoirse Ronan and Margot Robbie.
Mary Queen of Scots tends to evoke shades of Shakespeare with its melodramatic court intrigue, endless acts of deception and betrayal, and corruption from love and lust. Beau Willmon’s screenplay is a tad inconsistent - faltering when some acenes carry on far too long or some moments…