The Best Films of the 2010 Decade Summarised with One Word Each

We've not only reached the end of a great year of film, but we've also reached the end of an astonishing decade of film, the first calendar decade I have lived through the entirety of - the 2010s. There has been a plethora of fantastic filmmaking over the last ten years and I thought I'd take this chance to look back on the best that I've seen in this time. As I'm sure you can imagine, a simple top ten is not nearly enough. So, here is my top FORTY films of the 2010 Decade.

Because we've got so many to make our way through, I thought I'd challenge myself and summarise what I like about each film with a single word. I have talked about many of these before, but there are some I haven't. Also, it was a pain to put this list together and I have never had it in a form that I am completely satisfied with, so it's more of just as a rundown of some of my personal favourite films of this decade in rough order of least best to the very best. Let's see what happens!

Tier 4: The Really Flippin' Good Movies 

40. Spider-Man: Homecoming (2017, Jon Watts) - Neat 
39. Attack the Block (2011, Joe Cornish) - Madcap
38. Apollo 11 (2019, Todd Douglas Miller) - Extraordinary 
37. The Social Network (2010, David Fincher) - Insightful
36. The King's Speech (2010, Tom Hooper) - Charming 
35. Yesterday (2019, Danny Boyle) - Joyful 
34. War Horse (2011, Steven Spielberg) - Touching
33. A Monster Calls (2016, J.A. Bayona) - Riveting
32. Dunkirk (2017, Christopher Nolan) - Thrilling
31. Doctor Strange (2016, Scott Derrickson) - Fascinating

Tier 3: The Excellent Movies 

30. Tangled (2010, Nathan Greno / Byron Howard) - Refreshing
29. Inside Out (2015, Pete Doctor) - Beautiful
28. The Lego Batman Movie (2017, Chris McKay) - Bonkers
27. The Lego Movie 2 (2019, Mike Mitchell) - Clever
26. Captain America: Civil War (2016, Joe and Anthony Russo) - Gripping
25. Scott Pilgrim vs The World (2010, Edgar Wright) - Exciting
24. Spider-Man: Far From Home (2019, Jon Watts) - Consistent
23. Jojo Rabbit (2019, Taika Waititi) - Sweet
22. Arthur Christmas (2011, Sarah Smith) - Cheerful
21. The Lego Movie (2014, Phil Lord / Chris Miller) - Magical

Tier 2: The Extremely Excellent Movies  

20. Inception (2010, Christopher Nolan) - Thought-Provoking
19. Guardians of the Galaxy (2014, James Gunn) - Unique
18. The World's End (2013, Edgar Wright) - Chaotic
17. A Quiet Place (2018, John Krasinski) - Tense
16. Toy Story 3 (2010, Lee Unkrich) - Satisfying
15. Knives Out (2019, Rian Johnson) - Prime
14. 1917 (2019, Sam Mendes) - Breathtaking
13. Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse (2018, Peter Ramsey / Bob Persichetti) - Dazzling
12. How to Train Your Dragon (2010, Chris Sanders / Dean DeBlois) - Wondrous
11. Zootropolis (2016, Rich Moore / Jared Bush / Byron Howard) - Thoughtful

Tier 1: The Masterful and Utterly Brilliant Movies
 
10. La La Land (2016, Damien Chazelle) - Fabulous 
9. Hunt for the Wilderpeople (2016, Taika Waititi) - Endearing
8. Kingsman: The Secret Service (2015, Matthew Vaughn) - Awesome
7. Avengers: Endgame (2019, Joe and Anthony Russo) - Spectacular
6. Thor Ragnarok (2017, Taika Waititi) - Wild 
5. Wreck-it Ralph (2012, Rich Moore) - Inventive
4. The Martian (2015, Ridley Scott) - Engrossing
3. Paddington (2014, Paul King) - Amiable
2. Avengers: Infinity War (2018, Joe and Anthony Russo) - Marvellous
1. Paddington 2 (2017, Paul King) - Pure 

The Personal History of David Copperfield - Movie Review - One of the best Dickens adaptations

This film is a PG, was released on January 24th, 2020, and this review will contain NO SPOILERS 

A Victorian man by the name of David Copperfield looks back on his life and all the things that happened as well as all the characters he encountered. I shamefully hadn't heard of David Copperfield until I saw the trailer for this film, considering it is the work of Charles Dickens. So, I wasn't going to see this because of any affection for the source material, but instead because it just looked funny. I laughed while watching the trailer and thought this would be a fun way to spend two hours, so I went in just hoping to have a good time. 

Thankfully, the film is very entertaining. This wasn't surprising considering that the film is helmed by Armando Iannucci who is a comedic genius, but what did surprise me was the cast being as funny as they were. Of course, I know people like Peter Capaldi and Benedict Wong can deliver a cracking joke, but I hadn't seen Dev Patel, Tilda Swinton or Hugh Laurie in comedic roles like this before. So, it was very pleasant to have them all induce many smiles and laughs upon me as I sat through this. Beyond the humour, the characters are excellently executed. Dev Patel beings so much to the central role, he has so much charm and wit about him and is also extremely likeable. Peter Capaldi and Hugh Laurie don't just play similar-looking characters, but they're also equally enjoyable to watch, with Capaldi's Mr Micawber being appropriately over-the-top and Laurie's Mr Dick being cheerful yet mysterious. Everyone else does a great job too, and it is wonderful to see such a diverse cast in a film set in Victorian England. The other thing that is so wonderful about the film is that it is also very inspiring. As someone who writes their own stories, it was really fascinating to see the central character's really clever methods of writing, such as always thinking about how things are and jotting any thoughts down in the moment. I also admired how the film was structured like a book, with chapter headings and occasional narration. So, I got so much out of watching this film beyond just entertainment. 

The only issue with the film is that it is a bit flippant in terms of tone. It goes back and forth between being dramatic and comedic quite often. It makes sense within the story and isn't a huge problem, but it is a little distracting, especially with certain moments that feel particularly out of place in the landscape of the rest of the film. 

I wanted a good time, and I had a delightful time. The Personal History of David Copperfield has some terrific performances of very well executed characters in a story that, while it does have minor tonal issues, is enormously endearing and even inspiring at times. I think it's impossible to watch this without having the slightest smile on your face as it's just enjoyable from start to finish. 

I'm going to give The Personal History of David Copperfield an 8.5/10 

Top 10 Films of 2019

It's the end of the year which means it is time to round up all the films I've seen and rank the best of them. Unlike last year, I'm going to do my Top 10 favourite because I've seen so many more great movies this year and my 10 favourite are all great at the very least. Also, I'm still not going to do a worst of the year list because I don't see the value in complaining about the films I didn't like and I've only seen 2 films this year that I feel I could label as bad in any way, even though neither of them are. So, let's get started!

Before we get into the Top 10, here are some honourable mentions:

- Joker - A very haunting and unnerving experience that I was thoroughly engaged in but didn't leave me with the urge to revisit.

- A Shaun the Sheep Movie: Farmageddon - A delightful return with more top-notch jokes and beautiful animation. 
- Fighting with My Family - A surprise I only just saw recently that really inspired and entertained me consistently from start to finish.

10. Rocketman

Upon rewatching, this film grew on me hugely. Rocketman is a fabulous film with an excellent lead performance from Taron Egerton, who is becoming one of my favourite actors, and was disgracefully snubbed at the Oscars this year. It also features some wonderful musical sequences that keep it exciting as well as some genuine heart from a lot of its great performances. I really enjoy this one and I can only see myself loving it more and more with time. 

9. Le Mans '66

I really like it when a film takes a fun and enjoyable approach to a story that could otherwise be really dramatic and dull. Thankfully, that's what happened here. Le Mans '66 has two great performances from Matt Damon and Christian Bale as well as some really exhilerating and thrilling race sequences. It frequently had me laughing as well as gripping the side of my seat. The drama is also not neglected as there is a suitable amount in the film but the it all feels very tonally balanced and it enhanced the tension as the film went on. This is definitely a film I'll be revisiting as it was just a ton of fun to sit through.

8. Apollo 11

The most overlooked film of the year, and perhaps the most tragic snub at the Oscars in the Documentary category. I have heard hardly any people discussing Apollo 11, and wrongly so. This masterfully crafted work of art uses amazingly captured footage of the iconic mission to the moon and has you thoroughly engaged and astonished the whole time. The footage can be a bit blurry at times and the dialogue can be difficult to decipher, but the film deserves massive praise for what it was able to do, so those are just tiny nitpicks. I have this on DVD and can't wait to revisit it. You should certainly watch it too as it needs all the attention it can get.

7. Yesterday

This is the most underrated film of the year. I can understand why people were somewhat Marmite-y on Yesterday as it may not utilise the genius concept in the best possible way for some people nor does it have too much originality, but I love it nonetheless. The film just has me laughing consistently, smiling frequently, and feeling the urge to stand up and sing and dance. The two leads are also very likeable and the comedy is great. As I said, I wish the film focused more on Jack, the main character, having the intention to show the world how significant The Beatles were instead of gaining his own popularity, but that doesn't scream huge missed potential as what the film does do is more than fine by me.  

6. The Lego Movie 2: The Second Part

Of course this had to sneak a spot onto the list! The Lego Movie 2 brings more of the same great humour, character, spectacle, and general madness that the previous installments have had, but it also thrives on elements that make it stand out from what has already been in this series with catchy and funny songs, as well as a more complex narrative that particularly struck a chord with me. The only issue is that the film is a bit illogical at times, but not enough to be distracting. So, I love this one and it's a shame that we probably won't see any more from this series, and its even more of a shame that none of the great work in this franchise was rewarded with an Oscar.

5. Spider-Man: Far From Home

It's difficult to make a terrific sequel, but it is even more difficult to make a sequel that follows on from the biggest film of all time, and that's why Spider-Man: Far From Home is as amazing as it is. The characters are more endearing, the action is much more inventive and fun to watch, the story has a lot more meaning and relatability to it, and overall it's just another great entry into the Marvel Universe. For a character as frequently seen as Spider-Man to still be the star of brilliant films like this is simply terrific, and I hope this only goes on and on. 

4. Jojo Rabbit

A very recent entry into the list, but a very deserving one. Taika Waititi, one of my favourite directors, helms this charming film that has a ton of clever jokes, really smart writing, brilliant performances, and a sweet story that does make light of some dark aspects of World War II, but in a way that is completely justified due to the great protagonist. Not much else to say other than it's absolutely wonderful! Can't wait to check it out again.

3. Knives Out 

The best writing of the year accompanied by some of the funniest and most engaging performances of the year in a film filled with some of the best cinematography, direction, music, set design, colour palette, editing, and basically everything else of the year. I find it very difficult to fault this film aside from a portion that drags compared to the pace of the rest of the film. But, honestly, that can so easily be overlooked that I might as well ignore it altogether. The fact that this is also an original work makes it even better. I love this film so much and I can only see myself loving it more and more once I rewatch it. 

2. 1917 

If there's one film that took my breath away in terms of being a stunning and gripping piece of cinema, it has to be this. 1917 is a masterful work of art. Roger Deakins' impeccable cinematography, Sam Mendes' excellent direction and writing, the remarkable score, sound, acting, aesthetic and, once again, essentially everything else just impressed me to a very high degree. It has truly used every filmmaking component to its advantage, and it has resulted in a fairly surface-level plot being turned into one of the most engaging, enjoyable, emotional, and generally phenomenal films of not just the year, but the entire decade. I think you can see why I waited until I'd seen this film before I made this list. 

1. Avengers: Endgame 

Yeah, you knew this from the start, one may say it was inevitable. Truth be told, I could easily put Knives Out or 1917 at the top spot, but there's only one film that came out this year that truly reached me on an emotional level. One film that has me grinning and cheering like an idiot at certain points. One film that gives me a rush of excitement that I doubt I could get from anywhere else. And one film that is unbelievably satisfying for the entirety of its three-hour runtime. And that film, is of course Endgame. The mere thought of this film makes me smile, I have such fond memories attached to this film, and it serves as a strong reason why I'm glad I was born when I was. Too late to experience the original Star Wars trilogy, too late to witness the Live Aid concert and the prime time for some of my favourite artists, too late to live through the Disney Renaissance, and too late and too soon to around at the turn of a milennium, but I was born just in time to experience the climax of the infinity saga at a crucial moment in my life... and that makes me feel extremely lucky indeed. Also, in case you haven't had enough of me having a go at the Academy this year, HOW ON EARTH DID STAR WARS: THE RISE OF SKYWALKER, WHICH HAS PERHAPS THE MOST UNORIGINAL SCORE EVER, GET OSCAR NOMINATED FOR BEST ORIGINAL SCORE WHEN AVENGERS: ENDGAME, WHICH IS SUPERIOR IN EVERY SENSE, DIDN'T?!?!? This may be the year when I just lose all respect for the Oscars.

So, those were my Top 10 films of the year, and what a year it was. Unfortunately, 2020 doesn't have a great deal of things to look forward too. I won't bother doing a post dedicated to what films I'm excited for, but I will highlight some here:

- A Quiet Place Part 2 - Loved the first and this looks even better

- The King's Man - Massive fan of the first two and this looks just as good

- No Time to Die - Really enjoy these newer Bond movies and look forward to this finale

- Tenet - Love a bit of Nolan and this looks very intriguing and equally mind-bending

- Black Widow - Long overdue, but glad to see it finally happening

Also, I'm going to do a massive ranking of my favourite films of the decade soon, and there will be a lot of films on there, around 30-40! Don't expect it too soon as it has been very difficult to piece together.  

1917 - Movie Review - One wonderful shot

This film is a 15, was released on January 10th, 2020, and this review will contain NO SPOILERS 

Introduction 

What I have always liked about film are the stories that are told and all the wonder and magic they hold. However, one other aspect of film that has my intrigue is the technical side - it's always amazing to see a film that pushes the boundaries of how a film can be made and how this can make it even better. This was one of the things that drove me to see 1917.

Thoughts Going In 

I wasn't interested in 1917 at first, but then I saw a trailer that explained the film was made to look as if it was all one continuous tracking shot, in the same style as the terrific opening to Sam Mendes' last film, Spectre. This took my interest as I felt this could result in a fascinating experience, especially in a cinema. After hearing the excellent reviews and seeing all of the awards/nominations, I thought it'd certainly be worth a look. 

The Story 

Two young British soldiers, Blake and Schofield, are instructed to leave their battalion and travel to another across various dangerous landscapes in order to call off an attack that, if carried out, will result in tons of major losses, including Blake's brother. 

What I Liked 

It goes without saying that the star of the show in this film is the cinematography. The choice to edit the film as if it is one continuous shot makes it feel like more of a genuinely engaging experience as everything happens in real-time, and it makes you feel as if you are right at the moment. The way the shots move also makes it more exciting, it never feels like there is a lack of life, even if it is slowly panning over a landscape or following slower movements. One-shot involves one of the two protagonists running along the rim of a trench as all the other soldiers run into the battlefield and various explosions occur, and it was extremely well choreographed and felt so epic and heroic. The way shots are lit adds an extra layer of wonder, one-shot following the same soldier as he runs through a town with the only casting light going on and off and the sun coming up in the distance really stuck in my head and just had me mesmerised. Basically, Roger Deakins is a genius and if he doesn't get an Oscar for his contributions here, the Academy is really overlooking masterful work.

The cinematography manages to make many other aspects in the film better than they probably would've been in a regularly edited movie. The story is nothing special, it's very much just a here to there story, and the characters are, on the surface, quite generic; just two young guys, one of which has a brother to save as a basic motivation, so overall, it's not too exciting. But, firstly, it doesn't matter because the emphasis is on the how not the why, and we've already established that the how is very well executed. Secondly, the real-time aspect as a result of the singular continuous shot heightens the tension. You feel every ounce of struggle that these characters go through, and you feel all the fear that they do. As a result, you naturally want to see them succeed in their goal after seeing all the hell they've endured to do so that you have essentially experienced alongside them, resulting in a satisfying story you're engaged in. Also, the film isn't just a thrilling journey from beginning to end, it balances a lot of different emotions when necessary. There's a really heartfelt scene where one of the soldiers finds a young woman hiding while caring for an abandoned baby, and it contrasts so greatly to the action from before that it feels a lot more tender in the landscape of the film. A similar scene involves a song being sung to an entire fleet of soldiers about to enter a fight, which was a real emotional punch considering the context of where it was occurring. There was also a healthy dose of comedy in the film - not to a distracting extent, but enough to make the characters feel more believable and the film a tad more entertaining. On top of this, the performances are tip-top. The two leads were fantastic and had a great dynamic, and the others such as Colin Firth, Andrew Scott, Mark Strong, Benedict Cumberbatch, and Richard Madden all used their somewhat limited time wonderfully. All of this is further proof of why this film is so thoroughly engaging.

Aside from the magical camerawork, other filmmaking aspects were just brilliant. The sound design and mixing were very well done and furthered the stress of the situation, with explosions and gunfire being made all the more alarming. The set design and aesthetic also captured the feeling of World War 1 and No Man's Land so expertly, adding to believability. Best of all, the score by Thomas Newman was on another level. The only works of his I'd known before this film were Finding Nemo and Wall-E, but this score was completely different - it was pulse-pounding, emotionally powerful, and just pleasure for my ears. It hit all the right notes at all the right moments, once again, adding to the tension in the film. This is an example of a motion picture that has examined every aspect of the filmmaking process and found ways to use them to its advantage, and it is commendable to a staggering degree.

The last thing I'd like to mention is the director, Sam Mendes. I was lucky enough to see this film at the Odeon in Leicester Square before it was released and with a Q&A with Mendes and the two leads. Hearing a filmmaker talk so passionately about their work in the way that he did just put it into a whole new perspective. He didn't talk down to the audience so we knew what he was on about, he spoke with such sophistication about all the technicalities of making this film. This alone had me convinced that he is someone who both knows what he's doing and enjoys what he's doing - hence why the films we get from him, such as this, are as good as they are. I tip my hat the Mendes, and I have further respect after finding out that this film was inspired by stories his grandfather told him. He was knighted for a very clear reason. 

What I Didn't Like 

My only issue is that the singular shot does create some distractions that may not seem obvious at first. Once you clock on to the fact that there won't be any cuts (which I knew about before seeing the film) you do find yourself trying to pay attention to where it may have been cut, and when you've noticed something, it can be a bit of an irritant. But, that is so ridiculously minor because I've already praised the cinematography endlessly and I don't think that tiny problems should distract from the excellence that has been achieved.

Conclusion 

1917 is modern filmmaking at its finest. Sam Mendes had an idea and has executed it in winning fashion. It takes a slightly straightforward narrative and makes it the most tense and most spectacular it can be with its off the charts cinematography, strong emotions, convincing performances, and generally remarkable filmmaking. There is so little to fault about this film and even after rewatching it once, I just want to go back and see it over and over again because I was engaged in every sense. 

I'm going to give 1917 a 9.5/10

Jojo Rabbit - Movie Review - Has Taika done it again?

This film is a 12A, was released on January 1st 2020, and this review will contain NO SPOILERS 

Happy New Year! A young boy named Jojo growing up in Nazi Germany begins to learn the ways of the Nazis until he meets a Jewish girl living in one of his walls which causes him to question whether their ideologies are worth standing by. Taika Waititi is one of my favourite directors working today. Of course, I think Thor Ragnarok is one of the best MCU movies, but one of the films that put him on the map, Hunt for the Wilderpeople, is also one of my favourite films of the decade. His comedy has a real charm to it and it makes his films really heartfelt and hugely entertaining. When I heard his next film would be a satirical take on Nazi Germany in which he'd play an imaginary version of Adolf Hitler, I was excited on another level. He seemed like a great choice as his seamless mix of comedy and heart would be perfect for a comedic take on a serious topic. So, I couldn't wait and I was annoyed I had to wait until the new year for it.

Like his other films, this is enormously entertaining. Almost every joke lands and none feel half-hearted or perfunctory efforts at getting a laugh. What allows the film to be as funny as it is and get away with it in a somewhat serious landscape is that it is coming from the view of a naive child. They obviously won't have a detailed knowledge of the prejudice towards Jews or the status of Germany towards other countries, so the film is able to deliver loads of potentially offensive jokes without actually coming off as offensive because they're justified in the context of the film. This is the main reason why Waititi's performance as imaginary Hitler is as great as it is. He doesn't act like a cruel dictator, because Jojo wouldn't know about that given how everyone around him acts as if he's a God-like figure, so instead he's goofy and exaggerated in terms of things he says and does, which is what makes it so much fun to watch. Also, the other performances were great, Roman Griffin Davis as Jojo was the other stand out. He brings a lot of wit and sweetness to the character which makes him a likeable and funny protagonist - he's definitely a young talent to keep an eye on. Thomasin McKenzie, who played the Jewish girl, also gave a really charming performance and the bond between them felt genuine as what Jojo goes through feels natural. Scarlett Johansson also gave a sweet and endearing performance as Jojo's mother, and them bond between the two of them also came off as really genuine. Everyone else was likeable and funny too, although the German accents seemed a bit wobbly as the film progressed, especially for Waititi with his Kiwi accent beginning to become more prevalent towards the end. The story as a whole felt very well rounded and it has an important message about questioning popular beliefs instead of blindly accepting them, particularly relevant for children of Jojo's age. There was also an abundance of heart which kept the film feeling like more than just a typical comedy, which was much appreciated. 

The only issue I had with this film is that the film isn't that impressive from a filmmaking perspective. Waititi's style feels very reminiscent of Wes Anderson at times however the colour palette wasn't very striking and instead felt quite dull and the cinematography wasn't as sharp and instead was slightly unremarkable. That is only a minor complaint as the film is still enormously watchable, but I wish it had a bit more flair from behind the camera.

Jojo Rabbit is another excellent entry into Taika Waititi's filmography. It has a really well executed story that allows for tons of laugh-out-loud jokes as well as an important message and plenty of heart due to some brilliant performances. Aside from a slight lack of a distinct filmmaking style this is one of the best films of 2019. It's not quite as good as Hunt for the Wilderpeople or Thor Ragnarok, but those films did take multiple viewings for me to come to love them as much as I do now so I can only see this getting better and better with time. But, as it is, it serves as more evidence as to why Waititi is one of the best directors currently in the filmmaking industry and maybe even my favourite. 

I'm going to give Jojo Rabbit a 9.0/10  

Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker - Movie Review - A satisfying conclusion or a rushed obligation?

This film is a 12A, was released on December 19th 2019, and this review will contain LOADS OF SPOILERS BECAUSE IT IS GOING TO BE IMPOSSIBLE TO DESCRIBE HOW I FELT ABOUT THIS FILM WITHOUT GOING INTO GREAT DETAIL, BUT MY CONCLUSION WILL HAVE NO SPOILERS SO SKIP TO THERE IF YOU JUST WANT TO HEAR MY FINAL STATEMENT. SO, SPOILER ALERT.

Introduction

Nowadays, we always have the idea of a certain type of film known as a blockbuster. These are crowd-pleasing movies that are usually a ton of fun and really popular. The 1970s was a time when this began to emerge, and one of the earliest examples of a blockbuster that became a phenomenon was Star Wars. This 1977 science fiction / fantasy film perfectly encapsulated everything audiences wanted from a movie - likeable heroes, menacing villains, an infectious sense of fun, grand action, and so on. I adore this film. From a young age I'd been a massive fan of it and even to this day, I never have a problem revisiting it. It puts a big grin on my face and has me excited and entertained to enormous extents. George Lucas, the man behind the film, did an excellent job with this, and it was just the beginning of something bigger.

In 1980, the sequel, Empire Strikes Back, was released. I always found this movie boring as a child as nothing really happens and there isn't enough of the exciting action that the predecessor offered. However, revisiting it earlier this year, my opinion has flipped completely. The pitch-perfect dialogue, the terrific character growth, and a more demanding storyline make it a great watch, but it doesn't top the original for me. After this, Return of the Jedi, the third entry, came out. Not everyone is a huge fan of this one, but I love it just as much as the two before it. The ending really makes me teary-eyed, the characters are as good as ever, and the action continues to make me smile. As you can probably deduct, these three movies are very important to me. A massive tent-pole of my childhood as well as films that still work for me many years later - and the rest of the world seemed to have the same response. 

Towards the 2000s, Lucas came back to the franchise with another trilogy planned out, serving as prequels to the original three. These films were The Phantom Menace in 1999, Attack of the Clones in 2002, and Revenge of the Sith in 2005. These were hated. Many complained they were hugely inferior to the originals and had many issues with the characters, acting and production. In my opinion, they're fine. Phantom Menace is a bit too long and boring as well as annoying at times, Attack of the Clones has some good set pieces but has some poor acting, and Revenge if the Sith is actually a great movie to me as it is exciting and intense. The main issue I have with these three is that they feel very pretentious. They take themselves too seriously and so the cheesy dialogue and over-the-top action set pieces feel out of place, as opposed to the originals which seemed to understand to not be too dramatic unless necessary. But, I personally don't have a problem with them. 

After the negative reaction, Lucas believed he was done with Star Wars and sold it to Disney for a sum of around $4 billion. Now, a new creative team had their hands on this material and were ready to continue where it was left off. When I heard that Star Wars: Episode VII was on the way, I lost my mind. I was so hyped to see a return to one of my favourite franchises. The first teaser only amplified this, and I eagerly awaited December 2015, when it was due to be released. And then it arrived, Boxing Day 2015, when I went into the cinema and was ready to be blown away... and I wasn't. 

After my initial viewing, I wasn't crazy about The Force Awakens. I tried to convince myself I liked it but I had to accept I didn't. I was just a baby back then and was annoyed they killed off Han Solo as well as made the main character a girl. However, with time, I actually really like this movie. The characters of Rey and Finn are really engaging to me, the latter of which having some hilarious lines, BB-8 is a ton of fun too, it's great to see some of the veterans such as Han, Leia and C-3PO, and it is easily one of the most gorgeous-looking and well shot films in the saga, any frame could make an amazing screen-saver. So, my initial reservations are essentially irrelevant now, it's great but still not in the same league as the originals. 

The saga only continued with Episode VIII, The Last Jedi, in 2017. I wasn't super excited for this film, but of course I was keen to see it. It ended up spawning the most devisive response to a blockbuster in recent years. Many were conflicted about the direction the story went in as well as the bold, new ideas that were being inroduced. I personally like this movie, I've only seen it twice but I enjoyed it one both viewings. The characters are good and the action is remarkable, but it does suffer from feeling a bit too long and over-stuffed at certain points. The writer / director, Rian Johnson, did a good job here and despite some of the hate he received, he has proven he can still make great movies after he released Knives Out this year, which is fabulous. 

One thing I should elaborate on one thing I mentioned, that being the fact that I wasn't super excited for The Last Jedi. Well, as mentioned, I didn't initally love The Force Awakens, a film from 2015. But, do you know what film I did love from 2015? Avengers: Age of Ultron. Between Episodes VII and VIII, I became a massive fan of the Marvel Cinematic Universe, with releases such as Captain America: Civil War, Doctor Strange, Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 2, Spider-Man: Homecoming, and Thor: Ragnarok, as well as viewing the previous entries. So, the main franchise I was attached to became the MCU, and I kind of lost my die-hard love for Star Wars. It didn't help that shortly after The Last Jedi came Infinity War, a movie you know I adore. Well, after Endgame came out earlier this year, and once the dust had settled regarding what happens in it, I was sort of without something big to look forward to, especially because the next films in the MCU seem to be smaller, solo films. 

Thoughts Going In

It was at this point that I remembered something, The Rise of Skywalker was yet to come out. To get in the mood, I rewatched the original triology and fell in love with them all over again, I then purchased a Lego Star Wars advent calender, booked tickets for the Empire in Leicester Square on opening weekend over a month in advance, me and my brother binged every single film in the main saga on the run up to the day we were due to see it, and I had completely rediscovered my love for Star Wars. Directed by JJ Abrams of The Force Awakens, this film had to task to bring together the set-ups of the first two in this new trilogy which were going in quite different directions. It seemed like a hard task, but I was hopeful to see what could be done to 'conclude' this enormous and personally important series. 

The Story 

Following on from the events of The Last Jedi............ this movie happens.

What I Liked 

Ok, if you're nervous about spoilers and want some vague thoughts - I'll just say that I enjoyed this movie, but have some issues. So, spoilers ahead, if you forgot what I said before.

The way the movie progresses the story set up by the previous two and concludes it is quite well done. While it does certainly feel like Abrams and Johnson have two different visions, the way it culminates does feel like a successful marriage of the two. Rey's arc in particular felt the most powerful. I like the way that while she is a similar character to Luke in the originals, her story plays out differently. She starts out as a nobody wanting more out of life, grows to become powerful in ways she never would've known, learns the truth about herself and her heritage, but doesn't let it get the better of her as she progresses her journey and becomes the hero the galaxy needs her to be. Kylo was another character with a very powerful arc. As much as I like Star Wars remaining as good, old-fashioned heroes vs villains, I like the fact that Kylo is humanised as he realises the error of his ways when confronted with his father, whom he killed, and goes on to fight evil alongside Rey because, once again, it's who the galaxy needs him to be. The other characters were fine, Finn and BB-8 are as good as ever as are the rest of the cast.

Being a Star Wars movie, the production is on another level. The score by John Williams is beyond perfection, bringing so much power to many scenes and calling back to previous films. The cinematography was really inventive, the final battle in particular had some really inspired shots that didn't cut at a rapid rate and kept the film feeling energetic and full of life. The visuals are also gorgeous. The sequel trilogy is definitely the best-looking of all the Star Wars films - I'll always remember the wondrous mix of reds, blues and more in the climax of The Force Awakens or the mesmerising red trails in the battle of Crait in The Last Jedi. Here, there are many beautiful sights such as the army of Star Destroyers only lit by occassional strikes of lightning, the eerie glow of the Emporer's cave lair, and much more. If there is one thing I can guarantee from any Star Wars movie, it's two hours of pleasure for my eyes and ears. 

Finally, the film as a whole felt very satisfying. It was neat to see how not only this trilogy but this entire saga finishes. The ending in particular was very cohesive with Rey referring to herself as 'Rey Skywalker' as she abandons the lightsabers for a future generation to find and sees her two greatest influences, Luke and Leia. That was very nice, as it ties all three trilogies together neatly, and it has enough ambiguity for the story to be picked up in around thirty / forty years time. So, watching this film is definitely easy to do as it wraps up a significant aspect of my life in satisfying fashion.   

What I Didn't Like 

The greatest issue with Rise of Skywalker that held me back from loving it was the lack of emotional involvement, and this can also be applied to the other sequel trilogy films. I admire the direction the story went and I was, overall, pleased with it - but the film itself didn't reach me as much as it could've done. This might not be a problem to some, but we live in a world where Endgame exists. I didn't want to make this argument, but I feel it is a perfectly fair comparison. Both are giant conclusions to large franchises that I'm a huge fan of, so they had the same job to do and also had equal amounts of pressure. Endgame was also a satisfying conclusion, but it was so satisfying that it made me smile and had me sat in awe at how perfect it was. Also, throughout the film were tons of moments that really impacted me. I laughed at the jokes and little callbacks, I cheered and clapped during the climax, I gasped at shocking moments, and I was tearing up towards the end, and consistently smiling and grinning everywhere else. So, when I walked out of that film, I felt like I'd not only watched a throughouly satisfying finale, but I'd experienced it. Here, there are tons of moments that feel like they're specifically designed to make audiences clap, cheer, cry, gasp, etc., including one laughably poor attempt to copy the portals scene from Endgame without any of the build-up, tension, majesty, beauty, music, pay-off, memorability or general awesomeness that made that scene great as it was, but I never felt the urge to do such because, unlike Avengers, this trilogy hasn't earned it. As much as I enjoy all these sequel films and as great as they may be, I'm not emotionally involved in them in the same way I am with the original trilogy or the Avengers films. I think the key reasons why this is apparent is because there is just no sense of urgency. These films had no reason to exist and don't justify why they exist nor do they add anything to what has come before. They can exist by themselves in the same way that I see Toy Story 4 existing aside from the first three, but the lack of reason makes it difficult to feel invested, and as a result, this finale cannot be as good as it could've and should've been.

Conclusion 

Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker is a great and solid conclusion to one of cinema's biggest franchises. It has a really well organised story with meaningful arcs, excellent production, and a satisfying note to finish on. If I was more invested in these characters and this story then maybe this would've been one of the best Star Wars films ever, but as it stands, it's solid. I think, going forward, I'll view the series like this: the originals will forever be the best and defining films of the franchise, the prequels exist as good expansions to some characters' stories but ultimately aren't required, and the sequels will be there if I'm just after a bit more from the series. So, I'm pleased, and it gives me enough joy to say that alone. 

I'm going to give Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker an 8.0/10      

Jumanji: The Next Level - Movie Review - Just as fun as before?

This film is a 12A, was released on December 11th 2019, and this review will contain NO SPOILERS 

After having a rough time in the real world, Spencer heads back into the world of Jumanji to relive the time as Doctor Bravestone. His friends come in after him along with two old men, one of which is Spencer's grandfather. Now, they all have to get out of the game again and get through new challenges. I'm not huge on the original Jumanji, it's fine but nothing great. I really enjoyed Jumanji: Welcome to the Jungle in 2017, I thought it was a really funny and thoroughly enjoyable adventure with some of my favourite actors. So, I was excited for another round of hopefully the same fun. 

Unsurprisingly, this film was really funny. The best part of the original was seeing all these big-name actors like Dwayne Johnson and Jack Black act in ways that are different to how we usually see them. Here, it's cranked up to another level. With the old men, Dwayne Johnson is now impersonating Danny Devito, and Kevin Hart is Danny Glover. Neither have a clue what a video game is nor what is happening, and it's great to see these two actors be such different characters, with Johnson once again discovering the joys of being a big, tough guy and Hart speaking slowly and calmly as opposed to his usual, fast-paced blabbering. The other actors such as Jack Black, Karen Gillan and Awkwafina were really good as well, but those two landed the most laughs for me. The movie also delivers on enjoyable and engaging action, with set pieces such as dune buggies being chased by a stampede of ostriches, twisting bridges being swarmed by baboons, and a final battle that's a lot of fun too. The score also helped to make these scenes more exciting, being more than just a typical action movie score. The film also has some thought put into the story. It's not groundbreaking, but it does show that there is more competency to this film than one may have expected. 

The main issue with the film is that it is far too predictable. It follows a very similar layout to Welcome to the Jungle, hitting many similar story beats almost to the same level as something like Back to the Future 2. This caused the film to suffer as there isn't much tension while you're watching, you can mostly guess the outcomes. It also recycles a lot of its jokes from before, with many punchlines also being easy to guess. Luckily, the new jokes keep these from having to great of an effect. Additionally, it's not the most amazing film in the world, it's very much just solid and entertaining stuff as opposed to something that leaves you thinking or reaches you emotionally. Still, that's not a huge dealbreaker for me.

Well, I'm glad to say that I enjoyed this just as much as before. Some really fun, new jokes that alter the images of many great actors along with some well executed action elements make this a jolly good time at the cinema. As a holiday movie, there's plenty for the whole family so I'd highly recommend if you're up for some easy, solid entertainment. I may even revisit this again in the future. 

I'm going to give Jumanji: The Next Level a 7.5/10 

Ok, this isn't the only movie I'm seeing this weekend - as a little movie called Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker is awaiting me at the Empire in Leicester Square on Sunday! With all the mixed responses, I cannot wait! Along with my review, I'll also be giving my in-depth thoughts on the rest of Star Wars as a whole, as I am a big fan and haven't discussed it greatly. Moving forward, there's much I look forward to such as Jojo Rabbit and 1917.