Blumhouse’s Fantasy Island
I don’t suppose many of the target audience for this picture will remember the saccharine 1970s TV show that has inspired it. I guess why the name of the production company that has been synonymous with the horror genre has been clumsily added to the title. In fact, this odd combination of horror, teen comedy and revenge drama bears more of a resemblance to the pilot TV movie of 1977, rather than the series that followed, as it had a similar dark tone to it.

Here, a mysterious hotel owner, Mr Roarke (Michael Pena) invites a group of people to experience their ultimate fantasies on the island where his establishment has been built. But none of their fantasies pan out as expected, soon turning more and more nightmarish. Whilst the film lacks any sort of substance and the plot holes are huge, the action moves quickly enough from story to story to stop boredom setting in. Just as I was getting a little fed up with the antics of the irritating, overgrown frat boys Brax (Jimmy O Yang) and J.D (Ryan Hansen), the action moves to the more interesting Gwen (Maggie Q) or Melanie (Lucy Hale).

In the end there is probably one twist too many, and I’m not sure that the sequel that is determinedly set up will happen.

Available on the usual rental platforms.
Rating: 6.5 out of 10

How to Build a Girl
Caitlin Moran’s semi autobiographical story of her rapid rise from schoolgirl to music journalist has made it to a film that is available for free to Amazon Prime subscribers.

Beanie Feldstein stars as Johanna Morrigan, an unpopular, overweight sixteen year old living with her family in a council house in Wolverhampton in the 90s. She is an aspiring writer who enters a competition run by a music magazine by reviewing the Annie soundtrack. They invite her to their offices, believing it to be a wind up, but Johanna convinces them to let her review the up and coming Manic Street Preachers in Birmingham. As she starts to get more and more reviews published, Johanna reinvents herself as the outrageous read haired, top hat wearing Dolly Wilde and becomes a sensation.

This is an interesting counterpoint to the recent Kat and the Band with the main protagonist being a girl of a similar age, both achieving some sort of unlikely success in the music business. Despite moments of whimsy as the pictures on Johanna’s wall of her heroes (such as the Brontes, Dr Freud and Karl Marx) come to life, this is mostly a much more realistic depiction. For a time from the late 70s until the 90s, some music journalists were as famous as the bands they wrote about and the drunken destruction of 7 inch singles that they did not like by treating them like clay pigeons feels all too true.

However, the film lacks the warmth of Kat and the Band and despite an excellent supporting cast that includes Paddy Considine and Sarah Solemani as Johanna’s parents, the casting of a 26 year old American in the lead role doesn’t really work. Also, maybe it is because I was an NME reader, so was reading Danny Kelly, Danny Baker and Stephen Wells, rather than a Melody Maker (the paper that Moran wrote for, renamed DME here) fan, the depiction of all the other journalists as spoilt public schoolboys did not ring true.

A little frustrating, as every time the film felt like it was about to hit its stride, it fizzled out again. I’d recommend tracking down Moran’s TV series Raised by Wolves instead.
Rating: 6.5 out of 10

Greyhound
Written by and starring Tom Hanks, Greyhound would undoubtedly have done decent business in normal times. Instead it is now exclusively available to view on the new Apple TV service.

Hanks plays naval Captain Krause, who, in 1942 is given his first command, of the Destroyer U.S.S. Greyhound. His maiden mission is to escort a convoy taking troops and supplies across the Atlantic to Liverpool. In the area that neither the US or UK air cover can patrol, the convoy comes under attack by a group of U Boats.

After a very short preamble involving Krause and his girlfriend (Elisabeth Shue), we are plunged straight into the action. From that moment on, the pace does not relent as we barely leave Hanks’ side. The dialogue is fast paced and sounds authentic. The action is frenetic and heart stopping at times. I have seen some criticism of the CGI used for the ships but I barely noticed that they were not real.

It is only at the end that a little sentimentality is allowed, but Hanks and director Aaron Schneider earned it by delivering such a terrific movie.

Film of the week and one of the best of the year.
Rating: 9 out of 10

The Girl with a Bracelet
Based on an Argentinian film, The Accused, this French courtroom drama is available only on Curzon Home Cinema. 16 year old Lise Bataille (Melissa Guers) is arrested for the murder of her best friend. Two years later, she stands trial.

Interestingly, this is not a straightforward story of someone wrongly accused fighting for justice. Lise seems cold and distant, often not helping herself when being questioned. Whilst the evidence against her is pretty flimsy, her innocence is certainly not a given.

Director Stephane Demoustier keeps things on a low simmer with only one slightly out of place emotional speech as the proceedings reach a climax. Viewers familiar with UK courts and US ones from countless movies and TV shows may find some of the procedural elements jarring, wanting Lise’s lawyer to object as the main evidence against her appears to be her promiscuous lifestyle.

It did feel a little too downbeat at times, and there is a lag in interest as the case proceeds despite a quite short 95 minute running time. The performances of Guers and Roschdy Zem as her Dad are excellent throughout though.
Rating: 7.5 out of 10