I know, I know, it's not the end of the month until tomorrow, but I've got quite a bit on at the moment, so I'll take the chances when I get them. Not a bad month all told for film in general, but you'll still find the odd turkey knocking about if you look closely enough. Wherever you are, I hope the sun is shining but not so much as to make you crispy. As we speak, England are still the Euros, believe it or not. Wimbledon starts monday and then it's full pelt into Table Tennis and Badminton at the Olympics. June's earworm ended up being below, who I believe is the first artist to appear in this honorable position more than once. Anyway, love to all and I'll see you all next month Buffs. Love and slop an' that xxx. Steve
Poolman (2023)**
Chris Pine stars and directs in this tricky neo-noir effort, mostly panned by critics, for all of its good intentions and I can see why that many of my peers had to re-visit this after nodding off during its runtime. Danny DeVito and Annette Bening provide solid support but ultimately this has trouble with its direction. Quirky, delbirately haphazard and eclectic, this is more a narratively challenging curiosity with real questions of legitimacy.
Hate To Love: Nickelback (2023)***
Love them or hate them, you just can't ignore them. For any band to get to the point of their careers that a documentary becomes both necessary and warranted, you already know the name and the story is, more often than not, well told by others already. Focusing firmly on the cultural curveball that made them as much derided as celebrated just for being too mainstream and catchy, this tells the bands' story from the very beginning. Having been to see them live more than once, you can guess my opinion, and how little I give a fuck about yours.
The Feeling That the Time for Doing Something Has Passed (2023)*.5
The moral of the story is to read the synopsis before you watch the movie. I really didn't know what to expect, but this defintely wasn't it. I'm a sucker for an indie New York tale as you may already know, but this is little more than the adventures of a BDSM slave. Our lead is bored in her job, bored in her home life and seems to be trying her best to get excited about anything, leading to some curious intimate moments with a number of different men. I have never seen a movie when one person in the film was naked practically all the way through that I wouldn't class as porn. Until now. Acting was shoddy and the plot listless and I remained unmoved throughout. Not sure who this is for. The makers, maybe?
HP Lovecraft: Fear of the Unknown (2008) - Documentary **
Life and times talking heads with the likes of Peter Straub, Guillermo Del Toro and John Carpenter all suitably gushing for the unusual storytelling style of the notorious American horror author as we are spoon-fed and hand-held through this introduction to the Cthulu creator, the undoubted king of cosmic terror. You won't learn much new here, except maybe for how much his childhood dictated his seemingly inevitable career.
Autoerotic (2011) **.5
This wouldn't be the first collaboration between Adam Winguard and Joe Swanberg, nor would it be the last, both being heavily involved in the VHS franchise, but if you've only come across their bigger hits, this will come somewhere out of left field. Shortly before the horror anthologies, this story follows the intricacies and peculiarities of sexual behavior and intimacy of four connected couples in Chicago. The vignettes range from the darkly humorous to the outright bizarre, reflecting a diverse spectrum of sexual exploration, but this approach makes it difficult to engage with the characters. Occasionally inspired but narratively challenging, this is never really compelling but still has value.
Hitman (2023)**
Richard Linklater's 2023 film is a sometimes captivating mix of comedy, crime, and drama, anchored by Glen Powell's performance as Gary Johnson, an undercover cop posing as a hitman. While the narrative can be predictable and some plot developments feel convenient, the film maintains brisk pacing and mostly engaging dialogue.The tonal shifts, although generally well-handled, occasionally disrupt the flow, and the supporting characters lack depth compared to Powell's. Overall, "Hitman" is an entertaining film that showcases Linklater’s versatility, despite its minor flaws. Makes Fincher's latest with Michael Fassbender look even more impressive.
We Have Always Lived in the Castle (2019)***
Adapted from the 1962 novel from Shirley Jackson, you can be certain this is a mere pretender to the much more developed existences of Constance, Merricat and Uncle Julian found within her pages. The gothic thrills found there are developed by the reader and this is tricky to re-create on screen. Direction is unadventurous and unimaginative, yet still holds the viewers attention as these lives are developed and when cousin Charles inevitably arrives, there is notable change of pace. Striking, visually, from time to time, this enjoys decent, if underdeveloped, performances, yet cannot match the viewers fertile imagination, It's missing the thrill that the book delivered.
Back To Black (2024)**
Not the best Amy Winehouse you'll ever see, but I believe there is a documentary for that. Not a biopic in any real sense of the word, but it does its best to try and entertain the fans who appear to know the titular Winehouse better than the makers themselves, giving this an altogether overly partisan feel. More watchable than believable, really.
The Empty Acre (2007)*.5
Might have fared better had I watched this in the upcoming month of Spooktober, if only for the reason that most of the those viewed then are patently awful. Patrick Rea is nothing if not determined and enthusiastic - you only have to look at his resume. But quantity is rarely a sign of equivalent substance. Highly budget conscious and it shows, with some curious performances and a frustrating plot that doesn't improve over time. A valiant attempt, but really, this isn't worth the effort.
Inside Out 2 (2024) ***.5
Honestly, this was naturally inevitable, but this was always going to be a bit more tricky this time. Teenage girls can be complicated at the best of times. Or at the very least, they think they are. Great fun with tongues firmly in cheek, enjoying excellent performances and great attention to detail. The script is bags of fun and right on the money most of the time. A great animated family sequel that will probably enjoy a very specific demographic, whilst alienating others. Parents of teenage girls should love it, even if the girls themselves will hate to admit they love it too.
Blackwater Lane (2024)*.5
Even with the inclusions of Maggie Grace and Dermot Mulroney, this really isn't worth the time spent watching it. The acting is fine for the most part, but Minka Kelly just needs to rein it in a little. The pacing is awful and if you're after horror, then you're going to leave disappointed. It lacks tension in places where it needs it as the mystery unfolds, but most of our time is spent clodhopping wearily through the plot. Mutton dressed as lamb, really.
Freud's Last Session (2023)***
When an invitation to meet an aging Siegmund Freud (Anthony Hopkins) is received by CS Lewis (Matthew Goode), you know their discourse will be a novel curiosity, if nothing else. They are meeting to discuss all manner of inciteful opinion, not least Freud's enthusiastic atheism and Lewis' polarising feeling on a deity, just prior to the breakout of World War 2. Based on Mark St Germain's play, these two alleged great minds intellectually pirouette around one another throughout the runtime, but this is less about content and more the idea of the meeting. Performances are good, but not outrageously so by anyone here, but almost inevitable given Hopkins' increasing years.
Boy Kills World (2023)**.5
My peers cannot make their collective minds up about Boy Kills World and I don't blame them, to be honest, as I have as much of a problem with it as I am thrilled by it on occasion. I will never ever get too much of Sharlto Copley, no matter what he's doing, but I can't say the same for the rest of the players here, who I could easily and happily see re-cast if required and that goes for the incessant narration too. Imagine The Fifth Element meets The Raid and you're in the right area. Heavily choreographed chaos at its best and confusing and exasperating at its worst.
A Family Affair (2024)**
Not sure about the age difference here, but this smells like The Idea of You from a few weeks back. If I'm honest, this doesn't come across as quite so obviously icky, but just swap in Efron's movie star instead of pop star and you have the same thing, except here we have Joey as the brat daughter/employee mucking it up for everyone. Watchably inoffensive for the most part, but this isn't going to be remembered for any longer than it takes for the next Netflix nearly romcom to come along.