David Derrick Jr., Jason Hand and Dana Ledoux Miller direct Auli’i Cravalho, Dwayne Johnson and Hualalai Chung in this Disney animated sequel where Moana quests to find other islanders.
I was never a huge fan of the first entry and this feels forced and unnecessary. Bright but chaotically plotted. I read afterwards it was converted from six short TV episodes into a feature and that makes a lot of sense.
4
Perfect Double Bill: Moana (2016)
Sidney Lumet directs River Phoenix, Judd Hirsch and Christine Lahti in this drama where a family of radicals who live on the run hit a crossroads when their teenage son wants to live his own life.
A solid drama with maybe a little too much focus on the teenage son. Hirsch and Lahti get a couple of grandstanding scenes (her confrontation with her estranged father is particularly good) but this is River Phoenix’s show throughout. And if I were Sidney Lumet and I had the goods I wouldn’t focus it any other way either. But it does lead to a few scenes that are tonally off. Why during the big emotional finale are certain characters silent? Seems untrue. Still, great stuff in spits and spots.
7
Perfect Double Bill: The State I Am In (2000)
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Brian Helgeland directs Heath Ledger, Paul Bettany and Shannyn Sossamon in this medieval adventure comedy where a peasant fakes nobility to compete in a series of profitable jousts and sword fights.
A lark… for a bit. The best display of Heath Ledger’s natural star power. So… it is sort of a shame that Paul Bettany’s oft naked and always raucous take on Geoffrey Chaucer steals the movie out from under him. Bettany’s becomes a hype man for the fake knight. Adding a real energy and pizazz to the one-note jousting sequences. Riding at each other with massive poles is exciting… for the first and, maybe, the second time. After that it gets very repetitive. You could say that of the film entire. All the best stuff is in the first act. It doesn’t have much more to do after it sets up its world of sitcom supports, anachronistic songs and cheeky product placement. And then it takes too long spinning that wheel to nowhere. Charming but a one-watcher.
6
Perfect Double Bill: The Brothers Grimm (2005)
Rob Spera directs Anat Topol, Gary Sloan and Mary Shelley in this direct to video rip off of Rosemary’s Baby.
Cheap shitty horror.
2
Perfect Double Bill: Witchcraft II: The Temptress (1990)
I write regular features about live comedy for British Comedy Guide here https://www.comedy.co.uk/people/bobby_carroll/features/ and my own Substack https://substack.com/@edinburghlaughterbulletin
Drew Barrymore directs Elliot Page, Alia Shawkat and Kristen Wiig in this teen sports comedy where a restless teen enters the adult world of roller derby.
I absolutely adore Whip It! A mega blast of colour, comedy and cool. Makes you wonder why Drew Barrymore hasn’t directed again? The deep drill ensemble all get lovely character beats and iconic shots, the tone varies wildly but is well balanced. The action as we rampage around the ring, the sensitivity gifted to the empowerment message and multiple relationships. Yeah, it is a bit strange watching Elliot Page be in such sexualised scenes as a young woman. Doesn’t now feel comfortable for anyone involved given the context… but he was a very sympathetic, attractive star back in his lead performance heyday.
9
Perfect Double Bill: Kansas City Bomber (1972)
Gints Zilbalodi directs a cat, dog and a capybara in this animated movie where animals try to survive a world consuming flood.
Hyper involving. The hippy dippy stuff I can take or leave, yet the hints at a post-human world conjure up the most retina blazing moments. Being an owner of a clumsy black kitty cat this was an anxiety churner for me. Surprised at how much it all hooked me.
8
Perfect Double Bill: The Call Of The Wild (2020)
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Marc Webb directs Rachel Zegler, Gal Gadot and Andrew Burnap in this live action update of the Disney animated classic fairytale.
Not the absolute car crash you have heard tell of. Though it certainly does threaten to be at times. Perversely, often in its most broadly entertaining moments. Gal Gadot’s evil queen is a strong flavour, as are the CGI dwarves. They are also the elements that made me sit bolt upright and pay attention. Hi Ho! The movie is at its best when faithfully trying to revive scenes from the animated classic. The new songbook belongs in a better film. As for all those derided “woke” additions… none of it seems any more craven or cack handed as any of the other Disney “live action” cash-ins. If you take the high watermarks of The Jungle Book and Mulan out of the conversation, they’ve all been this iffy. The difference is their target audience has gotten used to watching them on streaming within a couple of months. So why bother with the multiplex?
4
Perfect Double Bill: Mirror Mirror (2012)
François Ozon directs Hélène Vincent, Josiane Balasko and Ludivine Sagnier in this gentle French thriller where a retired grandmother and her best friend’s criminal son find themselves embroiled in murders and betrayals.
Very Claude Chabrol. Lovely subtle performances that retain their internal mystery. Good twists and turns. Every scene drip feeds you new information. Probably the best thing Ozon has done in a while.
7
Perfect Double Bill: Swimming Pool (2003)
I write regular features about live comedy for British Comedy Guide here https://www.comedy.co.uk/people/bobby_carroll/features/ and my own Substack https://substack.com/@edinburghlaughterbulletin
Barry Levinson directs Robert DeNiro, Robert DeNiro and Debra Messing in this true gangster story of warring mob bosses.
Solid trot through of the beloved mob cliches. Classy but creaky, the weakened gait of old age gives it a sense of unintentional camp. The gimmick of De Niro facing off against himself actually works fine in the moments but his Vito Genovese is pretty much just a Joe Pesci impersonation. I have read the book on Genovese and more exciting stuff happens after his coup.
6
Perfect Double Bill: Bugsy (1991)
Fritz Lang directs Debra Paget, Paul Hubschmid, Walther Reyer, Claus Holm, Sabine Bethmann and Luciana Paluzzi in this adventure romance where a dancer and architect try to survive a Maharaja’s jealous revenge when they fall for each other.
Fritz Lang’s two part Indian Epic is a big, gorgeous, cheesy, sexy romp which runs out of wind. The exoticism and ‘orientalism’ feels relatively sincere though the constant use of actors in brown face lets it down. The first film is a string of really strong set pieces. The second film feels too repetitive to be a conclusion. It should be a blast, not a holding pattern. Less happens, we run around in circles. Does Lang have anything interesting to say about western modernity in colonial India? The German architect hero is hired to take an ancient city of ornate higgledy-piggledy beauty and time honoured tradition then impose straightness and order to it. He fails. But he finds love. The beautiful Debra Paget in various states of glitzy undress undulating provocatively to Indian music. The scene where she must seduce a snake to save her life is… memorable. Of it’s time, expensive trash, pop art.
7/6
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Bobby Carroll's Movie Diary 