FILM OF THE WEEK
THE EIGHT MOUNTAINS
An epic film about friendship that spans through decades is the main theme of Felix van Groeningen and Charlotte Vandermeersch Jury Prize winner of last year’s Cannes Film Festival. This Belgian duo is a married couple and previously worked together on the tremendous THE BROKEN CIRCLE BREAKDOWN, in which Charlotte collaborated on the screenplay, before Felix’s brief flirtation with Hollywood with BEAUTIFUL BOY. When Pietro first meets Bruno during his summer holidays at their country house on a remote mountain village, he immediately forms an unlikely bond with this fearless boy. Pietro is an awkward teenager while Bruno seems to be able to do anything which impresses even Pietro’s parents. But as the years pass by, Pietro (Luca Marinelli) attempts on many occasions to leave the city life behind so he can spend more quality time with his free-spirited friend (Alessandro Borghi) on the mountains…
It is a touching lyrical film superbly photographed by the director’s regular cinematographer Ruben Impens, who effortlessly captures the grand beauty of the vast landscape. The acting is of the highest order – the friends are played by three sets of actors and finally by Borhgi and Marinelli – two of Italy’s hottest actors. A strikingly beautiful film to be experienced on the big screen!
BOOK CLUB – THE NEXT CHAPTER
The original BOOK CLUB was a lukewarm affair which saw the four protagonists have life changing experiences after reading “50 Shades of Grey”. Thankfully that’s all in the past and now the four best friends, Diane (Diane Keaton), Vivian (Jane Fonda), Carol (Mary Steenburgen) and Sharon (Candice Bergen), take their book club – even though they hardly read or discuss a book, not even a tourist guide – for a trip to Italy…
It is enjoyable thanks to a saucy script and the luminous presence of its leading ladies They’re clearly having a lot of fun working together and their enjoyment is highly infectious. Their striking presence makes even the thinnest of scripts highly watchable. Perfect for a rain afternoon or after a few drinks!
GUARDIANS OF THE GALAXY VOL 3 in 3D IMAX
James Gunn, the original writer/director of this successful marvel franchise returns for one last adventure – or so he says. Peter Quill (Chris Pratt), even though he is still brooding over the loss of Gamora (Zoe Saldana), joins forces with his team of misfits to defend the universe…
This is one of the better recent Marvel fantasy adventures despite the overfamiliar premise. It is good to see the action centred around the adorable Rocket (Voice by Bradley Cooper) as all the regulars are prepared to put their lives on the line to rescue their friend. The subplot may feel tired during the middle, but it is worth seeing for its ground-breaking 3D special effects preferably experienced on the giant IMAX screen.
STILL
A heartfelt and deeply moving documentary on the life of one of the most popular actors of his generation. Michael J Fox was at the peak of his career when at the tender age of 28, he was diagnosed with Parkinson’s disease. Still, he continued to work and managed to hide his predicament for another seven years.
This brilliant film is accompanied by a series of clips from his movies, with interviews even with man himself and with more recent footage at home with his loving family. It is sad and compelling, and it will stay long in the memory. (Apple TV+)
BRAINWASHED
Feminist pioneer Nina Menkes offers a brilliant analysis on how Hollywood has objectified women throughout the years via their camera lens. Her expert theories are accompanied with clips from 175 films. Her selection includes films like RAGGING BULL, where not only the lens but also the recorded sound is engineered and manipulated towards the “male gaze”, a term first used in 1973 by Laura Mulvey.
It you haven’t already seen Chantal Akerman’s masterwork JEANNE DIELMAN, try and catch it before you see this essential documentary as the clip selected here shows the climactic twist at the end of the movie.
MARLOWE
Liam Neeson is well cast as the eponymous hero in Neil Jordan’s eagerly awaited, yet deeply disappointing film noir crime thriller. Even the ace cast including Jessica Lange and Diane Kruger as a mother daughter femme fatale duo and Danny Houston as a slimy villain, can’t rescue this otherwise dull film. William Monahan’ script based on John Neville’s novel “The Black-Eyed Blonde” follows the story of private detective Philip Marlowe after he gets hired by a glamorous heiress to find her missing ex-lover…
All the ingredients are here to make a perfect film noir but sadly it lacks thrills and suspense. Still, there is the winning chemistry between Jessica with her ROB ROY leading man, and their scenes together are a real joy but not enough to save the day. (Sky Cinema)
AIR
A hand-picked cast, including the man himself, appear in Ben Affleck’s latest project which is based on true events. His old friend Matt Damon plays Sonny Vaccaro, a smart Nike executive while Affleck is the pompous Nike co-founder Phil Knight. The time is 1984 and at the Oregon-based Nike headquarters, Sonny is on a mission to recruit rising basketball star Richard Jordan for their new shoe campaign and the rest as they say is history…
Excellent performances and brilliant production values bring the eighties back to life (Amazon Prime)
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