Film Roundup – March 2022

So I used to write little film reviews for fun on my Instagram when I first got a Cineworld unlimited card. After the past 2 years of barely any visits to my favourite place in the world, I’m determined to make the most out of it this year, and with plenty of big films slated to come out this year, I’m very excited! So if you want yet another bunch of reviews from an underqualified blog writer, you’re in the right place!

March Update: Hello again! This month has been one of personal transition. So although I didn’t get to the cinema as much as I liked, (I saw 3 of these films in 1 day) my visits to the cinema were appreciated. If you missed the February edition, you can read that here, and don’t forget to check out my article on some of my favourite films from 2021!

Ali and Ava

This is the reason I have an Unlimited card. Under no other set of circumstances would I go and see this. That’s not to say it was bad, far from it. But it’s not the kind of film I find myself eager to see. However, in this case the trailer did do a good job of sticking in my head. The story is good, if a bit plain, but it is anchored and enriched by the performances of the leads Akhtar and Rushbrook. I was not familiar with either actor, but I hope to see more of them in the future. My only complaint would be that the narrative the trailer portrayed is not the one that plays out in the full film. Not everything gets wrapped up neatly in the end, but I guess that’s life isn’t it?



X

Was this the best horror film I’ll see all year? Possibly. My initial thoughts going in were centered around how this was most likely a cheap thrill ride. Chebs and Death are the tried and true staples of horror. While most slasher films shoehorn sex into the plot for no reason, X is at least upfront about it? As an amateur crew and cast head out to the countryside to make a porno that will usher in a new era of pornography as art in the late 70’s, they end up being part of a film that tries to make sex a talking point, rather than a carnal focus. The kills are good, the gore is… extreme, and the ending has a twist that kinda doesn’t mean anything, or possibly everything. I’m still thinking about it.



Phantom of the Open

Perhaps I’m going soft as the years go on, as I find myself willingly going to see more feel-good films. And boy is this one of them. Following the life of the golfer who snuck his way into the British open several times under various guises all to satiate his love of the sport (as it certainly wasn’t due to his skill), Mark Rylance delivers a superb performance as the affable Maurice Flitcroft. If you are having a bad day, feeling a bit vulnerable, or just want to escape a negative headspace, then this is a great film.



The Batman

JUST LOOK AT HIS F**KING GLASSES, is what I routinely think to myself whenever I see chat of The Batman come up. Because seriously, those badboys worn by the riddler are not your run-of-the-mill lenses. I’m pretty sure it would be pretty easy to track down the elusive killer based on that. With that oversight ignored, The Batman is a great detective film. Marvel have hit their formula, and we will continue to see it over the next century and a half. DC, on the other hand, is really starting to find their groove of taking superheroes and infusing them with a gritty realism that tries to go deeper than its MCU counterparts. Plus, I saw some of it filmed at the necropolis. Sadly, I am not a cameo while sad-Batman and catwoman drive through a Glasgow/Gotham necropolis.



What great March films have you seen? What’s “must-see” film is coming out in April for you? Let me know!

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