Marakai

In 2012, one of the very best films of the year was Thomas Vinterberg’s tragic drama The Hunt, so it goes without saying that it’s great to see him return with Around Round and collaborate with many of the same actors again. It’s even better to say that he’s delivered another outstanding piece of work that’s also among this years best films. The premise is fairly straightforward in four grown men deciding to drink every day and keep a certain amount of alcohol in their system as they go about their daily lives dealing with their jobs and families. It even brings some enthusiastic and hilarious results. However, when the stakes are raised, the true nature and dangers of excessive alcohol consumption are exposed and Vinterberg’s not shy in challenging the darker side. It’s an evenly balanced film, though, with marvellous performances that showcase the characters’ humanity and vulnerability. Another winner from Vinterberg, Mikkelsen and co.

After the Oscar nominated success of the brilliant, Irish animated gems The Secret of Kells and Song of the Sea, director Tomm Moore and his animation studio Cartoon Saloon offer yet another treat with Wolfwalkers. As he’d done previously, he once again delivers a work of exquisite beauty imbued with magic and folklore. He truly has a wonderful imagination and creativity that can rival anything that Studio Ghibli has to offer and he transports you to another time with stunningly rendered animation and immersive storytelling. Yet another triumph from Moore.

Bertrand Bonello’s Nocturama is certainly an ambitious project that attempts to introduce numerous characters who all have a particular participation and task to complete in order to pull-off a terror attack on the political and corporate establishments throughout Paris. Bonello’s juggling of the characters and construction of events is hugely impressive indeed as he also introduces them hiding out in a shopping mall and indulging in the very consumerist and capitalist constructs that they seemingly proclaim to abhor. I wasn’t entirely sure about the mixed messages but I found it sharply satirical and a biting polemic on our current socioeconomic system.

Originally planned as project by director Derek Cianfrance, based on the “Metalhead” drummer who actually did blow his ears out and had to adapt to silence. The film was unfinished and debutant director Darius Marder was given Cianfrance’s blessing to complete it. And what a solid debut it is. It’s a slow burn but nonetheless captivating film that really pays attention to the affliction of Riz Ahmed’s character and makes great use of sound mixing to put the audience directly into the experience of the sudden onset of deafness. Ahmed gives a brilliantly reserved performance and compliments the quieter moments of the film where it achieves its biggest impact.

Only two years ago in 2018, writer/director Jim Cummings arrived on the scene with his blackly comic drama Thunder Road that done very well on the festival circuit and heralded a new voice for independent film. And the hype was real. It was a fantastic piece of work that finished in my personal top ten of that year. You could then say that I had high hopes for his next endeavour and I’m happy to confirm that The Wolf of Snow Hollow is on a par and cements Cummings as a filmmaker to watch. This time around, he shifts his attentions to genre horror but still manages to retain the humour that made Thunder Road so impressive. Cummings has a real knack for balancing tones and, once again, taking the lead role, proves he’s got the acting chops to flesh out his complex characters. This has, for obvious reasons, been likened to An American Werewolf in London, but that’s only in its premise and ability to entertain which is slightly unfair on Cummings’ work here. He’s a talent all his own. Huge fan of Thunder Road. Huge fan of The Wolf of Snow Hollow and a huge fan of Jim Cummings. Writing, directing, acting... it would seem that he has it all.

It’s fair to say that when Aaron Sorkin is involved in a film then you can expect an abundance of quality dialogue; A Few Good Men, Charlie Wilson’s War, The Social Network, Moneyball and Steve Jobs are all testament to this and The Trial of the Chicago 7 is no different. There’s a lot of characters involved in the telling of this 1960’s true story and a lot of quality actors to sink their teeth into Sorkin’s writing. In this respect, the film works very well but where it flounders is in Sorkin’s direction. This is only his second film behind the camera (after Molly’s Game) and I can’t help but feel that a more experienced director would’ve had a better handling on managing the pace and the dramatic moments. That said, there’s still plenty to enjoy here and it’s a part of American political history that I found quite enlightening and informative.

You’ve got to hand it to Sacha Baron Cohen and his fearless brand of comedy in exposing the prejudices of political leaders and their followers. As he’d already done in the first mockumentary 2006, his character Borat challenges the social issues with America by allowing a certain handful of its citizens to expose themselves. He’s at it once again with this sequel and it’s couldn’t have came at a better time. He addresses the issues of Covid-19 and Trump supporters’ conspiracy theories surrounding it. He even personally targets Vice President Mike Pence and former Mayor (now personal attorney to Trump) Rudy Giuliani and the results are quite revealing. I prefer the first Borat film but there’s still plenty of hilarious moments throughout this one and it’s hard not to applaud the chutzpah of Cohen.

It’s always good to see Russell Crowe channel his inner demons and deliver a brutish character and Unhinged does just that. As man at the end of his rope Crowe is certainly a formidable presence but really that’s all this B-movie schlock has going for it. It begins well and the basic premise keeps you watching but it soon succumbs to every formulaic device at its disposal and quickly becomes tiresome and preposterous. As good as Crowe is, this material is very much beneath him.

It’s becoming quite impressive how often Ben Wheatley is willing to challenge himself in different genres and styles and his remake of Alfred Hitchcock’s Rebecca is another example of his bravery. That said, for as good as this film looks (and it does look very good indeed due to sumptuous production design) it’s essentially very hollow underneath. I’m a huge admirer of Wheatley’s and for two thirds of this film he delivers some impressive work but it falls apart when it matters most and ultimately leaves you feeling like it was a vacuous waste of time.

Music videos or shorts aside, David Fincher’s Panic Room came at a time when he was actually at the peak of his powers after having already produced Fight Club (1999) and soon to deliver Zodiac (2005). That said, these works are so strong that Panic Room feels like a lesser work. That’s not to say that there isn’t much to admire, though. It’s a tried-and-tested, home invasion formula but Fincher has a solid handling on the tension and injects some technical wizardry that adds to the overall setting. The performances are also excellent and much as it isn’t exactly fresh material, Fincher is able to extract just enough mileage.

As strange as Charlie Kaufman’s stories may be they are rooted in actual psychological conditions or perceptions of life. It’s when considering this that it’s hard to ignore just how deep he looks into the abyss and explores philosophical ideas. Anomalisa is yet another example of this. In truth, his films make a lot more sense if you have prior knowledge on the psychological explorations that he’s intent on. In this case, Kaufman takes a condition known as the “Fregoli delusion” (notice the name of the hotel in the film), a genuine condition in which an individual believes those around them are all the same person and are actually only in disguise. Needless to say, the paranoia and uncertainty with such a condition would be immense but that’s exactly what drives this the masterfully accomplished work. It challenges perspective and the decision to make it stop-motion animation is an absolute masterstroke. Not only is it precisely detailed but it manages to combine both realism and surrealism in its artistry which is a wonderful tool in exploring the unravelling of our protagonist’s psyche. Patience is certainly required throughout the film as it takes things very leisurely and requires a mature audience to capture its themes and intentions. However, if you surrender to Kaufman’s intricate majesty, it’s a thoroughly rewarding work and a shining example of the overlooked medium of stop-motion animation where Kaufman’s co-director, Duke Johnson, also deserves high praise.

It’s been 8 years since Benh Zeitlin made his debut with the wonderfully accomplished Beasts of the Southern Wild in 2012. I loved his creative and uplifting approach to that film where he explored an epic story through the imagination of a child character and I enjoyed a lot about his follow-up Wendy, for the same reasons. Admittedly, there are some issues with the narrative on occasion but this is an interesting reimagining of the Peter Pan story that works very well under Zeitlin’s emotional and soaring technique. It may not be as fully realised as Beasts but Zeitlin is an undoubtedly talented director.

If Being John Malkovich introduced us to the creative ideas of Charlie Kaufman and took us (fictionally) into the mind of John Malkovich the actor then Adaptation takes us into the mind of Charlie Kaufman himself. Of course, this is still only fiction and much poetic and artistic license is taken but Kaufman turns the tables onto himself this time and the results are just as creative and enjoyable. He even creates a fictional brother in Donald Kaufman (which the Academy even nominated as a joint writer when the Best Screenplay Oscar was announced). Kaufman is simply a master at creating a story where art imitates life imitating art. It’s so cleverly done and effortlessly blurs the lines between fact and fiction such is it’s astute and clever construction. Director Spike Jonze, once again, seems to be on the same wave length of Kaufman’s ingenuity and the performances are fantastic. Chris Cooper won the Best Supporting Actor award but, in a dual role as Charlie and Donald, this is arguably the best work that Nicolas Cage has ever delivered. Another mind-bending treat from Kaufman.

It’s fair to say that when Being John Malkovich was released in 1999, very few people were even aware of the creative mind of Charlie Kaufman. In fact, he’d only really been working as a writer on Tv shows with Malkovich being his first feature film screenplay. When it hit, it was regarded as the most daringly original film of the year with a concept so bizarre that it’s a wonder that it was even green-lit for production in the first place. Thankfully, director Spike Jonze had the chutzpah to take it on and in doing so, introduced us to one of cinema’s truly subversive talents. Kaufman is a one-of-kind writer and Being John Malkovich alone is testament to his warped and offbeat imagination. It’s darkly humorous and genuinely unique in its inventiveness but moreover, it has an intellectual depth that raises it beyond a mere gimmick. Fair play to John Malkovich himself for being a good sport throughout and it also boasts some career best work from John Cusack, Cameron Diaz and, especially, the wonderful Catherine Keener. Ultimately, though, this film put both Jonze and Kaufman on the map and it’s a place they both rightfully deserve.

More commonly known for his comedy work on The Office and Hot Tub Time Machine, Clark Duke makes his feature length directorial debut with a southern-fried noir that’s in many ways impressive but ultimately a mixed bag. Duke not only directs but also gives himself a prominent role alongside Liam Hemsworth’s straight guy but his facetiousness is at odds with some of the plot’s darker elements. This only causes the film to feel unbalanced in terms of its tone but he does do an admirable job in stringing the narrative’s five chapters together and keeping tabs on slightly alternate time lines and characters - where Vince Vaughn stands out with a shady part to play. For the most part, I found a lot to enjoy here but, sadly, it becomes rushed and messy in its denouement.

After a 29 year hiatus, the most bodacious of dudes, Bill & Ted, return to our screens to save us from complete and universal obliteration. It’s a continuation that no one really asked for but it’s a welcome addition to their airhead travels nonetheless. Whether you find Bill & Ted’s adventures excellent or bogus will largely depend on whether you have childhood memories of them in the first place. It’s certainly a silly brand of humour and the latest instalment is no different but my memories are fond and it was delightful to see Keanu Reeves and Alex Winter fall back into these characters with ease. It’s nothing more than easy-going entertainment but sometimes that’s all you need. Party on dudes!

A restrained and impressively handled low-budget sci-fi that looks like the origins of something bigger (as the subsequent television adaptation may prove) but it’s the very restraint and focus on mood that ultimately undoes it’s potential. There’s a good concept here and it’s an empowering, female centric, superhero narrative but it’s has pacing issues which make it feel like a slog sometimes. The good performances and sporadic inventive visuals, however, just about get it over the line.

Anyone familiar with Charlie Kaufman will know by now that he’s a master at creating and exploring the torment and claustrophobia of the human psyche. I’m Thinking Of Ending Things is, as expected, no different and once again showcases Kaufman’s unique approach to storytelling. In fairness, the film actually begins with a straightforward narrative with subtle hints of dialogue and images thrown in to prepare you for its inevitable trickery and psychological assault. Kaufman is in full command here and conjures some beautiful imagery alongside numerous cultural references and his usual brand of odd humour. It’s in the final act, however, that the film becomes bewildering, even eerie in its unravelling. This will polarise audiences and leave a lot of head-scratching, chin-rubbing and undoubted frustration but there’s an undeniably intelligent piece of craftsmanship on display. It’s Charlie Kaufman after all; probably the most original and off-kilter filmmaker since David Lynch.

Actor and sometimes director Amy Seimetz crafts something quite intriguing in her second feature film, She Dies Tomorrow. The plot synopsis itself, is very simple; “Amy thinks she’s dying tomorrow... and it’s contagious”. It’s an intriguing premise but it’s the journey of Amy (played by Kate Lyn Sheil) that encourages the viewer to delve deeper. As she comes in contact with people, they begin to share the same existential suffering which begs the question of whether this is an epidemic or some issue of mental health. As an experimental piece on mood and composition it’s a very interesting film that often reminded me of Nicolas Winding Refn with its art house and cerebral vibe. It’s bold in its approach and encourages your participation and pondering while keeping the whole experience fleeting, much like life itself.

The sci-fi, creature feature is normally cornered by the American market so it’s encouraging to see a Russian take on things which adds a new level to low-cost B-movie making. Egor Abramenko’s Sputnik starts very strongly and manages to maintain the intrigue and intensity for the majority of its running time. It’s clever enough to know that taking its time and building the tension moment from moment is the best way to hold your attention. And it works. It’s a solid sci-fi/horror that benefits from a strong story, engaging performances and impressive production value. It’s just a shame, that in the final 20mins, it abandons it’s methodical approach and the characters’ motivations became silly and contrived. Despite this unfortunate unravelling, however, there’s still much to recommend it.

Just as Jennifer Kent made her mark with the Australian horror film The Babadook in 2014, so too does Natalie Erika James with another antipodean freighter in Relic. Not only do they share the same geographical origins but they share a similar depth in their storytelling and intentions. As the The Babadook worked its fears around an allegory for mental health and loss, Relic delves into the ravages of dementia and the effect it has on family. Its not hard to see what James is going for but she also doesn’t forget that it’s still a horror movie at the end of the day and she crafts something that, albeit a slow-burn, is still chillingly effective and another fine addition to the continued rise of the contemporary horror genre.

There was a time when baseball films where the go-to sports films of Hollywood and there were plenty that were actually very good; Kevin Costner batted a couple in quick succession in the late 80’s with Bull Durham and Field of Dreams which coincided with John Sayles’ excellent historical take on the Chicago White Sox’s match-fixing scandal in Eight Men Out. In the 90’s, we also had the biopics with John Goodman as The Babe (Ruth) and Tommy Lee Jones as (Ty) Cobb. It was only a matter time then before we got the one of the sports biggest success stories in Jackie Robinson. Robinson was the first African-American player to play in the Major League but his journey and struggle was always less than smooth. Baseball, more often than not, transfers well to the screen and Brian Helgeland’s 42 is another that works well due to its impressive production design of the 1940’s and the actors’ commitment. Harrison Ford (taking on the lesser role of executive Branch Rickey) delivers a gleefully histrionic performance that he’s not often known for but it’s the late Chadwick Boseman who takes centre stage and embodies the remarkable Robinson with a strong central performance. Admittedly, it works it’s way through the plethora of sports cliche’s but it’s a film that’s about more than just the game itself. It’s a film about human rights and the triumph of the spirit to overcome such sickeningly racist obstacles that have no place in sport (or anywhere for that matter). Currently, the number 42 is the only number to be retired in the game and what better tribute to such a brave individual

Tim Burton is often known for his off-beat, gothic approach to storytelling so it came as somewhat of a surprise when he delivered Mars Attacks! in 1996. It was a colourful and energetic homage to the B-movie, sci-fi’s of the 50’s and looked very much like a change of pace for him. Sadly, it wasn’t entirely well received and, if truth be told, I shared this criticism at the time. However, on a reappraisal, Mars Attacks! is actually a lot of fun and time has certainly been kind to it. Burton is in full command of his send-up of the science fiction yarns of old and, despite the silliness of the whole affair, he injects it with the requisite playfulness that the material requires. Added to which, he assembles an impressive cast who all seem up for the joke and fully aware of the ridiculousness their involved in.

You’ll have heard the saying “sometimes less is more” and never has that been more true when it comes to debutant director Andrew Patterson’s impressive low-budget, sci-fi gem, The Vast Of Night. Set in a small town in 1950’s America, Patterson’s film pays homage to classic science-fiction yarns of old like The Day the Earth Stood Still and Close Encounters of the Third Kind, or tapping into Tv shows like The X-Files and (far more obviously in its opening shot) The Twilight Zone. The paranoia of this time in the U.S is evoked wonderfully and Patterson manages to do so with a meagre budget and two brilliant central performances from newcomers Jake Horowitz and Sierra McCormick. From the opening scene, it grips and only expertly builds on that momentum with some inventive directorial touches; dialogue heavy scenes are lingered on, while sweeping tracking shots give a grander overview of the small town and there’s even fade to black moments that capture the wonder (or the dangers) of the night sky surrounding the characters. This is hugely impressive filmmaking from a newcomer that plays out like a live action version of the now infamous and ill-fated Orson Welles radio broadcast of War of the Worlds that caused panic among its listeners. Patterson keeps things very simple and doesn’t rely on special effects, instead showing a confidence in his material and as much as this may irk some viewers just remember... sometimes less is more.

Social and political commentary are certainly no strangers to a Spike Lee joint and Da 5 Bloods is no different. Arriving on the aftermath of the killing of George Floyd and the resurgence of the Black Lives Matter campaign, the release of the film couldn’t have been more pertinent given the story’s central theme. On this occasion, Lee takes us to back to Vietnam where he’s able to explore the inequality of African-American soldiers who were under the impression that the very freedoms they were fighting for didn’t actually apply to them when they returned home to the U.S. Lee adopts a back-and-forth chronology of the experiences of his characters during the war and the present day and intersperses it with historical facts that support his argument. It’s a clever technique and the film starts brightly as a result. However, the narrative eventually becomes muddled as he opts for a gold fever riff of John Huston’s The Treasure Of Sierra Madre (complete with an unashamed nod to that film most famous line). Around this point, the film begins to feel sluggish and overlong and fails to maintain its earlier momentum. It’s a respectable attempt at something different but ultimately it’s not one of Spike’s more refined works.

Channeling a Mark Twain-like fable, The Peanut Butter Falcon is a charming little odyssey that plays things very simply and benefits from the enthusiasm of its cast. Shia LaBeouf delivers another nuanced performance from a character that I suspect was probably two-dimensional on the page. One of the reasons for this, though, is his natural chemistry with Zack Gottsagen, a genuine down-syndrome actor who is just delightful. The camaraderie they display feels authentic and the film is all the better for it with well earned laughs and a fine balance of pathos. Admittedly, it treads a fine line with sentimentality and becomes a tad formulaic in its denouement but it’s still a thoroughly enjoyable and heartwarming cross country experience.

Shia LaBeouf seems to be one of those actors that people love to hate and some of his outlandish behaviour in his personal life hasn’t exactly helped that. That said, he’s an undoubted talent and has continuously impressed in numerous roles. As for his off-camera behaviour, that can somewhat be excused when you realise the tumultuous upbringing he had as a child. The semi-autobiographical Honey Boy goes some way to exploring that struggle. Written by LaBeouf while in rehab, we are offered an insight into how abusive his father was to him while striving for success in the film industry. It’s a brutally honest drama where LaBeouf takes the opportunity to play his father and he delivers an absolutely fantastic performance. There’s a lot of bravery in both his writing and his acting that could’ve had the danger of coming across as narcissistic but it simply doesn’t. Instead, it results in a compelling, dysfunctional, coming-of-age drama where the road to **** isn’t always glittered in gold.

Despite a lot of critical acclaim, Independent Irish cinema never seems to get the audience it deserves and, most likely, Calm With Horses (also known as The Shadow of Violence) will be another casualty of that. Those that choose to overlook this film will only be doing themselves a disservice as it’s a taut and very well executed crime drama. First-time director Nick Rowland gets up close and personal in his depiction of low-key, working class criminals and isn’t shy in depicting the violence and brutality involved in their day-to-day lives. However, the film is much more than that. As a character study, there’s a genuine emotion that courses throughout the film as it explores the complexity of the small town’s inhabitants whose bleak surroundings are reflected in their motivations. For a debut film, Nick Rowland has a strong handling on the material with a keen eye for a shot and even stronger ability to tease out great performances from the cast. Barry Keoghan will be a familiar face to many having recently appeared in American Animals, Dunkirk and The Killing of a Sacred Deer. He’s certainly a talented performer but he’s overshadowed by the work of protagonist, Cosmo Jarvis. As a brutish, troubled man-child, Jarvis injects such humanity into his role that watching him search for some form of redemption is just heartbreaking. It’s a magnetic central performance amidst a finely crafted slice-of-life.

There’s an abundance of rising talent emerging from Australia’s film scene at the moment and director Shannon Murphy can consider herself among this group. Her coming-of-age/family drama Babyteeth is yet another success from the antipodes and showcases a confident new voice in independent cinema. Generally, coming-of-age dramas don’t work for me but Murphy offers so much more here. There’s a lot of ambition in her approach and although a little more discipline is required when some scenes go on too long, for the most part this is a hugely involving and emotional drama that addresses some weighty issues, such as terminal illness, addiction and mental health. These issues are handled sensitively but also not without some well judged humour to lighten the load, as well as benefiting from four brilliantly committed performances: relative newcomers Eliza Scanlen and Toby Wallace excel as the youngsters coming to terms with the hands they’re dealt while experienced performers like The Babadook’s Essie Davis and, the always excellent, Ben Mendelsohn pick up the pieces as suffering parents with their own issues. A beautiful and emotionally resonant piece of work.