The Brown Note Movie Review

Arguably the year's It horror movie was far closer to upper mid-tier than I'd hoped. It's well crafted and has a strong mood, but is relatively insubstantial and has a lacklustre lead. Though a mad-cap Nicolas Cage (barely in the movie) makes you wish for a Pearl like origin story.

My simping for star Mia Goth reached insufferable heights with the one-two punch of Pearl and Infinity Pool, where I claimed she was this era's Bridget Bardot, but a much better actor. Sadly this third in the X film trilogy is by far the weakest and the biggest let down of the year, next to Civil War. At least Mia is photographed exceptionally well and is as electric onscreen as always. But such a great premise is totally wasted by unexpectedly tepid delivery. Please don't be wasting Mia like this.

Given the high praise afforded this latest reboot, I can't help but feel let down. It's not really any better than the 2014 tornado/Twister movie, Into the Storm - in fact I can't say the tornado effects are any more impressive. Plus it often plays like a Nicholas Sparks romance movie. It is scarier than its two predecessors though, and we get a couple of charismatic leads in Glen - man of the moment - Powell, and Daisy Edgar-Jones, who has been a stand out in anything she's been in, and has the most haunting brown eyes imaginable.

The second excellent album from a Californian modern/alt-pop artist who gets nowhere near the respect or acclaim she deserves, and is far more thrilling and individualistic than most of her more lauded peers.

The full title of the compilation of the year - and an essential own and analogous to the classic Nigeria 70 collection, broke my computer it's so long. It's also the perfect reflection of this awesome psych-funk-soul-rock-RnB music.

Congo Funk! - Sound Madness From The Shores Of The Mighty Congo River (Kinshasa​/​Brazzaville 1969​-​1982) (Analog Africa No. 38)

My biggest gripe in recent years, is one of the worst ever eras of music critics, clamming so many mid-tier female solo pop/rnb & rap albums are masterpieces. Witness my most overrated album from last year, from Caroline Polachek. Or anything by Beyonce. So here we are with this years anointed album of the year. All I can say is that I am always fair.

The esteemed post-rock(?) trio are three decades in and with increasing gaps between albums - a whopping twelve years this time between drinks. There latest is a unexpected balm for anxious times, near true ambient music in its way of sucking negative emotions out of you and replacing them with more meditative and positive energy.

Doug Liman is a massively underappreciated and endlessly malleable director - from Swingers to The Bourne Identity to Edge of Tomorrow to Road House. Given the cast he gets is near perfect for this kind of sub-Tarantino crime film, that makes this a let down on nearly every level. Just about passable. Casey Affleck is great though.

I did not have esteemed auteur director, Richard Linklater, swerving into Rom-coms i my 2024 bingo. Other than being a tiny bit superficial and slight, this film is an utter blast. Very funny and with two of the most engaging leads of the year. Glen Powell excels as the titular fake hit man (based on a very real person) and for fans of Triple Frontier, finally Hollywood seems to be catching on to the gorgeous, electric presence of Adria Arjona. Think Grosse Point Blank more than Pretty Woman.

The relentless reboot and remake cycle reaches the once unthinkable - lets re-do Beverly Hills Cop. Though the electric magic of the original is missing, it's powered across the line by a star missing from our screens (other than in donkey form) for far too long, Eddie Murphy is completely undiminished, possibly due to witchcraft.