Film Roundup 14/03/2024

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 car full of contraband and some child-based mysteries…

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.

Drive-Away Dolls

The first film on the list this week is Drive-Away Dolls, the latest from Ethan (but not Joel) Coen. The script was co-written by Tricia Cooke, who was the editor of two of the Coen Brothers’ biggest films – The Big Lebowski and O Brother, Where Art Thou? – but doesn’t seem to have done much as a writer before now. This is the first dramatic film Ethan has directed on his own, following in the footsteps of his brother’s take on Macbeth a couple of years ago. So there is a lot of talent behind the camera, but in a way it is untested – I love the Coen Brothers’ work but it will be interesting to see whether this has the same magic.

It certainly looks like a lot of fun from the trailer. Margaret Qualley (last seen being a not-entirely successful experiment in Poor Things, but best known for putting her gross feet up on Brad Pitt’s dashboard in Once Upon A Time In America) and Geraldine Viswanathan play a couple of friends looking to liven up their lives with a road trip to Florida. That mission becomes a little too successful when they accidentally hire a car full of contraband prepared by some inept criminals.

Also in the cast are the always-fun Bernie Feldstein, the recently Oscar-nominated Colman Domingo, Matt Damon, and the ubiquitous Pedro Pascal (intriguingly credited as, simply, ‘Penis Collector’). So there is a lot of talent in front of the camera too. I am looking forward to this, but it doesn’t seem to have had the same level of marketing as you would normally get for a Coen Brother(s) movie which suggests that the studio might not have a lot of confidence in it. Or maybe that’s just because it’s difficult to market anything during awards season. It’s certainly going to be worth watching and making your own mind up – hopefully it will live up to the big names behind it.

• Drive-Away Dolls on IMDB
• Drive-Away Dolls on Rotten Tomatoes

Monster

I haven’t heard too much about Monster but it’s had some very strong reviews. Set in Japan, the film centres on a young boy who starts acting strangely and, when his mother asks him what’s wrong, accuses one of his teachers of hitting him. The same story is told from the mother’s perspective, but then the teacher’s and then the boy’s, with the audience’s sympathies and perception of blame and guilt jumping between different characters depending on the narrative. And in the backdrop is the mystery of who started the fire that consumed a local bar.

Monster is directed by Kore-eda Hirokazu, who also directed the highly acclaimed 2018 film Shoplifters. Expect it to be beautifully made and shot – the trailer (which doesn’t give much away plot-wise) makes great use of lots of lovely Japanese rural and urban landscapes, and the performances look great too. This looks like a really intriguing film. I don’t expect it to be in cinemas for long though so catch it if you can.

• Monster on IMDB
• Monster on Rotten Tomatoes

The New Boy

Moving on now to another foreign film with another young boy acting strangely. The New Boy is set in an Australian Catholic orphanage where Cate Blanchett’s nun takes in a young Aboriginal child from the outback. The boy takes to her religious teaching and appears to have mysterious healing powers.

Although it doesn’t look quite as slick as Monster, there are some lovely shots in the trailer of sunsets in the Australian outback and warm lights glowing in the dark interior of the orphanage. I’m not familiar with the director but Cate Blanchett is always excellent, and the plot has a lot of scope for some interesting religious subtext. Again, it doesn’t seem to be getting a particularly wide release, so if you want to watch it make sure you check some local independent cinemas to track it down.

• The New Boy on IMDB
• The New Boy on Rotten Tomatoes

If you only see one film this week…

Drive-Away Dolls looks like a lot of fun, but I think the most interesting prospect this week (for its twisty plot and great early reviews) is Monster.

Still in cinemas and worth a watch

• Dune: Part 2
• Origin
• Wicked Little Letters