DIGGER
The eagerly awaited new film from the great Mexican auteur Alejandro Gonzalez Iñárritu, the man behind such modern classics as BIUTIFUL, BIRDMAN and THE REVENANT, is finally here. He provides Tom Cruise with a role to die for where he plays Digger Rockwell, a ruthless billionaire oil tycoon whose very first entrance suggests Orson Welles’ CITIZEN KANE even though his Digger is unlike any other megalomaniacs you’ve seen before. Following a major catastrophic environmental crisis caused by his company, Digger becomes determined to prove the whole world wrong by saving humanity…
This majestic piece of filmmaking boasts an unpredictable plot the kind that the less one knows about its development the better. There are plenty of surprises and twists that will keep you gobsmacked until the final credits. Iñárritu is a great visionary director, and his highly original project is blessed with striking sets and operatic designs. It has echoes of Stanley Kubrick’s DR STRANGELOVE and Cruise, like he has already proved in MAGNOLIA and TROPIC THUNDER, is a great character actor and excels here relishing the rich dialogue and opportunity to shine in the most unexpected places.
The eclectic supporting cast includes the ubiquitous Sandra Huller as Digger’s temperamental sister, Riz Ahmed as his loyal environmental expert, and John Goodman as the unhinged president. This is one of the cinematic events of the year filmed in glorious VistaVision and to be experienced on the largest screen possible!
EXTRA GEOGRAPHY
Television director Molly Manners makes an impressive feature film debut with this likable movie based on Rose Tremain’s short story. It takes place in an English girl’s boarding school and its action follows Flic (Marni Duggan) and Minna (Galaxie Clear), two inseparable teenage girls desperate to get a part in the school production of “A Midsummer Night’s Dream” so that they get closer to boys…
It is beautifully observed and feels authentic and real thanks to the winning chemistry between the young and promising protagonists. Even though this is a totally different film their pairing reminds the success of Florence Pugh and Maisie Williams in Carol Morley’s THE FALLING. They get solid support from Alice Englert as their New Zealand teacher Miss Delavigne, who inspires the girls particularly Flic to develop an unexpected passion for Geography. There have been many stories set in girls’ schools, but this one manages to keep the story fresh and unpredictable.
VERITY
Michael Showwalter’s slick and stylish psychological thriller is based on Collen Hoover’s novel which follows the story of Lowen Ashleigh (Dakota Johnson), a struggling writer hired to complete a best-selling book series by celebrated author Verity Crawford (Anne Hathaway). Verity is unable to finish her writing following a serious accident and soon enough the ghost writer moves into the luxurious but remote Crawford house by the lake…
It is suitably intriguing and keeps the suspense going until the final moments. It works well thanks to the classy performances; Hathaway continues her successful year with another winning performance while Johnson makes a credible heroine who gets solid support from Verity’s husband Jeremy (Josh Hartnett). An attractive film well worth seeing.
CHILD
This is an urgent and deeply atmospheric thriller that will keep you on the edge of your seat. The main premise may be in similar fashion to the recent action movie RUNNER, but this is
an altogether different kind of movie. A quest for an organ to save a child leads the desperate parents into a horrifying nightmare especially after things go terribly wrong deep in the forest with the corrupt group selling the precious package…
It is Luxemburg’s Official Submission for next year’s Academy Awards and is superbly directed by Cyrus Neshvad who makes a remarkable feature film debut following his Oscar nominated short film THE RED SUITCASE. It is an eerie and totally unpredictable horror which marks the arrival of a major new talent.
THE WEIGHT
Ethan Hawke is always a reliable and highly watchable performer that never fails to deliver the goods; here he plays a Depression-era veteran desperate to be reunited with his daughter after he get imprisoned. His only hope is to accept a dangerous mission and smuggle gold across Oregon’s wilderness…
Director Padraig McKinley creates a believable Depression world where danger is lurking in every corner. Hawke make a persuasive hero while Russell Crowe in the officer in charge of the prisoners who initiates the mission. It is all good stuff but curiously it lacks suspense.
KNIFE: THE ATTEMPTED MURDER OF SALMAN RUSHDIE
Alex Gibney, the celebrated documentary filmmaker of TAXI TO THE DARK SIDE and ENRON: THE SMARTEST GUYS IN THE ROOM, brings to the screen another powerful film. It is inspired by Salman Rushdie’s memoir which focuses on the author’s recovery following the harrowing attempt on his life in 2022. A lot of the material is shot by Rushdie’s visual artist wife Rachel Eliza Griffiths who manages to capture deeply personal moments as well as the devasting knife attack which happened during a public appearance.
Rushdie is a man of the world who never fears to talk or write about challenging and controversial issues but is also a positive force of nature despite his attempted murder. One of the most powerful documentaries currently on release!
LA FEMME INFIDELE
Claude Chabrol’ classic 1969 thriller is back in selected cinemas and at the BFI Southbank where it is screening as part of a complete retrospective of his work. The veteran director has been described as France’s answer to Alfred Hitchcock and this intense psychological thriller boasts a couple of shots with a particular emphasis on PSYCHO even though the story couldn’t be more different.
This is the kind of film that the less one knows about the plot the better – Stephane Audran, Chabrol’s wife and regular collaborator, is the eponymous heroine, a bourgeois wife suspected of infidelity. The acting is of the highest order and Chabrol’s cool, and vastly controlled direction is to be celebrated. See this brand-new restoration on the big screen where it belongs.
GIRLS LIKE GIRLS
Hayley Kiyoko turns her novel and popular music video into a hugely enjoyable feature with lovely performances from its young cast. Coley (Maya da Costa) is a confused teenager still grieving her mother’s death until she meets the free-spirited Sonya (Myra Molloy). It seems to be pure, innocent love at first sight but inevitably there are complications.
It is fresh, totally unpretentious and it celebrates young love. The young actors share a terrific chemistry and show a lot of promise for the future.
TAKE IT OR LEAVE IT
Dave Robinson’s neglected 1981 film about seven Camden friends before they become Madness is a real collector’s item. It was hardly screened when it was first made so now it is the time to enjoy this mocumentary where Suggs, Bedders, El Thommo, Chas Smash, Woody, Chrissy Boy and Barzo set out to take the music scene by storm.
It is an unpretentious piece of 80’s nostalgia where anything and everything is possible before the cynics came to town and disintegrated things to oblivion.
APRIL X
French director Michel K Parandi makes an uneven cinematic debut with this rather hollow sci-fi thriller which follows the story of twin siblings whose lives are torn apart when April (Lilly Krug) vanishes into thin air. Bax (Connor Storrie) enters a dark post-Soviet cityscape searching for her and is determined not to leave any stones unturned until he finds her…
So far so good; it boasts impressive visuals but overall, the style takes over substance and to be perfectly frank it never rings true. The twins have presence but the supporting cast in thinly drawn and verging on the stereotypical. Give this a miss!
Any feedback is welcome: georgesavvides@hotmail.co.uk