#6: BLUE VELVET

 

STARRING: Kyle MacLachlan, Isabella Rossellini, Dennis Hopper, Laura Dern, Hope Lange, George Dickerson and Dean Stockwell. Cinematography Frederick Elmes. Music by Angelo Badalamenti. Written and directed by David Lynch. Budget $6 million. Originally released in 1986. Running time: 120 minutes. 

College student Jeffrey Beaumont (Kyle MacLachlan) returns home when his father suffers a near-fatal medical trauma that leaves him hospitalised. One day  Jeffrey finds a semi-decomposed human ear and takes it to the police station and Detective John Williams (George Dickerson), a family friend, who dissuades Jeffery from investigating any further. Later that night, he's approached by Williams' daughter, Sandy (Laura Dern) who tells Jeffrey about a mysterious woman called Dorothy Vallens (Isabella Rossellini), a deeply troubled club singer who lives down the road from him, and believing the ear and her are somehow connected the young couple set off to investigate. But what starts off as exciting adventure soon becomes far more unpleasant when Jeffrey begins to unravel a sinister conspiracy involving Dorothy, Frank Booth (Dennis Hopper) – a truly unhinged crime boss and his gang of henchmen. There's a underbelly of evil and violence in the quaint seemingly normal town of Lumberton that Jeffrey is about to be flung face-first into it.

Described as a Neo-Noir by better hacks than I, this was David Lynch's third movie as a director, and staked his auteur firmly into the filmic firmament. There is something deeply unsettling about the world of Blue Velvet and also something very familiar, you can see the fictional setting of Lumberton as a prototype Twin Peaks, what with it's connection with logging, diners, police stations and small town America. That and the darkness that pervades the town. Kyle MacLachlan plays Jeffrey as a bright-eyed innocent who believes that having a chipper outlook on life and a 'can-do' attitude will see him right. Boy, is he in for a rude awakening. 

This has a stunning sense of unease, it oozes from the screen, as Jeffery gets dragged further into the mayhem, he becomes burnished and changed and when Frank explodes into the fray you feel his unhinged rage. Played by Dennis Hopper, Frank is one of the greatest ever movie villains, from one second to the next he's so utterly unpredictable it's positively frightening, so much pent up rage and sexual violence, he's truly terrifying. Added to that Isabella Rossellini's character, a mother blackmailed into acquiescing to all of Frank's perverted demands. The scene where she finally has agency against someone is thrilling, even if it is against Jeffrey, who has to suffer it. 

This is so brilliantly unsettling, helped by the machine sounds that seems to throb and pulsate, there's an edge to it that's makes you itch. This is an astounding film, one I've not seen at the cinema in 40 years and the chance to see it back up on a huge screen was a true treat. 

Creepy, unsettling, and at times deeply unpleasant, but enough about my ex-sister-in-law. If you want to see something that Hollywood just doesn't make anymore, then get down to your local Cineworld as soon as you can because this deserves your complete and undivided attention. 

10/10

#5: HAMNET

 

STARRING: Jessie Buckley, Paul Mescal, Emily Watson and Joe Alwyn. Screenplay by Chloe Zhao and Maggie O'Farrell. Based on the book Hamnet by Maggie O'Farrell. Directed by Chloe Zhao. Budget $35 million. Running time 126 minutes.

Charting the moment Shakespeare (Paul Mescal) spots his future wife Agnes (Jessie Buckley) falls madly in love with her, within seconds they're married and she's in the family way and before you can say now is the winter of our discontent, she's given birth to twins, Hamnet (Jacobie Jupe) and Judith (Olivia Lynes), then spotting her hubby has an urge to write she sends him off to London to make his fortune selling handmade gloves. Then the black death hits, and Hamnet dies, while Shakespeare is away and Agnes isn't too happy about that, so Shakespeare follows some good advice about writing, in short write what you know and writes a play about losing his son Hamnet, but calls it Hamlet to protect the identity of its main inspiration and Agnes, pissed off that her husband is always at work rides off to London just in time to catch opening night of said new play. 

This is a beautifully made, well directed and well acted movie with a great soundtrack. But sadly it didn't move me any more deeply than that. I was warned to be prepared to cry buckets, well buckets were taken but narry a tear was shed. The trouble for me is everybody was trying just too hard to out act the other. Jessie Buckley is superb and this film belongs to her hook, line and sinker. Sadly Paul Mescal just comes across as a bungling somewhat belittled dweeb. The rest of the cast, in particular Emily Watson as Shaky's mum plays an absolute blinder, but boy is everyone acting their little boots off.  

So, the over acting just did my head in. That and the naturalist lighting. Look, Stanley Kubrick already did that to perfection with Barry Lydon and the use of candles to light scenes now just seems like an arrogant cry for acknowledgement. Look at me! It screams, or not, since it's rather dim. Anyway, when this film focuses on Agnes, who may or may not be bestowed with almost witch-like powers this film is a triumph, but too many scenes of people screaming with drool dripping down their faces sort of did me in, to a degree. And there's no mistaking that the end staging of Hamlet is absolutely stunning. I just wasn't moved more than that. I went in expecting to be reduced to a quivering wreck and I wasn't. As I was watching this i found my mind wandering as to what score to give it, it starts strong and i though, 'nice' this is a solid 9, then it started to dip and I found myself thinking oh god, this might just be a 7, then that final staging and I was finally won over. Sadly it was just a little too little, too late. Still, I'd recommend it greatly.  

Score wise, it's a solid 8/10

#4: 28 YEARS LATER: THE BONE TEMPLE

 

STARRING: Ralph Fiennes, Jack O'Connell, Alfie Willims, Wrin Kellyman, Chi Lewis-Parry. Written by Alex Garland. Directed by Nia DaCosta. Budget $63 million. Running time 109 minutes.

Four films in and not only a sequel to 28 Years Later, the most recent film in this 25 year-old franchise, but also the second part to a planned trilogy, which makes this the Empire Strikes Back of the 28 Years Later saga.

This follows on exactly from where the last one left off, with young Spike (Alfie Williams) the runaway from a island community finding himself an unwilling member of The Jimmies, a truly diabolical satanic cult lead by the even more truly demented Sir Lord Jimmy Crystal (Jack O'Connell). In the last film, Spike had taken his terminally ill mother off to the mainland in search of a cure for her brain cancer. There he'd met Dr. Ian Kelson (Ralph Fiennes) a former GP who had dedicated his life to building a huge bone shrine, or 'temple' if you will to the dead. But now Spike is press-ganged into service to the terrifying Jimmys and forced to bear witness to their unbelievable savagery and believe me it's truly savage. Conditioned to accept that their leader is the actual son of Satan, the Jimmies are forced to question their faith when they come across the red-skinned Dr. Kelson and assmue he is actually 'Old Nick'. Meanwhile Dr. Kelson has been developing a relationship with a rage-infected Alpha male he's named Samson (Chi Lewis-Parry). Oh boy I bet this isn't going to end well.

Blimey, that was gruelling. Superbly directed by Nia DaCosta who carries the torch on from Danny Boyle and before handing the reigns over to Alex Garland for the concluding chapter next year. Shot on location, the film has a quality that revels in its rural setting and with most of it taking part in broad daylight this still manages to be profoundly unsettling and at times downright horrific, particularly when the Jimmies are doing their thing. But it's also the Jimmies and their deadly leader who drags the film down a notch, while the burgeoning relationship between Ian Kelson and Samson gives the film it's heart and soul, seriously there's a moment, reminiscent of Luc Besson's The Last Battle, that actually made the hairs on my arms stand up. Truly this whole aspect of the film is a joy to behold. 

Unfortunately because this is a sequel to last year's 28 Years Later it suffers as a result, it's just not quite as good, it doesn't have the same shock factor or the same sense of sheer panic. For me last year's offering was one of the top five films of the year and a worthy of the 9/10 I gave it, but this while still being a deeply engrossing and intense offering, just wasn't quite as enjoyable, or as satisfying. The story has more threads and the focus is diffused across several characters. Plus each time it leaves that of Kelson and Samson, you kinda feel sad and long for their return. 

Be warned this is a savage and nasty film the violence of the Jimmies is deeply disturbing and makes for uncomfortable viewing.  

Overall this builds to an astounding final confrontation and an extremely exciting coda that makes the wait for the third and final chapter a torture equivalent to that of waiting for Return of the Jedi, let's hope this one's conclusion won't be as diversive.

8/10

#3: RENTAL FAMILY

 

STARRING: Brendan Fraser, Takehiro Hira, Mari Yamamoto, Shannon Mahina Gorman and Akira Emoto. Written by Hikari and Stephen Glahut. Directed by Hikari. Running time 110 minutes.

Brendan Fraser is Phillip Vanderploeg a jobbing American actor who went to Japan to star in a toothpaste commercial, playing a superhero, and ended up staying. Seven years later he's living in a tiny apartment and struggling to make ends, taking small bit parts whenever he can. Just then fate comes knocking on his door when he's hired for a bit part, told to wear his black suit and to be at the location next morning. He does and finds himself at a funeral, in a room packed full of mourners and so begins his new career working for a Rental Family agency as an emotional surrogate, be it a 'Sad American', a husband, a father, friend, or journalist. At first Phillip is unsure and almost ruins his first proper assignment, but slowly he comes to terms with his role and even starts to revel in it, particularly as the 'acting' father to a young mixed-race girl, whose single mother is so desperate to get her daughter a place at an exclusive school that she hires Phillip to be her child's father. Slowly over time these roles help Phillip to recover his own humanity and his life begins to take on meaning again, but at what cost...

The very definition of a 'feel good' movie, this is good-natured, heart-warming and dare I say life-affirming. Brendan Fraser does a standout job as the lost actor and it's a treat to watch these ordinary people whose lives he touches re-ignite his  own passion for life. Running along side the main story we also follow two other members of the Rental Family staff, boss Shinji played by Takehiro Hira who is hiding a tragic secret that truly surprises when it's revealed, and Mari Yamamoto as Aiko, a fellow employoee who specialises in playing mistresses apologising to wives of unfaithful husbands. This never slips into over-sentimentalisation and the two key fake relationships at its core are both moving and poignant. 

But real star of the whole film is Japan itself, it's so rare to see the city of Tokyo like this, so large and vibrant and to witness the everyday life of the city, in fact it's infectious, you come for the story but you stay for the actual spectacle. You find yourself exploring the background lapping up all the strange everyday details and losing yourself in an utterly alien environments.  

Well directed, with a subtle soundtrack and beautiful cinematography this was a  deeply satisfying and touching movie and a true treat to watch. With no overt drama or action, or wise-cracking and once again an, to all purposes, a foreign language film that offers up a truly unique, naturally funny, and sensitive movie experience.

8/10 

#2: SENTIMENTAL VALUE

 

STARRING: Renate Reinsve, Stellan Skarsgård, Inga Ibsodotter Lilleaas and Elle Fanning. Written by Eskil Vogt and Joachim Trier. Directed by Joachim Trier. Running time 133 minutes. 

This Norwegian drama sees two sisters, Nora and Agnes reconnecting with their father after decades of distance following the death of their mother, his wife, and the ownership of the family home. 

We are introduced to the Borg family through a truly beautiful sequence which sees the history of the family told from the house's point of view as retold by a story once written by the oldest Borg sister, Nora who's now an acclaimed Norwegian  stage actress (Renate Reinsve). She has major daddy issues stemming from the fact her father, celebrated film director Gustave Borg (Stellan Skarsgård) abandoned her, her mother, and her sister Agnes (Inga Ibsdotter Lilleaas) to pursue his own career. Now, Nora feelings of abandonment are starting to impact her life and jeopardise her stage career leading to crippling stage fright. So, when Gustave returns to Norway following the death of his wife to reclaim the family home the three of them are thrown together again. But Gustave has an ulterior motive. He wants Nora to play the lead in a film he's written about the life of his mother (a WWII Resistance Fighter) who committed suicide in the very family house at the centre of the story. When Nora flatly refuses he entices, Rachel Kemp – an American film-star (Ella Fanning) to take the part leading to more conflict. 

Yet another one of those films called a 'comedy/drama' which leans into the drama and whose only nods to comedy are a couple of amusing film-related gags. Norwegian films have a quality all of their own, measured, sombre, realistically acted and heavy on the pathos. 

As a result this was a hard slog, a film with some beautiful moments of acting, camera work and deep ponderings, which at the end of the day still leaves you bum numb and a tad fatigued. The trailer alludes to a more amusing film featuring Rachel and Nora, but that ultimately was a smoke screen. The glory of this film lies wholly in the hands of Skarsgård and Reinsve, he is phenomenal, his complete self-absorption making Gustave a deeply fascinating character. Nora clearly deeply damaged by her father is brilliantly played by Renate and the interaction between those two and Agnes is very satisfying to behold. 

Although ultimately this film offers nothing new on the dynamic of a broken father/daughter dynamic, it's just told through a different eye with a different agenda and that in itself is a delight to behold. Frankly I was in love with this with the opening narration told from the point of view of the house, and of the ending that is telegraphed early on in the film, which pays off brilliantly in the closing scene. 

A sombre and absorbing film with real heart. Sadly too long.

8/10

#1: MARTY SUPREME

 

STARRING: Timothée Chalamet, Gwyneth Paltrow, Odessa A'zion, Kevin O'Leary, Tyler Okonma, Abel Ferrara and Fran Drescher. Written by Ronald Bronstein and Josh Safde. Directed by Josh Safdie. Music by Daiel Lopatin, cinematography by Darius Khondji. Budget $70 million. Running time 150 minutes. 

It's 1952 in New York City and Marty Mauser (Timothée Chalamet) is an insanely gifted, obscenely driven and disgustingly arrogant young man who eats, drinks, sleeps and shits Ping Pong, indeed nothing else matters to him. He is a man who believes he will reign supreme, it's just a shame life seems to have other plans for him. Forced to steal his own money back from his uncle, who runs a shoe shop, to finance a Ping Pong tournament in London, which he very nearly wins, Marty finds himself living it large at the Ritz and shagging retired actress and socialite Kay Stone (Gwyneth Paltrow) whose husband, Milton Rockwell (Kevin O'Leary) just so happens to be a super-rich and highly influential captain of industry, whom Marty introduces to the world of Ping Pong, making him a huge fan in the process. When the whiff of success goes to Marty's head he wrecks a fantastic opportunity that would have put him on the map and leaves him having to return to New York eight months later, where he ends up on the run after his uncle bribes a policeman to arrest him for the previous robbery, added to that his married childhood friend, and lover, Rachel Mizler (Odessa A'zion) is pregnant and claims her unborn child is his, and then things just start going wrong, horribly wrong. 

Beautifully mounted, fantastically acted, with a superb soundtrack and looking like a million, or 70 million dollars, this is a extremely well mounted film. Chalamet is simply mesmerising in the lead role and is in each and every scene, his performance is excellent. Likewise Gwyneth Paltrow as the former movie star packs a punch and gives the film at least one likeable character and it's great to see her acting again in something significant. Kevin O'Leary has her husband is also deeply impressive and makes a speech near the end that is fantastically unsettling. The ping pong games are exciting but a little bit repetitive and the promised rematch between Mauser and the Japanese World Champion feels a little rushed.

The only negative is just how bleak and relentless this is, and its length at 10 minutes short of three hours truly tries one's patiences. The trouble is Marty is such a thoroughly unlikeable character, constantly scamming his friends and family, and putting them in danger, he's manipulative and so single-minded that he's extremely hard to like, but then it's only in the closing moments as the film ends that Marty seems to have learned some valuable life lessons. 

Great start to the new year. Intense, satisfying and well made, but I won't be hurrying back to it any time soon.

8/10