Scouts Guide to the Zombie Apocalypse
This was released a month or so ago, but has made a comeback at one of my local cinemas, but after I was the only person present at the showing I went to, I don’t think it will stick around long. That is a shame, as it really exceeded my expectations. Tye Sheridan (Ben), Logan Miller (Carter) and Joey Morgan (Augie) star as 3 teenage friends and scout members who have to save the day when zombies take over their small town.
Sure there are some problems with the film, such as unnecessary moments (Augie on the loo), a bit of tiresome laddish, sexist humour and it took a while to warm to the character of Carter. However, there are a number of real laugh out loud lines and some excellent scenes, including a great pre title sequence that ends with a hilarious pay off, and Ben saving himself with the help of a penis.
It all ends predictably but it is great fun along the way.
Rating: 7 out of 10
Sisters
Proof positive that you cannot just point a camera at funny people and make a funny film. Tina Fey and Amy Poehler star as the sisters who return to their childhood home when they find out that their parents are going to sell it. They decide to hold one last party, inviting their old school friends, only for it to go disastrously wrong.
I wanted to like this, but as one over extended joke after another fell flat, I began to find the sight of 2 middle-aged women trying to act like teenagers become more and more depressing. The party felt like it was never going to end, and I think I managed one smirk during the ridiculously long 2 hour running time.
Fey and Poehler give it their all to no avail as they are sunk by Paula Pell’s terrible script, and Maya Rudolph is particularly unfunny in a supporting role.
Avoid!
Rating: 2 out of 10
Hector
A triumph of low-budget British film making starring Peter Mullan as Hector McAdam, living on the streets after a breakdown following a tragic incident. Mullan has played a lot of psychos recently, so it is good to see this brilliant actor play the warm-hearted but testy Hector.
The opening hour is the best part of the film as Hector tries to travel south to reconnect with his family and meet old friends at a London shelter for the Christmas festivities. The scenes of endless motorways, late night petrol stations, services and the rain-swept streets are beautifully realised by director Jake Gavin and cinematographer David Raedeker. The depiction of life at the shelter does not feel quite so realistic, but that part is bolstered by an excellent performance from Sarah Solemani as Sara, the shelter manager. He own problems are subtly alluded to, and her final scene with Hector is low-key but really memorable.
What might seem a grim tale is up lifted by the various acts of kindness shown towards Hector on is travels. A late entry into the film of the year race.
Rating: 9 out of 10
Grandma
When the teenage Sage (Julia Garner) finds out she is pregnant, she is scared to go to her mother, so instead enlists the help of her Grandmother (Elle, Lily Tomlin) to raise the cash needed for her abortion that she has booked later in the day. Slightly episodic, as Elle encounters people from both her recent and distant past in the quest for the funds but very enjoyable thanks to a great turn by Tomlin as the irascible old lady. Sam Elliott is terrific in a small role as Elle’s ex husband too.
Sure to enrage large groups in America because of its pro-choice message and the fact that Tomlin plays a lesbian.
Rating: 7 out of 10
By the Sea
By the Sea has attracted a lot of bad reviews, some of them over harsh. I’d place it in the category of an ambitious failure. Brad Pitt and Angelia Jolie star as a married couple on holiday in France. He is Roland, an alcoholic author with serious writer’s block and she is Vanessa, a bored prescription pill guzzling ex dancer, and their marriage is on the rocks. However, when a honeymoon couple take the hotel room next to them, and Roland and Vanessa realise they can spy on them, their interest in each other may be about to be rekindled.
Set in the early 70’s, the film has a look of an arty Euro movie of that time, Gozo (standing in for France) looks great and there are good performances by Pitt and Niels Arestrup as the local bar owner.
However, there are serious flaws in the story – the reason for the marriage issues is too obvious and clichéd – and the script by Jolie is repetitive and clunky. Jolie clearly has no idea how to direct herself and she gives an inert performance, with her weird clown like face expressionless for most of the movie.
Rating: 5 out of 10
As well as cinema releases, there are two 2015 films that have been recently added to Netflix:
Good Kill
tells an extremely interesting story about drone pilots fighting the war on terror in the U.S. Ethan Hawke is great as the burnt out pilot battling with alcohol problems and a failing marriage. Those scenes with his wife are a little clichéd but the rest of the film is fresh and engrossing.
Rating: 8 out of 10
Mortdecai
was critically panned at the start of the year and was a box office failure. This tale of an aristocratic art deal getting involved in an international plot is not quite as bad as the reviews suggest. There is not enough there to sustain the story which really fizzles out in the last 20 minutes and Jonny Depp’s central performance becomes grating after a while, but there are some good lines and some of the support cast (Paul Bettany, Gwyneth Paltrow and Olivia Munn) are fun.
Rating: 4 out of 10
Also other 2015 releases available free for Amazon Prime members:
A Girl Walks Home Alone at Night
is a strange, hypnotic Iranian film about a mysterious female vampire well-played by Sheila Vand. Beautifully shot in black and white by Lyle Vincent with an effectively creepy soundtrack by Johnny Jewel, this is a slow-moving but involving gem.
Rating: 8 out of 10
A film with a similar feel is
The Falling
Set in the late 60’s at an all girls school, a number of the pupils start experiencing strange fainting episodes shortly after a tragedy occurs. Criticised by many for not providing any answers, I found that added to the generally unsettling feeling of the movie. Superbly directed by Carol Morley, a special mention also needs to be given to Chris Wyatt’s inventive editing and Tracey Thorn’s music. I’ve seen a lot of comparisons to Picnic at Hanging Rock, which I understand, but I was reminded more of the Cement Garden, with the age of the cast and the incest sub plot. All the cast are good, especially Maisie Williams as Lydia, the first girl affected by the strange condition.
Rating: 8 out of 10
Wild Tales
You don’t see many portmanteau movies these days, but this Argentinian effort proved to be a great success, nabbing a best foreign film Oscar nomination at the start of the year. Inevitably, some of the stories work better than others, with a road rage tale, third in, the most successful. I also liked a story about one man’s reaction to his car being towed. Unfortunately the wedding tale at the end dragged a bit. Always interesting, but overpraised, it felt like a few episodes of Tales of the Unexpected with better production values tacked together to me.
Rating: 6 out of 10
Much derided at its time of release,
The Gunman
turned out to be a pleasant surprise. A decent story line, with some good action set pieces and convincing performances from Sean Penn and Mark Rylance made this an unexpected pleasure. However, whilst the story of a former mercenary struggling to stay alive gripped, the sub plot of a love triangle was a bit of a damp squib and Javier Bardem’s attempts at acting drunk were laughable.
Rating: 7 out of 10