Films | cheriecity.co.uk

Films, London

Top Indie Films to Watch at BFI LFF 2019

October 7, 2019 by cheriecity

The BFI London Film Festival 2019 is back with a dazzling programme of the best new film releases. It offers cinema lovers a rare opportunity to walk the red carpet at a Gala Screening and be the first to see the films that everyone will be talking about at a world, European or UK premiere.

Beyond the blockbusters, it also showcases independent releases featuring emerging talent, plus you can delve deeper into the director’s intentions with an intimate Q&A after the film.

Here are just a few of the inspiring, exciting films that you can see this week at participating cinemas across London…

Lucky Grandma

In Sasie Sealy’s debut black comedy Lucky Grandma, it’s impossible not to be charmed by Grandma Wong (played by veteran actress Tsai Chin), a tenacious widower resisting the pleas of her son to give up her tiny apartment in New York’s Chinatown and come to live in their family home.

After a fortuneteller predicts good luck coming her way, she recklessly gambles away her life savings during a trip to a Connecticut casino. However, on the bus ride home, the man sitting next to her suddenly dies from a heart attack, posing the opportunity to regain her losses and sneak away with his bag full of cash. Unfortunately for Grandma Wong, she has stolen from the fearsome Red Dragon gang and two of their henchmen are waiting in her living room to threaten her, not believing her claim of innocence.

To ward them off, she hires protection from a rival gang but her thriftiness get her Big Pong, a gentle giant rather than intimidating bodyguard. They form an unlikely bond and Big Pong’s skills are put to the test as Grandma Wong is chased around Chinatown by the gangsters, leading to a tense encounter with gang matriarch Sister Fong in an overheated sauna and a family member being taken hostage.

As well as being a joyous caper film, Lucky Grandma masterfully explores the lives of elderly Chinese immigrants and the cultural differences between them and their first generation Chinese-American children, from language and style of living to cooking and community. It also questions the independence and visibility of older generations in an ever-changing world, but always with a cheeky glint in the eye of the formidable Grandma Wong.

Photos: Lyle Vincent

Days of the Bagnold Summer

Remember those endlessly long summers at home where nothing much seems to happens? Simon Bird (of The Inbetweeners) perfectly captures the balmy ennui of the school holidays in middle class suburbia with his debut film, Days of the Bagnold Summer.

Based on Joff Winterhart’s graphic novel and adapted by his wife Lisa Owens, this likeable indie film chronicles six weeks in the lives of the Bagnolds – introverted teenage metalhead Daniel, played by promising newcomer Earl Cave (who happens to be the son of Susie and Nick Cave), and his divorced librarian mother Sue (Monica Dolan). Daniel is buoyed – excited would be overstating it – by the prospect of spending the holidays in Florida with his father and his girlfriend, but with a new baby on the way, they call to postpone his stay, grounding him in the somewhat less exotic Bromley, Kent.

Daniel’s days consist of arguing with his mum about chores, making ketchup sandwiches in his pyjamas, half-heartedly handing out his CVs and hanging out with his posh rocker best friend Ky (Elliot Speller-Gillott). Girls may be on Ky’s mind, but Daniel’s only really interested in music – in fact, he spots an advert looking for a singer in a local metal band, but has to pluck up the courage to apply.

While Daniel’s dad is zooming around Florida in a convertible MG and skipping his child support payments, dowdy cardigan-wearing Sue has given up on her own love life. That is, until Daniel’s schmoozing teacher (Rob Brydon) flirts with her in the library and they go out on date to their local Italian restaurant, kissing in the back of the taxi to her son’s dismay.

A trip to the seaside, the death of their old age golden retriever, a fall-out with Ky and Sue’s birthday meal out punctuate their summer together and their relationship certainly improves by the end of the film.

With a chipper soundtrack by Belle and Sebastian that Daniel would probably hate, Days of the Bagnold Summer is sure to take you back to simpler times when sleeping in and not cleaning your room was a triumph.

Photos: Rob Baker-Ashton

Our Ladies

Michael Caton-Jones’ raucous coming of age film Our Ladies has its world premiere at BFI London Film Festival. Adapted from Alan Warner’s novel The Sopranos and set in 1996, it follows a Fort William girls’ choir as they travel to Edinburgh to compete in a singing competition. However, hymns are the last thing on their minds as these Catholic school girls are on a mission to get their kicks in the capital.

Despite a stern warning from Sister Condron about the temptations of Edinburgh, six of the girls split off in groups to see who and what they can get their hands on. This takes them on a boozy tour of the city’s sinful spots like an infamous sauna, lesbian bar and a recently-divorced man’s flat.

It’s a transformative trip as secrets begin to unfold and old alliances shift. A surprising relationship develops between street smart Finnoula (Abigail Lawrie) and privileged, cello-playing Head Girl Kay (Eve Austin), as they discover they have more in common than their vastly different backgrounds would suggest.

Another key story is that of leukaemia survivor Orla (Tallulah Greive) who was ‘miraculously cured’ in Lourdes and is making up for lost time pursuing her desires – a new pair of thigh-high leather boots and a cute boy to lose her virginity with. Needless to say, Sister Condron’s vision of a choir of angels is destroyed as the girls turn up still drunk, vomiting as the result of a secret pregnancy and with their uniforms stolen.

Juxtaposed against the uncomplicated beauty of the rural Scottish landscape, life for the girls in Fort William is a challenge, as the film examines issues such as teenage pregnancy, repressed sexuality, lack of opportunity, poverty and vulnerability. Above all, however, Our Ladies is intoxicating and nostalgic with its punk rock attitude, stylised 90s backdrop and relatable girls.

Photos: Jaap Buitendijk

For more information and booking, visit: https://whatson.bfi.org.uk/lff/

Films

Film Review: Anchor and Hope

September 28, 2018 by cheriecity

Anchor and Hope is a cool, modern love story set against the unique backdrop of London’s waterways. Directed by Carlos Marques-Marcet, this beautifully-shot film pays tribute to the city’s lesser-known spots and explores a relationship that doesn’t follow society’s norms.

English rose Eva (Oona Chaplin) and her free-spirited Spanish girlfriend Kat (Natalia Tena) share a blissful, bohemian life on a houseboat on the canals of London. Deeply in love, their lives revolve around each other, maintaining their boat, hanging out with friends and indulging in the odd boozy night. Their jobs are similarly uncomplicated – Eva teaches salsa while Kat has a passion for boat construction but pulls pints in local pub, the Anchor and Hope, to make ends meet.

Kat’s best friend Roger (David Verdaguer) arrives from Barcelona to stay with them and during one tequila-fuelled night on the boat, Eva reveals her desire to have a baby. Wanting to help his friends, the lovable, slightly naive Roger offers to be the sperm donor and Kat agrees, being swept away in the moment.

Once the hangover subsides and all is decided, they begin their experimental process of conceiving with just a turkey baster, rather than the awkwardness of perfunctory sex or expensive IVF. Somehow they manage to pull it off and Eva is pregnant. As the weeks go on, Eva deals with morning sickness and Roger looks after her while charming his way through east London’s women. He develops an attachment to Eva and her baby as the biological father, however she is careful to shut down his involvement.

Kat, meanwhile, becomes increasingly distant, spending more time at the pub, running or repairing the boat. Roger confront her about her emotional detachment and her doubts about being a parent rise to the surface. This monumental life change drives a big wedge between the couple and they need to confront issues about themselves and the life they’ve made together. Notions of a more conventional, stable existence start to play on Eva’s mind. Can their love and friendship with Roger survive?

A formidable force in the film is Geraldine Chaplin (Oona’s real-life mum and daughter of the great Charlie Chaplin), an eccentric older hippy who takes a shine to Roger and seems to be the only family figure in their lives. A tense moment at the dinner table leads Kat to passionately defend their unconventional lifestyle to her, rejecting her concerns and the status quo set by past generations.

Anchor and Hope is a real love letter to London’s waterways, but also a relatable story of the complexity of relationships, pressures of parenthood and eventual personal growth.

Anchor and Hope is out now at selected cinemas. Watch the trailer here:

Films, London

BFI LFF 2017: The Boy Downstairs

October 15, 2017 by cheriecity

The Boy Downstairs is one of many films I’ve seen at this year’s BFI London Film Festival that feels like a love letter to New York life and all its complications.

Director Sophie Brooks’ debut romantic comedy is a bittersweet journey through a relationship, chronicling its beginnings, demise and future possibilities through a series of perfectly-woven flashbacks.

Diana (Zosia Mamet) arrives back in New York from living in London and starts working in a bridal boutique while establishing her writing career. She’s ambitious yet unsure of herself, with a few social eccentricities that are familiar to us millennial city girls.

With a little help from her friend Gabby (Diana Irvine), she manages to score an enviable apartment in a brownstone rented out by recently widowed Amy (Deirdre O’Connell). The pair instantly connect, as Amy likes to surround herself with young, creative tenants and they develop a touching friendship.

Awaiting a furniture delivery on the front steps, Diana discovers that her downstairs neighbour is none other than her ex-boyfriend Ben (Matthew Shears), who she broke up with just before leaving for London. He’s shocked and not exactly pleased to see her and to make matters worse, he’s dating Meg (Sarah Ramos), the prim and uptight girl who initially showed her around the building.

Plenty of awkward moments follow, as Diana attempts to befriend Ben under the suspicious gaze of his girlfriend and ends up losing focus of her writing and sense of self. Meanwhile, her friend Gabby realises at a Halloween party that the guy she’s been sleeping with has no interest in dating her exclusively and is pretty much treating her as a booty call.

Photo by Jon Pack.

No one seems to be lucky in love at this point, as Ben and his girlfriend break up, leading to a moment of romantic crossed wires with Diana after a friendly dinner. Ben then moves out of the building and Diana begins to think that she might still be in love with him and pursues him, only to be rebuffed. Of course, this isn’t the last time they see each other and a ‘will they, won’t they’ situation ensues. Exhausting, right?

In between the romantic meanderings are some hilarious moments, like when Diana gets drunks and knocks on Ben’s door on Halloween and dealing with a demanding mother-daughter duo trying on wedding dresses. There’s also Diana’s fab winter wardrobe to lust after (I left the cinema craving a new red coat), as well as some hipster hot spots to add to your address book (no struggling writer’s lifestyle there).

Photo by Jon Pack.

Nice guy Ben’s character is rather undeveloped and two-dimensional, but as Sophie Brooks emphasised in the Q&A after the screening, the film is from Diana’s point of view and she preferred to focus on the great female friendships in the film.

The Boy Downstairs take a little while to warm up, but Sophie Brooks really captures the impact of your first love and the fear of not fulfilling your potential as a twenty-something living in the big city.

The Boy Downstairs is showing on Sunday 15th October as part of BFI London Film Festival 2017.

Films, London

BFI LFF 2017: Jeune Femme

October 15, 2017 by cheriecity

Director Léonor Serraille’s debut film Jeune Femme (or Montparnasse Bienvenüe) is a heartfelt account of a woman hitting rock bottom and then re-inventing herself.

The captivating Laetitia Dosch plays Paula Simonian, a chaotic, unemployed woman who has just been dumped in the cruelest way by her 50 year-old boyfriend of ten years, Joachim Deloche (Grégoire Monsaingeon). Upon discovering he’s changed the locks, Paula stands yelling outside and splits her forehead open when bashing his door in a rage.

After fleeing hospital, she spends the night wandering around Paris after being kicked out by her sister Anne (Marie Rémond) and crashing a house party full of strangers. With a bit of cash from her sister, Paula checks in to a run-down hotel with her ex-boyfriend’s cat who she finds roaming in the street and takes stock of her situation.

Her misery is lifted momentarily when she is mistaken for a girl called ‘Sarah’ by a supposed old school friend Yuki (Léonie Simaga) and ends up playing along. Cool and seductive Yuki buys her lunch and they ride the metro back to Paula’s hotel. Their liason doesn’t get far, but they become friends and see each other again.

Having never held down a proper job, standing on her own two feet doesn’t come easily to Paula. She job hunts with little success but eventually finds a part-time job at a knicker bar in a shopping centre and has to polish up her appearance to fit in.

Meanwhile, she also blags herself a job as a live-in nanny, looking after the shy and disconnected Lila (Lila-Rose Gilberti). Luckily her mother (Erika Sainte) doesn’t press her for references and believes that Paula is an arts student at university. Her modest room in the old ‘servants quarter’ provides some stability and even though their bourgeois routine takes some getting used to, things go well for a little while.

Paula befriends the shopping centre security guard Ousmane (Souleymane Seye Ndiaye) and one day brings Lila to the shopping centre to hang out, eat candyfloss and try on dresses. Late to bring her home, Lila’s mother is livid and starts advertising to replace Paula.

Despite more than a few challenges along the way, Paula gets her life on track and finds a new sense of independence and self-worth. She even begins to make amends with her icy, estranged mother (Nathalie Richard), who never forgave her for leaving the family at an early age.

As expected, the pretentious Joachim Deloche comes crawling back and Paula is posed with the opportunity to slot back into her old lifestyle of fancy dinners and a plush Parisian apartment. However, she resists and has to fiercely fight off his advances.

A far cry from the usual romantic depiction of Paris, Paula shows a grittier side of the city which can be unkind to those who are down on their luck. She is a self-destructive, impulsive and frustrating character but you soon start rooting for her and for things to start going right.

Jeune Femme is showing on Sunday 15th October as part of BFI London Film Festival 2017.

Films, London

BFI LFF 2017: The Meyerowitz Stories

October 6, 2017 by cheriecity

A new Noah Baumbach film is always exciting, but his latest film, The Meyerowitz Stories (New and Selected) is surprising and a real game-changer. I don’t think I was the only one who left the cinema thinking that while this film is his most mainstream and accessible, it’s also his most triumphant.

The unlikely casting of Adam Sandler in an indie film seems perplexing and risky, however it’s a smart move since he’s known to be such a big draw for the film’s producer Netflix. Any scoffs are quickly silenced as he adeptly sheds his popular comedy image, driving and swearing his way around Manhattan in the opening scene.

Sandler plays Danny, the underachieving yet musically-gifted son of New York artist Harold Meyerowitz (Dustin Hoffman). Following the break-up of his marriage, he come to stay with his overbearing father and scatty, bohemian alcoholic step-mother Maureen (Emma Thompson). With little to do, Danny relives memories of his happy but fractured childhood with his kooky sister Jean (Elizabeth Marvel) and tries to be a good father to his blossoming film student daughter Eliza (Grace Van Patten).

Danny’s step-brother Matthew jets in from LA soon after to encourage his father to sell the family home and his artwork while the market is favourable. Unlike Danny and Jean, Matthew’s relationship with his father is fractious and they have an explosive argument over Harold’s perceived distaste for Matthew’s soulless corporate life and financial success.

Harold then takes ill and is bedridden in hospital for months. The three children devote themselves to caring for their father and attending the art opening celebrating his work that never quite achieved the industry recognition he thought they deserved. The tensions between the siblings inevitably come to a head with some hilarious scenes and bitter conversations.

The family’s candid talks about disappointment, inadequacy and desire for approval are sure to resonate and Baumbach approaches them with such insight and poignancy. I found myself unexpectedly shedding a tear, such were the raw emotions towards the end.

However, the film is far from a downer – it starts as a love letter to the bohemian New York of the Meyerowitz family with their rousing piano ditties, old video tapes and fondness for houmous. There is also a drama-filled private view at MoMA, a disastrous lunch at a downtown hipster restaurant and some great cameos from Adam Driver, Candice Bergen and Sigourney Weaver (as herself).

The Meyerowitz Stories is a beautifully-crafted snapshot of a dysfunctional family trying to resolve their issues before it’s too late. Its focus on the influence of parents is more mature than the ingénue narrative of Mistress America and Frances Ha but it still has Baumbach’s ‘auteur’ signatures and typical warmth. With a memorable performance from Dustin Hoffman and Adam Sandler’s surprising suitability for the role, it’s a real must-see!

The Meyerowitz Stories (New and Selected) is showing on Friday 6th, Saturday 7th and Thursday 12th October as part of BFI London Film Festival 2017.

Films

Film Review: Dying Laughing

June 18, 2017 by cheriecity

Have you ever wondered what it takes to be a comedian? Are they jokers 24/7 and how do they handle the pressure of spontaneity at a stand-up show?

New British documentary Dying Laughing, directed by Lloyd Stanton and Paul Toogood, has the answers. It delves into the psyche of the funniest minds in the US and UK and the roll call of talent is seriously impressive! There can’t be many prominent comedians that weren’t summoned to the interview chair, from Jerry Lewis to Jamie Foxx.

Filmed in atmospheric black and white, Dying Laughing begins by examining the role of the comedian and what it means to them to make people laugh. Chris Rock shares that his comedic process is all about those suspended moments of laughter while Jerry Seinfeld declares that comedy is “beyond art, it’s a magic trick”.

We then discover just how tough life on the road can be for emerging personalities, with original footage of America’s small towns. Amy Schumer highlights the loneliness of yet another night at a cheap motel where “its 100% certain people were murdered” and Jason Manford adds that your audience could be the first people you actually speak to that day.

Falling flat really touches a nerve with all of the comedians, as Sarah Silverman reveals her mortification of being quietly heckled with a ‘bombing’ noise from the back of the room and Kevin Hart shares his early disappointment at being labelled unfunny by a promoter. Most touching, however, is when Royale Watkins breaks down in tears remembering a disastrous gig compered by Bernie Mac and missing out on the chance to meet his idol Michael Jordan.

The documentary also take a look at the politics of race in comedy and there are some unnerving moments as Stephen K. Amos and Cedric the Entertainer recall how they reacted to being targets of racism at a gig. It also touches on the idea of using jokes channeled towards specific races in different communities for comedic effect.

There are, however, some more positive moments as Tiffany Haddish tells how immersing herself in comedy saved her life following a troubled childhood. You can also count on Omid Djalili to lighten the mood as he recalls his wife chanting “off, off, off” at him from the back table at a gig.

Dying Laughing is a dedicated and well-curated homage to the art of comedy with plenty of poignant moments. The monochrome interview format can become a little repetitive and it tends to veer into self-indulgence at times, but I’m sure the comedians are more than aware of those typical traits and it’s still a very worthwhile watch.

Dying Laughing is in UK cinemas and on demand now.

Films

Film Review: Manchester By The Sea

January 12, 2017 by cheriecity

If you have the January blues, Manchester By The Sea is certainly not going to elevate your mood, but that’s no reason to skip it. In fact, it’s one of the first ‘must sees’ of the year, especially since lead actor Casey Affleck has just won the Golden Globe for Best Actor and the film is set for Oscar and BAFTA recognition.

Kenneth Lonergan’s atmospheric indie film opens with grumpy Boston janitor Lee Chandler unblocking toilets for bored housewives and clashing with his boss over his bad attitude, when he receives the news of his brother Joe’s (Kyle Chandler) untimely death.

Following a pain-stakingly long and at times awkward hospital scene, Lee discovers that he has been appointed legal guardian of his nephew Patrick (Lucas Hedges), since Joe deemed the teenager’s estranged alcoholic mother (Gretchen Mol) incapable.

Panic sets in as Lee not only lives far away in spartan bachelor conditions, but also has some painful memories and a bad reputation from his years living in Manchester, Massachusetts. However, he concedes and has to learn how to live with typical teenager Patrick, who is juggling two girlfriends, playing in a band and coping with crippling anxiety.

Flashbacks shed light on Lee’s relationship with his ex-wife Randi (Michelle Williams), from happier times to a fateful night of fighting and a terrible accident that left their two young children dead. You then begin to understand the reasons behind Lee’s self-loathing and depression, although chaperoning Patrick gives him some distraction and purpose as a reluctant father figure.

Casey Affleck’s performance is epic, capturing Lee’s array of emotions from pensive detachment to violent outbursts and breaking down. Michelle Williams also plays the hard-edged, yet courageous, grieving mother flawlessly and there are moments of tender comedy between Casey Affleck and rising star Lucas Hedges.

Manchester By The Sea is a well-crafted film and the small New England fishing town landscape is beautifully-shot, but it can be a long, hard slog. If you can handle Manchester By The Sea’s icy anguish, chase it with a shot of technicolor La La Land, also released on Friday.

Films

London Film Festival 2016: La La Land

October 13, 2016 by cheriecity

If there’s one film you’ll fall in love with this year, it’s sure to be La La Land. Oh, and it’s a musical set in Los Angeles…still reading?

Whiplash director Damien Chazelle’s modern musical feels fresh and relevant with two unbelievably talented leads, memorable songs and a dash of irony. It simply bursts with sunshine and uplifting numbers, however like any great musical, there are a few bittersweet moments.

The film opens amid the greyness of Los Angeles rush hour traffic, but soon even such a dreary highway scene transforms into a Technicolor song and dance extravaganza. Aspiring actress/barista Mia (Emma Stone) is stuck in her car in the queue and is rudely beeped to move forward by impatient jazz pianist Sebastian (Ryan Gosling) – not exactly love at first sight.

They later spot each other at a Hollywood event – Mia and her housemates are there to network and meet screenwriters who might give them their big break while Sebastian plays in a cheesy 80s bands to make ends meet. Romance isn’t on the cards – in fact they seem to find each other stubborn and irritating – that is, until they share a song and dance at an LA viewpoint and start to warm to each other.

Sebastian comes to see Mia on her break at the coffee shop and he takes her to the cinema as research for one of her acting parts. A budding relationship begins and they support each other to realise their dreams – hers is to become an actress while he want to open his own jazz club.

One night when Sebastian is out performing, an old friend called Keith (John Legend) offers him a job playing keyboard on tour with his band. Their new style of popular jazz fails to excite purist Sebastian, but he accepts just to hold down a steady, well-paid job and get closer to his dream of opening the club.

Meanwhile, Mia throws herself into staging her own ill-fated ‘one woman’ play. With Sebastian’s long absences on the road and their glaringly unequal levels of success, their relationship hits the rocks. Missing the opening night of Mia’s play for a band photo shoot is the final nail in the coffin and she flees LA, abandoning any hope of an acting career.

However, when a casting agent calls for Mia after being one of the few people to see her play, Sebastian drives the long distance to Mia’s parents’ house to persuade her to take one last shot and go to the audition. Flash forward a few years later and life is rosy for both of them, having fulfilled their dreams, albeit separately. A final chance meeting, as Mia stumbles upon his jazz club Seb’s, reminds them of how entwined their lives were and how they owe part of their successes to each other. It’s a poignant moment, seeing how far they’ve come, but also how things could have been if they’d stayed together.

La La Land is a real feel-good movie with stunning cinematography and stellar performances from both stars. It’s a love letter to Los Angeles and showbiz, and while it lacks depth in places, you can’t help feeling charmed and a little bit giddy (aka the Gosling effect).

La La Land is showing on Sunday 16th October at Curzon Mayfair Cinema as part of BFI London Film Festival 2016.

Films

London Film Festival 2016: American Honey

October 9, 2016 by cheriecity

Teen ‘coming of age’ films don’t come much cooler and sexier than American Honey. In fact, I don’t think I was the only one who left the screening searching for the soundtrack to delve back into that sunkissed, Instagram-filtered, hormone-crazy world.

British director Andrea Arnold presents a curious phenomenon as the film’s subject – youngsters working as travelling magazine salespeople (‘only in America’, you might say). She immersed herself in this nomadic world, examining the often troubled backgrounds of the workers and as such, cast mostly unknown kids with no acting experience but tons of appeal.

Newcomer Sasha Lane was discovered by Arnold on Panama City Beach, Florida, and takes the lead as rebellious ingenue Star. Her life in Texas is poverty-stricken and hopeless, caring for her unruly siblings and trying to fend off the advances of her grabby step-father while her absent mother is out line-dancing. At a supermarket, set to Rihanna’s We Found Love, her eyes meet with Jake (Shia LaBeouf) and he asks her to join his crew on the road to Kansas City.

Star then becomes the new girl on a minibus full of grungy stoner kids shouting along to hip hop who turn out to be an unlikely-looking magazine sales crew. Top dog of this pyramid scheme is Krystal (Riley Keough), a formidable, gorgeous yet trashy ice queen suspicious of new recruits. She takes the lion’s share of their earnings, handling logistics like picking lucrative destinations and sorting out cheap motel each night, but rides separately in a convertible with her ‘top seller’ Jake.

Star is expected to pull her weight from day one and shadows Jake on his doorstep sales pitches in a suburban middle-class neighbourhood. She’s sassy and far from a natural, sabotaging one of his sales, as she disagrees with his lying methods. However, a flirty and teasing relationship develops and Jake gives her little presents to keep her onside.

In one town, Star goes rogue and accompanies a group of rich old white guys to their remote house with an outdoor swimming pool for mezcal and barbecued meat. Despite a whiff of impending danger, the men are simply friendly towards Star and buy some of her magazine subscriptions. Unaware, Jake storms the house with a gun, threatening the guys, and Star begins to see the darker side of his involvement with the group.

They have hot sex in fields and cars, but Jake warns her that their relationship can’t be public for fear of vexing Krystal or causing drama in the group. As they move from town to town, Star becomes more reckless and agrees to meet an oil field worker after-hours for $1000. It’s not exactly the night of his life and likely made him feel more lonely than before, but it blurs the boundaries of what she’s willing to do for cash.

Jake sees her coming back to the group’s temporary house after the encounter and goes nuts, accuses her of sleeping with the guy. After a dressing down from Krystal, who gives her some home truths about Jake, Star is awkwardly relegated to just another girl on the bus and is replaced with fresh new meat.

The travelling lifestyle has taken its toll on Star and her friend Pagan and it begins to feel repetitive and still far from her dream of country life with a home and family. The ending is pretty open-ended, but it feels like a rebirth for Star, as though change is on the horizon.

American Honey is a euphoric journey through America’s heartland that may leave you feeling nostalgic for your teenage years when anything felt possible and the future felt so far-off. There are echoes of Harmony Korine’s Spring Breakers and Gus Van Sant’s early films in its depiction of hard-partying, nihilistic youth. With the tension and disillusionment in the world right now, you can’t blame them for taking to the road and rejecting a conventional life, even if their dysfunctional pack comes with its own problems.

American Honey is showing on Tuesday 11th October at Odeon Leicester Square as part of BFI London Film Festival 2016.

Films

London Film Festival 2016: The Handmaiden

October 7, 2016 by cheriecity

Renowned Korean director Park Chan-wook’s erotic thriller The Handmaiden is a stylish film that grabs you right from the start and keeps you captivated throughout.

Set in 1930s Korea under Japanese rule, conman Count Fujiwara (Jung-woo Ha) enlists pickpocket Sookee (Kim Tae-ri) to help him defraud a beautiful, vulnerable Japanese heiress, Lady Hideko (Min-hee Kim). They plot to coax her into falling in love the with the Count, who will then marry her, declare her insane, have her locked up in a mental asylum and then pocket her vast wealth and give Sookee her generous cut. His offer is too tempting to resist and streetwise Sookee travels to the countryside to work as Hideko’s handmaiden.

Hideko is instantly trusting of her new aide and the Count makes numerous visit to woo her through painting lessons and cosy dinners, even winning over her seemingly bookish and secretly perverted Uncle Kouzuki (Jin-woong Jo). Despite reservations of not being in love with the Count, Hideko agrees to marry him and they go to elope in remote Japan with Sookee in tow. After almost a week of cabin fever in the forest, Hideko is taken to a mental asylum to be sectioned and betrayed by the two conspirators, but all doesn’t go according to plan.

This is where the film takes a dark twist and reveals the layers of duplicity in the story. At first it’s a simple story set almost entirely in the creepy old manor house with beautifully-shot scenes, exquisite costumes and sexual tension that is only slightly released. In the second and third part, it becomes much more sinister and a different side of the characters is revealed. Cue an intense, electrifying (though rather gratuitous and eventually laboured) lesbian sex scene, ultra-violence and lashings of sadism for this extreme development of the story.

The relationship between the two women, from companionship to sexual desire and romance, is the lasting impression from the film. The Count’s brash male dominance and egotistical advances are futile against the two women’s deep connection and loyalty. In fact, the Count and Uncle become powerless as the women liberate themselves from their tyranny.

The Handmaiden is a sensory feast with stunning cinematography, a perfectly-crafted score and memorable performances from the mesmerising Min-hee Kim and rising star Kim Tae-ri. There are a few moments of unnecessary repetition in an already lengthy film, but overall it packs a punch and is sure to thrill. Just don’t expect a polite Korean period drama, it’s a whole lot weirder than that!

The Handmaiden is showing on Friday 7th and Saturday 8th October at Embankment Gardens as part of BFI London Film Festival 2016.

Films, Hotels, Hotels - Design

Force Majeure Preview at Ham Yard Hotel with Curzon Cinemas

January 28, 2015 by cheriecity

Last night, I headed to Firmdale Hotels’ gorgeous Ham Yard Hotel in Soho to celebrate its cool new partnership with Curzon Cinemas.

I visited just before Christmas for an event in the hotel’s cosy Drawing Room and it was a treat to discover more Kit Kemp’s beautifully-designed spaces.

Firmdale Hotels are established hubs for the film industry (I spent a lot of time in their screening rooms when I worked at Sugarscape) and there are always movie stars in residence. However, while the A-listers are there to work and promote, guests can kick back and relax watching a great film.

Curzon Cinemas selects a programme of the latest cinema releases and a curated selection of contemporary and classic films every Sunday at Ham Yard Theatre. Films are set to include award-nominated Theory of Everything, Tim Burton’s Big Eyes, Birdman and a special preview of Love is Strange.

The comfy, state-of-the-art, 190-seat theatre is super-slick with Dolby sound and XpanD Digital 3D capable screen. It’s a high-ceiling space with a mezzanine level and is lined with electric blue walls, bright fuchsia pink silk curtains and quirky tangerine orange leather seats.

We started the evening in the hotel’s cool Dive Bar, where we enjoyed glasses of Champagne and delicious canapés before moving in to the theatre for a special preview screening of Force Majeure.

Directed and written by Ruben Östlund, Force Majeure sees a young, bourgeois Swedish family take a vacation to a luxury ski resort in the French Alps. After they get caught up in a controlled avalanche gone rogue during lunch on a mountain restaurant terrace, their carefully-constructed relationship starts to unravel.

During this frightening incident, mother Ebba (Lisa Loven Kongsli) tried to protect her children, while her husband Tomas (Johannes Kuhnke) ran away, abandoning them in the drift. This becomes a major issue that Ebba can’t move past without resolving and Tomas would rather brush under the carpet.

While they clash over each other’s versions of events, the parents go through awkward moments over dinner with hotel guests, hallway breakdowns and their kids’ tantrums. Of course, the kids can feel the deep-rooted tension and fear their parents divorcing.

Things reach a head when their friend, bearded hipster Mats (Kristofer Hivju), comes out to visit with his 20-year-old girlfriend Fanni (Fanni Metelius). Unwittingly, they become embroiled in the drama and have to act as mediators. Despite the marital breakdown and emotional rawness, there are some truly hilarious moments.

Östlund closely explores the roles of men and women in relationships and questions just how instinctive they are. Ebba resents Tomas for being a ‘coward’ and trying to keep up appearances, while he is incensed by her coldness and airing their dirty laundry in public.

There are some beautifully-shot mountain scenes and I like how Östlund uses avalanche canon blasts, excerpts of Vivaldi’s ‘Storm’ and the breathtaking yet treacherous landscape to heighten the tension. Even banal activities such as teeth brushing, napping and taking the painfully slow snow travelator back to the resort are given a humorous sense of ritual.

Force Majeure is quite a journey and a darkly funny, engaging film. It’s definitely deserving of its six Guldbagge awards (Golden Beetles) – the Swedish Oscars- and a must-see film.

Sunday Cinema at Ham Yard, in partnership with Curzon Cinemas, is priced at £15 per person. Force Majeure is released in the UK in April 2015. For more information and booking, visit: www.firmdalehotels.com

Films, London

BFI LFF 2014: My Old Lady

October 19, 2014 by cheriecity

Maggie Smith + Paris is the ideal formula for a pleasant Sunday afternoon film, however My Old Lady is more than a rose-tinted stroll through the city.

Playwright Israel Horovitz has adapted his play for the big screen and the story is certainly worthy of the stunning backdrop of Paris itself.

Down-on-his-luck New Yorker Mathias Gold (Kevin Kline) arrives in Paris to claim his inheritance left to him by his father – a prime piece of real-estate in the Marais. When he arrives at the townhouse, he startles a snoozing Madame Mathilde Girard (Maggie Smith), who tells him how much he resembles his father.

After a few cordial exchanges, 94-year-old Madame Girard explains that under French law the apartment is a ‘viager’ and he will not own the building until she has died. In fact, he must pay her 2,400 Euros per month now that the contract is in his name. Mathias’s relationship with his father had always been fraught, so he sees inheriting this debt as the final kick of the boot.

Hoping that selling the apartment would be his long-awaited windfall to compensate his unpublished novels, three-times-divorced Mathias arrives penniless and without a return ticket. Madame Girard allows him to stay in one of the rooms and keeps his gold watch as a good faith payment until he gets back on his feet.

It becomes quickly apparent that English tutor Mathilde has a strong constitution and vivacity for life, due in part to her sense of discipline and love of good wine.

Mathilde’s live-in daughter Chloé (Kristin Scott Thomas) is furious at her mother’s extended invitation and insists that Mathias leaves. The atmosphere is frosty but bullish Mathias stands his ground and immediately seeks a valuation from eccentric property agent Monsieur Lefebvre (Dominique Pinon). He then sets about selling Madame Girard’s lucrative antique furniture in the abandoned upper rooms to get some quick cash.

Suspicious of Chloé, Mathias follows her and discovers she’s having an affair with a married man. Meanwhile, he tries to broker a deal to sell the contract to a snake-like property developer, who Chloé believes will try to demolish the building and build a luxury hotel.

As they get to know each other, it emerges Madame Girard and Mathias’s father were lovers for over 50 years. Devastated by the news, Mathias breaks his sobriety with copious bottles of red wine and ends up being robbed while asleep by the Seine.

The messy consequences of the affair soon become apparent as Mathilde and Chloé discover that Mathias’s mother committed suicide when he was a young boy. With emotions running high, Mathias and Chloé comfort each other and spend the night together. With all of the family secrets exposed, Chloé confronts her mother about her own lack of love and affection from her father.

The ending feels like a satisfying conclusion to the characters’ journey of self-discovery. Kevin Kline gives an excellent performance as a petulant, self-loathing American oblivious to the subtleties of Parisian culture. It’s hard to feel any empathy for him at all, until he breaks down and works through his anger towards his father.

Maggie Smith shines as the intelligent yet stubborn Mathilde and uptight Kristin Scott Thomas thaws as she reveals her vulnerability. While the indulgence of some Mathias’s monologues can drag the pace at times, My Old Lady is an enjoyable Paris love story without the schmaltz.

Older Posts >