Ladj Ly directs Damien Bonnard, Djibril Zonga and Alexis Manenti in this French crime drama where three cops who police the streets of ‘Les Bosquets’ reveal their corruption, racism and humanity after an arrest of a child goes wrong.

Yes. YES! This is the cinema we want. Exciting, politically charged, looking for humanity even in the darkest corners and thrilling in its bursts of violence and morality. Ly puts you right in the centre of the tension… stop and searches, mob stand-offs, chases, full out orchestrated riot chaos. You are dragged along, dodging rocks, scraping around corners. The flow and tone is established in the opening sequence. A group of kids ride into Paris to celebrate the World Cup final. They ain’t white or Christian but they take patriotic pride in the victory. Why shouldn’t they? The famous players are immigrants from backgrounds similar to their own. But the mood turns from jubilant to oppressive. Celebration turns to mob threat. Then our day begins… What a 36 hours! I liked the moments where characters who could be from a Victor Hugo classic melded into the contemporary weaving action. Lauded after a year on the international circuit (the posters where still up at the locked down cinemas of Amsterdam when we visited in March) this has been a long time coming to the UK. Worth the wait. If anything I’d say the title and poster very much undersell what a impactful crime thriller this is. If you love La Haine or A Prophet, you should be seeking this out.

9

Check out my wife Natalie’s Horror blog https://cornsyrup.co.uk

We also do a podcast together called The Worst Movies We Own. It is available on Spotify or here https://letterboxd.com/bobbycarroll/list/the-worst-movies-we-own-podcast-ranking-and/

Niki Caro directs Yifei Liu, Donnie Yen and Gong Li in this live action remake of the Disney animated classic about a Chinese girl who pretends to be a boy warrior to protect her family from dishonour and save the Emperor.

These remakes are the epitome of inessential but occasionally (this, The Jungle Book) Disney get the update spot-on and deliver fine family entertainment. Mulan has epic sweep, adventure, colour, convincing villains and consistent action. We would have loved to have seen it on the big screen but I was pleasantly surprised at just what an impressive blockbuster it was. Thoroughly entertaining, well acted and eye-popping!

8

Check out my wife Natalie’s Horror blog https://cornsyrup.co.uk

We also do a podcast together called The Worst Movies We Own. It is available on Spotify or here https://letterboxd.com/bobbycarroll/list/the-worst-movies-we-own-podcast-ranking-and/

Shannon Murphy directs Eliza Scanlen, Toby Wallace and Essie Davis in this Australian drama about a terminal teen who falls for a homeless junkie and her dysfunctional parents reaction.

A difficult film to get a grip on. Clearly wants to be unjudgmental of its characters warts and all behaviour. Likes to point out the hypocrisy of middle class, middle age people who self medicate looking down on junkies. But then junkies don’t keep nice, safe, tastefully furnished homes… do the laundry, fill the fridge, keep you distant from street violence and your wardrobe stocked with quirky prints and a half a dozen wigs. It ain’t a binary comparison. Like much of the film the message is messy or half hearted, the visuals and the moment and the feels are more important. The acting is uniformly great. Scene for scene Scanlen, Ben Mendelsohn and especially Essie Davis smash it. But the characters are wildly inconsistent and never entirely believable in their bigger lurches into danger. Only Toby Wallace’s sweet natured pillhead really has a role that stays ‘steady’ and he’s is wonderful in it. You get the overriding feeling that as long as the visuals and soundtrack are sleazy but pleasing the director is happy. There are show-offy stylistic choices smothering a more engaging film. A film that talks about a lot of sensitive topics but struggles to say anything coherently. Definitely an experience though.

5

Check out my wife Natalie’s Horror blog https://cornsyrup.co.uk

We also do a podcast together called The Worst Movies We Own. It is available on Spotify or here https://letterboxd.com/bobbycarroll/list/the-worst-movies-we-own-podcast-ranking-and/

Oliver Stone directs Charlie Sheen, Tom Berenger and Willem Dafoe in this Oscar winning Vietnam war movie where a young G.I. must chose between two commanding officers with opposing philosophies towards the ‘Nam.

Apocalypse Now is the finest Vietnam movie, Full Metal Jacket has the most intellectual voice about dehumanisation, Casualties of War and Bullet to the Head find unique viewpoints but THE SHIT will always belong to Oliver Stone. He was actually in country. This is a pure film. The pure ‘Nam. An ensemble working and dying and showing their true colours together. Sweaty bold type acting, two dozen potential stars trying to hit their mark and steal focus, imbue personality on script rations, convince on short time. Not all of them make it, in this theatre of war and the fame game in general. That baby faced interpreter might be alright. The horrorshow jungle that eats you and disorientates you and offers no moments relief. Stone puts you right in there. The violence overwhelming, the constant threat seeps into you. The heady pull between Berenger’s tyrannical killer (career best) and Dafoe’s more spiritual CO. The good vibes soundtrack and camaraderie between the assaults and offensives. It might be pure but it ain’t perfect. It is heavy handed… a little too on target… Adagio for Strings is wheeled out a few too many times. And those Christ metaphors ain’t subtle. You wouldn’t see this kinda heavy ordinance movie win Academy Awards now but I’m glad it gave Olly a couple of decades freedom to fuck the frame and tell epic morale destroying treatises on modern America.

8

Check out my wife Natalie’s Point Horror blog https://cornsyrup.co.uk

We also do a podcast together called The Worst Movies We Own. It is available on Spotify or here https://letterboxd.com/bobbycarroll/list/the-worst-movies-we-own-podcast-ranking-and/

Rita Azevedo Gomes directs Fernando Rodrigues, Rita Durão and Isabel Ruth in this Portuguese period drama where a noble woman turns prostitute and reveals her motivations to an attentive john.

A filmed play where the sets shift from obviously theatrical to solidly real world locations as the tale unfolds. An aimless boring filmed play.

2

Check out my wife Natalie’s Point Horror blog https://cornsyrup.co.uk

We also do a podcast together called The Worst Movies We Own. It is available on Spotify or here https://letterboxd.com/bobbycarroll/list/the-worst-movies-we-own-podcast-ranking-and/

John Carney directs Glen Hansard, Markéta Irglová and Geoff Minogue in this Irish musical romance between a busker and a young immigrant.

Very sweet. The guerrilla Dublin street shoot adds a real texture to the awkward romance and memorable songs. I prefer Carney’s later films (Sing Street, Begin Again) but this breakthrough indie is clearly more heartfelt and well crafted than most calling cards. Markéta Irglová is a particularly winning screen presence and I find it surprising she never acted again.

6

Check out my wife Natalie’s Point Horror blog https://cornsyrup.co.uk

We also do a podcast together called The Worst Movies We Own. It is available on Spotify or here https://letterboxd.com/bobbycarroll/list/the-worst-movies-we-own-podcast-ranking-and/

Alan Taylor directs Chris Hemsworth, Natalie Portman and Tom Hiddleston in this Marvel superhero sequel where some dark elves try to take over Asgard and South London.

Some iffy CGI aside, it is hard to fault the productions values. Marvel even at its nadir is robustly competent. But there’s a lot of big budget gilding here in service of a story that contains very little tension or urgency. The threat is muddled, the villain near non existent and the mismeasured set pieces struggle to hold the attention. Even the quips (jokey joke joke jokes) don’t really land. A pointless, merit free shakedown of a release that feels like three inconsequential TV episodes of series you gave up watching two seasons ago.

3

Check out my wife Natalie’s Point Horror blog https://cornsyrup.co.uk

We also do a podcast together called The Worst Movies We Own. It is available on Spotify or here https://letterboxd.com/bobbycarroll/list/the-worst-movies-we-own-podcast-ranking-and/

Robert Lorenz directs Clint Eastwood, Amy Adams and Justin Timberlake in this baseball road movie where a high flying lawyer daughter must put her career on hold and help her irascible baseball scout Dad eye up the next top draft pick.

A movie so comfortable being what it is that the title is an obvious spoiler that doesn’t dampen the conclusion one jot. Two of my favourite stars have a belated Daddy Daughter week. And it works – hitting low level but satisfactory seams of comedy, drama, romance and sparkle. This is a tight package… neat and formulaic without ever feeling forced or lazy. I know those are some opposing adjectives to square away but this feels very much like an Eighties blockbuster. The focus is on characters and heart, a good time, an undemanding time. A two hour, anachronistic cutie worth the cost of your ticket and snacks. Also it is kinda endearing to watch a script that has been written to be the grouchy counter-argument to Moneyball. While this isn’t in the same ballpark as that modern classic they are at least playing the same game. The goal is hope, understanding, authenticity, value and passion for the game.

7

Check out my wife Natalie’s Point Horror blog https://cornsyrup.co.uk

We also do a podcast together called The Worst Movies We Own. It is available on Spotify or here https://letterboxd.com/bobbycarroll/list/the-worst-movies-we-own-podcast-ranking-and/

Bob Swaim directs Rob Lowe, Meg Tilly and Kim Cattrall in this yuppie in peril thriller where a young heiress and a yacht captain find themselves in a web of murders and mistrust after they fall for each other.

Nudity for everyone and hazy Hitchcockian fun in between the sheets. Not exactly the most memorable release ever but for Saturday night entertainment it delivered. Ends with a bang that feels like a whimper.

6

Check out my wife Natalie’s Point Horror blog https://cornsyrup.co.uk

We also do a podcast together called The Worst Movies We Own. It is available on Spotify or here https://letterboxd.com/bobbycarroll/list/the-worst-movies-we-own-podcast-ranking-and/

David McNally directs Piper Perabo, John Goodman and Maria Bello in this ‘singer songwriter goes to the big bad city and becomes a wet t-shirt bartender’ romance.

How does Coyote Ugly turn a profit? Stock is poured everywhere, swarms of customers have to wait between bar fights and dance numbers to hopefully get served, the Front of House spit booze into used beer bottles rather than just pouring a shot of water and pocketing the tip and the place is a Health and Safety shitfest. I don’t care about Piper Perabo’s dreams. We need to stop encouraging people to follow their dreams. The John Goodman scenes are better than anything else that takes place. A test audience clearly thought so. As we have sore thumb filmed, late in the day bonus codas starring the great man himself. Just fucking ice all over the floor and not even a yellow A sign!?

4

Check out my wife Natalie’s Point Horror blog https://cornsyrup.co.uk

We also do a podcast together called The Worst Movies We Own. It is available on Spotify or here https://letterboxd.com/bobbycarroll/list/the-worst-movies-we-own-podcast-ranking-and/