It’s Thursday and it’s time for the Geeky Brummie film roundup! Each week we take you through the upcoming cinema releases, why you should be excited about them, and which we think are likely to be worth your time and money. This week: a hard hitting exploration into the roots of racism in America, and a possessed teddy bear…
Usual disclaimer: unless otherwise stated, I haven’t seen these films. All of my opinions are based on trailers, early reviews and other rumours and buzz.
Imaginary
There are two films coming soon about imaginary friends. If you head into this one expecting to see IF, the lighthearted Ryan Reynolds film with the dancing and the big fuzzy smiley creature, you’re in for a big surprise. Imaginary is a very creepy looking horror film about a little girl whose imaginary friend Chauncey is more real, and more evil, than anyone realises.
The cast isn’t particularly well-known – the biggest names are probably DeWanda Wise (who you may remember as the pilot Kayla from Jurassic World: Dominion) and Tom Payne (Jesus from the Walking Dead). But the production company behind it is Blumhouse, which in recent years has become synonymous with original, smartly executed horror films like Get Out, M3gan and The Black Phone. Imaginary promises to be in the same wheelhouse. Expect demons, children being creepy, and a teddy bear that absolutely deserves to be given away to the neighbour’s dog at the first opportunity.
If you’re a horror fan then you will probably enjoy this. If not, but you like the general concept, maybe wait for the Ryan Reynolds movie…
- Imaginary on IMDB
- Imaginary on Rotten Tomatoes
Origin
Based on the book Caste: The Origins of our Discontents, Origin is a cinematic essay into the way caste systems throughout world history have fostered, and evolved into, racist attitudes towards marginalised groups in modern society. It looks like fascinating but hard-hitting and emotional material with an important message. The plot focuses on the real-life author of Caste – Pulitzer Prize winning journalist Isabel Wilkerson (played by Aunjanue Ellis-Taylor) – as she researches the book.
The idea of using cinema to present what is essentially a research paper is an interesting one. This could very easily have been made as a documentary and would have laid out the message just as effectively, but probably to a much smaller audience. By dramatising the story of the author instead, director Ava DuVernay allows the viewer to learn about the injustices that Wilkerson uncovers at the same time that she does, generating the kind of empathy that you wouldn’t get from watching the real Wilkerson talk about it afterwards in a documentary. It also anchors the emotional impact of the film in Ellis-Taylor’s performance. If it’s done well (and DuVernay and Ellis-Taylor are both very good at what they do) then it should be really powerful stuff.
With Jon Bernthal, Vera Farmiga, Connie Nielsen and Nick Offerman also in the cast, this promises to be a must-see film that will stay with you after the credits roll.
- Origin on IMDB
- Origin on Rotten Tomatoes
High & Low – John Galliano
As anyone who has seen my usual wardrobe will attest, the world of fashion is not one that I have ever particularly wandered into. So it’s hard for me personally to get too excited about a documentary about the rise and fall of fashion designer John Galliano. That said, this does look from the trailer like it should be a well-researched and well-made film. Galliano seems to have been the sort of designer who comes up with incredible, weirdly surreal outfits that nobody would wear outside of a catwalk, and just from a creative standpoint it would be fascinating to get some insight into his mind and process. The film has some very high profile interviewees as well, including Anna Wintour, Penelope Cruz, Kate Moss, and Galliano himself – presumably looking to either defend or explain the allegations of anti-Semitism and alcoholism that account for the ‘Low’ part of the title. If you have any interest in Galliano’s work, or fashion generally, you should definitely see this.
- High & Low – John Galliano on IMDB
- High & Low – John Galliano on Rotten Tomatoes
Soul
Continuing Pixar’s run of cinematic releases for the films that were forced onto Disney+ by the pandemic, the final film on the list this week is Soul. Winner of two Oscars back in 2021 (Best Animated Feature and Best Original Score), Soul tells the story of Joe Gardner (Jamie Foxx), a music teacher and jazz pianist who falls into an open manhole and finds himself on a stairway to a bright light in the sky. Not ready for death, Joe escapes to the ‘Great Before’ where new souls are prepared for life on Earth, where he meets 22 (Tina Fey) – a fledgling soul who is less than enthusiastic about the prospect of getting stuck in a body. When they both accidentally end up back on Earth, Joe helps 22 learn about the beauty of life and, in the process, rediscovers it for himself too.
I remember seeing the trailer and thinking that the otherworldly landscapes of the Great Before and various other spiritual planes reminded me of Inside Out (one of my favourite Pixar films), and I went into it quite excited to see the high concept world-building that Pixar is known for. But actually, the parts of the film that I found most inspiring were the ones set on Earth. The characters are quite cartoony but the backgrounds are almost photo-realistic, and the animators have done a breath-taking job of portraying the gentle magic of everyday life. It’s the kind of film that makes you want to go outside, take a deep breath and watch the world go by, which (unlike at the time of its original release) is something we can actually do now. I expect this will look incredible on a big screen and I heartily recommend going to watch it if you have the time, especially if you have small children to entertain.
- Soul on IMDB
- Soul on Rotten Tomatoes
If you only see one film this week…
It very much depends on your personal preferences this week – Imaginary looks a lot more fun, but for the filmmaking quality and the importance of its message my film of the week is Origin.
Still in cinemas and worth a watch
Which of these films are you most excited about? Have you seen any of them already? Let us know what you think in the comments or drop us a message on social media. And look out for our Oscars coverage this weekend – my predictions blog should be finished in the next few days, and I’ll be live tweeting during the ceremony so it would be great to hear from any similarly sleep-deprived cinephiles.
I wasn’t aware of the John Galliano film, but I’ll definitely be looking out for it; I was at Saint Martins School of Art at the same time, and we helped put on an Alterntive Fashion Show. I have photos somewhere…!