PixarPal

Don’t let my rating fool you, Tusk is a masterclass. It’s a bold, creative, genre-transcending work of art that will be beloved for many generations. Its energy is exhilarating, its exuberance is immortal, its status is undervalued. Long live Fleetwood Mac. Of course, the film isn't worth your attention. 4.5/10 [D]

Egoyan's direction is hopelessly cliché, the cinematography/lighting is disturbingly lackadaisical, and the screenplay is devoid of psychological complexity. If you're going to watch an A24 abduction film watch Room instead. 3.5/10 [E]

Aubrey Plaza and John C. Reilly feel quite natural here. Unfortunately the script rarely does, and the quirky premise deserves better than its lacklustre visual component. 5/10 [C-]

The archetype of an average film. The narrative's slight and the music is occasionally misplaced. However the visuals are solid and Pattinson & Pearce turn in good performances -- of course they're reliable. 6/10 [C]

A bit factitious for my tastes and certainly lacking maturity in its humour, storytelling and execution. Nonetheless a sturdy debut for Gillian Robespierre. Some nimble, unorthodox edits and a feral Jenny Slate are the main attractions. 7/10 [B-]

A man confined to a vehicle taking phone calls for 90 minutes. Locke shouldn't work -- and yet miraculously it does. The script demands passionate performances and the whole cast delivers the gamut of emotions. Tom Hardy is astonishingly persuasive, his intensity overruling lazy viewer attention spans. Solid streetlight aesthetic too. 8/10 [B]

To consider this film obtuse or pretentious is understandable if lazy or ill-informed. But to label this film empty and complain that 'nothing is happening' is totally false. Glazer uses silence, repetition, and simplicity throughout the film to pare back an elaborate, special effects-heavy concept to a sparse, cohesive story focusing on an alien perspective of the human world. Glazer manages to conjure his own style, melding a naturalistic documentary approach to the horror/sci-fi mastery of Kubrick classics emphasising absorbing imagery and ethereal soundscapes. A mesmerising lead performance from Scarlett here. 9/10 [A]

A psychological drama profiling dual identity, betrayal and spiders -- Denis Villeneuve is the ideal director for this solemn atmospheric mystery. Of course he's capable of far more depth with his sonics, textures and narrative ambitions. This is a neat work. 7.5/10 [B]

A blossoming romance backed by beguiling cinematography. Shailene Woodley is as sweet, earnest, charming and absurdly natural as teenager could possibly be. Luckily the screenplay supports the performers with sensitivity and sobriety. 8/10 [B]

Whilst the technical elements are only adequate, Sophia Coppola understands the nuances of the teenage life and the motivations behind self-image. It's' not as shallow as it initially seems. Obviously Emma Watson shines in her fame-obsessed group. 7/10 [B]

Elle Fanning is remarkable here -- her delicacy and quiet depth slipping through every scene. Elsewhere, the film is technically solid but unremarkable, lacking narrative profundity and subtlety. 6.5/10 [C+]

A neon-soaked dubstep nightmare provoking a swirl of controversy and success in equal measure. Some regard the film as sexist due to its gleeful depiction of a misogynistic society that objectifies women. Others consider the film to portray a girl-power camaraderie that empowers women. And still others have surmised Spring Breakers is a social commentary reflecting modern-day superficiality through highly stylized disposable decadence or the younger generation's self-destructive obsession with the hedonistic lifestyle. Personally, I believe all of these interpretations seem valid just as I believe Korine intended it to be open to interpretation. Despite my struggles with the lack of substance (especially the repetitive narrative fixations and crude dialogue), as a sensory overload of splashing colour and syncopated grooves it’s practically euphoric. After all, a film this loose and rambling may be best appreciated as a ‘sensory film’ more about feeling than action. It’s rare that I get the opportunity to see something so wildly disagreed upon and present a contrary opinion to the average critic and user scores. Thanks A24 8/10 [B+]

A glimpse inside the mind of PixarPal I... why? why? why? why? why? I have to watch every A24 film? Yes, that's why. 3/10 [E]