The most obvious Oscar contender of the lot is the Apple and Oprah backed Sidney. There is no way a doc with this subject matter wasn’t made explicitly to garner Academy support but that will depend on it making it onto the notoriously snooty Doc Branch’s shortlist. The Woman King feels like a box office attraction rather than a definitive awards player, although expect plenty of craft support and you can't ever count out Ms Davis. The Lost King may be too lowkey and familiar to gain much traction. Oscar Buzz: I had high hopes for Allelujah but it’s pretty bad. Clearly, I’m failing at this.įilm of The Day: Easily The Woman King a fantastic historical action drama the likes of which you’ve never seen before. British singing legend Lulu steals the show with an impromptu, acapella rendition of her mega hit To Sir With Love.Īccording to my Fitbit, by the time I got home I’d done 22,665 steps and not had a single cocktail. Still, there's an A List cast all paying tribute, fantastic archive material, and numerous interviews with the man himself so it's delightful. You don’t find out much more than you probably already know about the legendary movie star and activist. It won’t surprise you to hear that it’s an entirely by-the-numbers talking head doc that has all the pedigree, footage, and contributors but rarely rises to the level of its remarkable subject matter. The premier of Sidney at the swanky Roy Thompson Hall. I realised I had not yet eaten, so fast food it was before I headed home to get changed into something slightly more presentable for the big film of the evening. I skipped my 4th film of the day (Sorry Winter Boy) as by this time I was flagging. exactly the cosy British way you would want it to be! Could have done without the very literal depiction of King Richard himself. The story of amateur historian Phillipa Langley’s (Sally Hawkins) attempts to find the lost remains of King Richard III was a big news story a decade ago and is here rendered in exactly the cosy, British way you would expect it to be. I then want straight into The Lost King from the same team of Stephen Frears and Steve Coogan that brought us Philomena. The third act's wild shift from gentle comedy to something much weirder and darker fails miserably even if the final polemic is powerful. Even a cast of such estimable pros as Jennifer Saunders, Dame Judi Dench, Sir Derek Jacob, David Bradley and the great, underutilised Julia Mackenzie couldn’t breathe life into an almost plotless script that is mostly just set ups for Bennett’s witty punchlines. Next up was Allelujah a tonally muddled adaptation of the Alan Bennet play by director Richard Eyre. Just imagine her career trajectory over the last 20 years if she had been a basic white man. It’s a fabulous follow up from Gina Prince-Blythewood to 2020’s hugely enjoyable The Old Guard. Viola Davis hacking terrible men to pieces at 11am is exactly what I needed to start the weekend. Here goes.įirst film of the day was a particular treat for this Brit after all who needs a Queen when we have The Woman King. I’m now home and hastily throwing together this dispatch before my laptop dies. At time of speaking, I still haven’t found one. Instead of sipping Mimosas over a leisurely breakfast I was in Best Buy at 10am perusing plug sockets. Saturday, I had 5 films to see but spent most of my time visiting various electrical shops trying to find a US/UK travel adapter (I idiotically left the half dozen I own back in London). My trip so far has been somewhat more mundane. Unfortunately, that is not quite the case. You think I’m just here enjoying myself, don’t you? You think it’s all World Premieres and swanky parties, hobnobbing with the stars and swilling champagne.
0 Comments
Leave a Reply. |
Details
AuthorWrite something about yourself. No need to be fancy, just an overview. ArchivesCategories |