FILM OF THE WEEK
THE INVITE
This perfectly crafted comedy is a remake of the 2020 Spanish film called THE PEOPLE UPSTAIRS (SENTIMENTAL) by Cesc Gay, which was adapted from his own stage play. Last year there was a South Korean version of the story also called THE PEOPLE UPSTAIRS and now this Hollywood remake is directed by Olivia Wilde, who also plays one of the leading characters.
It is scripted by Rashida Jones and Will McCormack, and the action is transferred to San Francisco where married couple Angela (Wilde) and Joe (Seth Rogen) are getting even more anxious and neurotic as their upstairs neighbours are about to arrive for dinner. Joe is reluctant to spend the night with Pina (Penelope Cruz) and Hawk (Edward Norton) – the new neighbours that keep them awake during the early hours of the day with their wild love making whereas Angela is keen to impress…
Wilde’s is a smart and elegant director and follows BOOKSMART and DON’T WORRY DARLING with this deliciously funny comedy. It is superbly scripted and edited with a perfect cast that relish the joyous dialogue. Cruz and Norton are on terrific form as the liberated couple who try to lure their uptight neighbours into an unforgettable night of no regrets. Even though this is a very contemporary affair it recalls sixties comedies like BOB & CAROL & TED & ALICE.
MY FATHER’S ISLAND
Vladimir De Fontenay’s deeply moving film follows the story of Roy (Woody Norman), a thirteen-year-old boy, who reluctantly agrees to spend a year with his estranged father Tom (Swann Arlaud) on a remote island in the far north. The compelling story is adapted from David Vann’s novel “Sukkwan Island” where the action is transferred from Alaska to Norway and boasts some remarkable locations in the deep freeze.
This is the kind of movie where you can smell and feel the scenery as well as the extreme conditions that its characters had to endure during filming. The performances are faultless and Norman, who started his career as a child actor in films like C’MON, C’MON and COBWEB, cements his reputation as one of the most exciting young actors working in cinema today. It is a sad, chilling film worth discovering!
SUPERGIRL in IMAX
This death of the superhero movies continues with another lukewarm adventure despite the inspired casting of Milly Alcock as Kara Zor-El aka Supergirl. Like Superman (David Corenswet), who makes a brief appearance here, Supergirl is also from Krypton but finds herself on earth following her planet’s destruction. Now she is forced by circumstances to join Ruthye (Eve Ridley), a young warrior also hungry for revenge and justice against the evil Krem (Matthias Schoenaerts)…
It is a simple premise but gets overcomplicated for no apparent reason. Still, director Craig Gillespie delivers the goods thanks to the winning presence of Alcock, whose performance feels more like FURIOSA in the MAD MAX franchise rather than a typical DC Comics’ heroine. It is enjoyable but instantly forgotten.
500 MILES
This touching and often very funny road movie follows the story of two brothers, who run away from their home in Sheffield to find their estranged grandfather (Bill Nighy) on Ireland’s West coast. It is a 500-mile journey and even though they hardly have any money in their pockets the young brothers are determined to reach their destination…
It is an exciting and deeply moving adventure with excellent performances particularly from the young actors. Nighy is as reliable as ever as the eccentric grandfather and so is Maisie Williams as the friendly young woman the boys encounter on their journey.
Malcolm Campbell’s well-crafted, unpredictable screenplay is adapted from Mark Lowery’s novel and is directed with sensitivity and style by Morgan Mathews. It is a ride well worth taking.
VIRGINIA WOOLF’S NIGHT AND DAY
Haley Bennett delivers a graceful performance as the passionate young protagonist in this engaging adaptation of Virginia Woolf’s 1919 novel. The action takes place in London and Cambridge in 1910 and follows the story of Katharine Hilbery, a highly intelligent young woman determined to use any means possible to study astrology in Cambridge even though no women are accepted in this stuffy institution. She is also a key member of the suffragette movement while her deeply conservative father (Timothy Spall) wants her to marry despite her objections…
It is a decent adaptation which works well thanks to the luminous presence of Bennett.
MINT
This eight-part television series is written and directed by Charlotte Regan, who sets the action in Scotland and follows the story of a crime family. The story is seen through the eyes of Shannon (Emma Laird), the young daughter who is searching for love amongst the increased violence around her.
Three generations of women are well represented here-her loyal mother Cat (Laura Fraser) and her fearless grandmother Ollie (Lindsay Duncan). Charotte Regan previously made the brilliant SCRAPPER and again she directs with style and imagination even though the series feels overextended and slow. (BBC iPlayer)
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