CinemaClown

Serving as a prequel to The Hunger Games, The Ballad of Songbirds & Snakes covers the origin story of Coriolanus Snow and follows the beginning of his ascension to becoming the tyrannical President we meet in the original. Competently crafted & capturing its dystopian world with flair, the film features a rather engaging storyline even if it runs too long and also benefits from solid performances & fine chemistry that both Tom Blyth & Rachel Zegler share. An interesting mix of drama, action, musical & romance that's quite capable of standing on its own, there was a little more up for grabs than what this latest entry settles for but what it puts on screen nevertheless delivers the entertaining goods in a fairly satisfying package.

The Expendables in its conception was all about paying homage to action blockbusters of the 1980s & 1990s. Boasting an ensemble cast of action stars of former decades, it was a delight for all the action aficionados out there and it worked with a simple premise & minimal setup. It worked for a couple films but considering its latest entry, this franchise is in desperate need to be put out of its misery.

The 4th entry in the series, Expend4bles is as lazy & lacklustre as any action film can get and is horrible from start to finish. I'm fairly convinced there isn't a single set piece in the film that was practically constructed, for nothing looks remotely convincing on the screen & the VFX is simply atrocious. The plot is not even barely serviceable, is downright predictable, and even the actors (both reprising & new) look tired.

Anchored by a committed & commanding showcase from David Dastmalchian, Late Night with the Devil takes elements of live broadcast, found footage, documentary & late night talk shows and merges them with the horrors of occult & demonic possession to offer a nightmarish chiller that's delightfully gripping, devilishly dark & distinctly surreal. The film does an outstanding job at transporting the viewers back to the 1970s with its excellent set design, vintage camerawork, era-specific props & more, and takes ample time to setup everything before all hell breaks loose. Dastmalchian makes for a likeable host and plays his part with conviction. But where the film stumbles a little is during the final act, for the ending is a bit confusing, somewhat underwhelming & it also overstays its welcome. But apart from that, this Aussie horror is worth viewing and comes recommended.