Stopping Wario and Bowser Jr.’s evil alliance as they attempt world domination is what Mario and friends are tasked with in The Super Mario Galaxy Movie.
From director Aaron Horvath and Michael Jelenic, Brie Larson, Benny Safdie, Anya Taylor-Joy and Chris Pratt are among the key cast.
‘Princess Rosalina! You’re coming with me!’
The princess is a key reason for my interest. Especially since, in this trailer, everything that happens from 2:01 onwards is my favourite. The rest will likely feel like a watchable, easy viewing animated experience. Bear in mind that I say this all without having watched The Super Mario Bros. Movie of 2023, which I hear was quite fun.
How enthusiastic do you feel about this second instalment?
Jack Black, Keegan-Michael Key, Charlie Day and Kevin Michael Richardson also star.
Weeks ago, I doubted the quality of Anya Taylor-Joy and Miles Teller’s latest action/adventure/fantasy film,The Gorge, purely based on the trailer.
Luckily, especially after the recent disappointment of George Clooney and Brad Pitt’s Wolfs (2024), among one or two other movies that failed to deliver, I’m happy to confirm that I didn’t find The Gorge boring or bad.
In a story about two highly skilled operatives hired to protect a mysterious gorge, Taylor-Joy and Teller are well cast for a couple of reasons, including their chemistry. Sigourney Weaver and Sope Dirisu were also memorable.
So pleasant was my surprise to be truly enjoying The Gorge, that the following words came to mind as the movie played.
Hello, good story, special effects, and engaging execution.
Taylor-Joy and Teller sure move very convincingly as capable snipers.
Look at me liking this movie and eating my words.
Watch The Gorge if you’re curious. Perfect, it is not. What it is is fun, satisfying and romantic.
There are many good things about director Mark Mylod’s comedy/horror/thriller, The Menu.
The cast is fantastic, and the performances faultless, which makes sense since one can hardly go wrong with John Leguizamo, Anya Taylor-Joy, Ralph Feinnes, Hong Chau, Janet McTeer and Nicholas Hoult on the same call sheet. Especially considering the delightfully rhythmic dialogue plus the unexpected twists and turns.
Mylod’s story about a young couple who travel to a remote island to eat at an exclusive restaurant, but end up faced with shocking surprises is fun and will leave you with plenty to talk about afterwards.
The topics I had to discuss immediately once the end credits rolled included Anya Taylor-Joy’s Margot character being my favourite. I enjoyed Margot’s disposition and every word that came out of her mouth. Hong Chau’s Elsa is also fun for similar reasons to Margot, but undoubtedly in part because of her memorable outfit.
The Menu (2022), Anya Taylor-Joy, Searchlight Pictures
The Menu does well at keeping the audience far from comfortable from the beginning because of the mystery surrounding what the evening has in store for both the audience and the characters. Yet, the part-horror characterisation is not nightmare-inducing. What it is, is a memorable movie experience.
I’m convinced that The Menu might have benefited from being a mini-series rather than a feature film. Specifically because some moments felt inadequately fleshed out, resulting in my inability to buy into a handful of the decisions made by some characters.
Admittedly, I also eventually tired of Feinnes’s Chef Slowik character, distinctly how his pretentious and subsequently unlikable qualities manifest when he demands the attention of his guests.
Watch The Menu because it’s fun. Lastly, the things it gets right will probably leave you feeling glad that the movie exists.
Last Night in Soho (2021), Anya Taylor-Joy, Focus Features
Directed by Edgar Wright of Baby Driver (2017); Last Night in Soho is a new drama/horror/mystery that stars Anya Taylor-Joy, Thomasin McKenzie and Jessie Mei Li. It’s the story of a young girl (McKenzie), passionate about fashion design, who finds herself mysteriously able to enter the 1960s.
While there, she encounters her idol, a dazzling wannabe singer (Taylor-Joy). Only 1960s London isn’t quite what it seems.
The part-horror categorisation makes me nervous but I remain curious. Who knew that Taylor-Joy had such a beautiful singing voice? No t me.
Here’s to hoping that there are more pleasant surprises to look forward to.
Diana Rigg, Matt Smith, Rita Tushingham, Terence Stamp, Margaret Nolan, Lisa McGrillis, James Phelps, Synnove Karlsen, Oliver Phelps, Katrina Vasilieva, Michael Jibson and Kassius Nelson also star.
Emma (2019), Anya Taylor Joy, Mia Goth, Focus Features
‘Emma, Emma, Emma’.
The most fitting phrase I can think of to best describe how I feel about the remake of Jane Austen’s classic comedy/drama Emma is ‘Well, it’s not terrible’. Because it really isn’t, but I also didn’t find it to be great either.
Starring Anya Taylor-Joy as the well-meaning ‘handsome, clever, and rich’ Emma Woodhouse, a young woman who likes to meddle in others’ love lives; I must confess that it wasn’t long before I grew tired of Emma’s manipulations.
In all fairness, Austen did predict that Emma wouldn’t be a character many people would like, except Austen herself. A shame for me since there isn’t really much else that goes on in the story to divert from the meddling.
Also starring Bill Nighy, Miranda Hart and Josh O’Connor, the highlights that had me sticking with director Autumn de Wilde’s film till the end include my favourite funny moment. The one that involves the pronunciation of the word ‘innocence’ as ‘InNOsense,’ and specifically Bill Nighy’s character’s reaction to the mispronunciation. Another highlight is Mia Goth’s turn as Harriett, the ‘smiling idiot.’ I’m not sure how Austen describes Harriett in her book, but ‘smiling idiot/simpleton’ is what I got from Goth’s delivery.
Then there are the costumes, which are my favourite thing about Emma overall. Particularly the clothes on Austen’s heroine. Said attire proved absolutely key in keeping me watching all the way through.
Last but not least, we have the confession of romantic feelings under the tree towards the end, I really enjoyed how the moment was captured.
Make time for Emma if you’re curious, and certainly for the costumes.
The Movie My Life 