Review Category: Movie

When university student Salah returns home to Bournemouth and finds both his father and the old man’s kebab shop in equal ill health, he decides to stick around to help out. The drunken excesses of out-of-town revellers that turn the city into a hedonistic war zone every night, lead to an altercation Salah’s father doesn’t survive, and soon afterwards he discovers a creative solution to solve the shop’s dwindling meat supplies, while taking some form of vengeance on the partyers, all of whom he holds responsible for his father’s death.

Reminiscent of Danish black comedy Green Butchers or an updated variation on Sweeny Todd, the concept of K-Shop is an inventive and somewhat nauseating one, and if watching it doesn’t make you hungry, it will probably make you vegetarian. However, it has difficulty expanding an intriguing start into a full-length plot, and to flesh out the story it incorporates a sort-of rivalry between Salah and an ex-Big Brother victor-turned-nightclub entrepreneur, who is thus both representative and symptomatic of the culture of classless hedonism he endures on a nightly basis, but their interactions are sporadic and don’t add up to much in the way of a cohesive narrative.

As time wears on for Salah the very essence of who he is becomes gradually eroded, each kill dragging him ever closer to the unthinking abandonment of basic human decency that he decries in the drunken revellers, ultimately threatening to turn him into the very thing he despises. Some human perspective comes in the form of hotel owner Sarah, pointing out that while the local business owners might perceive the partygoers with contempt, they’re still perfectly happy to make money off their insatiable appetites for excess. It’s rather telling that the periodic street shots of drinking, singing, dancing, threatening, fighting, vomiting and shagging were achieved by a mix of staged footage and the crew just walking out into Bournemouth on a weekend night with a camera and pointing it in any direction.

In contrast to the frenetic chaos assaulting the city streets, is the quiet calm of the beach at dawn where Salah goes to dispose of the unusable parts of his kills, juxtaposing the peaceful serenity of the rolling tide with the thought of the squelching human viscera restrained within the plastic binbags set out to sea. Likewise, the external night action is finished off by early morning shots of the street cleaners removing all trace of the concluded chaos, returning the town to a state of order, while also preparing it for when the riot begins anew.

K-Shop is almost like a zombie movie, the drunks acting as mindless, slavering, monosyllabic, shambling wrecks, whose ability to interact with society has long since worn and whose only instinct is to make others into one of them. Regardless of how intentional the parallel is, the film doesn’t actually judge people for their behaviour, but that’s not to say it doesn’t take gleeful relish in acting out precisely the kind of thing that many of us have thought about, whether we’re willing to admit it or not. 

K-SHOP / CERT: 18 / DIRECTOR & SCREENPLAY: DAN PRINGLE / STARRING: ZIAD ABAZA, SCOT WILLIAMS, DARREN MORFITT, REECE NOI, KRISTIN ATHERTON / RELEASE DATE: 22ND JULY

Oh great. Another low budget faux documentary. This is going to be hard work, isn’t it? Hold on! Leave those preconceptions at the door mister, as Don’t You Recognise Me? is actually a powerhouse of brutality, tension, and – even more shockingly – amazing acting.

Tony (Toman) is planning his next documentary. He’s going to spend a day in the life of someone who lives his life as a self-styled gangster on a rough Dublin estate. Meeting up with K (Sherlock), he’s welcomed into the seemingly amiable young scamps flat and introduced to his friends and (multiple) girlfriends. K tells Tony that he’s taken on his father’s role in the community following his murder, and is seething at the similar loss of one his ‘brothers’ the year previously. He appears to have his heart in the right place, but genial side slips when they later bump into someone who owes him money. As the day progresses, Tony and his film crew will learn far more than they bargained for about K’s life, his family, and morals.

First off, we need to apologise for being rather cagey about certain aspects of the film’s plot. It’s far better to go in with as little expectations as possible to truly appreciate what is about to transpire. However, we will say that for ninety minutes, the viewer is sent on a rollercoaster of emotions and certainly by the half-way point, it’s edge-of-the-seat terrifying; something that doesn’t let up. Once we’re introduced to K’s associates, particularly Daz (Travers) and Terese (Ryan), things quickly escalate to become white-knuckle viewing. They are both terrifically deranged, making the spectacle as unpredictable as it is enthralling. Writer/director Jason Figgis also makes an imposing appearance as the disturbing ‘Babyface’, who manages to hammer home a point or two.

As mentioned, Figgis’ film defies preconceptions on almost every level. Thankfully, it’s not presented in a ‘found footage’ manner – the addition of the score, in particular, really underpins some scenes and draws one in as it should – but maintaining the urgency of a documentary, the viewer is made to feel part of the situation, almost complicit, questioning our motives as much as the characters. Impeccably played by all involved, this is definitely a film worth seeking out, and one that distributors would be crazy to overlook.

DON’T YOU RECOGNISE ME? / CERT: TBC / DIRECTOR & SCREENPLAY: JASON FIGGIS / STARRING: DARREN TRAVERS, MATTHEW TOMAN, SHAUNA RYAN, JASON SHERLOCK / RELEASE DATE: TBC

Expected Rating: 5 out of 10
Actual Rating:

 

How do we begin to introduce a review of Ghostbusters? By now, unless you have been living in an Ecto Containment Unit, you’ll know two things: 1.) A proper third film in the Ghostbusters franchise has been in development hell for years and 2.) This new reboot of the franchise is the most controversial blockbuster bar none this year. Since the very polarizing Ghostbusters 2 and the many rumors and stories thereafter, we had got the point where it was all but certain a new Ghostbusters film would never materialize, even more so after the saddening news of the passing of star/writer Harold Ramis in 2014. However, with director Paul Feig (Bridesmaids, The Heat, Spy) at the helm, the proton-packed, paranormal problem solvers are back…well we say back. This all new, all female, ensemble looks to start anew with this series reboot, which has angered many, left some intrigued and caused quite a stir online. Still amidst all the scorn, unsure trailers and debates about sexism, the most important thing is, is the film any good?

This movie sees Columbia University Professor Erin Gilbert (Kristen Wiig) scared that she may lose her position when a paranormal investigation book she co-authored appears online. To solve this, she visits her co-author and former friend, Abby Yates (Melissa McCarthy), who is continuing her paranormal research, alongside the slightly unhinged genius Jillian Holtzmann (Kate McKinnon). Gilbert soon gets drawn back into this world and when these scientists investigate a subway apparition, worker Patty Tolan (Leslie Jones) likewise gets enamored with the art of ghost bustin’ and thus, the group is formed, as they try to tackle the rising paranormal activity in New York. For all the hate and aggression, it is rather ironic that the biggest issue with this new reboot is its continued attempts at pleasing those who have got so riled.

Ghostbusters is neither the train wreck that first trailer insinuated, nor the fantastic reinvention you hoped it could be, it is all just very “meh”. The film is littered with multiple moments of promise- a potentially affecting backstory to Erin and Abby’s friendship, a comic chemistry among the leads, an ideology about the nastiness of people breeding hate- but cannot develop its own rhythm thanks to being constantly dragged into a forced fan service. Dippold and Feig’s script feels shackled by some kind of commitment to the franchise and thus any moments of its own feel at odds with the elements of the plot, that seem content to rehash aspects of the original movie. The cameos for instance take nudge wink referencing too far and feel forced as opposed to gleeful- with only the mid-end credits appearance by a big star really clicking.

All those haters who engulfed sites with their sickening prejudices have paradoxically being lambasting the very aspect that ensures this reboot is not a total bust- the cast! The four leading ladies really excel, with a natural chemistry that makes you wonder why the hell they didn’t just create a brand new film series just for these gals to kick ass in? Wiig is fantastic and her relationship with McCarthy feels really genuine and well placed alongside Jones’ charm and McKinnon’s oddball. Then there is Chris Hemsworth, who steals scenes aplenty as hapless secretary Kevin. True the ladies are separated into the mold of the original characters- again, why not just let them be free- but they make the most of it, despite some hit and miss dialogue, the best of which are clearly improvised moments. Although the film lacks a strong villain and the many other faces in the film seem to just bob in and out of the proceedings, this leading quartet really boosts the energy of the overall picture. 

Sadly, by revisiting old ground, Feig’s film struggles to really formulate its own identity and thus a game director and the excellent cast feel a little bit like they have been let down by a studio (or whomever) wanting to prolong a franchise. That said, there are some effective sequences like a Times Square set piece and a very enjoyable opening, plus the colourful aesthetic recalls a Scooby-Doo like fun ghost train vibe. Then there are some effective moments of scoring by Theodore Shapiro. We just wish the movie had the determination to go all the way with its fresher convictions because by going the reboot route but then simply making do with rehashing the glory days, this film has not let the cast do their thing. As a result this bout of Bustin’ neither makes us feel bad or good, just kind of so-so. 

GHOSTBUSTERS / CERT: 12A / DIRECTOR: PAUL FEIG / SCREENPLAY: KATIE DIPPOLD, PAUL FEIG / STARRING: MELISSA MCCARTHY, KRISTEN WIIG, KATE MCKINNON, LESLIE JONES, CHRIS HEMSWORTH / RELEASE DATE: OUT NOW 

Expected Rating: 7/10

Actual Rating:

After leaving a girl for dead after a drugged-out car crash, overprivileged waster Kyle is sent to a compound on a remote Scottish island for rich young adults to be moulded into functional human beings by a regimen of wilderness survival. However, the place becomes targeted by mercenaries who plan to hold the scions to ransom and fleece their millionaire parents for ransom money.

However entertaining or otherwise you think that sounds, be assured it’s far more boring than that. For starters, instead of the Full Metal Jacket boot camp the description of the compound would imply, it turns out to be more like an outdoor activity centre where everyone becomes respected friends with unconvincingly swiftness. The place comes across like a juvenile detention centre equivalent to the cushy minimum security prisons that convicted white collar criminals are sent to lounge about playing tennis, and if this is what the parents of these privileged brats think is a character building hellhole it’s no wonder their children are narcissistic screw-ups.

When these talentless young things are forced to face the mercenaries by themselves, we are expected to believe that spending a few days camping in the woods where you learn to set a rabbit snare and shoot a stationary deer with a bow and arrow apparently instils you with enough survivalist grit to be able to take on a team of hardened killers. Admittedly, the supposed military specialists make enough stupid mistakes to begin tipping the balance in favour of their quarry, but it in no way justifies the comparative ease with which the professionally trained captors are gradually overcome.

Action thrillers are at their best when a group of underdogs manage to battle odds stacked against them, but it has to be done in a believable or at least consistent manner. It also helps if they are actually in any way sympathetic, but quite frankly the few focal characters are so fundamentally unlikable you’ll end up rooting for the mercenaries. The rest of the band of rich kids have zero characterisation and are only there to make up the numbers, and while it might be tempting to imagine their wealth as having substituted for an actual personality, it’s more likely to just be lazy writing.

A couple of distinctive moments stand out amidst the tedium, such as a rather innovative use for a compound fracture, but everything about Take Down is an overfamiliar slog from start to finish that holds no surprises or excitement.

TAKE DOWN / CERT: TBC / DIRECTOR: JIM GILLESPIE / SCREENPLAY: ALEXANDER IGNON / STARRING: JEREMY SUMPTER, PHOEBE TONKIN, ED WESTWICK, ASHLEY WALTERS, SEBASTIAN KOCH, JULIA RAGNARSSON, DOMINIC SHERWOOD / RELEASE DATE: TBC

Expected Rating: 6 out of 10

Actual Rating:
 

Sólveig lives out in the wilderness of rural Iceland, a volunteer who keeps an eye out for lost tourists who venture into the unfamiliar terrain. Soon after killing a man during a blazing row and disposing of his body she encounters and gives shelter to Molly, a holidaymaker on the run from her abusive husband Kurt. Secrets and revelations soon abound, and as the situation escalates it becomes clear nobody will walk away unscathed.

Aside from its swiftly developing capital city of Reykjavik, Iceland is a sparsely populated and largely barren island. As a result, it’s not difficult to envision dark deeds being carried out on its basalt planes, away from the prying eyes of even a random passer by. The bleak desolation, silent but for the unforgiving sibilance of arctic winds blowing in from the pale ocean, is as isolating as it is expansive, while the cloud-blocked sun of the title seems almost reluctant to shine on the violence and vengeance being carried out beneath its weak glare.

Clearly a man with a theme, writer-director Graeme Maley also recently produced another obtuse Iceland-set drama with A Reykjavik Porno, but Pale Star is much less of a confusing mess and is structured with far greater narrative precision. His background in theatre is clear in the claustrophobic intensity of many scenes, the camerawork so intimate as to be intrusive as it focuses on the characters, the accusatory intensity practically daring them to reveal their secrets.

Like Jonathan Glazer’s Under the Skin, the story is told largely without dialogue. Indeed, aside from a muted argument and a single word of greeting, it’s over 20 minutes into the film before anyone even speaks. In spite of this, the story is deftly conveyed with its visual presence, with looks and body language conveying people’s feelings in enough detail that words become unnecessary, while even something as subtle as a camera angle can provide a clue to a hidden facet of a situation. What dialogue is present is mostly in English and while the small amount of Icelandic goes without subtitles, it isn’t difficult to understand what’s being said, if not the exact meaning of the words.

Pale Star will not be for everyone. For the same reasons that some will find the film deep and significant, others will think it dull and pretentious. What can’t be denied it that it’s an experience of pure cinema, and one that marks its director as a talent to watch.

PALE STAR / CERT: TBC / DIRECTOR & SCREENPLAY: GRAEME MALEY / STARRING: ÞRÚÐUR VILHJÁLMSDÓTTIR, ISABELLE JOSS, IAIN ROBERTSON, ÞRÖSTUR LEÓ GUNNARSSON / RELEASE DATE: TBC

Expected Rating: 7 out of 10

Actual Rating:
 

Melvin is an unemployed and almost average man caught in a custody battle with his ex-wife and ambling through a directionless life in a low-rent neighbourhood of New Orleans. He also happens to be in possession of psychokinetic powers that he variously uses to impress girls with party tricks, masquerade as a street magician and rob petty criminals of their ill-gotten gains.

That American Hero is written and directed by Nick Love might give you pause, but it seems that he has finally moved past the wideboy geezer garbage with which he made his name, the complete absence of any amount of Danny Dyer also only ever being a good thing. While American Hero retains faint echoes of his love of chronicling unfocused male rage seen in the likes of The Football Factory, Outlaw and The Firm, it is a far more subdued piece of work and as a result makes you far less contemptuous of its very existence.

The core concept of a drunken superpowered screw-up might make you think of Hancock, but with regards to its comic book stylings the film actually has far more in common with Chronicle, offering a more naturalistic view of how an individual with superpowers might actually behave. Indeed, the story is about the man rather than his abilities, and as such Melvin’s powers are treated as secondary to his personal journey of getting his life in order and becoming the kind of man actually deserving of being a father. In this regard it’s almost like an origin story, as an individual with otherworldly abilities learns to harness them to their full potential and figure out how he can use them to make the world around him a slightly better place.

The story offers no conclusive explanation of how Melvin acquired his abilities, and suggests that he may have grown far more powerful were it not for his party hard lifestyle messing up his brain chemistry. Perhaps in an attempt to transcend him beyond the petty waster he might have come across as, he is shown to have a deep appreciation of classical music and literature, constantly in awe of their ability to both instil in him ineffable emotion and express the world in a way he himself lacks the eloquence to.

The mockumentary style is an interesting touch, but the conceit doesn’t actually hold up. For one thing, nobody encountered actually comments on the fact that a film crew are following Melvin around, while certain situations – such as a shootout with a bunch of gangsters – are not filmed in such a way that convinces a real person is diligently chronicling events while standing directly in the midst of them. The concept fails doubly with you take into account the rambling story, which is poorly structured and directionless when it should appear as something that has been cut into a coherent progression of events.

American Hero is a decent idea, but is let down by sloppy execution and meandering plot. If nothing else, it shows that Love is slowly maturing as a filmmaker, and that he might one day make something that can be unequivocally recommended.

AMERICAN HERO / CERT: 15 / DIRECTOR & SCREENPLAY: NICK LOVE / STARRING: STEPHEN DORFF, EDDIE GRIFFIN, LUIS DA SILVA, CHRISTOPHER BERRY, YOHANCE MYLES, ANDREA COHEN, RAEDEN GREER / RELEASE DATE: OUT NOW

Expected Rating: 6 out of 10

Actual Rating:
 

In this year of sequels and reboots, one that seems to have been forgotten a little is the next installment in the surprisingly durable Ice Age franchise. Since the very first film nearly 15 years ago, this franchise has proved to be a bit of a hit machine, with every passing sequel performing well with audiences and raking in big money. So, with Collision Course, does this series have another smash on its hands (or rather claws n’ paws)? Probably but how much longer it will play so well with audiences is debatable.

Collision Course sees a meteorite heading for the earth, threatening to wipe out all mammal life. So- accompanied by eye patch wearing buccaneer weasel Buck (Simon Pegg)- Manny (Ray Romano), Sid (John Leguizamo), Diego (Denis Leary) and their combined family, head out on a mission to find the source of what is attracting the meteorite to earth and hope to save themselves, and thus the planet. The film opens once again with the ever-brilliant Scrat (Chris Wedge) doing his nut chasing silent comedy routine and again these moments and the intercutting physical comedy of the Scrat segments throughout, are the best moments of the plot. In fact the film starts with a skip in its step but while the main narrative is sweet and well natured it shows signs of the series’ formula getting a bit stale the longer it progresses.

From Manny and Ellie (Queen Latifah) coping with their daughter Peaches (Keke Palmer) leaving for a new life with her hip husband to be Julian (Adam DeVine) to the many moments of romance or the dino-birds chasing Buck, all the sub-plots of the film are fun enough even if they stick firmly to type. However things become overstuffed with a later youth spa like plot, with so many characters kind of getting lost amidst the sub-plotting and silly comedy- provided mostly by possum duo Crash (Seann William Scott) and Eddie (Josh Peck). The influx of characters means there are lots of prehistoric critters that people will love but also means that you forget many are involved until they get a line onscreen- Diego, his wife Shira (Jennifer Lopez), Ellie and more all seem to just act as filler this time around, though characters like Granny (Wanda Sykes), Manny and Julian get decent development.

Collision Course’s standout, Scrat aside, is most certainly Simon Pegg’s fantastic voice work as Buck, who was lacking last time but is most welcome in the fray here, see the superb and fast-paced introductory song backed by Mozart’s Marriage of Figaro. Pegg anchors the film with a sense of free roaming fun, even as the writing gets smothered by the annoying attempts at modernizing and making the dialogue “street”, his character ensures the energy levels remain high. For all the problems the film has- no real villain being a major issue, essentially the gang is fighting mother nature (again)- the animation is colourful and absolutely smooth, showing a real progression visually for this franchise. You have seen most of what is here done before and this sequel is unnecessary but despite this, younger audiences ought to enjoy the journey and there are the odd titters for adults and worthwhile ideologies (some educational tidbits and comments on families and aging) on show.

All in all it feels harsh to call this film needless because it is warm and does what it needs to as a family aimed animated feature, with chirpy and likable characters, some worthwhile messages, a few laughs and great animation, however now in its fifth installment, there is no doubting that the formula for this franchise is getting stretched out (the asteroid, overly relied upon pop culture gags and UFOs seem to bring that connotation) in this fast moving and increasingly sophisticated genre of filmmaking. There’s nothing wrong with the “if it ain’t broke don’t fix it” approach sometimes (Dawn of the Dinosaurs was brilliant fun) but after five movies, if Ice Age wants to be one of the big franchises, it needs to shake things up! Don’t get us wrong, this sequel offers inoffensive fun that the kids will likely enjoy but Ice Age: Collision Course suggests that this franchise may well be endangered unless it adapts. That said, we can not say we wouldn’t welcome Scrat back to cause chaos again…though we doubt it will be on the planetary scale he does here.

ICE AGE: COLLISION COURSE / CERT: U / DIRECTOR: MIKE THURMEIER/ SCREENPLAY: MICHAEL J. WILSON, MICHAEL BERG, YONI BRENNER / STARRING: RAY ROMANO, JOHN LEGUIZAMO, DENIS LEARY, SIMON PEGG, QUEEN LATIFAH / RELEASE DATE: 15TH JULY

Expected Rating: 7/10 

Actual Rating:

A sci-fi, action, thriller all rolled into one and with video games as its main plot point, it sounds great but also a recipe for disaster. Thankfully, Beta Test pulls it off with an enthralling story and action.

A controversial global game developer, Sentinel, have a brand new game and its beta is ready to be tested by video game champion Max Troy (Lorenz Tate). It’s a new immersive experience never done before but as events unfold within the game, Max soon realises the same events have been happening in reality and he actually has control over a real life person. What could possibly go wrong? Max’s conscience, for one thing, Orson Creed is another. Played by Manu Bennett (Arrow, The Hobbit), Creed is the game’s protagonist and an ex-employee of Sentinel, who have forced him against his will to do a series of challenges.

Creed is a military man with previous combat experience but now his own creation for Sentinel is being used against him. Bennett does an excellent job at playing the husky-voiced protagonist hell bent on destroying Sentinel and saving his wife. Known for his portrayal of Slade Wilson in Arrow, Bennett really gives Beta Test star value with his deliverance of inappropriate one-liners and an overall brooding presence which makes this a lively and fun watch.

You can see where the budget has come to a halt, preventing them from taking it that one step further to making a blockbuster action flick which it definitely has the potential for. Despite that, the special effects and stunt team have done a great job respectively with video game features and action sequences that have great choreography. The transition from reality to video game is particularly impressive and has a similar style to A Scanner Darkly.

Beta Test gives us a joyride with a compelling concept proving video games is a genre that really can work in film. Although the production value and camera work may be sketchy in places, it’s still an entertaining action thriller with a great cast. Writer and director Nicholas Gyeney has created a story that video gamers and action movie fans will most certainly enjoy.

BETA TEST / CERT: TBC / DIRECTOR: NICHOLAS GYENEY / SCREENPLAY: NICHOLAS GYENEY, ANDRÉ KIRKMAN / STARRING:  MANU BENNETT, LORENZ TATE, LINDEN ASHBY, KEVON STOVER, SARA COATES / RELEASE DATE: TBC

 

Edward McGown’s debut feature film Bachelor Games follows a group of
boisterous lads who head off into the Argentina Mountains for a stag-do but end
up being picked off by a mysterious force called the ‘The Hunter’.

McGown, who’s CV mostly consists of camera
work for Sir David Attenborough, shows off his talent for filming natural
locations with extraordinary depth. The setting is gorgeous and intimidatingly isolated
a perfect setting for this kind of story.  Even the few shady interiors we see are really
nicely shot (and eerily designed) as to give stark and ominous contrast to the
sunny paradise of the mountains. Composer 
David Julyan, known for work on The
Cabin in the Woods and The Descent,
provides a subtle, but tonally perfect soundtrack which knows exactly when to
get us worked up.

McGown deserves credit for skilfully
navigating a story that could have ended up a dismal mess of predictable
thrills. As a horror Bachelor Games
isn’t quite scary or intense enough, and it doesn’t push the boat out on its
potential black comedy angle either. What it does do well is provide a sequence of reveals which turn a group of
fun-loving pals into an anonymous gang of potential problems. Tension and
disappointment come from knowing the guys before we see them lose their cool.

 When
the film starts to embrace its horror side a bit more, McGown knows the audience
will figure it out, so at the half-way mark turns the film on its head,
revealing the true nature of the threat and the web of deceit that permitted
it. It’s a bold move and shows a desire to step beyond what could have been a
simple monster flick. It also shows that McGown can actually create characters
we will care for, even if they have a tendency to be total arseholes.

McGown’s debut feature is actually a really
funny story when you think about it, but something gets lost in translation.
There’s perhaps too much reluctance to properly paint all of its characters as
bastards, or at least regard the scenario as hilariously unfortunate. The final
moments don’t help either, delivering a soppy round-up rather than a nastier,
more fitting full-stop, but it doesn’t ruin this enjoyable horror adventure
BACHELOR GAMES / DIRECTOR AND SCREENPLAY: EDWARD MCGOWN / STARRING: CHARLIE BEWLEY, JACK GORDON, JACK DOOLAN, MIKE NOBLE, OBI ABILI / RELEASE DATE: JULY 8TH
 

Following Tusk as the second part of Kevin Smith’s True North trilogy, Yoga Hosers features Colleen and Colleen, a pair of teenage Winnipeg schoolgirls who spend their time practicing yoga in between working at the local convenience store and bunking off to play their riot grrrl music in the back room. On an evening when they are forced to work, they variously face off with Canadian Nazis, anally violating homunculi made of bratwurst (with sauerkraut for blood) and overly polite devil worshippers.

After the narrative incoherence of Red State and the thin plot of Tusk, Yoga Hosers puts Smith back on far more familiar ground. While it’s unlikely to achieve the cult heights of Mallrats or Clerks, it’s far more recognisable as the work of the man who gave us such wonderfully puerile entertainment in the ‘90s, and as a result is a lot more enjoyable than his more recent output (his excellent The Runaway Dinosaur episode of The Flash aside). There are a lot of things you can say about Smith’s filmmaking, but one thing you can’t deny is that he’s something of a free spirit. So, if he wants to make a comedy/horror/action movie starring his daughter and with a plot based around one of his podcast ramblings, then that’s exactly what he’s going to do.

The two Colleens (who had a cameo appearance in Tusk) are respectively played by Smith’s daughter Harley Quinn (to answer your immediate question: yes, she is) and Johnny Depp’s daughter Lily-Rose. The pair are real-life BFFs, and their affection for each other comes out in their on-screen counterparts, with many moments of the pair laughing together being clearly natural and the amount of fun everyone certainly had in making the film translating to the finished product. While the pair don’t have a great deal of characterisation beyond being sassy teenagers, you never for a moment stop rooting for them in the tribulations of their adolescent lives.

A plethora of minor roles for adults punctuate the story, mainly with Johnny Depp returning as Guy Lapointe (an assortment of moles regularly changing in number and facial position between shots) and once again does his best to channel Peter Sellers, forever teetering on the edge of fully comprehending exactly what’s going on. Justin Long turns up as the girls’ yoga instructor Yogi Bayer, whose philosophies sound less like the teachings of eastern mysticism and more something that might have been uttered by Conan the Barbarian. However, throughout the story it’s the two girls who are very much front and centre of the action, never relying on anyone else to fix their problems or save them from dangerous situations.

It is a fact well known (to those who know it well) that to many Americans there is something intrinsically funny about (sorry, aboot) the very concept of Canada as a nation, and while there are many familiar jokes about the country, such as a wall of maple syrup bottles displayed behind the girls’ work counter, they are intended to be a parody of American perceptions rather than at the expense of Canadians themselves.

Yoga Hosers is the most fun a Smith film has been since Jay and Silent Bob took a trip to Hollywood, and is a return to form while also continuing to develop his filmmaking maturity. Long may it continue.

YOGA HOSERS / CERT: TBC / DIRECTOR & SCREENPLAY: KEVIN SMITH / STARRING: HARLEY QUINN SMITH, LILY-ROSE DEPP, JOHNNY DEPP, JUSTING LONG, AUSTIN BUTLER, TYLER POSEY, NATASHA LYONNE, TONY HALE, RAPLH GARMAN / RELEASE DATE: TBC

Expecting Rating: 6 out of 10

Actual Rating: