Tag: Josh O’Connor

Film Review: “Disclosure Day”

Spielberg’s newest is summer cinema at its best

Margaret (Emily Blunt) and Daniel (Josh O’Connor) are on the run.

After spending some time ruminating on his past with the autobiographical The Fablemans, Steven Spielberg returns to summer blockbuster mode with Disclosure Day. Like E.T., Close Encounters of the Third Kind, and War of the Worlds before it, Disclosure Day mines Spielberg’s favorite topic: are we alone in the universe? But fear not: the new film is not so much a retread of old themes, but a fresh updating that’s more than a little relevant to our chaotic, uncertain times. With Disclosure Day, Spielberg has created the best kind of old-fashioned summer cinematic fare, giving us a film as action-packed as it is philosophical. Continue reading “Film Review: “Disclosure Day””

Film Review: “Wake Up Dead Man: A Knives Out Mystery”

O’Connor shines as Knives Out goes to church

Father Jud (Josh O’Connor) and Benoit Blanc (Daniel Craig) inspect the mystery in ‘Wake Up Dead Man.’

They should release a new Knives Out movie every two years…in perpetuity. The casts, the characters, the Agatha Christie whodunnit plots, and Daniel Craig’s disarmingly charming and wise detective, Benoit Blanc, are all batting .1000 across three films and I just can’t get enough. Even Glass Onion, the second Knives Out film and widely considered the weaker of the first two films (now the weakest of the three), is still a hilarious and engaging mystery. The Knives Out film series is written and directed by Rian Johnson (Looper; Star Wars: The Last Jedi), who has an incredible knack for creating an interacting web of distinct characters, twisted murders, and sharp dialogue. Wake Up Dead Man, the latest in the series, continues with all the beloved characteristics that made the original a hit, while adding previously unexplored depth. Featuring a standout performance by Josh O’Connor (Challengers), Wake Up Dead Man is the most dramatic Knives Out story yet and a thrillingly fun watch. Continue reading “Film Review: “Wake Up Dead Man: A Knives Out Mystery””

Film Review: “Challengers”

Challengers is game, set, and … (almost) match

The human body is a fascinating topic to think about, but if you’re director Luca Guadagnino (Call Me By Your Name), the human body is primarily a sexual specimen to deliberately inspect, photograph, and place alongside other sexual specimens. Understandably, when you cast three beautiful young stars to be in your film, Zendaya (Dune), Josh O’Connor (The Crown), and Mike Faist (West Side Story), you’d want to supplement their on-screen charisma by showcasing their bodies, especially if your film is a sports drama. Challengers is Guadagnino’s first foray into mainstream territory, for lack of a more applicable term. With a star-led cast and a sharp script,  the film is a compelling sports drama that contains the director’s hallmark character complexities, even if style gets in the way of substance in its final act. Continue reading “Film Review: “Challengers””