REVIEW: A Man Called Otto (2023) - Starring Tom Hanks, Mariana Treviño and Rachel Keller

Review by Jon Donnis

Everyone's favourite actor Tom Hanks is back starring in another heart-warming comedy drama, although you might find that you need the tissues to get through this one as it is designed to really pull on those heart strings.

In a quiet suburb of Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, resides Otto Anderson (Tom Hanks), a 63-year-old man who has recently lost his wife, Sonya (Rachel Keller), a schoolteacher. Having retired from a steel company, Otto finds himself struggling to cope with the loss of his beloved wife and decides to end his own life through suicide. Yes folks, suicide is a recurring theme throughout the film.

During his first attempt to hang himself, Otto is interrupted by his new neighbors - Marisol (Mariana Treviño), Tommy (Manuel Garcia-Rulfo), and their two young daughters, Abby and Luna. As he struggles to come to terms with his decision, Otto is overwhelmed with flashbacks of his past, including his failed attempt to join the army due to his hypertrophic cardiomyopathy and the fateful train ride where he first met Sonya.

Undeterred by his failed suicide attempt, Otto tries again, this time opting for carbon monoxide poisoning. As he slips into unconsciousness, he recalls a poignant memory of a dinner with Sonya where he confesses his heart condition and joblessness, leading to an intimate moment between the couple. However, once again, his suicide attempt is foiled by Marisol's urgent plea for help, as her husband Tommy has fallen off a ladder, which Otto had lent him, and broken his leg.

Reluctantly, Otto agrees to help and drives the family to the hospital. Despite his initial hesitations, Otto finds himself drawn to the warmth and kindness of his new neighbors and begins to see a glimmer of hope in his life, realizing that he is not alone in his struggles.

The film does have some funny and lighthearted moments, which is often tough to do when the subject matter is so serious, ultimately this is a film about grief, loneliness and ultimately friendship.

At just over 2 hours it is a little long, and some scenes could easily have been cut without affecting the film, but with that said I thought they did a good job, in pacing the film, and although the ending is a little predictable, it is done in a nice way.

As the film progresses we do get quite a few flashbacks of Otto's life with his late wife, how they met, her accident, and ultimately her death, which helps to explain everything you are seeing with the Otto character.

There is part of me that would have liked to have seen this film played a bit more for laughs, and the journey of grumpy old man to loveable friend of the street being a bit less wrenching on the emotions of the viewer, but I guess we already have that with Ricky Gervais After Life series, which does follow a similar story. (Ricky has a dog, Hanks has a cat)

As it is this film treads a difficult path, I thought that the attempted suicide scenes were well filmed, but could be triggering for some. I also thought the introduction of a transgender character seemed a bit forced, and came across like a box ticking exercise, you could have told the exact same story with the Malcolm character (played by Mack Bayda), without using the trans labelling. With that said I had no issue with the character, and that mini story was told well, even if it didn't really fit in with the overall Otto storyline.

The Good

A well written story, performed well by all involved, Mariana Treviño really shone bright in this film, as the instantly likeable Marisol. Hanks does what Hanks does best. And although a sad film which will bring the tears, it is done in a nice enough way.

The Bad

Felt a little long, and dragged in a few places. I would have liked to have seen a few more laughs, and a little less sadness.

Overall

An enjoyable film, perhaps not one to watch with kids due to its content, and not one to watch if you are feeling depressed or need cheering up.

Out now in Cinemas, and coming soon to Amazon Prime at https://amzn.to/3muXAgY

REVIEW: Operation Fortune: Ruse de Guerre - Starring Jason Statham, Aubrey Plaza, Josh Hartnett, Cary Elwes, Bugzy Malone and Hugh Grant

Review by Jon Donnis

Did you know that Operation Fortune was supposed to be released over a year ago but was pulled as the bad guys in the film are Ukrainian mobsters, and Russia had just started their "special military operation" after Ukrainian armed forces bombed the Donbass region and broke a ceasefire? So, yes, the film was delayed so as not to upset the most corrupt country on the planet. Well, a year later, the film is out in cinemas and about to be released on Amazon Prime. Luckily, they haven't reshot anything, and the film is unchanged. With a star-studded cast and everyone's favourite Cockney director, Guy Ritchie, we have a comedy action thriller to enjoy.

"The Handle," a device estimated to be worth billions of dollars, has been stolen by a gang of Ukrainian mobsters. The British government has hired Nathan Jasmine (legendary actor Cary Elwes) to recover the device before billionaire arms dealer Greg Simmonds (Hugh Grant sounding a little bit like Michael Caine) can sell it to the highest bidder. To accomplish this task, Nathan enlists the help of super-spy Orson Fortune (Jason Statham) and a team of experts, including Sarah Fidel (Aubrey Plaza) and JJ Davies (Bugzy Malone). The team travels to Madrid to locate the courier responsible for transporting the hard drive containing the Handle's data.

However, their search is disrupted by a rival of Nathan's, who also seems to have been hired to retrieve the Handle. Despite this setback, Sarah is able to make a copy of the hard drive's contents before they can. After discovering that Simmonds plans to hold a charity gala in Cannes, the team decides to infiltrate the event by blackmailing Simmonds' favourite movie star, Danny Francesco (Josh Hartnett), into helping them distract Simmonds. To further their plan, Simmonds invites Danny to his Turkish villa in Antalya.

Meanwhile, Orson infiltrates the Ukrainian mafia's headquarters by posing as a robber to hack into their computer systems. The British government then warns Nathan that the Handle is equipped with advanced artificial intelligence capabilities, allowing it to overcome any security system in the world.

With a runtime of 1 hour 48 minutes, this is a proper comedy action thriller that I really enjoyed. Now, I usually hate Hugh Grant, but for the first time in any movie I have ever seen him in, I rather enjoyed his character. Maybe that is because he sounds a little like Michael Caine, or I just found him interesting, but I did want to give him a special mention. Cary Elwes is great as Nathan Jasmine, the government-affiliated guy trying to keep everything together. However, I do wish that Cary Elwes had uttered the immortal words "as you wish," but alas, we can't have everything we want.

Jason Statham plays the same character in pretty much every film he is in these days, and this film is no exception. Aubrey Plaza is slightly less awkward in her performance here as she is trying to move away from the geeky, socially backward type character that she usually plays to a more confident, sexy character.

The action scenes are all convincing, the visual effects and set pieces are all of the highest quality, which you would expect from a Guy Ritchie film. The comedy moments are well done and never feel too forced. And the ending is not only satisfying, but it also sets them up for sequels if they so feel.

All in all, a really good action comedy.

The Good

Hate to say this, but I really liked Hugh Grant in this film. Great action sequences, decent if slightly predictable story, and strong performances all round.

The Bad

1 hour 48 minutes is too long, a film like this needs to stick to 90 minutes plus credits. Some scenes in the middle of the film dragged slightly.

Overall

A really enjoyable film. And one I score a solid 8.5/10. I look forward to any sequels.

Out Now in Cinemas, and released on Amazon Prime Video in the United Kingdom on April 7 https://amzn.to/3yr45Ux

REVIEW: The Devil Conspiracy (2023) - Starring Alice Orr-Ewing, Joe Doyle, Eveline Hall, Peter Mensah, Joe Anderson, Spencer Wilding, Brian Caspe and James Faulkner

Review by Jon Donnis:

It feels like ages since I have seen a good biblical-based supernatural film, so when The Devil Conspiracy came across my desk, I was optimistic. It really does seem to tick all the boxes of a good supernatural type film. We have priests, we have angels, we have possessions, we even have the devil! What more could you ask for?

At the dawn of creation, Lucifer (Joe Anderson) leads a rebellion of angels against God. The war ends with God casting Lucifer and his followers down to the depths of Hell. Michael (Peter Mensah), the Archangel of Justice, is sent to Hell to imprison his brother forever. However, Lucifer pleads with Michael to join him, but Michael refuses and departs.

In the present day, the world is abuzz with the exhibition of the Shroud of Turin. Lauren Milton (Alice Orr-Ewing), a student working on a thesis about good and evil, gains access to the exhibition with the help of her friend, Father Marconi (Joe Doyle). Marconi tells Lauren about the battle of angels, depicting a statue of Michael defeating Lucifer. Although Lauren is skeptical, she stays to draw images of the artwork.

Meanwhile, Dr. Laurent (Brian Caspe) showcases his biotech firm's research in genetic cloning to investors, claiming that they can bring back geniuses like Michelangelo and DaVinci. However, the company is actually a cult that seeks to release Lucifer and his demons from Hell to avenge the rebellion. The cult's leader, Liz (Eveline Hall), sneaks into the exhibition and kills a guard to disable the security system. Marconi tries to stop her, but Liz stabs him in the chest. She takes the Shroud, and her men capture Lauren. Before Marconi dies, he asks Michael to use his body to stop Liz. Michael possesses Marconi's body and leaves the city.

Michael is held at gunpoint by a scholar who reveals the prophecy of a wicked woman and a beast of the Earth who will bring forth Lucifer's vessel. Michael realizes that the Shroud was stolen to clone a body for Lucifer, using the DNA of Jesus Christ to bring about the End of the World. A tremor breaks the rock sealing Lucifer, and he frees himself from his chains.

What follows is a rather decent film. Ok, some of the visual effects are a bit dodgy, and a lot of the film is deliberately filmed in the dark to help cover up budget restraints, but what they did film in the daytime uses some great locations and scenery. All the main characters play their parts well. Peter Mensah as Michael is a great choice, and I almost feel like Mensah is always playing these types of characters, but a quick look at his bio shows that this is the first time, he really looks the part as some kind of angelic being. Alice Orr-Ewing manages to keep you interested in the Lauren character throughout. She is very likable, and you want her to come out the other side of the experience on top.

Eveline Hall seems to be the main "baddie" in the film, which is impressive when you consider the film has the literal devil in it. Eveline Hall really pulls off that creepy look well!

So I have covered most of the good stuff. What about the bad? Well, at 1 hour 45 minutes plus credits, the film does feel quite long. Films of this nature need to be under 90 minutes; 80 minutes is best. When you are dealing with a limited budget, this is even more important. Although, as mentioned, the scenes filmed in the day look great, the scenes filmed in the dark are a struggle at times. And since these are the scenes with demons, the devil, and so on, you really find yourself struggling to see what is going on.

The Good

I have to admit I am a bit of a "mark" for films in this genre - anything with a supernatural touch that is connected to Biblical stories, etc., and I am in from the first moment. I thought the story was relatively original, too - stealing the Turin Shroud to get the DNA of Jesus so you can create a baby powerful enough to be possessed by the Devil! That is pretty damn cool. All the actors involved did well, and a special mention for Alice Orr-Ewing, who is excellent throughout.

The Bad

The scenes in the dark are hard to see, and some of the visual effects are a bit poor. Also, about 15 minutes too long.

Overall

I liked this film probably more than I thought. The story really impressed me, and I can only imagine what could be done with a proper Hollywood-sized budget.

If you are a fan of supernatural films with a Bible touch, then you should enjoy this.

I score The Devil Conspiracy a solid 8/10.

Out Now in Cinemas or On Demand at https://apple.co/3F8crEj

REVIEW: Knock at the Cabin (2023) Starring Dave Bautista, Jonathan Groff, Ben Aldridge, Kristen Cui and Rupert Grint

Review by Jon Donnis

Of all the wrestlers turned actors, Dave Bautista has firmly cemented himself as the most versatile. So whenever I see his name attached to a film, I am interested in checking it out.

"Knock at the Cabin" is the latest film from M. Night Shyamalan, and as you would expect, it is a bit strange. Based on the 2018 novel "The Cabin at the End of the World" by Paul G. Tremblay, the film takes place in a remote cabin in the rural Pennsylvania woods, where Eric (Jonathan Groff) and Andrew (Ben Aldridge) are vacationing with their seven-year-old daughter, Wen (Kristen Cui). While playing outside, Wen encounters a stranger named Leonard (Dave Bautista), who claims to need the family's help to save the world. However, Wen soon becomes suspicious when three other people arrive, armed with makeshift weapons. She runs back to her fathers to warn them, but it's too late. The group breaks into the cabin and ties up the family, injuring Eric in the process.

Leonard and his companions, Sabrina (Nikki Amuka-Bird), Adriane (Abby Quinn), and Redmond (Rupert Grint), explain that they've been driven by visions and an unknown force to find the family. They believe that an apocalypse is imminent, and that the only way to prevent it is for the family to sacrifice one of their own. Eric and Andrew are skeptical and suspect that the group is motivated by delusion and hate.

Despite the family's refusal to make a choice, the visitors proceed to sacrifice Redmond by beating him to death with their weapons. The family is left traumatized and struggling to make sense of the inexplicable violence that has been inflicted upon them.

The film will keep you guessing as to whether everything they are being told and ultimately shown is real or just a big hoax. You only get confirmation of the truth towards the end of the film. There is no big twist at the end, which is a shame, but the film does deliver on most of its premise. Although advertised as an apocalyptic psychological horror film, it is not particularly scary and would not be considered a horror.

Anytime you hear the word "apocalypse" in a film, you know you will get some Bible references. When the main characters are a gay couple who adopted an Asian child, you might find yourself questioning everything by the time the film ends.

Luckily, the film does not go on too long and runs for about 94 minutes.

Dave Bautista is excellent as the leader of the group, who is trying to get the couple to make a decision. He never fails to show his range as an actor and is totally convincing as the family man coach who is facing an impossible situation. Special mention also goes to Kristen Cui, who plays the young child Wen. She is an excellent actress and has a big future ahead of her. The rest of the characters do suffer a little by not having enough time to flesh out who they really are. Some effort is made with the Eric and Andrew characters, but they come across as stereotypical and bland, making it hard to care for either one. Luckily, the Wen character does make you care.

The Good

M. Night Shyamalan has released some absolute stinkers in recent years, luckily this is not one of them, in fact this is one of his better films, I would put it down mainly to the very strong performances of Dave Bautista and Kristen Cui. An interesting story, and a nice run time help this film keep you interested throughout.

The Bad

I really wanted a big twist at the end, but we just dont get it. I think it does run a litle long, they could easily shave 10 minutes off the run time.

Overall

A decent film with a somewhat sbiblical storyline. If you are a fan of M. Night Shyamalan and his genre of storytelling then you will like this film.

Dave Bautista carries the film in many ways, which is never a bad thing.

I score Knock at the Cabin a decent 7.5 out of 10.

Out now in UK Cinemas and coming soon to digital at https://amzn.to/3ZFxypt and on Bluray and DVD at https://amzn.to/3ZlcmoQ

TRAILER: The Irish Mob - crime thriller from first-time feature director Patrick McKnight

 

Join The Irish Mob in this bold and unflinching crime thriller from first-time feature director Patrick McKnight. Set amidst the dark and dangerous underbelly of Dublin’s gangland, this gritty drama is set to arrive on UK digital this March, courtesy of 101 Films.

With Irish films currently making huge waves across the globe – this hard-hitting gangster feature packs a real punch and arrives just in time for some stellar St. Patrick’s Day entertainment.

Meet big-time crime boss Val Fagan (Rob McCarthy – Dublin Crust), the leader of a brutal, cold-blooded gang who run the streets of Dublin. After a major armed robbery gets national attention, Val and his gang become the main targets of the Garda detectives – who will go to any length to disrupt his operation and bring him down.

Determined to keep his crime throne, Val must do all he can to continue his reign over the rugged and ruthless Dublin underworld. But just how far is he willing to go?

For uncompromising action, vicious violence, fierce feuding and dangerous dealings, make a date with The Irish Mob.

Released on digital 13 March 2023 - Pre-Order at https://apple.co/3ZAyfjA