Category: REVIEWS

Scotty (Grant Rosenmyer) is horny. He’s 24, he’s never had sex, he lives with his mother and yet sex is all he thinks about. Sex and aspirations to be a rapper anyway. Sick of never getting what he wants and being under the control of his mother, Liz (Janeane Garofalo) Scotty finds a website that caters for men like him and their sexual needs. He just needs to convince some people to come with him because the brothel he wishes to go to is in Canada and, oh yes, Scotty uses a wheelchair.

Matt (Hayden Szeto) is newly disabled after an accident and arrives at the same physical therapy centre clinic that Scotty attends, immediately hitting it off with him – in the worst way possible. Scotty is obnoxious, rude and confrontational, he may have needs that are going unfulfilled, but he’s going about life in all the wrong ways. However, after Matt hears about Scotty’s offer of a road trip and after Matt realises that his girlfriend has moved on, he sees no other option but to join Scotty on the road.

Coming along for a ride is Mo (Ravi Patel) a visually impaired man who works at the physical therapy centre and considering he’s in his thirties and still a virgin himself, he jumps at the chance. So, the trio set off on their adventure – not anticipating that their driver would be a woman, Sam (Gabourey Sidibe).

Come as You Are is a remake of the Dutch film Adios Amigos which is in turn a remake of the Belgian film that shares the same name as this English language remake. However, without having seen the previous versions of the film I can only come to a few conclusions. Either the film has accurately copied some of the scenes from the original so that fans would recognise it, the film makers didn’t even consider that making the scenes less insulting and more acceptable would matter if they were in the original. Or new scenes were added to make the film funnier but they were done at the expense of the disabled characters.

A running gag of Mo mistaking one thing for another because of not having 20/20 vision and a scene involving Scotty dropping his mobile phone and struggling to get it because of his inability to bend down and pick it up are all part of the ‘hilarity’. A surprise considering the tone of the film and the subject, but it’s not something I’d expect to see in a film on this with these characters this far into the 21^st century, but apparently the cast and crew were fine with it.

However, it’s not all bad though as the best parts of the film are the scenes where the film forgets that the majority of the cast are disabled, giving them the chance to become more human. However, these scenes are often far too short or are immediately undermined by a joke about somebody’s disability. The budding love story with Mo is also sweet, but again sadly undermined by using his ability to do something on a superhuman level suggesting that the film makers believe the myth that when one sense is gone the rest are heightened, or they just didn’t care enough to check its validity.

Personally, speaking as a disabled person, I have never considered visiting a brothel, preferring to make emotional connections and getting to know people and thankfully Come as You Are does eventually show that there’s more than just brothels for disabled people who want sex and even love.

However, I feel that the film is only going to appeal to an able-bodied audience who has never interacted with a disabled person and will think that brothels are the only option and that it’s the same for everyone.

A domesticated St. Bernard/Scotch Collie dog named Buck is stolen from his Santa Clara, California home and sold to freight haulers in Yukon. Crossing paths with a man named John Thornton (Harrison Ford), the two embark on an adventure where Buck finds his true place in the world.

Ah yes, the good old fashioned “adapted from a book” movie. These can honestly be some of the greatest films sometimes. Novels are obviously well known for being incredibly rich with their stories, intricate details, and length. It’s one of the many reasons why a ton of people say that the book is better than the movie. In the book, there are most likely hundreds of pages chalked full of great detail about the characters, story, and world. In a movie on the other hand, the filmmaker does not have hours to explore these themes and stories, but rather, just about two hours only. Therefore, it can be extremely tricky to adapt any novel into a feature length film, especially if it is a novel as beloved as Jack London’s The Call of the Wild.

Originally published in 1903, the novel tells the exact same story set in Yukon of a dog who is stolen from his home and must find his place in the world, all while meeting a caring and friendly man named John. Throughout the decades, many readers all around the world have fallen in love with this beautifully told and emotionally moving story of man’s best friend, and it is not hard to see why. Each page in the book is filled with great storytelling, a break-neck pace, and interesting characters that you love to follow and want to learn more about. It’s also a novel that had some grittiness to it. While children have loved the story as well, London did not shy away from putting some bleak moments in his story.

The original novel’s story and characters were just two of the biggest reasons The Call of the Wild had the potential to be a great film. The other reason being that legendary actor Harrison Ford portrays lead human protagonist John Thornton. Although Ford made an appearance in a film last year, it was only for a few seconds. While his scene was shocking and extremely emotional, it reminded audiences around the world why we love this guy. Getting to see him back on the big screen in a major role in Chris Sanders’ latest feature brought a gigantic smile to my face.

In the role of John Thornton, he brings a sense of warmth that only Ford can bring. Every single time he is on screen, he radiates a sense of immense confidence and friendliness. You feel like you are best friends with him almost. Seeing his bond with the lead dog Buck was remarkable and truly heartwarming and it was by far the strongest aspect of this film.

Although Ford is certainly terrific in this film and is his best work in quite a few years, it would have been nice to have seen just a little bit more of him. The Call of the Wild has a running time of one hundred minutes, and it takes about thirty five minutes or so for Ford’s character to be properly introduced. Before he is introduced, we follow Omar Sy’s Perrault and Cara Gee’s Françoise, two of Buck’s caretakers. They are eventually shoved completely out of the movie and it felt extremely out of left field.

At its core though, this was an impressively helmed film. Sanders does a great job at adapting this beloved story to the big screen for a new generation, and he shows a ton of skill in his craft. The way he frames certain shots and his fast-paced storytelling for the most part, makes this movie fun to watch. There are some moments where the pacing drags and there are some scenes where there certainly is some down time (particularly in the first act), but at the end of the day, he managed to craft a film that is going to capture the hearts of families, children, and adults alike.

Although its story is one that was deeply inspiring and uplifting to watch, there never really feels like a sense of urgency is present. Since the film is rated PG, you know in the back of your mind that not a whole lot of surprises can be in store because of that rating. Nothing brutal or gritty happens in the book except for one sequence in the final ten minutes, which was a bit of a shame. It is a massively fun movie to watch after the slow first act is over, but even still, there never feels like there is a sense of urgency.

But something that was absolutely phenomenal regarding The Call of the Wild was its cinematography by Janusz Kamiński. In the past, he has served as director of photography on films such as Steven Spielberg’s Ready Player One and Lincoln, and also shot Indiana Jones and the Kingdom of the Crystal Skull, another Harrison Ford-lead movie. Despite his past work being truly remarkable stuff, this may be one of his best efforts to date. Nearly every frame on display looks absolutely beautiful, with Kamiński’s awe-inspiring cinematography blending beautifully with the gorgeous scenery of the sunny mountaintops and the warm and inviting forests. It all looks so beautiful and is never dull to look at.

Something that a ton of people on the internet are talking about is the computer generated imagery that is present for the animal characters here, namely the lead dog Buck. Getting an actual dog to do some of these scenes in this film would have been an immense challenge, and therefore, the filmmaker’s opted to use CGI here, and for the most part, it did not bother me. Yes, there are definitely some moments (especially early on), where it is incredibly evident that you are not looking at a real dog. But after about twenty to thirty minutes, the fact that you are looking at an artificial dog honestly leaves your mind because you get so wrapped up in the story.

All of the technical aspects aside though, The Call of the Wild did impress me for the most part. At the end of the day, a great story is what matters the most when it comes to film, and the story, while familiar and unsurprising, was still a blast to watch. Man’s best friend has not had a tale this inspiring and heartwarming in years.

The Call of the Wild tells a story that, while incredibly familiar and unsurprising, is still greatly inspiring and heartwarming, and is a great display of Harrison Ford at his charming best.

Leigh Tiller (Bethany Anne Lind) has a decision to make after she kills somebody in a confrontation. Unfortunately, she makes the wrong decision and disposes of the body, hoping that the mistake she made will go away and she can get on with the rest of her life.

Leigh lives with her teenage son, Ryan (Jared Ivers), she’s estranged from Ryan’s father and she has to deal with her own father, Sheriff Richard Tiller (Will Patton) on a daily basis. On top of this she doesn’t trust her father around Ryan because of the things he did when she was a child.

However, despite all of this, and as much as Leigh wants to forget about her dark past, eventually her conscious gets the better of her, leading her into more danger as she has to work to clean up the loose ends that lead her to the murder.

Matthew Pope’s directorial debut, Blood on Her Name is a taut, engrossing thriller with a wonderful cast, beautiful cinematography and a tight script. The film follows Leigh’s emotional state right throughout the film and it’s thanks to Lind’s performance that her character stays as sympathetic and likeable as she does.

The script also plays out during the film preferring to show and not tell the audience what they need to know all the time, which keeps the pace of the film tight with no wasted moments.

The whole feel of the film is that of any small town in America and is the kind that many film lovers have seen time and time again. However, keeping the focus so close to Leigh and her family makes the films tense and at times emotionally heart breaking as the audience watches her anguish as she decides what is to be her next step.

Blood on Her Name isn’t very surprising in terms of its plot (bar the final act perhaps), but there is just enough to keep the audience invested even though deep in their hearts they know the story will not end well for everyone.

Not exactly a film to watch to cheer yourself up after a long and stressful week, but for those who want to indulge in a bit of heightened drama told well then Blood on Her Name delivers everything that you may want.

Greed: Another Review: Michael Winterbottom’s excellent latest movie couldn’t be more current if it tried as it mixes together unscrupulous business procedures exploiting third world countries with the pleas of refugees, and it even features a posthumous appearance of TV presenter Caroline Flack, who tragically took her own life just last week. 

Look at any business papers and you’ll see how inclusive capitalism now seems to be at the forefront of most senior corporate leaders’ minds and Greed’s timings, whose storyline focuses on the rise and fall of a crooked and bully billionaire, couldn’t be more apt to spark and move forward a conversation about a better distribution of wealth and best practices.

And the film’s satire is also a look at other aspects of our modern life, from our obsession with reality TV and the worshipping of celebrity culture to the sobering reality of exploitation and the challenges of immigration.

Sir Richard McCreadie (Steve Coogan) is a fictional British fashion tycoon approaching his 60^th birthday and getting ready to host one hell of a party on the Greek island of Mykonos. The movie details the lavish party’s arrangements while his team tries to do all they can to uplift his smeared public image. 

Sporting a blindingly white set of teeth, Sir Richard has recently been the subject of a very public scrutiny in front of a parliamentary select committee over his business affairs (reminds you of anyone? Although, I am assured, this is an entirely work of fiction and not based on any real life fashion industrialist). His birthday was meant to be the most prestigious calendar appointment of the year but his recent PR disaster threatens to overshadow his efforts as celebrities begin to pull out of his celebration. 

Teams of builders and assistants flock to the island trying to make the party happen while Sir Richard’s biographer Nick (David Mitchell) tries to piece together his life story, offering the viewer a behind the scenes look at what this billionaire’s life and career look like. 

As the party day approaches, preparations seem to mirror his ill ventured businesses; over worked contractors throw in the towel as they try to recreate an amphitheatre for a Roman themed costume party and Sir Richard takes things into his own hands by convincing a group of Syrian refugees (played by real life refugees) to work for him for free, just as Nick is shown to meet Sri Lankan’s sweatshop workers who have been exploited by Sir Richard’s high street fashion brands.

A bit of a mockumentary sharp satire dotted with laugh out loud moments and an impressive cast list, Greed offers a first class view of the super rich, their lives and preoccupations and the extravagance of those who have more money than sense. And, the ending is just as dramatic as its Greek backdrop. Because sometimes it’s only when you open yourself up with a belly laugh that the moral punch really hits home. 

Greed is out in UK cinemas now.