Hello and welcome to the Geeky Brummie Film Roundup! Each week we run through the biggest new cinema releases and why you should be excited for them. This week: aging archers, irate islanders, anxious Aussies and past-their-prime poets…
Usual disclaimer: unless otherwise stated, I haven’t seen these movies yet so all of my opinions are based on trailers, early reviews and other rumours and buzz.
The Death of Robin Hood
After a life of violence and bloodshed that has somehow been misinterpreted as heroism in the tales that surround him, Robin Hood (Hugh Jackman) retreats to an island to recover from his latest wounds. While there, he finds a home with Sister Brigid (Jodie Comer) and Little Margaret (Faith Delaney). Given the space for contemplation, his conscience and guilt start to catch up with him.
There are lots of reviews comparing this to Logan – another film in which Hugh Jackman played a grizzled veteran caring for a young girl and trying to find peace. It’s easy to see the parallels, with both movies taking a bleak look at a character firmly imprinted in the public consciousness. But where Logan’s gruffness and solitude felt like familiar territory for the character, this puts a completely different spin on Robin Hood – very much an antihero, and a far cry from the charitable, chirpy outlaw he’s normally portrayed as. The trailer promises a fair bit of violence, and it sounds like there is plenty of that in the opening scenes, but the majority of the film is much more introspective. Expect an action movie and you’ll likely leave disappointed, but if you go in prepared for a character study of a man who’s known nothing but war coming to terms with the consequences of his actions, it looks like this will be a really rewarding watch. And that’s all set against a dramatic backdrop of moody landscapes and washed out colours which looks pretty gorgeous. It won’t be for everyone, but I have quite high hopes for this.
- The Death of Robin Hood on IMDB
- The Death of Robin Hood on Rotten Tomatoes
The Incomer
Daniel (Domhnall Gleeson) is tasked with evicting the only two residents from an otherwise uninhabited island. But brother and sister Sandy (Grant O’Rourke) and Isla (Gayle Rankin) were raised to defend their island from incomers, and quickly subdue Daniel. As he spends time with his captors, he starts to appreciate their way of life and realise he may have more in common with them than with his colleagues back on the mainland.
I haven’t seen much about this before but it looks fantastic. Directed by Louis Paxton in his feature film debut, there’s a distinctly British tone that uses tropes of both folk horror and indie comedy to make something that sounds genuinely heartwarming. Domhnall Gleeson is perfectly cast, making Daniel look absolutely miserable but in a very endearing way, but O’Rourke and Rankin are going to be the standouts here. Their oddball dynamic, occasionally slipping between violence and awkward friendliness, looks like it will be very entertaining. The cast also includes Michelle Gomez as Daniel’s boss Roz, and John Hannah is apparently in there somewhere too.
I recently watched the excellent The Ballad of Wallis Island, and The Incomer seems to be very much in the same vein – the eccentric inhabitants of an isolated island being visited by a mainlander and gradually winning them over. If you enjoy quirky British indie comedies this looks like an absolute must-see.
- The Incomer on IMDB
- The Incomer on Rotten Tomatoes
Leviticus
In this Australian horror, two teenage boys (Stacy Clausen and Joe Bird) spark up a young romance. But their budding relationship is challenged when a dangerous entity starts stalking them and taking the form of what they desire most – each other.
It’s been a good month for queer horror stories after the excellent Teenage Sex and Death at Camp Miasma a few weeks ago. Where that film took a slightly comedic look at the slasher genre’s awkward relationship with sexual relationships though, Leviticus is a much more out-and-out horror. The idea of a monster taking the form of someone you know is far from new (see The Thing, for example), but targeting young lovers adds an extra layer of tragedy. All they need to do to stay safe is stay away from each other, but that’s easier said than done at such an exciting stage of their relationship. The LGBTQ element gives it another twist, with some members of their community clearly disapproving of the couple, adding to the sense of paranoia and threat – just because someone’s not a demon in disguise, doesn’t mean they’re not dangerous.
This looks tense and terrifying, and should appeal to any horror fans.
- Leviticus on IMDB
- Leviticus on Rotten Tomatoes
Late Fame
Ed Saxberger (Willem Dafoe) was once a successful poet, but now works in a post office. When he’s rediscovered by a young fan (Edmund Donovan) and invited to join his community of artists, he’s tempted back into the spotlight and starts to enjoy the attention, especially from the group’s one female member, Gloria (Greta Lee). But is it too late for him to step back into that world?
Everyone loves Willem Dafoe. A lot of his recent roles have required him to give a fully committed, over-the-top performance that verges on cartoonish, whether that’s working with arty auteurs like Robert Eggers, Yorgos Lanthimos or Wes Anderson, or in big blockbusters like Spider-Man, Aquaman or Beetlejuice Beetlejuice. Late Fame presents a rare opportunity not just to see him in the lead role, but also to give a quietly understated performance just playing a normal guy. And it looks like he does so brilliantly – his Saxberger is warm and humble, with just a hint of regret at the life he left behind and a touch of optimism that he could have that again. It’s like his recent career is his version of Saxberger’s time at the post office, and director Kent Jones has come along to remind him how much talent he has. Greta Lee looks brilliant in this too – she’s having a great year with Toy Story 5 and the streaming success of The Last House, and is well cast here as a glamorous and mysterious artist.
This is getting excellent reviews, and Dafoe’s performance could even be in some early conversations for an Oscar next year.
- Late Fame on IMDB
- Late Fame on Rotten Tomatoes
If you only see one film this week…
…come in and watch the Incomer.
Still in cinemas and worth a watch
Trailer of the Week
A new Danny Boyle film is always something to get excited about. They don’t come around all that often, but they’re almost always perfectly crafted and highly entertaining, mixing fun, fast-paced energy with a dark undertone. They’re also often deeply rooted in British culture. His new film, Ink, tells the story of the genesis of one of the less savoury aspects of British culture – tabloid journalism. Starring Jack O’Connell as Larry Lamb and Guy Pearce as Rupert Murdoch, it follows the founding of the Sun newspaper and the salacious effect it had on our consumption of news. Given how that has evolved into a world today where celebrities sue papers for invasions of privacy and the most powerful world leader decries any news he doesn’t like as fake, it’s a timely examination of journalistic ethics. It also looks far more exciting than a film about Rupert Murdoch has any right to be. Ink will be hitting our screens in January.
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