Box Office Breakdown of 2019

The success of certain films over a year is of great interest to film producers but should also be of note to the public: what they pay to see, and what draws the most crowds will ultimately decide how the big studios will operate over the next few years, and the public, as consumers, can expect what they will be pushed to go and see in the future. 

2019 was a record breaking year on a vast scale; 2015 had the record for most billion dollar grossing films in a year (five) but 2019 is (at the time of writing) on its way to a potential nine films grossing a billion dollars. Avatar was finally dethroned from its worldwide record and we got new highest grossing films in the live-action, animated and R rated departments. Here is the 2019 worldwide list with breakdowns of the performances:

10. Fast and Furious Presents: Hobbs and  Shaw - $758,910,100
Poor Hobbs and poor Shaw: the only film stopping 2019 having a clean sweep of billion dollar grossers. But 3/4 of a billion is not to be sniffed at when considering its a spin-off that is predominantly aimed at teenage boys on their summer holidays. I haven't seen the film but it is clear that the teaming of Dwayne Johnson and Jason Statham was vital for marketing, as well as the semi-tongue in cheek humour and massively overblown set pieces.

9. Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker - $1,005,323,801 (and counting)
Episode 9 could either have been the second film on this list or not at all. It was immensely hard to predict how this film would do: The Last Jedi saw a $700 million decline from The Force Awakens, fan reception was massively divided with threats of a boycott, Solo was a flop and appetite for the brand has steadily declined as the novelty has worn off. And then there is the film itself: neither satisfying for the people who loved TLJ and not satisfying enough for those that hated it. It stumbles about trying to make as many people happy as possible that the final result is a 'meh' film that feels conventional and cowardly and does not fully wrap up the messy sequel trilogy. It is the first of the Disney bunch that I did not feel inclined to go and see again, a sentiment held by a great deal of friends too. It gave Disney their seventh billion dollar hit of the year but this is not a film that will be remembered, and the fact that other films on this list grossed more is enough evidence for a diminishing franchise. Watch The Mandalorian instead. 

8. Aladdin - $1,050,693,953

At the start of the year if someone had said "Joker will gross more than Aladdin" then I would've shrugged and I said "probably." Aladdin had polarising trailers and did not seem like a juggernaut. And then it exploded around the world. Now if someone had said to me in September that "Joker will out-gross Aladdin" I would have scoffed. It seemed like an impossible feat. Both those statements turned out true and the studio executives for both films should be pretty pleased with the two films on this list that I would have argued a year ago would not make it. The film proved Will Smith is still bankable and audiences will see Disney remakes if they keep banging them out. 

7. Joker - 

By far the biggest success story of the year, Todd Phillips' psychological thriller about Arthur Fleck's descent into becoming Joker is a zeitgeist-tapping breakout. The fantastic trailers and marketing kicked off the anticipation for this, and then the post-film-festival controversy and media assault began, drawing the film deeper into the public's perception. This was a film used by the media for scaremongering; in reality it led to people watching it to decide for themselves and have an opinion on it. What followed was a gigantic October opening, and then an impressive -43% drop in its second weekend, showing its staying power and word of mouth. Joker's success can be attributed to a variety of reasons: the media outcry that labelled it as violent and upsetting, the hype around Joaquin Phoenix's potentially Oscar winning performance and, probably most importantly, it is a terrific film. It offers something new and refreshing to younger cinema goers; showing an evolution in the superhero genre. Also, the film's deluded protagonist and smart direction means that not everything in the film is fact, something which in conversations after watching it will only encourage repeat viewings to help your own theory and understanding of the film. Joker is the biggest R rated film ever, and by quite a significant margin at that. The fact that it made over a billion dollars without a Chinese release is phenomenal. Joker is a studio's dream: an old school style drama made on a budget of around $60 million that did not need a Chinese release to become the most profitable comic book film of all time. 

6. Toy Story 4 - $1,073,3948,593

When it opened in America, Toy Story 4 grossed 'only' $120 million over the weekend and at the time landed the biggest worldwide opening for an animated film with $244 million (since overtaken twice). Articles circulated that this was a disappointing result for Pixar, and that it showed a fatigue or lack of love for a new Toy Story film. But is that really the case? Finding Dory made over $130 million in its domestic opening weekend, landing the biggest animated opening. In 2018, Incredibles II destroyed that record with $180 million. It is these two films, recent Pixar sequels to beloved classics, that perhaps set a standard for this fourth installment. The key word there is 'fourth'- Woody and Buzz have had sequels before, and there was an 11 year gap between the 2 and 3, which lead to a juggernaut box office success for the third. The novelty of seeing these characters again decreases the more they are seen; if Incredibles had two more sequels I would predict that they wouldn't open bigger than the second. The novelty fades. And any animated film hitting over $100 million in a weekend is a breakout hit. Unadjusted for inflation, this film actually made slightly more than Toy Story 3 which is what you hope a sequel will do. I am glad this film was a big hit, it's fantastic and a poignant ending not just to Woody and Buzz, but also for Pixar's sequels as this was to be their final one. 

5. Captain Marvel - $1,128,274,794

February seems like a new sweet spot for Marvel releases, with this stand-alone film coming a year after Black Panther accumulated $1.3 billion in the same release window. Again, this had the 'social novelty' of being Marvel's first female led film, similar to the first black-led Marvel film a year prior. The two big factors for this film's success is the female-led USP and that 2018's Infinity War set up Captain Marvel with its post-credits scene; implying her importance and a need to see her origin film before watching Endgame. Because the film itself is average; probably better than most others in the franchise and I found its quieter scenes far more engaging than its spectacle, which seems forgettable. And no, Brie Larson's disastrous comments did not lead to a boycott or box office failure. I would expect more from this character in the future. 

4. Spider-man: Far From Home - $1,131,927,966

In seven months Marvel made $5 billion worldwide. Let that sink in. Far From Home capitalised on Endgame's success big time; using it in marketing and being sold as an epilogue to the Infinity Saga. This was a clever move, butting bums in seats by saying that this was a final bit of closure for characters like Tony Stark. The previous Spider-man film, Homecoming, made $880 million back in July 2017. In that time, Peter Parker got some of the most memorable lines and scenes in the two colossal Avengers films; in many ways being the heart and soul of the story. It was inevitable this film would earn more, and if you add in Jake Gyllenhaal as Mysterio you have a solid recipe for success. Again, this was a mostly fine Marvel film. It had entertaining sequences, comedy and a welcome surprise in its credit scenes. Another new leading face for the MCU moving forward. 

3. Frozen II - $1,267,812,364 (and counting)
Whilst not surprised that it is a gigantic success, I will admit I was taken aback that Frozen II overtook its predecessor. Back in 2013, Frozen was that ubiquitous film with instantly iconic new characters, an inescapable selection of songs and a female friendly property. It played in cinemas in months, complete with sing-a-long versions too. Six years is a while between sequels but promising trailers and familiarity have ensured that Frozen II became another breakout, all the more surprising considering I have not heard the more popular songs being played and sung as much as Let It Go was back in the day. But its a win for female audiences and Disney. 

2. The Lion King - $1,656,813,149
I expected this to crack the top three easily, and I also expected it to become the biggest of the Disney remakes. 1994's The Lion King is unquestionably the most popular Disney animation; it is the highest rated, one of their biggest successes, as an eternally playing London show and is always in conversation for the 'what scenes make you cry' question. Throw in James Earl Jones returning as Mufasa, Beyone as Nala and Donald Glover as Simba, and you have a talented of-the-time cast to go with the striking visuals. Of course audiences wanted to see the story told again and hear the famous score and soundtrack, regardless of critical response. And the prime mid-July weekend is always economically beneficial, giving the tent pole films a good two weeks run before the next summer release. It did not deserve to make this much money as it offered nothing new, but it is obvious how it did. 

1. Avengers: Engdame - $2,797,800,564

A monolith of a film if ever there was one. It has been all too frequently documented how and why this epic conclusion became the highest grossing film of all time. But as briefly as possible here goes. Infinity War was universally loved and praised by audiences and critics; it had a riveting new villain, a shocking, cliffhanger finale and the promise of revenge. Audiences knew this was the end of the story, and the end of some of their characters. The theorising was non-stop and people just could not wait, so they all booked tickets opening weekend. Infinity War had the biggest domestic opening ever with $257 million, and the biggest global opening with around $640 million. Endgame launched to $350 million domestic and $1.2 billion worldwide. That is a ludicrous increase, and a record I just cannot fathom ever being topped. The film was emotionally satisfying, had some of the most rewarding moments in fan-service history, and has a pulsing momentum towards an unforgettable conclusion (especially if you saw it in a packed cinema). Then there was a whole social media movement that aimed at removing Avatar as the no.1 film in favour of something more worthwhile. Is it more worthwhile? Well with Avatar I think more people went to see it, whereas Endgame was perhaps driven more by repeat viewings of its fans. One is a technical gimmick, the other a decade long closure to a generation defining franchise. And yes, Marvel did cheat by adding extra scenes and Far From Home material to later releases in order to get it over Avatar, but then again so did James Cameron. What is interesting is that after those two films is Titanic with $2.1 billion. That means there is a nearly $700 million difference and the top two are separated by a puny $10-20 million. 

1917 (an ode to the one shot)

My favourite scene in 2015's Spectre is the opening shot. The camera starts above a crowded street in Mexico, pushing forwards and down until it finds James Bond. Bond sets off, the camera following him into a building, up an elevator and into his room where upon he lives his female accomplice and steps out onto the rooftop with a gun in hand before setting up to eavesdrop on his targets. It runs at four minutes and supposedly contains four 'cuts' that are seamlessly woven together. The movement of the camera, combined with the score and Bond's casual yet assured physicality, makes for an utterly immersive start. It was achieved through the ambition and precision of its director, Sam Mendes, and its cinematographer, Hoyte van Hoytema. Over four years later and that scene just looked like a trial for the one shot technique, as Mendes' new film, 1917, pulls out the stops to appear as one or two shots. 

Hoyte van Hoytema did not return for the war film, with Mendes opting for the legendary Roger Deakins who he had previously used on Skyfall and Revolutionary Road. Fans of Deakins will know that he is a man of the silhouette and a man of orange light with a greater focus on handsomely crafted stills. Single takes or one shots do not often appear in his work, instead Emmanuel Lubezki is best known for long tracking shots that are invisibly stitched together. When it comes to tracking shots used to tell entire movies there are several examples: Hitchcock's Rope, 2014's Best Picture winner Birdman (Lubezki) and Victoria (2015) are all told in 'one' shot. But Deakins adds another string to his quite entangled bow by not only accomplishing the continuous shots in this film, but by doing it on an entirely different scale. 

With huge sets, swarms of extras and a lot of action, one can only imagine the preparation and rehearsal that went into the shoot. Mendes has how outdone himself here, achieving a technical prowess on the level of Nolan or Kubrick. It is seriously impressive and, most importantly, immersive. This is not a gimmick rather a method or tool to enhance the storytelling. The story tells of two young men sent on a mission behind enemy lines to deliver a message that will save 1,600 soldiers' lives, including the brother of one of the two. But in reality, there are three soldiers. The audience becomes more than a spectator; they are a third soldier following the other two around, taking cover when they do and wincing when they do. 

Much like Dunkirk, every aspect of filmmaking involved is masterful. From the period correct sets to Thomas Newman's trembling score (with a little whiff of Hans Zimmer's work from The Thin Red Line), to the hidden editing and intense sound design. But before the camera there is also a brilliant performance from George McKay, and Dean Charles Chapman continues to fashion himself a hopefully bountiful career post-Game of Thrones. There is also a cornucopia of British talent in small supporting roles: Colin Firth, Benedict Cumberbatch, Andrew Scott, Mark Strong and Richard Madden all step in and leave some sort of impression. 

Towards the end of the film there is an utterly fantastic piece of direction where the audience realises the non-verbal decision playing in a character's head, leading to whitened knuckles as the music begins to rise. It is one hell of a cinematic moment. 

And whilst the more learned film viewers may find themselves trying to look for the joins and cuts in Deakins' camera (and therefore lose some of the intended immersion), the overall look, feel and sound of the film is a transcendent experience. The film has been out a week but to see the cinema gradually get filled out with families of all ages, and to hear the excited conversations as they left afterwards, is magical. There is a beauty to this film and whilst it does not have anything overtly new to say about war, the messages and the way they are emotionally executed is potent enough to draw a tear from the eye. 

By default, one of the best WW1 films going. 

A Selection of My Favourite Movie Shots

1. Mirror shot- Contact
One of those watch-then-rewind shots that comes out of nowhere. I never want to know how this was accomplished but Robert Zemeckis, hats off for the creativity.

2. Descent into the dark- Sicario
Roger Deakins at is best, showing less is more. The beautiful sky, clear silhouettes, pulsing music and the gradual transition into the darkness makes for enchanting cinema.

3. The HALO jump- Mission: Impossible- Fallout
It is well documented how many times Tom Cruise jumped from that plane just to get the perfect shot, but this thrilling sequence has gorgeous twilight skies and is a phenomenal feat.













4. Koba hijacks the tank- Dawn of the Planet of the Apes
https://youtu.be/XjV-wXc8-Fg
(skip to 38 seconds)
Mounting a camera onto the rotating turret of tank proves a genius move, showing vicious ape Koba take control over it whilst giving the audience a marvelous panoramic shot of the battlefield.

5. Las Vegas- Blade Runner 2049
Probably the shot that won Deakins his Oscar, this is wallpaper material at its finest. Minimal yet dripping with colour.

6. The train- The Assassination of Jesse James by the Coward Robert Ford
This entire sequence is Deakins at his best but the rippling light from the train, Brad Pitt's swaggering shadow and the symmetry of the tracks beautifully amalgamate.


7. Willard rises- Apocalypse Now
The slow movement, painted face, flashes of lighting and the mist: the apparent completion of Willard's fall. Or is it?



8. Flying past Saturn- Interstellar
This shot needs to be seen on the biggest screen possible. Here it just looks like a smear. But look closely and one will find a tiny silver speck: the Endurance, on its way to a wormhole. It's a beautiful sequence; calm and still yet filled with a sense of wonder and scale that reminds the audience just how alone and insignificant human life is. Wondrous.






9. The Planetarium- La La Land
Some may be turned off by this fantastical shot but others will be mesmerised by the visual poetry on display. The dancing silhouettes and intergalactic back drop makes Mia and Seb the star crossed lovers for the 21st century.

10. Swinging in the snow- Ikiru
Perhaps the most bittersweet sequences committed to celluloid, this shot sees our central hero singing about life whilst swinging alone in the snow in a park that he built just before dying. It is the closure to his story about only finding the power of life when faced with death. It's beautiful in every conceivable way.

 11. Hyper-space ramming- Star Wars: The Last Jedi
The Last Jedi is one of the prettiest Star Wars films, and this unforgettable sequence is probably its zenith. It is a series of stunningly rendered shots that wow visually whilst the sudden depletion of sound makes the image that much more potent. In a full auditorium, the silence was so strong that a guy only whispered "Jesus Christ" and got everyone laughing.

 12. Tornado- Mad Max Fury Road
More breathtaking action, but this time with added sound. The audiences is placed in Max's shoes, watching a car be swept up into a tornado and exploding, as lightning flashes and the crew are tossed to the wind. The whole film finds beauty in destruction, and this moment starts that trend.

 12. Obscuring Henry Fonda- The Ox-bow Incident
A cleverly blocked shot, Fonda's Gil Carter reads out the final words of a wrongly lynched man. His friend's hat conceals the eyes, effectively explaining the blindness of those that did it and the failings of the system as a whole. It is not anything fancy, but it sticks.

13. Drinking milk- Spellbound
The photo does not do it credit, but Gregory Peck drinks milk, with the camera shown looking down it. The milk slowly disappears to reveal the mysterious man before him. It is Hitchcock having fun.






14. Vader arrives- Rogue One
Few shots in modern blockbusters have elicited the same response in a cinema as this did for me. The darkness followed by Vader's breathing was already good enough. The sudden ignition of the lightsaber was godly. The red hallway acts like the elevator doors in The Shining, setting up the forthcoming bloodshed. It is just utterly satisfying.

15. Billy the Kid riding- Pat Garret and Billy the Kid
Sam Peckinpah often creates imagery that just sticks to the brain but this slow pan might be his best work. Billy rides from the left before his shadow merges with the backdrop and is replaced with his reflection in the water. In a film about changing times and the demise of the old, this shot both acts as a metaphor for the whole film and, in many ways, the western genre.

 16. The Revenant
There are too many paintings in this film to choose one, so here are three.

- valley zoom in
The camera starts what seems like miles away, gradually pushing forwards into this monumental landscape. A black spec gets closer and closer and Hugh Glass becomes visible. Much like Interstellar, I love shots that make people seem insignificant, and a love shots of nature. Masterful.

 - a brief rest
An absolutely gorgeous bit of eye candy. Emmanuel Lubezki crafts another wallpaper shot with this twilight photography. And for reasons I cannot quite describe, I have always loved the stick in this shot.

 - reborn
Having spent the night in a horse, Hugh Glass is reborn under the dripping snow. The duration of the still is long, thankfully. Any shorter and I might not have been as aware of it. The sun shines down between two trees, another birth image. The fallen trunk from the night before aligns with the far background. I am running out of adjectives.

Best of 2019

The best films I saw in 2019:

Honourable mentions for Rocketman, Toy Story 4, How to Train Your Dragon 3, The King, The Irishman, John Wick: Chapter 3.

1. Le Mans '66

An absolutely riveting story told through two crowd pleasing performances from Matt Damon and a magnetic Christian Bale. The film is funny, old school and at times thunderous, with the racing scenes being utterly enthralling. The sequence where Bale's Ken Miles is told to go full throttle is euphoric. And then that scene is one upped by the 'perfect lap'. It is neither too fancy or too artistic and nor is it too cliche. It is just a simple story told brilliantly. 

2. Once Upon a Time in... Hollywood 

Another buddy film, this is a Quentin Tarantino paradox; being both indulgent for old Hollywood but also the least indulgent in QT's filmography. The violence only occurs right at the end, the narrative is largely told chronologically... apart from the feet shots this is the least Tarantino film going. Leonardo DiCaprio and Brad Pitt make for two stellar leads, a Paul Newman and Robert Redford for 2019. Margot Robbie, as en emblem of innocence and fun as Sharon Tate, is great, and the sprawling supporting cast all make the most of their short scenes. On first viewing this was unbearably tense, knowing the story of Sharon Tate. Watching her laze around Hollywood made me constantly uneasy, allowing the third act twist to be one of the most cathartic cinematic experiences ever. A hang-out film with top performances and lavish period detail, but this felt like a film made for me: its nods to westerns and back-lot studios being extremely awesome. 

3. Joker 

The hit that nobody saw coming, Joker gassed its way to over $1 billion worldwide and a place in the cultural zeitgeist. Joaquin Phoenix is sensational, the score is grimy and unsettling and the photography is impressive. But its the ambiguity that stays with you; a second viewing reveals and contradicts things from the first viewing. For other films this would be a continuity problem, for Joker, with its unreliable narrator, it makes for thrilling discussion. And to think all that controversy was for nothing. 

4. Marriage Story 

Adam Driver is becoming one of the finest actors of his generation thanks to his work in Star Wars, BlackKklansmen and Silence among others, and Marriage Story will surely land him a Best Actor actor nomination. He is effortlessly emotive, and Scarlett Johansson also stops by to give her strongest performance of her career. Randy Newman backs the story, about navigating a divorce and custody, with gentle piano. Its more a film to watch, feel and be entranced by then one that I can really sell with words. 

5. Ad Astra 

Four of these films are original releases, with Joker being original in its backstory but also derivative of Scorsese classics. These films all reaffirmed my faith in original cinema, and Ad Astra, a gentle science fiction odyssey with a nine figure budget is an example of taking risks, Whilst not the most profitable of films, this is a gorgeous space film. Brad Pitt shines as an introverted astronaut and Hoyte van Hoytema's photogrphy drips with colour and clarity. A chase on the moon is astonishing in its sound design (or lack of) and the opening is edge of your seat. Not many boast the heady themes and philosophy to accompany the set pieces, Ad Astra does. 

Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker (and the pitfalls of poor planning)

In 2015's The Force Awakens we are introduced to Kylo Ren and his helmet. It is intact and well maintained. In 2017's The Last Jedi, that helmet is shattered into fragments in an act of  anger and defiance. And now, in 2019's biggest disappointment The Rise of Skywalker, that helmet is reforged and stuck back together, though the cracks still show. If there were was ever a metaphor for Star Wars' 'sequel' trilogy, then it's Ren's helmet. TFA was made to revive nostalgia for the originals and bring abroad the three generations of Star Wars fans onto a new story. TLJ  effectively retconned its predecessor, obliterating the narrative arc that was set up and trying something new and bold. TROS clutches at the few remaining straws that TLJ didn't eradicate in an attempt to fix and restore some sort of continuity to an overall poorly produced and written trilogy. What went wrong?

I think there is a unanimity that JJ Abrams' TFA is an acceptable Star Wars film; it does retread A New Hope's mythic story but audiences enjoyed it, saw it again and were keen to see where the story headed next. I watched the film several hours before the midnight screening of TROS and whilst there are an abundance of changes I would make (remove Starkiller Base for starters) it is a breezy and fun enough film to sit and enjoy. Then there is TLJ. Unanimity does not apply to this sequel; in fact the only unanimity towards this film is that it is, ironically, divisive. Replacing Abrams for directing duties was Rian Johnson, a talented enough filmmaker. But given both script and behind the camera duties allowed Johnson a reasonable degree of carte blanche and so audiences were given a film that they did not know how to respond to: the heroic Luke was a grumpy hermit, super baddie Snoke was briskly done away with and the film introduced new rules that effectively make you look at other Star Wars films differently. Johnson is a man who likes to challenge genre, to subvert it and the audiences, unlike safe hands Abrams, whose filmography shows more of an appreciation towards George Lucas and Steven Spielberg and the childlike wonder he clearly got from their movies. These two filmmakers are in a way represented by Rey and Kylo Ren: the Jedi who wants to continue and uphold a legacy versus a *Sith* who wants nothing to do with the past. 

TFA made over $2 billion worldwide, becoming the third biggest films ever at that point. TLJ made $1.3 billion. The $700 million decline shows that the novelty of a new Star Wars film had run its course and that audiences were not as enthused toward Johnson's bold, risk taking vision. Cries of 'my childhood is ruined' and 'Disney and Kathleen Kennedy are SJWs that don't know Star Wars' echoed around comment sections. Six months later Solo: A Star Wars Story came out. A lackluster film by all accounts, it neither bombed nor profited and the reactions to these films caused Disney and Lucasfilms to shelve all other projects. TROS was to be the last feature film for a while. 

Was there hope for this movie? Well, I do not think so.

The changing of directors and writers between TFA and TLJ showcased the flaws in this system. A trilogy should be connected and planned if it going to deal with the same conflict over three films. There needs to be at least one constant; one figure with the vision to oversee the project. George Lucas directed and wrote all three prequels, and regardless of their quality, there is undeniably a vision there and the story that wanted to be told was told. Of course, the original trilogy was not so well planned. 1977's A New Hope could be a standalone film and the Vader and Leia reveals were added late into shootings those films. And yes, the originals had three different directors, but George Lucas was always about and wrote the stories for the screenwriters. And that all worked a treat. 

But audiences now are used to intricate, interconnected stories because of the might of the Marvel films. Continuity is vital in franchises. So to take cinema's most beloved property and characters and craft a new set of films without a plan in the age of social media and 'everyone's a critic' is utter stupidity. You know you might have mucked up when the prequels, the most hated big budget blockbusters ever at one point, are now treated with a reverence because of how original they are; Revenge of the Sith is just pure imagination and for Star Wars fans, that can trump things like acting and dialogue. Imagination is pivotal, and the lack of Lucas for the Disney batch is painfully obvious: the planets, vehicles and sets just don't seem as rich and fun anymore. 

Which brings us into TROS. JJ Abrams was brought back to direct the final film, sandwiching Rian Johnson's 'stick-out-like-a-sore-thumb' middle chapter. One can imagine the meetings that occurred after TLJ's response: do they continue with what Johnson did or try their best to revert back to what Abrams originally set up? The answer is a mix of the two and that is where the problems lie (in fairness, TFA did not help matters when it came to setting up the future: Luke going into exile and not wanting to be found but also leaving a map in R2-D2 and with the old guy on Jakku that we know nothing about?). 

In the film's opening crawl we are instantly told that Emperor Palpatine is still alive (unexplained) and has a fleet of Star Destroyers that, with rather small guns, house planet destroying capabilities. No I do not need to know where they came from or who designed them, mainly because the first thirty minutes is so relentless in playing catch-up there isn't time to question anything. Abrams also made a point about how this film sees the new trio of Rey, Finn and Poe together for sustained amounts of time. Great! That would be fun if they actually had established the somewhat convoluted relationships between them all (so Finn we assume really likes Rey, but then there's Rose who likes Finn but she wasn't popular so has been sidelined, Poe and Rey have great chemistry but he likes this other girl from his past and Rey and Kylo have sizzling chemistry and then it looks like Finn and a new Resistance fighter are going to get it on and oh boy this is too much). 

Abrams is a director for audiences, able to make quickly paced crowd-pleasers. But his skill does not include metaphors or ambitious camera work; there is a sense that you are going to get a nice long tracking shot but they seem to cut too early and compared to Johnson's blistering cinematography in TLJ, Abrams' films just seem like any other blockbuster. There are two lightsabre fights between Kylo and Rey, one quite original concept that uses their Force connection, and one on the ruins of a Death Star. The latter felt like the big set-piece fight but there is no John Williams score or excitement to the choreography. I was shocked to find myself less than entertained by it all. And the big final space battle: mediocre. There is a grand Return of the King - Avengers Endgame arrival scene, but in comparison to Rogue One or even the last Lando-in the-Falcon space battle it does not feel as exciting. Then there is the barrage of 'TLJ corrections': Rey is important, Leia is somewhat Force trained, Snoke was just a minion of Palpatine, Luke did make a mistake in giving up and Y-wings are the best bombers. I wonder what Rian Johnson thinks. 

The film is not without some quality mind you so here are some of the films I did like: Chewbacca getting his medal, Luke being able to lift his X-wing out of the water whilst Yoda's theme plays, Sheev Palpatine saying "do it", the lightsabre switcheroo at the end, the final scene, the Luke and Leia training flashback, Rey's training and C-3PO who is that annoying friend you just can't live without, getting most of the laughs and some of the only memorable lines. 

But this is one rushed film, one that doesn't know the best course to run and relies on going along with things rather than questioning them. The best comparison I have for this film is 2017's Justice League. There was a changing of directors, a predecessor with a divided fanbase, and an attempt to fix a lot of the criticisms at the cost of a too-much-too-soon narrative that overwhelms and yet is hard to remember.
It is a travesty to see a series start with promise, with TFA showing that Star Wars was in the hands of people who love it and all it needed was a fresher story. And four years later the charm has fizzled out. You can blame Rian Johnson, or Abrams or Kennedy or Disney, you could even blame the people that hated on George Lucas so much he sold it in the first place. I personally would blame the generational divides that split the fanbase: the people who watched the originals as the kids then hated the prequels, the people who watched the prequels as kids and loved all original six, and the kids that watch these films and hopefully really like them. You cannot please all these groups, and I think the powers that be know this, but at least a coherent, continued story across all three would be a good way to start. 

Le Mans 66 (and the failings of the current studio system)

$100 million dollars. A director you may be more familiar with their work than their name. Two renowned lead actors. No connection to an existing brand or franchise. How on earth did Le Mans 66 get made in 2019?

It is no secret that Hollywood is struggling. Streaming and the monumental rise in television quality (as in the shows, not the object) has shaken the onscreen entertainment industry. Audiences are more selective, only turning up in droves for the films they know they will enjoy; the Marvel extravaganzas, the Star Wars behemoths and the Disney live action remakes: films with already established universes and characters. Studios pour their blockbuster budgets into these tent poles, and, minus a few bombs, it is a seemingly smart move. Films hitting the billion dollar mark was a big thing back in the early 2010s, now it means nothing (unless you're Joker). But whilst the market is swamped by these universe and character-centric films, it means a certain era of Hollywood is over: that of the movie star. 

Risks are few and far between these days among the studios. $100 million and upwards is generally only reserved for films with established audiences, promising at least some people to turn up to its release. The mid-budget film has all but vanished; what once dominated cinema in the 1980s and 1990s, with films like The Negotiator and Heat being made on modest $40-70 million budgets, allowing another effects and action but without being a massive financial risk. Those two films in particular also had star power: Kevin Spacey and Samuel L Jackson in the former and of course Al Pacino and Robert De Niro in the latter. These are actors who can put audiences in seats. Or, they once could. There is an argument to be made that star power has gone: Dwayne Johnson films aren't always hits (Skyscraper) and neither are those A listers that make up the bulk of the Marvel franchise ensemble. Do audiences watch Avengers films for Robert Downey Jr. or do they watch it for Robert Downey Jr. as Iron Man? 

There is resistance, notably with people like Leonardo DiCaprio, who has had an immensely strong commercial decade (Inception, The Wolf of Wall Street, The Revenant and Once Upon a Time in Hollywood), and then with directors such as Christopher Nolan and Quentin Tarantino who have established themselves as brands despite their largely original and fresh stories they tell. This means companies like Warner Bros. can provide Nolan with $160 million to make a heist film about dreams within dreams: people will turn up because they expect (and get) consistently impressive slices of cinema. 

But back to Le Mans 66. If you ignore the recent efforts of Tarantino and Nolan on the basis that they are 'event' cinema, when was the last time a studio put a nine figure sum into a non-franchise film that had a powerful movie star in the lead? Off the top of my head it seems like 2015's The Revenant. Whilst its original budget was $65 million, it ballooned to $135 million and then went on to do over half a billion worldwide. That was directed by a talented filmmaker (though not a household name) and had a vaguely true story narrative acted out by two popular actors (DiCaprio and Tom Hardy). 

There is an argument for Ready Player One but that had the novelty of its mish-mash of 80s and 90s pop culture, but The Meg is another good example. Yes its adapted from a book, but it was sold as Jason Statham vs a giant megaladon, and it made half a billion worldwide. A worthy risk. But three films off the top of my head from the last five years or so is an awful ratio. Luckily Ad Astra and Le Mans 66 gave us two in a month. 

Le Mans 66 is without a doubt a star driven film. Without leading actors Christian Bale and Matt Damon you would only have petrol heads going to see this film. But with these two popular and (largely consistent) actors, you have a broader appeal for audiences. Throw in director James Mangold who has made some solid films (Logan, 3:10 to Yuma, Walk the Line) and the inspiring and thrilling true life story and you have vintage Hollywood. Perhaps to be even more specific, when was $100 million given to an original film that is not a CGI driven blockbuster? Mangold's direction and immersive sound design makes this feel authentic; like you can feel the heat of the engine and the smell of fuel. It hasn't been marketed as a must-see cinematic experience, but it certainly is. 

One of the supporting characters, Leo Beebe (Josh Lucas) is a stereotypical senior management man. His heart is not in the racing, it is in the money and image. Throughout he harbors a disdain for the risky and seemingly uncontrollable individual Ken Miles (Bale). Beebe feels like a current Hollywood executive: what they want is safety for their company and their business, even at the cost of others' individuality and freedoms. The film raises and answers the question about taking the skilled over the unskilled, even if they can be stubborn and hard to work with. Risks are worth taking and this film is a perfect demonstration of that: Le Mans 66 received a rare A+ CinemaScore, showing that audiences absolutely loved it. Hopefully its box office sees it turn a profit, as Ad Astra (on an estimated $80-100 million budget) has failed to do so, despite its brilliance. Le Mans 66's potential success could see a few more risks, a few more star driven stories that are best told with a hefty budget behind them. It is a crowd pleasing enough film I think to secure a Best Picture nomination, and that at least should signify its importance. Brilliantly acted, funny, inspiring and technically faultless. Le Mans 66 is old school filmmaking roaring back onto the big screen. 

My Top 20

I have tried to avoid doing rankings and lists; they do become tiresome and repetitive, even if it does feel good to put pen to paper to know where you stand on certain things. That being said, I have caught myself out far too much recently saying things like "that's definitely in the top twenty" or "I reckon that makes my top twenty films at least". I don't know why I say twenty, but in conversations it seems my top twenty goes into the forties and fifties. It is a seemingly endless list.
So I'm documenting this as proof of what those twenty films actually are. They are in a rough order as it is too tight to keep pondering which ones I prefer over others.

1. The Lord of the Rings 
Dir. Peter Jackson, 2001-2003.

2. The Good, the Bad and the Ugly
Dir. Sergio Leone, 1966.

3. Mad Max: Fury Road
Dir. George Miller, 2015.

4. The Last Samurai
Dir. Edward Zwick, 2003.

5. The Dark Knight
Dir. Christopher Nolan, 2008.

6. Goldfinger
Dir. Guy Hamilton, 1964.

7. The Empire Strikes Back
Dir. Irvin Kershner, 1980.

8. The Outlaw Josey Wales
Dir. Clint Eastwood, 1976.

9. Heat 
Dir. Michael Mann, 1995.

10. Interstellar 
Dir. Christopher Nolan, 2014.

11. Blade Runner 2049
Dir. Dennis Villeneuve, 2017.

12. Finding Nemo
Dir. Andrew Stanton, 2003.

13. The Incredibles
Dir. Brad Bird, 2004.

14. La La Land
Dir. Damien Chazelle, 2017.

15. The Curse of the Black Pearl
Dir. Gore Verbinski, 2003.

16. Home Alone
Dir. Chris Columbus, 1990.

17. The Dark Knight Rises
Dir. Christopher Nolan, 2012.

18. Once Upon a Time in the West
Dir. Sergio Leone, 1968.

19. Big
Dir. Penny Marshall, 1988.

20. Back to the Future
Dir. Robert Zemeckis, 1985