DalBo Movie

157. Effie Gray; movie review

noreply@blogger.com (Babang tamvan) — Thu, 29 Apr 2021 13:54:00 -0700

EFFIE GRAY

Cert 12

104 mins

BBFC advice: Contains moderate sex references

I have to admit I am longing to sit in a cinema and indulge in a packet of M & Ms and a period drama.

Yep, much of what we have taken for granted has disappeared over the past year.

But cinemas are back in May and their re-emergence will surely see the clipped tones and flowing dresses return.

Effie Gray was a movie which I would have enjoyed more on the big screen but still fell for its cross between genteel and brutal while watching at home.

It is based on the true story of the marriage of nineteen-year-old Effie (Dakota Fanning) to esteemed art critic John Ruskin (Greg Wise) who was twice her age.

Ruskin is cold and distant and mollycoddled by his wealthy parents (David Suchet and Julie Walters).

The young Effie is thrilled to be marrying into such a well-known family but it immediately becomes clear that she is not prepared for the monotony of upper-class life.

Her woes are multiplied by her husband being strangely repelled by her sexually and, consequently, refusing to consummate their union.

I am not sure why I didn't see Effie Gray when it was first released in 2014 but I am pleased to have caught with it now.

Fanning has now appeared in more than 50 movies but was already showing great maturity before reaching 20, eliciting empathy from an audience as her character tried to preserve her sanity.

She lured me completely on to Effie's side as she is neglected and shunned by her husband and her health subsides due to the strain of the crumbling relationship.

She is left with two ways out - potentially sully her name with a relationship (she certainly has contenders for her affection) or take a more complicated route.

Meanwhile, Wise plays an impressive dead bat as her cruel husband and his real-life wife, Emma Thompson, the film's writer is splendidly vibrant as Lady Eastlake, an outspoken aristocrat who is on the young bride's side.

And Walters has great fun as the meanest of mothers-in-law.

Effie Gray would not usually be my bag because it is a bit too polite but I warmed to Richard Laxton's picture which captured the sensibilities of the period and benefited from a great cast.

If you didn't see it the first time around, I recommend catching it now.

Reasons to watch: Engaging period drama

Reasons to avoid: Annoying twee at times

Laughs: None

Jumps: None

Vomit: None

Nudity: None

Overall rating: 8/10

Did you know? After her unconsummated marriage to John Ruskin, Effie Gray had eight children with the painter John Millais.

The final word. Dakota Fanning: "It's a story that most people don't know about. It's hard to believe that it is true. You see a very strong woman who has a lot of determination." Daily Motion

156. Silk Road; movie review

noreply@blogger.com (Babang tamvan) — Wed, 28 Apr 2021 12:18:00 -0700

SILK ROAD

Cert 15

112 mins

BBFC advice: Contains drug misuse, very strong language

Is it a civil liberty to be able to take drink and drugs or should the state do its damnedest to prevent addiction?

You will note that I added drinks to the question because if I had left the word drugs on its own you would have thought the answer was a no-brainer.

Ross Ulbricht saw it differently and, in many eyes perversely, believing that he was doing a public service by facilitating a dark web trade in hard drugs.

However, the libertarian could not see the deadly danger he was potentially causing to others as well as himself.

During Tiller Russell's adaptation of his true story, Ulbricht (Nick Robinson) is a young an idealistic entrepreneur who creates an Ebay-style website for drugs and in doing so sets himself up against a dinosaur detective (Jason Clarke).

Clarke's Rick Bowden prides himself on being old school, constantly at odds with the head of his department at the Drug Enforcement Agency.

He has become as unreliable at home to his wife (Katie Aselton) and daughter (Lexi Rabe) as he is at work where he goes for old-fashioned techniques of intimidation and informants.

Thus, there are the parallel background stories of Bowden's attempt at rehabilitating himself while Ulbricht is seeing his life spin out of control, despite sage advice from his girlfriend (Alexandra Shipp) and best pal (Daniel David Stewart).

Robinson impressively portrays him as having keen principles which become warped with success.

He expertly reflects the changes in personality which come with the pressure that both big money and potential criminal investigation can bring.

But there is no doubt that Clarke is the stand-out star of Silk Road as the wizened cop who is desperate to do right on a couple of levels but keeps messing up because he cannot stop himself from returning to old habits.

We are willing him to shatter Ulbricht's illusions but nothing goes smoothly and there are some very surprising twists.

Silk Road takes a while to get into its stride but once it does, it grips.

Reasons to watch: Gripping true story

Reasons to avoid: Takes a while to get into its stride

Laughs: None

Jumps: None

Vomit: Yes

Nudity: None

Overall rating: 7/10

Did you know? Operation Onymous was formed as a joint law enforcement operation between the Federal Bureau of Investigation and the European Union Intelligence Agency Europol and was part of the international strategies which address the problems of malware, botnet schemes, and illicit markets or darknets.

The final word. Tiller Russell: "My job as a writer and as a storyteller is not to pass judgment one way or another. My job is to enter into and understand the characters from within and it’s the inherent conflict within each of them that makes them so fascinating to me. "

155. The Reckoning; movie review

noreply@blogger.com (Babang tamvan) — Tue, 27 Apr 2021 13:15:00 -0700

THE RECKONING

Cert 15

100 mins

BBFC advice: Contains strong bloody violence, disturbing images, sexual threat

In 1665, the Great Plague swept Europe and killed hundreds of thousands.

I didn't expect such a phrase to sound quite so familiar. Thanks to coronavirus, we have learned we are as susceptible to nature's whims as we were hundreds of years ago.

Fortunately, our pestilence, Covid-19, hasn't been accompanied by religious zealots believing that it is a result of 'the devil's work'.

The consequence of this conviction back in the 17th century was the many thousands of witchhunts against women who were either tortured, burned at the stake or both.

It is against this background that Neil Marshall has set The Reckoning, a horror which plummets the depths of depravity employed by the establishment against those they feared were vessels of evil spirits.

Charlotte Kirk stars as Grace Haverstock who is struggling to keep her head financially above water after the death of her beloved husband (Joe Anderson).

She rejects the advances of the grubby local squire (Steven Waddington), so he takes retribution by accusing her publicly of being a witch.

He also calls in the merciless Judge Moorcroft (Sean Pertwee) - an expert in extracting confessions.

This is all pretty scary for Grace - a new mum who fears for her baby child as well as herself.

I enjoyed Pertwee's portrayal of the witchfinder - a man who genuinely seems to believe that his is God's work, regardless of how barbaric it seems.

However, there are clunky elements to The Reckoning. For starters, Grace's dialogue is too cliched and her reaction to extreme pain and physical trauma is unrealistic.

I recommend a visit to the Museum of Medieval Torture in Prague and can assure you from what I saw that nobody would have their full faculties after a session on the rack or being assaulted by a metal implement designed to extract a confession.

Nevertheless, I was on edge throughout, hoping that she would somehow extricate herself from her plight.

And overall, The Reckoning gives a flavour of those very strange times, makes us realise that our brush with history isn't nearly as intense.

Reasons to watch: A different take on the great plague

Reasons to avoid: The acting isn't always as fluid as it might be

Laughs: None

Jumps: None

Vomit: None

Nudity: Yes

Overall rating: 6/10

Did you know? Witch fever gripped East Anglia for 14 terrible months between 1645 – 1646. Matthew Hopkins, an unsuccessful lawyer, became known as the Witchfinder General and had 68 people put to death in Bury St. Edmunds alone and 19 hanged at Chelmsford in a single day. Aldeburgh paid him £6 for clearing the town of witches, Kings Lynn £15 and Stowmarket £23. This was at a time when the daily wage was 2.5p.

The final word. Neil Marshall: "“Of course, when we made the film we had no idea a plague was coming as well. We shot this in 2019 so we had no clue but that angle has made it seem more relevant." iHorror

154. Russian Raid (Русский рейд); movie review

noreply@blogger.com (Babang tamvan) — Tue, 27 Apr 2021 01:05:00 -0700

RUSSIAN RAID (РУССКИЙ РЕЙД)

Cert 15

103 mins

BBFC advice: Contains strong language, bloody violence, sex references, sexual threat

In 2012, I watched The Raid and wrote that I doubted I would spend a more intense 90 minutes in the cinema that year.

Apparently, Gareth Evans' film inspired Denis Kryuchko's Russian version but, sadly, the latter falls well short of the former.

I guess that is partly down to me not seeing it on the big screen but I struggle to imagine it having the same impact even if I had.

Russian Raid stars Ivan Kotik as a former special forces operative who is hired to neutralise the private security force at a distillery.

The motives of the raid's mastermind (Ilya Antonenko) are initially unclear but he is a motormouth who is happy to watch Nikita and a group of aggressive, highly-trained brawlers get on with the job.

Initially, taking over the factory is a breeze but then they run into its board and discover that its owner is the most dangerous man in Russia.

And, coincidentally, Nikita has a deep-seated need for revenge against him.

So, the violence which has been escalating throughout cranks up a notch or two when he comes on to the scene.

Unfortunately, however, Russian Raid only ever feels like a pale imitation of the Indonesian classic.

Without the same levels of ferocity, it just feels like meatheads fighting meatheads - with a girl (Sofya Ozerova) added to the mix for no other reason than she is pretty.

The testosterone nearly squeezes out of the screen.

Reasons to watch: Penty of action

Reasons to avoid: Pencil-thin storyline

Laughs: None

Jumps: None

Vomit: None

Nudity: None

Overall rating: 4/10

Did you know? Gareth Evans had a whole storyline mapped out for The Raid 3 but now admits it will never come to fruition.

The final word. General producer Olga Loyanich. "Of course, the film is designed for a wide audience. “Russian Raid” is not only a visual attraction in the best traditions of action cinematography but also a movie that touches on social issues and problems."

153. Infinitum – Subject Unknown; movie review

noreply@blogger.com (Babang tamvan) — Sun, 25 Apr 2021 14:32:00 -0700

INFINITUM - SUBJECT UNKNOWN

Cert 15

82 mins

BBFC advice: TBA

What do you do if you want to make a movie during a global pandemic?

Make a film with only one main character and two cameos on video. Yep, this is social distancing at its most creative.

Just in case there was any doubt, Infinitum - Subject Unknown was in the Butler-Hart bubble - written and produced by wife and husband, Tori and Matthew, who are star and director respectively.

"But what of Ian McKellen?", I hear you cry.

Well, it turns out that Gandalf may be 81 but he is not averse to technology, playing his part over a video conference facility.

The truth is that Sir Ian is only on screen for a minute or two and the same applies to Conleth Hill. Indeed, their roles were filmed in their own homes.

That means for the best part of 80 minutes, Tori Butler-Hart has the screen to herself - and a fair fist she makes of it.

She plays Jane who awakes, tied up in an attic with apparently no way out.

She tries and tries to find an exit but every time she becomes particularly stressed, she suddenly finds herself back where she started.

After a few aborted attempts at escape, she begins to have flashbacks of her previous struggles which informs her how she might succeed.

McKellen and Hill's contributions lead us to understand that Jane is part of a social experiment and that it has been discovered that there are two parallel worlds - the one we live in and another much darker place.

When Jane accrues clues each time her situation is reset and it becomes clear that her personal answers may be found at a quantum research centre.

However, when she finally gets outside, there is no life and cars and houses have been abandoned.

Meanwhile, the occasional glimpse into the parallel world allows her to see that soldiers are searching for her.

I have been a longtime admirer of the work of the Butler-Harts and this is another impressive innovation, prompted by lockdown.

However, while both the actor and director try their best to create suspense, you cannot get over the fact that a movie with a single person requires the talent of Tom Hanks and the budget of Castaway.

Otherwise, it is exactly what it is - moderately interesting but repetitious.

In other words, a pandemic-inspired Groundhog Day without the laughs.

Reasons to watch: A laudable attempt at creating a socially distanced thriller

Reasons to avoid: Lacks the edge that a bigger cast may have offered

Laughs: None

Jumps: None

Vomit: None

Nudity: None

Overall rating: 6/10

Did you know? Matthew Butler-Hart started making short films at the age of 14 before going on to train as a professional actor. But he didn't stop directing and in 2009 co-founded Fizz and Ginger Films with his wife, Tori.

The final word. Matthew Butler-Hart: "As horrible as the whole (Covid) situation is, we have learnt so much about how we can move forward once this ends. We’d definitely want a bigger crew for the next film, but we have learned that we can achieve a lot by thinking differently about how films are put together and actually made."

152. Thunder Force; movie review

noreply@blogger.com (Babang tamvan) — Sat, 24 Apr 2021 10:56:00 -0700

THUNDER FORCE

Cert 12

106 mins

BBFC advice: Contains crude humour, language, violence

It is six years since I wrote of the film Tammy: "Melissa McCarthy should be careful. Self-mockery and playing dimwits will only last her so long."

Well, I was wrong.

True, she proved she can act in the overrated Can You Ever Forgive Me? but with that exception, she is still playing the same tune and still raking in the dollars.

And she even gets to share the dosh with her husband< Ben Falcone, who directed, produced and was among the cast of the terribly lame Thunder Force.

However, neither Mrs W nor I could fathom why Octavia Spencer, Melissa Leo and Jason Bateman had anything to do with a film which was so obviously beneath them. I guess money talks.

The poster of Thunder Force had already suggested that this would be a baseline comedy but it was below even our low expectation.

McCarthy and Spencer play Lydia and Emily, former childhood friends who live in a world terrorised by supervillains known as miscreants.

They had been responsible for the death of Emily's parents and she vows to take revenge on them.

So, she becomes a model student, taking in every grain of knowledge which is going to help her defeat the miscreants.

In adulthood, the much less brainy Lydia ends up as a forklift truck driver who pines for her friend who is a high-profile entrepreneur.

However, fate inevitably bring them together and they get set to fight the bad guys in the shape of a corrupt politician (Bobby Cannavale) and Crab Man (Bateman)

I should confess that Mrs W laughed out loud twice and I guffawed once. I almost felt guilty because those oases of merriment were out of keeping with the predictable boredom of the rest of the movie.

I know McCarthy is capable of better than this - I saw her superb take-off of Donald Trump's beleaguered Press Secretary on Saturday Night Live and the aforementioned Can You Ever Forgive Me?

But she clearly likes to shake the money tree and while audiences still go for lowest-common-denominator humour, she and her hubby will continue to shake the money tree.

Thunder Force is just another movie to add to the roll of dishonour.

Reasons to watch: Melissa McCarthy doing what Melissa McCarthy does

Reasons to avoid: Same old, same old.

Laughs: Two

Jumps: None

Vomit: Yes

Nudity: None

Overall rating: 3.5/10

Did you know? Melissa McCarthy has been nominated for an Emmy award eight times, three times for Outstanding Lead Actress in a Comedy Series for Mike & Molly, and five times for Outstanding Guest Actress in a Comedy Series for Saturday Night Live.

The final word. Ben Falcone: "If you're an artist, if you're not growing, you're dying. I think it's really important to stay open to new ideas and fresh ideas, but also to adhere to the idea that some things like camera coverage or whatever that are one way for a reason. Like, lighting should be beautiful, and these sorts of things. We're learning as we go and continue to learn, and I think it's only getting better and more fun." Screen Rant

151. Those That, At Distance, Resemble Another; movie review

noreply@blogger.com (Babang tamvan) — Sat, 24 Apr 2021 08:49:00 -0700

THOSE THAT, AT DISTANCE, RESEMBLE ANOTHER

Cert TBA

67 mins

BBFC advice: TBA

What is the point of a documentary about a creative process if it doesn't explain to the viewer what is going on?

I knew nothing about creating a replica of an elephant's tusk - and, after more than an hour of watching Those That, At Distance, Resemble Another, I still don't.

According to its promotional assets, Jessica Sarah Rinland's feature traces the tusk through its "many stages of construction, revealing the exacting craft and care involved."

But why is there no clear narrative?

Instead, the viewer is left to sit, without explanation, through various boring sequences - including, three minutes of something being wrapped in plastic.

It is worth testing oneself to see if concentration can be maintained for all 180 seconds. I failed and began to play with my phone.

And this is not the only occasion when Rinland tested my patience - there are also two minutes spent flicking the pages of an inventory of culture sales at the British Museum.

I just don't understand why she doesn't make it easier for the audience and expand on the occasional, perfunctory narrative.

Instead, the audience is left to read between the lines of the briefest conversations between people who are already immersed in the process.

I have read a review which states that there is humour during Those That, At Distance, Resemble Another.

If only that had been true. Instead, there was mind-numbing tedium and a classic case of the Emperor's New Clothes.

In fact, I would go further - I think it is arrogant of a film-maker to presume that their audience should be on the same plain.

If they have a story to tell, they should do so with clarity - otherwise how the heck are we going to learn anything?

Sadly, Jessica Sarah Rinland seems to believe in keeping her subject opaque or at least restricted to those in the know.

In e

Reasons to watch: If you are soothed by people doing mundane jobs

Reasons to avoid: Stupendously dull

Laughs: None

Jumps: None

Vomit: None

Nudity: None

Overall rating: 1.5/10

Did you know? The Malawi-Zambia landscape has emerged as a major ivory transit and source landscape because of its geographic location. Ivory moves from northern Mozambique, southeastern Tanzania and Zambia through to Malawi where it is illegally processed for consumer markets in Southeast Asia and China.

The final word. Jessica Sarah Rinland: "After meeting Nigel Bamforth, furniture conservator at the Victoria & Albert Museum and finding out more about the cupboard of ivory—where it came from and how it was being used—I sat on it for a year or two. There were many ways the project could have gone. It’s a sensitive subject so I didn’t want to start on initial impulse—obvious questions about the continuation of colonialism in institutions or animal rights." Fim Comment

150. Banksy Most Wanted; movie review.

noreply@blogger.com (Babang tamvan) — Fri, 23 Apr 2021 09:04:00 -0700

BANKSY MOST WANTED

Cert 15

83 mins

BBFC advice: Contains strong language

The anonymity of Banksy has been part of the reason that he is arguably the most famous artist currently alive in the world.

His art can be found on buildings, street furniture and even skips from Bristol to San Francisco.

And yet, despite his works being in the public eye for more than two decades, Banksy's identity remains protected.

Seamus Haley, Laurent Richard and Aurélia Rouvier's fascinating documentary looks into the attempts to unmask him and the publicity stunts he has managed to stage behind the veil.

The latter include the famous moment at Sotheby's when a Banksy Girl With Balloon was sold for £1.4m and then seemed to shred itself.

His former publicist hints at the fun they had challenging the art world and laying false trails about his identity.

Meanwhile, journalists and a private investigator claim with equal conviction that Banksy is Massive Attack’s Robert del Naja, Gorillaz' Jamie Hewlett, and a fella called Robin Gunningham.

But every time the film seems to be on the cusp of announcing the real Banksy, the theory is debunked.

Banksy's popularity is also examined - highlighted by the reaction to art dealer Robin Barton who removed one of his graffiti classics from a wall in Kent but was forced to yield to a public campaign for it to be reinstalled.

Neither Mrs W nor I are particularly into art but we were unexpectedly enthralled by this documentary.

We had been unaware of how Banksy used his art to complement his social conscience - helping communities as well as bringing them together to enjoy his comic strips.

But it is his mystique which is the key to widening his already substantial audience.

Mrs W and I found that we were late to the party but converts nonetheless.

Reasons to watch: Entralling look at the mystery hero of the art world

Reasons to avoid: Repeats itself a bit

Laughs: None

Jumps: None

Vomit: None

Nudity: None

Overall rating: 8.5/10

Did you know? In 2007, Banksy won the Art’s Greatest Living Briton prize. Naturally he didn’t collect the prize in person, wishing to keep his identity secret.

The final word. Aurélia Rouvier: "Our intention has always been to talk about his work, his irreverence, his political and social commitment, as much as the hysteria that his work and his mystery triggers… So each of the investigations by the journalists who had tried to unmask him has been an entry into revealing a facet of the artist." Carole Di Tosti

149. Concrete Cowboy; movie review

noreply@blogger.com (Babang tamvan) — Thu, 22 Apr 2021 09:33:00 -0700

CONCRETE COWBOY

Cert 15

111 mins

BBFC advice: Contains strong language, drugs misuse

People of colour ride horses in Philadelphia. Really?

I had thought that Ricky Staub's film was a flight of fancy but it turns out it is founded in fact because there has been a long history of urban stables in Pennsylvania's biggest city.

Indeed, some of those who ride today were recruited for Concrete Cowboys which stars true Brit, Idris Elba.

This is another role, made for an American, which has been given to one of my countrymen.

Surely, this must be brassing stateside actors off?

I digress.

Caleb McLaughlin plays Cole who is expelled from school in Detroit and brought to Philly by a mother (Liz Priestley) who is at the end of her tether.

He literally shoves him out of her car outside the home of his estranged father (Elba) whom he is told is at "the stables".

Initially, I presumed that must be a bar but, no, his dad and his pals really are passionate about stallions, mares etc.

His dad even has one living in his house!

Needless to say, the kid who thinks he is street-wise kicks against this way of living and decides to renew acquaintance with a lad from his childhood (Jharrel Jerome).

Unfortunately, his pal makes his money from dealing drugs and mixing with the sort of people to whom getting shot is an occupational hazard.

This comes down to the point of Concrete Cowboy - the choice of which track a teenager should follow.

Cole comes in for a bellyful of advice and the toughest of love from his dad and has the alternative of fast bucks and a good time with his friend.

And, like most young people, he acts as if he deaf to experience and believes he is indestructible.

I was impressed by McLaughlin - he splendidly portrays his character's dilemma of knowing that the 'old folk' are probably wiser while feeling the need to experience life for himself.

And he is also angry - both at his mother for palming him off and his father for not being there previously,

Elba is more low-key as the dad who is finding his way for the first time as a parent.

But it is the true story which will live longest and it was a smart move to include those who have lived it.

It adds authenticity and their participation is seamless.

Reasons to watch: Unusual and engaging

Reasons to avoid: Sometimes tricky to follow the dialogue

Laughs: None

Jumps: None

Vomit: None

Nudity: None

Overall rating: 7.5/10

Did you know? The Fletcher Street Urban Riding Club is an official non-profit organisation devoted to inner-city horsemanship in north Philadelphia. Part of a century-long tradition of black urban cowboys and horsemanship in Philadelphia, local horsemen maintain and care for horses and teach neighbourhood youth to do so. They encourage academic excellence and provide positive ways for local youth to spend their leisure time outdoors.

The final word. Idris Elba: "It was more like shooting a documentary than a movie because we were there so much. And we were shooting on location with real people who lived there, who were also in the film. And we really got a sense of who everyone is and Ricky had lived in Philadelphia for three years before even making this film to really get to know this story."

158. Henry Glassie: Fieldwork; movie review

noreply@blogger.com (Babang tamvan) — Mon, 19 Apr 2021 14:09:00 -0700

HENRY GLASSIE: FIELDWORK

Cert TBA

105 mins

BBFC advice: TBA

During the past decade, I have made a commitment to a couple of personal passion projects which take a substantial chunk out of my life.

Watching and reviewing thousands of films has demanded trips across the country as well as incalculable hours in cinemas.

My latest development is a review of golf courses which may well take Mrs W and me all over the world.

Some people have been complimentary about my dedication, others have simply told me that I am completely insane.

My labours of love, however, pale by comparison to those of Henry Glassie who has actually lived in foreign communities so he can write about their artistic traditions and folklores.

And I don't mean a few weeks immersed in each - I mean a few years.

For example, he lived in Northern Ireland at the height of The Troubles - not to write specifically about the conflict but more about how people continued to sing, dance and tell engaging stories.

Pat Collins has created a portrait of Glassie who is America's pre-eminent folklorist and ethnologist and is now 80 but speaks with sharpness and insight which belie his age.

When Glassie is on screen, the documentary is particularly engaging - especially his anecdotes about his time in a remote mountain village in Turkey and in Northern Ireland.

However, much of the movie is given over to artists from Brazil to England, carrying out their work.

In all honesty, while they are clearly brilliant at what they do, five-minute videos of sculptors, potters, metal-workers etc are not especially fascinating because they have no explanation.

That is a pity - because Glassie could have provided a comprehensive description of what is being shown.

After all, that is what he has done in books for nearly 50 years.

I felt a bit deprived despite extending my knowledge by hearing about his career between shots of the artists.

Reasons to watch: Some great artwork

Reasons to avoid: Quite academic

Laughs: None

Jumps: None

Vomit: None

Nudity: None

Overall rating: 6/10

Did you know? Henry Glassie received a Guggenheim Fellowship in 1972. He is also a former president of the American Folklore Society and the Vernacular Architecture Forum. Glassie is married to fellow folklorist Pravina Shukla, clothing and adornment specialist, and has four children and four grandchildren.

The final word. Pat Collins: "Glassie is one of the most articulate and thought-provoking people I've ever met. His engagement with his material and with the artists he stands with, and his philosophical outlook, were all things that spoke to me directly."

147. Tersanjung the Movie; movie review

noreply@blogger.com (Babang tamvan) — Sun, 11 Apr 2021 16:00:00 -0700

TERSANJUNG THE MOVIE

Cert 15

115 mins

BBFC advice: Contains suicide. sexual threat

I feared I was hardly going to get much out of an Indonesian TV soap, rekindled as a film.

But, surprisingly I was reasonably engaged by the romance and intrigue of Pandu Adjisurya, Hanung Bramantyo and Nur Jihat Hisyam's Tersanjung The Movie.

There are many of the hallmarks of Asian pictures here - snooty rich parents, an unsuitable arranged marriage, an overly ambitious step-mother and a central figure who is under pressure from all sides.

Clare Bernadeth plays the girl in question - a loyal daughter who is lined up for a wedding to a man she has never previously met.

He is from a wealthy family and the nuptials have been arranged by his manipulative mother (Djenar Maesa Ayu) as part compensation for a huge debt.

This emerges when the wedding plans collapse and Yura's family are faced with a bill they cannot possibly pay.

The whole saga prompts Yura to run away and live on a commune with close friends including Christian (Giorgino Abraham) and Oka (Kevin Ardilova).

They look out for her and help her, despite intense pestering from home, carve out a gentle new life.

Meanwhile, there is always an undercurrent of romance being possible - but with which young man?

Thankfully, I needed no background knowledge of the TV soap opera to be able to understand what was going on - it is all fairly basic stuff of young people trying to battle against the adversity of privilege or poverty.

And there is quite a lot of misery with poor Yura usually in the middle of it.

But Bernadeth is engaging as the central character and you just know that there will be the right result in the end .... or will there?

Reasons to watch: Legendary Indonesian soap made into a movie

Reasons to avoid: It is quite maudlin

Laughs: None

Jumps: None

Vomit: Yes

Nudity: None

Overall rating: 6/10

Did you know? Tersanjung was a soap opera which aired on Indosiar from April 10, 1998 to June 3, 2005 with seven seasons. The main actors included Lulu Tobing, Ari Wibowo, Jihan Fahira, Cut Tari, Febby Febiola, Mega Utami, Reynold Surbakti, and many more. In the last season, its title changed to Adilkah.

The final word. Clara Bernadeth: "I'm focusing on the big screen for now compared but if there is (another) offer and I think it's suitable, it's okay to try it too. The reason for choosing films is because there are more challenges and can explore acting. The television series or soap operas are shot every day, so don't allow for anything else." Fimela

148. Killing Escobar; movie review

noreply@blogger.com (Babang tamvan) — Sun, 11 Apr 2021 13:38:00 -0700

KILLING ESCOBAR

Cert 15

93 mins

BBFC advice: Contains images of real dead bodies, strong violence, language

We are all wired differently but Mrs W and I were agog when Peter McAleese spoke so easily about killing people and facing death himself.

For many years, McAleese was a mercenary - a word which seems to have faded from the media lexicon.

Back in the 70s and 80s, British guns for hire infamously appeared in the world's trouble hotspots, not concerning themselves with politics but instead with money and what they called action.

McAleese was one such soldier - a man who fought in Angola, South Africa and Zimbabwe and was assigned to assassinate the most notorious drug lord the world has seen - Pablo Escobar.

In 1989, the Scottish mercenary and ex-SAS operative was hired by a Colombia drug cartel to lead a small team of ex-special forces commandos on this daring mission.

During David Whitney's Killing Escobar, McAleese tells the story of the expedition to South America alongside contributions from his recruiter, Dave Tomkins, American Drug Enforcement Agency officers and a member of both Escobar's team and the Cali cartel which ordered the killing.

He is open about the operation and himself - a flawed and violent individual whose tough upbringing explains much about the man he became.

To be fair, McAleese doesn't pull any punches on himself - he describes how he was a trained killer and enjoyed the pursuit of the enemy.

He speaks with fondness about how he developed the operation to kill Escobar down to the finest detail.

But he also admits he was a bad husband and father and that his aggression was out of hand.

Killing Escobar is an incredible story, expertly told and benefiting from testimony from key players.

It uses dramatised footage very sparingly alongside incredible contemporary video and stills.

I am amazed that this hasn't been the subject of a mainstream movie with A-list stars but I suppose that the truth is rather too far-fetched.

We were happy to settle for this spellbinding documentary.

Reasons to watch: Incredible true story

Reasons to avoid: People being blase about killing

Laughs: None

Jumps: None

Vomit: None

Nudity: Bare bums

Overall rating: 8.5/10

Did you know? Pablo Escobar, the son of a farmer and a schoolteacher, began his life of crime while still a teenager. According to some reports, his first illegal scheme was selling fake diplomas. He then branched out into falsifying report cards before smuggling stereo equipment and stealing tombstones in order to resell them.

The final word. David Whitney: “When my editor and I sat and watched the footage that the men had filmed of their mission we were amazed by the breadth and quality; it was a goldmine! It’s been a long, difficult journey to get ‘Killing Escobar’ to the screen, but I hope audiences will be as thrilled by this incredible true story as I was.” Variety

146. Chaos Walking; movie review

noreply@blogger.com (Babang tamvan) — Sat, 10 Apr 2021 11:39:00 -0700

CHAOS WALKING

Cert 12

109 mins

BBFC advice: Contains moderate violence, threat, injury detail

Why do so many films depict a future which is devoid of basic technology?

Even if there were intergalactic or world wars, why would we suddenly be without mobile phones or even electricity?

I drifted away with this thought as I considered the storyline holes during Chaos Walking.

Ironically, the movie's central plank is that men's minds can be read and it demonstrates that they are often distracted.

Anyway, the focus of Doug Liman's movie is Todd (Tom Holland) a native of a new human world and whose thoughts or 'noise' can be heard by everyone and even come accompanied by a colourful cloud.

His home village is led by a mayor (Mads Mikkelsen) who is the only male who seems capable of keeping his musing to himself.

He models himself like a wild west sheriff, complete with shotgun, horse and an iron grip on the community.

That is until a space ship crashes down on to the planet with one survivor - a young woman, played by Daisy Ridley.

This really spooks the mayor and his crew because there are no women left in the town after a massacre in a conflict many years previously.

Consequently, he is intent on capturing her but she is befriended by young Todd who is determined to help her escape.

Unfortunately for him, his romantic/lustful motives are only too obvious when she can hear his thoughts.

Chaos Walking has a decent concept which asks what would happen if we could read each other's minds but it tries to mix in too many other ideas.

So, we have a bit of sci-fi, a tranche of misogyny and even three minutes where an aggressive alien emerges from a lake!

Sadly, there is too much effort on these add-ons and not enough decent writing for the likes of the usually brilliant Mikkelson (the most artificially scarred man in the movies?) to develop.

In my opinion, more concentration on the detail and less peripheral action would have yielded a far better film.

Reasons to watch: Reading minds is an interesting concept

Reasons to avoid: Too much going on for its own good

Laughs: None

Jumps: None

Vomit: None

Nudity: None

Overall rating: 6/10

Did you know? During the first week of filming, Tom Holland broke his nose after getting punched in the face by a stuntman during a fight scene.

The final word. Daisy Ridley: "It's a really fun film that works just as an action-adventure. Then also there are all of these layers underneath of what it means to be male and female in this world, what it means to be separated by communication differences, and how one overcomes that. So yeah, there's a lot going on under the guise of something that looks very beautiful and fun." Screen Rant

145. Amber and Me; movie review

noreply@blogger.com (Babang tamvan) — Sat, 10 Apr 2021 10:50:00 -0700

AMBER AND ME

Cert U

59 mins

BBFC advice: Contains mild emotional upset

What must it be like to have a child with complex needs?

It is a thought which often crosses our minds and came particularly to the fore when a scan of our second baby suggested she may have Down's syndrome.

There was quite a lot of talk from others about whether Mrs W should continue with the pregnancy but we were in no doubt - we would love our child come what may.

As it turned out, despite a fairly traumatic birth, our daughter has had no health complications during her first 28 years.

But we never take health and happiness for granted and that must be doubly the case for the Davies family whose daughter, Amber, has Down's syndrome, whereas her twin, Olivia, does not.

Their father Ian recorded them for four years from their first day at school which is initially positive but becomes more and more of a struggle for Amber who asks to stay at home.

Our hearts went out to her and her parents who witnessed their beloved daughter standing alone in the playground during breaktimes.

While Amber is the focus of the movie we felt that the star was Olivia - her care for her sister is unstinting and wonderful.

She shows incredible maturity in understanding what Amber is going through and why she reacts the way she does.

Meanwhile, it is to her parents' great credit that Amber develops far more quickly than I would have imagined a child with Down's syndrome.

Indeed, she is highly engaging - a bright loving girl who doesn't appear to allow life's frustrations to get her down.

However, we were left wondering whether Amber and Me is too glossy. All children, cry, throw temper tantrums and fall out with each other but we are not privy to these moments in the Davies house.

Also, there is no explanation around family decisions to resolve a number of obstacles, particularly at school.

And I guess that is why, while we found Amber and Me uplifting and inspirational, we felt that there were many gaps and it is too much like a home movie which, essentially, is what it is,

Reasons to watch: An insight into the life of an autistic child

Reasons to avoid: It scratches the surface of the subject

Laughs: One

Jumps: None

Vomit: None

Nudity: None

Overall rating: 7/10

Did you know? Around one in every 1,000 babies born in the UK will have Down's syndrome. There are approximately 40,000 people in the UK with the condition. Although the chance of a baby having Down's syndrome is higher for older mothers, more babies with Down's syndrome are born to younger women.

The final word. Ian Davies: "I hope it encourages more schools to be more inclusive. I thought it would be useful to have another example of a child with Down’s syndrome doing well, to show prospective parents that having a child with DS is not the disaster that some medical professionals might lead new parents to believe." Making Chromosomes Count

144. Come True; movie review

noreply@blogger.com (Babang tamvan) — Fri, 9 Apr 2021 05:33:00 -0700

COME TRUE

Cert 15

105 mins

BBFC advice: Contains strong language, horror, sex, bloody images

"Did you have a bad dream last night?", asked Mrs W as we awoke the morning after watching Come True.

I couldn't remember any midnight mind wobbles but needless to say, she regaled me with how unreasonable I had been during her Rapid Eye Movement (R.E.M).

Yep, I can't even do right when she's asleep.

Anyway, thankfully, we did not have the same nightmares as Sarah Dunne, the character played by Julia Sarah Stone.

Sarah is homeless, sleeping in parks and on the floors of friends before she reads about a group of scientists who are investigating deep sleep.

All they ask her to do is come to the hospital, wear an elaborate set of monitors and drift off to the land of nod.

However, it soon becomes obvious that there is something sinister about their operation and that one of the scientists (Landon Liboiron) has the hots for Sarah.

Meanwhile, she is also facing the headache of trying to get through school and, presumably due to a trauma which is not explained, avoiding her mother.

But the longer Anthony Scott Burns's film progresses, the greater concentration is given to the nocturnal activities of the scientists and Sarah's alarming descent into a hellish nightmare.

I was impressed by Stone in the lead role - she brings an intensity which her character demands.

The concept of being able to see someone's dreams is interesting but there are too many unanswered questions surrounding the motivations of the scientists, why they want to read dreams and why the same ghostly figures appear in them.

And the ending of Come True completely confused us.

Reasons to watch: Original horror

Reasons to avoid: Doesn't fulfil its promise

Laughs: None

Jumps: None

Vomit: None

Nudity: Yes

Overall rating: 5/10

Did you know? During REM sleep, our brain is almost as active as it is when we are awake. In this phase of sleep, breathing can become fast and irregular. REM sleep is thought to help consolidate memories. Drinking alcohol before bed reduces the amount of REM sleep we have. People with REM sleep behaviour disorder act out their dreams.

The final word. Anthony Scott Burns: "I had seen an article by Berkeley, it was an educational journal, and they released video footage of something they were developing where they take brainwaves and translate brainwaves directly without any sort of imaging device and take what someone was seeing and make video out of it. I was really intrigued about that because I thought if there’s no lensing or anything and it’s just brainwaves. Why couldn’t we take the same information when we’re sleeping and make something so that we can see dreams?" The Hollywood News

143. The Little Things; movie review

noreply@blogger.com (Babang tamvan) — Fri, 9 Apr 2021 04:36:00 -0700

THE LITTLE THINGS

Cert 15

128 mins

BBFC advice: Contains strong bloody images, threat, violence, language

There are a handful of actors and actresses whose names are akin to giving a movie a stamp of guaranteed quality.

In that high echelon are Tom Hanks, Daniel Day-Lewis, Leonardo DiCaprio, Meryl Streep and Jodie Foster.

Ok, I know there are exceptions to the rule but I am sure you get my drift.

Denzel Washington's name during the opening credits gives me a similar lift as it did before John Lee Hancock's riveting thriller The Little Things.

Washington plays John Deacon - a cop who has taken a transfer out of Los Angeles after his job as a high-profile detective caused a nervous breakdown.

He is now doing a low-key uniform job but is instructed to go into the city to pick up some evidence for a forthcoming case.

As he arrives, a smart, ambitious detective (Rami Malek) is leading a murder investigation which has the hallmark of the killings which sent Deacon over the edge.

On hearing of his experience, he asks the veteran's advice about the case.

Giving him the green light to become involved sets off a wild chain of events and an avalanche of memories for the disgraced cop.

The combination of Washington as the experienced, thoughtful, damaged and relatively quiet cop and Malek (who sounds uncannily like John Malkovich) as the thrusting, slick-haired but surprisingly vulnerable new kid on the bock, simmers nicely.

But it really grips most when an adversary emerges in quick-tongued petty criminal (Jared Leto) who lights up the screen.

They expertly execute Hancock's intriguing and engaging script which he apparently wrote 28 years ago and has kept it in his drawer.

I shall write no more for fear of spoilers but I can say that The Little Things is a positive addition to Washington's catalogue and I was left wondering whether Malek will be added to my aforementioned quality guarantee.

Reasons to watch: Tense thriller with a top cast

Reasons to avoid: A couple of 'would-they-really do that?' moments

Laughs: None

Jumps: None

Vomit: None

Nudity: Morgue nudity

Overall rating: 8/10

Did you know? With his nomination for Fences, Denzel Washington became the most-nominated black actor with seven Oscar nominations.

The final word. Denzel Washington: "You know a good read. This type of thing doesn’t happen that often, when you do want to star. It’s easy when it’s good.” Indie Wire

142. Locked Down; movie review

noreply@blogger.com (Babang tamvan) — Fri, 9 Apr 2021 02:10:00 -0700

LOCKED DOWN

Cert 15

118 mins

BBFC advice: Contains strong language, drug references

It had to happen - a movie about being forced to stay inside by the pandemic.

But this hastily written and produced picture actually has a decent plot and its cast includes a quartet of A-listers.

Chiwetel Ejiofor and Anne Hathaway play a couple whose relationship was already fraying before Covid-19 struck.

However, because of lockdown, they are forced to remain together in their home in a well-to-do London street.

The first hour of Doug Liman's Locked Down will strike a chord with many of us, sweeping up many of the key elements of this very difficult time.

For example, Ejiofor's character, Paxton is struggling with his mental health after being put on furlough and being isolated from friends and family while his relationship is coming to an end.

He lacks motivation even to go to the shops and his mood is not improved by a Zoom call to friends (Dulé Hill and Jazmyn Simon) where he feels too inhibited to convey his real feelings.

And then he is given a dodgy offer of work which he cannot refuse by his eccentric boss (Ben Kingsley).

Zoom also features heavily in the life of Linda (Hathaway) who calls a cyber meeting to relay bad news to colleagues and then chat to her stereotypical boss (Ben Stiller) in America.

The calls have many of the hallmarks of Zooms including freezing faces and misbehaving children in the background.

Linda, a chief executive of a media company also begins to reassess her future thanks to lockdown's new perspective.

And she comes up with a daring plan which could change everything for her and Paxton.

Thus, during its last half hour, Liman's movie drifts from very real to complete fantasy - this provides it with a much-needed lift out of the spiral we all know so well.

It all feels a bit rushed - which is exactly what it was because Liman was determined to put out the first movie about lockdown.

Consequently, he deserves credit for coming up with such an engaging picture.

Reasons to watch: Great cast and fine observations

Reasons to avoid: Not as funny as it tries to be

Laughs: Two

Jumps: None

Vomit: Yes

Nudity: None

Overall rating: 7/10

Did you know? The only reliable recent data available on suicides in England - from the University of Manchester - has found that rates have not risen during lockdown. Stay-at-home orders and the economic impact of the pandemic have undoubtedly taken a toll on people's mental health. However, shared social media posts saying suicides have gone up by 200% during the pandemic are false.

The final word. Doug Liman: "We wanted to be done before it got cold and the pandemic got worse. And we also wanted the film to be done by the end of the year, so that it really was about 2020. We lived six months of 2020, then we wrote about it, made a movie about it, and finished it. And so it just felt like it should be tied to 2020 and done by the end of the year." GQ

141. Undine; movie review

noreply@blogger.com (Babang tamvan) — Thu, 8 Apr 2021 12:28:00 -0700

UNDINE

Cert 15

90 mins

BBFC advice: Contains moderate violence, sex

Perhaps I am a sucker for movies about Berlin because it is probably my favourite city in the world.

I make this comment because low-key relationship dramas usually leave me quite cold but this one between a historian and an industrial diver kept me intrigued.

Paula Beer plays the title character who lives in a small apartment near Alexanderplatz, once the heart of East Germany's capital city.

She is a freelance guide who speaks to visiting groups about the development of Berlin over the centuries.

Oh, and it turns out she is a mermaid.

Hold that thought - because, as a conventional woman she is abandoned by her lover Johannes (Jakob Matschenz) and warns him, she must kill him.

At the time, it seems like an idle threat, especially when she finds new even deeper happiness with the diver (Franz Rogowski).

She even lets herself go with him, she accompanies him on his dives.

However, the spectre of Johannes still looms large and threatens what seems to be a perfect new love match.

To be honest, I was surprised by how little of Petzgold's film is spent in the water. Indeed, for quite a while I wondered about the mermaid link at all.

Since I watched his movie, I have read up on the ancient legend of Undine - who can only live on earth through the love of a human.

Obviously, the story was brought up to date but I am not big on allegories so if there was one, it went clear over my head.

However, I was taken with the performances of Beer and Rogowski and with the aforementioned backdrop.

Or perhaps I was just in the mood for a bit of fantasy romance.

Reasons to watch: Curious love story

Reasons to avoid: Very short on action

Laughs: None

Jumps: None

Vomit: None

Nudity: None

Overall rating: 6.5/10

Did you know? The term Undine first appears in the alchemical writings of Paracelsus, a Renaissance alchemist and physician. Paracelsus derives the term Latin word unda, meaning "wave", and it first appears in Paracelsus' A Book on Nymphs, Sylphs, Pygmies, and Salamanders, and on the Other Spirits, published posthumously in 1658.

The final word. Christian Petzold: "With my children, I started to read fairy tales again, and I also read the story of The Little Mermaid to them. At the same time, I read a book by Peter von Matt about betrayed love in literature, where he also has a chapter on the aquatic creature Undine. He quotes the fantastic sentence, “I cried him to death.” Cineuropa

140. Godzilla vs.Kong; movie review

noreply@blogger.com (Babang tamvan) — Tue, 6 Apr 2021 10:33:00 -0700

GODZILLA VS KONG

Cert 12A

133 mins

BBFC advice: Contains moderate fantasy violence, threat

In 2019, I condemned Godzilla King Of The Monsters as being "big, brash, utterly charmless" and one of the worst films of the year.

Two years previously I wrote of Kong: Skull Island: "I was not persuaded that Mrs W had made a duff decision by giving it a miss and nor had its makers convinced me that there had been a need for another Kong film at all."

Therefore, it wouldn't be hard to predict my verdict on Godzilla vs Kong but even I hadn't prepared myself for just how bad it is.

I stumped up £15.99 for my premium access on Virgin Movies and Mrs W surprisingly agreed to join me in watching the battle of the giant monsters.

It didn't take long before we realised the scale of the awfulness of Adam Wingard's picture.

Godzilla escapes from captivity and lays waste with fiery breath to much of America's populated west coast.

But, we should apparently, forgive him for killing tens of thousands of people and smashing cities to smithereens because he has been provoked by greedy scientists.

Anyway, the only plan to counter this swathe of destruction is to release Kong from his controlled environment on Skull Island.

For reasons I couldn't understand - the key to stopping Godzilla lies in Hollow Earth, the birthplace of the Titans.

Thus, the head (Demián Bichir) of the company which had been holding Godzilla hires a specialist geologist (Alexander Skarsgård) to lure Kong there.

To do this, he needs the help of Kong's minder (Rebecca Hall) and her adoptive daughter (Kaylee Hottle) who has created a bond with the huge gorllia.

This is hard enough to comprehend but running in parallel to that storyline is that of the conspiracy theorist (Brian Tyree Henry), the daughter (Millie Bobby Brown) of an animal behavioural specialst (Kyle Chandler) and her geeky pal (Julian Dennison).

What they are doing is a bit bewildering as is their ability to charge around the world at what seems to be the speed of light.

Anyway, we know it will end with another ferocious fight in which hundreds of buildings are destroyed but no matter the carnage, there will be a happy ending. Or so it has been since 1933.

Yep, not only is this a giant mess of a movie but its ending is predictable.

Astonishingly, it is the first box office cinema success in America this year, breaking through the pandemic barrier.

Far be it from me to question their taste but the only thing to recommend this is that it is loud.

Reasons to watch: If you have never seen a Kong or Godzilla movie

Reasons to avoid: So many reasons

Laughs: None

Jumps: None

Vomit: None

Nudity: None

Overall rating: 1.5/10

Did you know? In 1933, the first King Kong movie used stop-motion effects provided by the great Willis O’Brien. After some other projects fell through, O’Brien wrote a treatment for a new sequel he called King Kong vs. Frankenstein. Producer John Beck agreed to see if anyone was interested in buying the script. Ultimately, he sold it to Japan’s Toho Studios—without telling O’Brien. Toho decided to replace the Franken-beast with their own original character: Godzilla.

The final word. Adam Wingard: "The origins of me wanting to be a filmmaker were in trying to make big Hollywood spectacle sci-fi films. That’s the movies that inspired me to make movies, the ‘Star Wars films, the ‘Alien’ movies. I can’t wait to use the potential power that this might buy me so that I can go back and make smaller movies that I have even more control over.” Indie Wire

139. Fukushima 50; movie review

noreply@blogger.com (Babang tamvan) — Mon, 5 Apr 2021 13:28:00 -0700

FUKUSHIMA 50

Cert 12

122 mins

BBFC advice: Contains moderate threat

Over the past year, we have all learned to understand that the power of Mother Nature is far greater than anything that we can conjure.

Thus, we have been at the mercy of coronavirus and now face the reality that more such killers could invade our lives.

But nature's force takes on many guises and, in 2011, the combination of an earthquake and tsunami devastated Japan.

This is a country which prides itself on efficiency and preparedness but its defences were woefully inadequate against the crushing 20 metre-high waves.

This is expertly reflected in Setsurô Wakamatsu's Fukushima 50, named after those who risked their lives to prevent a submerged nuclear reactor from being destroyed and sending radiation over a swathe of Japan.

Wakamatsu's movie is based on On The Brink: The Inside Story of Fukushima Daiichi by Rysuho Kadota, and lionises the workers who were working against time and political instruction.

It stars Ken Watanabe who oversees the operation and becomes progressively more frustrated by his own head office and that of the Prime Minister (Shirō Sano).

Koichi Sato plays the team leader on the frontline, faced with sending his men on what he believes are suicide missions to vent the reactor.

The nail-biting drama comes when the teams are time-limited by their oxygen supply and the threat of fatal doses of radiation.

This is conveyed really well, as is the loyalty of the teams to the cause and their antagonism towards outside interference and lack of understanding.

It is a fitting tribute to those who took part - although only Watanabe's character (Masao Yoshida) is represented - the others are composites of those who were involved.

It is also a marker to us all that we should not underestimate the ferocity of nature.

Reasons to watch: Ultra-dramatic true story

Reasons to avoid: Probably a bit too hero-worshipping

Laughs: None

Jumps: None

Vomit: None

Nudity: None

Overall rating: 8/10

Did you know? The 2011 Tōhoku earthquake was the most powerful ever recorded in Japan and the fourth most powerful earthquake in the world since modern record-keeping began in 1900. The tsunami swept the Japanese mainland and killed over 15,000 people, mainly through drowning, though blunt trauma also caused many deaths.

The final word. Rysuho Kadota: "The book is quite long — 400-some pages — and the movie is only two hours, so they made composite characters out of two or three actual people. But Yoshida, I thought, should be Yoshida. And the film as a whole is close to the truth.” Japan Times

138. Drishyam 2; movie review

noreply@blogger.com (Babang tamvan) — Mon, 5 Apr 2021 12:33:00 -0700

DRISHYAM 2

Cert 12

154 mins

BBFC advice: Contains domestic abuse, moderate threat, brief gory images

Blimey - I had no idea that this was a follow-up to my favourite ever Indian film.

That's because Mrs W and I saw Papanasam, the Tamil version of Drishyam back in 2013 but I had not recalled the original Malayalam name.

Now I am delighted to report, I have seen the sequel and it is the most impressed I have been by Malayalam superstar Mohanlal.

That may be because it requires only a hard straight performance and he can act his age rather than someone 30 years younger.

There are no out-of-place song and dance routines nor does he beat up ten people simultaneously.

In my opinion, he fits his character, Georgekutty, hand in glove.

The movie is set six years on from the original which had seen Georgekutty's daughter inadvertently kill a youth who was sexually harassing her.

At the time, her dad covered for her by dealing with the body - finally burying it under a new police station which was built over it.

Georgekutty's family was under intense suspicion but the police could prove nothing and the public perceived that they were being persecuted because they were poor.

However, in this Jeethu Joseph sequel, he has prospered and is less popular among the townsfolk - therefore, there is a thirst to see the case re-opened.

The pressure bounces off Georgekutty but his wife (Meena) is becoming more and more anxious, their daughter (Ansiba Hassan) is prone to seizures prompted by nervousness while her sister (Esther Anil) is trying to be a normal teenager.

Drishyam 2 begins slowly and is not much more than a gentle family drama for the first hour but it takes a very firm grip thereafter.

This is when cracks start to appear in Georgekutty's family's previously rock-solid silence and a new police inspector (Murali Gopy) appears in town.

From then on, I was on edge, changing my mind almost every minute over whether Georgekutty would be caught.

I shall reveal no more because I heartily recommend that you watch this and I don't want to ruin any of the many surprises.

Suffice to say, Dishyam 2 is my favourite Malayalam film to date and one of the best sequels I have seen.

Reasons to watch: Sequel to a classic

Reasons to avoid: Takes too long to get into its stride

Laughs: None

Jumps: None

Vomit: None

Nudity: None

Overall rating: 9/10

Did you know? Jeethu Joseph and Mohanlal were filming for Ram prior to the COVID-19 lockdown in India but the shooting was stalled as some sequences were scheduled for foreign locations, such as London and Cairo. As the crew realised that the filming would take time to continue, Jeethu decided to start the works for Drishyam 2 which was filmed in India, adhering to COVID protocols.

The final word. Jeethu Joseph: "I was convinced that the story had ended, and that there could be no part 2. But everyone including Mohanlal asked me to consider a sequel. I was also getting calls from random studios saying that people were bringing scripts to them for Drishyam 2, which I had no idea about. This is when producer Antony Perumbavoor (who bankrolled both films) asked me to try and work on a sequel." The News Minute

137. To Olivia; movie review

noreply@blogger.com (Babang tamvan) — Fri, 2 Apr 2021 15:24:00 -0700

TO OLIVIA

Cert 12

99 mins

BBFC advice: Contains infrequent strong language

Never has there been a better opportunity to show the importance of vaccinations but To Olivia misses that open goal.

Roald Dahl is one of the world's most beloved authors and Patricia Neal was an Oscar-winning actress and their young daughter could have been saved if she had received the jab against measles.

Indeed, Dahl, campaigned for decades on the subject.

But there is only a postscript reference to it in John Hay's maudlin movie which stars Hugh Bonneville and Keeley Hawes.

Indeed, there is much tumult in Dahl and Neal's life but To Olivia only concentrates on the tragedy of Olivia and the dramatic immediate fall-out.

At the time Dahl was yet to make his mark as an author and had agonised over James And The Giant Peach which had not been a commercial success.

However, his children, Olivia (Darcey Ewart) and Tessa (Isabella Jonsson) were used to dad being a storyteller supreme, making up tales for every occasion.

Their more famous mum is portrayed as going through a confidence crisis and yet to settle on a quality script to follow up her early glory.

Nevertheless, money worries aside, their lives in a picture-postcard English village seem idyllic.

And then Olivia catches measles and dies within a week.

As a parent, I understand that there can be nothing worse than losing a child and Mrs W and I have mused many times that our lives would be shattered.

However, the portrayal of Dahl's spiral of despair is simply dull.

In reality, he proved himself to be more stoic, especially when Neal when on to have three brain aneurysms in pregnancy just three years later.

Unfortunately, that is another key moment in their marriage which doesn't even get an airing here.

Indeed, the subject matter was just too narrow to bring out the best of the Dahl/Neal story.

Reasons to watch: The issue of vaccinations is so important

Reasons to avoid: Misses a big opportunity

Laughs: None

Jumps: None

Vomit: None

Nudity: None

Overall rating: 5/10

Did you know? Roald Dahl came up with more than 500 new words and character names such as the Oompa-Loompas and scrumdiddlyumptious from Charlie and the Chocolate Factory and snozzcumbers and frobscottle from the BFG. He called his language Gobblefunk. Oxford University Press created a special Roald Dahl Dictionary, featuring almost 8,000 real and imaginary words which he loved to use.

The final word. Hugh Bonneville: "The fact that Roald and Pat became vocal supporters of the vaccination programme for measles has an extraordinary resonance now. The film emphasises the importance of it and how Olivia’s life would have been saved, had a usable or reliable vaccine been available.” Independent

136. Wander Darkly; movie review

noreply@blogger.com (Babang tamvan) — Fri, 2 Apr 2021 15:03:00 -0700

WANDER DARKLY

Cert 15

97 mins

BBFC advice: Contains strong language, suicide references, sex

Just what I didn't need as we emerge from Covid lockdown and having just seen my relegation-threatened football team trashed, was a 90-minute contemplation of death.

I simply don't want to envisage a world without either Mrs W or my children and yet such morose thoughts are prompted by Wander Darkly.

It stars Sienna Miller as a new mum whose relationship with her partner (Diego Luna) is on the rocks when they are involved in a car crash.

In true Ghost-style, she looks down on her own body in hospital and then sees her nearest and dearest grieve over her death.

However, her mindset is shaken further when her partner can see her and tries to convince her that she is alive after all.

And he takes her back to all of the crucial moments in their romance to prove why they should not have been on the verge of splitting up.

This is when we enter the land of slush and a sequence of lovey-doveyness which made me squirm.

To be fair, Miller is impressive as Adrienne, a woman who is facing turmoil at almost every turn.

The character demands her full repertoire and she does emotional breakdown, gooey and intense lover with equal aplomb.

Sadly, she cannot lift Tara Miele's film enough for it to last very long in the memory.

I am afraid it is submerged in sentimentality and, as said, we probably watched it at the wrong time - we have all had enough of bathing in misery.

Reasons to watch: Intense performance by Sienna Miller

Reasons to avoid: Such a slow romance

Laughs: None

Jumps: None

Vomit: None

Nudity: Yes

Overall rating: 5.5/10

Did you know? Sienna Miller is the daughter of an American banker Ed Miller and Jo Miller, who was a South African model. She was born on December 28, 1981, in New York City, United States and moved to England when she was one year old.

The final word. Sienna Miller: “Independent cinema is always a gamble. You never really know how the films are going to turn out. It’s a leap of faith. But I read this script, and I was just in love with the concept. I’m glad that it got into Sundance, and I’m glad that it’s getting released. Those are the cherries on top.” Forbes

135. A Common Crime (Un crimen común); movie review

noreply@blogger.com (Babang tamvan) — Fri, 2 Apr 2021 14:50:00 -0700

A COMMON CRIME (UN CRIMEN COMÚN)

Cert 12

96 mins

BBFC advice: Contains moderate supernatural threat

Argentinian cinema tends towards gentle potency if the movies I have seen over the past ten years are an accurate barometer.

A Common Crime has a few scares but it builds its tension slowly and is quite different to conventional thrillers.

Francisco Márquez's film centres on Cecilia (Elisa Carricajo) - university sociology professor who is raising her young son (Ciro Coien Pardo) alone.

The movie gets off to a slow start, focusing on the daily routine of the plain-speaking lecturer with a resting smile and a penchant for summer dresses - a respected figure at work and consistently overcooking meals at home.

Her tranquillity is broken on a dark stormy night when there is a furious rapping at her front door,

She snatches a glance through the blinds able to see a familiar but frightening figure.

The following day a tragedy emerges and causes her to be haunted to the point of a breakdown.

Indeed, there is a sense of foreboding as she tiptoes around her house, fearing danger lurking around every corner.

Cecilia is an unusual central figure - a quietly ambitious woman who is torn between idealism and the fear of taking action.

There is also a sense of her being uncomfortable among those of what she secretly believes are lower-class people.

Carricajo excels in the lead role, very subtly reflecting how her character goes from being in control to losing her mind and her respect for herself.

A Common Crime reflects on what happens if we ignore injustice and inequality in society and is a very sobering verdict on Argentina's police.

It is certainly worth watching.

Reasons to watch: Its compelling tension

Reasons to avoid: Probably builds up too slowly for some

Laughs: None

Jumps: Three

Vomit: None

Nudity: None

Overall rating: 7.5/10

Did you know? According to Correpi data, in 2019 the Argentine State murdered one person every 19 hours. More than 85% were in a dungeon or simply walking through a neighbourhood. Half were under the age of 25 and the vast majority were undoubtedly poor.

The final word. Francisco Márquez: "It is not a thesis. So I don't think the movie has a message. Rather, the film leaves a void that must be filled. That task is no longer of the film but of the debates that, hopefully, it enables. " Otros Cines

134. The Girl On The Train; movie review

noreply@blogger.com (Babang tamvan) — Fri, 2 Apr 2021 13:33:00 -0700

THE GIRL ON THE TRAIN

Cert 15

120 mins

BBFC advice: Contains suicide and strong language

What is the point of a remake if it is twice as bad as the original?

I had my reservations about the 2016 adaptation of Paula Hawkins' bestseller because it was not as thrilling as I had anticipated.

However, it is leagues better than this hamfisted Hindi movie which has been part of the Netflix lockdown roster.

This is certainly not a scene by scene copy but, inevitably, has a very similar thread.

It stars Parineeti Chopra as Mira, a pregnant lawyer whose perfect life with a loved-up husband (Avinash Tiwary) is brought to an abrupt end when they are involved in a car crash shortly after a high-profile court case.

She loses her baby and he divorces her after she turns to drink.

Mira then becomes obsessed with Nusrat (Aditi Rao Hydari), a nurse who she sees in her beautiful home every day as her train passes.

She sees Nusrat as having everything that she has lost but suddenly she goes missing and a major police investigation ensues.

This would be the basis for quite an entertaining thriller but director Ribhu Dasgupta has failed to grasp that detail is essential to a high-quality movie.

Instead, I was distracted by basic mistakes - many connected to English culture or our legal system.

For example, one of the key clues in the film rests on the discovery of a 'citizen's card'. Goodness knows what this actually is meant to be because Britain has no identity card system.

Early in the movie, a presentation is made to protest a defendant's innocence in a courtroom after the jury has already made a decision. In reality, once a jury has reached a guilty verdict, the only mitigation which can be offered surrounds the length of a sentence.

At one point, a car's owner is traced by a simple Google search of a number plate. That cannot be done by a member of the public.

Then there is the bizarre moment that Mira looks out of the train at a beautiful suburban house but the shot then cuts away to the outside of the train which is at rest inside a main station terminus.

British trains do not have horns like American ones and a railway announcer would never say Green - (w)ich instead of Gren -(w)ich.

And don't get me on the Metropolitan Police failing to find a woman with an obtrusive head injury, why Mira talks to white people in Hindi at an AA meeting or how her alcoholism is resolved overnight.

All of the above take away any credibility the already far-fetched storyline may have had.

That's a shame. I rather liked Chopra and she gives the part her heart and soul but the film-makers have let her down.

Reasons to watch: Reasonably tense thriller

Reasons to avoid: Basic mistakes in the English legal system

Laughs: None

Jumps: None

Vomit: None

Nudity: None

Overall rating: 3.5/10

Did you know? In 2015, The Girl on the Train became the fastest-selling adult hardcover novel in history and it spent over four months on the New York Times Bestseller List following its release.

The final word. Parineeti Chopra: " I had read the book before, seen the movie. But our film is a completely original adaptation. I used that as my Bible but whenever I got stuck I used watched the movie to understand the character. "