February 23

5-question film review: Birds of Prey

Birds of Prey

Why did you go see this film?

Margot Robbie as Harley Quinn was the absolute best thing about Suicide Squad and I thought this would be fun.

What was the best thing about it?

‘Awesome things about this film’ is a field with a lot of contenders but I’m going to say the fight choreography was so sharp and, more to the point, the way each character fought said a lot about their personality, which is rarely something I pick up in movies. (Only two I can think of in recent memory was Charlie’s Angels, 2019, and Ender’s Game, 2013.)

What was the worst thing about it?

Ewan McGregor. No, wait! I mean Ewan McGregor’s character, Black Mask. In a movie teeming with violence, the tabletop dance scene was probably the most horrific moment.

Who would you recommend go see it?

Do you like fantasy violence? Do you enjoy elaborate joke setups? Kickarse costumes? Jurnee Smollett-Bell in a denim top? Bad guys getting their butts smashed? This is the movie for you.

If this film was a car, what would it be?

It’s a stolen Batmobile but make it rainbow-coloured and driven expertly by a woman.

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January 29

5-question film review: Farmageddon

Shaun the Sheep Farmageddon

Why did you go see this film?

Love Aardman films and have a soft spot for claymation.

What was the best thing about it?

Proves that you can have comedy without cruelty and that a kids’ comedy with little dialogue can be more sophisticated than movies aimed at an older audience. Its gentle good humour is fun, often clever and occasionally hilarious.

What was the worst thing about it?

That kids in the audience didn’t get ‘The X-Files’ joke.

Who would you recommend go see it?

Anyone who wants to watch an unproblematic movie without having to grapple with ‘issues’. If you’re feeling a bit ‘meh’ I think it would be a good use of 90 minutes.

If this film was a piece of clothing, what would it be?

A tea cosy worn as a hat. It’s inherently funny, colourful, warm and English.

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January 23

5-question film review: Little Women

Why did you go see this film?

I enjoyed Gillian Armstrong’s 1994 version and wanted to see how Greta Gerwig would update it. (I’ve never read the book…)

What was the best thing about it?

Saoirse Ronan makes a fantastic Jo but the cast as an ensemble is excellent.

What was the worst thing about it?

I cried for the last two-thirds of it and ran out of tissue.

Who would you recommend go see it?

Everyone, even if you don’t think it’s ‘for you’.

If this film was a piece of clothing, what would it be?

It’s a flower crown, handmade and beautiful, a gift given freely.

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