Review Category: Movie

BROADCAST SIGNAL INTRUSION

James (Harry Shum Jr) works at a studio transferring old television broadcasts onto a digital archive. His wife disappeared years earlier, and he attends a support group with similar people. While working his way through a tape from 1987, he comes across a disturbing pirate transmission that interrupted a late-night news programme. He digs into the on-air hacking further and finds out it happened several times, each disruption including a similar, horrific-looking mask-wearer. No culprit was ever found. As James teams up with enthusiastic Alice (Kelley Mack) to delve deeper into the mystery, things become more twisted.

It would be lazy to compare the premise of Broadcast Signal Intrusion to Videodrome. While Cronenberg’s film is no doubt in the DNA of director Jacob Gentry’s movie, the similarities are only superficial. There’s also a healthy dollop of Brian De Palma in his visual style. Gentry weaves a conspiracy tale through a neo-noir lens set in the days when the Internet was mainly just bulletin boards – but was as full of crackpot ideas and hearsay as today. The script – by Phil Drinkwater and Tim Woodall – is full of twists and enigmatic monologues.

Shum Jr is superb as the obsessed loner who replaces mourning his missing wife with a quest to get to the bottom of the eerie pirate signals. But, as he and Alice get deeper down the rabbit hole, the fixation begins to take over his life.

Being set in the ‘90s, the movie is packed full of obsolete equipment, and the attention to detail with the vintage footage is spot-on. This is augmented with a suitably broody jazz soundtrack from Brian Lovett (The Ritual), which is full of horns and suspenseful cues. If nothing else, the pale, rubber masks of the intrusive footage will haunt you for quite a while.

Broadcast Signal Intrusion is available on digital now.

FOLLOWERS

Among the many annoying things the Internet has spawned are social media ‘stars’ and ‘influencers’. It’s those who form the basis of Followers.

Jonty (Harry Jarvis) is a self-proclaimed influencer, who has managed to get into a college to start a ‘journey’, in which he will document every move of himself and his housemates. After a few days, some strange things start happening. Loud rave music comes from the walls and the cupboards begin banging open and shut. Being an egotistical idiot, Jonty wants to be the centre of spectral attention, but he gets everyone else involved too. Zauna (Loreece Harrison) is a budding documentary maker so is on board with filming everything. Pete (Daniel Cahill) is a hot-headed Scot who is initially hostile to what’s going on until the world starts paying attention. Amber (Erin Austen) is a love interest for Jonty, something that boosts his online profile. As his vlogs continue, the ghost reveals itself…

How much you get involved in Followers depends a lot on whether you can tolerate the deliberately annoying and not too exaggerated characters. All manner of YouTube types are lampooned too, not just the vacuous influencers. The conceit of having everything being filmed works naturally, though, and fortunately, there’s a good excuse to use proper cinematic cameras for the most part.

When the haunting side of the story starts, there are a couple of scares that work, and the conclusion brings some surprises. It’s the satire of online life that makes Followers interesting, though. Jonty is the worst type of person, but he’s a product of the time and bolstered by a viewing public keen to live vicariously through others. There’s also the touchy-feely student counsellor (played by Nina Wadia, soon to be seen in The Sandman), whose desperate use of ‘yoof’ lingo is excruciatingly on the nose.

Sadly, writer/director Marcus Herben died before Followers could be released, but it’s fair to say without his unique voice, it could have been just another found footage-type film. Fortunately, there’s enough wit amongst the scares to make it work.

Followers is released on Blu-ray on July 18th.

MINIONS: THE RISE OF GRU

CERT: U / PLATFORMS: CINEMA / RELEASE DATE: OUT NOW

We’ve waited a long time for Gru to rise, after appearing in the closing moments of 2015’s Despicable Me prequel Minions, this second Minions-centric film was met with many COVID setbacks, with only Top Gun Maverick being comparable for just how long it has taken to get set for cinema release. And while we wouldn’t say Illumination’s film will floor you quite like Maverick, it has also been worth the wait. Just ask the box office and the, erm, Tik Tokers…yeah, bit weird all that, anyways….

Minions: The Rise of Gru picks up with young aspiring villain Gru (Steve Carell), as he and his new loyal Minions constantly create mischief and even have an evil lair up and coming. But when Gru’s villainous idols The Vicious 6 have a new vacancy after they turned on their veteran leader Wild Knuckles (Alan Arkin), Gru sees his chance to enter the world of villainy properly, naturally all does not quite go to plan, and his minions – particularly Kevin, Bob, Stuart and Otto (Pierre Coffin) – may be his only chance of getting out of this pickle.

Even by the previous standards set by this franchise, Minions: The rise of Gru is barmy. Starting with a James Bond-styled opening (accompanied by Caroline Polachek’s cover of “Bang. Bang”), the film constantly groups in a number of genres from Indiana Jones style artefact adventure, to martial arts action mayhem, to monster movie chaos. And that’s just the start of it. Indeed some things work better than others, when it comes to the giddy energy it all offers, but its a loving burst of family fun, which really cares about its characters old and new, and that’s really quite nice to see.

There are lots of links to Despicable Me, while also allowing for a frantic story of its own, with a roster of baddies, that boast a joyously retro villain of the week ’60s Batman-esque vibe. The Vicious 6 themselves being gloriously silly, see Jean-Claude Van Damme’s lobster handed Jean-Clawed (we laughed way more than we should have done), Taraji P. Henson’s funky new leader Belle Bottom, and Lucy Lawless’ Nun-Chuck who gets some incredible visual gags as the film’s sinister sister. Who’d have thought Illumination would surpass Pixar in the villain stakes this year?!

There are lots of new characters to enjoy, as well as familiar faces, all given real memorable impact by a voice cast roster that is incredibly stacked! In fact there are some very warm moments within this story, thanks to these characters. That said, the film is by far at its best, in those moments where the Minions themselves are allowed to unleash their slapstick antics (an aeroplane sequence is one of the franchise’s best), and once again Bob is the adorable standout, though new Minion Otto is great, and we are constantly in awe of the vocal performance of Coffin as all the many Minions.

Minions: The Rise of Gru is simply great fun, and that’s all it needs to be. The wheel is not re-invented. It all rollicks along at such a rate that any missteps are immediately forgotten and it is genuinely a super feeling seeing these characters back on the screen. Kids will love it, adults will have great fun with a number of gags, references and song choices (in another retro soundtrack), and the film accomplishes its mission of showing how Gru started his ascension to becoming our favourite Scarf wearing baddie, while also leaving some room for expansion of course.

At this rate, The Minions are not going anywhere and that’s fine by us, because Rise of Gru is one of the series’ best and indeed maddest efforts yet. So we look forward to joining the Minions in another chorus of “Illumination” again, not sure we’ll suit up and smuggle bananas in the screen though…

THE SEA BEAST

Whether too far along in production or considered of sufficient quality The Sea Beast avoided the apparent cull of animated content when the streamer announced job cuts. And while the rather bloated story and inconsistent pacing render the film a tad dull in places, visually it is a sumptuous feast of style and colour – with one notable area of exception.

Dreaming of becoming a monster hunter like her parents, young orphan Maisie (Zaris-Angel Hator) stows away on a ship under the charge of the legendary Captain Crow (Jared Harris). When she and captain-in-waiting Jacob (Karl Urban) are stranded while in pursuit of a mythical monster they begin to see the world through different eyes.

Overlong, with a running time touching two hours, and a narrative you could have written from viewing the trailer, The Sea Beast has its flaws. And yet you are immersed in a world so vibrant and beautiful that you forgive those indiscretions. Every detail, from the movement of the crashing waves to the strikingly atmospheric vistas, has been designed with true skill and care. Except for the beasts themselves. Intentionally perhaps, they look as if drawn by a small child, all primary colours and exaggerated features. At no point do you believe they are at all dangerous, their relative size being their only threatening feature.

But it doesn’t really matter. While the film may lack the longevity of director Chris Williams’ previous films Big Hero Six and Moana (which he co-directed) The Sea Beast is still an impressive piece of animation. Only time will tell if it is to be one of the last from Netflix.

The Sea Beast is available on Netflix.

BRIAN AND CHARLES

It’s hard to imagine that we’ll see a sweeter, more uplifting, more poignant and more downright hilarious film than Brian and Charles this year. The film – the work of David Earl (best known for playing grimy sleazeball characters in Ricky Gervais’ Derek and After Life) and Chris Hayward – started life as a short film in 2017 (freely available on YouTube) before being developed into a feature directed by Jim Archer. If you’re looking for something to lift your sagging spirits as we stumble through the chaos of 2022 then we can guarantee that if 90 minutes in the company of Brian and Charles doesn’t do the trick then nothing will.

Brian Gittins is a lonely and eccentric inventor living in a rambling old farmhouse in rural North Wales. His unlikely inventions include an egg belt and trawler shoes. Scavenging through some scrap one day, he finds an old mannequin head and decides to fulfil his life’s ambition by building a robot. The resulting monstrosity boasts an old washing machine for a body with one of Brian’s old shirts stretched across it. It stubbornly refuses to come to life. One night, during a thunderstorm, Brian finds the machine wandering around outside his workshop. It’s possessed of a rudimentary artificial intelligence and, talking in clipped, robotic tones, names itself Charles Petrusco and the two begin an unlikely but utterly charming father/son relationship as Brian educates Charles in the world and all its marvels. But Charles starts to grow into a petulant, needy teenager and even as Brian embarks on a sweet relationship with shy local girl Hazel (Louise Brealey) Charles attracts the attention of local bully Eddie (Jamie Michie) and his trouble-making family.

Brian and Charles is absolutely unique. Its humour is resolutely British, the story of two entirely different people/beings, locked together and learning to live with and adapt to one another. Charles (voiced by Hayward) is the hilarious, naïve child who asks questions such as “Can birds do what they like?” and Earl is perfect as the always cheery but ultimately rather sad outsider Brian who really just wants to be left alone to live the life he’s chosen and yet, we suspect, secretly craves something more. Bleak, slate grey North Wales locations add to the film’s strange sense of dislocation but, at the end of the day, Brian and Charles is at times absolutely side-splittingly hilarious, a real comedy of manners, and yet also warm, touching, and affecting. The new subplot involving Eddie and his plans to use Charles as bonfire fodder adds a little jeopardy to the proceedings but this is low-stakes stuff that serves to give Brian the opportunity to step up to the plate and for us to care about Charles more than we already do. Quirky, silly, utterly ridiculous but possessing real heart, Brian and Charles is proof that sometimes junk really can be turned into pure gold.

Brian and Charles is in selected UK cinemas now

BRIAN AND CHARLES

In 2017, David Earl and Chris Hayward released a short film showcasing their characters, Brian Gittins and Charles Petrescu. Brian and Charles have been making live appearances on the comedy circuit for years now and fans of Ricky Gervais’ work will likely be familiar with Brian Gittins thanks to the character appearing in some of his projects, including both Cemetery Junction and After Life.

The short, also called Brian and Charles, came seemingly out of nowhere and, frankly, it was absolute dynamite. Funny, quirky, charming, unique and low-fi to the point that it was difficult to not feel a huge sense of admiration for their accomplishment. Fast forward five years and the short has been turned into a feature film. So how does the movie stack up?

In finding material to fill roughly eight times the length of the short – not to mention finding the budget to actually film it – the new, feature-length Brian and Charles finds itself spread a little bit thin and, as a result, the movie often manages to somehow feel smaller in scope than the original short.

That said, at the heart of this project are these two characters and their relationship and that still works beautifully. Fitting right into the conventional father-son and boy-and-his-dog tropes, this story about a man who builds himself a robot friend, only for the robot to want to explore the world is incredibly sweet and embraces kindness in a way that evokes the likes of Paddington.

While some of the other newly introduced characters leave a bit to be desired, it’s a joy to watch Brian and Charles interact whenever they’re on screen and one can only hope that this film isn’t the last we’ll see of the unlikely double act.

Brian and Charles is in cinemas now.

WHEN THE SCREAMING STARTS

Filmmaker Norman (Jared Rogers) has found the perfect subject for a ground-breaking documentary. He’s been invited to spend some time with aspiring serial killer Aiden (Ed Hartland) and his intense girlfriend Claire (Kaitlin Reynell). Aiden is rather inept, but his attempt to create a Manson-style cult brings some content for Norman that he doesn’t expect.

When you don’t have much money for your film, there are options to mask the lack of funds. Co-writer/director Conor Boru wisely chose the faux documentary, and it’s a winner. Populated with funny, unique, and most importantly, likeable characters, the humour flows naturally as it would with the best mockumentaries. The cast inhabits their roles brilliantly, particularly the sizzlingly psychotic Amy (Octavia Gilmore), who comes from a privileged background that brings out a sadistic side that she relishes.

The script by Boru and Ed Hartland is razor-sharp in its observation of the format and the deluded characters that are sometimes the focus of such documentaries. It’s also spot-on about the overreaching filmmakers who want to spend as much time in front of the camera as their subject and whose eye is always on the kudos and recognition his work will bring while exploiting the situation as much as possible.

With too many highlights to pinpoint, it’s a joyous film that you’ll want to re-watch almost immediately in case you miss any little gag (and it’s likely that you will).

When the Screaming Starts is available on digital platforms from September 26th.

THE RETALIATORS

John (Michael Lombardi) is a fine upstanding pastor, a turn-the-other-cheek guy who won’t even stand up for himself and his daughters when an asshole (Clerks’ Brian O’Halloran) claims their Christmas tree for himself. When his daughter is brutally murdered while on her way to a party, he erupts with rage. It’s only when a police detective with a secret finds the culprit does he see how far he can go for his revenge.

It’s something that many people who have been on the tragic side of lawlessness have felt: the need for retaliation. Directors Samuel Gonzalez, Jr and Bridget Smith delve into this dark side of humanity with this gruesome version of ‘an eye for an eye’. Joseph Gatt is a terrifyingly imposing figure as the embodiment of evil, a seemingly unstoppable machine who you are desperate to get his comeuppance.

Despite the story’s seriousness, there’s an Evil Dead II feel to the last act as our Ash surrogate John bears the brunt of the bloodshed. There are also plenty of impressive practical effects that make the climax a fun watch. The hard-rocking soundtrack keeps the energy up throughout, backed up on-screen with appearances by Papa Roach’s Jacobi Shaddix and the entire line-up of Five Finger Death Punch as various baddies, plus Mötley Crüe’s legendary schlong Tommy Lee as a club DJ.

Despite the grim tone of the majority of the film, The Retaliators bursts to life as a riotous, air-punching, gory thrill ride, twisting it into a crowd-pleaser.

The Retaliators is released in UK cinemas on September 14th.

THE POND

There is something indeterminably intriguing, yet faintly irritating about The Pond from director Petar Pasic. The film itself is a puzzle, a cacophony of visual clues and imagery that never truly connect, and which ultimately leaves you as cold as the bleak landscape in which The Pond exists.

Marco Canadea is The Professor, a man seemingly driven from his university following claims of an apocalyptic discovery. Each day he leaves his partner and daughter at home and travels across a pond to a small settlement populated with unusual characters to continue his work.

The Pond is an unsettling watch. The perpetually gloomy palette and an impressively atmospheric soundtrack maintain an aura of mystique. This feels like a folktale – The Professor even seems to be haunted by a man with a mask of twigs – yet it’s difficult to determine whether there is any true mythical intent. ‘Everybody dies’ is a repeating theme, and overwhelming grief is ever-present; has The Professor succumbed to mental illness following the death of his wife? It’s a question we’re regularly presented with, more so as Pasic’s film plods tentatively toward a finale that fails to comprehensively present you with anything resembling resolution.

In truth, the ambiguity is tolerable but given the slow burn of what plot there is you begin to feel a little duped, having committed to following The Professor’s journey through a maelstrom of internal struggles that manifest in largely threatening ways.

But like his central character, Pasic has created a tale that is difficult to connect with. Visually arresting at times, The Pond struggles with the burden of its own apparent intensity.

The Pond is released on digital on July 11th.

H. P. LOVECRAFT’S WITCH HOUSE

On the run from an abusive partner, Alice (Portia Chellelynn) takes an attic room in a strange house in order to continue her studies at Miskatonic University into alternate dimensions, and how they relate to geometry and architecture. Unfortunately for Alice, the house she has taken refuge in has a dark and disturbing past, and she is soon beset by horrific nightmares and visions.

Loosely based upon H. P. Lovecraft’s Dreams in the Witch House director Bobby Easley has, in part, successfully recreated the strange and bizarre imagery prevalent in the original text. Trippy, nausea-inducing scenes of witchy behaviour combine with an oppressive atmosphere to unsettle the viewer.

And yet you sense Easley doesn’t really have full confidence in the source material. Rather than trusting in the inherent strangeness, in retaining confidence that the text will support itself he has added elements that feel both indulgent and unnecessary. A rather odd lesbian encounter between Alice – whose recent abuse at the hands of her partner resulted in a miscarriage – and her new housemate Tommi (Julie Anne Prescott) adds nothing to the narrative, following which Easley takes every opportunity to show and linger on female flesh. It feels seedy, and you sense Lovecraft would be unlikely to approve. While peripheral characters, though bearing some similarity to those in the original story, are given a sideshow makeover rendering them faintly comedic.

As far as Lovecraftian adaptations go Witch House is a perfectly acceptable, if rather uninspiring addition. But in attempting to fill out the runtime Easley has lost sight of what really makes this story an intriguing and ultimately horrific one.

H.P. Lovecraft’s WItch House is out now in the US