Bobby Carroll's Movie Diary

Brady Corbet directs Adrien Brody, Guy Pearce and Felicity Jones in this period saga following an émigré architect’s struggles to find work in post-war America.

Epic but intimate. A character study yet obtuse. Bristling with creative fervour and literary intent. You could never accuse a 215 minutes movie of biting off more than it can chew but Corbet’s admirable big swing certainly has a lot of aims and themes, many of which only truly emerge in the final half an hour. The first half “The Enigma of Arrival” is full of seductive, noble, optimistic struggle. That American Dream writ large, only pragmatically. Almost cynically, but not quite. “Part 2: The Hard Core of Beauty” is the grinding disillusionment, the crushing inevitability. It is harder to absorb on first viewing as, as some of Corbet’s intentions take true shape, they can feel… a bit on the nose after the more lyrical journey we have been on. Maybe we didn’t need some questions answered quite so bluntly, quite so obviously. Overall though this is really something special. Perfectly paced, beautifully filmed by Lol Crawley and with one of my favourite scores in a good long time… thank you Daniel Blumberg. Pearce and Jones do tremendous work with their complex characters and I would happily have spent another three hours plus in their abrasive company. Corbet builds on his enticing start with Childhood Of A Leader and Vox Lux to deliver his first truly great one. The Brutalist exists as such an exile among contemporary releases. Neither an algorithm dictated cash-in or the last indulgence from an old master. Set in the past, non genre, deeply intelligent, emotionally spellbinding. It gives me hope that someone might still tackle the unfilmed (and possibly “unfilmable”) favourites Mr Vertigo by Paul Auster or A Confederacy Of Dunces by John Kennedy Toole. If Corbet wanted to give either a punt I’d be very happy.

8

Perfect Double Bill: Now, now… Don’t Be Greedy!

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

Hélène Cattet & Bruno Forzani directs Klaus Tange, Ursula Bedena and Joe Koener in this experimental homage to giallo.

A businessman returns home to find his wife missing and everyone in his apartment building with their own nightmarish tale to tell. Looks fantastic, some of the vignettes are memorable and unsettling. It is very anti narrative though and I was tired. The ending lost me.

5

Perfect Double Bill: Amer (2009)

Dennis Dugan directs Adam Sandler, Joey Lauren Adams and Dylan & Cole Sprouse in this comedy where a loser finds himself fostering a five year old in NYC.

Originally written for Chris Farley which explains the title. Not classic Sandler but gently entertaining throughout. You couldn’t really fault it and the formula and ensemble is developing nicely. Best angry moment: Sandler throwing some nerd’s McDonald’s Extra Value Meal fries over his shoulder.

6

Perfect Double Bill: Happy Gilmore (1996)

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Adam Simon directs Bill Pullman, Bill Paxton and Bud Cort in this psychological horror-thriller where a neurosurgeon performs a risky operation on a paranoid mathematician, but soon faces a nightmare of his own.

Even this film’s Wikipedia entry essentially starts as “No, not that one…”. Incoherent blend of dream logic that recalls Jacob’s Ladder. Except for a couple of rental box image teasing the decent FX this is a cheap mess. The cult cast is always good value however.

4

Perfect Double Bill: Lost Highway (1997)

Sofia Coppola directs Kirsten Dunst, James Woods and Josh Hartnett in this period teen drama following five beautiful daughters who commit suicide one summer and the community who could not know them.

Translucent. My first revisit to this since it was released at the cinemas. Back then it was a noteworthy debut. Now it is a cult classic with a die hard following. Still a bit too lightweight and insubstantial for me truly to get on board with. I know that is Coppola’s ultimate intent. She wants the girls’ inner lives and fates to be enigmas. That leaves the visuals to conjure up the clues, sadness and era. This will always be Coppola’s greatest strength, making the ethereal appear tactile and of some unfathomable import. Beauty is her currency.

6

Perfect Double Bill: The Beguiled (2017)

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

John Ford directs Henry Fonda, Victor Mature and Walter Brennan in this mythical take on the old west recreating the gunfight at the OK corral.

Beautiful Monument Valley vistas. Fonda at his most relaxed. A compelling blend of light interaction and building threat. As with many takes on the Wyatt Earp legend there is plenty of white washing. As movie heroes go though the construct born out of history is damn near perfect. The set pieces where Earp out thinks the danger while still being a man of action are as muscular as anything made in the modern age of the blockbuster. Western heaven.

9

Perfect Double Bill: The Ox-Bow Incident (1943)

Roger Corman directs Vincent Price, Hazel Court and Jane Asher in this colourful Edgar Allen Poe adaptation where an European prince terrorizes the local peasantry while using his castle as a refuge against the “Red Death” plague that stalks the land.

Price. Poe. Corman. What a combination! Also though, what if Salo was a PG matinee set in medieval times? This is just vibrant with colour, Nic Roeg was the cinematographer. Red! Red! Red! Even if it were monochrome nothing could stop the relish with which Vincent Price chomps at his evil embracing antagonist role. A cult item, of its time, but really rather special.

8

Perfect Double Bill: The Pit And The Pendulum (1961)

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Luc Besson directs Jamel Debbouze, Rie Rasmussen and Gilbert Melki in this modern day fairy tale where a slutty angel saves a hustler from killing himself in Paris.

Just as tonally off as I remember. Feels very sexist and misguided. What is the ultimate message? Love Luc Besson, his black & white visuals here are astounding… but also predictable. A poor taste misfire.

4

Perfect Double Bill: Le Dernier Combat (1983)

Saul Swimmer directs Freddie Mercury, John Deacon and Brian May in this concert movie where the footage is digitally restored to IMAX format.

Sweat, dry ice and dorks in the audience. The first concert movie I have watched in a while where it takes a lot more imagination to feel like you were there. The track selection ain’t great either. 1981 and nothing from Flash Gordon?! Pah! Freddie is still a star.

5

Perfect Double Bill: Queen Live At Wembley Stadium (1986)

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

Sidney Lumet directs Faye Dunaway, William Holden and Peter Finch in this drama about a news anchor who announces his suicide on air and the corporate executives who try to exploit the ratings bump from his outbursts.

Easily the most literary and outwardly intelligent film in my personal Top 100 favourite movies, Network isn’t something you just pop on for a fun watch. It is scabrous, angry and complexly verbose. The dialogue is heavy. Jargon fuelled, high minded, purposely dense. By the second act pretty much every other scene is show-stopping monologue. Why shouldn’t cinema interrogate modern angst without concessions to base entertainment? Paddy Chayefsky’s script is an all timer. There isn’t a genuine moment of levity in it. The actors chew it up. Every performance is note perfect rage or domination. God, I love it. Sure, Network looks alien next to my 99 other genre picks and classy confections but fuck me that power is undiminished after nearly fifty years. Especially in the virtuoso first half which is just an hour of flawless cinematic mastery.

10

Perfect Double Bill: The China Syndrome (1979)