In this segment, we showcase our top picks of what to catch at the cinema this weekend, what to stream and our short film of the week.

Our pick of the new releases out on November 8th 2019.

Cinema: The Aeronauts

Director: Tom Harper

Starring: Eddie Redmayne, Felicity Jones and Himesh Patel

 After their explicit, natural chemistry and Oscar-winning success as Stephen and Jane Hawking in 2014’s The Theory of Everything, it’s no surprise that the Eddie Redmayne and Felicity Jones have reunited on-screen for this Victorian period drama that takes them into the clouds above on an expedition like no other and in a mode of transport – a hot air balloon – that’s rarely witnessed on the big screen.

Set in London 1862, Redmayne once again plays a real-life scientist, meteorologist James Glaisher, who’s looking to prove that it is possible to predict the weather, if scientific calculations are undertaken in the atmosphere. Having been repeatedly derided by his peers for his seemingly eccentric theories, James decides to take flight in a hot air balloon and on an expedition that he hopes will verify his theories. Realising he requires a pilot, James enlists the help of fictional aeronaut, Amelia Wren (Jones). But the weather, the one thing they are trying to prove is predictable, becomes unpredictable, dangerous and their biggest enemy. The majority of the ensuing narrative features the pain in the basket of the air balloon where they are encounter butterflies, the wonders of the clouds, treacherous pigeons and sheer danger in the form of a thunderous storm.

Premiering at the Telluride Film Festival, the film is bolstered by the chemistry of the leading pair, who skilfully deal with the fact that most of the action occurs in the enclosed, intimate space of the basket – where they are unable to separate from each other – they mange to successfully perform their characters’ frustration and initial awkwardness, which eventually dissolves into profound trust and loyalty. Many have also commended Tom Harper’s direction and stunning visuals – particularly his impressive use of that confined, small space that could easily have become mundane. He also crafts gorgeous cinematography that places audiences amongst the clouds and soaring above the earth in a manner that’s comparable to and as visually stunning as Gravity or Ad Astra. Though it may lack the emotional weight to achieve the same Oscar success that The Theory of Everything enjoyed, this film will send you floating into the skies but ensures you are still grounded in great visuals and performances. 

Stream: The King (Netflix)

 Director: David Michôd

Starring: Timothée Chalamet, Joel Edgerton, Robert Pattinson and Lily-Rose Depp

Since his supporting role in the coming-of-age film Lady Bird and his lead role as Elio Perlman in Luca Guadagino’s Oscar-winning romantic drama Call Me by Your Name, Chalamet has firmly established himself, despite his age, as a dramatic force to be reckoned with. In this historical drama, Chalamet takes on the titular monarch, King Henry V (called “Hal” by his close friends).

Based on Shakespeare’s “Henriad” plays (Henry V, Henry IV Part I, and Henry IV Part II), Hal is a defiant prince who has fled responsibilities and disavowed his royal heritage in favour of spending his days revelling, drinking and living amongst the common people. But, when his tyrannical father dies shortly after his brother’s death, Hal is forced to return to the realm that he had previously fled and become King of England. He must now face the complexities of being a young king, whereby problems are even further exaggerated by the many who believe him to be incompetent. He must come to terms with the politics, chaos and war that his father left behind as well as maintaining the bonds of his pre-throne life – namely his friendship with the alcoholic knight, John Falstaff (Joel Edgerton).

While The King will not hit the award-winning heights that its impressive parts promised, the film does contain gripping performances (particularly by Chalamet and Pattinson) as well as careful handling of themes of corruption, institutional power and male hegemony. It’s an excellent and epic rendition of a Shakespearian play and a relatively mundane history that may not leave you completely bowing at the knees, but instead giving simply a polite curtsy for its compelling performances and astounding battle scenes.

Short Film of the Week: La Noria by Carlos Baena

 Veteran animator Carlos Baena (whose extensive feature credits include Finding Nemo, The Incredibles, Cars, Ratatouille, and Toy Story 3) constructs a beautiful story of a grieving young boy who is intimidated by monsters who rip apart his toys, steal his photos and chase him through his home.

Featured at more than 150 festivals and collecting 80 prizes from major events, Baena’s animation is a stunning masterpiece that’s clearly inspired by the work of Guillermo Del Toro. He manages to carefully construct a gorgeous, personal story that doesn’t lose its thrills, political backdrop or emotional ballast.

Speaking about the short film, Baena comments that: “Creatively, we wanted to make a horror film that creates tension through horror rather than making people jump. “We have all had that moment in our lives when everything went wrong. It’s in those moments when all you see are broken pieces around you, your courage has the ability to turn something dark into something unexpectedly beautiful. That is the essence of La Noria.”

In this segment, we showcase our top picks of what to catch at the cinema this weekend, what to stream and our short film of the week. And this week it’s a Halloween Special!

Our pick of the new releases out on November 1^st 2019.

Cinema: Doctor Sleep

Director: Mike Flanagan

Starring: Ewan McGregor, Rebecca Ferguson, Kyliegh Curran

Upon its release in 1980, Stanley Kubrick’s The Shining had an extremely lethargic start at the box office and gained very mixed reviews. Though it did eventually gain momentum and become a moderate commercial success in the summer of 1980, the film was nominated for a pair of Razzie awards – a parody award show celebrating the worst of cinema – namely Worst Director and Worst Actress (Duvall). Since then, the film is now widely regarded as one of the greatest horror films of all time and become a staple of pop culture – featuring in numerous cultural references (e.g. The Simpsons, Family Guy and even an Ikea advert). With Doctor Sleep, director Mike Flanagan will be hoping for the same cultural impact without the premature criticism and mediocre returns of its predecessor.

With his excellent Netflix series Haunting of Hill House and previous King adaptation Gerald’s Game, Flanagan has established himself as a competent filmmaker, who can carefully balance sincerity and thrilling dread. In Doctor Sleep, he attempts to continue this same methodology and deal with complex issues of childhood memories (or fears) and how to deal with them (through alcoholism) as well as retaining the thrills that a horror demands.

Decades after the disturbing incidents at the Overlook Hotel, Dan Torrance (Ewan McGregor) is a heavy drinker, who is still trying to deal with his past and childhood traumas – he regularly indulges in flings with strangers or brawls at the pub. Eventually, he acquires a job in a hospice where he uses his magical gift – the ‘shine’ – to comfort those who are close to death. It’s here where he attains the eponymous nickname: Doctor Sleep. Torrance finds peace in being able to soothe these patients. But this idyll is shattered when he meets Abra (Kyliegh Curran), a powerful young girl who also has a mysterious gift. However, this attracts the attention of the ruthless Rose the Hat and her band of vampire cohorts: The True Knot. Torrance and Abra must join together to defend themselves from this evil band, who prey on the shine of the innocents. To do this, Torrance must retrace and confront the ghosts of his past.

The film has, so far and like its predecessor, received mixed reviews (achieving a fairly respectable approval rating of 79% on Rotten Tomatoes). Many have commended the horrifying tale, Flanagan’s direction and others have recognised that it’s an excellent adaptation of King’s work. Though it’s unlikely to exceed the heights of Kubrick’s, if any lesson is to be learnt from the aftermath of the 1980 film, it’s that initial criticism may be misguided and works may be more (or less) significant than they at first appear. See this sequel to judge for yourself or simply as a Halloween treat.

Stream: Tell Me Who I Am (Netflix)

In truth, (ironically) like the amnesiac man that this documentary portrays, it’s best knowing very little about this film before viewing.

After a terrible motorbike accident in 1982, 18-year-old Alex Lewis awoke from a coma with virtually complete memory loss. Upon awakening, (in his words) “I instantly recognised my twin brother and I just said hello Marcus …. but it started to dawn on me, I didn’t know where I was, what had happened to me or even my own name”. Alex, then, heavily relies on Marcus to reteach him everything he had forgotten – from the simple mundane (e.g. how to tie his laces) to stories of their childhood: growing up with a caring mum and dad and the family holidays in France. But this was all a lie that’s manifested by Marcus – pure fantasy. For the first time, Marcus reveals to Alex the truth about their childhood and their family.

The story appears so fictional, so unfathomable, that it’s often perplexing to view it in this documentary form and comprehend that it is, in fact, true. Director Ed Perkins’ innovative structuring makes this documentary a gripping psychological thriller as well as a truly profound and traumatic portrait of these two brothers and their convoluted relationship. It draws attention to the prominence of one’s memory and invites questions about trust and deception, truth and reality. It’s not conventional Halloween viewing, but its haunting nonetheless.

Short Film of the Week: Night of the Slasher by Shant Hamassian

Horror films are undeniably filled with clichés – they are sometimes repetitive and banal. But what if these clichés are subverted and entirely the point of the film? In this short film, Hamassian wonderfully plays with expectations and self-consciously teases us through these clichés.

Jenelle (played by Lily Berlina), is a young teenage girl, who must commit all of the horror movie sins such as drinking, taking drugs and having sex. She aims to do this in an attempt to lure the eponymous slasher killer (Adam Lesar) to the house in the hopes of finishing him off once and for all.

Not only is this short film impressively shot in a long take, but Hamassian’s astute nodding to 80s slasher film tropes creates a parodic tone that manifests an uncanny eeriness – begging the question whether we are watching a comedy or a horror? Its tonal ambiguity combined with the continuous take makes it both terrifying and humorous, so confrontational and yet so distant. It’s a bewildering watch that ultimately results in a short film that offers something new and isn’t tied to the clichés that it attempts to break

Writing on the piece’s more intricate connotation, Hamassian says: “I chose to write this film on a deep and personal level because I personally had to deal with a traumatic moment in my life. Making this film was an exploration on how to cope with those painful memories and to tell a story on how to not let the past control our lives”