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: a cowgirl faces technology, a Parisian faces mortality, an Indian faces tradition, and an astronomer faces misogyny…
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.
Toy Story 5
When Toy Story 4 was first announced, a lot of people saw it as a completely unnecessary cash grab – Toy Story 3 had completed the series so perfectly that the idea of carrying it on felt innately wrong. But the fourth film, while not as memorable as its predecessors, was still a good enough film to overcome its naysayers, serving as a sort of epilogue that allowed Woody to find a new lease of life. It’s hard to say whether 4’s success makes 5’s job easier or harder – on the one hand it’s arguably even less necessary and has to do more to justify its own existence, but on the other hand 4 opened the door for the story to go on, making this feel less like an affront to the original trilogy.
The plot this time sees Jessie, Buzz, Rex and co having to compete for their owner Bonnie’s love and attention when she gets a new Lilypad (Greta Lee) – a kids’ tablet whose addictive screen is suddenly all Bonnie wants to play with. When the threat of abandonment dregs up some old trauma for Jessie, she calls in Woody to help remind Bonnie of the joys of analogue playtime. It’s essentially the same concept as the first film – an old-fashioned doll being usurped by a more modern and high-tech plaything – but brought up to date, plugging into the recent plague of screentime that would have felt like dystopian sci-fi when the original Toy Story was released in the mid 90s.
It sounds as though Jessie (Joan Cusack) is getting more of a lead role in this one, which is a welcome change from the usual focus on Woody (Tom Hanks) and Buzz (Tim Allen) – she’s been a beautifully written character since her introduction in Toy Story 2, and her song in that film is one of the most emotional moments in the whole series. That’s not to say Woody and Buzz don’t get any of the spotlight – Woody’s time in the wild looking after lost toys has clearly matured his character (and his hairline), while Buzz has a fun looking side-quest involving a load of other Buzz Lightyear toys. The rest of the cast includes a swathe of returning characters from the other movies, including Andy’s original toys Rex (Wallace Shawn), Hamm (Pixar lucky charm John Ratzenberger), Bo Peep (Annie Potts), Slinky and Mr & Mrs Potato Head (voiced here by Blake Clark, Jeff Bergman and Anna Vocino following the deaths of original voice actors Jim Varney, Don Rickles and Estelle Harris); Toy Story 3’s Dolly (Bonnie Hunt) and Trixie (Kristen Schaal); and Toy Story 4’s Forky (Tony Hale), Combat Carl (Ernie Hudson) and Duke Caboom (Keanu Reeves). Plus there are new characters in the form of potty-training toy Smarty-Pants (Conan O’Brien), GPS hippo Atlas (Craig Robinson), and Bad Bunny voicing “Pizza With Sunglasses”.
As you would expect from a Toy Story movie, this is getting great reviews across the board – proving once again that the franchise hasn’t been consigned to a box in the attic just yet. This is like the Buzz to the first Toy Story’s Woody – it might feel like the classic oldie is being usurped by something modern and shiny, but as long as they’re making children happy there’s plenty of space for the both of them.
- Toy Story 5 on IMDB
- Toy Story 5 on Rotten Tomatoes
Nino
After being diagnosed with cancer, Nino (Théodore Pellerin) wanders the streets of Paris to gather his thoughts. The film follows him over the course of the weekend as he meets strangers, friends and relatives and muses on his own mortality.
This currently has 100% on Rotten Tomatoes, reflecting universally positive reviews that particularly praise Pellerin’s performance. He finds just the right balance of grief, humour and acceptance to hit the right emotional notes without the film ever becoming too melancholy. This looks really quite sweet and moving, and the gentle pace and likeable lead will disarm you ahead of the inevitably upsetting parts. The trailer implies that Nino might be able to get treatment for his diagnosis, so it’s not clear whether the film is likely to end on a happy or sad note, but either way it looks like the sort of film that will make you re-evaluate your own life and whether there’s more you should be doing with your time.
- Nino on IMDB
- Nino on Rotten Tomatoes
Cactus Pears
Anand (Bhushaan Manoj) leaves his normal city life to observe a traditional 10-day mourning period for his late father in the Indian countryside. While he’s there, he meets Balya (Suraaj Suman), a farmer trying to avoid being forced into a marriage he doesn’t want. As their relationship blossoms into something deeper, Anand must decide whether to see where it goes or return to his old life.
Perhaps surprisingly, given its propensity for colourful costumes and dance numbers, Indian cinema has never been known for its LGBTQ representation. So Cactus Pears immediately stands out, with its tender moments of connection and gently drawn-out scenes contrasting drastically with the likes of RRR’s ultra-masculine bromance. There is nothing explicit shown in the trailer but there’s a very touching intimacy to the way the two leads interact with each other. Both come from much more traditional conservative families who don’t seem to understand what they’re going through, which is perhaps not the most original plot for an LGBTQ storyline but it’s being put to good use here.
The film currently has 95% on Rotten Tomatoes so it’s clearly been a hit with the critics. It looks very sweet, and will appeal to anyone who enjoys a slow-burning romance.
- Cactus Pears on IMDB
- Cactus Pears on Rotten Tomatoes
Virginia Woolf’s Night & Day
In this adaptation of (you guessed it) Night & Day by Virginia Woolf, Haley Bennett plays Katharine Hilbery – a budding astronomer whose personal goals involve going to Cambridge University (unheard of for a woman in 1910) and very much do not involve getting married. She’s nevertheless pursued by both Ralph Denham (Elyas M’Barek), a lawyer who admires and supports her ambition, and William Rodney (Jack Whitehall), a poet who does not. The film also stars Lily Allen as suffragette campaigner Mary Datchet, and Timothy Spall and Jennifer Saunders as Katharine’s parents.
I’m not particularly familiar with the source novel, but this looks like a lot of fun. The idea of a female intellectual spurning romance and a life in the kitchen in favour of the pursuit of knowledge and personal growth probably felt a lot more radical when it was written in 1919 than it does now, but it’s still (depressingly) pretty relevant. Despite the social commentary, this is a romantic comedy of sorts, and Haley Bennett gives Katharine a sort of frustrated weariness that plays well against the humour of comedic veterans like Whitehall and Saunders. Timothy Spall is always a welcome addition to any cast list, and Lily Allen’s move into acting seems to be going well too.
- Virginia Woolf’s Night & Day on IMDB
- Virginia Woolf’s Night & Day on Rotten Tomatoes
If you only see one film this week…
It’s time to get the toys out of the toybox for one last play.
Still in cinemas and worth a watch
- Disclosure Day – The best thing to be said about Disclosure Day is that it feels like an old-school Spielberg movie. Everything from its cinematography to its subject matter is reminiscent of his classic sci-fi works, even if it never quite hits the same heights. Colin Firth makes for an excellent baddie, and his ability to drop in on his enemies is truly unsettling. Emily Blunt is a great heroine – as ever – and although her character’s abilities feel a little overpowered or convenient at times, she and co-lead Josh O’Connor have a few moments of peril. The real standout scene comes at the climax of the film, which I quite happily could have watched for a lot longer – I’d like to think that somewhere out there is a 12 hour montage of clips that didn’t make the cut, and that one day Spielberg might release them (preferably without the surprisingly unsceptical news anchor talking over the top).
- Masters of the Universe
- Backrooms
Trailer of the Week
There’s been a couple of new trailers for upcoming kids’ films this week (including Shrek 5 and upcoming Disney film Hexed), but as Toy Story is already satisfying that animated itch I’m going to let myself be distracted by a very cute dog. Cinema has had its fair share of good boys, but Heart of the Beast’s Odin is already making a play for the goodest good boy of them all. As an ex-military dog, he suffers from PTSD and has a prosthetic leg and some false teeth, but still manages to save his owner James (Brad Pitt) from a plane crash, rapids and wild animals in the Alaskan wilderness. Directed by David Ayer and co-starring JK Simmons, this is a survival story of man and dog against the elements, but let’s face it, it’s all about the dog. If you don’t want to give that beast a massive hug within the first 30 seconds of this trailer then you must be missing a heart.
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