Critical Week: Making movies

It's been a busy week at the movies, as the London Film Festival came to an end and screening schedules kick into high gear for awards season. Basically, we have about eight weeks to see all the contenders before we fill in our ballots, so everyone wants to make sure we see their movies. Winning the top LFF prize, the animated Memoir of a Snail is a gorgeous stop-motion movie recounting a kid's journey for an adult audience. It's quite dark, but also wonderfully uplifting. Another animated film about kids, The Colours Within follows the Japanese anime tradition while adding terrific visual and narrative detail. 

BEST OUT THIS WEEK:
Conclave • Emilia Perez
Memoir of a Snail
ALL REVIEWS >

The starriest screening was for Pablo Larrain's biopic Maria, as Angelina Jolie turned up to chat about playing the iconic diva. It's a fascinating, cleverly made film that's worth a look. Tom Hardy is back for more action in Venom: The Last Dance, which like the previous two films is messy but watchable. Elizabeth Banks plays a paranoid health specialist in Skincare, a nutty thriller that takes some silly twists and turns. Even sillier, Jordana Brewster and Scott Speedman star in Cellar Door, in which everyone is keeping secrets, including the house. Christmas Eve in Miller's Point is an overcrowded ensemble piece without a central plot, but the mini-adventures are involving.

As for festival fare, there was the Robbie Williams biopic Better Man, in which he's depicted as a chimp. Along with lots of panache, the film is surprisingly earthy and serious, and powerfully moving. Walter Salles' superbly well-made I'm Still Here is a riveting true-life family drama, while the beautifully observed Indian drama All We Imagine as Light gently follows three women at a crossroads. There were two docs: Mati Diop's inventive and haunting Dahomey, about returning plundered antiquities to Benin, and the delicately balanced The Divided Island, which skilfully outlines the complex situation in Cyprus. I also saw two live performances: Filibuster at Jackson's Lane and Stories at the Peacock. And I attended the glamorous premiere of the TV series The Day of the Jackal, starring Eddie Redmayne and Lashana Lynch. Now I want to see more episodes.

This coming week shouldn't be quite so jam-packed. But I'll be watching Nicholas Hoult in Juror #2, Cate Blanchett in Rumours, Liam Neeson in Absolution, Pharrell's Lego movie Piece by Piece, the Aussie comedy Secrets of a Wallaby Boy, the Christopher Reeve documentary Super/Man and the disinformation doc How to Build a Truth Engine.

Screen: June TV Roundup

This is the time of year when we vote in TV awards, and I'm still making my own shortlists before submitting my nominations for the Dorian Awards. This has meant catching up with various shows, and there will be more to watch once the nominations are announced. But I always enjoy watching an episode or two between movies. And the past two months have featured several terrific new shows, a lot of returning series and three high-profile final seasons...

A L L   T H I N G S   M U S T   E N D

Ted Lasso: series 3 
This season of the almost painfully loveable show feels rather darker and more intense than usual, sending Ted and his cohorts on a rollercoaster journey. Few shows have stronger story arcs for each of their central characters, and several of these episodes are simply sublime (the Amsterdam one is a masterpiece). While some side roles feel a bit cursory, at least they allow the scripts to touch on big themes without too much preaching. And the way Jason Sudeikis, Hannah Waddingham, Brett Goldstein and the whole ensemble brought their characters full-circle was lovely to watch. (Apple)

Succession:
series 4  
Jesse Armstrong's riotously hard-edged series reaches its operatic climax with the long-promised death of imperious patriarch Logan Roy (Brian Cox), which escalates the scramble for, yes, succession. These episodes have densely entangled grief with desperate power-grabbing on so many levels that it's almost overwhelming to watch. Kieran Culkin, Sarah Snook and Matthew Macfadyen are the most powerful players of this season, with staggeringly layered characters who are painful to watch as they squirm. But it's also impossible to look away. The interrelationships are brilliantly played. (HBO)

The Marvelous Mrs Maisel: series 5
More rapid-fire than ever, this furiously busy comedy feels more focussed in on Midge (Rachel Brosnahan) for this final season, thankfully leaving plotlines for the side characters to gurgle in the margins. And Midge is funnier than ever. Along with the revelatory flash-forwards, this season has a remarkable sense of momentum, catching the passage of time in scenes that sometimes get a bit too goofy. Each character takes his or her own journey along the way, with particularly lovely textures between Midge and Susie (Alex Borstein), a relationship that becomes the core through-line for the entire series. (Amazon)

T H E Y ’ R E   B A C K

Dave: series 3 
Somehow still under the radar, this show gets deeper and more powerful with each season, intelligently exploring meaning in life through the lens of offbeat musician Dave Burd. These shows hinge on his search for true love, and the scripts tackle enormous issues with insight, creating an unflinching discussion that grapples with everything from sex to religion. Burd's performance feels effortless, but is packed with nuance. There's a delightful range of A-list guest stars riffing on their own experiences with celebrity. And Burd's witty songs become more knowingly pointed with each episode. (FX)

Schmigadoon: series 2
To energise to their childless marriage, Josh and Melissa (Keegan-Michael Key and Cecily Strong) try to return to the magical musical land, but instead end up in Schmicago, which draws inspiration from gloomier 1960s and 1970s musicals. The returning cast includes Kristen Chenoweth, Alan Cumming, Ariana DeBose and Aaron Tveit in new roles, plus the fabulous Titus Burgess as the narrator. While the producers seriously miss a trick by using a Patti LuPone impersonator instead of the real thing, these six episodes again feature wonderful pastiche Broadway numbers and a thin but likeable storyline. (Apple)

Shadow and Bone: series 2
The fantasy premise put me off initially, but friends encouraged me to catch up for the second season, and I'm glad I did. Less dense than Game of Thrones but equally well-realised, this show is populated by sparky rogue characters who are easy to identify with. They're also played with humour and quirky energy by a largely unknown cast. The plotlines are the usual mix of action chaos, sinister machinations and romantic yearning, but they're also surprisingly complex for a show like this. And the production design is also first-rate, with above-average effects. Looking forward to more. (Netflix)

S O M E T H I N G   N E W

Jury Duty
This exhilaratingly clever reality series is a jaw-dropping experiment on human nature, as one normal guy (Ronald Gladden) is surrounded by actors in a fake courtroom trial, constantly pushed into moral dilemmas to see if he will emerge as a hero. It's a stroke of genius to have James Marsden play a riotously heightened version of himself. The cast and crew are terrific at improvising around Gladden, the only person who doesn't know that there's a script. Rather a lot of footage has been edited into eight brisk, entertaining episodes. And what it reveals makes it a must-see. (Prime)

Queen Charlotte:
A Bridgerton Story
Shamelessly entertaining, this lavishly produced spin-off takes real elements from the life of Charlotte and George III and adds plenty of fiction. The cast is excellent at bridging the gap between the two, cleverly blending present-day sensibilities in a 18th century setting, plus flash-forwards to Bridgerton's Lady Whistledown era. Most intriguing is how Shonda Rhimes weaves a gentle exploration of mental illness into the plot, taking a new look at King George's legendary "madness". This adds some proper emotional resonance, as well as some challenging themes amid the watchable romance. (Netflix)

Bupkis 
While mixing in some thinly veiled fiction, Pete Davidson dramatises his own life in this sometimes astonishingly honest comedy-drama. With Edie Falco as his mother and Joe Pesci as his grandfather, plus a continual parade of A-list costars, everything here feels exaggerated for comical but pointed effect. But there's also the sense that some things have been toned down, perhaps for legal reasons. It's a superbly assembled show, eager to unsettle the audience in all kinds of provocative ways. And Davidson's performance is almost startlingly raw, offering an unusually clear-eyed view of celebrity. (Peacock)

White House Plumbers 
Based on the astonishing true story behind the Watergate break-in, pretty much everything in this series feels stranger than fiction. Events are recounted with a freewheeling slapstick sensibility, as swaggering ex-CIA operative Howard Hunt (Woody Harrelson) teams up with trigger-happy ex-FBI nutcase Gordon Liddy (Justin Theroux) to orchestrate a series of "dirty tricks" to guarantee Richard Nixon's re-election in 1972. The things they do are shocking, revealing deep-seated bigotries and a callous disregard for democracy. Playing this for laughs sometimes feels horrific, but it's hugely entertaining. (HBO)

Mrs Davis 
A bonkers premise and wildly ridiculous visual panache keeps this action-comedy enjoyably unpredictable. It centres around nun Simone (Betty Gilpin), who is avoiding contact with Mrs Davis, the pervasive artificial intelligence that has achieved world peace. And now Mrs Davis wants Simone to take her down by, well, finding and destroying the Holy Grail. It's utterly nuts, but has an eerie resonance in the characters' quirky spiritual yearnings. Performances from the entire ensemble are terrific, including Jake McDorman, Elizabeth Marvel, Ben Chaplin and the great Margot Martindale. (Peacock)

The Big Door Prize 
For some reason, the title of this comedy-drama never reveals itself. This is a warmly engaging comedy about a small town populated by eccentrics who are thrown off balance by an arcade game that presents you with your true life purpose. The solid ensemble cast, led by Chris O'Dowd, creates charmingly offbeat characters who are amusingly entangled with each other. And the way everyone begins to change is fascinating, because the machine's pronouncements are cleverly enigmatic. But the show builds the mystery without answering anything in 10 episodes, leaving it hanging for a potential season 2. (Apple)

Citadel 
Clearly designed to launch a franchise, this globe-hopping adventure is mindless fun that patches together spy movie elements with little connective logic. Richard Madden, Priyanka Chopra Jonas, Stanley Tucci and Lesley Manville are on peak form in a tale of amnesia, double-crossing, world-domination, and so forth. It's flatly ridiculous but plays out with a straight face, so you either have to give up or go with it. International locations add textures, and seductive actors make it worth the ride, most notably Tucci and Manville in rare intense roles, plus the dashing Madden auditioning for Bond. (Amazon)

GUILTY PLEASURES: Queer Eye, Britain's Got Talent, Selling Sunset, RuPaul's Drag Race All Stars, I Kissed a Boy.

NOW WATCHING: Fubar, The Other Two (3), I Think You Should Leave (3), Never Have I Ever (4).

COMING SOON: The Crowded Room, Based on a True Story, Star Trek: Strange New Worlds (2), And Just Like That (2), The Bear (2), Black Mirror (6).

Previous roundup: APRIL 2023 >

30th Flare: Holding on

The British Film Institute's 30th Flare event continues apace all week with a lineup of far above-average films that have an LGBT angle. And along with the superb movies, it's been great to be able to hang out with the filmmakers. I've interviewed a few of them, and just had drinks with others from all over the world, sharing the issues they face in getting these stories told. Here are more highlights...

Holding the Man

dir Neil Armfield; with Ryan Corr, Craig Stott 15/Aus ****

Based on a true story, this Australian drama is evocatively shot and edited, and it's thankfully focussed on its engaging characters rather than the plot or themes. Director Neil Armfield stirs in a sweet, complex mix of emotions as Tommy Murphy's script addresses some very important issues. But the 1970s-1990s setting makes it feel oddly past its time, sometimes overstating the message. Even so, it's honest and powerfully moving. [Pictured above: Stott and Corr with Sarah Snook.]

Departure 

dir Andrew Steggall; with Juliet Stevenson, Alex Lawther 15/UK ****

Dark and introspective, this drama isn't always easy to watch, especially with its sometimes overpowering sense of impending doom. But the performances are so astute that it's impossible to look away. And with his first feature writer-director Andrew Steggall shows remarkable skill at bringing universal experiences to vivid emotional life.

Closet Monster 

dir Stephen Dunn; with Connor Jessup, Aaron Abrams 15/Can ***. 

Filmmaker Stephen Dunn takes a strikingly introspective look into the life of a young boy who feels like his life is spiralling out of control. Beautifully shot and edited, the film mixes artfully stylised flights of fancy with earthy themes that cut to the heart of big issues like bullying and self-loathing. But more than that, this is a thoughtful exploration of someone learning to accept his sexuality... FULL REVIEW >

Ka Bodyscapes 

dir Jayan Cherian; with Jason Chacko, Kannan Rajesh 16/Ind **** 

With a deceptively gentle, observant style, this is a seriously pointed depiction of young people bristling against the harshly extremist culture in Kerala. The film openly challenges the accepted misogyny and homophobia in both Islam and Hinduism. But this is much more than a political film, as the bold writer-director Jayan Cherian keeps the focus on the resonant personal drama.

Seed Money: The Chuck Holmes Story 

dir-scr Michael Stabile; with John Waters, Chi Chi LaRue 15/US **. 

The fascinating life of iconic Falcon Studios founder Chuck Holmes is recounted in this rather lacklustre documentary. The problem is that filmmaker Michael Stabile seems more interested in Holmes' groundbreaking porn movies than in the man himself. But he's also too timid to show proper clips, instead editing them almost comically to get an R rating. Which means that the documentary, while educational, misses the point it might have made.

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C R I T I C A L   W E E K

As for regular releases screened to the press this week, I caught up with Nia Vardalos' sequel My Big Fat Greek Wedding 2, which is the same warm-silly culture-clash comedy as the 2002 original; Zootropolis (aka Zootopia) is lively and entertaining, and also the usual Disney franchise-launching concoction; Idris Elba stars in the energetic anti-terrorism thriller Bastille Day; the French teen-sex drama Bang Gang: A Modern Love Story is too mopey to be as provocative as it wants to be; and Mark Cousins' I Am Belfast is a lyrical but deeply quirky look at the Northern Irish capital.

This coming week I have a very late press screening (tonight) of Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice plus Natalie Portman in the Western Jane Got a Gun, but most of my time will be spent at Flare.