AXELLERATEDREVIEWS

Josh Ruben successfully creates a rom-com slasher mash-up, using 90s tropes and kitschy dialogues. Though fun enough to entertain for a romantic evening with your partner, it falls at times into the cliché trap it tries to mock. Also, the final reveal is somewhat disappointing. That said, it contains Devon Sawa as a grumpy cop, plus the two leads play well enough off each other. The kills are gory, the camera doesn’t shy away, and the majority of the jokes do land.

Hancock’s directorial debut feels refreshingly different by taking familiar tropes from features such as Terminator, Lolita, or even Hitchcock’s Dial M for Murder and blending them all. Though packed with unexpected turns, the biggest twist was ruined by the marketing campaign. The pacing can be a little clunky at times, while Sophie Thatcher gives an extraordinary performance, and Jack Quaid plays a fun, self-centred villain. The cinematography is intimate, and the effects a

Flipping the Avengers plot and adding a good share of melancholy, this new entry in the MCU re-prioritises character development over mindless spectacle. Themes of mental illness give the story a fresh sensation. Pugh’s Yelena is the standout character. Visually, the tone is darker, the action is more grounded, and the colour palette adds nuances of grey. It is not perfect, oversimplifying some of its subject. All in all, Thunderbolts* is a step back, in the right direction f

Scharfman's directorial debut can feel a little clunky at times. While the fantasy aspects mix well with the bloody horror and dark comedy. The story was too predictable. The satirical commentary is clever, though too on the nose. The cinematography is good, the colour palette vibrant, while the tone is dark, though balanced. The music mixes fantasy and horror well, sounding otherworldly. Death of a Unicorn earns is decent.

Mismatched cousins David plus Benji reunite after a longer period, for a tour through Poland, in honour of their late grandmother. When things don’t go as planned, old animosities resurface against the backdrop of their tragic family history. Jesse Eisenberg’s second directorial release is a heart-wrenching dramedy, deserving of all the praise.