Fred Asquith On Film

Today on FoF we enter the BACKROOMS, a new horror(?) movie directed by Kane Parsons off the back of a very successful YouTube mini-series of the same name. I review it's visual and tonal strengths, whilst discussing why I think it is lacking in the scares department. This review is SPOILER FREE, but in this case that means providing context on what you may already know from the general YouTube mini-series premise, as well as what is shown in the trailer (which isn't much). I also find time to have a quick rant about how long the Bond casting is taking, before letting you in on a little secret about my new baby's Letterboxd account!!!! SUBSCRIBE and join the FoF Family!RATE & REVIEW! ("FoF IS ON THE UP")EXPLORE the FoF socials via my creepy website ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://fredasquith.com⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠TIMESTAMPS(00:00) Intro (00:59) Origin / Context about Backrooms (Important)(03:33) Synopsis & Set Up(04:21) The Therapisation of Horror(05:28) Strong foundational premise (06:24) Strong visuals & initial tone(07:50) Not scary enough (09:35) Found footage sequences (10:30) Over explanation diluting the horror(12:25) The evil presence was not revealed effectively (14:11) Something’s been lost from the original image/series (18:10) Visual strengths(18:52) The performances are strong(19:43) Which audience will this work for?(20:23) Summary & Letterboxd Rating https://boxd.it/ewY8Qz(21:07) The FoF Disclaimer -(21:21) Bond Casting RANT (23:31) Mini Darling’s Letterboxd!!?(26:28) Next week…

Today we return to a galaxy far, far away to review (SPOILER-FREE) The Mandalorian & Grogu, the new anxiously anticipated big screen spin-off of the previous Disney+ streaming spin-off. So we’re spinning off the spin-off. I walk you through my snap reaction to the film (because they have barely given us any time to gather our thoughts) before descending into an impassioned rant to Star Wars fanatics and casual fans alike. We talk about the marketing, the love (or lack thereof), the action, the warms, and the fuzzies. Stick around to find out Mark Kermode’s favourite seat in the BFI IMAX, as well as the behaviour of the guy sat next to me. SUBSCRIBE and join the FoF Family!RATE & REVIEW! ("FoF IS ON THE UP")EXPLORE the FoF socials via my creepy website ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://fredasquith.com⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠TIMESTAMPS(00:00) Intro(00:41) My Star Wars Credentials(02:00) Rob - our Star Wars fanatic correspondent(02:52) Plot Synopsis/Set Up(03:49) Marketing & Anticipation(05:03) Is it a Cinematic Experience?(07:42) Disney have messed us around with this IP(12:15) This is strategy first not passion first(13:00) Sigourney Weaver’s weird performance, and Pedro(14:22) No Warm & Fuzzies, No Star Wars(16:15) Picking out some positives(18:13) Not coming from a place of love(20:07) Star Wars fans deserve better than this. (23:40) I take no joy in saying I was bored. (25:36) Summary & Letterboxd rating https://boxd.it/eqqxsF(26:30) The FoF Disclaimer(26:40) A brief ranking of Mando & Grogu(27:05) SeatyMapper - Mark Kermodes Favourite BFI IMAX Seat(28:03) Forrest Grump - Mando & Grogu Cinema etiquette RANT(30:08) Next week!

This week on FoF we indulge in 2 types of movies Hollywood does not make anymore…except they just did! Finding Emily (which is a British Rom Com tbf and not Hollywood), and Tuner (a cool Crime-Caper) both pleased me on different levels and for different reasons which we will go into in full FoF depth, with laughs along the way. We discuss the return of the Rom-Com and why being a "Sunday Afternoon" movie is no bad thing. I finish with another RANT about people talking in cinemas ARRGHHHHSUBSCRIBE and join the FoF Family!RATE & REVIEW! ("FoF IS ON THE UP")EXPLORE the FoF socials via my creepy website ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://fredasquith.com⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠TIMESTAMPS(00:00 Intro(01:00) Finding Emily Review (Out 22nd May) https://boxd.it/elLvJV(18:26) Tuner Review (Limited Release 22nd May, Wide 29th May) https://boxd.it/el3oFJ(27:38) Movie Etiquette Forrest Grump(29:37) Mando & Grogu NEXT WEEK!

This week on FoF I CRACKED NOLAN’S ODYSSEY CIPHER BEFORE ANYONE ELSE ON EARTH and discovered a secret Discord group chat. We then go baaaaa-rmy for The Sheep Detectives, but maybe not in a good way, maybe in a baaad way. Speaking of which, I address the reaction to my bad review of Hokum last week as well as my glowing review of Obsession, what it shows about movie discourse and how I determine my star ratings. We then find time to discuss secret screenings, Project Hail Mary Oscar buzz, boiling hot cinemas and also review Ian McKellen’s wonderful performance in The Christophers.SUBSCRIBE and join the FoF Family!RATE & REVIEW! ("FoF IS ON THE UP")EXPLORE the FoF socials via my creepy website ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://fredasquith.com⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠TIMESTAMPS(00:00) Intro(00:25) The Odyssey Code CRACKED https://discord.com/invite/odysseymovie(05:52) Hokum Reactions & Ratings Backlash RANT(08:25) Obsession HYPE, Preview Screenings & My 5 Star Rating Ethos (another RANT)(12:31) Inde Navarette (Obsession) Awards contender?(13:50) Project Hail Mary Oscar Buzz & Discourse(17:00) The Sheep Detectives https://boxd.it/e82dZp(27:14) Forrest Grump Parent Baby Screenings having better etiquette(29:12) Billie Eilish Hit Me Hard And Soft Live In 3D Review(29:39) Are Secret Screenings Fun or Annoying?(30:58) The Christophers Review https://boxd.it/egCMHz(38:01) Forrest Grump Air Con Rant(39:56) NEXT WEEK!

This week on FoF a Horror Double-Bill, OBSESSION vs HOKUM, and ONE of them is an instant classic (which may or may not be getting a 5 star treatment). The other is, well, just ok (or maybe worse) - but I might be in the minority on that, so I explain why I think that is. Have a listen to find out which is which! (Spoiler Free reviews for both btw). We also revisit the discussion around 25+ Year Old screenings raised on a previous episode, with another great contrasting point from a fellow listener. SUBSCRIBE and join the FoF Family!RATE & REVIEW! ("FoF IS ON THE UP")EXPLORE the FoF socials via my creepy website ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://fredasquith.com⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠TIMESTAMPS(00:00) Intro(00:54) OBSESSION Review - Spoiler Free (Letterboxd - https://boxd.it/e8Zg7N)(14:52) HOKUM Review - Spoiler Free (Letterboxd - https://boxd.it/e9OxBH)(27:55) Over 25+ Year Old Screenings FOLLOW UP - Interesting Listener Email!(31:34) NEXT WEEK