170. Crip Camp; - A Disability Revolution; movie review

 

 

CRIP CAMP - A DISABILITY REVOLUTION

Cert 12A

107 mins

BBFC advice: Contains infrequent strong language, moderate sex references

Crip Camp - A Disability Revolution made me wonder whether I had missed a huge opportunity.

A few years ago, I offered work experience to a prospective young journalist who had quite severe cerebral palsy.

He was accompanied by a facilitator/carer and stayed with us for a week and inquired about another one.

We had such demand for work experience that I didn't think it was fair that he had preferential treatment but Crip Camp showed me how inspired it would have been to have given him a greater chance and possibly add a different dimension to our team.

James Lebrecht and Nicole Newnham's film begins with a eulogy to a holiday scheme for disabled young people in the early 70s and then uses this as a springboard to highlight the fight for equal rights.

Lebrecht was a 15-year-old who attended Camp Jened which was run by hippies and was aimed at teenagers with the whole gamut of disabilities.

They suddenly had the freedom to do what they wanted to do and were encouraged to do so.

Offering myriad games, art and inadvertently romance, Camp Jened gave them the confidence to go forward and, sure enough, that is exactly what they did.

Crip (I hate writing that word) Camp has footage from the time, demonstrating the inclusivity of the many activities.

It then moves on to the fierce campaigning by many of those who had been at the camp to demand changes in the law surrounding access for disabled people to mainstream schools and then wider institutions.

The ingenuity and determination of their battle would be admirable even if they didn't have physical barriers.

Among the leaders was Judy Heumann who is now an internationally recognised leader in the disability community.

Judy saw that the civil rights movement applied just as keenly to disabled people as it did towards ethnic minorities and was relentless in fighting their corner.

She is interviewed at length and appears to have mellowed since her days of leading one of the most effective pressure groups America has ever seen.

While she was far from alone, she encapsulates the spirit of the time. United they were never going to be defeated.

That is what makes this such a tremendously uplifting film.

Reasons to watch: Uplifting and illuminating

Reasons to avoid: Arguments are repeated

Laughs: None

Jumps: None

Vomit: None

Nudity: None

Overall rating: 8.5/10

Did you know? It was not until 1990 that the Americans with Disabilities Act was passed, legally prohibiting discrimination on account of disability, and mandating disability access in all buildings and public areas

The final word. Nicole Newnham: 'We want people to see that it is possible to change things and make the world a better place for everyone.  This film shows that a small committed group of people can make a huge difference. We need to ask ourselves, when this is over, how will we rebuild the society that we want to see?" Slate

169. Hillbilly Elegy; movie review

 

 

HILLBILLY ELEGY

Cert 15

116 mins

BBFC advice: Contains suicide references, language, drug misuse, violence

This is now becoming a trend - films which include great performances but don't achieve big marks in the overall analysis.

Glenn Close and Amy Adams are superb as mother and daughter as part of a struggling Ohio family in Ron Howard's Hillbilly Elegy.

Adams' character slides into drug addiction and leans on her son, JD (Owen Asztalos), to pull her out of the mire consistently from an early age. 

Now the boy had grown into a man (Gabriel Basso) but he faces a familiar problem when he learns his mum has overdosed on heroin... just as he is setting up interviews for a vital internship.

Howard's movie is an adaptation of JD Vance's autobiography and is told in the present day, flashing back to his childhood.

It reflects on difficult times as a youngster when he was pushed from pillar to post and got into trouble along the way.

The latter was inevitable because of the poor example set by all of the foul-mouthed irresponsible adults around him.

Frighteningly, this was much more typically American than much of the picket-fence gloss with which we are often presented.

These are the disenfranchised people who turned to Trump when he offered them the lowest common denominator.

Vance, with the encouragement of his wizened grandmother (Close) tried to break out of the cycle but finds himself dragged back in by the needs of his ungrateful mother.

Unfortunately, I suspect that this story is played out far too many times across America where the establishment seems to have given up on the impoverished and, in turn, they contribute little to society.

Indeed, their moral compass, as in the case of Vance's mother, appears to be completely askew.

I was left wondering what she made of the film and being portrayed as so self-centred and wasted. It must have been a considerable risk by her son who is one of the film's executive producers.

Her part is expertly played by Adams and her mother is given even more gusto by the unrecognisable Close but I struggled to feel the love for Hillbilly Elegy.

It may have reflected real-life with a keen eye but it doesn't give us any clue as to what has caused the defeatism of a whole strand of society.

Reasons to watch: A different side to America

Reasons to avoid: Remorselessly downbeat

Laughs: None

Jumps: None

Vomit: None

Nudity: None

Overall rating: 7.5/10

Did you know? When Hillbilly Elegy debuted in the summer of 2016, no one expected it to be such a massive success. HarperCollins, the book’s publisher, ran an initial 10,000 copies hit number one on the New York Times hardcover non-fiction bestseller list at the end of August. Since its publication, it has appeared on that list 74 times and, according to HarperCollins, has sold three million copies. 

The final word. Amy Adams: "I think the themes of this movie are very universal. Whether it be generational trauma, whether it be just examining where we come from to understand where we’re going and who we are. I think the universality of the themes of the movie far transcends politics.” Indie Wire

 

168. Homeward (Evge); movie review

 

 

HOMEWARD (EVGE)

Cert TBA

96 mins

BBFC advice: TBA

The world has always been a tough place - but for some people it has historically been much harder than for others.

For example, the Crimean Tartars have faced mass deportation, persecution from people from other backgrounds and seen their lands occupied.

Most recently, their isolation stems from siding with Ukraine in its conflict against Russia.

Inevitably this has culminated with tragedies such as that highlighted in Homeward - of Nazim, killed while on the frontline.

His father Mustafa (Akhtem Seitablayev) and his college-aged son, Alim (Remzi Bilyalov) have set out to a morgue in Kiev to recover his body but returning him to the Crimea proves to be fraught.

Although Nazim had been living in Kiev with his wife, Oleysa (Dariya Barihashvili), Mustafa is insistent that his son is given a traditional Muslim burial beside his mother’s grave in what he considers home.

This intransigence turns out to be typical of Mustafa who is not only miserable but also has a fiery temper which is mainly aimed at his living son who is his travelling companion over the days-long pilgrimage.

Along the way, they face many obstacles, not least of which is Nazim's decomposing body and Alim's difficulties in accepting his father’s determination to uphold tradition at all costs. 

However, the challenges encourage the pair to better understand each other and profoundly impacts their relationship.

Nariman Aliev's film is a revelation on a number of levels.

Firstly, he highlights what it must be like to be a member of a community which has been pushed from pillar to post, left fighting wars for others.

Then there is a question of how traditions have been eroded to the point that the younger people no longer even care about them.

This is a battle for culture, language and history which is being lost.

The performances of all of the cast but especially Seitablayev and Bilyalov add authenticity to scenarios which would be alien to those of us who don't live among such people.

Their plight and the film was enthralling and enlightening.

Reasons to watch: Lifts a veil on a little-known war

Reasons to avoid: Needs a bit of background knowledge

Laughs: None

Jumps: None

Vomit: Yes

Nudity: Yes

Overall rating: 8/10

Did you know? Almost immediately after the retaking of Crimea from Axis forces, in May 1944, the USSR State Defense Committee ordered the deportation of all of the Crimean Tatars from Crimea, including the families of Crimean Tatars serving in the Soviet Army. The deportees were transported in trains and boxcars to Central Asia, primarily to Uzbekistan. The Crimean Tatars lost 18 to 46 percent of their population as a result of the deportation, according to various estimates.

The final word. Nariman Aliev: "It is important for me to show the real Crimean Tatars, with all the advantages and disadvantages, as the perception of them remains very generalized and stereotyped, even in Ukraine. Quite often, people abroad don’t realize such a nation even exists."

167. The United States vs Billie Holiday; movie review

 

THE UNITED STATES VS. BILLIE HOLIDAY

Cert 15

130 mins

BBFC advice: TBA

Why have the American authorities been consistently so afraid of people of colour?

After a week of watching the trial of George Floyd's killer in Minnesota, we were agog at The United States vs Billie Holiday.

This is the true story of how the singer was hounded to her death by detectives just because she sang a song about a lynching.

Holiday had witnessed the horror and her ode to it, Strange Fruit, was later inducted into the Rock And Roll Hall of Fame - sadly, long after she had passed.

Andra Day gives a remarkable performance as the singer who came from a deprived and depraved background, was exploited by unscrupulous men, dogged by drink and drunk addiction and yet could sing like nobody has before or since.

All of the above contributed to her being headstrong and simultaneously vulnerable.

Her actions during Lee Daniels' movie give the impression of someone who is at least borderline bipolar.

One minute she is literally the life and soul of the party, the next she is seething with anger and the next at the pit of depression.

The pressure on her is unbelievable and unbearable, led by the racist head of the Federal Bureau of Narcotics, Harry Anslinger (Garrett Hedlund).

He uses black agent Jimmy Fletcher (Trevante Rhodes) to follow her around but the latter is conflicted between his duty and admiration or even love for the singer.

Meanwhile, she has an entourage who, rather than keep her on the straight and narrow, cave into her every whim, particularly for doing drugs.

And then there are the husbands/managers who squeezed her for every penny while combining sex with beatings.

Somehow between this trauma and the politics of being denied the cabaret card needed by all performers, she sings like an angel.

Yes, even while intoxicated on drink or drugs! And Day mimics Holiday's voice quite beautifully.

So, while her persecution and bad behaviour are very much part of the story, it is her unique voice which will never be forgotten - and, thankfully, during this excellent film, stands out above all other noise.

Reasons to watch: Stunning performance by Andra Day

Reasons to avoid: Lasts a tad too long

Laughs: None

Jumps: None

Vomit: Yes

Nudity: Yes

Overall rating: 9/10

Did you know? Billie Holiday was the first black woman to work with a white orchestra when she paired with clarinettist, composer and bandleader Artie Shaw in 1938.

The final word. Andra Day: "I love Billie Holiday. I’m a big fan. I really, really love this woman and I love Diana Ross and her performance in “Lady Sings the Blues” and I just think she’s sort of a monstrous talent and what she gave us culturally was amazing and necessary. Audra McDonald on Broadway was also incredible and I think that I just have this idea in my mind that I would be the one stain that everybody was like, “Oh, man, remember when Andra Day tried to be Billie Holiday?” Gold Derby

 

Indie Showcase: Miles Morales: Ultimate Spider-Man 🕷 (4K) 2021

One of the best things about the world of comic books and their superheroes is the inspiration it provides to other artists. In the case of the Spider-Man universe, the same inspiration resulted in a very impressive fan-made movie. It's called  Miles Morales: Ultimate Spider-Man and it shows just how amazing a work of passion and dedication can be.

In the universe of Spider-Man, Miles Morales is one of the individuals who take on the role of the famous superhero. This happens right after Peter Parker dies. From that moment, Miles brings another perspective to the Ultimate Marvel setting. This is due in part to the fact that he is a child of a Puerto Rican mother and Black American father. Now, the genesis of the same interesting characters is precisely what this fan movie showcases.

Made by BlackHawk Productions and directed by Jerdarius Collier, the film quickly sets up and frames the story as an action story but with a distinctly human touch. This includes a dynamic heist scene, as well as several fight scenes in the first third of the film. All this happens along with Miles slowly becoming Spider-Man in the environment of New Orleans, followed by all of the responsibilities and dangers this brings. The same even includes the always-iconic moment of a costume reveal.

Throughout the film, it is impressive to see solid cinematography (including excellently shot steadicam sequences), numerous actors (all of whom are convincing), but also many homages to comic books. These include comic book font panels, special effects, T-Shirts characters wear, and many other things as well.

Thanks to all of the elements that work on its side, Miles Morales: Ultimate Spider-Man is a must-watch for all comic book fans and especially this iconic comic book character. In less than half an hour, it manages both to entertain and captivate. Watch the entire film right here:

166. Promising Young Woman; movie review

 

PROMISING YOUNG WOMAN

Cert 15

113 mins

BBFC advice: Contains sexual violence, violence, drug misuse, language, sex references

First things first - Carey Mulligan was a superb choice to have played the lead role in Promising Young Woman.

There has been a long debate which even included whether she was attractive enough.

Well, firstly, she is but, secondly, she plays Cassie with the intelligence and strength which the part demands.

Cassie has gone through post-traumatic stress after the death of her best friend at medical college.

Her pal, Nina, was sexually abused by a group of young men when she was very drunk. It is never said how she died but it is implicit that she did not recover from the experience.

And neither did Cassie whose promising career was left in tatters after she withdrew from college and now struggles to hold down a menial job or have relationships with friends or family.

Her entire focus is centred on revenge and she does that by going to clubs, pretending she is legless and then taking retribution when men try to take sexual advantage.

She marks off each instance as if going through a catharsis but there is a sense that any satisfaction has long since dispersed.

It appears that she is unable to move on from her friend's tragedy and her belief that it was precipitated by a crime.

However, there is a spark in the shape of a former course colleague (Bo Burnham) - a rare nice guy who wants to date Cassie but is willing to take it slow, even when she tests him.

Director and writer Emerald Fennell has already given enough clues that this will not be a straightforward distraction but takes the audience in completely unexpected directions.

The combination of Fennell's script and Mulligan's expert execution has earned Promising Young Woman deserved Oscar nominations.

On top of that, it has encouraged debate surrounding men taking advantage of drunk women.

It makes me think of those many nights when we have come out of the cinema to see young people wearing next to nothing while falling about city-centre streets.

When I see them I fear terrible lapses of judgment from both genders are bound to follow.

However, as Fennell's movie makes clear - drunkenness and a short skirt is not the equivalent of consent.

Promising Young Woman is not only an original and clever thriller but its moral message is incredibly important.

Reasons to watch: Original, clever thriller

Reasons to avoid: Maybe a little bit too smart

Laughs: None

Jumps: One

Vomit: None

Nudity: None

Overall rating: 9/10

Did you know? The film's title is a reference to Brock Turner, a Stanford University student who was convicted of sexual assault in 2016. Despite his conviction, he was referred to by some as a "Promising Young Man."

The final word. Emerald Fennell: "“I wanted to write a movie that reflected this thing that we all grew up with, which was that getting girls drunk in order to ‘seduce them’ – seduce in inverted commas – was kind of normal. It was in every comedy and girls’ bodies were something to be won, almost by any means necessary. " Vogue

 

165. Sound Of Metal; movie review

 

 

SOUND OF METAL

Cert 15

120 mins

BBFC advice: Contains strong language, sex references

Last autumn Miss W's future mother-in-law was loading a delivery van when a car rolled down a gradient and smashed into her.

Over the next 48 hours, she had to agree for her leg to be amputated and her life changed forever.

She is an amazing woman and has turned incredible adversity on its head over the past six months.

Her story of facing life-changing loss came into my mind as we watched Riz Ahmed's character, Ruben, rapidly go deaf during Darius Marder's Sound Of Metal.

Ahmed gives a terrific performance as a drummer whose hearing disintegrates as he and his singer girlfriend (Olivia Cooke) are preparing for a tour.

The reformed drug addict is initially bewildered, then indignant and finally bursting with frustration at how he has been robbed of probably his most important faculty.

Sound Of Metal focuses on the physical and psychological effects on him as he initially believes he must tackle his devastation alone and then realises others are in the same boat.

Paul Raci plays the head of a centre for deaf people which doubles up as a summer camp for children with no hearing.

He helps teach Ruben harsh lessons to learn how to deal with his deafness and prevent him from falling back into addiction.

However, this is where Sound Of Metal courts controversy because it sets out a very clear stall against cochlear implants.

Thus, when Ruben seeks to restore his hearing, Raci's character, Joe, is implacably against it.

I have now learned that many in the deaf community have been resistant to cochlear implants.

They believe that deafness does not need to be “cured” and are proud of their culture - particularly sign language.

The movie goes further by trying to demonstrate that the implants don't work. I am not an expert on the subject but initial reading would suggest that this is not entirely fair.

Anyway, Sound Of Metal is a compelling movie, Ahmed's performance is certainly worthy of Oscar nomination. Meanwhile, the political debates will rumble on.

Reasons to watch: Riz Ahmed is superb

Reasons to avoid: Disability politics

Laughs: None

Jumps: None

Vomit: None

Nudity: None

Overall rating: 8/10

Did you know? Cochlear implants have a high success rate as a medical prosthesis because only less than 0.2% of recipients reject them. Adults often benefit immediately after the placement of the implant. The sound quality continues to improve for about 3 months after the initial tuning sessions.

The final word. Riz Ahmed: “(Sound of Metal) is a story of a guy who’s using his creative talent as an obsession to try and escape himself because he can’t sit with himself. And at the end of that project, I looked back and went: I’m not gonna do that anymore.” Men's Health

164. Borat Subsequent Moviefilm: movie review

 

 

BORAT SUBSEQUENT MOVIEFILM

Cert 15

120 mins

BBFC advice: Contains strong sex references, crude humour, discrimination, very strong language

How the heck do politicians get away with so much scandal nowadays?

Presidents and Prime Ministers have sex lives which would make brothel madames blush and walk away without a stain... on their characters.

Borat Subsequent Moviefilm almost literally bangs former New York Mayor and Donald Trump lawyer, Rudy Giuliani to rights - exposing him as a shameless old pervert.

And yet, despite obvious evidence to the contrary, he refutes any impropriety during that infamous bedroom scene in Jason Woliner's Borat Subsequent MovieFilm.

This satire, starring Sacha Baron Cohen takes a hard pop at American politics and almost literally climaxes on Giuliani's bed.

Once again Baron Cohen plays Borat, the politically incorrect journalist from Kazakhstan, which is portrayed as a country of extreme backwardness.

This is particularly true of its attitudes towards women who have no rights and are even kept in cages.

Inevitably, he manages to convince real-life Americans that this made-up culture is real and, in most cases even go along with it.

These deliberately engineered cultural misunderstandings are so over-the-top that it is inevitable that some will tickle the funny bone while others missed by a mile.

They are tested out by Borat's treatment of his daughter (Maria Bakalova) who he is determined to gift to a senior American official.

It could be argued that Bakalova is the surprise star of the film. Everyone knows about Borat's style but she grew into the movie so well that she has earned an Oscar nomination.

Yes, the Subsequent MovieFilm will shock, frustrate and prompt big belly laughs but I couldn't help thinking that Baron Cohen is just a little bit too smug and that there surely cannot be another movie in this character.

But bravo for nailing the ghastly Giuliani.

PS I know the film came out last year but, without cinema being open, it is so hard to track releases. I thought I ought to try to watch all Oscar nominees.

Reasons to watch: That Rudy Giuliani moment

Reasons to avoid: The bad taste wears thin

Laughs: Three 

Jumps: None

Vomit: None

Nudity: Drawings

Overall rating: 7/10

Did you know? Borat 2 set a new Guinness World Record for the longest title of any Oscar-nominated film in Academy history. Fully written, it is Borat Subsequent Moviefilm: Delivery of Prodigious Bribe to American Regime for Make Benefit Once Glorious Nation of Kazakhstan which has an impressive 110 characters.

The final word. Maria Bakalova: "I saw everything that you saw. If you saw the movie, that’s our message. We want everybody to see the movie and judge for themselves…"

163. Wild Mountain Thyme; movie review

 

 

WILD MOUNTAIN THYME

Cert 12A

104 mins

BBFC advice: Contains suicide references, moderate sex references

Ireland is a place of unfathomable beauty but, boy, it rains.

So, true to life, the camera of Wild Mountain Thyme drifts across the rolling fields, captures the nights of craic in the local boozer and gets very wet in the process.

Meanwhile, Emily Blunt is as alluring as the countryside.

John Patrick Shanley's adaptation of his own play stars Blunt as Rosemary Muldoon - the feisty farmer's daughter who is in love with her shy and clumsy neighbour, Anthony Riley (Jamie Dornan).

Christopher Walken plays the latter's father and narrates a gentle story of centuries-owned farms on the cusp of being passed to the next generation.

There is no doubt in the minds of Rosemary's mother (Dearbhla Molloy) that her land should pass to her more-than-capable, opinionated, pipe-smoking daughter.

However, Anthony's father, despite his son's hard work, is less sure, fearing that his lad, who he constantly belittles, is a begrudging farmer.

Therefore, he contacts his nephew (Jon Hamm) - a New York financier - to see if he would take over.

Wild Mountain Thyme has tall tales, the occasional song and a shy sweaty romance which will delight Blunt and Dornan fans.

It also has two particularly memorable scenes - a one to one in a basic country kitchen in which Dornan and Blunt spark off each other for many minutes.

And there is a conversation acted out by Walken and Dornan which brought a lump to my throat.

This is the second time in a week that I have found myself eulogising about a prim and proper romance and I couldn't help thinking how much it benefited from being restrained rather than showy.

Its most significant minus is Walken's dodgy Irish accent.

Reasons to watch: Accomplished performances by Blunt and Dornan

Reasons to avoid: Some will find it too slow

Laughs: None

Jumps: None

Vomit: None

Nudity: None

Overall rating: 7.5/10

Did you know? The lyrics and melody of the song Wild Mountain Thyme are a variant of "The Braes Of Balquhither" by Scottish poet Robert Tannahill (1774-1810), and Scottish composer Robert Archibald Smith (1780-1829), but were adapted by Belfast musician Francis McPeake (1885-1971) into "Wild Mountain Thyme" and first recorded by his family in the 1950s.

The final word. Jamie Dornan: "The words are so beautiful and they almost speak in verse to each other. I’ve never talked like that in a movie. As an actor, you’re looking for beautiful words to get to speak and that doesn’t always happen and sometimes you’re speaking words you really don’t want to speak. When an opportunity comes to speak words like that, that are so poetic, I jumped at the chance." Observer

162. Laddie - The Man Behind The Movies; movie review

 

 

LADDIE - THE MAN BEHIND THE MOVIES

Cert 12

84 mins

BBFC advice: Contains infrequent strong language, suicide, moderate sex references, bloody images

Once upon a time in Hollywood, there were men with whom the buck literally stopped.

They were the producers who said whether a movie turned from a filmmaker's concept into big-screen reality.

But one of these go-to guys was different - he didn't seek the limelight in the way that others did.

Indeed, Alan Ladd Jr. was such a quiet, unassuming man that people had to strain an ear to hear what he was saying.

Despite that, he was the man responsible for the financing of Star Wars and going out on a limb for George Lucas nearly cost him his job.

His daughter Amanda Ladd-Jones presents this thorough tribute to her dad which is a clear labour of love but doesn't gloss over his hard times.

Yes, there is plenty of glitz and glamour in Hollywood but there are also dark corners and many of those could be found in Laddie's early life when he was in the shadow of his movie-star father.

It is even revealed that having the same name was a burden rather than a help to him.

Through interviews with Lucas, Ridley Scott, Sigourney Weaver, Ben Affleck, Ron Howard, Morgan Freeman, Mel Brooks, Richard Donner, and more, Ladd-Jones endeavours to better understand him.

She traces his life from his childhood, through being an agent for such stars as Robert Redford to being producer of Star Wars and other huge hits such as  Alien, Blade Runner, Chariots Of Fire, Police Academy, Braveheart, The Omen, Thelma and Louise, Young Frankenstein and Gone Baby Gone.

The tributes to him are overwhelming because, in a world where most attention is paid to those who shout loudest, he is known for intelligence, kindness, and faith in talent.

Meanwhile, his own contributions to the documentary are typically understated.

It is a fascinating watch for anyone who is into the history of films and the processes of how they are made.

And it has the added dimension of being an uplifting family story.

Reasons to watch: Fascinating look behind Hollywood's veil

Reasons to avoid: Probably glows a little too much

Laughs: None

Jumps: None

Vomit: None

Nudity: None 

Overall rating: 8/10

Did you know? Alan Ladd jr. received the 2,348th star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame on Friday, September 28, 2007.

The final word. Amanda Ladd-Jones: "I made “Laddie” as a way of recognising my father because his uniquely quiet, self-effacing nature was the very reason his impact on modern cinema was virtually unknown outside of Hollywood. The film’s UK release is especially meaningful since, in many ways, this was where it all began. Though his career took off in Hollywood, it was his start in London that put him on that path."

161. Into The Labyrinth ( L'uomo del labirinto); movie review Donato Carrisi

 

 

INTO THE LABYRINTH (L'UOMO DEL LABIRINTO)

Cert 15

130 mins

BBFC advice: Contains strong bloody violence, threat, nudity, language, sexual threat

For the first time after watching more than 5,000 movies, I have just read an explanation of an ending.

And I am still none the wiser!

Of course, director Donato Carrisi would not be unique if he were attempting to be deliberately mysterious.

I spoke recently to a business client who had enjoyed Tenet because it allowed him to make his own mind up with what was going on.

I told him that I found it confusing and that I much prefer the loose ends of movies to be tied up.

Ditto Into The Labyrinth.

Nevertheless, it is worth immersing oneself if only to see Dustin Hoffman still sparkling in his 80s.

Hoffman plays a world-renowned psychologist who is interviewing a young woman (Valentina Bellè) who has escaped from her kidnapper after 15 years in captivity.

The case has long dogged a private investigator (Toni Servillo) who painstakingly turfs up clues to lead to the identity of the criminal.

He finds himself dragged into a surreal world of police incompetence, dodgy dealings in the church, a comic book expert and a man dressed as a rabbit.

There is no doubt that Into The Labyrinth is strange - the rabbit angle is most bizarre but is less distracting than might be expected because the film's overall intrigue dominates.

It is dark and weird and its plot needs expert execution and it gets it, thanks to its superb cast.

Hoffman makes a wonderful cross between therapist and investigator, pressing the buttons of his subject just at the right time.

Servillo takes his place among the classic private eyes, obdurately going about his job, caring little for his own safety because he has recently been diagnosed with a terminal condition.

Meanwhile, Bellè hits a perfect pitch as the young woman who is bewildered by her emergence from so long in the darkness.

However, as suggested, both Mrs W and I were frustrated rather than enamoured by its ending.

Reasons to watch: Intriguing plot and great acting

Reasons to avoid: Frustratingly confusing ending

Laughs: None

Jumps: None

Vomit: None

Nudity: Yes

Overall rating: 7.5/10

Did you know? Dustin Hoffman was put in the Guinness Book of Records for the "Greatest Age Span Portrayed by a Movie Actor" in a film during 1970's Little Big Man. His character, Jack Crabb, ranged from age 17 to age 121.

The final word. Donato Carrisi: "When I saw the final cut for the first time, I was surprised: it was extremely colourful and nagged at my mind. Which is the thing that shocked me: the film hadn’t come out of my head: it was trying to get into my head. When you find yourself doing something that is really your own idea, and put it on the screen, you believe you are the creator of the whole thing and you can control the material. Instead, that same material suddenly takes control over you. I do hope audiences will have the same experience." Noir In Festival

160. Tom & Jerry The Movie; movie review

 

 

TOM & JERRY THE MOVIE

Cert PG 

98 mins

BBFC advice: Contains mild bad language, comic violence

During the 1960s, Mary Whitehouse's National Viewers' and Listeners' Association campaigned to have Tom & Jerry removed from the BBC because of their 'excessive violence'.

Their protests against the animated cat and mouse fell on deaf ears because their seven-minute cartoons continued to be a staple of our childhood.

Nowadays, it is equally hard to conjure with the concept of cartoon shorts on mainstream television as it is with them being offensive to anyone.

So impervious have we become to violence that seeing Tom go splat on a pavement after falling several storeys is about as shocking as Mary Berry baking a loaf of bread.

And that is probably why Tom & Jerry The Movie doesn't capture the imagination as much as it might once have done.

Tim Story's picture has a convoluted script which is merely a platform to show the pair getting into trouble because of their love/hate relationship.

It stars Chloe Grace Moretz as a young woman who has sought her fortune in New York but is struggling to find meaningful work.

But she has a quick patter and manages to convince the manager (Rob Delaney) of a fancy hotel to give her a job ahead of a very high-profile wedding.

His decision is much to the dismay of the hotel's events manager (Michael Peña) who senses that she might not be all she says she is.

Therefore, one of the first jobs he gives her is to find the mouse, aka Jerry, who is causing chaos in the hotel's kitchen.

Thus, she hires Tom, not knowing of their previous form for mayhem.

As said, the plot is irrelevant because the fans simply want a cartoon caper with maximum destruction and that is exactly what they get.

So, it's slapstick all the way with a Bedknobs and Broomsticks-style real-life/animation mix.

The problem is that Tom & Jerry haven't passed the test of time and Moretz and Peña are reduced to over-acting.

Reasons to watch: Sparks a few childhood memories

Reasons to avoid: Tries too hard 

Laughs: None

Jumps: None

Vomit: None

Nudity: None

Overall rating: 5/10

Did you know? In their 1940 debut, Tom and Jerry were called Jasper and Jinx. Animator John Carr won $50 in a competition for coming up with the names Tom and Jerry.

The final word. Tim Story: "I constantly look at Tom and Jerry as family. I have a twin sister. No matter how many fights we got into we were always there when we needed each other. And to have that kind of message kind of resonate in the movie, at some point they do need to team up and save the day." That's It LA

159. I Blame Society; movie review

 

 

I BLAME SOCIETY

Cert 18

85 mins

BBFC advice: Contains strong bloody violence

I don't usually enjoy the type of humour portrayed by Gillian Wallace Horvat, gory horrors or low-budget found-footage-style movies.

And yet, while it will not go down as one of 2021's classics, I was quite taken with the zest and originality of I Blame Society.

Horvat takes what she knows - being a budding film-maker in Los Angeles - and taps into the idea that her attributes could make her a top-grade murderer.

This 'compliment' was given by two friends over drinks without them realising she might take them seriously.

Horvat plays herself as wanting to prove herself to peers who she perceives as doubting her ability to succeed in anything.

Therefore, her new project is creating a movie in which she demonstrates how to develop the perfect murder - of her best pal's odious girlfriend.

She begins by testing herself with minor shoplifting but her mind becomes twisted and obsessed with killing someone for real.

And once she begins, she just can't stop.

For me, the key to I Blame Society not being an instant turn-off is Horvat.

Yes, she plays someone who is unhinged, is incredibly self-centred and apparently impervious to anyone else's needs or desires.

She talks a heck of a lot, is not as funny as she intends to be and is not conventional Hollywood attractive.

Indeed, I can't quite put my finger on why I found her alluring - but I did. She reeled me in as if I were one of her on-screen victims.

Consequently, I was itching to see what she would do next to up the ante on her killing spree.

Indeed, I surprised myself in wanting to see more of her work.

Reasons to watch: Unusual and unexpectedly engaging

Reasons to avoid: Will be too quirky for many

Laughs: Smiles rather than laughs

Jumps: None

Vomit: Yes

Nudity: Yes

Overall rating: 6/10

Did you know? Gillian Wallace Horvat is 35 and a Los Angeles-based filmmaker, writer and film programmer. Her short, Kiss Kiss Fingerbang was awarded the Grand Jury Prize at the 2015 South by Southwest Film Festival. Her films have screened in festivals around the world including SXSW, Fantasia, Palm Springs International Short Film Festival, Maryland Film Festival and Yale University.

The final word. Gillian Wallace Horvat: “I was in a bar with a couple of friends a few years ago, and they gave me this compliment that I would make a good murderer." Seventh Row

158. Henry Glassie: Fieldwork; movie review

 

 

HENRY GLASSIE: FIELDWORK

Cert TBA

105 mins

BBFC advice: TBA

During the past decade, I have made a commitment to a couple of personal passion projects which take a substantial chunk out of my life.

Watching and reviewing thousands of films has demanded trips across the country as well as incalculable hours in cinemas.

My latest development is a review of golf courses which may well take Mrs W and me all over the world.

Some people have been complimentary about my dedication, others have simply told me that I am completely insane.

My labours of love, however, pale by comparison to those of Henry Glassie who has actually lived in foreign communities so he can write about their artistic traditions and folklores.

And I don't mean a few weeks immersed in each - I mean a few years.

For example, he lived in Northern Ireland at the height of The Troubles - not to write specifically about the conflict but more about how people continued to sing, dance and tell engaging stories.

Pat Collins has created a portrait of Glassie who is America's pre-eminent folklorist and ethnologist and is now 80 but speaks with sharpness and insight which belie his age.

When Glassie is on screen, the documentary is particularly engaging - especially his anecdotes about his time in a remote mountain village in Turkey and in Northern Ireland.

However, much of the movie is given over to artists from Brazil to England, carrying out their work.

In all honesty, while they are clearly brilliant at what they do, five-minute videos of sculptors, potters, metal-workers etc are not especially fascinating because they have no explanation.

That is a pity - because Glassie could have provided a comprehensive description of what is being shown. 

After all, that is what he has done in books for nearly 50 years. 

I felt a bit deprived despite extending my knowledge by hearing about his career between shots of the artists.

Reasons to watch: Some great artwork

Reasons to avoid: Quite academic

Laughs: None

Jumps: None

Vomit: None

Nudity: None

Overall rating: 6/10

Did you know? Henry Glassie received a Guggenheim Fellowship in 1972. He is also a former president of the American Folklore Society and the Vernacular Architecture Forum. Glassie is married to fellow folklorist Pravina Shukla, clothing and adornment specialist, and has four children and four grandchildren.

The final word. Pat Collins: "Glassie is one of the most articulate and thought-provoking people I've ever met. His engagement with his material and with the artists he stands with, and his philosophical outlook, were all things that spoke to me directly."

157. Effie Gray; movie review

 

 

EFFIE GRAY

Cert 12

104 mins

BBFC advice: Contains moderate sex references

I have to admit I am longing to sit in a cinema and indulge in a packet of M & Ms and a period drama.

Yep, much of what we have taken for granted has disappeared over the past year.

But cinemas are back in May and their re-emergence will surely see the clipped tones and flowing dresses return.

Effie Gray was a movie which I would have enjoyed more on the big screen but still fell for its cross between genteel and brutal while watching at home.

It is based on the true story of the marriage of nineteen-year-old Effie (Dakota Fanning) to esteemed art critic John Ruskin (Greg Wise) who was twice her age.

Ruskin is cold and distant and mollycoddled by his wealthy parents (David Suchet and Julie Walters).

The young Effie is thrilled to be marrying into such a well-known family but it immediately becomes clear that she is not prepared for the monotony of upper-class life.

Her woes are multiplied by her husband being strangely repelled by her sexually and, consequently, refusing to consummate their union.

I am not sure why I didn't see Effie Gray when it was first released in 2014 but I am pleased to have caught with it now.

Fanning has now appeared in more than 50 movies but was already showing great maturity before reaching 20, eliciting empathy from an audience as her character tried to preserve her sanity.

She lured me completely on to Effie's side as she is neglected and shunned by her husband and her health subsides due to the strain of the crumbling relationship.

She is left with two ways out - potentially sully her name with a relationship (she certainly has contenders for her affection) or take a more complicated route.

Meanwhile, Wise plays an impressive dead bat as her cruel husband and his real-life wife, Emma Thompson, the film's writer is splendidly vibrant as Lady Eastlake, an outspoken aristocrat who is on the young bride's side.

And Walters has great fun as the meanest of mothers-in-law.

Effie Gray would not usually be my bag because it is a bit too polite but I warmed to Richard Laxton's picture which captured the sensibilities of the period and benefited from a great cast.

If you didn't see it the first time around, I recommend catching it now.

Reasons to watch: Engaging period drama

Reasons to avoid: Annoying twee at times

Laughs: None

Jumps: None

Vomit: None

Nudity: None

Overall rating: 8/10

Did you know? After her unconsummated marriage to John Ruskin, Effie Gray had eight children with the painter John Millais.

The final word. Dakota Fanning: "It's a story that most people don't know about. It's hard to believe that it is true. You see a very strong woman who has a lot of determination." Daily Motion