ETCinema: Movie Reviews by E T Griffiths

Raya and the Last Dragon (2021) Review Dirs. Don Hall, Carlos Lopez Estrada, Paul Briggs, John Ripa.   Don't overlook this charming Disney story that lives up to its peers. Raya and the Last Dragon is the latest Disney movie now streaming on their platform Disney+ for free, having been released on premium earlier this year. The cinema situation in the World might mean that many people miss out on this flick, but I hope they don’t, I found it sweet and welcoming.  In a similar vein to Tangled and Moana before it, Raya and The Last Dragon is equally enjoyable for kids and adults, with all the whimsy and comedy matched with a strong and mature story.  The plot has some pretty relevant themes for all audiences, with a focus on trust and overcoming differences to save the World. In 2021, the idea of tribalism and ignorance is as relevant as ever, and Raya has a cute message about it, that doesn’t ever delve into contrarianism.  As always, Disney is on top form with animation. The textur

A Quiet Place Part II (2021) Review Dir. John Krasinski   The first great movie of 2021 is here  Welcome back to the cinema. One of the films that was so cruelly close to release pre-virus, A Quiet Place 2 has carried over into this 2021 movie season, and kicked things off with a big loud bang.  Following on from the 2018 Horror sleeper hit, Part II focuses on the continuing adventures of the Abbott family as they are now on the move and looking for new shelter from the echo-sensitive monsters.  Sometimes, when a film is delayed as long as this, you lose your hype, and the final product doesn’t always seem worth the wait. In this case, I actually think the film works better in a post-COVID world. The incredible prologue of the film finally lets us see the apocalyptic event from the ground level, with some of the best camera work in the whole film. This sequence in particular feels far more morbidly relevant in 2021, and reminds us of that sense of confusion and panic.  The film's d