"Furiosa" - Review

In the not too distant future, the world has gone mad. Furiosa, a young girl in one of the last remaining green places, is kidnapped by raiders and brought to their leader Dementus (Chris Hemsworth). Refusing to tell him where her lands lie, she is raised as a warrior by the warlord until, as a young woman (Anya Taylor-Joy), her path crosses with warlords, warriors and the madness of all that comes with the end of time...

This had a lot to live up to, after the genuine masterpiece of mayhem, violence and kinetic lunacy that was "Fury Road". Oh great, a creative movie finally allowed to exist by a visionary director and his team, it seemed inevitable that the ghouls of Hollywood would demand a prequel to its breakout character.
So imagine that it's good.
Imagine that it's actually a "swing for the fences" piece of episodic, poetic lunacy more akin to the underappreciated "3,000 Years of Longing", made solely to cry out in rage at nobody having seen that movie. If you enjoy "3,000 Years of Longing" you'll enjoy this, George Miller adds lots of Jodorowsky to boot. Split into 5 chapters, the movie becomes less a conventional by-the-numbers prequel rags to riches tale, and instead is more an ensemble story about the world around Furiosa, the people within it, how these "societies" (as much as they are) work. It's a bold choice, and I have nothing but respect for it. The story zig-zags like a Tory minister, hopping from set piece to set piece, and keeping its revenge tale on the back burner: if you don't like one piece, there'll be something cool around the corner! It's unconventional, strange, wild, explosive and violent in equal measure. It lacks the stronger throughline of the impecable "Fury Road", but explores more of the ideas of narrative and expectations in its ending, and how stories change and evolve over time, it feels like a piss-take of the whole idea. Hemsworth makes for an excellent villain, and I want more of this kind of Hemsworth (related note: "Bad Times at the El Royale" is excellent), and somewhat refreshingly Anya Taylor-Joy is not actually present for a large chunk of the movie, she comes into it a lot later. She's good. Tom Burke leaves zero impact as Praetorian Jack, but they can't all be winners.
The action is incredbile, but less white knuckle that "Fury Road" due to its vignette nature, however they all work as little 3-Act action movies on their own, which is unique and cool and simply great film making. The cinematography, as expected, rules, and the score is markedly, refreshingly different to "Fury Road".
It's unexpected and fun.
Oh, and Charlee Fraser from "Anyone But You" is Furiosa's mother! You go, girl!
Angus Simpson is back, hell yes.

Three Thousand Years of Longing - Review

A narratologist (Tilda Swinton) is going to tell you a story.
She is going to tell you a tall tale of tormented truth, for if she spoke it as it happened, you would not believe her. It is a story of love, loss, loneliness and the power of tales themselves, about the hold that stories have on us, and how blinded we are to our own legends. It is a tale of how she met a Djinn (Idris Elba) in a hotel room, and was granted 3 wishes, and a tale of tales as he asked to be regaled by his mythos leading to this perfect, fortuitous moment.
From the director of "Mad Max: Fury Road".

Please watch this.
George Miller has woven (with co-writer Augusta Gore, and based upon a short story by A.S Byatt) a modern day fairy tale. No cynicism, no jokes, no sneering disregard for such a thing - just something akin to "100 Years of Solitude" or "Arabian Nights", with what is essentially just 2 characters telling stories in a hotel room. He uses effects and editing to splendid degree (check out the simple storytelling flourishes of a book being placed in a box, to quite heartbreaking effect, alongside oil-paintings of world building and mood pieces), capturing an intoxicating and beguiling wonder of a natural storyteller. It's romantic, dark, twisted, fluid, and magical in equal measure, and the dialogue is like poetry out of these actors' mouths. You will be rooting for these crazy kids by the end of it (all the way to a sweet and well-earned conclusion) and it's something of a refreshing drink from an oasis in these dark and soulless times.
And it has Idris Elba naked for 90% of its runtime.
And Tilda Swinton sounds like her character in "Snowpiercer", if that's your thing.

I joke that you can't believe this is from the director of "Mad Max: Fury Road", but honestly: if you've seen "Babe: Pig in the City", you'll get it.