Film Reviews

FILM OF THE WEEK
CODA

Sian Heder’s deeply moving film arrives in cinemas and on Apple TV following its recent London premiere of the Sundance Film Festival, where it won the Award for Best Film. Heder writes and directs a passionate story about a CODA- Child of Deaf Parents. Ruby (Emilia Jones) is a seventeen-year-old, who spends most of her time interpreting for her deaf family- her parents (Marlee Matlin & Troy Katsur) and older brother (Daniel Durant). Every morning she helps her father and brother on their fishing boat before she goes to high school. Her contribution at home and at work is invaluable but after she joins the school’s choir, she begins to dream of extending her love for singing by applying to a prestigious music school…Following THE SOUND OF METAL here is another compelling film which highlights the power of sign language. Jones excels as the young protagonist torn between her loyalty to her family and her love for music. Matlin delivers her best performance since her Oscar triumph in CHILDREN OF A LESSER GOD and shares a tremendous chemistry with Katsur, as her mischievous husband who relishes the joys of being too extreme or explicit with his sign and body language. It will touch the hardest and coldest of souls!
FREE GUY

This enjoyable, crazy blockbuster is directed with manic energy by Shawn Levy, who tells the story of Guy (Ryan Reynolds), an enthusiastic bank teller who lives in an open world video game called Free City. He is content in his virtual world until his programmers decide to make changes…The premise initially recalls THE TRUMAN SHOW but as the film develops it enters the reality of TRON even though it loses its early promise to be a biting satire about virtual reality. Notorious scene stealer Jodie Comer fails to make an impact in her first Hollywood movie, but still, it is nice to see Ryan Reynolds continuing to send himself up!
NEW ORDER

I first saw Michal Franco’s remarkable movie at last October’s virtual London Film Festival and now seeing it again on the big screen I appreciated even more its cinematography and found the story even more brutal. The division between classes has never been more apparent- Upper class Marianne is having a lavish wedding of her dreams while unrest in the streets is building up to a dangerous crescendo. . .A mesmerising film from Mexico that demands attention from its very first scenes before the harrowing climactic sequence takes your breath away. An important film from a major filmmaker worth discovering!

WENDY

Benh Zeitlin demonstrated a deft hand in directing children in his award-winning film BEASTS OF THE SOUTHERN WILD a few years ago. He now takes the timeless story of Peter Pan and gives it a modern twist following Wendy’s adventures before she meets the lost boys in the wild. A lyrical piece of filmmaking superbly directed, acted, and photographed on a Caribbean Island, very much worth experiencing on the big screen.
MINAMATA
This project, based on true events, is clearly close to Johnny Depp’s heart- he produces and plays well renowned war photojournalist W. Eugene Smith, who during 1971 sets to the Japanese coastal city of Minamata determined to expose environmental pollution caused by Chisso Corporation. He begins an obsessive campaign along with many angry locals whose families had being poisoned by mercury following years of pollution…This powerful story is told with passion and anger against environmental pollution and is as topical and urgent as ever. Depp delivers a dedicated performance, well supported by an eclectic Japanese cast.
PAW PATROL: THE MOVIE
The loveable pups make an effortless cinematic leap with a strong opening which sets up the tone most beautifully. Their new assignment takes them to Adventure City when the corrupt Humdinger becomes Mayor. Meanwhile, one of pups must face his past demons and try to stand strong against this new challenge…It is fun and fast and provides good entertainment especially for younger children!

ESCHER-JOURNEY INTO INFINITY:

This amazing documentary, narrated by Steven Fry, explores the work and life of Dutch graphic artist M.C. Escher, whose ground-breaking sketches continue to play a major part in popular culture. His passion for infinity and his labyrinthine work are still influential and can be admired in movies like ALIEN and INCEPTION. Essential for art lovers!
PROFILE: Tamur Bekmambetov’s urgent film is inspired by the book “In the skin of a Jihadist” which tells the true story of a British journalist who poses as a young Muslim woman on social media to expose a terrorist recruiter…It is magnetic and powerful, building up to a nail biting climax.

BOYS FROM COUNTY HELL: A comedy horror from Ireland by writer/director Chris Baugh, who sets his action in a rural part of the country where a father and son along with fellow labourers accidentally awaken an ancient bloodthirsty vampire…It has its moments but not very memorable.
THE FEVER: This atmospheric Brazilian film is set in Manaus, an industrial city surrounded by the Amazon rainforest, and follows the story of Justino, a solitary man who works as a security guard at the port. He is a Desana native and now lives with his youngest daughter but begins to question his existence after he develops a fever…It is a poetic film with a strong lead performance worth seeing!
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