Critical Week: Don't even think about it, punk

As many of London's critics decamp to Venice for the next 10 days, I'm kind of wishing I was there again this year, but glad I can relax just a little. Although the month is pretty busy with screenings and theatre press nights. The summer blockbusters are behind us, and now we have the usual oddball mix of autumn movies. A bigger one this week was Denzel Washington's return to his vigilante character in The Equalizer 3, which is well made enough to be watchable, but it's still a celebration of brutality. Much higher brow was the festival favourite Past Lives, a simply gorgeous debut for writer-director Celine Song and one of the best films I've seen all year. Then somewhere in between we had Nandor Fodor and the Talking Mongoose, an entertaining 1930s-set British comedy based on a bonkers true story and starring Simon Pegg and Minnie Driver,

BEST OUT THIS WEEK:
The First Slam Dunk • Passages
Ernest & Celestine: A Trip to Gibberitia
Bobi Wine: The People's President
REVIEWS >

More offbeat fare included Jennifer Reeder's stylised horror Perpetrator, which inventively explores femininity and gender issues with rather a lot of bloodletting. From Japan, The First Slam Dunk is flat-out one of the best films of the year, an animated basketball drama with great characters and thrilling action. From France, another terrific animated adventure in the lively, music-infused sequel Ernest & Celestine: A Trip to Gibberitia. And I also finally caught up with the 1945 British classic romcom I Know Where I'm Going, which was simply heaven to watch on a big screen. There were also lots of FrightFest films.

This coming week I'll be watching the sequel My Big Fat Greek Wedding 3, the Armenian drama Amerikatsi, the British doc A Life on the Farm, and the festival films Big Easy Queens and Summer Qamp.

FrightFest: Say your prayers

The 24th FrightFest comes to a close this evening in Leicester Square. It's been fun to mix with such an enthusiastic crowd over the past four days, wishing I'd dug more deeply into my wacky T-shirt drawer. Watching these indie films on the huge Imax screen has been fun, especially when the filmmakers themselves are there, slightly overwhelmed by how big their movies are and how much the crowd is enjoying the nastiest bits. Here are a few final highlights, including a link to my 23-year-old review of a 50-year-old classic...

The Exorcist
dir William Friedkin; with Ellen Burstyn, Jason Miller 73/US *****
People who call The Exorcist the scariest movie of all time must not get out much. It's creepy, genuinely disturbing and thoroughly wrenching ... but it's not scary! As it gets into the minds of its characters, it finds powerful suspense and drama. And a startling examination of how we can never really understand the nature of mankind ... or God... FULL REVIEW > (from the 2000 director's cut)

Failure!
dir-scr Alex Kahuam; with Ted Raimi, Noel Douglas Orput 23/US ***.
Full of witty touches, this crime thriller is shot in a single, prowling take as an already dodgy situation spirals even further out of control. Writer-director Alex Kahaum keeps things moving briskly, with colourful characters entering the frame of skilful cinematographer Ernesto Lomeli's camera. The film is talky and repetitive, with personal scenes more engaging than business ones, but it's anchored by a riveting turn from Ted Raimi.

Founders Day
dir Erik Bloomquist; with Naomi Grace, Devin Druid 23/US ***.
Like a 1980s slasher movie on meths, this riotously energetic thriller deploys high-volume grisliness from start to finish. It's sharply shot, played and edited, although it's the sound and music that carefully guide the tone, stirring up anxiety exactly as expected. But there are also constant throwaway deadpan comedy moments. Actor-filmmaker Erik Bloomquist packs a lot into this nutty movie, which is sure to keep genre fans happy... FULL REVIEW >

Home Sweet Home: Where Evil Lives [Wo das Böse Wohnt]
dir-scr Thomas Sieben; with Nilam Farooq, Justus von Dohnanyi 23/Ger ****
Filmed in one elaborate take, this German horror thriller becomes increasingly bonkers as night falls in real time. It's adeptly directed by Thomas Sieben and powered by an astonishing performance from Nilam Farooq. Because the expert camerawork by Daniel Gottschalk maintains her point-of-view so skilfully, the fact that several plot elements remain enigmatic only adds to the freak-out. And the filmmakers have several cool tricks up their sleeves... FULL REVIEW >

Reviews of these and other films will be linked at SHADOWS' FRIGHTFEST page.

For details, FRIGHTFEST >

FrightFest: Stand by me

This long weekend is crazy busy in London, with the streets of the West End clotted with tourists, plus the pulsing events at Notting Hill Carnival. I've been hanging around in cinemas at the 24th FrightFest, surrounded by fellow oddball movie fans, actors and filmmakers. It's a lot of fun, and there's one day to go. Here are highlights from Sunday...

Here for Blood
dir Daniel Turres; with Shawn Roberts, Maya Misaljevic 22/Can ***.
Set around an aspiring professional wrestler, there's a wry double meaning in the title of this movie, which mashes up elements of broad comedy and home-invasion horror. Director Daniel Turres shoots this like a pastiche of vintage scary movies, complete with wildly excessive gore. The filmmaking may be somewhat cheap and cheerful, and the supernatural story elements unnecessarily over-egged, but the movie is also boldly inventive and riotously funny.

Cold Meat
dir Sebastien Drouin; with Allen Leech, Nina Bergman 23/UK ***.
Tightly contained within a snowbound car, this edgy thriller hinges around a battle of wills between two people who really don't want to be trapped together. Director Sebastien Drouin cleverly expands the visual palette with external scene-setting imagery, back-story flashbacks and some deranged nightmares, so the film plays intensively on various layers. And even if it's slightly half-hearted, the nod to Native American folklore creates a powerful undercurrent... FULL REVIEW >

The Seeding
dir-scr Barney Clay; with Scott Haze, Kate Lyn Sheil 23/US ***.
Skilfully creating an atmosphere of claustrophobic dread, writer-director Barney Clay echoes a range of wilderness horror classics as he carefully crafts a modern-day folk tale. And it's deeply disturbing, like some sort of a surreal nightmare. Nothing is terribly original here, but the movie has a confident sheen, building sympathetic characters against the odds as it cautions against venturing into isolated, and insulated, parts of the American West... FULL REVIEW >

Raging Grace
dir-scr Paris Zarcilla; with Max Eigenmann, Jaeden Boadilla 23/UK ***.
Issues of class and ethnicity run right through this British drama, which draws in elements of farce and horror as its story shifts and twists with pointed intent. Writer-director Paris Zarcilla stirs in details from his Filipino heritage to add some deeper currents of meaning. And even if the storytelling feels a bit undercooked, the settings, music and editing create at atmosphere that's almost too vivid... FULL REVIEW >

Minore
dir Konstantinos Koutsoliotas; with Davide Tucci, Daphne Alexander 23/Gr ***. 
Enjoyably offbeat, this Greek action-fantasy infuses a modern-day legend with a witty sense of humour and a surreal queer sensibility. A large ensemble cast has fun creating a collection of hilariously quirky characters, while filmmaker Konstantinos Koutsoliotas skilfully builds a growing sense of ominous menace before the gore starts to flow. And swirly dreamlike sequences, which ripple with inventive effects and makeup, add to the mythical sensibilities... FULL REVIEW >

Reviews of these and other films are linked at SHADOWS' FRIGHTFEST page.

For details, FRIGHTFEST >

FrightFest: Now here's a treat

The 24th FrightFest powers into the long weekend with exuberant crowds at its Leicester Square venue. Hanging out there is a lot of fun, with a superb buzz of activity everywhere. It's almost more like a horror fan convention than a film festival, with people in freaky costumes but a full-on happy vibe. It runs through Monday, so if you're nearby, it's well worth a visit. And most films are British, European or even world premieres. Here are some highlights for Saturday...

Cobweb
dir Samuel Bodin; with Woody Norman, Lizzy Caplan 23/US ****
Unusually strong characters bring this atmospheric horror film to life, especially as it takes a twisted approach to issues like bullying and child abuse. First-time director Samuel Bodin uses every trick in the book to keep the audience on edge, putting us through the wringer alongside the people on-screen. It definitely helps that the adept cast bring much more to the characters than is written in the screenplay... FULL REVIEW >

Where the Devil Roams
dir-scr Zelda Adams, John Adams, Toby Poser; with Zelda Adams, Toby Poser 23/US ***.
Made by the entire Adams family, this stylised horror romp is packed with extreme gore and devilish humour. Actor-filmmakers John, Toby and Zelda play a father, mother and daughter in 1930s America who embark on a murderous rampage while trying to hold their family together. So the film is a bizarro mix of emotional connections and satanic nonsense, plus lots of blood. And underlying warmth continually takes us aback.

Herd
dir Steven Pierce; with Ellen Adair, Mitzi Akaha 23/US ****
Starting as a marital drama, this film develops strongly resonant themes before transforming into a marauding zombie thriller. Steven Pierce directs the film with a sharp sense of both the settings and relationships, which pulls the audience in further. It's a fresh approach that brings new ideas to the genre, highlighting the drama and grisliness while making pointed commentary about people who would rather fight than help each other... FULL REVIEW >

The Moor
dir Chris Cronin; with Sophia La Porta, David Edward-Robertson 23/UK ***

With an earthy, documentary style, this often unnerving thriller revisits a missing-children case through the eyes of people who have a lingering connection to it. Although the film is far too long, director Chris Cronin has a terrific sense of the English countryside, mixing wide-scale landscapes and gritty handheld urgency. So while the pacing is a bit choppy, the vivid central characters add a strong emotional kick... FULL REVIEW >

Transmission

dir-scr Mike Hurst; with Vernon Wells, Dave Sheridan 23/US ***.
This ambitious horror film uses a range of pastiche styles to tell a story that's created by channel-hopping through TV broadcasts. Writer-director Michael Hurst infuses everything with the same B-movie production values as the films and programmes within the film. Each element has a strong kick, and the way they combine is fiendishly clever. But there isn't space for character depth as everything circles around an overall narrative.

Pandemonium
dir-scr Quarxx; with Hugo Dillon, Arben Bajraktaraj 23/Fr ***.
Essentially three shorts woven together thematically, this relentlessly grisly and devastatingly bleak movie explores the afterlife through the eyes of three people whose sins have condemned them. Yes, it's all very catholic in its take on right and wrong, and French writer-director Quarxx wallows in this simplistic morality while having a lot of fun with elaborate sets, makeup and gore. It's also expertly shot, edited and acted... FULL REVIEW >

Reviews of these and other films will be linked at SHADOWS' FRIGHTFEST page.

For details, FRIGHTFEST >

FrightFest: Get me out of here

The 24th FrightFest kicked off in London last night, and runs over the long weekend with a programme of scary movies for genre fans. There's a wide range of films in the programme, and as usual I'll see as many as I possibly can. Horror is my favourite genre, simply because they are so hard to make well. If a movie can actually scare me (rather than jolt me with a loud noise or sudden edit), I'm in! Here are some highlights from Friday...

The Dive
dir Maximilian Erlenwein; with Sophie Lowe, Louisa Krause 23/Ger ***.
Filmed on location in Malta, this tightly contained thriller plays out almost in real time as two sisters fight for survival. With engulfing underwater cinematography, director-cowriter Maximilian Erlenwein avoids distractions, resisting adding something menacing like a hungry shark. Instead, the narrative expands to evoke the history between these siblings, adding some melodramatic touches to a series of frantic life-saving efforts that continually take our breath away ...FULL REVIEW >

What You Wish For
dir-scr Nicholas Tomnay; with Nick Stahl, Tamsin Topolski 23/US ****
Beautifully filmed in a lush corner of Colombia, this thriller starts out loose and relaxed before writer-director Nicholas Tomnay begins turning the screws. This starts with a skilfully orchestrated moment of silent horror, which spirals quietly into something chillingly nasty set against the contrast between the haves and the have-nots. Moral questions swirl throughout this film, so the narrative becomes startlingly involving as the events twist and turn.

It Lives Inside
dir-scr Bishal Dutta; with Megan Suri, Mohana Krishnan 23/US ***.
After a moody-nasty prolog sets the tone, this film cleverly shifts into the usual story about a social-media obsessed American teen. But everything is tinged by the characters' Indian heritage, which is linked to the horror that's unleashed. Writer-director Bishal Dutta tells the story skilfully, keeping the people and settings grounded while indulging in flurries of hyperactive movie grisliness. And the chaos escalates steadily to an outrageously nasty finale... FULL REVIEW >

New Life
dir-scr John Rosman; with Sonya Walger, Hayley Erin 23/US ****
Intriguing and enigmatic, this increasingly nasty thriller creates a tense situation long before any plot details begin to fill in the picture. Central themes connect to the process of starting over, while the plot becomes more intensely horrific in an eerily real-world sort of way. With slick, visual style, writer-director John Rosman skilfully keeps everything grounded, which makes the bonkers craziness and excellent makeup work that much more effective.

That's a Wrap
dir Marcel Walz; with Cerina Vincent, Monique T Parent 23/US **.
So meta that it's virtually a pastiche, this horror comedy continually references both scary movies and the moviemaking process itself. Director Marcel Walz keeps things moving, but the uneven pacing reveals the inexperience of the cast and crew. Still, the idea is strong enough to sustain the film through its rather long rough patches. As does the mix of witty red herrings, and a playful use of expectations.

The Weird Kidz
dir-scr Zach Passero; with Ellar Coltrane, Tess Passero 23/US ***.
Using an inventive and distinctly handmade animation style, writer-director Zach Passero spent eight years creating this witty horror comedy. With an amusing collection of teen characters, it's a pastiche of 1980s monster movies. A steady stream of hilarious banter and rude gags will appeal to the 12-year-old within most viewers. And the story takes some genuinely scary turns along the way, with moments that are tense and violent.

Reviews of these and other films will be linked at SHADOWS' FRIGHTFEST page when possible. 

For details, FRIGHTFEST >

Critical Week: Take a bow

Back to the movies in London after a week in the theatre in Edinburgh, and things are rather busy. Festival season is impending, with both Venice and Toronto kicking off very soon. But before that, FrightFest will hit London over this coming long weekend, so I'll be hoping some movies can scare me. And I'll be venting about them here. As for regular releases, this week I finally caught up with the hilarious mock-doc Theater Camp, starring Ben Platt, Molly Gordon and Noah Galvin. It's smart and silly, and theatre nerds will adore it. I had to see Blue Beetle in a regular cinema, as I missed the press screening, and I really enjoyed its more character and family-based approach to superhero nonsense. Ira Sachs turned up for a terrific Q&A following a screening of his latest film Passages, which is unapologetic, provocative and hugely powerful.

BEST OUT THIS WEEK:
Fremont • Afire
Scrapper • Theater Camp
REVIEWS >

Another Sundance favourite, Scrapper stars Harris Dickinson opposite force-of-nature newcomer Lola Campbell in a scruffy, fresh British drama. John Travolta and a gritty cast lend some weight to the otherwise familiar crime thriller Mob Land. Even more familiar, the Aussie drama The Red Shoes: Next Step doesn't contain a single original moment, but it's comfy and watchable, and there are some lovely dance scenes. Warrior King is a strikingly visual Chinese animated epic that kind of rushes through a complex Tibetan legend. And Max Ophul's 1950 classic La Ronde has been restored gorgeously as part of the campaign to save the Curzon Mayfair Cinema. I'd never seen it, and it's wonderful.

In addition to all of the FrightFest titles, this coming week I'll be watching Denzel Washington in The Equalizer 3, the festival favourite Past Lives, acclaimed anime The First Slam Dunk, Jennifer Reeder's horror Perpetrator and a restoration of Powell & Pressburger's I Know Where I'm Going.

Fringe: The Baron and the Junk Dealer - Sophie Zucker

The Baron and the Junk Dealer ★★★★
written and performed by Connor Ratliff, Griffin Newman
Assembly Roxy, Downstairs • Fringe, Aug.23

What looks like a wacky space adventure is actually a rather dark, dramatic parable about George Lucas' epic business deal with Disney. Although neither of those are mentioned by name, and the script is careful to avoid any direct references as it tells the story of two oddballs who are stranded on a desolate planet together. Their interaction is funny and sometimes silly, but it also plays out with a serious edge as both characters grapple with their mortality and identity, struggling with past actions and deeper motivations. Throwaway gags keep us laughing, but despite the premise this is not a comedy.

In turbulent times on a planet that's neither recent nor nearby, a cargo ship has crash-landed, and the only survivors are a majestically dressed Baron (Ratliff) and a blue elephant-nosed Junk Dealer (Newman). Both were fugitives who stowed away on the ship, so they are nervous about sending a message requesting a rescue, making up fake names and claiming to have been kidnapped by slavers. These two grifters, one wealthy and the other poor, speak to each other warily, trading jokes, insults and flirtation. The banter between them is entertaining, leading to knowing conversations that reveal deeper things about each of these men. The Junk Dealer is having nightmares about his past, while the Baron regrets a business deal that jeopardised his family. And when a rescue pod floats by, they must find out whether they can trust each other.

With matter-of-fact dialog and deadpan performances, this show is entertaining in an unusually brainy way, carried on the offhanded but fully invested work of both actors. Along the way, there's a reminder that it's important to use humour to lighten a tense situation, but try not to get mean. Work harder to be funnier; it's about craftsmanship. And there is also a remarkably astute depiction of how vulnerability helps establish trust. In the end, this is an ode to storytelling itself, noting that whether or not there is hope, it's important to live in the moment. All of us are living our own narratives, and the ending hasn't been written yet.

For details, CONNOR RATLIFF >  GRIFFIN NEWMAN >

16.Aug.23

Sophie Sucks Face ★★★★
Sophie Zucker
Underbelly Bristo Square, Dexter • Fringe, Aug.23

With her chirpy delivery and mischievous attitude, Zucker makes funerals hilarious with this skilfully written collection of songs and standup. She's recounting a story that's remarkably raw, and her offbeat combination of gleeful naughtiness and earthy vulnerability wins us over. So while this is a story about the deep ramifications of love and lust, some of which is rather inappropriate, it plays out with impeccable comic timing, musical talent and a gift for spotting absurdities in the more serious aspects of life.

It opens at her grandfather's funeral in Brooklyn, as Zucker describes chatting to colourful members of her extended Jewish family. Having had moderate acting success, including a small role in a Marvel movie, she feels like the star here, and wants to impress and seduce everyone. Then she spots her second cousin Yoni from Israel, who has grown into a towering hunk. And suddenly seduction is the only thing on her mind, leading to a make-out session even though she has her beloved boyfriend Max waiting back home in Los Angeles. What follows is a moral tug of war as Sophie tries to rationalise her desires and actions, complicated when she returns for her grandmother's funeral and faces Yoni again, this time in a sexy bodysuit and boots.

"It's not cheating if it's just gross," Zucker sings in one of her big numbers, bouncy tunes that are belted with a Broadway-caliber voice and amusing choreography. She knows her obsessive thoughts about Yoni are meaningless, a diversion from the serious feelings she has for Max, and watching her grapple with these issues is funny because she's acting like an out-of-control teen, and also moving because she knows it. All of this is also entangled with her ethnicity, including pointedly witty observations that carefully walk a fine line through the minefields of Judaism, the Holocaust and Palestine. But she's relentlessly open and honest, so even her more outrageous comments reflect something deeper. And in the final number, her raw authenticity is powerful.

For details, SOPHIE ZUCKER >

16.Aug.23

Full information at EDINBURGH FRINGE >

~~~~~~~ ~~ ~~~ ~~~~
C R I T I C A L   W E E K

Obviously, I haven't been watching movies this past week, so I have some catching up to do now. Screenings this coming week include the comedy Theater Camp and the restored classic La Ronde, plus Harris Dickinson in Scrapper, John Travolta in Mob Land, the animated fantasy Warrior King, the sequel to the classic, The Red Shoes: The Next One. And FrightFest is coming too...