Movie Man Dem | The 3rd Annual Movie Man Dem Awards - Best of 2024 2024 IS OVER! As we look ahead at the year to come, we take this time to reflect. 2024 had several movies released but some stood out more than others. We talk directors, actressess, stunt teams, and effects houses, and the amazing work they did this year.
'Gladiator II' (2024) Review : An Epic Return to Rome As Maximus Decimus Meridius fell at the end of his best picture winning journey, it seemed that curtains had closed for good on the story of Gladiator. Now, 24 years later, the story inexplicably continues. His long lost son Lucius, played by Paul Mescal, finds himself in an all too familiar predicament. Captured after the death of his wife, and forced into slavery. His only hope? Winning his freedom in the arena, and facing the ghosts of his past as he does.Let’s get something out of the way: If you’re the type to be offended by historical inaccuracy in a film, skip this sequel and cozy yourself up to a nice 18 part documentary on a streaming service of your choice. This film is for the audience member willing to seriously suspend their disbelief for a chance to witness the tenacity of the human spirit, against foes in the form of baboons with gnashing razor sharp teeth, rhinos the size of tanks, and a coliseum retrofitted to be an aquarium filled with man eating sharks.Gladiator II isn’t just a trek through the animal kingdom, though the blend of digital effects and live action stunt work creates a magnificent cinematic illusion that’s undeniably impressive. Lucius’ greater threat comes from the oppressive might of Rome, a force he can’t simply hack and slash his way through. The film is equal parts action epic and political…
'Moana 2' (2024) Review : A Mediocre Christmas Movie At this time of year, many are likely gearing up for the familiar past time of watching Christmas movies. Red One has emerged as a contender for holiday entertainment that audiences can add to their lists before they check them twice. This time, it’s a hyper militarised operation at the north pole, led by the world’s largest elf played by Dwayne The Rock Johnson, whose only mission is to protect Santa Claus, and Santa just went missing.The movie begins with a large amount of set up. Red One introduces viewers to a north pole that’s run like a well organized army compound, and shows Santa moving at hyper speed to deliver presents all around the world. The methods may be different, but the aesthetics are largely the same. There are elves running around, the sleigh is pulled by reindeer, though Santa Claus swaps his big belly for big arms.It’s a unique take on a classic story, and its the best part of Red One. It’s when the plot kicks in that things go awry. Santa’s kidnapping kicks off an action sequence that’s conceptually sound, but looks too fake to take seriously. The visual effects are too unpolished to convey any sense of stakes, and end up being an ugly distraction.Some action scenes fare better than others. A fight against 3 snowmen on a beach is a pretty solid sequence, but it’s held back…
'Moana 2' (2024) Review : A Crowd Pleasing Second Act It’s been a while since Moana’s musical journey of self discovery enthralled audiences. With nothing but her trusty oar and a song in her heart, she braved the ocean, broke a curse, and befriended a demigod. All that adventure put her in a prominent position in her tribe, giving her free reign to embark on an all new excursion where she’ll brave the ocean, break a curse, and hang out with her demigod friend.The second verse is the same as the first, but Moana 2 has a decent amount of development. Instead of fighting for a chance to prove herself, Moana is older and wiser, taking into account the risks of her globe-trotting ways. As she travels, she longs to connect her people to anyone who might be out there beyond the horizon, but constantly thinks about her loved ones back home.Thankfully Moana has a few loved ones to take with her. Accompanying her is not just a squawking chicken, but an entire crew. The supporting characters each get their moments to shine and provide more than enough comedy through their growth from islanders to sailors. Moana’s leadership skills get tested with her set of trainees, who come face to face with dangers of the natural world and more.Moana 2 leans heavily into the weird and wonderful. The characters encounter creatures and beings of all sorts, making for some visually fascinating designs.…
'Wicked' (2024) Review : A True Musical of Magic The year has had plenty of reasons for people to go to the movies. Whether you were riding the sandworms on the treacherous Dunes of Arrakis, or storm chasing with Glen Powell and getting rocked by its sublime 4DX presentation, the cinema experience was rewarding. Now with the year coming to a close you may think there’s nothing left to see but boring biopics or war stories. Well wait until you hear the story about why Galinda & that Wicked Witch fell out. It’s long, but full of suspense. The musical event of the year does essentially boil down to a friendship torn asunder, but one that has epic ramifications, and define’s Cynthia Erivo’s Elphaba Thropp as one of the most notorious villains in film history, The Wicked Witch of the West. The film begins with the ending of the story you’re most familiar with, returning audiences to the world of Oz.Wicked is as loving an homage to the film The Wizard of Oz, as it is a reverent adaptation of the broadway production Wicked. There are sets high and low, with real life trains from another world so tactile you could reach out and touch. The vast land of Oz is as sweeping and epic as it was when Dorothy first crash landed there, down to the most minute details. Now there’s no sense making a world if no one’s in it. To that…
'Kraven The Hunter' (2024) Review : Wasted Potential Bafflingly, Kraven The Hunter is yet another film based on a character from the supporting roster of Spider-Man. Thus far, the web head’s cinematic success hasn't spilled over to any of the other contenders in this category, but maybe this time will be different. After all, the approach of turning villains into anti heroes has been a misguided strategy that failed Morbius, but somewhat worked for Venom. Unfortunately Kraven The Hunter more aligns with the former. If you know nothing about Kraven The Hunter, the film gets you up to speed with a fairly decent first act. A brutal action sequence sees Kraven taking his hunt to the seediest of society. His special set of skills are directed to the worst of the worst. It’s not the most conventional career choice, but thankfully, Kraven takes a nice long plane ride to think about his entire life. The extended flashback section of the film is carried by Russel Crowe and his thick russian accent, playing a young Kraven’s father. His character is a brick wall of a man who sees his wife’s death by suicide as weakness, and decides to aid his children’s grief by taking them on a hunt for a man eating lion. What’s most frustrating about Kraven The Hunter is its wasted potential. Aaron Taylor-Johnson is a russian assassin, but thanks to being raised in the US, he sounds as threatening as a greeter at…
'Sonic The Hedgehog 3' (2024) Review : The Best Sonic Yet It’s hard to talk about Sonic without remembering how far he’s came from. After all, one redesign of the title character changed the game, allowing for a franchise to be born. One that seems to be getting bigger and better with each entry. Despite saving the world from a giant rampaging robot in the last film, Sonic The Hedgehog 3 significantly ups the ante delivering the most dramatic and compelling one yet.As the story has developed, so have the characters. Sonic sped onto the scene as a lonely alien playing baseball with himself. Now, he’s a member of a full fledged family, celebrating the anniversary of his arrival on Earth with two other aliens and his human companions. It’s a touching way to start the film, and a reminder of how far he’s come and just how much he has to lose. Loss is the central theme of Sonic The Hedgehog 3, with fan favourite character Shadow The Hedgehog presented as the living embodiment of grief. Though powerful and quick, Sonic and his friends can’t hold a candle to the sheer might of the Keanu Reeves voiced villain. Watching a group of anthropromorphized colourful animals battle it out in the streets of Tokyo shouldn’t be nearly this exciting, but the action choreography is well balanced, character driven, and just plain fun.As dramatic as it sounds, it should be made abundantly clear how…
'Mufasa: The Lion King' (2024) Review: A Passable Prequel His end is well known, but how he began is a mystery. Mufasa seeks to portray the myth of the lion king with a near biblical reverence. While the 2019 film was a technical marvel, it lacked the soul of the animated original, with sub par performances of some of the most iconic songs. Thankfully, Mufasa finds its way to tell its story with real heart, despite some glaring interruptions.The movie begins with far too much from the 2019 film The Lion King. Donald Glover returns as Simba, along with Billy Eichner and Seth Rogen as Timon and Pumba. The comedic sidekicks are a looming presence in the film threatening the audience with their reemergence, as John Kani’s Rafiki attempts to tell us the story we came to see despite their jarring commentary grinding the film to a screeching halt. That story is of Mufasa as a young lion cub separated from his loving parents and adopted by a pride of lions at the behest of his new brother Taka. Taka and Mufasa are thick as thieves, with the movie endearing you to their bond despite knowing the tragedy that’s doomed to befall them in The Lion King. As much as Taka and Mufasa have great chemistry in the film, with Aaron Pierre and Kevlin Harrison Jr. playing off each other well, you’re constantly waiting for the other shoe to drop. Watching the friendly origin…
'Den of Thieves 2: Pantera' (2025) Review: The Best Fast & Furious Movie In Years In my review for the original Den of Thieves, I described its take on the heist genre as “remarkably stupid”. It seems my sentiment towards the Gerard Butler led ensemble may have been apt, but could not diminish the lofty ambitions for the series as now, 7 years later, a sequel is upon us, but thankfully the benefit of setting such a low bar is, it isn’t very hard to surpass it.Without a doubt Den of Thieves 2: Pantera is a better film. Its ensemble cast has dwindled in size, and is a more refined story because of it. The movie focuses on Gerard Butler’s Nick and O'shea Jackson Jr. 's Donnie, engaged once again in a cat and mouse game that sees them on the same side despite minimal trust between the two.It’s funny watching these characters who are against all odds working together. Their affinity for one another seems to boil down to reluctant mutual affection. As much as Butler is meant to be playing a cop with a distaste for criminals, he can’t help but like spending time with someone who’s made criminality a career. Their bromance makes the movie work, getting you through the slower parts of a film that feels about 30 minutes too long.When things get fast paced, Den of Thieves 2: Pantera is more than just an improved sequel, but…
'Nosferatu' (2024) Review: A No Nonsense Nightmare Anthony Hopkins portrayed the influential master of suspense Alfred Hitchcock in the movie, Hitchcock. In it, Hitchcock contemplates the potential in the horror genre, positing the question “What if someone really good made a horror picture?”. Since his day, several innovative and brilliant filmmakers have made their bones in a genre that still goes without the kind of respect afforded to others.One such filmmaker is Robert Eggers, whose previous films have resulted in nothing short of a run of masterful work. The Witch, The Lighthouse, The Northman, all rank among the best in their year of release. With Nosferatu, Eggers tackles a horror icon, taking on his most daring venture yet. The original classic is over 100 years old and it’s been remade before, so there’s ample basis for comparison, something his previous original work avoided.In the case of Nosferatu, it will be difficult to note anything but an exceptionally crafted gothic picture, about a damsel distressed by a demon. Lily Rose-Depp’s Ellen is tormented by a compulsion she’s unable to deny, as she’s caught under the spell of Count Orlok, the vampire Nosferatu. The film presents this through sequences of an incredibly physical performance as Rose-Depp contorts and convulses in a manner that defies comprehension, yet presents to her peers as feminine fits of hysteria.Ellen is having the worst time of her life, but for much of the film her plight is understated by…