Hi! Happy Friday!

If last week was a catch up on what's gone in my mouth, this week's issue takes you on a whistle stop tour around what's gone in my eyes(?)

Film

Sherlock's sister is back in in this Victorian-era mystery sequel, Enola Holmes 2. Starring Millie Bobby Brown (you'll know her from Stranger Things) the plot centres around the case of missing factory worker, Sarah Chapman.

Like its predecessor and other recent adaptations of Sherlock Holmes films and television, the dialogue and action zip along, barely giving you time to take stock of the latest unearthed clue before we're at the next location, solving the surroundings alongside Enola.

This frenetic style works well as a fun romp of a film, compared to what could easily be a far more slow and serious affair. This makes sense for what I perceive as its intended young adult audience; having said that, I wouldn't let it put you off if like me, you're a fully matured human with a struggling attention span.

It's been close to a month since I watched this and I'll admit I struggled to remember enough about the film to give an informed opinion without some post-viewing research. Whether that says more about me or the film, I'll leave for you to decide.

Available to watch on Netflix.

Rating: 6/10

See How They Run is a comedy mystery film taking place around the production of Agatha Christie's play The Mousetrap. Set in 1953, a film director is murdered after he tries to convince the play's producer to close the show and give him the rights to a film adaptation. It is up to Inspector Stoppard (Sam Rockwell) and Constable Stalker (Saoirse Ronan) to solve the ever-thickening plot.

Similar to the style in which Enola Holmes is shot, the film is pacey with sharp editing, but See How They Run benefits from the humour landing with more impact and frequency, as well giving the audience the time to appreciate it. The dynamic between the two leads is fun, with the heavy-drinking (yet astute) detective grumpily putting up with his well-intentioned, misdirected, stickler of a partner. You can't help but root for her, especially when she's attempting to arrest every suspect at the first sign of any evidence.

The climax of the film is equal parts silly and full of tension as the characters gather and play out their fates. I did enjoy it, but it wasn't quite as entertaining as the likes of Knives Out from a few years prior (reminder to self: put the recently released Knives Out sequel on my to-watch list).

Rating: 7.5/10

Another Round is a Danish fictional film by Thomas Vinterberg, exploring the theory that humans are born with a blood alcohol content deficiency of 0.05%. It stars Mads Mikkelsen as one of four high school teachers who decide to trial this hypothesis, using themselves as the subjects as they document the results.

The film plays out as you might expect where the initial 'results' are extremely positive; the lowering of inhibitions leads to a confidence boost and the teachers start to connect with their students and see improvements in their home lives. However alcohol is a drug and although addiction is never explicitly stated, soon the group start to push the test further, upping their intake in the name of science. It gets ugly pretty fast.

Mikkelsen is fantastic giving a performance with huge range as he rides the waves of low depression, euphoric confidence muddled in with tragic grief. It never feels too over the top, as he seems to strike the right note at each stage of the story, particularly during a dazzling final sequence.

The problem with this ending (and I'm trying not to give too much away here), is that it makes the film firmly straddle the fence as it never really picks a side of the argument, leaving it for the audience to unpack. That may just be my interpretation and I'd be interested to hear yours.

I watched one of Vinterberg's previous films The Hunt (also starring Mikkelsen) around a decade ago and although it went fairly under the radar, I loved it and is one I've recommended to anyone who wants something slightly less mainstream. Another Round however isn't quite up there for me, but was certainly an interesting and thought-provoking watch.

Rating: 6.5/10

The Bear is a TV series set in a Chicago restaurant following the talented chef 'Carmy' as he returns from the world of fine dining to run his family's Italian beef sandwich shop after his brother's suicide. With just eight episodes, most of which are under 30 minutes I binged this show over the last couple of days and I will be recommending it for far longer than that.

I've never worked in a kitchen but after watching this show I feel like I could have spent my whole career in there. It's disgustingly intense and almost difficult to watch at times as you are in the thick of the action, with chefs screaming as the pressure mounts. There are moments of respite though and the antithesis with these calmer interactions and reflections makes the action all the more fiery when it's turned up to 10.

Both the performances and writing are fantastic. Perhaps it helps that the cast are all actors I've not seen before, but as far as I was concerned, they all had several lifetime's worth of cooking experience under their apron chords. Watch out for episode 7 in particular as a real firecracker. Shot in a single take, it's the most powerful of the bunch and will leave you shell-shocked.

Thanks for the recommendation from one of our readers. You know who you are!

Rating: 9/10

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Thanks for reading and have a great week.

Adam