IN CINEMAS
LOVE SARAH
Hooray! Cinemas open this week and one of the first to get a long overdue release is Eliza Schroeder’s delicious feel good comedy.
Following a tragic accident, 19-year-old Clarissa (Shannon Tarbet) decides to join forces with her mother’s best friend Isabella (Shelly Conn) and eccentric grandmother Mimi (Celia Imrie) in order to continue her mother’s plan and open a bakery in Notting Hill near Portobello Road. These wonderful women are determined to achieve their goal despite a plethora of inevitable difficulties along the way…
It is an entirely female centred story until Rupert Penry Jones arrives on the scene as the gifted pastry chef. The characters are lovingly drawn by Jake Brunger and are even more lovingly brought to life by a luminous cast led by the inimitable Celia Imrie and fresh newcomer Shannon Tarbet.
There are no surprises here and the plot may be predictable, but this is simply good old-fashioned stuff like an Ealing comedy. Schroeder makes an assured feature film debut following a series of shorts and TV movies and delivers such likable film that is difficult to resist like the colourful pastries they serve at this attractive patisserie.
DIGITAL DOWNLOADS & DVD RELEASES
FINDING THE WAY BACK
Ben Affleck is highly effective as the flawed protagonist in Gavin O’Connor’s powerful sports drama. He plays Jack Cunningham a former basketball champion, who has now gone to seed living all alone and finding comfort in alcohol. But his life takes an unexpected turn when he is offered a job as a coach of the struggling basketball team at his former college. At first, he is reluctant to take the job at this catholic school but once he starts coaching the young players he soon realises how much he missed being part of the game…
O’ Connor keeps a firm hand in balancing the sports sequences with the dramatic and coaches a terrific performance from Affleck. A highly watchable film perfectly complimented by Rob Simonsen’s melodic score which wisely never sinks into sentimentality. (Premium VOD)
BLACK WATER: ABYSS
Andrew Traucki brings to the screen another intense survival adventure following his BLACK WATER from 2007. Now in the ABYSS he follows a group of friends on a caving expedition in Northern Australia, where they find themselves trapped deep underground after a tropical storm floods all the escape exits. And a hungry predator is disturbed in its natural habitat…
A strong opening where two Japanese tourists become fodder to the beast before Traucki introduces his protagonists- two couples ready for adventure. The premise is fun even though one of them is pregnant and another asthmatic, so having them eager to go deep underground in a claustrophobic environment stretches credibility. Still, an enjoyable, tense survival thriller and a welcome addition to the genre following last year’s CRAWL. (VOD)
IN HER HANDS
The story of Mathieu Malinski (Jules Benchetrit), an untamed youth, a petty thief and a spectacular music talent spotted by the National Music Conservatory’s director Pierre Geitner (Lambert Wilson) while playing piano at a Paris railway station. However, when Maliski gets arrested during a burglary he reluctantly agrees to do community service at the Conservatory…
An inspirational yet predictable film from Ludovic Bernard with decent performances from its eclectic cast and with a fine contribution from Kristin Scott Thomas as the “Countess”, whose tough methods of piano teaching at the conservatory encourages Mathieu to enter a national competition. It works beautifully in French, but I would not be surprised if Hollywood picks it up for a remake. (Curzon Home Cinema)
THE BEACH HOUSE
The third starring role of the ubiquitous Liana Liberato in the last couple of months, following TO THE STARS and BANANA SPLIT. In this intense eco-horror, she plays Emily, a chemistry student, who travels with her boyfriend Randall (Noah Le Gros) to his family’s beach house for an idyllic break. But the serenity of this deserted place is suddenly interrupted when they find out that an older couple friends of Randall’s estranged father is already there…
An impressive directorial debut from Jeffrey A. Brown, who wisely puts enough emphasis on atmosphere and in building up his characters before the environment begins to turn nasty. See it but do not touch those bad oysters! (Release on AMC’s Shudder)
SPACESHIP EARTH
A remarkable documentary about a group of adventurers who in 1991 volunteered to spend two years under quarantine inside a replica of the earth’s ecosystem. But the story begins 25 years earlier in San Francisco when free spirited artists and scientists came together for communal living and expeditions across the globe. The origins of the experiment inside Biosphere 2 – probably inspired by the 1972 sci fi classic SILENT RUNNING – started with these great visionaries who now talk about their experiences during those fruitful and exciting times.
A rewarding and intelligent experience! (Video On Demand from Dogwoof)
DREAMBUILDERS
This likable animation feature from Denmark is probably inspired by Pixar’s INSIDE OUT. It follows the story of Minna, a young girl who finds out she has the ability to control dreams and decides to use her newly found powers in order to teach her annoying stepsister a lesson…
It is a fun premise with inventive, colourful designs and quirky characters that will give much pleasure to younger children. (Cinema release)
THE FAIRY PRINCESS & THE UNICORN
The original title of this animated feature from Germany/Luxembourg is BAYALA: A MAGICAL ADVENTURE and in similar fashion to FROZEN it follows the story of two sisters. Surah and Sera are determined to save their country from destruction after Ophira, the evil shadow fairies’ queen steals all the dragon’s eggs…
It is an enjoyable fantasy with strong female characters ideal for little girls. (Cinema release)
George Savvides