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Flavour of the Week
Issue #35
Welcome to Issue #35
This week I’m reviewing some of the films I’ve been watching over the last month. At the time of writing there are a further seven(!) to discuss, but we’ll save them for another issue.
Let me know if you’ve seen any, or if you’re inspired to add them to (or remove from) your watch lists.
Film
Uncut Gems (2019)
Synopsis: Adam Sandler stars as Howard Ratner, a Jewish-American jeweller in New York’s Diamond District. His gambling addiction increasingly gets him in trouble as he attempts to retrieve an expensive gem he purchased in order to pay off his debts.
Likes: This isn’t another typical Adam Sandler comedy. It’s an intense, exhilarating, exhausting drama that sustains an unhealthy amount of tension throughout. Nothing goes Howard’s way and we get front row seats watching the car crash unfold.
Dislikes: See the ‘likes’. It’s not exactly a pleasant viewing experience, but that doesn’t mean you shouldn’t watch it.
Rating: 7.5/10
The Woman King (2022)
Synopsis: The Agojie are a deadly all-female unit of warriors who protect the African Kingdom of Dahomey in the 1800s. The story centres around General Nanisca (Viola Davis) as she trains the next generation of recruits and leads them into battle against an oppressive enemy.
Likes: An interesting concept and subject. Great opening sequence and exciting action scenes throughout.
Dislikes: The dialogue feels wooden in places. Slightly formulaic plot, albeit with a couple of twists to just about maintain interest.
Rating: 6/10
Cha Cha Real Smooth (2022)
Synopsis: Cooper Raiff writes, directs and stars in this coming of age drama/comedy about Andrew, a directionless young man. After chaperoning his younger brother to a bat mitzvah, the mums take note of his charisma and hire Andrew to work as a ‘party starter’ at their own children’s upcoming celebrations. When he befriends local mum Domino, and her autistic daughter, Lola, he discovers a future he wants, that quickly becomes complicated.
Likes: It’s a tender film with a lot of heart and several laughs along the way. It’s an easy view which I always appreciate whilst also being emotionally complex enough to keep me questioning who I’m actually rooting for.
Dislikes: Despite enjoying being witness to Andrew’s journey, I’m not quite sure what we’re meant to take away from it all by the end.
Rating: 7/10
You People (2023)
Synopsis: When Ezra (Jonah Hill) and Amira (Lauren London) meet through an Uber mix-up, a whirlwind romance ensues. Can the families get past their religious, political and social differences in order to support the relationship?
Likes: Plenty of laughs in this rom com and the plot ticks along quickly enough to avoid ever feeling stale. Strong supporting cast with the likes of Julia Louis-Dreyfus playing the excruciatingly awkward, overbearing Jewish mum and Eddie Murphy the resentful, uptight Muslim dad.
Dislikes: From the moment these two meet, you could take a guess at how the rest of the film will play out and be pretty spot on. This is a throwaway film that doesn’t tackle any of its race issues in a meaningful way, but if you think of it as a light-hearted rom com, I found it perfectly watchable.
Rating: 6.5/10
My Octopus Teacher (2020)
Synopsis: Documentary about a diver who befriends an octopus, devoting his days to studying, interacting with and ultimately forming a strange relationship with his new friend.
Likes: Visually it’s amazing to see how this intelligent creature masters his environment and deals with the challenges faced from potential predators.
Dislikes: It could have been an amazing 30 minute short film, but instead the sentimentality is a bit shoved down your throat and I ended up feeling like I was watching the same thing over and over as we watch the diver return to the waters day after day.
Rating: 6/10
The Fablemans (2022)
Synopsis: This semi-autobiography from Spielberg invites us on a journey with the fictional Sammy Fableman, a young boy who falls in love with cinema. Equipped with a camera and old-school editing device, he uses his wonderful gift of storytelling through film to navigate a dysfunctional family life and childhood.
Likes: It’s a masterful piece of storytelling that, despite a 2.5 hour running time, feels like every scene is necessary. Part love-letter to cinema, part family drama, it ends up being an interesting study, without heroes or villains, but with normal, fallible people.
Dislikes: The character of Sammy’s mum, Mitzi, was irritating. Perhaps this was an exaggeration of Spielberg’s own mother but surely no one floats through life bouncing between such levity and intense emotion.
Rating: 7.5/10
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Thanks for reading and have a great week.
Adam
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