ETCinema: Movie Reviews by E T Griffiths

Cruella (2021) Review Dir. Craig Gillespie    Disney ’ s new Live Action reimagining has both bark and bite   https://images.app.goo.gl/k1xvkxG7crfPxS2Q6 Following in the un-impactful footsteps of their latest live action remakes like 2020 ’ s Mulan, many of us had written off this Maleficent-esque villain origin story for Cruella deVill before it had had a chance to show itself. What results is perhaps one of the most pleasant surprises of the year. A film I had no expectations or faith in yet was utterly enjoyable and entertaining.   As suspected, Cruella can ’ t fully justify the puppy-skinning maniac of 101 Dalmatians, but you seen realise this is very much a different story. This Cruella is way less Freddie Kruger and a lot more Frida Kahlo; an icon with a point to prove.    Unlike recent shallow Disney flicks like Mulan and Aladdin; Gillespie ’ s directing is energetic, frenetic and all-round joyous, as the talent behind the camera clearly isn ’ t pho...

Cinderella (2021) Review Dir. Kay Cannon    Amazon ’ s new star-studded musical might be the definition of  ‘ so bad it ’ s good ’ .      Bizarre cameos, cringeworthy pop song integration, a weak attempt to modernise and  ‘ girlboss ’  one of the oldest fairytales of all time. Throw all these things into a blender, add one spoon of James Corden and way too many spoons of pointless side characters and you get Amazon ’ s new adaptation of Cinderella.   Perhaps best watched under the influence of alcohol, or with a group of giggly mates, this naff reimagining is as fun as it is utterly paper-thin. You can ’ t call it joyless, but it will have you smiling and laughing mostly for the wrong reasons.   A miscast leading lady in the croaky pop-singer voice of Camilla Cabello, who can ’ t do much to salvage what is a poorly written and slightly annoying version of Ella. Her unconvincing romance with the disguised Prince Charming just adds more pl...

Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings (2021) Review Dir. Destin Daniel Cretton    Marvel's new Kung-Fu adventure packs a punch.    https://images.app.goo.gl/QY7vhNKfZbYiPkkU9   Shang-Chi. A Marvel Comics character even the ardent fans may not know. When Disney unveiled its plans for the 4th phase of the Marvel Cinematic Universe, many people were surprised at some of the titles getting standalone movies. There seems to be a push to create stories based on the lesser-knowns. Now that the Iron Mans, the Thors and the Hulks seem to be signing off, it ’ s an ambitious but well-minded tactic to introduce fans to a new generation that don ’ t carry quite so much pop-culture baggage.    Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings proves that this risk pays off from a story and audience perspective, while the box office success is yet to be assessed during a very turbulent time for cinema revenue.    What a breath of fresh air; to go into a Marvel ...

The Suicide Squad (2021) Review Dir. James Gunn    The director of Guardians of the Galaxy proves that the best superhero movies are as unapologetically zany as they are unflinchingly brutal.      The Suicide Squad is the most fun I ’ ve had in a cinema for a long time.  James Gunn has constructed the most James Gunn movie to date, now free of the shackles of Disney's family friendly facade, he is able to mix his irreverent and comedic comic book deconstructions with his ultra violent and gore infested roots.    Taking a fresh slate approach to the Suicide Squad formula, only a handful of the 2016 film's cast return, and those that do have found out how to take themselves way less seriously and accept the reality of their surroundings. In this new Suicide Squad adventure, Idris Elba's mercenary Bloodsport, Margot Robbie's Harley Quinn and a handful of Z List DC characters are among the expendable squad sent to a hostile island to infiltrate an exp...

Black Widow (2021) Review Dir. Cate Shortland  In her 9th and supposedly final MCU appearance, Scarlett Johansson's Natasha finally gets her own solo film, but is it a case of too little, too late?   Black Widow may be quite confusing for casual viewers, who will fail to understand that the film is both a prequel, sequel, midquel and just about every other quel. Taking place during the offscreen gap between 2016's Civil War and 2018's Avengers Infinity War, Black Widow sees Natasha going on a journey back to her past, with old friends and enemies rearing their heads along the way.  Cate Shortland's first Hollywood blockbuster effort is an impressive action flick. Enjoyable and entertaining as any of Marvel's superhero jaunts. If you like the characters, and are looking for another extra slice of MCU flavour, this is a good time at the movies, and certainly not a bad film.  The opening sequence in particular established a really refreshing tone for Marvel. Dark, atmo...

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 animat...

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...