On the Road: Comfort movies

One of the hazards of being a film critic is the airline entertainment system: scrolling through the hundreds of movies that are on offer looking for something that (1) I haven't seen before and (2) want to watch. Occasionally something that fits this criteria pops up but, on my recent flight to California to spend some time with my family, there wasn't anything. In these cases I tend to turn to favourite comedies or musicals that will amiably pass the time. On this flight, the 1999 classic Galaxy Quest did just the trick. I hadn't seen it in years, and I'd forgotten how great the cast is: including Sigourney Weaver, Alan Rickman, Tim Allen, Sam Rockwell, Tony Shalhoub and Daryl Mitchell (above). This isn't a film you ever get tired of revisiting. I also revisited the 2005 musical Rent, a film that isn't quite as potent as the stage version but still boasts excellent performances. And I watched all eight episodes of The Franchise (it's a long flight!), an amusing comedy series about the cast and crew of a superhero movie. It's likeable and sometimes very funny, but feels a bit random.

Before leaving London I also watched two very small American dramas: Midnight in Phoenix is a micro-budget thriller about two guys who go on the run after witnessing a violent robbery. It's a bit uneven, but has strong emotions and solid characters. Things Like This is a snappy New York romantic comedy that's a little awkward but features nicely complex characters and connections.

While I'm out here, I am hoping to catch Tom Cruise in Mission: Impossible - The Final Reckoning, and possible also Disney's live-action remake of Lilo & Stitch. But my emphasis is on spending time with my family, and it's nice to have movies take the back seat for a couple of weeks.

BEST NEW FILMS: The Wedding Banquet (9th May cover with Lily Gladstone and Kelly Marie Tran) • Motel Destino • The Extraordinary Miss Flower • Good One (16th May cover with Lily Collias) ALL REVIEWS >

Critical Week: Eavesdropping

During our second short work week in a row, there were once again fewer press screenings than usual. But I still kept busy, and caught several things. Most notable perhaps is last year's acclaimed Belgian drama Julie Keeps Quiet, a powerfully well-observed film about a teen girl (Tessa Van den Broeck, above) navigating a very tricky situation. On a much larger scale, Ben Affleck is back with the action sequel The Accountant 2, which features more sparky sibling banter between the autistic finance/battle savant and his live-wire brother (Jon Bernthal). It's a lot of fun, even more engaging this time around, and still preposterous.

BEST OUT THIS WEEK:
Treading Water • Julie Keeps Quiet
Wind, Tide & Oar
ALL REVIEWS >

Lily Collias is excellent in Good One, a relaxed drama about a teen girl on a hiking trip with her dad (James Le Gros). It's a stunner of a film from first-time feature writer-director India Donaldson. David Mamet is back with the talky but intriguing drama, Henry Johnson, starring Evan Jonigkeit as a young lawyer who has a series of very pointed conversations with various men as his life goes off the rails. Christopher Abbott has lots of internal angst in the moody, mopey drama Swimming Home, beautifully filmed in Greek locations. Sandra Huller has fun in the engaging but overlong German caper comedy-drama Two to One, based on a true story set in newly post-communist East Berlin. I also attended a big-screen preview of Apple's new adventure/conservationist series The Wild Ones, and am now looking forward to further episodes in the summer. And I saw the stage shows Snow White: The Sacrifice at Sadler's Wells and Neil LaBute's How to Fight Loneliness at the Park.

This coming week, I'll be watching Florence Pugh and Sebastian Stan in Thunderbolts, Blake Lively and Anna Kendrick in Another Simple Favour, Nicolas Cage in The Surfer, Jack Lowden in Tornado, Charlie Tahan in Things Like This, Karim Ainouz's Motel Destino and Paolo Sorrentino's Parthenope.