Critical Week: Always say yes

After wrapping up the first SXSW London festival over the weekend, I had a flurry of screenings to keep me busy this week. This included the action comedy Deep Cover, with Bryce Dallas Howard, Orlando Bloom and Nick Mohammed as improv comics on police business in the London underworld. It's ridiculous but a lot of fun. Even more absurd was the silly action romp Shadow Force, rescued by the sheer charm of Kerry Washington and Omar Sy as parents with secret black ops skills, pulled back into the mayhem. The tired premise nearly sinks it, but the actors make it watchable, including a villainous Mark Strong.

BEST OUT THIS WEEK:
Tornado
Love & Rage: Munroe Bergdorf
ALL REVIEWS >

The week's other big screening was the live-action remake of How to Train Your Dragon, which looked amazing on a huge Imax screen. While not strictly necessary, the film is still rousing enough to be worth a look. Karan Soni and Jonathan Groff star in the romantic comedy A Nice Indian Boy, which is funny, engaging and delightfully pointed. The French romcom Jane Austen Wrecked My Life takes a low-key approach to its engagingly astute story of a blocked writer. Shakespeare's classic is reimagined as a lavishly produced pop musical for Juliet & Romeo, simplifying things in the process, but remaining entertaining too. And the clearly low-budget independent drama Franklin centres on two aspiring actors in Los Angeles as they navigate career and love-life issues.

I also attended the premiere of the third season of Squid Game, which included a terrific on-stage Q&A with stars Lee Jung-Jae, Lee Byung-hun and Park Gyuyoung, plus creator Hwang Dong-hyuk. And the dance show Inside Giovanni's Room, based on the landmark James Baldwin novel, was simply gorgeous at Sadler's Wells East.

This coming week will be rather busy with the Pixar animation Elio, Scarlett Johansson in Jurassic World Rebirth, John Travolta in High Rollers, Harry Melling in Harvest, Naomi Ackie in Sorry Baby, Leonie Benesch in Late Shift and the Tunisian drama Red Path, plus the first week of movies at the 33rd Raindance Film Festival and the annual opening night cabaret for the London Clown Festival.

Screen: March TV Roundup

Watching TV episodes in my downtime helps me clear my mind, and there has been a wide range available over the past few months. For obvious reasons, I prefer the light-hearted stuff, a bit of escapism. But diving into something serious is even more satisfying. Starting here with the new shows...

The Residence
Nodding immediately to Agatha Christie, Sherlock Holmes and Benoit Blanc, this snappy whodunit is gloriously anchored by Uzo Aduba as Cordelia Cupp, aka the greatest detective in the world. And it has a killer premise, spiralling around a murder in the White House on the night of an Australian state dinner (complete with Kylie!). The terrific cast includes Giancarlo Esposito, Susan Kelechi Watson, Randall Park, Bronson Pinchot and Ken Marino. The show's tone might be a bit glib for its own good, which leaves everything feeling somewhat pointless and silly. But it's so much fun that we end up hoping that Cordelia will be back for an all-new mystery very soon indeed. (Netflix) 

Paradise
The first episode of this thriller series is beautifully constructed, presenting the show's premise right at the very end with a twist that confirms our queasiest suspicions. From here the tension builds steadily, growing increasingly suspenseful until the climactic showdown in episode 8. Sterling K Brown is superb as the thoughtful, tough-minded hero, squaring off against the formidable control freak played by Julianne Nicholson. Plus a wonderfully steely and charismatic turn by James Marsden as the US president. Surrounding characters also have plenty of spark and energy, even if the plot can't help but dip into cliches along the way. And the ending is great. Bring on season 2. (Disney)

Prime Target
A veneer of intelligence lifts this thriller above the fray, and it helps that the cast is so good. Leo Woodall is a terrific lead, diving into his role as Cambridge maths nerd Edward, who can't quite understand why his research is threatening the entire world order. Neither can we, for that matter. But never mind! It's fun to watch these people run around trying to discover a new mathematical system while various vicious shadowy baddies try to stop them. Standouts in the cast include plucky young spy Quintessa Swindell, dodgy boss Martha Plimpton, tenacious scholar Sidse Babett Knudsen and floundering mentor David Morrissey. Plus ace veterans Stephen Rea and Joseph Mydell. (Apple)

Dexter: Original Sin
Produced in the style of the classic series, this prequel traces the young Dexter (Patrick Gibson) as he plots his way through his new life as a vigilante killer and police forensics officer. It's all rather bound to the original show's mythology, often straining to pay unnecessary homage to it, especially in younger versions of larger-than-life characters and the setting up several already iconic moments. It's still gripping enough to paper over the many plot and logistical holes. Excellent actors include Christian Slater as Dexter's dad Harry and Molly Brown as his hothead sister Debra. So having Sarah Michelle Geller and Patrick Dempsey on hand feels like a bonus. (Showtime)

The Madness
Colman Domingo offers a towering performance in this limited series about a news-network pundit who is thrown into a convoluted mess when he witnesses a grisly murder and then is framed for it. The central idea here is disinformation, as shady powers behind the scenes are manipulating the media, public attitudes and elections. And while there are some strong points here about the imbalance of influence billionaires can have, this is little more than the plot's MacGuffin. Domingo is the reason to watch this, along with terrific supporting roles for Marsha Stephanie Blake, Gabrielle Graham and Thaddeus Mixson, plus the superb John Ortiz and Alison Wright. (Netflix)

Black Doves
With its snappy plotting, messy characters and slick production values, this British spy series is a lot of fun as it follows sleeper agent Helen (Keira Knightley) while she tries to unpick the knotted truth about the death of her lover (Andrew Koji). Her cohort is the always fantastic Ben Whishaw, who adds all kinds of witty detail to his fixer character, while Sarah Lancaster provides her own unnerving steeliness as Helen's puppet-master handler. This is also a slickly made thriller, with pulse-racing action, humour and a glorious use of London locations. So even if the plot feels rather familiar, the show is hugely watchable, keeping us hooked through each Killing Eve-style twist and turn. (Netflix)

T H E   S T O R Y   C O N T I N U E S

Squid Game: series 2
The way the writers get back into this story is ingenious, although how they choose to end this seven-episode run feels like a cheat. Rather than set up a cliffhanger, they simply cut away in the middle of a scene, leaving us hanging until the concluding third season this summer. But they've got us hooked. This show is a riveting thriller that isn't afraid to get seriously nasty. Lee Jung-jae is a superior lead actor, sympathetic and often startlingly unpredictable, while both Wi Ha-joon's cop and Lee Byun-hun's puppetmaster get a chance to deepen their roles intriguingly. Best of all, it's impossible to predict where things might go next, as this game-to-the-death keeps throwing brutal twists into the mix. (Netflix)

Shrinking: series 2
Even sharper than the first season, this comedy rockets forward with much more complex plotting and characters who are layered and thoroughly engaging. Everyone in the cast is first-rate, with particularly strong storylines for leads Jason Segel, Harrison Ford and Jessica Williams, each of whom gets the chance to add depth to their therapist character, both in sessions with clients and in their often absurdly ridiculous personal lives. This allows the show to blend nutty humour with some earned emotions, and it also brings to life some strong supporting characters, most strikingly the one played by show creator Brett Goldstein. (Apple)

A N D   S O   I T   E N D S

What We Do in the Shadows: series 6
After the writers strangely copped out in last season's ending, this nutty comedy hits the ground running as these Staten Island vampires face a range of crises with their usual overconfident ineptness. The superb Kayvan Novak is at the centre this time as he struggles with his identity as an alpha-vampire, while Natasia Demetriou, Matt Berry and Mark Proksch shamelessly steal scenes as his constantly disruptive and outrageously dim-witted makeshift family. Enjoyably, Harvey Guillem's Guillermo is even more quietly in control this season. This is the kind of show that could run forever, so it's notable that they opted to go out on a high. (FX)

The Sticky
The great Margo Martindale stars in this series about maple syrup farmers in Canada who go to war over their sticky product, leading to an elaborate heist that plays out like something from a Coen brothers movie, mixing jagged humour with vicious violence and general unpredictability (enter Jamie Lee Curtis!). Based on a true story, it's packed with colourful characters who are wonderfully untrustworthy, so the whole show feels like it will explode into chaos at any moment. It often does, simply because these people think with their emotions. And as a story of little people taking on a big, bad conglomerate, it's easy to know who to root for. (Prime)

C A T C H I N G   U P

Industry: series 1-3
With a fresh, unblinking approach, this British series came highly recommended, and I have enjoyed catching up on the episodes. While the writing is far too dense, and often downright smug, the cast adds nuance to the characters, bringing them to life amid the messy goings on in a London financial office, plus a blinding flurry of drugs and sex out of hours. Most intriguing is that no one is remotely likeable, but they manage to be sympathetic even if pretty much everyone tips way, way over the top along the way. Notably strong work from Marisa Abela, Ken Leung, Harry Lawtey, Myha'la and David Jonsson, with great guest turns by Kit Haringon and Jay Duplass. (BBC)

Alpha Males:
series 1-3
I'd never watched this Spanish series, but a new season coaxed me to start from scratch. And the half-hour episodes zip along amiably. Each character is somewhat cartoonish, but this allows the writers to explore gender issues without taking things too seriously. They also offer some surprising nuance, puncturing political correctness as everyone becomes increasingly confused about how they are meant to treat each other. Both the male and female leading characters are likeable, funny and so deeply flawed that they're almost frighteningly easy to identify with. The rapid-fire dialog is hilarious, and the plotting is gleefully bonkers. (Netflix)

Fake Profile:
series 1-2
The first season of this Colombian thriller is compulsive viewing, a properly sexy guilty pleasure about a Las Vegas dancer (Carolina Miranda) who falls for a too-perfect businessman (Rodolfo Salas). Then when she pays a surprise visit to see him in Cartagena, all kinds of truths are revealed, leading to a twisty mess of nutty plotting, terrific characters and an outrageous climax. The second season, subtitled Killer Match, is very different as it settles into a serial killer thriller that's utterly preposterous. Characters lose all sense of coherence, and a feeling of both misogyny and homophobia creep in (women are tied up, gays are murdered). It's juicy but not much fun. (Netflix)

I GIVE UP: Severance 2
I am sure this show is a work of genius, but my patience simply ran out with its indulgently knotted plotting, out-of-sequence storytelling and generally mopey pace. The actors are so good that I really tried to keep watching, but the way this is put together makes it impossible to care about anything that happens. We can only admire it. Getting through the first season was a chore, and I only managed three episodes of the second. (Apple)

GUILTY PLEASURES: The Traitors (UK/US), Britain's Got Talent, Fool Us, Drag Race (17/Down Under), Dancing on Ice.

NOW WATCHING: The White Lotus 3, Adolescence, The Studio, Your Friends & Neighbours, Wolf Hall: The Mirror and the Light

COMING SOON: Mid-Century Modern, MobLand, Andor 2, The Last of Us 2, The Handmaid's Tale 6, The Conners 7.

Previous roundup: DECEMBER 2024 > 

LEAFF: If looks could kill

The London East Asia Film Festival is packed with terrific movies and events, bringing the culture of Korea, Thailand, Japan, China, Indonesia, Malaysia and the Philippines to venues around town. I'm the head of this year's competition jury, which is made up of Critics' Circle members. And it's been great to watch a series of films that would otherwise be very difficult to find in the UK. Here's half of the competition programme, six narrative features and two docs. Part 2 of 2 will follow...

Hunt
dir Lee Jung-Jae; with Lee Jung-Jae, Jung Woo-Sung 22/Kor ***.
Acclaimed Squid Game star Lee Jung-Jae steps into directing duties for this action-packed political thriller. Set in a period of real-life political turmoil, the script adeptly weaves fictional conspiracies and counterplots that keep the audience guessing right to the end. And the smartest touch is to scramble motivations, questioning what makes someone a hero or villain. This adds something to think about during an adrenaline rush of a movie... FULL REVIEW >

Missing
dir Shinzo Katayama; with Jiro Sato, Aoi Ito 22/Jpn ****
Complex and twisty, this riveting Japanese drama centres on an offbeat father and daughter who become entangled with a friendly serial killer. Beautifully directed by Shinzo Katayama, the story unfolds in layers that reveal surprising motivations. It also defies expectations at every turn, bristling with messy connections and wrenching emotions, plus situations that have a blackly comical edge to them.

Mama Boy
dir Arvin Chen; with Kai Ko, Vivian Hsu 21/Tai ***.
Two mother-son relationships intertwine to find warm, witty connections in this offbeat Taiwanese drama. Filmmaker Arvin Chen creates vivid characters who transcend stereotypes to surprise each other and the audience, worming their way under our skin to elicit sympathy even when they do something thoughtless. It's an involving film that gets a bit melodramatic but remains charming to the end.

Virgin Blue
dir-scr Niu Xiaoyu; with Ye Zi, Shengzhi Zheng 22/Chn ***.
Thoughtful and evocative, this subdued drama has a striking visual sensibility that plays on perceptions to scramble time and relationships. It's a story about a woman with dementia and her cheeky granddaughter sharing a flat that's haunted by ghosts from the past. Colourful musical fantasy sequences add to feel that we're watching dreams within memories.

The Abandoned
dir Ying-Ting Tseng; with Janine Chun-Ning Chang, Ethan Juan 22/Tai ***
Set in a particularly rainy Taiwan, this relatively standard serial killer thriller is spiced up with deeper emotions. There's also some sharp topicality in the setting among undocumented workers and human trafficking. It's sharply written and directed to dig beneath the surface even as the plot follows the expected twisty route to its conclusion. And it gets very grisly indeed.

Manchurian Tiger
dir Geng Jun; with Zhang Yu, Ma Li 21/Chn ***
With minimalistic dialog, this blackly comical Chinese drama features an ensemble cast playing a range of eccentric people wrestling with the realities of modern life. Observational, the film moves at its own quirky pace, barely bothering to string a narrative together. Filmmaker Geng Jung has a terrific eye for detail, vividly capturing the culture of this wintry northeastern city. But the film is long and rambling.

Virga
dir Won Ho-Yeon, Jung Tae-Kyoung; with Shasha, Enzo, Jamie, James 22/Kor ****
A truly global documentary, this powerful film explores the situations for a variety of children who, because their parents are undocumented migrants, have no nationality of their own. Filming in several countries in Southeast Asia, directors Won Ho-Yeon and Jung Tae-Kyoung hone in on a handful of kids to tell their distinctly personal stories. The result is eye-opening, moving and staggeringly important.

Salute
dir Hung-i Yao; with Fang-yi Sheu, Ying-Hsuan Hsieh 22/Tai ***.
While it runs too long, this documentary about iconic dancer Fang-yi Sheu is packed with wonderfully inventive sequences, telling her story through music, dance and performance rather than interviews or voiceovers. It gorgeously traces the life of this gifted dancer from childhood to her late 40s, facing retirement but still going strong. Which makes the film both beautiful and inspiring.

Note that a longer review will appear on the site if a film gets a cinema release.

~~~~~~~ ~~ ~~~ ~~~~ 

C R I T I C A L    W E E K

Non-festival films I've watched this week include the riotously inventive animated adventure-comedy Wendell & Wild, the offbeat and unnerving horror thriller Barbarian, the enjoyably camp 1950s drama Please Baby Please, the lavish biopic Hilma and the earthy Israeli drama Like Me.

This coming week, in addition to more Asian movies, I'll be watching the biopic Weird: The Al Yankovic Story, action thriller Medieval, quirky horror Something in the Dirt and acclaimed foreign-language films Holy Spider and All Quiet on the Western Front.

Critical Week: We don't need another hero

October is a fairly insane month for a film critic in London, with several overlapping festivals at any given time, plus the onslaught of awards season screenings. The London Film Festival ended on Sunday night, and on Wednesday I was on-stage at the opening ceremony of the London East Asia Film Festival, where I'm heading up the jury. This means I have 16 East Asian movies to watch over the next 10 days, plus the usual releases. 

This past week's big movies included the darker-than-usual superhero adventure Black Adam, starring an unusually violent Dwayne Johnson. It's skilfully made, but everything else about the film feels familiar. Jessica Chastain and Eddie Redmayne have meaty roles in The Good Nurse, a wrenching true story that's riveting and very disturbing. And Billy Eichner stars with Luke Macfarlane in Bros, a gay romcom that's a bit smug but also very funny and refreshingly honest about issues of insecurity and self-loathing. 

BEST OUT THIS WEEK:
Decision to Leave • Piggy
The Banshees of Inisherin
ALL REVIEWS >

Kicking off LEAFF was the brisk, adrenaline-pumping Korean thriller Hunt, starring Squid Game's Lee Jung-Jae, who also makes an impressive directing debut (I helped present him an honorary award at the opening ceremony). And then there was Voodoo Macbeth, a fascinating drama about Orson Welles' groundbreaking 1936 all-Black stage production of Shakespeare's Scottish play. Made by a crowd at USC Film School, it's an entertaining romp packed with pointed sideroads. Finally, Eternal Spring documents Chinese activists who audaciously hijacked state TV using eye-catching animation and powerful first-hand interviews.

Coming this next week are the horror hit Barbarians, the British drama Enys Men, animated adventure The Amazing Maurice and quite a few films from East Asia.