Food: Mak Grillz

Halaloodie burger reviews are more or less completely commoditised now, so I won't spend too much time subjectively talking about yet another gourmet burger place open in East London. So yeah - the service was great and more importantly the food didn't disappoint either. I went for the safe choice of a burger with turkey rashers and was sufficiently satisfied with the whole experience.

The price was middling which I supposed is a polite way of saying it was a little overpriced. A quid or so lower and Mak's could have become a go to place, but as it stands it ends up just another option in an already saturated and optimised market.

Film: Knives Out

Although mainly billed and received as a throwback to the classic whodunnit genre, I would say that most assessments of that sort really aren't doing the film justice. In fact I'd go as far to say that Knives Out was a poor murder mystery - it was just contrived and convenient enough to always stay ahead of, so if you're looking for a chewy brain busting story to make yourself feel smart when solving... this isn't it. Similarly don't expect too many surprise twists or big reveals here.

But here's the thing: I really didn't mind because the whole thing was so much fun and a joy to watch. It was smoothly made (if you forgive some of the stretches it makes for the sake of the mystery), with some great shot work and as a commentary it managed a lot so concisely without being overbearing. Expect political satire, the contemporary mixed with old fashion and lovely characters just going at it. This is a film with a mansion, a murder mystery author, social justice warriors, alt-right trolls and even Instagram influencers.

I did have some issues with the film, but I can't quite say much about them without spoiling the film. But in any case they don't matter - as long as you're not dead set on a Poirot, you really can't get much better. Recommended.

Film: Le Mans '66

It pains me to start any review with a comparative, but Le Mans '66 (elsewhere known as what I see as the lesser title of Ford vs Ferrari) is just not as good as Rush - and that on multiple levels.

The film itself had its set pieces, even if they were alongside some wonky pacing. It was otherwise made well enough but overall misses the spice and energy that a racing film is supposed to have.

But more than that, its the rivalry that comes short in this film. There is not much of a "vs" in this film, with our heroes actually only ever battling their own managers and bosses. We don't even hear the opposing drivers talking.

I'm being unfair of course. Not every racing film can be a Rush or Fast and Furious, and if you don't look too closely Le Mans '66 is a decent enough time pass. It's just not a film that'll win any races.

Film: Doctor Sleep

The best way I can describe Doctor Sleep is to call it an appropriate sequel to The Shining. Those looking for more Kubrick levels of cinematography and mindscrewery might find themselves disappointed - this is first and foremost a horror film from the modern era. The story and direction are all more explicit, and therefore I suppose far easily digestible.

And yet the film doesn't suffer at all for it. On the contrary I suspect if it had chosen to ape The Shining it would have been a bit of a failure. That's not to say it totally disposes of its heritage: there's more than enough fan service here to satiate all but the purest fans of The Shining.

So yes, all in all Doctor Sleep is a well built and enjoyable flick that gets my recommendation.