Month: September 2016

Captain Fantastic

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14/09/16

The ‘Captain’ of the title is Ben (Viggo Mortenson) a former hippie who now lives off grid in the wilds of North America with his six children. There, he drills them in a hard and uncompromising lifestyle, equal parts physical exercise, reading quality literature and discussing philosophy. Living in homemade tipis, the kids hunt deer, make music and wait for their mother to return from the hospital. She’s been there for several months, suffering from a bipolar disorder.

But then some terrible news arrives. She isn’t coming back. In the grip of depression, she has committed suicide. Of course, there must be a funeral, so Ben loads the kids onto his trusty bus, “Steve”, and heads for civilization. But what will Ben’s kids make of the ‘real’ world? How will they ever interact with kids whose idea of ‘the wild’ is based entirely on what they’ve seen in violent  video games.

This is an appealing, engaging film, wittily scripted by writer/director Matt Ross, and Viggo Mortenson excels in the lead role. Much of the humour here comes from the culture-clash between Ben’s feral offspring and the more sedate family members they encounter who cannot grasp what Ben has been doing with them. His major adversary is his father-in-law, Jack (Frank Langella) who clearly thinks he’s a prize asshole – which to some degree, he probably is, refusing to compromise on any of his dearly-held beliefs, even when he discovers that his eldest boy, Bo (a delightful performance from George MacKay), secretly longs to go to university, where he can experience something that he hasn’t merely read about in books.

If there’s a criticism, it’s that the family’s wild lifestyle is perhaps too romanticised. Occasionally, their day-to-day existence resembles an improbable Eden, where the worst thing they can encounter is scratching themselves on a rock. But that’s a minor niggle – on the whole, this is hugely entertaining from start to finish. It’s probably worth the price of admission, just for the scene where Bo plights his troth to a teenage girl he meets on a campsite, working from ideas he’s encountered in classic fiction, while Ben’s oration at his late wife’s funeral is another toe-curling highlight.

Catch this before it escapes back into the wilds.

4.2 stars

Philip Caveney

Anthropoid

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11/09/16

Based on the true story of the WWII Operation Anthropoid mission to assassinate Nazi third-in-command Reinhard Heydrich, this is a hard-hitting film, which offers very little respite from the bleakness it portrays. It’s unflinching, forcing its audience to confront the awful brutality of war, the vile atrocities we commit in the name of patriotism or fear. And it’s quite difficult to watch.

It’s 1942; Jan Kubis (Jamie Dornan) and Josef Gabcik (Cillian Murphy) have been tasked  with assassinating the Nazi leader of the protectorate, both to reassert the legitimacy of the exiled Czechoslovakian government, and as retribution for his harsh rule. Heydrich (who was also in charge of the so-called Final Solution) was clearly a hateful man, and this film focuses firmly on the victims’ experience; the Nazis are portrayed as a terrifying mass, with nothing to differentiate between them; they are uniformly evil. And that’s fair enough, I think; that’s how they would have appeared. I don’t imagine the people whose countries they occupied cared much about individual German soldiers’ situations, nor how propaganda and forced-conscription would have swelled the Nazi ranks. This film belongs to Jan and Josef, and the courage they and their tiny band of resistance fighters showed in taking on such a mighty foe.

The first half is slow and meticulous, focusing on the minutiae of living secretly and planning. Their developing relationships with Maria (Charlotte le Bon) and Lenka (Anna Geislerová) are subtly told, and the sense of imminent threat is ever present.

Once the assassination attempt is under way, the pace picks up, and the tension is unbearable. Indeed, the final battle is a fast-paced, relentless shoot-out, a bloodbath of the most ugly kind. No punches are pulled here. We see bullets rip through flesh. We see people being tortured until they lose all sense of who they are. But, ultimately, this is a tale of hope. Yes, human beings do terrible things. We can’t deny it. But other, better human beings will always try to bring them down. And, sometimes, they will succeed.

4.4 stars

Susan Singfield

Don’t Breathe

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Three disaffected youths, living in Detroit, (remind me to cross that off my list of potential holiday destinations), set out to rob the home of an elderly man rumoured to be in possession of a lot of cash. The youths in question are Rocky, (Jane Levy) who dreams of taking her little sister to California, the repellent Money (Daniel Zovatto) and the slightly more sympathetic, Alex (Dylan Minette), clearly along for the ride mainly because of his unspoken affection for Rocky. Getting in is a piece of cake, since Alex’s old man is a security guard who holds keys to various local properties – but once there, it quickly  becomes apparent that this time, the trio have picked on the wrong house. It’s owned by ex-army vet ‘The Blind Man’ (Stephen Lang) who is nowhere near as vulnerable as his name might suggest.

As you can appreciate, you’re not exactly rooting for the main protagonists, so it’s to writer/director Fede Alvaraz’s credit that he manages to generate levels of almost unbearable tension throughout proceedings, as the luckless trio stumble around in the dark pursued by their seemingly superhuman ‘victim,’ unearthing several unexpected twists in the process. The Blind Man also owns one of the most terrifying dogs ever committed to the big screen – even the most devoted canine-lovers are going to flinch when he puts in an appearance.

Okay, so events do stumble on a little too long, even at a pacey one hour, twenty eight minutes, and there’s an unfortunate incident with a turkey baster that definitely leaves a bad taste in the mouth – but if the object of this exercise is to push an audience to the limit, Don’t Breathe largely succeeds in its humble ambitions. I left the cinema with my fingernails well and truly chewed.

4 stars

Philip Caveney

 

Sausage Party

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08/09/16

In the colourful cartoon world created by Seth Rogen, Jonah Hill (and, it should be said,  a whole bunch of other writers), the edible inhabitants of Shopwell’s supermarket have created a convenient myth for themselves – that when they are ‘chosen’ by shoppers, they embark on a journey to The Great Beyond, a paradise where they will be forever happy with their perfect partners. Frank (Seth Rogen) is one member of a pack of frankfurter sausages who longs to be lustily united with Brenda (Kristen Wiig) a shapely hot dog bun. (You’ll already have gathered that the minds behind this concoction are not reaching for anything too intellectual.) When a jar of honey-mustard is returned by a shopper (because he wasn’t quite honey and he wasn’t quite mustard), he terrorises the other inhabitants of the store  with nightmarish tales of what he has witnessed – food being horribly tortured and mutilated before being devoured by humans – which sets Frank off on a convoluted quest to discover the truth about the Great Beyond.

Okay, so Sausage Party is an allegory about religion and the lies that people are prepared to swallow in order to make their existence tolerable – and, to be fair, there are a few clever scenes dotted throughout this film that hint at just how good it might have been if a little more thought had gone into it; but, unfortunately, such scenes are brutally nixed by the barrage of appalling racial, sexual and gender stereotypes to which the plot continually returns. It’s a case of one step forward, two steps back. No sooner have you enjoyed, for instance, the quite clever parody of Saving Private Ryan, than the script is offering some clumsy interplay between a Jewish bagel and a Middle Eastern lavash (that’s Armenian unleavened flatbread, in case you were wondering) that seems purely designed to offend religious sensibilities with its supposedly funny, lascivious er… climax.

Look, this was never going to be a masterpiece – it’s clearly something that’s been put together based on the ramblings of a couple of stoners (‘Hey man, imagine if this food we’re about to eat could talk!’) and, all things considered, it’s surprising that the end result is as watchable as it is. Those who enjoy their humour rude and obvious will doubtless laugh along with this – but its ambitions rarely take it any higher than a snake’s belly – and what can you honestly expect of a film that features a villain that is… quite literally, a douchebag?

And be warned. The central premise of this movie could easily encourage an eating disorder. This is a public service announcement. You have been warned.

3 stars

Philip Caveney

Swallows and Amazons

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08/09/16

Although I was (indeed, still am) a voracious reader, I never read Swallows and Amazons as a child. I remember a copy of it on a school bookshelf, but it clearly wasn’t alluring enough to make me reach for it. I did see the rather marvellous Bristol Old Vic/Children’s Touring Partnership stage adaptation a few years ago, so I’m familiar with the story, and keen to see how it’s played here.

It’s a Thursday afternoon, so the kids are all back in school; today’s sparse audience is well and truly grown up. Which seems a little unfortunate as it gets going, because this is definitely a children’s film, with little of the crossover appeal of the stage production. Nostalgia, I suppose, is what draws these adults in and, even though this is clearly directed at younger viewers, it’s really a delight to watch.

Okay, so it’s a world bathed in a golden glow. Father might be away at war, and Uncle Jim(Rafe Spall) might be at risk from the Russian agents sent to capture him, but we’re soaking up the sunshine with the children, building dens and playing pirates. Life’s not too bad – even when there’s a war- provided you’re rich enough to go away for the whole summer, and your parents are liberal enough to let you camp out alone for days.

But it’s easy to mock the privileged lives depicted in so much children’s fiction from bygone days. And actually, in this film at least, there’s plenty that’s universal(ish): the difficulties of growing up and negotiating the awkward stage between child and adulthood; the sheer injustice of being disbelieved; the burning desire to be successful, and the pride that comes from knowing that you’re fighting for something that’s ‘right.’

The Swallows are the Walkers: John (Dane Hughes),Susan (Orla Hill), the controversially renamed Tatty (Teddie-Rose Malleson-Allen), and Roger (Bobby McCulloch). With their mother (Kelly Macdonald), they have come to spend the summer with Mr and Mrs Jackson (Harry Enfield and Jessica Hynes). The Amazons are local kids, Nancy and Peggy Blackett, and they’re outraged at the Walkers’ claim to ‘their’ island. The Swallows and Amazons declare war, but their friendly fight is in stark contrast to the battles being fought by Uncle Jim, as he tries to expose the dastardly Russian plans he has purloined. The children’s bravery, however, is real and their games teach them teamwork and resilience; in the end, of course, it’s only they who can save the day.

The cinematography is lush, all rolling hills and gorgeous landscapes, the verdant copses idyllic and sublime. And the baddies are scary enough to keep children enthralled. A worthwhile family film, I think… what a shame there are no children here too see it.

4 stars

Susan Singfield

Morgan

06/09/16

Morgan is a sci-fi thriller with a difference: this one passes the Bechdel test. And it’s really rather good.

Morgan (Anya Taylor-Joy) is a bioengineered life-form, an experiment in artificial intelligence. But her creators have become too emotionally attached, and are unable to treat her as anything less than human. When she attacks Dr Grieff (Jennifer Jason Leigh in a disappointingly small role), risk-management consultant Lee Weathers (Kate Mara) is sent in to sort things out. But the odds are stacked against her: Morgan might be dangerous and out of control, but the scientists are on her side.

Okay, so there are some issues. Let’s face it, credulity is stretched at times; it requires a gigantic leap of faith to believe that a being – however special – can jump into a car and drive it without ever having seen one before. And how does Morgan know, just by looking at him, that Dr Shapiro (Paul Giamatti) is married and has two kids? I’m happy to believe in the fi part of the sci, but it’s better when the ‘magic’ is explained convincingly. In addition, there’s a definite slump in the second half, when all the slice-and-dice stuff kicks in.

But overall, this is a lot of fun. Mara and Taylor-Joy are worthy adversaries, both wonderfully kick-ass and convincing in their roles. Paul Giamatti is as compelling as ever, and Rose Leslie (as Dr Menser) adds a quirky naivety to the tale. And the payoff is worth the wait.

Worth watching. So catch it while you can.

4 stars

Susan Singfield

 

 

The Scran & Scallie

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05/08/16

Stockbridge, Edinburgh

We’re all familiar with the term ‘gastro-pub.’ Sadly, we’re also familiar with the soggy -lasagna-soup-in-a basket standard of fare that generally masquerades as superior pub dining. So welcome to the Scran & Scallie, a joint enterprise between Tom Kitchin and Dominic Jack, that genuinly deserves that gastro-pub tag. Situated on a quiet road in Stockbridge, the place has a relaxed feel, the staff are friendly and, for those on a budget, there’s a daily set lunch menu at £15 a head for three courses.

Today, however, was a day for pushing the proverbial boat out, so we opted to go a la carte. Service takes long enough to persuade you that dishes really are being made to order. A basket of crusty bread and butter kept us going while we waited. I started with smoked trout and potato salad, the flakes of trout cooked to perfection, the potatoes just al dente enough, the light dressing perfectly judged. Susan went for a heritage tomato salad, with black olives & consommé, deliciously light and intensely flavoured. Beside me, our companion announced that he was enjoying his chicken liver parfait & pickled cabbage, served with a couple of pieces of crunchy toast.

For the main course, two of us opted for the steak pie, which sounded alluring and looked quite majestic when it arrived, the light-as-a-feather canopy of pastry supported by a great big chunk of marrow bone, packed with a rich salty filling. There’s a portion of chips, chunky, crispy, exactly as good chips should be; and I chose a side of roasted new potatoes with chorizo, which made an inspired addition to the already intense flavour of the succulent meat. Our companion, ever the individual, went for beef sausage & mash, which arrived looking as though it had been designed primarily to illustrate what such a dish should look like – thick, juicy sausages, smooth-as-you-like spuds and a caramelised onion gravy. The only oddity here was the inclusion  of a couple of hefty-looking onion rings; they were  nicely cooked, lightly battered, the onion within still crispy. Perfectly tasty, but did it really belong on this dish? I’m not sure, but hey, it’s a minor niggle.

Be warned, the portions at The Scran  are best described as ‘hearty,’ so be prepared for that belly-slapping, contented feeling you only ever get when everything is exactly as you want it and there’s plenty of it. We were so full, in fact, we very nearly convinced ourselves that we couldn’t possibly bring ourselves to order a pudding, but then we saw the menu and decided to sacrifice everything for our art.

So there was a delightfully light sticky toffee pudding, drenched in a sweet sauce and served with a scoop of vanilla ice cream; and a vanilla cheesecake with Scottish raspberries, the cheesecake rich, smooth and flavoursome, perfectly contrasted with the acidity of those fresh raspberries. Yum.

Okay, so TS&S lacks the finesse of say, Castle Terrace, but then, that’s entirely the point. This is superior quality nosh, artfully cooked, nicely presented in a relaxed environment where you can happily enjoy a pint with your food. And it’s excellent. Apart from those onion rings, I couldn’t fault this, not one mouthful of it. If you’re in Edinburgh, looking for a memorable meal without the pretensions, this should be your first port of call.

5 stars

Philip Caveney

The 9th Life of Louis Drax

 

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03/08/16

Helmed by horror maestro Alexandre Aja (but far more restrained than we’ve come to expect from him), this strange, complex and intriguing movie is essentially the story of a boy in a coma.

Louis Drax (Aiden Longworth) is accident-prone and has suffered a series of disasters throughout his short life. The most recent one, a plunge from a cliff top whilst on a picnic with his parents, is the most serious yet. Though by all rights the fall should have killed him, he’s somehow clinging on to life – and having some very disturbing dreams while he’s at it. Coma specialist Dr Allen Pascal (Jamie Dornan) is called in to provide help, though his attentions seem to be more focused on Louis’s mother, Natalie (Sarah Gadon), who soon has the good doctor catering to her every whim. But how did Louis come to fall from that cliff? Could it be that he was actually pushed by his father, Peter (Aaron Paul), who has now gone missing?

At first, this plays like a straightforward psychological mystery, but Max Minghella’s screenplay, based on Liz Jensen’s novel, is intent on drawing in all manner of genre elements, so much so that the film sometimes seems to be bursting at the seams trying to contain them. Not everything here works (there’s an uneasy undertone of misogyny at times, and the portrayal of mental illness is problematic too), but it still fields more original ideas than your average Hollywood movie and the parts that do work are very good indeed. I particularly liked the fact that Longworth’s titular hero is about a million miles away from your usual adorable uber-poppet. He’s actually a bit of a twat, sneering and posturing and treating every adult he encounters with utter contempt – yet we’re still rooting for him, hoping he awakes to enjoy a longer life.

The 9th Life of Louis Drax will keep you hooked and guessing right up to the very end, and there’s also the bonus of some absolutely ravishing cinematography along the way. But I think it’s safe to say that this won’t be everybody’s cup of haemoglobin.

4 stars

Philip Caveney

 

David Brent: Life On The Road

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01/09/16

We’re uncharacteristically late to this party. As reviewers at the Edinburgh Festival,  we really didn’t have much opportunity to make it to the cinema during August, so we caught this just as it was ending its run at the local multiplex.

One thing is for sure. After the laughter-free zone that was Special Correspondents, and the misfires of Derek and Life Is Short, Ricky Gervais is knocking on the door of Last Chance Saloon. And most of the reviews we’ve seen so far have been decidedly hostile, so our expectations are low. So it’s heartening to report that Life On The Road isn’t half as bad as it’s been painted up to be; and while it might not be as funny as The Office, it’s still loaded with scenes of extreme pathos and toe-curling embarrassment in equal measure.

Brent is no longer a leader of men. These days he’s a lowly salesperson for cleaning product company, Lavichem, and is mostly despised and openly derided by his fellow workers. Worn down by the futility of his existence, he’s cashed in some pensions and is gambling it all on one last roll of the dice, putting together a new version of his old band, Foregone Conclusion and embarking on a mini tour of the back end of nowhere. Perhaps in a bid for credibility with younger audiences, he’s also roped in young rapper, Dom (Doc Brown) for the ride, but, like the other musicians caught up in the experience, Dom is embarrassed even to be seen onstage with the man who has sunk his life savings into this doomed enterprise.

Gervais has written some decent songs for this, sprightly tunes that are beautifully undermined by appallingly well-meant-but-insensitive lyrics – Native American is a particular delight. Certain parts of the story (when, for instance, Brent talks about the nervous breakdown he suffered after leaving Wernham Hogg) are skilfully handled, tugging at the heartstrings more than the giggle-muscles, while other moments are so embarrassing it’s hard to watch. It’s a narrow line, but Gervais treads the right side of it here. Brent’s racism, for example, is perfectly observed: a squirming, ill-informed attempt at political correctness that creates the very problems Brent is anxious to avoid. It’s a comedy of awkwardness, and it’s excruciating to watch.

It really does feel like Gervais has redeemed himself with this; it will be interesting to see where he goes next.

4.2 stars

Philip Caveney