Hello, and welcome to the Geeky Brummie film roundup! Every Thursday we take you through the films that are hitting the cinemas in the next week to help you decide what you want to watch. This week sees the release of the first big mega-blockbuster of the year, as well as a couple of smaller films in case you’ve been trying to wean yourself off the spice lately…
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.
Before we get into the films – some sad news from the Birmingham independent cinema scene…
The Electric Cinema closure
We have just heard that the Electric Cinema on Station Street – the oldest working cinema in the country – has closed down today. The 113 year old cinema has long been one of Birmingham’s most famous and popular independent venues. It was always a great place to find smaller low budget films that got overlooked by the bigger multiplexes, as well as some of the more bombastic blockbusters (which were only elevated by access to the Electric’s comfy sofas and cocktail menu).
I have a lot of great memories of the Electric. It was one of the few venues brave enough to host a fully interactive screening of The Room, with all the audience participation rules fully encouraged – yelling at the screen with a group of friends and a small crate of plastic spoons was probably the most fun I’ve had in a cinema. The stage upstairs also made it a great venue for live events – I’ve been there for comedy gigs, lectures and mini film festivals. There always seemed to be something going on alongside the usual film screenings that bolstered Birmingham’s cultural and creative scene. My last visit was in December for a festive screening of Die Hard, and there was something extra cosy and Christmassy about watching an old(ish) film in such a historic cinema.
The reason for the closure appears to be that the lease is coming to an end and the current managers have decided not to renew, which means the next step will be for the property to be bought by a new owner. Apparently there are proposals from a developer to knock down the whole block and replace it with apartments, which would be a devastating blow for the arts in Birmingham. Hopefully sense will prevail instead, and some new owners will be welcoming us back in soon.
Dune: Part Two
Science fiction doesn’t come much more epic than Dune. The first film, in which the honourable House Atreides was sent by the Emperor to manage the spice mines of the desert planet Arrakis, was a colossal success with a worldwide gross of over $433 million and six Oscar wins. Its two and a half hour runtime was crammed full of war, treachery, skyscraper-sized sandworms and a Tolkien-scale heap of worldbuilding. If a lot of that film’s dialogue had to pile on the exposition to make sure audiences unfamiliar with Frank Herbert’s universe could follow along, Part Two promises to be where that pays off. We know where we are, we know the characters and what’s at stake for them – now we get to sit back and really take it all in.
And there should be a lot to take in. Timothée Chalamet’s Paul Atreides ended the last film in the company of the desert-dwelling Fremen, seeking to enlist their help in reclaiming the planet and taking revenge on the people who defeated his family. The Fremen’s ability to ride the sandworms, teased just before the credits, is going to make for some incredible action set-pieces – especially combined with the stunning cinematography showcased in Part One. This is definitely going to be one to watch on as big a screen, in as high a resolution, as you can manage. As well as the action there should still be plenty of character drama and political machinations with the introduction of the Emperor, played by Christopher Walken, and his daughter played by the excellent Florence Pugh. Also joining the cast is former Elvis impersonator Austin Butler, playing Feyd-Rautha (the character played by Sting in hot pants in the 1984 David Lynch version).
Alongside Chalamet (whose credibility as a messianic warrior-hero hopefully won’t be too tarnished by his recent stint as a naïve singing chocolatier…), the returning cast includes Zendaya, Josh Brolin, Rebecca Ferguson, Javier Bardem, Stellan Skarsgård and Dave Bautista. Zendaya’s Chani should have a much bigger role, having been mostly stuck in dream sequences last time. Hopefully we will also get to see a little more of Skarsgård’s deeply unpleasant villain Baron Harkonnen.
With Dune, as well as Arrival and Blade Runner 2049, director Denis Villeneuve has proven that he knows how to make great sci-fi. His films focus on story, characters and tone first and foremost, but when the story calls for a big action sequence he is happily capable of handling that too. This really will have something for everyone – drama, romance, sand, politics, mysticism, sand, excitement, sand, and really just the biggest worms. Don’t miss it while it’s at the cinema.
It’s also worth mentioning that if for some reason you haven’t seen the first one yet and need to catch up, it is available on Netflix.
- Dune: Part Two on IMDB
- Dune: Part Two on Rotten Tomatoes
Lisa Frankenstein
If Dune looks a bit weighty and serious and you’re more in the mood for some daft teen comedy, you might want to consider Lisa Frankenstein. A twist on Mary Shelley’s classic gothic novel, this tells the story of Lisa who develops a crush on a statue in a graveyard and manages to bring the corpse it was commemorating back to life. The film is written by Diablo Cody, who has a strong track record in sharply written, female-led coming-of-age comedies like Juno and Jennifer’s Body, and stars Kathryn Newton (Detective Pikachu, Ant-Man and the Wasp: Quantumania) who looks like she’s having a lot of fun with the role.
This looks like it’s going to be very enjoyable, especially for teenage audiences looking for something light-hearted but with a dark sense of humour.
- Lisa Frankenstein on IMDB
- Lisa Frankenstein on Rotten Tomatoes
Four Daughters
Last but not least this week is Four Daughters, one of the nominees for Best Documentary Feature at this year’s Oscars. It tells the story of Olfa, a Tunisian woman whose two youngest daughters still live with her. Her two older daughters have left to fight for Islamic State, so filmmaker Kaoutha Ben Hania uses actresses to play them alongside the real family in reenactments of their lives in an attempt to figure out what led to their radicalisation. The film explores the difficulties of maintaining sisterly bonds and motherhood in a strict patriarchal society, and looks to be heartbreaking and heartwarming in equal measure. Olfa comes across as a great personality in the trailer – a woman with a fascinating story who is excited to have the opportunity to tell it. As a foreign language documentary film competing for screens with the behemoth that is Dune, you might struggle to find many cinemas showing Four Daughters, but if you can track it down (probably in an independent cinema – it will be showing at the Mockingbird, for example) this should be well worth your time.
- Four Daughters on IMDB
- Four Daughters on Rotten Tomatoes
If you only see one film this week…
As an absolute must-see-in-the-cinema epic work of sci-fi, and one of the most anticipated releases this year, do not miss Dune: Part Two.
Still in cinemas and worth a watch
- Wicked Little Letters
- Demon Slayer: To The Hashira Training
- The Iron Claw
Which of these films are you most looking forward to? What did you think if you’ve seen any of them already? Let us know in the comments!
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