Mark Jenkin directs George MacKay, Callum Turner and Emily Daglish-Laine in this time warp drama where a mysterious fishing boat returns to a village 30 years after vanishing and two men join its crew hoping for better fortune.
Feels like a cult novella. Probably Jenkin’s most accessible work to date but still niche, parochial and pleasingly bonkers. Grittily beautiful.
David Lowery directs Anne Hathaway, Michaela Coel and Hunter Schafer in this drama where a pop siren revisits a ruined friendship under the pretext of creating an iconic stage costume.
Plays very much like one of those filmed plays Sidney Lumet used to churn out between bigger projects. Stilted dialogue, zero chemistry and undefined relationship don’t help. The concert scenes are beautiful. There are two memorable set pieces; a silent dance and a seance. Otherwise, frustrating and unengaging.
Baltasar Kormákur directs Charlize Theron, Taron Egerton and Eric Bana in this Aussie thriller where a grieving widow finds herself being hunted in the wilderness.
A solid revival of the yuppie-in-peril tropes which simultaneously continues Kormákur’s love of putting movie stars in deep shit in extreme nature (Everest, Beast). A two hander with sterling genre work for both its stars. Great Saturday night fodder and very handsome. For once Netflix’s formula of mandatory drone establishing shots and obnoxious needle drops pay off.
Alonso Ruizpalacios directs Raúl Briones, Rooney Mara and Anna Díaz in this drama set in a Times Square kitchen, dreams and desperation collide as the immigrant staff each chase the elusive American dream.
A day in the life of labyrinth of a New York back of house. Mainly B&W which isn’t the only touchstone with French classic toughie La Haine. This is a motley crew of people on the peripheries of society trying to navigate city life, immigrant life and capitalist exploitation. There are thrusts of magical realism and time outs that feel like their own breathing space short films. Rooney Mara is fantastic as a waitress with a big decision. Sexual and racial tension simmer and explode throughout. Was a casual morning off watch for this guy, one which hooked me in fully.
Michael Lehmann directs Bruce Willis, Danny Aiello and Andie MacDowell in this meta action comedy where a cat burglar gets trapped in a caper between the Vatican, the CIA and two eccentric millionaires.
A folly. Kicked to death on release. But also ahead of its time and a giddy rollercoaster ride of smirk. There are two ways to approach the cult of Hudson Hawk. A few beers in and let the hubristic relentless smarm wash over you. Or with intense concentration as within the garish hyperactivity there are gags so intricate and delicate that they only make sense on a third or fourth watch. I promise you even the second or third time I watched this I couldn’t tell you why Andie MacDowell was talking like a dolphin. There are absolute glories scattered about – David Caruso’s mime henchman, the timing of the heists to show tunes, Richard E Grant and Sandra Bernhard’s maniacal exposition spitters, “Airbags! Can you fucking believe it?”. It is a balls out, middle finger up to the blockbuster formula made with blockbuster money. Does it need to make sense if it moves this fast? Do you need snappy one liner when every meta gag is a work of precision? Does a Bruce Willis summer release need to be gritty to work? Let the biggest star in Hollywood in his day raise his eyebrow at you for two epileptic hours. Moonlighting remade with brightly coloured action dolls.
Stephen Carpenter and Jeffrey Obrow directs Suzy Stokey, Warren Lincoln and Lisa Erickson in this horror about a small, clay Aztec doll with darkly mystical properties.
Filmed on a shoestring aside from some OK bladder make-up effect transformation work. Starring a sweaty weasel guy who never did much again, plus a bunch of hotties. This takes ages to settle into its “toxic male corrupted by evil” plot line. Three prologues to start (were these abandoned projects?), a Scooby Doo gang teen subplot… and by the end we still never really find out what the power is? Why do people become obsessed with it? Forget it, Jake… it’s bottom shelf VHS rental fodder.
Kinka Usher directs Ben Stiller, William H. Macy and Hank Azaria in this superhero spoof where a group of inept amateur vigilantes with dubious powers must try to save the day when a supervillain threatens to destroy the city.
A cult favourite that is just a little too repetitive and indulgent to be a rewatchable. The first half introducing everyone is far superior to the stretched out finale. Though the Invisible Boy sequence is a fantastic gag. The production design impressively matches any mid Nineties mega budgeted comic book folly.
Anna Kendrick directs herself, Daniel Zovatto and Nicolette Robinson in this Seventies true crime story where a wanted serial killer appeared on a blind date TV show unvetted.
A fresh way to approach the serial killer subgenre. Kendrick makes a very fine stab at her directorial debut. Casting relative unknowns around her who all give emotive, true performances. The period setting rings true even while trying to view the gender and sexual politics through a 21st century frame. This gets really grindingly tense and uncomfortably intense at times without ever tipping into exploitation. Zovatto makes for a palpably unsettling screen presence. Writing about it belatedly the whole quality package has settled in really well with me. Would certainly watch again.
Micheal Lehmann directs Janeane Garofalo, Uma Thurman and Ben Chaplin in this romantic comedy where a radio call-in vet hides behind the looks of her model neighbour when a caller falls for her voice.
Not the neatest romantic comedy yet one of the most charming. A very likeable trio… two in easily their best Hollywood lead roles. Not believable but the plates spin pleasantly enough that you’d have to be a grinch to scrutinise it. Cute dog. Sex positive. Witty lines. The soundtrack motors us along. They could have gotten 3 compilation CDs out of this one. The only downside is Uma’s loveable dummy disappears from the final 10 minutes. Her ambitions and their friendship feels more important than who ends up with the Hugh Grant substitute.
Bobby Carroll's Movie Diary 