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  • The Night Doctor: Review

    The Night Doctor: Review

    The Night Doctor is a French film from Elie Wajeman, present in the official selection of the festival of Cannes 2020. The film has been released in French theaters on June 16, 2021.  “Adoctor tries to extricate himself from the stressful work of treating drug addicts, the homeless and the destitute in difficult neighborhoods at night.”

    “The Night Doctor” is a film noir with a social drama background which presents a very dark vision of Parisian nights. Elie Wajeman is used to work with quality French actors, such as Adèle Exarchopoulos and Tahar Rahim in “The Anarchists” (2015) or Pio Marmaï and Adèle Haenel in “Aliyah” (2012). This time he gives the lead role to Vincent Macaigne, a French actor, greatly appreciated and respected. He played in “Two Friends” (2015) alongside Louis Garrel and Golshifteh Farahani or in “Chien” (2017) but also in many other films.

    “The Night Doctor” plunges us into an anxiety-inducing nocturnal journey during which Mikael’s naive kindness and ethics will lead him into various dangers. The writing of Agnès Feuvre and Elie Wajeman gives an excellent rhythm to the film and presents complex and well worked characters.  The film takes place over a single night, which allows us, as in the excellent “Good Time” (2017) by the Safdie Brothers, to witness a gradual rise in tension, linked to Mikael’s loss of  control.

    We witness at a moment in Mikael’s life, where everything can change in one night, the stakes are such that he will have to make choices, which may cost him dearly.  As Elie Wajeman explains in an interview for Le Petit Bulletin, “Mikael is a doctor of bodies but also a doctor of souls at night”. 

    The success of this film depends largely on the performance of Vincent Macaigne who interprets to perfection the different aspects of the character of Mikael. Mikael is a complete character, oscillating between a great sensitivity and an amazing physical strength. His desire to help is very touching but is also the reason why he can lose everything. He sees helping drug addicts as a necessity in a country where they are largely left behind. But he will have to face a very violent environment in which he will have to learn  how to be respected.

    “The Night Doctor” is a great success and allows to highlight the brilliant actor that Vincent Macaigne is, whom we hope to see at the head of many films in the years to come. 

  • Shapeless: Review

    Shapeless: Review

    An ambitious debut feature film by Samantha Aldana and Kelly Murtagh that portrays a struggling singer’s battle with bulimia – but with a sprinkling of the horror genre.

    Set in New Orleans, Murtagh stars as Ivy – a jazz crooner by night and employed at a dry cleaner’s by day.  From the beginning it is evident Ivy is stuck in the cycle of binge eating and purging which eventually starts to have negative affects on her voice, career and her relationships. What’s more is that it appears as though her eating disorder is literally turning her into a monster, as she begins to notice disturbing physical transformations.

    Shapeless handles this delicate subject matter with truth and integrity, and it is clearly well researched or drawn from personal experience. Many of the scenes are uncomfortable to watch but only because of their rawness and realism. Murtagh’s portrayal of this character is honest and dynamic as she shows a wide range of emotions from desperation, relief, shame, anger and sadness. Therefore, the horror aspect feels almost like an insult to the film’s truthful portrayal of such a debilitating illness. What’s worse is that the ‘monster’ elements are hardly featured and feel almost like an afterthought to add more excitement to the plot. Yet, ivy’s struggle with her eating disorder creates enough suspense already, especially when she is hospitalised – the severity of the situation is clear enough without adding the threat of the supernatural. Of course, it could be derived that the physical monster transformation is a metaphor, which is theoretically commendable but overall just feels unnecessary. Shapeless would make more sense simply as a drama, rather than being in the horror/drama genre.

    In fact, Shapeless probably doesn’t really need to be a feature film. It could easily be a short and still convey the same ominous message. The pacing is slow and there is no clear beginning, middle and end, but rather a gradual unravelling of Ivy’s life that is clearly set in motion far before the audience meets her in this film. Her backstory is not explored, nor do we get a clear idea of where her future may lead at the end of the film. Perhaps the meaning is simply that the cycle will continue. There does, however, seem to be an ongoing theme throughout the film of oral fixation through the use of long close-ups on people’s mouths as they talk, eat and drink for example, which perhaps serves as an explanation for what triggers Ivy’s eating disorder.

    Aside from the snippets of jazz music heard at Ivy’s performances, composer Mandy Hoffman’s music is dark and menacing and barely melodic – supporting the ‘horror’ genre. The repetitiveness of this music does eventually begin to drag and generally gives off a depressing mood. Natalie Kingston’s cinematography is also very dark, so much so that Ivy is sometimes barely identifiable from beneath dark shadows. This, too, is effective in conveying a clear menacing and melancholic mood, but which is exhausting to endure for the length of a feature film.

    Overall, Shapeless is full of metaphor and allegory, which makes it artistically pleasing but perhaps not satisfying or entertaining enough as a feature film. It is certainly original and has carved out a style and genre of filmmaking of its own.

  • Batmobile And Only Fools And Horses Scalextric For Father’s Day

    Batmobile And Only Fools And Horses Scalextric For Father’s Day

    Batmobile And Only Fools And Horses Scalextric For Father’s Day – Classic Batmobile and Only Fools and Horses Reliant Robin Scalextric models lead the pack for Father’s Day gifts in 2021!

    POW! These are great additions for Dad for Father’s Day! Lovely jubbly!

    Someone who’d love to relive his childhood with you, playing with his very favourite toy? Of course he would – and now’s your chance for him to combine both nostalgia and fun! Expanding on the success of the new Film and TV category introduced in 2020, Scalextric have produced the iconic 1960s Batmobile; and the classic Reliant Robinfrom beloved sitcom Only Fools and Horses – the perfect gifts for kid-dads everywhere on June 20th.

    The stylish and ultra-cool Batmobile, from the Adam West TV series, features the distinctive vintage fins and red trim, and comes with a Batman figure in 1960s garb.  The wearing of masks and capes while playing with this collectable classic is not essential, but highly recommended.

    The Only Fools and Horses twin pack, features probably the most recognisable vehicle to ever grace the streets of Peckham, Del Boy’s yellowReliant Regal, that lacks road tax but comes with a pair of fluffy dice as standard! It is paired with Del’s tastefully decorated Ford Capri Mk III, purchased by Del to allow him to separate business and pleasure.  Perfect old school fun brought bang up to date for Father’s Day, you’d be a proper plonker not to get your dad this just-about-roadworthy pair for his very special day, Rodders!

    Batmobile And Only Fools And Horses Scalextric For Father's Day
    Batmobile And Only Fools And Horses Scalextric For Father’s Day

    Since its launch, the Scalextric TV and Film car collection has proved incredibly popular. “Back in 2018 I said it would be cool to produce a Back to the Future DeLorean in Scalextric,” says Martyn Weaver, Scalextric Head of Brand.  “The response was ‘but DeLoreans didn’t ever really race’. The point was that it would be cool to create a Scalextric DeLorean, and within a split second we had decided we should make the Back to the Future model and that is how the Scalextric TV and Film car collection started.”

    Batmobile And Only Fools And Horses Scalextric For Father's Day
    Batmobile And Only Fools And Horses Scalextric For Father’s Day

    With the Batmobile, the car is chunky (in a good way), beautiful and packed with details. There’s a huge array of tiny details – like the Batphone next to Batman’s right hand!

    The Only Fools And Horses Twin Pack features the two iconic cars from the hit show, and again the detail is fantastic, from the fluffy dice to the Trotters Independent Trader’s logo.

  • Claydream: Review

    Claydream: Review

    Claydream: Review. By Alif Majeed.

    Will Vinton is a legendary animator and filmmaker known as the Father of Claymation. He won multiple awards, including an Academy Award for Best Animated short film. In the annals of animation hall of fame, his position is secure. Yet I’m embarrassed to say I did not know of the man until I came across Claydream, the documentary based on his life. So I appreciate the intention behind the documentary, even though it looks like a rushed highlight reel while trying to paint him as a tragic fallen hero.

    One reason is the choice of clips used for the documentary. Claydream starts with Will Vinton peering into a makeshift claymation studio, and immediately you see the Walt Disney connection. The need to draw a parallel between him and the latter, almost trying to hammer the point, is incredible. Claymation always was too niche as an animation genre, even though some beloved movies have come from the genre. So the comparison seems almost unfair and even derogatory to Will Vinton. Another scene also plays up the parallel when he laments he had an option once to trade stocks with Pixar but dint when he had the chance. He muses that if he had gone through with it, he would be the biggest stock owner of Pixar. Though that possibility seems unbelievable now, it is as if they almost want to draw a parallel to the Netflix – Blockbuster level folly in not going through with it.

    The movie then quickly touches upon his Academy award-winning short and his relationship with Bob Gardiner, his partner. The tragic suicide of the latter is also in focus. His fantastic work with claymation in advertisements and his love for Gaudi’s architecture, which inspired his work, are spoken of in broad strokes as it quickly moves from incident to incident. All these segments seem rushed through so that they can move on to the last segment where Phil Knight, co-founder of Nike, came in to rescue Will Vinton’s dying studio and took over and removed him from power.

    It gives a good enough summary of what went on in his battle with Phil Knight. The movie leaves no doubt that Vinton was a fantastic animator and that his downfall and ouster have a lot to do with his inability to balance his work with the company’s business aspects.

    It doesn’t create a clear-cut villain even though the movie briefly flirted with turning Travis Knight into a spoiled brat given too many chances to screw up before finally finding his calling. Though nepotism was also partly why Phil Knight took over, it was also a business decision to protect its investment. After being thrice Oscar-nominated animator and directing a fairly well-received blockbuster in Bumblebee, Travis deserves his fair, and the makers give him that. But it was interesting watching the legal battle play out in Claydream with Travis, who was working at Vinton’s studio, being one of the central pieces in it.

    In the closing moments, there is a clip where he explains he is pleased with the direction his company has taken even if they rebranded it and he is not at the helm. You admire his sense of wonder and the lack of cynicism despite seeing his legacy stolen away from him. It was also heartbreaking to see that Will Vinton could not take his legacy to the next level and that he couldn’t go the Disney route without having to die with his legacy genuinely intact.

    I also learned more from reading more of him after watching the documentary than from it. That is not necessarily bad, as I got to know more about him. Despite the rushed feel of Claydream, the effort to bring Will Vinton and his contribution to animation as an art form has to be appreciated.

  • Fried Barry: Review

    Fried Barry: Review

    Barry (Gary Green) is a junkie, a low life and a waste of space. His wife, Suz (Chanelle de Jager) has had enough of his behaviour and kicks him out, only for him to go and get high as he usually does. However, on this particular occasion Barry has an encounter of the third kind and has his body inhabited by an alien.

    Awaking from his all-night bender, Barry is now controlled by said alien and it gets to experience the best and worst of humanity first hand. It even gets the opportunity to inject a little of itself into the world as he goes along.

    Fried Barry is the feature debut from writer/director Ryan Kruger. Inspired by science fiction from the 80’s, Fried Barry is as much of a love letter to those times of childhood wonder as it is a surreal trip into the fantastical mind of its director.

    The film has a lot of things going for it, including its lead who was chosen mainly because of his unique appearance, but Green also manages to put in a funny and likeable performance due to his expressive face and comedic timing.

    Fried Barry is not for the feint hearted and it feels like the entire film was meant to be an exploration of the worst kind of debauchery that the filmmakers thought they could get away with. Based on Kruger’s short film, Fried Barry does also seem to be a little stretched out and seems to run out of ideas coming up to the last half hour of the film.

    Visually stunning, Fried Barry certainly does showcase Kruger’s artistic eye, but it just feels like there was a bit more padding than perhaps was necessary.

    Using references from everything from E.T. to Flight of The Navigator, it’s clear that Kruger has his heart on showing the audience that he’s a movie fan just like them. However, by the end it feels that the story is comprised of many elements of those films in order to finish the story. Fried Barry is certainly a trip, but one that may outstay its welcome.