Review Category: DVD/Blu Ray

Three prostitutes are found murdered in the exact same way over consecutive nights across three countries. With the discovery of a photograph that provides a connection, Interpol assembles an investigation team made up of officers from Denmark, Belgium and Germany to solve the crime. As the death toll rises, they find a web of deceit and corruption going back several years.

It’s likely we’ve all watched some Nordic Noir over the past few years. From Stieg Larsson’s original The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo and its sequels, to Henning Mankell’s Wallander, these largely procedural crime dramas have become a regular fixture on our television listings. The one you might not have seen, or possibly even heard of, though, is The Team. Originally screened in early 2015, and starring Lars Mikkelsen and Jasmin Gerat, this is a drama very much in the same vein as The Killing and all the others, but here you constantly feel there’s something missing.

With only eight episodes in the series, you would expect The Team to crackle and fizz a little more than it does. Of course, investigations take time, but here the officers seem to identify clues and uncover secrets extremely quickly, and then ponder on their findings for some time while drinking coffee. High-tech wizardry is used to identify culprits from their body size and way of moving, and yet little is then done with the information. You’re left wondering if this series could have been tied up in fewer episodes.

Some of the filling comes from the complicated personal lives of the officers, with Mikkelsen’s Harald haunted by past infidelities and Gerat’s Jackie troubled by an extremely unhappy marriage. Nothing is particularly deftly handled, with subtlety thrown out in favour of brutally obvious stereotypes and clichés; a lesbian here, an illegitimate child there and numerous affairs.

Yet despite the issues, The Team remains an entertaining few hours of television. True, the crime story itself takes too long to get going and there’s probably a little too much unnecessary foreshadowing, but overall the characters are engaging enough in the bleakness of their lives, and you do find yourself caring if they’re going to catch the bad guys or not. The series’ visual style is similar to its Nordic Noir cousins, with simple, stark colour palettes blending with the often-restrained natures of the characters.

If you’re a fan of the genre, then you will enjoy The Team. It follows the same guidelines and includes many of the same tropes, but does so just a little too much to distinguish itself. Enjoyable, but nothing more.

THE TEAM / CERT: 15 / DIRECTORS: KASPER GAARDSØE, KATHRINE WINDFELD / SCREENPLAY: MAI BROSTRØM, PETER THORSBOE / STARRING: LARS MIKKELSEN, JASIN GREAT, VEERLE BAETENS / RELEASE DATE: MARCH 6TH

 

Between 1974 and 1981, Agatha Christie appeared to be everywhere on the big-screen, with no fewer than four movies based on her source material, Murder On The Orient Express (1974), Death On The Nile (1978), The Mirror Crack’d (1980) and Evil Under The Sun (1981), given prestige releases in the UK, not to mention prime-time Christmas TV screenings.

 

With the imminent Autumn 2017 release of the remake of Murder On The Orient Express from 20th Century Fox (Kenneth Branagh co-produces with Ridley Scott, with Branagh as Poirot – and Daisy Ridley, who head a big-name cast), the Christie film vaults look like they will be raided once again for updated home entertainment releasse.

The Agatha Christie Movie Collection brings together three other adaptations of Christie’s, Witness For The Prosecution (1957), Ten Little Indians (1965) and Appointment With Death (1988).

Witness For The Prosecution showcases the legendary talents of Billy Wilder at the top of his game, thanks to sterling performances from Tyrone Power, Marlene Dietrich and Charles Laughton. Power is Leonard Vole, an American businessman accused of murdering a wealthy widow, who is brought to the attention of a barrister, Sir Wilfrid Roberts (Laughton). The film is at turns both noir-ish and witty, thanks overall to the magnificent performance of Laughton and the supporting role of Bride Of Frankenstein’s Elsa Lanchester as his nurse, Miss Plimsoll.

 

Ten Little Indians has been quoted by Sean Cunningham and John Carpenter as a template for Friday The 13th (1980) and The Thing (1982), in that they both tell of a group of people in isolated spots being killed one by one. A group of people of various professional backgrounds are brought to a remote snowbound mansion by a mysterious host who they never meet in the course of the story. As each become a victim, the mistrust and suspense grow (keep watching for a neat little audience moment towards the end of the film!).

 

Appointment with Death was the third film adaptation featuring Peter Ustinov as Hercule Poirot (after Death On the Nile and Evil Under The Sun) and may be of interest to Carrie Fisher fans seeking posthumous appreciation since her sad death late in 2016. Directed by Michael Winner, it features a rather over-emotional Piper Laurie playing a matriarch step-mother who orders her lawyer (David Soul), who has an affair with her daughter (Fisher), to burn a second will, much to the chagrin of her children who are aware that their dead father has requested the money be split between all of them as well as the mother. Poirot conveniently appears whilst on holiday and picks up the scent….

 

Of the three films, Witness For The Prosecution is the strongest, followed by Ten Little Indians. Appointment With Death suffers slightly in comparison through its Cannon credentials and is a little late in the day for its time (audiences had moved onto high concept ideas rather than all-star vehicles like the first examples mentioned. Still, it provides an entertaining 97 minutes.

 

If you have been a little turned off by the amount of TV Christie offerings, then The Agatha Christie Movie Collection might be the right tonic to reacquaint yourself with why Christie remains a much – sought after source of origin material for cinema.

 

THE AGATHA CHRISTIE MOVIE COLLECTION / CERT: TBC / DIRECTORS: BILLY WILDER, GEORGE POLLOCK, MICHAEL WINNER / SCREENPLAY: VARIOUS / STARRING: TYRONE POWER, MARLENE DIETRICH, HUGH O’BRIAN, SHIRLEY EATON, PETER USTINOV, CARRIE FISHER / RELEASE DATE: OUT NOW

Here’s a twist: a film shot on an iPhone about making a sequel to a film shot on an iPhone. James Cullen Bressack’s ballsy 2013 film was a minor hit (and the first film made completely using the phone), and this very self-aware follow-up manages to not only improve on the original but also up the stakes greatly.

Spencer (writer/director Johnson) is a massive fan of Bressack’s film To Jennifer and has secured the rights to make a remake, and has got his friend Mack (Coupe) along as a producer. Spencer assures Mack that Bressack is on board and will be joining them for the auditions, but when he doesn’t show, they go ahead without him. While trying the actors out for the titular role, Spencer becomes increasingly edgy, refusing to even entertain one artist. He’s already insisted that they be called Jennifer for authenticity, and since he will be playing the male role himself, Spencer gets intensely involved with the auditions. The Jennifer they choose for the role (Mummert) is keen and, as ‘luck’ would have it, is also an old friend of one of the stars of the original film. When she and Mack appear to be hitting it off and she also blags the pair an invite to a party Bressack will be attending, the venture begins to spiral out of control.

As ‘meta’ films go, 2 Jennifer is king. Opening with a montage of talking heads espousing the virtues of the original (and the odd one taking the more negative slant), we are soon plunged into a fly on the wall world that takes the ‘video diary’ approach of To Jennifer to the extreme. Spencer is intent on filming every aspect of the film’s production on his phone – from production meetings to the auditions and beyond. The film itself is meant to be utilising professional cameras, but we never get that far.

As Spencer, the multi-talented Johnson is superb; he’s intensely obsessed about the project from the start, a fixation bordering on the unhinged, which unsurprisingly will become clearer as the film goes on. Having some of the original talent from the first film is a masterstroke (much like the self-referential Human Centipede films) and, in particular, Bressack (who doesn’t particularly portray himself in a positive light). Although it’s all filmed in the same lo-fi manner, there are occasional cutaways and alternate angles as other phone cameras are used, but they are not too distracting and on the whole, it’s wel executed and surprisingly engaging.

Where the first film was a road movie video diary, the ‘found footage’ conceit works much better with the sequel and, dare we say it, actually comes across as believable. We know something’s amiss, but until the denouement, we can’t quite figure out what. The truth is more shocking than anything we could guess, no matter how much foreshadowing we’ve had.

Felissa Rose (Sleepaway Camp) and Erin Marie Hogan (House of Manson) make appearances during the audition sequence, but their familiarity doesn’t throw the authenticity, mainly due to the ‘behind the scenes of the movie’ feel.

It’s refreshing to have a sequel work so well and for it actually not be essential that one has seen the original. Ultimately, it’s a more enjoyable ride than the first, with a payoff that packs quite a wallop.

Extras: commentary with Hunter Johnson, James Cullen Bressack, Frank Merle, Lara Jean Mummert / deleted scenes.

2 JENNIFER / CERT: TBC / DIRECTOR & SCREENPLAY: HUNTER JOHNSON / STARS: HUNTER JOHNSON, DAVID COUPE, LARA JEAN MUMMERT, JODY BARTON, JAMES CULLEN BRESSACK / RELEASE DATE: OUT NOW (US)

 

DRAMAtical Murder is a an anime based on a visual novel game for the PC. It follows Aoba Seragak, a guy who finds himself caught up in a world of gangs, and intrigue after being ambushed while making a delivery of computer parts.

DRAMAtical Murder starts slowly. It takes a few episodes for the show to really make it clear what it is about. The early episodes aren’t bad, they just don’t paint a very clear picture of what the show is, and where it is headed. This stops being true around episode three or four, it isn’t like those few episodes are wasted. They primarily deal with setting up the cast and establishing their personalities. The show has a small cast of characters, so each character gets more time spent on them individually. A few of the characters, aside from Aoba, even get episodes dedicated to them, and their struggles up to that point. There isn’t a weak link in the cast, and none of the main characters feel like they are just there.

The concept of mind control is a big aspect of the series and its themes. DRAMAtical Murder uses this as a springboard to launch into scenes exploring the subconscious minds of its characters. These scenes are bizarre, and personal. In that regard they perfectly sum up the identity of the show. DRAMAtical Murder is intimate, and philosophical, yet also a little flashy.

The DRAMAtical Murders visual novel that this anime is based on has alternate endings as a feature. This is expressed in the anime with the presence of a thirteenth bonus episode. This episode serves to show how differently earlier episodes might have ended if certain character interactions had gone a different way. DRAMAtical Murder is at its most creepy in this episode. Each of the scenes is full of creepy imagery, gore, and they are all feature disturbing conclusions. Without spoiling anything, the way Clear’s scene in this episode ends is particularly horrifying. It won’t reveal anything new about the story, but the bonus episode is worth watching all of the same.

DRAMAtical Murder is a thoughtful series. It fully explores the questions that it raises, and provides answers to all of the mysteries it uses to intrigue viewers. It starts slowly but once it gets going it skilfully employs abstract sci-fi themes as both a tool for spectacle, and a series of character pieces. It can occasionally be a bit heavy on the philosophy, and it is very plot heavy, but what it gives in return is strong exploration on the idea of personal identity.

DRAMATICAL MURDER / CERT: 15 / DIRECTOR: CHRISTOPHER AYRES / WRITERS: VARIOUS / STARRING: GABRIEL REGOJO, DAVID WALD, DAVID MANTRANGA, COREY HARTZOG, ANDREW LOVE, GREG AYRES / RELEASE DATE: OUT NOW

Chunibyo refers to a person’s belief that they have supernatural powers. Love, Chunibyo, and Other Delusions focuses on a high school student (Yuta) who used to be in Chunibyo, his girlfriend who currently is in Chunibyo (Rikka), and their group of friends.

The main plot thread of the episodes is the romance between Yuta, and Rikka. Over the course of the season their relationship grows. Sometimes this is done by Yuta managing to connect with Rikka by looking past her Chunibyo. More often than not they connect when he understands her delusions are the way she processes her feelings, and acts accordingly.

Rikka is not the only character on the show to imagine herself as a supernatural being. Whenever these beliefs are brought up, the show is clear to establish that they are false, but not in a way that is ever cruel. Rikka is not actually in possession of a wicked eye, and Sanae doesn’t really wield Mjolnir. But the feelings behind these beliefs aren’t dismissed. Despite spending most of its time exploring the fantasies of its characters, Love, Chunibyo, and Other Delusions is primarily about emotional honesty. The show even ends with Rikka stating exactly what it is that she wants out of life.

Because of this Love, Chunibyo, and Other Delusions is full of touching moments. Be it an old friend of Yuta’s working through her feelings for him, or Sanae being moved to tears by spending time with a girl she idolises. This feeling of emotional honesty means that the show always pulls off its more serious scenes, even when they follow goofier ones, and the show certainly has its shares of goofier moments.

This isn’t a bad thing. When the show is being goofy it does so in a way that is cute. Plots of the episodes include such oddities as napping contests, or the former Chunibyo persona of one of the cast being impersonated.

Love, Chuibyo, and Other Delusions makes use of the fact that it is an anime to show us their imagined fights as we see them, rather than sticking to how they actually happened. These fights are as visually inventive, and as action packed as anything that you will find in a show like Dragon Ball Z.

Love, Chunibyo, and Other Delusions is the perfect version of what it wants to be. It is a story about fully rounded characters with very sympathetic emotional desires, and the ways in which they pursue those desires. It has the right balance of bizarre, fun moments, and serious, character moments.

LOVE, CHUNIBYO, AND OTHER DELUSIONS / CERT: 12 / DIRECTOR: TATSUYA ISHIHARA / WRITER: JUKKI HANADA / STARRING: LERALDO ANZALDUA, MARGARET MCDONALD, MAGGIE FLECKNOE, BRITTNEY KARBOWSKI / RELEASE DATE: OUT NOW

 

One of the curious things about history is that it keeps changing. Of course it does. Otherwise historians would have nothing to do all day and no-one wants that. Arguing about the minutiae and interpretation of historical texts is why history is such fun (oh yes it is). But it’s not just for academics. Popular history is in a surprising state of flux too. Richard III has a whole society dedicated to his historical rehabilitation. And we’ve all read (or seen) Hilary Mantel’s Wolf Hall in which Thomas Cromwell is the pragmatic hero trying to navigate the country through a particularly tricky patch, while being hampered by the fanaticism of that difficult Thomas More. But these historical actors haven’t always been thought of in that way. In fact, until Mantel came along, the popular view was that portrayed in Robert Bolt’s play A Man For All Seasons, made into an Academy Award showered movie in 1966, in which More is the hero and Cromwell a villain.

If you don’t know the story, then your old history master will most upset but here goes. Henry VIII’s first marriage to Catherine of Aragon has failed to produce a male heir and that means all sorts of dynastic problems are looming. Henry decides to divorce Catherine and marry Anne Boleyn which is far from straightforward if you happen to be a 16th century catholic king. It means trying to get the Pope to agree and, when he doesn’t, splitting from Rome and becoming head of your own church. In either case, you’ll need the support of Parliament including your Chancellor, Thomas More. Unfortunately, More is a “man of principle” (in this version) so he’s going to ignore Henry and, as we all know, that never ends well.

Be prepared, this is a movie about an argument. A very long argument. You might be a bit turned off by that but don’t be because it’s a fantastically tight script with some superb performances. Never has a quarrel been so compelling. Robert Shaw gives us one of the screen’s best Henrys. He’s a big kid who wants everyone to like him. He genuinely craves More’s approval but he also treats his dynastic responsibilities with deadly seriousness. Paul Scofield (a veteran of the stage production) inhabits More; his lawyerly arguments and genuine belief that his soul is at stake preventing him from taking the easy path. Fanatic or principled man? A thin line in those days. And what can we say about Leo McKern? Mark Rylance’s compassionate and pragmatic Cromwell in Wolf Hall might be popular now but McKern’s interpretation has all that pragmatism in a more ruthless form. He’s still inexplicably likeable but that might just be McKern’s smileless charm. Throw in an incredibly young John Hurt as an untrustworthy courtier and Nigel Davenport as the rock-solid Norfolk and you have an unmissable film. Even Orson Welles’ Cardinal Wolsey is strangely compelling.

The only thing wrong with this movie is the extras have terrible hats. Often the way, sadly.

Special Features: The Life of Saint Thomas More featurette / Original Theatrical Trailer / Booklet.

A MAN FOR ALL SEASONS (1966) / DIRECTOR: FRED ZINNEMAN / SCREENPLAY: ROBERT BOLT / STARRING: PAUL SCOFIELD, WENDY HILLER, LEO MCKERN, ROBERT SHAW, ORSON WELLES, SUSANNAH YORK, NIGEL DAVENPORT, JOHN HURT / RELEASED: OUT NOW

Released originally in 1992, this classily presented BFI Blu-Ray release of writer/director Neil Jordan’s The Crying Game is quite smart, coming with a booklet highlighting the film’s themes and impact and with some decent extras. That being said, over 20 years after its release, does this Academy Award nominated and winning film still have the power to entice?

 

The plot sees British soldier Jody (Forest Whitaker) kidnapped by the IRA and held hostage, where he develops a bond of sorts with IRA volunteer Fergus (Stephen Rea). Jody knows that, should the British not respond to the IRA’s demands, he will be shot but he pleads that Fergus promises him that, should he die, Fergus will seek out his love Dil in England and tell her everything. This one experience sends Fergus on a journey of discovery that threatens to challenge all he thought he knew. Back in ‘92 the film’s standing came as a result of its big central twist – which is actually less shocking today (due to its fame and the era in which we now live) but the visceral nature of its reveal still catches you off guard. However, there is more to Neil Jordan’s Thriller than a big twist, Jordan’s dissection of political allegiance, sexual and gender politics has arguably grown in its relevance.

 

In many ways Jordan’s Oscar winning screenplay was ahead of its time and instead of telling a familiar story of a turbulent era of cultural conflict, The Crying Game daringly seeks to tell the story from an unexpected angle and thus makes this film a risky, involving and impactful. Even if you know the twist, the drama is poignant and slightly tragic, as the central blossoming romance initially is an offshoot of an IRA tale but becomes so much more. Blending together issues of class, race, sexuality and gender, the film questions what societal norms are and speaks from the corner of an unexpected group of people, this stroke of genius means that the film has lived on far longer than it ever could have, had it been a straightforward IRA Thriller. It is a film that speaks from the heart and looks at the fragility of the human condition.

 

The performances are terrific all around, with Stephen Rea exuding humanity despite the situations in which he finds himself, as Forest Whitaker is heartbreakingly fearful, which is barely hidden behind a huge grin of bravery. While Miranda Richardson is rather unsettling as duty obsessed IRA member Jude, and Jim Broadbent offers amusing support as the unjudgmental and quite insightful barman Col. However this entire film belongs to Jaye Davidson, who gives a shattering performance that really broke down major barriers of what mainstream British cinema could – and would soon years later – assess. Davidson is sublime, and in this supporting role still has the power to make you laugh one minute and make you wholly sympathise with the character’s internal pain the next.

 

The Crying Game is a movie that, as the year’s have progressed, has become an even more meaningful piece of work. Visually noirish at times and with a soundtrack echoing the emotion of the screen, the Blu-Ray is not as polished as others but still clear and well presented. However it is the film itself that is the real draw and many say Neil Jordan is at his best here and while this release does not perhaps come as loaded as it could, the BFI’s release is an appropriately respectful treatment and the film itself remains one of unshakable truth as it refuses to villainies or attack but instead speaks about people trapped by their settings and forced to become something else as a result…and how destructive and painful that can be. A good release of a classic British film.

 

Special Features: Trailers / Alternative Ending (with commentary) / Making Of / Feature (w/ Commentary)

 

THE CRYING GAME (1992) / CERT: 18 / DIRECTOR & SCREENPLAY: NEIL JORDAN / STARRING: STEPHEN REA, MIRANDA RICHARDSON, JAYE DAVIDSON, FOREST WHITAKER / RELEASE DATE: 20TH FEBRUARY

By this fourth season, the adventures of OB/GYN doctor Mindy Lahiri (series creator, producer, writer and star Kaling) and her circle of friends have changed little since the early episodes, despite the characters ‘growing’. At its outset The Mindy Project was very much a traditional, occasionally risqué romantic comedy, following the befuddled Lahiri as she negotiated modern-day dating and romantic engagements and the general confusion of life.  Eventually she would become romantically entangled with another doctor, Danny Castellano, someone she had sparred with in and out of work.

As this fourth season starts, it’s still about the general confusion of life, although a few years down the line, as Mindy is pregnant and looks to be settling down with Danny to a life of domestic bliss. Of course life, like the course of true love, often has other plans and Laihiri will not be handing back her befuddled status any time soon. Broadcasting its first three seasons on the Fox network, this fourth set of episodes was the first to be shown on Hulu in America. With Universal still making the show, it makes no difference to the production or presentation however, and despite occasional cast changes things seem to have continued much as before. Kaling is evidently well connected in the world of comedy judging by the formidable list of guest stars across the series, another thing that continues here, with famous faces popping up throughout.

Many sitcoms are effectively serialised, and because the focus is often on the relationships of the characters things must progress. It’s definitely the case with The Mindy Project, in so far as it’s a big screen rom-com expanded for the small screen’s ability to tell a longer, more measured story. Kailing seems to have had a plan, if her show got this far and that is taking the characters to the expected places but also throwing in a curveball here and there.

In amongst the requisite ‘wacky’ sitcom plot lines there’s a strong focus on the core appeal of the show, of (semi)regular people just trying to figure out the people in their lives and not screw up too much. It’s exaggerated massively for comic effect but that core still remains. Like many an American show, there’s a definite flavour of being smug about just how clever-clever it all is, and that at times comes through too much. Having said that, it doesn’t tip over into making it or the characters unlikeable, apart from the misjudged Morgan, who is just charmlessly annoying and is bordering on series-ruining in nearly every scene he appears in. Although it’s just too long at 26 episodes, for fans of the show, it in the best way remains funny business (with heart) as usual.

THE MINDY PROJECT SEASON 4 / CERT: 12 / DIRECTORS: VARIOUS / SCREENPLAY: VARIOUS / STARRING: MINDY KALING, IKE BARINHOLTZ, CHRIS MESSINA, ED WEEKS / RELEASE DATE: OUT NOW

Seok Woo (Gong), a busy fund manager and single parent, has let his work take over his life to the extent that his daughter Soo-an (Kim) can no longer stand living with him and demands to be taken to spend her birthday with her mother in Busan. And so father and daughter board the eponymous train – on the day the zombie infection breaks out.

Zombie movies may be ten-a-penny these days, and so it’s difficult to find a new approach to the genre, but this South Korean effort has a unique selling point in its claustrophobic setting; as many films before it have discovered, from Bond outing From Russia With Love to Snowpiercer, the confined and inescapable train is an excellent setting for brutal action. It’s even better with zombies on board!

Through news reports and phone conversations, the passengers get an idea what’s going on across the country, but they’re stuck on the train, with their only chance being if it reaches a safe city. And as people become infected and bloody violence breaks out, the survivors must band together and barricade themselves in safe carriages. It’s very lucky that there’s a baseball team on board, and they’ve brought their bats along.

Many obstacles along the way ensure that the film never sags during its two-hour running time – what happens when a few passengers are trapped in the toilet of a zombie-filled carriage? Or when they reach a supposedly safe station, only to find the army defences outside have failed? Or when there’s something blocking the track in front of the train? All of these provide for intense set pieces, shot with breathtaking pace – you’ll spend much of Train to Busan on the edge of your seat.

Seok and Soo-an team up with a gang of other passengers, who we follow throughout the film. Seok’s conflict with a man he initially fails to look out for provides for some character development, as he learns that he must help others in order to help himself. But this theme of selfishness vs. selflessness is laid on heavy, particularly when it comes to other supporting characters, such as a one-dimensionally swinish COO and a pair of sisters who have opposing political views. This lack of subtlety turns what could be insightful social commentary into a more grating affair.

And yet this is never a problem for long, as there’s always another pants-shakingly relentless action scene around the corner. Yes, it’s another zombie movie, and no, it’s no Romero. But Train to Busan has a few tricks up its sleeve and proves there’s life in the zombie genre yet.

TRAIN TO BUSAN / CERT: 15 / DIRECTOR & SCREENPLAY: SANG-HO YEON / STARRING: YOO GONG, SOO-AN KIM, YU-MI JUNG / RELEASE DATE: FEBRUARY 27TH