Bobby Carroll's Movie Diary

Lars Von Trier directs Bryce Dallas Howard, Danny Glover and Isaach de Bankolé in this arthouse drama where Grace, the liberated daughter of a gangster, finds herself trying to liberate a lost-in-time slave plantation.

Didactic, challenging, bleak. Possibly Von Trier’s best on reflection. Filmed in ugly DV, on a black box set, with stars as glorified extras, and John Hurt giving an ironic detached narration… this works. From its incendiary premise, to its loaded sex scenes, to its murky conclusions… to its powerful end credit sequence. This is the rare time that Von Trier’s political astuteness seemingly overpowers his smirking prankster. He is helped massively by Dallas Howard’s naive but honest central turn. Superior to Dogville.

8

Perfect Double Bill: Dogville (2003)

I write regular features about live comedy for British Comedy Guide here https://www.comedy.co.uk/people/bobby_carroll/features/

Boaz Yakin directs Denzel Washington, Will Patton and Hayden Panettiere in the sports drama about a black football coach trying to integrate a team of teens in a racist town.

A blind spot on my Denzel radar. Feels very cliched, almost overstuffs itself trying cram as many cliches in as possible.

5

Perfect Double Bill: Antwone Fisher (2002)

My wife and I 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 Wise directs Michael Rennie, Patricia Neal and Hugh Marlowe in this sci-fi fable where a spaceman lands on Earth hoping to deter humanity away from their most violent instincts.

The anti-nuke, Christ parable that makes for pretty thrilling sci-fi. Rennie’s performance is solid and it ends on a massive paranoid race to the spaceship. Accessible yet challenging and with the killer robot who lurks like a threat through even during the most innocent sequences. “Klaatu barada nikto.” Stands the test of time.

8

Perfect Double Bill: It Came From Outer Space (1953)

I write regular features about live comedy for British Comedy Guide here https://www.comedy.co.uk/people/bobby_carroll/features/

Harry Lachman directs Sidney Toler, Mary Beth Hughes and Victor Sen Yung in this mystery B-movie where the renowned Asian detective goes to Brazil to bring a singer to justice only for her to end up murdered herself.

Cute schedule filler. It goes through its motions with a formulaic glee. Feels very of its time but manages to fit in a few cheeky gags.

5

Perfect Double Bill: Sherlock Holmes Faces Death (1943)

My wife and I 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/

Juan José Campanella directs Ricardo Darín, Soledad Villamil and Pablo Rago in this Argentinian mystery thriller where a retired judicial investigator tries to put his memories together from an unproven case where a young woman was raped and killed during his early days in the courts.

Like Zodiac or Memories Of Murder, this is about the grind and toll an unsolved case has on not just the victim’s loved ones and the people employed to resolve it. I don’t think I’m spoiling anything by revealing we know who the killer is by the end of the first act? But given late 20th century Argentina’s somewhat unique political situation the psycho proves untouchable. God only know how they get around this rather major plot point in the forgotten Hollywood remake. So Darin and Villamil’s lovestruck investigators get a lesson in how the new Buenos Aires works. Instead of bringing a murderer to justice they find themselves clamouring for protection in a deadly landscape of corruption and conspiracy. There are major shocking twists, a jaded unrequited romance and an unbelievably well orchestrated chase through a football stadium that would make even Alfonso Cuarón scratch his head trying to figure out how they achieved it. This is a fantastic thriller – gritty, complex but accessible. And Darin once again proves an extremely likeable leading man.

9

Perfect Double Bill: Argentina, 1985 (2022)

I write regular features about live comedy for British Comedy Guide here https://www.comedy.co.uk/people/bobby_carroll/features/

Patrick Wilson directs himself, Ty Simpkins and Rose Byrne in this supernatural horror where 10 years later, the father and son from the original films begin to recover their suppressed memories of The Further.

Hard not to grudgingly respect the Insidious franchise. At a time when every big screen studio horror release was a glossy remake of diluted IP, James Wan’s original gave us something a bit more dangerous. This unexpected return to the well proves half indie drama, half jump scare delivery system. It is also a little too ponderous to be popcorn. That isn’t the fault of Wilson’s ambitions to craft a bit more than we bought a ticket for but narratively we are essentially watching two characters make a meal of unravelling a mystery we’ve seen them figure out TWICE a decade ago. Does anybody actually die of unnatural causes in an Insidious flick? Positives: The MRI scare is tip top. Sinclair Daniel puts in an impressive breakout support as the quirky best pal. Her scenes pop. Wilson not only does a capable job directing but also sings a cover of Shakespeare’s Sister’s hit Stay over the end credits!? You can’t fault the lad’s commitment.

5

Perfect Double Bill: The Conjuring 3 (2021)

My wife and I 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/

Wes Anderson directs Jason Schwartzman, Scarlett Johansson and Tom Hanks in this period comedy where a play about a camp for young scientists set in a crater in the desert comes to life.

Cute, formally playful and star studded. Everything you expect from Anderson then. And while the surprises are more in the mode (the tale switches from stark Actor’s Studio monochrome, to faded picture postcard colours to stop motion exotica to Rod Serling-esque tale of the weird narration…) the ultimate result is pleasingly messy and sweetly romantic. A long established talent raking over old ground and colouring outside of his usually rigid lines, a shaggy dog story with plenty of scruffy hairs to stroke. Got me!

8

Perfect Double Bill: Rushmore (1998)

I write regular features about live comedy for British Comedy Guide here https://www.comedy.co.uk/people/bobby_carroll/features/

Carl Reiner directs Steve Martin, Kathleen Turner and David Warner in this mad scientist spoof where a brain transplant surgeon falls for a femme fatale.

Ludicrously daft. Kathleen Turner spends most of the movie in transparent nighties. “Get that cat out of here.”

8

Perfect Double Bill: Dead Men Don’t Wear Plaid (1982)

My wife and I 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/

Ernst Lubitsch directs Miriam Hopkins, Kay Francis and Herbert Marshall in this pre-code romantic comedy where a long con couple meet their match in a glamorous heiress who wants the male lothario.

Took me the first act to get into the rhythm of this but then it just flew. Really witty and quite saucy. The hucksters get a taste of their own medicine when a rich girl gets what she wants with a predatory zeal. There’s a lovely wiggle of truncated storytelling involving clocks going from long shot to close-up. Must watch more Lubitsch.

8

Perfect Double Bill: Design For Living (1933)

I write regular features about live comedy for British Comedy Guide here https://www.comedy.co.uk/people/bobby_carroll/features/

Richard Benjamin directs Whoopi Goldberg, Ted Danson and Nia Long in this romantic comedy where a black high school honour student discovers her mother visited a sperm bank to get pregnant and her biological father is a white moron.

Will Smith’s big screen crossover role. The Fresh Prince steals his scenes in the best friend role. The first half is really broad and zany, a lot more entertaining than you’d expect. The second half descends into romantic bleh… the jokes fade but Goldberg and Danson have surprisingly strong chemistry so it isn’t a complete wash out. Jennifer Tilly is also incredibly funny in her small role… clearly improvised. I’ve read a few retrospective Letterboxd reviews stating the racial politics of the film don’t hold up to 21st century scrutiny. I’m not going to say what is racist and what isn’t but…Goldberg and Long’s characters were originally scripted as white, the project was overhauled by an uncredited Carrie Fisher to accommodate the African American stars casting and Benjamin embroiders his goofy farce with plenty of right-on political references. You’d struggle to find many Hollywood projects of the early Nineties where characters organically wear Act Up T-Shirts and Malcolm X caps, there isn’t a suggestion of gang violence and a white and black lead end up together in middle class harmony. Feels pretty progressive, even now.

6

Perfect Double Bill: Corrina, Corrina (1994)

My wife and I 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/