Month: August 2020

Mediocre films. They are the ones I least enjoy writing about. I don’t love or hate them. I’ll probably never recommend or watch them again. I don’t hate them, but have no affinity towards them. Last week, a good number of the films I discussed were rather mediocre, as you may have been able to tell. However, this week knocked it out of the park. Each one a fresh modern film or a classic and I had something to say.

The first of these is Jurassic Park (1993) which I went to see on Friday night in Odeon, Kingston. I’m not going to rate it because my movie going experience was tainted. So about halfway through this film, as everything was going wrong, I smelt some smoke. Anyway, you think oh shit, I hope this isn’t about to go Cinema Paradiso on us. So, I find the manager and in the least Karen-esque way, I inform him of the smoke. Upon returning to the screening room my face drops as I realise the smell of tobacco. Once I’ve resumed my seat, the lights go up and the film is paused. The manager comes in and realises that somebody has smoked. He gives his lecture about how the tyrants at Odeon shall not stand for this and goes to check everyone and all of the vents to make sure there isn’t a fire hazard. At this point, someone in their finest Nike tracksuit has gone to the toilet, so when their seat is checked, the manager asks his “sister” (I assumed they were partners, wouldn’t be suprised if they were both to be honest), why there was a lighter there. “Oh it’s my brother’s, but it wouldn’t have been him, he doesn’t smoke”. So why does he have a lighter? Thankfully for her, the manager wasn’t a young Mr. Holmes because that truly was the dodgiest excuse since the tourists who went to see Salisbury Cathedral’s world-famous 123m tall spire. To his credit, the manager said that if anyone wanted a refund, they could leave now and get one, or watch the rest of the film. I chose to sit it out, already half way through. However, this probably was the wrong decision. I was out of the zone and so was everyone else in the room. There was light chattering throughout and nobody was really focused. Can’t blame them to be honest, especially as most had kids. I mean, seriously, what absolute tosspot would smoke in an effing KIDS MOVIE. Totally ruined the film and the evening.

Anyway, the movie, you know it. Jurassic Park sees an entrepreneur, buy an island, extract dinosaur blood and make the dinosaurs come back to life despite danger. A couple who are invested in dinosaurs (Sam Neill and Laura Dern), a Jeff Goldblum scientist and the entrepreneur’s grand kids explore the park. However, as Newman from Seinfield (Newman) is paid to steal some dino DNA, he shuts down the systems allowing the dinosaurs to escape, thus reigning havoc and putting everyone in danger.

The score and landscapes were all great. The script was a fun level of cheesy and iconic. There was a lot of fun to be had and the dinosaurs were good for the time. However, now they seem a bit outdated. Some of the child acting left a lot to be desired. If they’d killed off little Timmy, this film would’ve gotten five stars.

I just couldn’t quite get into this film, which I think is mainly due to the experience I had, therefore I will pass judgement until I’ve seen it again. If I wanted to watch it again, I could watch it on both Netflix and Prime.

Boys State (2020) is the big new Apple TV documentary they’ve done along side A24. It focuses on a week long residential camp where young Texans (like Americans but more American) are split into two parties and need to win an election, getting other camp members to change their loyalties.

The whole film is put together really well. It focuses on four main characters, each with their own unique back story and attitude towards politics. It has an exciting underdog story which you hope will win the day. It’s also smart, appearing to parallel with what’s going on in American politics at this moment anyway. The biggest criticism I had with it was that it didn’t look at the emotional impact this intense situation had on its characters quite enough. One character had disappointingly little screen time for what a big part they were, making the thing seem a bit manipulative.

However, on the whole I thought the whole thing was smart, well paced and intense. It’s a documentary worth watching as you will certainly take something away from it. It’s a 4 star film, which is available on Apple TV. You can read my full review here.

2019 was a brilliant year for Shia LaBeouf. As well as starring in Peanut Butter Falcon, he wrote and starred in Honey Boy (2019). A somewhat autobiographical film by him, the film focuses on Otis (older, Lucas Hedges), a stunt double in therapy. In this place, he relives his traumatic childhood. He lived in a motel with his abusive father (played by Shia) as a child actor. His father was a junkie ex-convict who drived him to auditions and rehearsals, but was also manipulative and abusive.

The scenes with younger Otis were incredibly intense. The dialogue and acting was brilliant. I’ve not been overly keen on Noah Jupe in Ford vs Ferrari or the quiet place, but he was absolutely incredible here. Him and Shia had incredible chemistry and you could hear a pin drop in the silence. The cinematography was great as well. The use of light was creative. The dark moments felt so and the magical moments also did.

The Lucas Hedges scenes weren’t as great. They weren’t bad, but they just weren’t as engaging. They may have been better only used at the beginning or the end, but not spliced in as they took away from the momentum. However, the film was still really well made by female director Alma Har’el.

An intense psychological thriller, Honey Boy was a brilliant film tragically overlooked by the Oscars. It wasn’t self-indulgent at all, feeling genuine and made with passion. It’s 4.5 stars good and a good number of weeks would be film of the week. It’s available on Prime.

When it comes to Tarantino, I never rush in. I really liked Pulp Fiction, but wasn’t huge on Once Upon a Time In Hollywood. However, this week I went to see his debut film Reservoir Dogs (1992) in the cinema, and I think it may just be my favourite film of his yet.

The film starts with a group of men having breakfast and talking. There we briefly establish the characters. It was arguably my least favourite scene of the film, mainly because I’m not a fan of Tarantino acting. He wasn’t great in Pulp Fiction, nor was he here. However, he quickly dies. The next scene see’s the characters in a warehouse. One has been shot after their jewel store heist goes wrong. Most of the film takes place in here and is talking as they all try to work out how it went wrong and whether one of the characters is a mole. Each one shows what type of character they are, whether a psychopath, an expert, a long time player or someone who is totally clueless.

The dialogue is intriguing. It’s quick moving and intense. It works brilliantly with the movie. Each line is focused and not a minute of the 100 run time feels wasted. The way we loop back to earlier in the story is fresh and it works so well. The twists and reveals are done really well, each well timed and adding a lot to the story. The stances of the actors and camera shots are some of the most iconic cinema has to offer and the film flows really well. I’m glad I didn’t know how the film would end as it really allowed for me to enjoy it as if it was a new release, despite it having being parodied to death.

The film is unashamedly controversial and violent. However, the camera turns away at the right time to make the violence not unenjoyable. It feels like a stage play, but that’s no bad thing.

Made for a budget of around $2million, this film is a masterclass in independent film making. Tarantino works on ideas and most pay off in a fresh and focused way. I really enjoyed this film and consider it worth watching. It’s 5 stars and is available on Netflix.

But if this 5 star film isn’t film of the week, then something really special must be?

Film Of The Week

Correct Timmy. The first of my cinema trips this week took me to one of the all time greats, one I’d never seen before as I was waiting to watch it on a big screen. This week’s film of the week is Shawshank Redemption (1994).

Banker Andy Dufrense (Tim Robbins) has just been given a life sentence for murdering his wife, a crime he denies. He is sent to Shawshank Prison, an unforgiving corrupt place where he meets and befriends Red (Morgan Freeman), who also narrates the film. It doesn’t seem like some heist or big emotional drama where he tries to clear his name, it’s just a film about him living in prison. He needs to keep away from those who are dangerous and find ways to fill his time. Soon he starts doing the accounts for the prison and helps the warden commit fraud. It’s not a great sell, but it really is a fantastic piece of film.

Each character is fleshed out and you invest in them. They’re not great people, clearly, but they are rooted and human. There is a big theme of freedom and whether these men want it. In the penitentiary system, they’re used to routine and rules and are not ready for the outside world. Each thread of the story is beautifully put together and pays off in brilliant harmony. Some were predictable, because of the parodies out there, but some small details I payed no attention to came back to full effect. It’s like a puzzle box, each time you unlock it there is another layer there ready to reward you. We see a gradual change in Andy as the film is set over decades. The transition between years is smooth and kept in the dialogue. Sure it seems a bit forced maybe, but that’s better than time cards.

There are scenes which transcend the film. The moment where classical music plays out over the prison and the scene near the end which I won’t spoil are both utterly captivating. That is cinema history playing out before your eyes.

One of the best written stories ever, this film keeps you hooked, amps it up at the write time and rewards you for every small detail you’ve watched. It deserves it’s reputation as one of the all time best. A comfortable five star film which is available to buy on most digital platforms and probably pretty cheap second hand.

In a world where it feels like teenage boys are running things, with silly taglines and boisterous behaviour, Boys State gives us a chance to see whether that metaphor is true as we watch what happens when 16 and 17 year olds attempt to run districts and win elections in this relevant documentary.

Run by a legion of veterans, Boys State is a week long residential camp where two make belief parties, the nationalists and federalists elect chairs and decide policies. Set in Austin, Texas, a famously conservative state, the ultimate goal of the parties is to encourage other party members to swap sides and vote for their governor.

If this blog post is only half done, it’s because I have fully melted into liquid form while writing it. These days, the minus sixty degrees Mars temperature doesn’t quite seem so bad compared to today, and that’s where the astronaut will go in this week’s new release Proxima (2019)

Proxima is a German/French/English/Russian film about French female astronaut Sarah Loreau. In the near future, she has been chosen to go on a mission to Mars which will see her leave her daughter for 2 years. The daughter will go and live with her father. The film, which is all set on Earth, focuses on the more human struggles that mother and daughter deal with in quite an understated way. However, the whole thing felt a bit bland. The characters all feel like they’re trying too hard to remain strong and are a bit samey. There is no real warmth between mother and daughter and there wasn’t any shown before this saga. Unfortunately, this all left me a bit under invested.

The whole setting, a space training camp, felt real and authentic. It was nice to look at and had an intensity about its magnitude, if a little bland. In terms of the space parts, my big issue was the American astronaut who was meant to be a friend, but instead turned out to just be a bit of a jerk.

I’m not quite sure why I really struggled to connect with this film. I really liked the dreamy soundtrack, but the characters all just felt a bit closed and one dimensional. It was an okay, solidly made film which I neither loved or hated. Three stars and you can see it in the cinema.

The Kings of Summer (2013) also suffered similar problems. This low-budget comedy film focused on three boys who decide to run away into the woods one summer and build a house to escape from their over-bearing parents. I liked the style a lot, the music and the cinematography were better than I expected, so kudos for that.

The problems were that I didn’t find it too funny (Which is a shame because Nick Offerman was the best Parks & Rec character and Kevin is always a welcome cameo in Brooklyn Nine-nine). Maybe I was grumpy because of the hot weather, but it all felt lazy. Throw in the fact that I really didn’t like the lead character and felt no sympathy for him at all and suddenly, my enjoyment of the film was limited. It improved a bit as it went on, but the bit that should be the highlight of the film, them making the house, wasn’t that enjoyable.

As it was really well made, I’ll also give it three stars, however I will say that if you want a film about Moises Arias being stuck in a jungle with other young people, this is a much better option. If you want to give Kings of Summer a go, then it’s available on Prime.

This weekend is the Sundance London digital festival, which I was lucky enough to obtain a free pass for. This allowed me to see three previews. One is tonight, the last night one I skipped due to the weather, however I did see Friday night’s UK Premiere of Uncle Frank (2020).

While it’s not been released in the UK, I reckon it may find some audience when it is. It was a charming little story about Beth who has moved from her Southern American home to New York in the 1970’s where her Uncle, Frank is a professor. Soon she discovers that he’s gay and has a long-term partner, Wally. When Frank’s father dies, he and Betty must go back home on a road-trip as Uncle Frank confronts his identity problems.

You know what you’re getting into. The whole film is rather predictable with every cliche in the book. However, some great performances, with Paul Bettany in particular being fantastic,make this film a pleasant watch.

It comes out in USA in November, so probably won’t be out in the UK for a few months more, however when it is out, you can choose whether to watch a 3.5 star film.

I went across to Japan to revisit the cult Battle Royale (2000). The film, based on a book, sees a class of randomly selected students punished for national rebellion and put on an island, forced to fight to the death in a last man standing situation. Sound familiar? Well it should do, because Suzanne Collins basically ripped it off for the Hunger Games. However, the Battle Royale Film is superior in every way.

Tonally, Battle Royale is much darker. The weapons are much deadlier and the kids are a lot more brutal. It’s really well made, each of the 42 characters all feel unique and well thought out, which is incredible for a 100 minute movie. I’d forgotten quite how messed up this film was, but it had me back on the edge of the my seat. It’s uncompromising, unpredictable and down right mental.

It’s well worth a watch, even though you’ve seen Hunger Games. I’d rate it 4 stars and will say that it’s available now on BFI player or on about 80% of CEX International Film shelves.

Film Of The Week

I’ve been meaning to watch more Lee Chang Dong films, having been enthralled by Burning. This week, I finally managed to get around to Poetry (2010), a Korean film about an old lady with Alzheimer’s disease. She undertakes a poetry class in order to partially help her remember words and to achieve her dreams her younger self never achieved, thus the title.

She also has another big issue to deal with. A local girl has committed suicide and she finds out her grandson, whom she looks after, was part of a gang who raped her before her death. This gang’s parents all want to work out a financial settlement with the girl’s parents to avoid their kids going to jail. The grandmother explores the scenes of what happened and has to make the decision of whether to pay the settlement or whether to have her horrible grandson face the consequences for the action.

I thought this film was incredible. It kept up its themes of memory, independence and dreams throughout. It’s about trying to find beauty in dark places, even where there may be none. Some characters were cold and evil. The grandmother was pained as she had to deal with ageing and her new disease as well as her grandson. The scenes in poetry classes were calm and almost enchanting. The key reason this film worked as well as it did was the oscar-worthy performance from Yoon Jeong-Hee. She made this film her own and portrayed a deep emotional character with great under-stated dignity.

Poetry is available to purchase digitally from a good number of online stores and is worth it. It’s 4.5 stars in my book with one of the best leading performances around.

New Streaming Selects

This is the part where I give some shout-outs to great films which are newly on streaming services this week. First up is the Best Picture nominee The Imitation Game. I haven’t watched it in a few years, but remember Benedict Cumberbatch being fantastic as Alan Turing. It’s recently become available on Netflix again, so may be worth a watch.

Two films in my top 20 of 2019 list both became available on streaming services this week. We The Animals tells the story of a young gay Puerto Rican boy in America who has to live in a hyper-masculine environment with his two older brothers. He is much more gentle than these two and struggles with his identity. It can be quite dark at times with themes such as domestic abuse explored. However, the film is done from the child’s perspective, similarly to the Florida Project, so you don’t see it directly as much as you’re aware it happened. It’s really impressive and intimate. This stylistically unique film is on Amazon Prime Video. (Full Review)

The film which never got the recognition it deserved last year was The Peanut Butter Falcon. This was such a shame as it is one of the best feel good films around. Zack is a young man with down syndrome who escapes the nursing home where his family has left him to go to the Saltwater Redneck wrestling school as he wants to be a pro wrestler. He teams up with Shia LeBouf’s redneck character who lost his brother and is on the run from a gang to get there before the carer at Zak’s home (Dakota Johnson) finds them. It’s a goofy road trip film, but it has so much heart and warmth. Each actor takes the film seriously and the comedic moments are funny. You laugh with the characters, not at them and it’s so nice to see an actor with down syndrome in a big role (He even won an unnominatables award). A perfect family film, it’s available now on Netflix. Go and watch it. (Full Review)