EMPIRE AUG 2021

COVER 1 OF 5

RATCATCHER 2
JAVELIN

BLOODSPORT

AUGUST
2021

ISSUE 391 AUGUST 2021 THE SUICIDE SQUAD • M. NIGHT SHYAMALAN • PETER JACKSON & EDGAR WRIGHT • LIMBO • TILDA SWINTON • SHREK “That’s why they call this thing bloodsport, kid.”





AS I WRITE this, cinemas have been reopened five Marco Vittur THIS MONTH WE’RE REALLY SPOILING YOU
weeks and our world has started to steady on its axis. Marco Vittur. Subs cover: Suicide Squad and all character and related elements: TM & © DC
With the delay of restrictions lifting, we’re still in the 5 COVERS TO COLLECT +
land of social distancing, not-at-capacity audiences A JIM LEE ART PRINT
and no pick ’n’ mix (I mean, for the love of God!).
We know that some of you have gone back to your From a talking shark to a dude with detachable
favourite seat, bookings stretching into the weeks arms, The Suicide Squad has way too much
ahead. And we know others have been more lunacy for just one cover. So we’ve showcased
cautious. But with the end of restrictions in sight the film’s line-up across five. Each one comes
and all of us promised the offer of a vaccine by with a world-exclusive art print by legendary
September, you can feel… well, it. The anticipation, comic-book artist Jim Lee.
the moment when the plane starts to taxi down the
runway and the engine bursts into life. In a matter of
weeks (fingers crossed), our picturehouses will be
— safely — full again. The big and small films we’ve
been waiting months, even years for, set to play on the
very biggest of screens. One of the first big-hitters up
is The Suicide Squad: James Gunn’s definitely-not-
a-sequel kinda-a-sequel bombastic outing of
the DC antiheroes. From our cover story on page
48 it sounds like it will be as bold, bonkers and
eye-wateringly bright as you’d expect it to be. The
exact kind of film cinema exists for. After that, the
march begins: Old, Limbo, The Green Knight, Censor,
Venom: Let There Be Carnage, Dune, No Time To Die.
Top Gun: Maverick. We’re almost there. Hold tight.
It’s time for take-off.

See you next month.

TERRI WHITE

EDITOR-IN-CHIEF

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4 AUGUST 2021

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10 PEACEMAKER 48 THE SUICIDE SQUAD just have made the best British Above: 32 LOKI Spine lines issue 390: Riz Ahmed: “We’re British citizens! We’re British citizens!” is from Children Of Men. Emerald Fennell: “The Brits finally have a winner!” is from Wimbledon. Bukky Bakray: Just like you Brits, rewriting history, huh?”
The first look at the We kick off our celebration film of the year. He tells us how James Gunn’s The God Of Mischief’s solo is from The Fate Of The Furious. Kingsley Ben-Adir: “I wish we could take credit, but the Brits wrote it.” is from Snowden. Subs: “Wake up! Wake up! The British are coming!” is from Breakfast At Tiffany’s.
prequel spin-off from James of James Gunn with a deep he did it. new movie’s voyage through time. Does it
Gunn’s The Suicide Squad, dive into his latest movie, giving us Squad make us horny?
featuring John Cena, a massive a superhero action comedy 76 PETER JACKSON AND goals. Below:
helmet, and a punchline that with a serious body count. EDGAR WRIGHT The jolly green 39 THE TOMORROW WAR
writes itself. Two of Empire’s favourite giant turns 20. Chris Pratt also takes
56 WAY OF THE GUNN directors have swapped baby Happy birthday, a solo voyage through time.
16 TRAILER TALK Gunn talks us through his drivers and hobbits for music Shrek. Must be catching .
Team Empire goes hunting unique methods, whether he’s documentaries about Sparks
for trailer truffles, comes up working with Scooby-Doo, and The Beatles. We get them 44 THE HANDMAID’S TALE
with the latest slice of Nicolas Michael Rooker, zombies, together to talk music and Season 4, reviewed.
Cage ham. Michael Rooker again, a talking turning it up to 11. Contains the word “timely”.
tree, and Michael Rooker one
18 PRIME TIME more time. 82 M. NIGHT SHYAMALAN 102 TILDA
A look at what the takeover As the master of the SWINTON
by global giant Amazon of 60 JAMES GUNN: twist (sorry, Chubby Empire talks to an
MGM means for the legendary HIS COLLEAGUES Checker) returns with acting titan.
studio, moviegoers — and the Some of Gunn’s key Old, we delve inside
future of cinema. collaborators (The Bulletts?) his mind. 108 TOBY JONES
on the secrets of his success. The actor’s
24 TAIKA WAITITI 88 SHREK role call.
We have a good old chat 64 REMINISCENCE Celebrating
with Free Guy’s secret weapon, Lisa Joy, co-creator of 20 years of the 110 THE RANKING
Freewheeling Taika. Westworld, recalls the events animated classic. We pivot to TV
surrounding her directorial They think it’s with Friends. PIVOT!
30 PINT OF MILK debut, a sci-fi noir thriller with all ogre...
Joel Edgerton, a man who Hugh Jackman.
probably prefers his milk blue. 94  GODS AMONG US
Because he was Uncle Owen in 70 LIMBO Whoa. It’s only
Attack Of The Clones, you see. Director Ben Sharrock may Keanu bloody Reeves!

6 AUGUST 2021



Editor-In-Chief
TERRI WHITE

BODY HORROR Deputy Editor Associate Editor
NICK DE SEMLYEN (Production)
You utter, utter bastards! I was reading The
Ranking in the July 2021 issue when I saw the Creative Director LIZ BEARDSWORTH
pic of Donald Sutherland from Invasion Of The CHRIS LUPTON
Body Snatchers (1978). I first watched it on TV Associate Editor
in the ’80s, and it scared the living shite out of Photography Director (ReView)
me so badly that my mum had to take me to JOANNA MORAN
our cellar to prove there wasn’t a pod-person CHRIS HEWITT
lurking there. So thanks for newly haunting Deputy Art Director
my dreams with that unearthly screech from MIKE CATHRO News Editor
the finger-pointing alien pod-freak... JOHN NUGENT
Designer
PHIL SLOAN, NOW TERRIFIED, BEXLEY VILLAGE ALIYAH ALLEN Editor-In-Chief
(Digital)
We can’t offer therapy, but we can offer a free Editor-At-Large
Picturehouse membership. Just try to go on HELEN O’HARA JAMES DYER
a day when Donald Sutherland isn’t there, lest
he point at you. Deputy Online Editor
BEN TRAVIS
Empire’s star letter wins a Picturehouse Membership, plus one for a friend! Valid for one year at 23 Picturehouse Cinemas
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“That blinking in episode six is the best acting I’ve seen all year.”

8 AUGUST 2021



T H I S M O N T H ’ S F I L M M O M E N T S T H A T [M A T T E R E D I T E D B Y J O H N N U G E N T ] Above: John
Cena on the set
of Suicide Squad
spin-off series
Peacemaker
with director
James Gunn.
Right: The “loud,
obnoxious,
bro-ey
douchebag” in
The Suicide
Squad.

TAKE 20

In a world exclusive,
James Gunn and John Cena
talk The Suicide Squad ’s
TV spin-off PEACEMAKER

1No./ “PEACEMAKER’S A PIECE of shit. He’s not
a good guy. And he wears the goofiest costume
Why this you’ve ever seen in your life.” James Gunn
douche got his there, on the title character of the DC Extended
own TV show Universe’s first-ever TV show. Which begs the
Starro-sized question: why, of all the Task Force
X members in The Suicide Squad, did he plump
for the a-hole in the chrome toilet-seat helmet?

The idea first occurred to writer-director
Gunn during the shoot for The Suicide Squad.
Specifically, during a close-up on John Cena’s
face, where he’s struggling over the moral
implications of what he’s doing. “Peacemaker has
a clear set of ideals that I find really interesting,”
says Gunn. “You know: ‘I want peace no matter
how many men, women and children I need to
kill to get it.’ Sounds like nonsense, but it also
makes a lot of sense. And you see in John’s
performance how he does not feel good about
it — something I thought was the seed of an
entire eight-episode show.”

That seed germinated furiously during the
first Covid lockdown, just after The Suicide Squad
wrapped. Gunn wrote all eight episodes, before
calling Cena and asking if he’d be up for it. Cena
said yes before Gunn had even finished pitching it.
“This guy is a loud, obnoxious, bro-ey douchebag.
That sucks. But why?” asks Cena. “At what point
did he become such a douchebag and what does
that mean? There’s a lot to dive into there.”

This isn’t merely an origin story, Gunn
confirms. It also serves up “a big science-
fiction story”, as well as giving Gunn the
opportunity to depict an also-ran ‘hero’ in
a universe of big-hitters. “He lives in the world
of Superman, Batman and Aquaman, and
that is not an easy thing for him to contend
with.” However, the show does allow Gunn
to tackle some real-world issues, too. “He
represents a part of the world populace at this
point that is problematic to say the least,” says
Gunn, “and puts him in a situation where he
has to face the choices he’s made throughout
his life and the extremity of his views.”

Peacemaker has to play with others,
including The Suicide Squad’s guy-in-the-chair
John Economos (Steve Agee), Freddie Stroma
as fellow crimefighter Vigilante, and Orange
Is The New Black’s Danielle Brooks as Leota
Adebayo — a character whom Gunn describes
as “the opposite of Peacemaker in so many
ways”, creating a relationship he found fun
to explore. “Peacemaker dealing with his own
issues, his own politics, and people that are
different from him was an exciting basis for
a show.” In short, prepare yourself for a deep
dive into a douchebag. DAN JOLIN

PEACEMAKER IS DUE TO AIR IN 2022

AUGUST 2021 11

TAKE 20

2No./

Meet Tom
Hardy’s most
trusted ally

Screenwriter KELLY MARCEL on the writing
process of Venom: Let There Be Carnage —
and a two-decade collaboration

TOM HARDY HAS a lot of tattoos. But among collaboration yet, with Venom: Let There Be Above: Tom Hardy returns as journalist Eddie Brock, host
the many inked tributes to his family and Carnage, the sequel to Hardy’s surprise to an alien symbiote, in Venom: Let There Be Carnage.
loved ones, there is, uniquely, one dedicated to 2018 anti-hero hit. Marcel is the film’s sole
a screenwriter. “It’s a writer’s quill on the inside screenwriter this time, but the pair share seeing what didn’t. Then I took everything we
of his right arm,” explains Kelly Marcel, the a “story by” credit, a first for Hardy. spoke about and holed up somewhere for three
subject of said tat. “It says ‘Skribe’, spelled with a months quietly, knocking out a script.”
K. It’s massive!” She laughs. “I have not got one in “This is new for him, to get credit,” recognises
return. I’m gonna have to get one at some point.” Marcel, “but it’s not new for him to be this The collaboration continued on set, where
involved. He’s absolutely 100 per cent committed Hardy wore a hidden earpiece, to hear the pre-
Hardy’s permanent tribute is a testament to to everything that he does.” Venom in particular recorded Venom dialogue — but also alternative
their intensely trusting working relationship, — the alien symbiote who shares a body with lines from Marcel, rewritten in real time. “He’ll
which spans nearly 20 years. The pair first met at journalist Eddie Brock — holds a special place be on set and be like, ‘Okay, this line doesn’t
the Edinburgh Festival in the early 2000s; Hardy in Hardy’s heart. “He’s married to Venom,” says work. Give me five more.’ He will stay there in
later invited Marcel to write for his “experimental Marcel. “He loves this character. He’s very character, as you throw lines to him, and change
theatre laboratory” based above a South London involved in what he thinks should happen.” the script as he’s doing it. It’s sort of unbelievable.
pub. Their first professional gig together came I’ve never seen anyone be able to do that.”
with the 2008 prison drama Bronson, which called A more active role in the story was a natural
for some last-minute rewrites. “Tommy had run jump, then. Conversations about the second Venom Fitting, perhaps, that in the film, it’s the
into trouble with some of the scripts. It happens all film began around the premiere for the first one; voice of a trusted alien symbiote that Tom
the time [on set]. So I went down to Nottingham as soon as the studio gave the green light, Hardy Hardy hears in his head — but in real life,
to help rework Bronson. And we just found and Marcel immediately got to work. “He doesn’t it’s Kelly Marcel. JOHN NUGENT
a really great way of working with each other.” get a pen and write,” Marcel explains. “We
spent months breaking the story together on VENOM: LET THERE BE CARNAGE IS IN CINEMAS FROM
This September sees their biggest FaceTime, riffing on ideas, seeing what worked,
15 SEPTEMBER

12 AUGUST 2021

TAKE 20

AMON WARMANN chews over the main
moment in Black film and TV this month

Below, top to bottom: Hardy with IN THE HEIGHTS’
writer/producer Kelly Marcel COLOURISM LIMITS
on set; Showing off Venom’s ITS CULTURAL IMPACT

impressive gnashers; You’ve a
touch of halitosis there, my friend…

A DECADE AGO, In The Feel-good blockbuster In The Heights has been accused of colourism
Heights was a different in its representation of Washington Heights’ Latinx community.
proposition. Even back then,
Marco Vittur Lin-Manuel Miranda — who supporting role of Anita in being depicted in In The
launched his career with the 1961’s West Side Story while Heights is represented.
stage production in 2008 — her white co-star, Natalie Add this to the fact that the
had been wanting to turn his Wood, played the leading role filmmakers made the decision
debut into a movie. Instead of Maria. But in a film that’s to not adapt the plot of a
he was met with the usual made by Latinos for Latinos, significant character being
Hollywood excuses as to it’s disappointing that not anti-Black from play to screen,
why a Latinx-focused movie everyone from the diaspora and it’s clear that the movie
wouldn’t travel, and advised wasted a golden opportunity
to hire already-famous singers CLASSIC PICK to make a statement about
— “Latino stars who test OF THE MONTH race and colourism in Latinx
international,” as he later told communities.
Variety. Fast forward to 2021, CREED (2015)
and the Jon M. Chu-directed Ryan Coogler and Michael B. It’s unfortunate that this
blockbuster is filled to the brim Jordan breathe new life into conversation has cast a bum
with fresh Latinx talent, all the Rocky saga with a story note on a film which has the
of whom are celebrating potential to influence the
a culture that has so often about fathers, sons and future of Latinx projects for
been vilified on screen. legacies that doesn’t years to come. But while In the
skimp on the brutal Heights is a shift in the right
But while this is one of boxing sequences. The direction, there’s still much
the film’s major positives, the formula may be familiar, more work to be done to ensure
question of why none of the but this is as good as that the entire diaspora is
leading roles are played by franchise represented in a positive way.
dark-skinned Latinx actors rejuvenation If Miranda’s recent statement
grew. When it was posed gets. And is anything to go by, he’ll be
to the cast and director in an Bill Conti’s leading the charge: “I’m
interview by Felice León, an theme still learning from the feedback,
Afro-Cuban video producer packs I thank you for raising it,
for The Root, their clichéd a hell of and I’m listening.” And we’ll
responses (“We tried to get a punch. be watching.
people who were best for
those roles”) left much to
be desired.

That darker-skinned
actors have been denied
opportunities given to
their lighter, whiter
counterparts is
nothing new
in Hollywood.
Indeed, it’s why
Puerto Rican actor
Rita Moreno could
only play the

AUGUST 2021 13

TAKE 20

3No./ Clockwise
from left: Tom
Hiddleston is
back as the
shape-shifting
God Of Mischief;
Who’s that Lady?
Loki with his
female variant
Sylvie
Laufeydottir
(Sophia Di
Martino); Doctor
Strange
(Benedict
Cumberbatch).

Loki’s IT’S ENTERED A MULTIVERSE IT’S FOUND AN LGBTQ+ IDENTITY
OF MADNESS
rewriting of There’s still seemingly endless Loki stories to
Between this, Doctor Strange And The Multiverse tell, no matter what Shakespeare play keeps Tom
the MCU Of Madness and Ant-Man And The Wasp: Hiddleston busy or how many times his Loki
Quantumania, it’s clear that the MCU is getting dies. That’s especially true now that director Kate
The hit Disney+ show is into some timey-wimey, multi-reality, multiple- Herron and writer Michael Waldron have made it
making us rethink everything timeline stuff. The comics have played with these clear that Loki is bisexual, a major step forward
we thought we knew about the ideas for years, as have non-MCU films like for openly LGBTQ+ MCU representation. And
Marvel Cinematic Universe Spider-Man: Into The Spider-Verse, but now the with a second season of the show reportedly in
“reality” of the MCU is shattering before our development, that offers new potential romantic
IT HAS VARIANTS ON A THEME eyes. If the TVA has artificially maintained just ground to explore. We may be burdened with his
one timeline and if Loki succeeds in bringing it glorious purpose for some time yet. HELEN O’HARA
If your story needs a Tony Stark-type but Robert down, we could see our heroes and villains
Downey Jr is too expensive, never fear! Loki playing with their counterparts from other LOKI IS ON DISNEY+ NOW
teaches us that you can introduce a “variant” universes: not just alternate but additional
version of the character, expelled from their own variants. Imagine facing an entire platoon of
timeline by some ill-defined accident. This Thanoses (Thanosi?) or Helas. Sure, this could
variant can be younger, or a professional cyclist, confuse casual Marvel viewers, but it also offers
or a different gender. Loki takes the alternate fans the same delicious, manic crossover fun that
reality premise that powers the upcoming What powered Miles Morales’ first outing.
If ? animated series and puts it into the live-action
universe. We just have to trust Kevin Feige will IT’S RESET THE BALANCE OF POWER
not simply adopt the comics’ habit of rewriting,
or ret-conning, history whenever it becomes Remember when Infinity Stones were as
inconvenient for a character to stay dead. powerful as it got? Pfft; that was weeks ago. If the
MCU is ever going to build to another crescendo
as satisfying as Endgame, they need to establish
new cosmic stakes. That means — figuratively
and literally — sticking the Infinity Stones in
a drawer and inventing new weapons and
threats. With one scene Loki has taken care of
step one, and cleared the decks for a whole new
MCU meta-saga. In fact, the very existence
of the Time Variance Authority helps to explain
why all these new frontiers are opening up for
Doctor Strange and Ant-Man, so that once again
the TV show provides context for an upcoming
movie outing. They’re outsourcing exposition,
and having fun doing it.

14 AUGUST 2021

4No./ TAKE 20

The best caused audience members to faint when it first
of IRL premiered; her mysterious follow-up looks
Cannes similarly unnerving. Curiously, in lieu of a
synopsis (no plot details are available beyond a
It’s back! Here are our top six Adam Driver and Marion Cotillard in trailer), the film’s distributor has simply provided
picks from the festival Annette. Below: Red Rocket director a definition for the movie’s title: “A metal highly
Sean Baker. resistant to heat and corrosion”. Well then.
THE MAD MUSICAL: ANNETTE
hometown — promises another strikingly THE CRITIC’S FAVOURITE:
Opening Night bash at Cannes IRL this year fresh perspective, with almost entirely MEMORIA
is Annette, French filmmaker Leos Carax’s non-professional actors in the cast.
follow-up to his truly bonkers masterpiece, Holy The English language debut of Thai
Motors. Adam Driver and Marion Cotillard will THE RELIABLE ECCENTRIC: director Apichatpong Weerasethakul
sing surreal original songs from the band Sparks, THE FRENCH DISPATCH — who previously won the festival’s top
in what the trailer pitches not as merely a film, prize for Uncle Boonmee Who Can
but “une expérience de cinema”. Wes Anderson’s tenth film was supposed Recall His Past Lives — sees Tilda
to debut at last year’s Cannes, before Swinton as a character suffering from
THE PROVOCATEUR: BENEDETTA the pandemic scuppered that. The Exploding Head Syndrome in a surreal
filmmaker decided to save its Herzogian jungle. An early Palme D’Or
“It’s a love story, it’s a religious story, it’s a premiere for 2021, turning his frontrunner? Bien sûr! JOHN NUGENT
strange story!” is how Paul Verhoeven described patented symmetrical stylings and
his latest film film to Empire last year. Based on quirky humour into a love letter to THE CANNES FILM FESTIVAL RUNS FROM 6 TO 17 JULY
the book Immodest Acts by Judith C. Brown, this journalism and French culture. It’s
lesbian nun psychosexual melodrama is likely to bound to go down like a pastel-
ruffle some feathers on the Croisette — and that’s coloured macaron at the festival.
exactly how Verhoeven likes it.
THE INTENSE HORROR:
THE DARK COMEDY: RED ROCKET TITANE

Director Sean Baker filmed Tangerine on French filmmaker Julia Ducournau’s
iPhones and The Florida Project from the first film, the cannibalistic horror Raw,
perspective of a six-year-old. His new film —
telling the irreverent story of a washed-up porn
star (Simon Rex) returning to his Texas

[AN ACQUIRED TASTE] IT’S ABOUT A MOSQUITO he says, as it fit with the character. “I just
INFESTATION thought about what type of analytical
No./5 The idea for Mosquito State came after mind would look at a mosquito and be
a friend of the director, Filip Jan Rymsza, fascinated by it.”
MOSQUITO STATE was overwhelmed by bloodsucking
insects. “He was dealing with a mosquito IT FEATURES ACTUAL MOSQUITOS
GET TO KNOW THE INSECTOID BODY HORROR SET DURING infestation in his flat,” says Rymsza. “He Though VFX was used in some cases,
THE LAST WALL STREET CRASH was just starting to lose his sanity — it real mosquitos were filmed for many
seemed like the experience was very sequences. The insects proved to be
Getty Images visceral for him. I wanted [the film] to play reluctant film stars. “They’re so fidgety,”
as this strange fever dream.” he says. “Filming them, where your focal
depth is a fraction of a millimetre... that’s
IT’S SET IN THE 2007/’08 RECESSION super tricky.” An entomologist from the
The film sees a Wall Street analyst (played University of California was recruited as
by Beau Knapp) become obsessed with a mosquito-wrangler; here, the horrors
the mosquitos that bite him, amidst the are microscopic. JOHN NUGENT
financial crash of 2007 and ’08. Think
The Fly meets The Big Short, then. MOSQUITO STATE IS ON SHUDDER FROM
Rymsza added the Wall Street element, 26 AUGUST

AUGUST 2021 15

TRAILER Pig

TALK Unfiltered, uncensored, uncompromising trailer reactions from team EMPIRE

Nick de Semlyen (Deputy Editor): I’m chef? Like Steven Seagal in Under Siege?
totally up for a deep dive into the shady John: Maybe this is a bit like Mandy, where
world of truffle hunting. I don’t really know you’ve got Nicolas Cage being a bit ridiculous
what a truffle is. and seeking revenge, but also he’s in a
John Nugent (News Editor): It’s a type of reflective mood, looking back on his life,
rare fungus. being a bit sad, doing some proper acting.
Joanna Moran (Photography Director): James: That’s a very serious typeface.
It tastes like bad feet, I think. They hit me Quite highfalutin.
in the back of the throat. Nick: This is why it feels a bit like a
John: Truffles are often found by dogs and Saturday Night Live parody. “I’m looking
pigs, with their superior sense of smell. for a truffle pig...”
There’s a great documentary called The John: They must know what they’re doing,
Truffle Hunters that got nominated for an with dialogue like that.
Oscar this year all about this. But this is more Nick: Guillermo del Toro tweeted the link to
like Nicolas Cage meets John Wick, with a pig. this trailer and said, “I must see this as soon
Nick: It’s Pig Wick! as possible. What is it? It’s gorgeous.” He’s
James Dyer (Editor-In-Chief: Digital): entranced by it.
“I’m looking for a truffle pig.” Oh my God. John: “I remember every meal I ever
John: On paper this looks like another bit of cooked... every person I ever served.” What,
Nic Cage bargain-basement knock-off, but all of them?
this trailer makes it look better than that. James: Also, as a chef, you don’t actually do
James: It has a piano score. So, clearly. the serving!
Nick: What I want to know is, what do they Chris: Actually, in many Michelin-starred
want with a pig? Are they after truffles? Are restaurants and high-end fine-dining places,
they, like, criminal truffle hunters? Or are the chefs do bring the dishes to the table and
they just after a sausage sandwich? explain to you what you’re about to eat.
John: The documentary goes into this a bit Nick: Why do we think he got sacked for
— the world of truffle hunting is actually being a chef?
pretty cutthroat. There’s an omertà among James: Because he looks like a homeless
them. So it’s probably a rival truffle hunter. man and he lives with a pig!
James: Are they going to send him bits John: Alex Wolff, of course, from Hereditary.
of the pig, like one trotter at a time? And Chris: Pigs and wolves do not have a good
a packet of pork scratchings? history together.
Nick: The climax of the film is going to be John: That was a bit hamfisted.
really traumatic — it’s going to end with James: John, don’t be a boar.
bacon or something. I just really don’t want Nick: You reap what you sow.
this pig to die. John: They really should have hired Jon
John: It’s got a bit of a fairy-tale vibe. He’s Hamm for this.
living in the middle of a forest. He’s a loner. James: Or Kevin Bacon.
Nick: So, that’s a truffle? Nick: Would have been a banger if they did.
Chris Hewitt (ReView Editor): It looks John: Terri’s not going to let me print
like pig shit. any of this.
Joanna: They’ll go for loads, though. There’s Joanna: That looks like pig feed. But I thought
a truffle black market. you’re supposed to feed pigs acorns.
Nick: Is this playing at Cannes this year? I’m James: But what you feed the pig surely
wondering if it could be up for the Palm doesn’t affect the truffles?
d’Oink. [Mass groans] Nick: Yes, it does. Doesn’t the pig eat the
John: How long were you working on truffle and then you pick it out of the poo? I
that one? thought that was how you collected truffles?
James: What happens here? James: What? The pig just finds the truffle.
Joanna: Someone clubs him on the back of You’ve got a whole ‘Porcine Centipede’ thing
the neck, I think. going on, which really upsets me.
Chris: It’s a truffle kerfuffle! It seems to be John: Have you just been eating pig shit, Nick?
set up as ‘Taken, but with a pig’. But the rest Nick: No wonder I’m not a fan of truffles.
of the trailer seems to be a bit more esoteric John: Well, this looks like everything you
than that. Doesn’t seem to be a lot of violence. want a Nicolas Cage film to be.
More of an existential confrontation. Nick: I can’t say how up for this I am.
Nick: Cage’s backstory seems to be that he
was a chef. Maybe he was a special forces PIG DOES NOT CURRENTLY HAVE A UK RELEASE DATE

TAKE 20

INTRODUCING... 6No./

Gregory QT’s Hollywood gets
Diaz IV
a full-on shake-up
THE 16-YEAR-OLD NEW
YORKER MAKES A SCENE- The five most surprising things about Quentin Tarantino’s first
STEALING APPEARANCE IN book — the novelisation of Once Upon A Time In Hollywood

IN THE HEIGHTS 1 IT’S VERY DIFFERENT Angeles, doing an “ooga booga dance”. Above: Hurray
Unsurprisingly, he’s a very creepy for Hollywood:
ON THE FAMILIARITY OF IN THE HEIGHTS Rather than a simple expansion, presence. “I’m in your paws, I’m in your Tarantino with
Tarantino’s first novel is a full-on tail, I’m in your nose, and I’m in your Brad Pitt on the
“I did not get to see it on reimagining of his ninth movie. It pussycat skull,” he tells one disciple. set of the 2019
Broadway. It was on Broadway begins with Rick Dalton meeting movie. Below:
in 2008. I was born in 2005. So Marvin Schwarz not in Musso & 4 TARANTINO INSERTS Margot Robbie
I was still in Pampers! But I was Frank’s, but in Schwarz’s office. There HIMSELF IN THE STORY as Sharon Tate.
a huge fan. It sounds so much are plenty of new scenes, it’s more
© Emily Assiran like what I heard every day out sexually explicit, and the whole ending One of the most moving additions is
of the film — Rick and Cliff versus the a scene where the filmmaker himself
in the street, being born and Manson Family — is thrown away as an gets a mention, via his stepfather Curtis
raised in New York.” aside early on, the book wrapping up Zastoupil, who crosses paths with Cliff
somewhere else entirely. and Rick. Amusingly, we also learn that
ON AUDITIONING FOR THE ROLE OF SONNY one of Hollywood’s characters ends up
2 WE LEARN A LOT ABOUT CLIFF starring in a (fictional) QT movie,
“My very first audition, I was 13. opposite Michael Madsen.
My final callback, it was all the Brad Pitt’s Cliff Booth was a quiet,
producers in the room; Jon M. enigmatic presence in the film. The 5 … AND HIS CINEMA TOO
Chu, the director; Lin-Manuel book, though, takes us on trips back
Miranda; our co-writer Quiara through his past, filling in huge gaps in Sharon Tate popped into the
his story. We learn that his wartime Bruin Cinema to see herself in
Alegría Hudes; and Anthony experiences inspired a movie (which The Wrecking Crew in the film.
Ramos. I was definitely nervous Rick Dalton stars in), the bloody tale The book finds time for more
for that one. I was fangirling the behind how he acquired his dog Brandy, big-screen outings, mainly by
and how he nearly became a pimp in Cliff, who, it turns out, is fond of
entire time on the inside.” France. And the question of whether he arthouse films, especially sexy
really murdered his wife on that boat? It ones. He heads to the Eros Cinema
ON HIS EARLY INSPIRATION gets answered, and then some. — which will later become the
New Beverly, purchased by
“It was when my dad took me to 3 CHARLES MANSON Tarantino himself in 2007 — to
see Matilda on Broadway that it GETS DIALOGUE see The Sweet Body Of Deborah.
really like clicked for me. I was
Where cult leader Manson was only NICK DE SEMLYEN
seeing kids on stage, acting, glimpsed on the fringes of the film, here
singing and dancing. It was just Tarantino adds scenes following him on ONCE UPON A TIME IN HOLLYWOOD BY
this immediate feeling of wanting a nocturnal “kreepy krawl” around Los
to do that, and believing I could. QUENTIN TARANTINO IS ON SALE NOW

And fortunately, I was able to
do that.” [Diaz later appeared in

Matilda on Broadway.]

ON HIS SPORTING CHOICE

“Before acting, the dream was
to be in New York City Yankees.

Baseball is such a part of our
family. Acting and baseball kind
of crossed with one another at

a certain point, and I had to
make the decision between one
or the other. But yeah, I wanted
to be like [former Yankee] Derek

Jeter.” JOHN NUGENT

IN THE HEIGHTS IS IN CINEMAS NOW

AUGUST 2021 17

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7No./
Behind the billion-dollar WHAT DOES IT MEAN FOR ME?
deal that shook Hollywood
The news that Amazon — home of Prime Video,
Breaking down Amazon’s historic takeover of MGM — giant retailer, and tech conglomerate — had
which could reshape the film industry as we know it purchased film studio MGM for an eye-watering
$8.45 billion raised more than a few eyebrows.
But for film fans, at least, it could be positive news.
MGM, after all, is the home of countless iconic
titles — your Rockys, your Wizard Of Oz, and of
course, all your James Bonds — which are likely
to soon join the Prime Video family.

In terms of what that changes right now:
nothing — the takeover is not complete, and still
subject to regulatory scrutiny. “It’s an exciting
time for Prime customers,” says Damian
Spandley, Curzon’s Director of Programme &

18 AUGUST 2021

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“Toto, I have a feeling we’re not in Hollywood anymore”:
Legendary MGM founder Marcus Loew with some of the
studio’s most enduring and iconic characters.

WHAT DOES IT MEAN FOR SMALL
HOLLYWOOD?
TALK
Amazon’s acquisition isn’t the first time a film
company has been swallowed up in this way, but GEMMA
it is indicative of a shift in the film industry, CHAN
responding to increasingly flexible viewing habits
from audiences. Jeremy Kay, Americas editor for Hello, Gemma! Where in
industry magazine Screen International, explains: the world are you?
“The feeling in Hollywood is that Amazon will get I’m in London!
behind releasing movies from the MGM stable in
cinemas when it makes sense. But cinema-going Are you shooting things, or
is evolving, and consumer demand to watch new have you been enjoying
content at home as early as possible has changed a little bit of time off?
how movies are released.” So that’s not to say
MGM films in cinemas will be scrapped altogether A little bit of time off. It’s been
— it just might not be the default anymore. pretty busy actually, there’s
been so much going on with
The takeover is hardly unprecedented — AAPI [Asian American and
after all, MGM itself was the result of a merger
by Marcus Loew in 1924 when he put together Pacific Islander] History
Metro Pictures, Goldwyn Pictures and Louis B. Month. But it’s nice to be in
Mayer pictures. And it’s part of an ongoing trend
in the industry — Columbia TriStar was bought London as things have
by Sony; Disney acquired Fox, the list goes on. started to open up. Although
The question is whether MGM’s place on the big quite scary as well. It’s all that
screen is preserved. “MGM’s history is making trepidation, isn’t it? As well as
stuff for cinema,” our London-based expert says. crossing our fingers, hoping
“Amazon have found they’ve been really good everything’s going to be okay!
at making stuff for television, so this could be
the way for them to be taken more seriously as This has been the longest
a proper production studio. They’re a cutting- lockdown. We’ve put in the
edge technology company and they’ve teamed up
with one of the oldest studios in Hollywood. Why hard work this time.
would you buy a film studio if you didn’t have Fingers crossed.
ambitions for making films?”
Do you mind still
Getty Images. Illustration: Mike Cathro Distribution Sales, confident that the promise of WHAT DOES IT MEAN FOR BOND? wearing a mask?
a bigger library could be something to celebrate. I’m so happy with the
But a question mark remains around the future Above all else, MGM is the home of James Bond. masks, I’m not ready to give
of certain legacy MGM titles in cinemas. The So does this mean we’ll only be able to watch 007 them up. I just can’t believe
company makes these films, but doesn’t put them save the day on our laptops? Thankfully, no. “It that we didn’t wear them
in cinemas — so they will need new partners once behooves Amazon to preserve the 007 canon both when we had a cold or when
existing deals with distributors expire. “It could in style and the way the movies get released in we’d have to go to work
be a worry that Amazon doesn’t make the effort global cinemas, because the franchise has been
to sign up another company for theatrical rights a huge cash cow and Amazon won’t want to when we’re ill.
— but if I were them I’d find no reason to not change that,” Kay explains. “Plus, Bond producers
make them available,” Spandley adds. Eon Productions, who control the spy property So cavalier! I guess it
with MGM, are protective of it and have made it makes it easy to get
Another film industry exec based in London, very clear they intend to continue making these around incognito with
who asked not to be named, agrees: “It’s a way movies for worldwide cinema-going audiences.”
to preserve a legacy brand and hopefully revive Bond producers Barbara Broccoli and Michael G. a mask on, no?
some of these great properties.” Wilson were emphatic when the news broke: “We You say that but weirdly,
are committed to continuing to make James Bond I think because we’ve got
films for the worldwide theatrical audience,” they used to them, people can
said in a statement. recognise you through

When the time comes for a new Bond title to a mask. I mean, I can
leave cinemas and be released online, we could recognise people through
enjoy a Prime Video release ahead of other masks. [But] you’d think it
streaming platforms — but certainly not cinemas.
“Eon will still be determined for films to be played would be! HANNA FLINT
in cinemas, I have no doubt,” Spandley adds.
“They are passionate about cinemas in the way MARVEL STUDIOS’ ETERNALS IS IN
Christopher Nolan was passionate about making CINEMAS FROM 5 NOVEMBER
sure Tenet played on the big screen. Which is nice
— we don’t really feel like we’re being looked after
at the moment!” So rest easy for now: Amazon is
looking after MGM, MGM is looking after Bond,
Bond is still looking after us. Some things will –
hopefully – never change. ELLA KEMP

AUGUST 2021 19

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Hold the front
Paige – the

actor’s career is
on the up.

Below: As A’Ziah
‘Zola’ King.

8No./

“I’m hoping to serve as
a bridge for Black women”

With a slew of buzzy roles,
Taylour Paige is the next big
thing — and she’s looking to
set a powerful example

TAYLOUR PAIGE DOESN’T like the term initially felt the project wasn’t right for her. collaborators to achieve this; she lights up when Portrait: Greg Williams. Alamy, Allstar, BBC, Marvel
“breakthrough star”. You can understand why “This woman’s voice is iconic,” she says. “So, Empire mentions her role in Lena Dunham’s
that term has been cropping up for her lately when I first got the script, I passed; I wasn’t top-secret feature Sharp Stick. “Lena’s the
— with a whirlwind of recent roles in films such interested because the writing just didn’t reflect fucking best. She has this humble curiosity to
as Matthew McConaughey drama White Boy the voice that I heard when I read it.” her,” she says of her director. “People can be
Rick, or multi-award-winner Ma Rainey’s Black heaven or hell, and she’s definitely heaven.”
Bottom opposite Chadwick Boseman and Viola The film came back to her in 2018 with a new
Davis. But the phrase doesn’t sit well with Paige; director, Janicza Bravo, and Paige returned to Right now, Paige is in Bulgaria and
instead, she prefers to see herself as a vehicle for Zola’s world on her terms. Whereas she likes embarking on a whole new adventure: starring in
change. “I’m hoping to serve as a bridge for Black to think that she used the entire thread in her a modern revamp of superhero action comedy
women and other women who feel that there’s performance, her priority was to do justice to The Toxic Avenger. Paige marvels at the A-list
not a space at the table for them,” she says. Zola herself. “She’s a Pisces, she’s protective, ensemble she’s joined, which includes Kevin
she’s super-quick and intelligent, and I wanted Bacon, Peter Dinklage and Elijah Wood. “I’m
It’s through that lens that Paige takes on her to bring that,” she says. “But more than anything like, ‘Oh my God, am I good enough here?’”
first major lead role in a film, the Sundance hit I wanted to honour this trauma that was She pauses. “I am good enough to be here.” It’s
Zola, a wild thriller based on a 148-tweet Twitter essentially processed through Twitter. Much as a sense of self-belief, she hopes, that others will
thread. After getting over her initial confusion it was entertaining to people, it was still horrific.” follow. BETH WEBB
(“‘What? A movie based on a Twitter thread?’”
Paige recalls thinking — “I wasn’t really on High on Paige’s agenda is doing justice to her ZOLA IS IN CINEMAS FROM 6 AUGUST
Twitter at the time, so I didn’t know what was characters, and she is keen to work with female
going on” ), she began researching the insane
true story of A’Ziah ‘Zola’ King , who took a road
trip to Florida with a fellow stripper named
Jessica, which ended in violence and corruption.
Zola later documented her story via a gripping
and elaborate Twitter thread, making headlines,
and its author turned into an overnight star.
A film adaptation swept into development,
with James Franco originally attached to direct,
and writers Andrew Neel and Mike Roberts on
screenplay duty.

Paige was offered the lead role. But she
became so enamoured with Zola that she

20 AUGUST 2021

TAKE 20

No./9

NEXT

IN THE

SERIES

You fell in love with that OZ a frustrated English teacher by day who transforms
incredible new TV show. And himself into a woman called Tracie at night, and
then it ended! Don’t despair — SKY ON DEMAND/NOW Graham is married man Tony, who meets Tracie
Boyd Hilton recommends the in a bar, the pair having sex later that evening.
sibling shows to watch next There are prison dramas The implications of this casual relationship are,
and there’s Oz. Across unsurprisingly for a McGovern drama, dark and
IF YOU LOVED... six seasons and 56 bleak, but Bean and Graham are astonishing.
episodes, this HBO show
TIME created by Tom Fontana (Homicide: Life On The BANANA
Street) pummelled viewers with its unflinching
BANISHED look at the US penal system. The (fictional) Oswald ALL 4
State Correctional Facility is a world where inmates
BRITBOX are divided by race and social class, and where Within two years of
sexual assault and violence are a daily reality. graduating from the
This one-series wonder Underpinning the saga is the warped ‘relationship’ National Film and
from 2015 is basically between neo-Nazi Schillinger (J.K. Simmons) Television School, Lewis
a period version of Time. and Tobias Beecher (Lee Tergesen), jailed, like Arnold — Time’s director — was helming the first
Also written by Jimmy Sean Bean in Time, for a drunk-driving crime. four episodes of Russell T Davies’ Banana. The
McGovern, it’s set in the first penal colony in sister show to Cucumber, originally aired at the
New South Wales, Australia, in the 18th century, ACCUSED same time, it explores stories of younger LGBT
and its seven intense episodes interrogate the characters, often only tangentially connected to
power imbalance between the British prisoners AMAZON PRIME VIDEO its companion show. The opening half an hour
and their guards, mostly Marines in the Royal detailing the sex life of Cucumber supporting
Navy. Russell Tovey is James Freeman, the Before they acted character Dean (Fisayo Akinade) is a tour de
everyman equivalent of Sean Bean’s character in together in Time, Sean force of television.
Time, who resorts to desperate measures after Bean and Stephen
being bullied by another convict (played by Game Graham co-starred in an TIME IS OUT NOW ON BBC iPLAYER AND ON DVD
Of Thrones’ Rory McCann). An underrated gem extraordinary episode of Jimmy McGovern’s 2012
that easily deserved a second season. anthology series Accused. Bean plays Simon,

No./10 1 HE’S AN 2 HE’S BEEN 3 HE COULD GO 4 HE’S SET TO
ORIGINAL TEASED IN THE TO WAR WITH BE PLAYED BY
MEET MARVEL MCU BEFORE WAKANDA A SEASONED
MARVEL’S ANTI-HERO BADDIE
AQUAMAN! In Iron Man 2, As Prince of Atlantis,
One of the earliest S.H.I.E.L.D. can be Namor’s dislike of the Some reports suggest
Four things you need characters in the seen monitoring surface world has Namor will be played by
to know about Black Marvel Comics canon, Atlantis. And in been a key part of Mexican actor Tenoch
Panther 2’s rumoured Namor, The Sub- Avengers: Endgame, his character, with Huerta, known for
new anti-hero, Namor Mariner, debuted in Okoye mentioned “an Atlantis and Wakanda playing a gang leader
1939 in Marvel Comics earthquake under the having fought many in Cary Fukunaga’s
WORDS JOHN NUGENT #1. Half human and ocean” off the coast battles in the comics Sin Nombre and cartel
half homo mermanus of Africa. When asked — but Namor is not boss Rafael Caro
(the fictional about this, the film’s a straightforward Quintero in Narcos:
underwater species writers, Christopher villain. Though Mexico. Can he bring
found in Atlantis), he is Markus and Stephen undeniably often the same mystery and
sometimes known as McFeely, simply imperious and menace to Marvel?
Marvel’s first mutant, responded on Twitter: arrogant, he has also
with super strength, “Sometimes, you plant frequently teamed up BLACK PANTHER: WAKANDA
super swimming seeds. Sometimes, with the Defenders
speed, and flight. they grow.” and Avengers. FOREVER IS IN CINEMAS

FROM 8 JULY 2022

AUGUST 2021 21

TAKE 20

11No./
Inside the most northerly what was called the ‘hotel ship’ — but it really
drama in history wasn’t much of a hotel, it was pretty basic.
Y’know, people were sharing cabins. This is
Director Andrew Haigh on the lessons learned from not a luxurious place to live.”
his extreme Arctic miniseries THE NORTH WATER
IT’S NOT A GOOD PLACE TO GET SICK
WHEN THEY SAY “North”, they definitely mean NOTHING BEATS THE REAL THING Alamy, BBC/See-Saw Fillms/Nick Wall
it. Filmed at a latitude of 81 degrees north, new “The first night, I was in my cabin, thinking,
BBC drama The North Water claims to be the “There was forever a discussion of doing it in ‘This could just be a disaster. Am I bringing
furthest north any drama has been filmed in an easier way. Like, can we do it on an ice rink? a hundred people up to the Arctic sea to get
history. Director Andrew Haigh (Lean On Pete, Can we do it in Scotland? Can we do it on a seasick?’ You feel a lot of responsibility. Someone
45 Years, Weekend) and his cast (which includes green-screen in a car park in Budapest? But to had a tooth abscess at one point. We had to
Colin Farrell, Tom Courtenay, Stephen Graham me, I didn’t want to do the show at all unless we organise a helicopter to airlift them away. The
and Jack O’Connell) spent three weeks shooting could go up there. There’s a texture to the light helicopter couldn’t even land. So this poor
in extreme sub-zero conditions in Svalbard, that you can’t recreate. It creates a sort of make-up artist had to be dragged up by a winch
adapting the brutal, critically acclaimed 2016 strange, weird majesty that you can’t get onto the helicopter and then flown away!”
novel by Ian McGuire about a doomed Victorian anywhere else in the world. It’s like, ‘Where the
whaling ship beset by murder and amorality. fuck are they? It feels like another planet.’” EXPECT ICEBERGS AND POLAR BEARS
“They’re not on some grand noble voyage,”
Haigh says of the characters. “I found the YOU NEED A GOOD SET OF SEA LEGS “Every morning, we would wake up and the
harshness and the toughness and the violence captain would work out which ice was safe ice
of that environment really fascinating.” As he “We were at sea for a month in the end. I think to work on, and then off we’d go. You’d be on set
explains here, the real-life environment was we came back to port once, to reload the ship. We and a walrus would come up. You’d have to go
nearly as tough. had the prop ship [seen on screen]. We had an inside because the polar bears were too close.
icebreaker to bring us into the sea ice, which On the second day of the shoot, we were trying
some of the crew stayed on. And then we had to film a whale hunt — me, and the DP, in
a small speedboat, trying to film Colin Farrell
rowing in the Arctic Ocean. Icebergs are
popping up and the wind is picking up and it
was like, ‘What on earth have I done?’ I feel
in retrospect that I borderline lost my mind.
But I do think that it was worth it. It was
a privilege.” JOHN NUGENT

THE NORTH WATER IS ON BBC TWO AND iPLAYER THIS AUTUMN

22 AUGUST 2021

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Left: Colin Farrell as harpooner 12No./
Henry Drax in The North Water.
Below, top to bottom: Jack
O’Connell as ship’s doctor
Patrick Sumner; “Bit parky today,
boss!” Stephen Graham and
director Andrew Haigh brave the
Arctic conditions; Drax — mess
with this monster at your peril.

Revealed: the insane

unmade rock-horror

An exclusive extract from the script for The Otherwise, the
never-produced folk-horror co-written by The Fall’s Mark E. Smith

THE CONTEXT: British post-punk band The Fall, After the Battle of Preston, the Jacobites dissipate.
led by frontman Mark E. Smith (co-writer of the
screenplay, and a character in the film), record an MACFISK: [nods] Aye. I thought so.
album in rural Lancashire — when supernatural
forces, a Satanic biker gang and a time-travelling MARK: You should go.
group of centuries-old Jacobites get in the way.
In this climactic scene, Mark and the Jacobite MACFISK: I wanted to fight, because I saw
leader MacFisk bid each other a strange farewell. injustice against the ordinary folk o’ the land.

EXT. — YARD — DAY MARK: [nods] It gets a lot fucking worse actually.
Better not to know.
MARK’s POV: As MACFISK walks across the yard
towards them, the surroundings seem to phase in and MACFISK: Aye, I reckon you’re right.
out of register. MACFISK walks up close to MARK.
MARK and MACFISK shake hands.
Suddenly — as happened earlier in the barn —
an area of glistening light separates MARK and MARK: All the best, pal.
MACFISK from the rest of the yard. Through the
light we can make out the oblivious PETER fiddling The dome of light disappears. MACFISK turns
with his mobile. MARK addresses MACFISK in around and walks away, clambers over the wall
a friendly manner, seemingly unconcerned by the and starts making his way up the hill.
supernatural circumstances.
[THE FALL GUITARIST] PETER: My
MARK: You alright, cock? toothache’s eased off.

MACFISK: [shakes his head] MARK: Good.
Everything’s wrong. I’m away home.
Ed’s [Mark’s mate and driver] car drives up through
MARK: Me too. Probably for the best. the entrance, into the yard. MARK glances about the
place, shakes his head and mutters to himself.
MACFISK stares at him for a moment.
MARK (CONT’D): Fuckin’ countryside...
MACFISK: We don’t win, do we? The Jacobites.
THE OTHERWISE: THE SCREENPLAY FOR A HORROR FILM
MARK: [shakes his head] No. Yer come close though. THAT NEVER WAS BY MARK E. SMITH AND GRAHAM DUFF IS ON
For a while the Whigs are shitting themselves. But no. SALE FROM 13 JULY

AUGUST 2021 23

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No./13

“I’ve done some crazy shit in my life,
but this is the craziest film I’ve ever done”

[ T H E Q & A ] From acting to directing to Oscar-winning screenwriting,
TAIKA WAITITI could just be the busiest man in Hollywood

TAIKA WAITITI IS no do a stage show for the Tony.
stranger to multi-tasking. My background’s in theatre.
Equally adept at acting, Almost 20 years. I could piss
directing and writing (the a Tony. It’s the easiest one
latter to Oscar-winning effect there is. Putting on a play that
with Jojo Rabbit), today he’s people don’t fall asleep in,
adding another string to his that’s my speciality.
bow: conducting a Zoom
interview with Empire while You recently said on
his two children play nearby. Instagram that Thor: Love
“Hey guys, I’m doing a really And Thunder is “the craziest
important interview,” he film I’ve ever done”.
deadpans, in response to an Well, just between [me and]
off-camera crash. It’s the day you and the readers, I’ve done
after he’s wrapped on the Thor: some crazy shit in my life.
Love And Thunder shoot — but I’ve lived, like, ten lifetimes.
rather than take time off, he’s But it’s the craziest film I’ve
graciously agreed to talk to us ever done. If you wrote down
about reuniting with Ryan all the elements of this film,
Reynolds (for the first time it shouldn’t make sense. It’s
since Green Lantern) on Free almost like it shouldn’t be
Guy — and being the busiest made. If you walked into
man in movies. a room and said, “I want this
and this and this.” Who’s in it?
By the time Next Goal These people. What are you
Wins and Thor: Love And going to call it? Love And
Thunder come out, you’ll Thunder. I mean, you’d never
have directed five films in work again. Maybe I won’t
six years. Are you making after this.
up for lost time?
I didn’t even start making films anything before this Top: The shy, the most character development Tonally, is it going to be Peter Yang/August Image
until I was, like, 30. It was together, professionally. retiring Taika was in the costume fittings. It’s different from Thor:
never my dream to do film. Waititi. Above: a fine balance. You’re meant to Ragnarok?
I think I started at just the Your character, Antwan, is In Free Guy be triggered and go, “This guy’s It’s very different from
right time. I think it’s FOMO. probably the biggest bellend alongside an idiot, I know I’m not Ragnarok. It’s crazier. I’ll
I don’t want to not be a part you’ve ever played, which is Utkarsh supposed to like this guy, but tell you what’s different.
of something. With the Thor saying something for a guy Ambudkar and I can’t stop looking at these There’ll be far more emotion
thing, I don’t want to not be a who has played Hitler. Joe Keery. clothes.” In Hollywood I’ve in this film. And a lot more love.
part of it because it’s something He’s the best character. I feel like been to parties with people And a lot more thunder. And
I really love. If there’s a story wearing this shit, and I’m a lot more Thor, if you’ve seen
like Next Goal Wins, it’s got secretly laughing at them. the photos.
to be me — I feel like I’ve got
a take on this that not many You won an Oscar last What can you say about it?
other people would have. It’s year. A Grammy this year. We’ve got five Oscar-winners in
all ego, basically. I love Steven You’re just two away from it. And I’m including myself in
Spielberg’s movies so much, the EGOT. that list. Me, Matt Damon,
but I don’t want to see his Thor. I’m the OG at the moment. Russell [Crowe], Christian
I want to see my one! Now on my emails it’s ‘OG’. [Bale], Natalie [Portman].
.
What about your choices Do you have any plans for Does that make those
as an actor? How do you the other two? You’d need to who haven’t won Oscars
decide to do something like feel inadequate?
Free Guy? It should. It should. It’s their
That appeared out of nowhere. own fault. They should have an
I’ve known Ryan for a few Oscar by now. CHRIS HEWITT
years now, just through social
circles. We’ve never done FREE GUY IS IN CINEMAS FROM 13 AUGUST

24 AUGUST 2021

TAKE 20

14No./

The original shows that Clockwise from top left: How d’you like them apples?: Ted
Lasso; The Morning Show; Foundation; The Shrink Next
Door. Below: Rafe Spall and Esther Smith in Trying.

kicked Apple up a notch (The Big Sick) to direct the dream duo of
Paul Rudd and Will Ferrell, and you get the
After a slow start, the streamer is suddenly booming, with mouthwatering prospect of The Shrink Next
a packed slate of unmissable original series Door. Rudd plays “psychiatrist to the stars”
Dr Isaac Herschkopf, who ruthlessly
“WE’VE ALL HAD enough of this amuse year in charge (plus, a rare appearance of his manipulates his long-time patient Martin
bouche!”, exclaims Jason Sudeikis as Ted Lasso angry alter-ego, ‘Led Tasso’). Season 2 launches Markowitz (Ferrell) — to the point where
at the climax of Apple TV+’s recent trailer. “Time on 23 July he inserts himself into Marty’s everyday life,
to move on to the main course.” The Ted Lasso moving into his home and getting involved in
clip neatly sums up Apple’s message that, after THE MORNING SHOW the family business. WandaVision’s Kathryn
a slow start 18 months ago (it launched with just Hahn plays Marty’s younger sister. Launches
three dramas and a couple of comedies), its Come for the A-list cast of Jennifer Aniston, 12 November
streaming service is entering a bigger, bolder Reese Witherspoon and Steve Carell. Stay for the
new phase. Now Apple boasts nearly 40 originals insanely addictive, frenetically paced dissection FOUNDATION
across all genres, from epic alternate-history of American TV in-fighting and power games.
space-race drama For All Mankind to intimate Apple’s first bona fide hit, Season 2 will deal with Showrunner David S. Goyer, who wrote Batman
British adoption comedy Trying. Here’s our pick the fallout of that bombshell finale that saw Begins and created DaVinci’s Demons for TV,
of the current and upcoming crop. Aniston and Witherspoon’s characters expose thinks he needs 80 hour-long episodes to tell the
a #MeToo reckoning at the network — now story of legendary science-fiction writer Isaac
TED LASSO joined (as if that A-list cast wasn’t
enough) by Julianna Margulies Asimov’s Foundation series of novels,
The biggest Apple TV+ surprise critical hit so as a news anchor. Season 2 which cover a thousand years of
far is this giddily upbeat comedy, now back for launches on 17 September narrative. So it’s safe to say this
a hugely anticipated second run. The first looks like Apple TV+’s most
season saw the title character, played by Jason THE SHRINK ambitious scripted project.
Sudeikis — a super-enthusiastic American who NEXT DOOR Chernobyl’s Jared Harris
somehow finds himself coaching an English plays the lead role of
football team — suffer a heartbreaking setback Take a riveting true- mathematician Hari
for his struggling team, AFC Richmond. Expect crime podcast, get Brit Seldon, who challenges
Lasso’s relentless optimism and inspirational Georgia Pritchett (Veep, the rulers of a future
attitude to rise to the challenge for his second Succession) to adapt it, galactic empire, and
and Michael Showalter from the initial trailer,
it looks suitably massive
and sprawling. Launches
this autumn

BOYD HILTON

AUGUST 2021 25

TAKE 20

15No./ Super man: Ned Beatty
in his outstanding

performance as Lex
Luthor’s hapless
sidekick, Otis.

When Ned Beatty stole the show

[ I N M E M O R I A M ] Though rarely a leading man, the late, He sells every syllable as Jansen excoriates
great actor could always be relied on to upstage everyone — anchorman Howard Beale (Peter Finch) for
here are five times he did just that scuppering a corporate merger, a chilling
prophecy about the unstoppable influence of
1 THE RAPE — DELIVERANCE (1972) fried thriller. Just as well he did, since Beatty business on politics: “There is no America. There Alamy, Shutterstock
makes for a fearsome foe, snapping at ‘Gator’ is no democracy. There is only IBM, and ITT, and
As baptisms of fire go, Beatty’s movie debut takes McKlusky’s heels like, well, a hungry alligator. AT&T, and DuPont, Dow, Union Carbide, and
some beating. He signed up to play loud-mouthed There are smashing cars and brawls aplenty, Exxon.” Still chilling, 45 years on.
Bobby in John Boorman’s wilderness thriller, but one of the film’s most memorable scenes is
a character who is forced to undress by woodsmen a simple, sweaty, early face-off between the two 4 THE INTRO — SUPERMAN (1978)
and then brutally raped. Beatty’s courage, both characters. “Only two things in the world I’m
in accepting the role and in committing fully to scared of... women and police,” says Gator. “You It’s telling that the John Williams cue named
the sequence, paid off, the moment becoming spend all your time trying to hump ’em both, ‘March Of The Villains’ is not grand and sinister,
instantly iconic. He would later sometimes don’t you?” replies Connors, with an almighty like Lex Luthor, but loping and ridiculous, like
express dismay at remaining so closely associated cackle and a mirthless stare. Luthor’s sidekick, Otis. Beatty’s Otis comes close
with the moment, but it remains a boundary- to stealing the show (he’s no good at stealing
pushing tour de force. “Ned’s performance in that 3 THE RANT — NETWORK (1976) anything else), and even gets his own extended
scene is devastating,” said co-star Burt Reynolds. introduction, unwittingly pursued by lawmen
“He should have won the Oscar.” Beatty never did win an Oscar, and his only through a train station. Beatty, clad in a ludicrously
nomination (for Best Supporting Actor) came short yellow tie and boater hat, sells Otis’ dopiness
2 THE FACE-OFF — WHITE LIGHTNING (1973) for just six minutes of screentime. But watch his in high style, making us agree with Luthor when
searing monologue for this Sidney Lumet drama, he sighs, “It’s amazing that brain can generate
Reynolds had to, in his words, “fight like hell” to as TV executive Arthur Jansen, and the only enough power to keep those legs moving.”
get Beatty cast as the antagonist — corrupt sheriff surprise will be why he didn’t win the golden gong.
Connors — in this Tarantino-beloved, Southern- 5 THE HEEL TURN — TOY STORY 3 (2010)

Even in his seventies, and with only his voice,
Beatty could still make a huge impact. In

26 AUGUST 2021

TAKE 20

16No./

How Lily
became
Pammy

Director Craig Gillespie
on Lily James’ dramatic
transformation for new
miniseries Pam & Tommy

WHEN IT WAS first announced that — has barely been touched by the Above: Lily
Lily James was going to play Pamela brush of Jason Collins at Autonomous James is Pamela
Anderson in Craig Gillespie’s upcoming FX. He’s slapped on some temporary Anderson.
limited series, Pam & Tommy, it’s fair to tats and quirky facial hair to play Lee, Below: And with
say there were a few eyebrows raised. perhaps because (unlike Anderson) Sebastian Stan
How could James — an actor best Lee’s face wasn’t seared onto the as her rock-
known for playing enough demure consciousness of an entire generation. star husband,
English roses to fill a garden — possibly “He’s doing something dramatically Tommy Lee.
get under the skin of one of the 20th different,” says Gillespie. “I don’t
Top to bottom: Deliverance; A corrupt sheriff in White century’s most iconic sex symbols? think he’s played a role like this.
Lightning; Network; Toy Story’s Lots-o’-Huggin’ Bear. Tommy’s very energetic, very playful,
Then the first images from the show spontaneous, and surprising in
Rango he played a villainous tortoise, while were released, and the answer was clear: a lot of crazy ways. Sebastian is
for Pixar’s toy-box threequel he voiced either James was wearing next-level killing that as well.”
a pink, strawberry-scented plaything named prosthetics, or Gillespie had resorted to
Lots-o’-Huggin’ Bear. The latter starts off as time travel and kidnap. Because James We won’t know how impressive
a genial, warm presence, before revealing looks exactly like Anderson. the Pamela Anderson make-
his real, rage-filled personality when the up truly is until the eight-
toys try to defy him: “We’re all just trash, “I don’t want to pull back the episode show debuts next
waitin’ to be thrown away!” Drawing on curtain,” says Gillespie, who is still year. Until then, for all
the New Orleans accent he perfected for shooting the series. “But there was one Gillespie’s platitudes about
a stage version of Cat On A Hot Tin Roof, prosthetic for the face that made all prosthetics, we’re not
Beatty somehow brings complexity, pathos the difference. And there’s obviously ruling out time travel just
and power to a nice-smelling bear. prosthetic breasts involved, and she did yet. CHRIS HEWITT
a lot of work getting in shape and toning
NICK DE SEMLYEN her body to be in that ballpark. The PAM & TOMMY IS ON STAR ON
transformation happens pretty quickly.
But then she’s got to deliver, which is DISNEY+ IN 2022
the hair-raising part for an actor.”

For James’ part, she revealed in
early May, just before filming began,
that she’d “never felt more nervous
about a project”. Gillespie, though,
is confident that her nerves were
misplaced. “For an actor, this has to be
one of the most nervewracking things,
to take on a very iconic, very familiar
figure, and then portray them in a way
that doesn’t feel like a caricature, but
doesn’t feel like an impersonation,” he
says. “She’s got to figure out how to
create a human being there, and she’s
done a masterful job with that.”

By contrast, Sebastian Stan —
reuniting with Gillespie after I, Tonya

TAKE 20

17No./

[FIRST LOOK] YOU ALWAYS KNOW what gentle caper The Old Man And Bag of bones:
to expect from David Lowery. The Gun; or the film before Sir Gawain (Dev
The Green Knight Which is to say, you never know that, his minimalist existential Patel) meets
what to expect. The Green drama A Ghost Story. Or before a dark omen on
Bringing arthouse cool to Arthurian Knight takes the ancient legend that, cuddly Disney adventure the road.
myth, David Lowery’s fantasy promises of gallant medieval hero Sir Pete’s Dragon. With Lowery,
another unexpected cinematic trip Gawain (played here by Dev expect only the unexpected.
Patel) and lends it a strange,
artful quality, as our exclusive JOHN NUGENT
pic attests. It’s a handbrake
turn from his last film, the THE GREEN KNIGHT IS IN CINEMAS FROM
6 AUGUST

[TREND REPORT] TEENAGE ROMANTIC ‘TRISH’
ITALIANS GERMANS
No./18 BARB & STAR GO
LUCA UNDINE TO VISTA DEL MAR
WEIRD
WATER Sea monsters are usually terrifying, The ancient myth of the water nymph is Kristen Wiig and Annie Mumolo’s
MONSTERS man-eating ghouls, the stuff of sailors’ reimagined as an arthouse romance in bonkers comedy sees their characters

Just when you thought nightmares. But in Pixar’s summery Christian Petzold’s curious drama. conjure a water spirit from their own
it was safe to go back fable, they’re simply teenage boys Here, the ‘undine’ monster is a German heads (“Trish really has her act together”)
dreaming of owning a Vespa. Bizarrely historian who occasionally threatens her
in the water... this before the actual Trish (country singer
bizarre lot show up non-monstery. exes with death. Reba McEntire) emerges from the sea.

WORDS JOHN NUGENT
ILLUSTRATIONS BILL MCCONKEY

28 AUGUST 2021

TAKE 20

No./19

WHAT ANIME CAN
BRING TO LORD OF

THE RINGS

AN ANIMATED PREQUEL COULD GIVE
US A UNIQUE PERSPECTIVE ON
TOLKIEN’S WORLD

Middle-earth is going anime. The recently 20No./
announced The Lord Of The Rings: The
War Of The Rohirrim will tell the story of Why Donnie Yen will
Helm Hammerhand and the fortress of
Helm’s Deep, set 250 years prior to the supercharge John Wick

main trilogy. Animation is not a new Empire contributor Priscilla Page on the über-assassin’s new best
medium for the franchise — the friend — a match made in martial-arts heaven

legendary Ralph Bakshi was the first to IN ONE OF the coolest casting moves in Hung with street fighting techniques Above: Donnie
adapt J.R.R. Tolkien’s much venerated recent memory, Donnie Yen has joined and MMA, combining wrestling and Yen and Keanu
story in 1978. But while there’s plenty of John Wick: Chapter 4. Yen will play an traditional martial arts. And he Reeves: they
old friend with a similar past — and the deployed MMA — integrating judo and know kung fu.
overlap, there are also pronounced same enemies. Though betrayals are par Jiu Jitsu — in his showdown with Collin
Shutterstock differences between the narrative and for the course in this universe, it sounds Chou in Flash Point. Yen has mastered
aesthetic priorities of Western animation like he’ll be an ally. Which is fortunate just about every martial art.
and anime. The most exciting news is for John; otherwise, he might not make
that the film will be directed by Kenji it to Chapter 5. That’s not all Reeves and Yen have
Kamiyama, best known for his work on in common. The Matrix martial-arts
anime series Ghost In The Shell: Stand American movies have largely choreographer and filmmaker Yuen
Alone Complex. Based on the same wasted Donnie Yen, but the John Wick Woo-Ping made Yen a star in his Hong
source material as the film, the show is saga respects its guests, and the legend Kong actioners like Drunken Tai Chi,
equally worthy of praise for its emotional will get his due. It’s not just about what Iron Monkey, and In the Line of Duty IV.
Chapter 4 will do for Donnie Yen, though Reeves and Yen are both beloved actors
and rhetorical sophistication and — it’s what Yen himself has to offer. You and electric, cinematic fighters who are
incredible craft (plus a timeless might already know him from Rogue as graceful as they are terrifying. Yen’s
soundtrack from Cowboy Bebop’s Yoko One or Blade II, or for playing Ip Man, even inhabited a world not unlike
Kanno). Kamiyama tends to attract Wing Chun grandmaster and Bruce John Wick’s before: Dragon saw Yen as
fascinating talent to his projects — Lee’s mentor. For the uninitiated, a formidable-but-retired assassin trying
it’s likely that War Of The Rohirrim will Donnie Yen does it all: he’s a stuntman, to live a quiet life — until his past
do the same. Not only does Kamiyama’s action choreographer, filmmaker, and catches up with him.
helming of the project represent a rare an absolutely unmatched martial artist.
chance for international perspectives on As an actor he’s magnetic, a master of Donnie Yen and Keanu Reeves are
the series and its rich mythos, but there’s swagger and slapstick, menace and a dream pairing, a like-minded alliance.
an inherent control and flexibility to elegance. Essentially, he’s an action And Yen teaming up with the John
animation that live action simply can’t innovator, who shares — and partly Wick crew brings together some of
match. Anime often flaunts visual influenced — the John Wick approach to the best minds in modern action. They
freedom in ways that Western animation shooting fight sequences, which features will make for a formidable duo. The
studios still take notes from. LOTR could long takes to showcase beautiful action. question then becomes: who in their
use that imagination, especially after The right mind would dare take them on?
Hobbit, which watered down the texture Like Keanu Reeves, Yen isn’t
of the original with overabundant CGI. committed to just one style of fighting. JOHN WICK: CHAPTER 4 IS IN CINEMAS FROM
War Of The Rohirrim is the chance for a Kill Zone saw Yen take on Sammo
clean slate; set against the 27 MAY 2022
billion-dollar live-action
series, this promises to be
something totally unique.

KAMBOLE CAMPBELL

Above: Helm

Hammerhand (in video

game form). Right:

Director Kenji

Kamiyama.

AUGUST 2021 29

TAKE 20

JOEL
EDGERTON

What was your role in your first school play?
I became the king in a pre-school Easter pageant.
I was originally cast as a pear-tree bearer and
somehow took over the role of king when the
king started crying. A sign of my early ambition.

When in your life were you most starstruck? a guitar — anything, really. The smaller something ILLUSTRATION ARN0
I’ll give you two. The first celebrity I ever saw was is, the harder it is to balance. But yeah, I can
Kirk Cameron, from Growing Pains, at the London balance most things. I’m like a seal, basically. What’s the weirdest place you’ve been sick?
Hard Rock Café. It was the first time I’d seen I don’t know if it’s weird, but I’m going to say
anyone off my telly in real life. The next time I was What is your earliest memory? Bhutan. I got food poisoning and I’d given all my
really starstruck was when I met Sergey Bubka, It’s a traumatic one, which I think is quite stomach-bug medication to my buddy, who was
world pole vaulting champion for many years. He common. I remember my brother convincing sick 24 hours earlier. Then I got sick and had no
has the massivest hands. I get very starstruck me to put my finger inside the mouth of a dead medication. I had 48 hours of — you can probably
meeting sports people. I fancied myself as a pole fish, in Fiji, then closing it on my finger. I also picture it. I thought it couldn’t get any worse,
vaulter as a child and used to fashion myself a pole remember separation anxiety from a young then got up to stagger to the bathroom with what
out of a sapling tree. I’d stretch an elastic between girl I met on a ski trip when I was four years feeble strength I had left and smashed my head
two trees and drag my mattress out. Like the pros. old. I was bereft when our car drove off in one into the concrete frame of the door.
direction and hers went in the other. Her name
What’s the worst smell in the world? was Claire. Which movie have you seen more than
Death. Did I bring the mood down? I’ll tell you any other?
another one, because I was surprised by how awful COMING SOON Well, The Gift and Boy Erased, because I directed
it smells: pissing on a campfire. Do not ever do it. them and had to watch them every day. But in
THE OBI-WAN THIRTEEN terms of other people’s, Indiana Jones. Raiders
As a child, whose poster was on your wall? UNKNOWN KENOBI LIVES Of The Lost Ark. I’m fascinated by why children
Marilyn Monroe, James Dean and Elvis, without will watch the same movie over and over again,
honestly having any idea of who they were. I guess MAN (2022) (TBC) but adults don’t really consume movies in the
that says a lot of about the indelible nature of their same way.
work. And next to them was Alf, the puppet alien. (2021 TBC) Edgerton is Ron Howard
reprising his directs this On a scale of one to ten, how hairy is
How much is a pint of milk? Edgerton and look at 2018’s your arse?
I’ve no idea. 80 pence? Sean Harris Star Wars Tham Luang Are you asking seriously? My butt is probably
star as two prequel role cave rescue like a 2.5. Can I have a half?
What’s the worst thing you’ve ever put in in Thailand.
your mouth? strangers of Owen Edgerton What is your most irrational fear?
By accident, in New York, I went to a zhuzhy who strike up Lars, who plays cave When it comes to the animal world, I’m afraid of
gentlemen’s fitness club and after I showered, a friendship raised Luke diver Richard spiders. But I feel like that’s somewhat rational.
I grabbed a jar of green liquid, which I assumed Skywalker, in Probably my most irrational is abandonment.
was mouthwash. It was actually some kind of Old — only one the Disney+ Harris. I have this fear of not being valued and therefore
Spice-ish standard men’s aftershave. I chucked is secretly being abandoned. It’s probably why I’m an actor.
that right back. It was pretty horrible. show. It probably goes back to Claire. OLLY RICHARDS
a cop.
What one thing do you do better than anyone THE GREEN KNIGHT IS CINEMAS FROM 6 AUGUST
else you know?
Balance things on my nose. I can balance a chair,

30 AUGUST 2021

LOKI

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BIG SCREEN. SMALL SCREEN. YOUR REVIEWS BIBLE STARTS HERE [EDITED BY IAN FREER]

9 - 30 +++++ EXCELLENT ++++ GOOD +++ OKAY ++ POOR + AWFUL
JULY

[TV] WHAT HAPPENS WHEN an unstoppable force
meets an immovable object? When, say, a
LOKI resourceful god of mischief meets a civilisation-
swallowing bureaucracy? That’s the surprisingly
#### OUT NOW (DISNEY+) fun premise of Marvel’s latest TV crossover,
EPISODES WATCHED 3 OF 6 which takes their best villain, forces him
to do paperwork and somehow makes that
DIRECTOR Kate Herron enormously entertaining. Think The X-Files
CAST Tom Hiddleston, Owen Wilson, Wunmi meets Brazil, and you’ve got some idea what
Mosaku, Gugu Mbatha-Raw, Sophia Di Martino you’re in for.

PLOT After disappearing with the Tesseract We open with a reprise of Avengers:
after the battle of New York, Loki (Hiddleston) Endgame, wherein an imprisoned 2012,
is picked up by timeline monitors of the Time immediately-post-Battle-Of-New-York Loki
Variance Authority as an unauthorised “variant” (Tom Hiddleston) picks up the momentarily
who threatens the sacred timeline of reality. unguarded Tesseract and scarpers. Alas for his
Sympathetic agent Mobius (Wilson) saves him continuing attempts at world domination, he
from execution to investigate a bigger threat. is almost immediately arrested by the Time
Variance Authority, an agency that governs
realities, and threatened with execution for
stepping off his pre-ordained path on their
sacred timeline. Luckily for Loki, Agent Mobius

ON SCREEN

Clockwise from left: Time
traveller: Tom Hiddleston as Loki;
Agent Mobius (Owen Wilson) has
a mission for Loki; Judge Renslayer
(Gugu Mbatha-Raw) lays down the
law; Don’t mess with Hunter B-15

(Wunmi Mosaku).

(Owen Wilson) sees a use for him. Mobius
conscripts him to chase down a fugitive: another
variant (Sophia Di Martino) who threatens to
destroy the TVA’s neat reality. The Asgardian,
naturally, grabs the lifeline and promptly starts
scheming his next escape.

Cue a neat mix of sci-fi, fantasy and police
procedural. Mobius breaks Loki down, showing
him some harsh truths about his past, present and
(MCU) future. It’s a clever way to give this Loki
some of the same growth as the one we saw in Thor:
Ragnarok and Avengers: Infinity War, without
making him all the way mature. This treatment
also serves as a short, sharp shock that cracks Loki’s
usual shell of arrogance and gives us a glimpse of
the vulnerability underneath. In return, Mobius
offers some comfort and a new purpose: tracking
down a new menace to the timeline.

Mobius and Loki make for an effective odd
couple, with the “full-tilt diva”, as Tony Stark put
it in Avengers Assemble, butting up against the U

AUGUST 2021 33

ON SCREEN

unruffled, surfer-dude energy of Wilson’s agent. Peas in a pod: The God Of Mischief tracks down fellow THE WORLD TO COME
His refusal to rise to Loki’s provocations visibly
irritates the Asgardian prince, as Mobius trickster Sylvie (Sophia Di Martino) — but is the variant ####
essentially laughs at his grandiosity and quietly
espouses his own philosophies of how things are. friend or foe? OUT 23 JULY / CERT 15 / 95 MINS
He makes the perfect foil, the rare person who
can not only keep up with but challenge the of Doctor Who (surely a deliberate result of DIRECTOR Mona Fastvold
trickster. Unfortunately for our protagonist, shooting in a mine), but on an MCU budget that’s CAST Katherine Waterston, Vanessa
Mobius is about as friendly as it gets at the no bad thing. Kirby, Christopher Abbott, Casey Affleck
TVA, next to the hardline Hunter B-15 (Wunmi
Mosaku) or the sober Judge Ravonna Renslayer And there’s endless fun in trying to figure On the American frontier in the 19th
(Gugu Mbatha-Raw). out where Loki’s schemes will take him next. century, Abigail (Katherine Waterston)
When Loki finally meets the troublesome endures a practical marriage to Dyer
Then again, sometimes one ally is all you variant that Mobius has been tracking, another (Casey Affleck). Her world cracks open on
need. Wilson remains a profoundly likeable Loki-esque trickster who calls herself Sylvie, meeting Tally (Vanessa Kirby), wife of newly
screen presence, and his easy charm and it becomes clear that the TVA may not be arrived farmer Finney (Christopher Abbott).
compassion only sharpens Hiddleston’s entirely truthful about its purpose or place The setting may be icy, but there’s warmth
spikiness and self-loathing as Loki. We’ve in the universe. There are mysteries to be in Tally’s body language and Abigail’s
rarely been able to spend so much time with solved there, and for all that Loki is relief at finally being given permission to
Loki, and it’s enormously satisfying to see discombobulated by his first encounter with love. If Portrait Of A Lady On Fire works
Hiddleston bring him to life without his the TVA, he quickly identifies it as a new world by eschewing men altogether, Fastvold’s
impossibly golden-boy brother to measure to conquer — or destroy. Whether Sylvie will film finds dramatic mileage by including
himself against. He emerges as a more be an ally or an opponent in this effort is, husbands, Abbott and Affleck ramping up
complicated figure than we’ve seen before: naturally, unclear at this halfway point. She the complexity and claustrophobia. Poetic
explicitly described as bisexual and gender-fluid, is just like him, after all, and if there weren’t dialogue, empathetic direction and a
but still wary of love and all its trappings. schemes within schemes, the show wouldn’t swooning score create a beguiling portrait
He’s hedonistic and self-destructive, boyishly be living up to its name. of two women seeking snatches of joy
naive as well as dangerously arrogant. He’s — wherever they can find them. EK
a glorious mess, but seeing the trickster It’s talk-y but enormous fun, just as bizarre
facing the same immense grief that almost and fresh as WandaVision but significantly TWO OF US
crushed Thor in Infinity War is instructive; more coherent (not that coherence was an
he does have feelings, even if he often tries to aim in the earlier show, for the obvious reason ####
ignore that fact. that its heroine wasn’t). It has themes and ideas
that obviously tie it to Wanda and that will OUT 16 JULY (CINEMAS/DIGITAL) / CERT 12 /
There are time-travel jaunts through help set up Doctor Strange In The Multiverse 95 MINS
different eras and countries here, but this Of Madness, but Loki is too vivid a character
isn’t a sort of clip show, another Sliders, with to get lost in franchise engineering. And DIRECTOR Filippo Meneghetti
endless set-pieces in big moments from Earth’s director Kate Herron and head writer Michael CAST Barbara Sukowa, Martine
history. We’re too rooted in the TVA for that, Waldron don’t dwell on that connective tissue; Chevallier, Léa Drucker
spending much of our time in a sort of ’70s there is a magnificent handwave of the obvious
retro-futuristic concrete bunker full of question about where the TVA was when the This arresting, grandiose and refreshing
golden tones, barmy machines and unsmiling Avengers went a-time travelling. They keep the debut from Filippo Meneghetti tells the
functionaries. There are hints of Dr. Strangelove, focus where it belongs, on the God Of Mischief story of Nina (Barbara Sukowa) and
or The Good Place (an impression heightened and whatever clever-clever tricks he’s about to Madeleine (Martine Chevallier), covert
by a fun role for Eugene Cordero), but most get up to next. HELEN O’HARA lovers for decades who live across the
of all it feels like a weird, new authority for hall of the same Parisian block. As the
the freedom-loving heroes and villains of the VERDICT Marvel’s most purely entertaining couple brace themselves to confess
MCU to rail against. When we do venture their love to Mado’s family, doubts and
out, with episode three’s jaunt to the disaster- show yet, this gives depth to its central misfortune derail the revelation. Despite
stricken moon of Lamentis-1, there are shades character without losing his essential obstacles leaving Mado unable to
flightiness, and makes him sympathetic communicate, the retired couple prove
without forgetting that bad guys are more fun. affection has many languages and that
time generates strength. The cast elegantly
play out a tale of a smouldering romance
seeping through supressed passion that
is familiar, but with a thriller edge and
a side of dark wit all of its own. CA

34 AUGUST 2021

ON SCREEN

Here’s looking at you, our kid:
Russell and Ron Mael.

[FILM] the-mill documentary for a band who are anything style — will be left wanting (there are next to
but, Wright disrupts the linear storytelling that no personal details), but there are moments of
THE SPARKS BROTHERS forms the film’s foundation — built from almost poignancy in among the madness: sadness at
100 hours of talking-head interviews with the likes their father’s death when they were both young
#### OUT 30 JULY of Vince Clarke, Björk, Beck, Flea, Patton Oswalt boys; the pain and disappointment of spending
CERT 15 / 141 MINS and the brothers themselves. There’s a ‘visual six (wasted) years on Tim Burton’s failed Mai,
puns’ section; papier-mâché stop-motion; an The Psychic Girl film.
DIRECTOR Edgar Wright FAQ opening that includes the questions, “Are
PARTICIPANTS Ron Mael, Russell Mael, Edgar you a real band?”, “Are you identical twins?” and, Wright carefully, forensically, cuts just deep
Wright, Beck, Flea, Björk, Patton Oswalt, “What is your sexual persuasion?” enough into the Sparks psyche and mythology to
Giorgio Moroder, Vince Clarke make you feel satisfied, while recognising that
As the film itself states, this is intended to be their mystique is part of that magic. And that
PLOT Edgar Wright’s first documentary seeks to pull a “window into the psyche” of the Mael brothers. spell shouldn’t be broken with a too-heavy hand.
back the curtain on one of the most imaginative, Two artists who most of the world know very
idiosyncratic, plain nutso bands in living memory: little about, who are driven by imagination and There is a lot of ground to cover — five
Sparks. Through 80-plus interviews, deep archival creativity over commerciality (yes, these two decades, 25 albums, Christ knows how many
footage and animation, he traces their 50-year things are linked). Who produce ‘art for art’s genres, line-ups and reinventions — and the film
career in art-pop and rock. Can the self-confessed sake’, rather than for cold-hard cash or the does hit an almost-indulgent 141 minutes. But
fan tell their story without destroying the enigma? warm glow of fame. Who much of the time — as well as a mind-twisting fascination with the
with that raised dead-pan eyebrow, that ‘Hitler’ Mael brothers, Wright’s exuberance and passion
IN MANY RESPECTS, Edgar Wright choosing moustache and those absurd lyrics — leave you keeps you compelled for the length of the run-
Sparks — aka Ron and Russell Mael — as the wondering: are they just taking the piss? time. He even turns the camera on himself as an
subject for his first documentary film is entirely interviewee (with the caption “fanboy”). The
unsurprising. The director and his subjects share This does inevitably kill the traditional rise result isn’t so much a love letter as the director
much: namely, an obsession with music only and fall (and usually rise again) narrative. In its opening his chest and laying his Sparks-heavy
matched by an obsession with cinema; a wonky place is a diligent album-by-album approach and heart out for the world to inspect. TERRI WHITE
wit. The director himself was captured after the often-intriguing, sometimes-frustrating,
seeing them on Top Of The Pops at the age of five. frequently-funny story of a band who — as they VERDICT The very best kind of fan service
refuse to be judged by traditional values or
Determined, you sense, not to make a run-of- metrics — can never truly be deemed a success from Edgar Wright, who has produced
or a failure. Who happen to be both hideously a documentary of granular detail and depth
underrated and hugely influential. that showcases Sparks in all their glorious,
indefatigable absurdity, while leaving
Those expecting any moments of huge a clear mark of mystery.
revelation or introspection — Behind The Music

AUGUST 2021 35

ON SCREEN

Here: Vikash Bhai as Farhad, Kwabena Ansah as
Abedi, Amir El-Masry as Omar and Ola Orebiyi as

Wasef. Above right: Hands up if you think this
cultural-awareness class is daft. Below: Omar gets

an uncomfortable lift.

[FILM] wry, very eccentric story about physical and
spiritual displacement.
LIMBO
Set on an unnamed slab of earth in the
#### OUT 30 JULY Outer Hebrides (in fact shot on the Uist islands),
CERT 12A / 104 MINS this is a town — if you can even call it that —
of miserable architecture, brown and beige
DIRECTOR Ben Sharrock buildings, degraded radiators and rotting
CAST Amir El-Masry, Vikash Bhai, Kwabena wallpaper. Sad corridors and unloved kitchens.
Ansah, Ola Orebiyi And the world’s drabbest food store. “Please
refrain from urinating in the freezer aisle,” reads
PLOT On a remote Scottish island, a group of a note on the wall. And that’s as exciting as it
refugees wait for their asylum claims to be gets. These poor souls have been posted to the
processed, barred from working and forced to planet’s most alienating place, left to, well, exist,
take ridiculous cultural-awareness classes. or just about. “You know why they put us out
Among them is Omar (El-Masry), a former Syrian here in the middle of nowhere — to try and break
musician whose optimism gradually drains away. us,” says one. It’s an unempathetic rock.

IN CATHOLIC THEOLOGY, limbo is a nothing Sharrock doubles down on this muted civil war broke out in Syria in 2011, and he
place, a joyless chasm between worlds where all environment, making art of mundanity, filling worked in refugee camps in southern Algeria.
hope is gone. That’s not quite the situation here, it with blank stares as the asylum seekers wait, His familiarity with his subject — and his
but it might as well be. Taking his cue from and wait, and wait. They sit numbly at the compassion for those he met and befriended —
reality — some European countries really do absurd cultural classes they must attend, which are both very much evident in Limbo. He goes
send asylum seekers to remote communities are run by a bizarre pair of unwittingly offensive beyond the headlines that reduce refugees to
while they wait months, or even years, to hear instructors (played by Kenneth Collard and statistics, swerving the news images of them
about their fate — Scottish writer-director Ben Borgen’s Sidse Babett Knudsen), in sequences on boats, zeroing in on individual stories,
Sharrock focuses on four young men subject to that seem like they’re from a lost, very dry, very fractured character studies that nevertheless
unprecedented boredom. There are certainly awkward British sitcom. These colliding tones speak to the situation at large.
politics at play here, but also poetry: it’s a very are Limbo’s bread and butter: here, naturalism
and broad comedy go hand in hand, in a film The action — or inaction, at least — hovers
simultaneously sad and funny. around Omar (Amir El-Masry), the young
musician whose parents, having fled Syria with
Sharrock knows his material — he studied
Arabic and Politics for his undergraduate degree,
living in Damascus for his third year, just before

36 AUGUST 2021

Who doesn’t love ON SCREEN
a selfie with a digger?

him, are now having a hard time in Turkey, [FILM] chops, but if your only exposure to Dujardin is
while his brother is back home fighting. He is his silent smouldering in The Artist, this will be
forever carrying around an oud (a Middle- DEERSKIN a jarring experience, his natural charm flipped
Eastern lute-like instrument) that he can’t into something both pathetic and petrifying. It’s
bring himself to play. It’s a burden. “You walk #### OUT 16 JULY a remarkably selfless performance that sees
around like that case is a coffin for your soul,” CERT 15 / 77 MINS him vainly preen himself in the mirror, have
someone says to him. During phone calls Sméagol-like conversations with himself, and
with his parents in the island’s sole phone DIRECTOR Quentin Dupieux at one point suck a wedding ring off a corpse.
box — there’s no signal in this Scottish CAST Jean Dujardin, Adèle Haenel, Coralie
purgatory — he is made to feel guilty for Russier, Albert Delpy Such strange diversions are kept relatively
having abandoned them and lazy for having grounded by the presence of Portrait Of A Lady On
abandoned his music. He’s stuck in all senses PLOT In the French countryside, a mysterious Fire’s Adèle Haenel, as barmaid-slash-wannabe-
of the word, creatively crippled, spiritually loner named Georges (Dujardin) buys an filmmaker Denise, who once edited Pulp Fiction
struggling, a shell of a man, near breaking expensive deerskin jacket. The jacket then into chronological order, and whose wide-eyed
point but holding on, and played with instructs him to destroy all other jackets in naivety misinterprets Georges’ fanatical filming
emotional precision by El-Masry, who the world. Aided by gullible barmaid Denise as a satirical mockumentary. This is a self-
speaks volumes while staring into space. (Haenel), Georges documents his increasingly reflexive piece of work, a horror film about the
violent quest on camera. making of a horror film and the exploitative,
Much of the film is shot, by bullshit-heavy nature of the business, and though
cinematographer Nick Cooke (who seems QUENTIN DUPIEUX IS fascinated by inanimate it morphs from something fairly low-key into more
to channel Wes Anderson via Martin Parr), objects. In the ’90s, as music producer Mr. Oizo, familiar genre territory, the tone is confidently
in the 1.37:1 Academy aspect ratio, which it was his expressionless yellow puppet Flat Eric, consistent throughout. Like Peeping Tom or
makes everything feel even more restricted, nodding along to electro-house; a decade ago, as Nightcrawler, Georges’ camera has a voyeuristic
sometimes for dry, comic effect, sometimes to filmmaker, it was a tyre named Robert in the quality, filming strangers without their permission
accentuate this deadening situation, Hutch kooky horror Rubber. And now it’s a fringed — and without their jackets, whether they agree
Demouilpied’s mournful score underlining cowboy jacket that grabs his eccentric attention. or not — and the footage that emerges, impulsively,
the sheer state of it all. The film is laced Like Peter Strickland’s In Fabric or Paul Thomas almost by accident, is quietly disturbing.
with deadpan absurdism, with a touch of Anderson’s Phantom Thread, Deerskin finds fear
Yorgos Lanthimos, but more surreal: there and fascination in the folds of fashion, with Janko Nilović’s score, with its Bernard
are racist wheel-spinners, a woman with a dash of objectophilia for good measure. Herrmann-alike orchestral stabs, suggests
a dolphin’s head, and a stolen chicken named a Hitchockian kind of destructive obsession. Yet
Freddie Mercury. As you might expect, a strain of lightly surreal though it’s certainly a bleak portrait of a middle-
French humour is sprinkled throughout this aged man in decline (tellingly, Georges has a never-
Around halfway through, reality gets the idiosyncratic story — such as the B&B receptionist seen wife who blocks their bank account), this
edge over the comedy, as it dawns on these who provides a room-key with a fox-paw keyring, feels more of a shaggy-dog (shaggy-jacket?) story
young men that their new life in Britain may or the sex worker who offers, “If you need bitches than Hitchcock’s complex psychological thrills.
offer limited options. Even then the tone for your porn, I’m available.” But for Dupieux —
keeps shifting, and not always harmoniously, whose film CV includes murderous car parts, giant Ultimately, the point is that there isn’t really
the straighter scenes, the earnest ones and the insects, and Marilyn Manson as a high-school a point: it’s absurd for absurdism’s sake. By
sillier ones not always clicking together. But nerd — this is a relatively understated affair. design, Deerskin won’t be to everyone’s taste
those lighter touches do elevate it from the (though at just 77 minutes, it doesn’t overstay
bleakness the situation dictates. For good The ludicrous premise is played its welcome). But like Georges and his beloved
reason, there is a hopelessness to it all. It’s impressively straight. As Georges, Jean Dujardin jacket, Dupieux seemingly doesn’t care: he loves
a film that questions what we are without deadpans his way through all manner of bizarre his inanimate objects, and it’s up to you if you’re
supporting structures. About humanity trying encounters as his sartorial compulsion evolves along for the ride. JOHN NUGENT
to fight through, humans sticking it out, from shallow narcissism to bloody psychosis.
against the odds. Where any glimmers of French audiences will be familiar with his comedy VERDICT The most terrifying fashion film since
goodness seem monumental. ALEX GODFREY
The Devil Wears Prada, Deerskin is a deliciously
VERDICT A film as sweet as it is sad, ridiculous farce played largely straight. This is
a jacket you will feel the benefit of.
as pertinent as it is absurd, Limbo is an
experience where not much seems to
happen but where little things mean
the world.

AUGUST 2021 37

ON SCREEN

HITMAN’S WIFE’S BODYGUARD JUMBO MARTIN EDEN

## #### ##

OUT NOW / CERT 15 / 100 MINS OUT 9 JULY / CERT TBC / 93 MINS OUT 9 JULY / CERT 15 / 129 MINS

DIRECTOR Patrick Hughes DIRECTOR Zoé Wittock DIRECTOR Pietro Marcello
CAST Ryan Reynolds, Samuel L. Jackson, Salma CAST Noémie Merlant, Emmanuelle Bercot, CAST Luca Marinelli, Carlo Cecchi, Jessica Cressy
Hayek, Antonio Banderas Bastien Bouillon
In Naples on the brink of revolution, the
The funniest joke in Hitman’s Wife’s Bodyguard Jumbo tells the same old story. Girl (Noémie uneducated and uncouth Martin Eden (Luca
occurs at the last gasp of the end credits. It’s just Merlant) meets amusement park ride. Girl falls Marinelli) battles desperately to fulfil his literary
a shame, then, that you have to sit through 100 for amusement park ride (pet name: Jumbo). and romantic passions in this adaptation of
minutes of a knackered action-comedy to get Girl’s mother (a terrific Emmanuelle Bercot) Jack London’s American-set story. Set it in an
there. Patrick Hughes’ follow-up to his lacklustre unsurprisingly disapproves. Inspired by the true unspecified time, there is also an ambition to
2017 mismatched-buddy flick sees the bodyguard story of a woman who married the Eiffel Tower, imbue the politics of the narrative with the
(Ryan Reynolds), the hitman (Samuel L. Jackson) Zoé Wittock’s film deftly explores the little-tackled relevancy of today. It is a shame that the film’s
and his wife (Salma Hayek) embroiled in a plot to topic of ‘objectophilia’, the sexual desire for and disjointedness makes Martin’s passionate wish
stop a Greek tycoon improbably named Aristotle obsession with inanimate objects. It could easily to be a firebrand feel limper than a soggy
Papadopolous (Antonio Banderas) wiping out be silly or tasteless, but Wittock finds a tone that biscuit. Luca Marinelli delivers key moments
a power grid to bring Europe to its knees. The not only makes it believable but also affecting. of enthusiasm, and the film captures him in
blood-splattered action is average — laced with She is helped enormously by Portrait Of A Lady a beautifully saturated colour palette. Yet Martin’s
Reynolds and Jackson’s unfunny bickering — and On Fire’s Merlant, whose commitment sells plight is predictable and irritating. Completed and
familiar, the film’s only surprise revolving around tender scenes with a waltzer. The final act goes in prestigious festivals in 2019, its UK release
Morgan Freeman. Hayek gives it gusto but it’s not a bit haywire but Jumbo delivers a neat Valentine quietly plods out two years later, and it is not too
enough to redeem a tired, mostly witless affair. IF to taking love where you can find it. IF difficult to see why. LBP

THE MOST BEAUTIFUL BOY IN THE WORLD THE SURROGATE TOVE

### ### ###

OUT 30 JULY / CERT TBC / 94 MINS OUT 9 JULY / CERT TBC / 93 MINS OUT 9 JULY / CERT 12A / 103 MINS

DIRECTORS Kristina Lindström, Kristian Petri DIRECTOR Jeremy Hersh DIRECTOR Zaida Bergroth
PARTICIPANTS Björn Andrésen CAST Jasmine Batchelor, Chris Perfetti, CAST Alma Pöysti, Krista Kosonen, Shanti Roney
Sullivan Jones
When Italian director Luchino Visconti cast 14- Long-listed for Best International Film at this year’s
year-old Björn Andrésen as Tadzio, the epitome of New York. Jess (The Good Fight’s Jasmine Oscars, Zaida Bergroth’s evocative biopic of
youthful beauty, in Death In Venice, he didn’t take Batchelor) is a web designer for a nonprofit and Moomins creator Tove Jansson (Alma Pöysti)
care of the child. Fifty years on, documentarians excited to be the surrogate and egg-donor for her zeroes in on three key years: 1944, 1947 and
Kristina Lindström and Kristian Petri check in with besties (Chris Perfetti, Sullivan Jones). Twelve 1952. With the Moomins’ creation forming an
an unstable Andrésen in Stockholm, Sweden. weeks in, a pregnancy test delivers an unexpected illustrative backdrop (cue on-the-nose parallels
Tragedy visited him both before and after the result that drives a wedge between the three drawn between Tove’s circle and her iconic
film, yet its intrusion deepened his vulnerability friends. For half of its running time, Jeremy characters), Bergroth focuses on her relationships,
to the storms of life. Archive footage of Visconti Hersh’s debut is naturalistic and well played but principally her strained one with sculptor father
asking the teenager to strip at a casting and his lacks momentum and dramatic oomph. Yet, once Viktor (Robert Enckell), distracting love for theatre
subsequent sexualisation on the world stage the film drops its dramatic payload, the film amps director Vivica Bandler (Krista Kosonen) and on/off
makes for uncomfortable viewing, not least up to become a compelling series of arguments, affair with MP Atos Wirtanen (Shanti Roney). It’s
because the film itself blurs a line between cohering into a multi-faceted look at issues a not entirely nuanced examination of Jansson’s
criticism and voyeurism. Andrésen is not a well surrounding parenthood. The ace in the pack here motivations (father issues/a broken heart/societal
man today and this doc prompts questions from, is Batchelor’s central performance as Jess, whose conservatism), and emerges more intriguing sketch
“Are we looking after child actors yet?” to “Was likeability and empathy give way to thunder and fury than detailed portrait. But the cast are excellent, not
he in a position to consent to this shoot?” SMK as she is forced to make a life-changing decision. IF least Pöysti, beguiling as the mercurial artiste. LB

38 AUGUST 2021

ON SCREEN

Tomorrow wars: not markedly
different from today wars.

[FILM] blundering, CGI-heavy action sci-fi that works shoehorned in, from capable performers but
within its genre mould rather than outside it. with mixed results. Sam Richardson, of Veep
THETOMORROW WAR The Tomorrow War is not entirely without and I Think You Should Leave fame, brings
a sense of humour, but as with its noisy, a puppyish sweetness to his sidekick Charlie
## OUT NOW (AMAZON show-offy action sequences, it feels broader, (“I think we’re going to be best friends,” he
PRIME VIDEO) made for the widest audience possible in a way says to Pratt’s character at one point, entirely
CERT UNRATED / 140 MINS that might inadvertently alienate them. earnestly), and it’s undeniably refreshing to see
non-military beta types being conscripted into
DIRECTOR Chris McKay Emblematic of this tension is Chris Pratt, the future war. But the humour hit-to-miss rate
CAST Chris Pratt, J.K. Simmons, Betty Gilpin, whose character is a none-more-generic action is alarmingly low.
Yvonne Strahovski, Sam Richardson star: hunky, chunky and chiselled, certainly,
but lacking anything distinctive or compelling Shot loudly and expensively, the action has
PLOT While watching the World Cup, former for us to get behind. Pratt easily sells the its moments (a slow-motion descent into an
soldier-turned-science teacher Dan Forester ex-military side of his character (it recalls his apocalyptic alien hellscape is a highlight, even if
(Pratt) witnesses the arrival of humans, time- early role in Zero Dark Thirty), but never quite you feel the CG rendering behind it) and Pratt
travelling from the future, recruiting people from convinces in his later career as a nerdy science clearly relishes the opportunity to have at least
the past to fight in a future war against aliens. teacher. When he’s given free rein to crack one Cool Guy Explosion shot. But the aliens
When Forester is conscripted by an unexpected wise and arch eyebrows in the Guardians here have nothing to them that we haven’t seen
family member, the fate of the war lies in his hands. universe, he’s electric; when he’s effectively the before, slithering and screeching onto the screen
straight man, as he is here, his natural charisma like the bastard lovechildren of Venom and the
CHRIS McKAY’S FIRST film as director was is a little dulled. Mimics from Edge Of Tomorrow. With a final act
The Lego Batman Movie, a film which hilariously set on a glacier, the pacing starts to feel glacial
undercut DC’s most self-serious superhero by There seems to be uncertainty in terms of too; it is approximately half an hour longer than it
turning him into a preening, microwaved- which tone to strike. At times, it’s suffocatingly should be. Even in this final act, there are glimmers
lobster-eating plastic toy with lines like, “I also serious: Pratt is faced with daddy issues for of a more promising film. But like tomorrow
have huge pecs and a nine-pack.” It was an maximum emotional motivation — as if the itself, it never quite arrives. JOHN NUGENT
animated action movie — for kids! — laced with extinction of humanity wasn’t enough to get
parody and satire. McKay’s first live-action film him out of bed. Dialogue arrives smothered in VERDICTDespite its wild premise — Chris
isn’t quite the same proposition: it’s a big, clichés (“You and me…we’re going to save this
world — together,” smoulders Pratt at one point), Pratt goes to the future to fight aliens! —
without ever managing to sprinkle the necessary and considerable talent, The Tomorrow War
irony or self-awareness for leavening. is mostly just bloated blockbuster business
as usual.
Other times, perhaps conscious of how
po-faced it’s all getting, some comic relief is

AUGUST 2021 39





ON SCREEN Special bond: John (James Norton) cradles
beloved son Michael (Daniel Lamont).

LOCAL HERO

Each month, Empire puts

a much-loved indie picture

house in the spotlight

[FILM] as John (and Michael, who always sits in, the TOTNES CINEMA
conversation going over his head) participates in
NOWHERE SPECIAL speed dates with potential new families to find Co-founder Jane Hughes on Devon’s very
the perfect match; an outdoorsy couple? A family own secret cinema
#### OUT 16 JULY with a rabbit? A huge brood? In every case, it is
CERT TBC / 96 MINS clear they can give Michael far more than John TOTNESCINEMA.CO.UK
ever could.
DIRECTOR Uberto Pasolini What’s your history?
CAST James Norton, Daniel Lamont It’s perhaps the film’s biggest problem that Post-World War II, two brothers, Kelvin and
there is zero tension in whom John will actually Grenville White, used to go around all the little
PLOT Northern Ireland. Window cleaner John choose, the prospective candidate being far too villages in Devon showing films in their mobile
(Norton) has built his life around raising his obvious. But, in-between meetings of prospective cinema. In 1951, they decided to make our
four-year-old son, Michael (Lamont). After John parents, Pasolini avoids manipulation by simply current building their permanent home, and
is diagnosed with a terminal illness, he must find assembling tiny moments between father and remained there until 1964. When my partner
the perfect family to continue to raise his son. son — the pair putting 34 candles on John’s Will and I restored the cinema in 2014, we met
birthday cake is particularly poignant. Nowhere Kelvin and Grenville: they approved of what
NOWHERE SPECIAL HAS a ten-tissue set-up. Special is a film that’s alive to the tricky feelings
Similar in tone and theme to his Still Life, and quandaries the unusual situation sets up, we’d done to the place!
another film that deals thoughtfully with death, from John’s refusal to read to Michael When
Uberto Pasolini’s inspired-by-true-life drama is Dinosaurs Die, a picture book suggested by What’s special about your cinema?
built on such a saccharine premise — a dying counsellors, to the idea of creating a ‘memory We’re situated on a tiny medieval plot that you
father trying to find new parents for his child — box’, filled with mementoes that give a child
that it makes a Hallmark Christmas movie look a sense of the parent who is now gone. John get to by going down a sort of secret little
like Scorsese at his darkest. But Pasolini’s film is is reticent — he just wants his son, who will passageway. We’re a hidden gem!
much more controlled and moving than the TV only have the sketchiest memories aged four,
film-of-the-week logline suggests. Intelligently to start over. Share a memorable moment...
scripted (save one misstep), beautifully played We run free jazz-music drop-ins on a Sunday
and perfectly judged tonally, it’s small scale but It’s also a rare film that gives an uneducated, afternoon and these are followed by a classic
packs a huge punch. poor, white, tattooed man not only a voice, but jazz-themed film like Blue Note Records. We
also a sensitive one at that. It makes the choice showed Woodstock a few years ago and many
Essentially, Nowhere Special is a two- of Norton a brave one — he is miles away from in the audience attended the original festival so
hander between window cleaner John (James being the next 007 here — but it is a master
Norton) and his four-year-old son Michael stroke: he perfectly plays a man who perceives were able to share memories afterwards.
(Daniel Lamont). The film perfectly sketches his only achievement in life as his son and will
their easy rapport in small vignettes, be it go to any lengths to preserve the child’s safety/ How does the community play a role?
picking Michael up at school or playing in the happiness. Save a run-in with a window- Volunteers support us by helping us to run the
park (in a keenly observed touch, Michael’s cleaning client (cue egg-throwing), it’s a quietly bar, usher and fundraise. We also work together
clothing constantly changes, while John is stuck modulated performance and all the better for it.
in the same tracksuit, a subtle reminder of this He is matched by Lamont, who is super cute (but to bring our older community members into
single dad’s priorities). Slowly the crux of the never cloying) and authentic as a kid unaware the cinema. It’s a chance for many, particularly
matter emerges: John is taking Michael to meet that his life is about to fundamentally change in
prospective adoptive parents because he is dying every way. IAN FREER those who live alone, to meet other people.
of an unspecified illness. These meet-and-greet
interviews are tiny theatre pieces in themselves, VERDICT Imagine Who Will Love My What’s been happening during lockdown?
We’ve created a beautiful new entrance with
Children? done with taste, insight and stained-glass windows as a way of drawing
restraint. Hugely affecting and perfectly played, people’s eyes towards our secret passageway
Nowhere Special is a peach of a picture. from the high street. We’ve worked hard to
design an exciting ‘cult movie’ programme too.

What plans are you making for the future?
We’re on the look-out for a new 35mm

projectionist so we can revive our special
35mm film showings. We’re hoping to bring
back some Spaghetti Western classics from

our attic! ELIZABETH AUBREY

40 AUGUST 2021

ON SCREEN

Teen sea monsters Luca (voiced by Jacob Tremblay)
and Alberto (Jack Dylan Grazer) head to the surface.

[FILM] lacking. Pixar’s latest is amiable and as bright as There is quite a bit to like. Brought to life in
a scoop of gelato, easy to like in the moment. But pastel colours, the town of Portorosso (a nod to
LUCA like gelato it also feels a little disposable, short of Studio Ghibli classic Porco Rosso) is charming and
the spectacle, emotional power and big laughs cosy, like a memory of a holiday you went on when
### OUT NOW (DISNEY+) / we’ve come to expect from the studio. you were eight. There are some pleasing character
CERT UNRATED / 95 MINS designs, like the hulking, one-armed fisherman
Where The Little Mermaid saw the tuna-y with a belt stuffed full of stabbing implements,
DIRECTOR Enrico Casarosa teen give up her tail in order to be with her human or his cat, Machiavelli, both of whom rock
CAST (VOICES) Jacob Tremblay, Jack Dylan love, Luca has a somewhat different twist on the impressive moustaches. The odd fantasy
Grazer, Emma Berman, Sacha Baron Cohen formula. In it, the titular red-eyed, slithery sea sequence, meanwhile, draws winningly on Italian
monster (voiced by Jacob Tremblay — also, pop-culture and history: a bit with Da Vinci’s
PLOT In the 1950s, the inhabitants of Portorosso, incidentally, in the upcoming reboot of The Little flying machine is like Hudson Hawk, but good.
a town on the Italian Riviera, whisper about Mermaid) heads to the surface, upon discovering
sinister monsters sighted off their coast. Little do that he takes on the appearance of a human upon What stops the film short of greatness
they know that a pair of said creatures, Luca and becoming dry, in order to pursue his passion for is a pervading generic quality, particularly
Alberto (Tremblay and Grazer), are in their midst, Vespas. Yes, Vespas, the Italian motorised scooter disappointing given the filmmakers have cited
and intending to take part in their annual race. immortalised by the poster for Roman Holiday Fellini and Visconti as influences. Several
and, to a lesser extent, Larry Crowne. Luca and characters yak in American accents, despite
THERE IS A superb character in Luca: a deranged, his new pal Alberto (Jack Dylan Grazer) are their Italian names. The fish monsters (Ugo
bulbous, cheerful creature from the darkest depths obsessed by the things, chattering about them, aside) lack detail and personality. And while kids
of the ocean, with a mania for rotting fish-flesh and drawing them and even making their own DIY might spend the end credits trying to persuade
a peculiar speech pattern. “If you leave the mouth version. And it is refreshing, at least at first, to their parents to buy them Vespas, there’s just not
open, the whale carcass go in,” this see-through have the plot pootle along like, well, an Italian that much for grown-ups to latch onto. The big
abomination, Uncle Ugo (Sacha Baron Cohen), motorised scooter, driven by two kids’ sun-baked race sequence, when it arrives, has zips and
enthuses of his favourite pastime. “It’s good. daydreams. There’s no big villain and no grand twists in store, but the movie as a whole is oddly
I recommend it.” Ugo is hilarious, and eccentric, quest, despite the movie establishing a race of sleepy, rolling along pleasantly rather than
and unexpected. Unfortunately, he’s only on guppy-ish, fish-herding aquatic beings and a blazing a trail. NICK DE SEMLYEN
screen for a fleeting few minutes, and in his nightmarish-sounding oceanic abyss (never seen
absence those three qualities are somewhat on screen). Instead, it’s all about pasta-eating VERDICT A strange hybrid of Italian
(linguine-animation techniques have come on
in leaps and bounds) and beach-based bonding, neorealism and fish-based fantasy, Luca is
as the two pretend-humans make friends with beautiful to behold but plays it too safe to
a local girl (Emma Berman). make a real impact. Still, great CG linguine.

AUGUST 2021 41

ON SCREEN

Mads Mikkelsen: literally staring HERE WE ARE
down the barrel of a gun.
####
[FILM] anger when probability expert Otto (Nikolaj
Lie Kaas) and geeky sidekicks Lennart (Lars OUT 23 JULY / CERT TBC / 94 MINS
RIDERS OFJUSTICE Brygmann) and Emmenthaler (Nicolas Bro) turn
up at his house with a personal connection to the DIRECTOR Nir Bergman
#### OUT 23 JULY crash and a theory: the train wreck was engineered CAST Shai Avivi, Noam Imber
CERT 15 / 116 MINS by a violent gang, the Riders Of Justice, in order to
wipe out a key witness in a trial. Armed with this Israeli filmmaker Nir Bergman’s
DIRECTOR Anders Thomas Jensen information, Markus plots to mete out his own beautifully played two-hander is a father-
CAST Mads Mikkelsen, Andrea Heick Gadeberg, form of vengeance. son story with a twist. Dad Aharon (Shai
Nikolaj Lie Kaas Avivi) has given up a lucrative career as
If all this makes Riders Of Justice sound like a graphic designer to look after his autistic
PLOT Recently deployed soldier Markus a Liam Neeson actioner, it isn’t. Jensen’s film young-adult son Uri (Noam Imber). But
(Mikkelsen) returns home to look after his infuses the hard-as-nails premise with a perfectly when the time comes for Uri to move into
teenage daughter (Gadeberg) after his wife is judged palette of different colours: tough action, a residential home, Aharon takes him
killed in a train crash. But when another survivor absurdist comedy (a crime-scene argument over on a road trip across Israel, convinced
of the accident, statistician Otto (Kaas), turns up cleaning materials is priceless), melancholy he is best placed to raise his child.
at his home arguing that it wasn’t an accident, meditations and a surprising sweetness. It’s a film Drawing inspiration from her own family,
Markus is filled with thoughts of revenge. that has an affinity with outsiders, be they macho screenwriter Dana Idisis crafts an
men, geeks, or a gay Ukrainian sex slave named understated, beautifully observed shifting
WHILE WE ARE waiting for Joel Coen to finish Bodashka (Gustav Lindh) who enters the gang’s relationship, but it’s in the performances
The Tragedy Of Macbeth and reteam with Ethan, orbit, and gives every character faults and foibles that the film grabs you; Imber plays Uri
Riders Of Justice fills the Coen brothers-shaped that mean you can’t help but root for them. as a rounded person, not just a disability,
hole very nicely. Filled with broken weirdos and Avivi is superb as a patient, caring
whose world turns on a dime between deadpan With a buzz cut and a beard, this is father who starts to realise the limits of
humour and no-punches-pulled violence, Danish Mikkelsen at his most taciturn — although at one his love. IF
director Anders Thomas Jensen’s film is point he sports a Christmas jumper — perfectly
underpinned by notions of probability and playing a man struggling to process his grief for SPIRIT UNTAMED
predictability but builds a story that delights in his wife and failing to connect with his daughter.
twists, turns and originality. It’s a dialled-down performance that gives his ##
sidekicks space to shine; Bro registers as a foul-
It starts innocuously enough as a twee mouthed programmer and Brygman is a joy as OUT 30 JULY / CERT TBC / 88 MINS
Christmas fairy tale as, to the strains of ‘Little the genial hacker, but it’s Kaas as statistician
Drummer Boy’, a young girl, Mathilde, has her Otto who gives the film gentility and warmth to DIRECTOR Elaine Bogan
bike stolen. The theft is the start of a number of temper the film’s violent excesses. CAST (VOICES) Isabela Merced, Jake
tiny incidents — a car that won’t start, a phone Gyllenhaal, Julianne Moore
call with bad news, an act of chivalry — that It’s a movie with a lot on its mind — maybe
culminate in a train crash killing 11 people. too much — from tottering machismo to grief to Nearly 20 years after DreamWorks’
Among the dead is Emma, wife of soldier Markus the nature of causality. But ultimately Riders Of original animation Spirit: Stallion Of The
(Mads Mikkelsen), currently serving in the desert, Justice celebrates life’s messy realities. It argues Cimarron, this reboot, inspired by a Netflix
and mother of teenager Mathilde (Andrea Heick the world won’t be reduced to algorithms and spin-off series, ditches everything but that
Gadeber, perfectly portraying the only voice of probability calculations. Sometimes you just titular horse — instead centring on Lucky
sanity in the madness). Markus returns home have to roll with it. IAN FREER (Isabela Merced), a plucky girl who’s sent
but is too bottled up to help Mathilde, rejecting to live with her estranged dad (Jake
offers of much-needed therapy. His pain turns to VERDICT Riders Of Justice is an oddball Gyllenhaal) for a summer in the frontier
town of Miradero. There, she’s quickly
delight. Taking a leaf from the Coens’ playbook, enchanted by a certain bucking bronco —
it’s by turns ultra-violent then drily funny and but a bunch of bandits have their sights set
surprisingly wise. Come for Mikkelsen, stay on rustling up Spirit and his herd to make
for his winning band of lovable losers. some cash. Despite its title, Spirit Untamed
couldn’t feel tamer. Lacking laughs or
any kind of flair to the cheap, plastic-y
animation, a vague sense of spirit is the
only thing it does have. Even wild horses
can’t drag it away from mediocrity. BT

42 AUGUST 2021

Here: Abbey Lincoln ON SCREEN
at the Harlem

Cultural Festival —
“probably the best
concert you’ll never

go to” — in New
York, 1969.

[FILM] of Jimmy Fallon’s house band The Roots, the Above, top to bottom: The ‘Black Woodstock’’s all-star
resulting film is an important slice of cultural
SUMMER OFSOUL(…OR, history, an expression of Black joy, and probably line-up included Hugh Masekela; B.B. King; and Nina Simone.
WHENTHE REVOLUTION the best concert you’ll never go to.
COULD NOTBETELEVISED) Precious Lord’, Martin Luther King Jr’s
From the outset, Questlove quickly sketches favourite song. For Staples, it was overwhelming
##### OUT 16 JULY (IN CINEMAS) / the backdrop to the festival, a time when to perform with her idol; for the crowd, it is
30 JULY (STAR ON DISNEY+) American society was defined by racial turmoil, a moment of spiritual healing.
CERT TBC / 117 MINS young Black Americans being sent to Vietnam
as cannon fodder, unlawful murders and the Far more than just great music, Summer Of
DIRECTOR Ahmir ‘Questlove’ Thompson unheard voices of the disenfranchised — such was Soul captures a specific transition point, a time
PARTICIPANTS Stevie Wonder, Marilyn McCoo, the distrust of the police, the concert organisers when Black Americans started embracing
Billy Davis Jr, Charlayne Hunter-Gault brought in the Black Panthers as security. In Afrocentric fashion (dashikis and Afros) and
Harlem, poverty and hardship were rife and the term Negro was symbolically dropped in
PLOT After 50 years hidden away, the historic priorities were different to the rest of the US. favour of the term Black. As leaders of the Civil
performances of the Harlem Cultural Festival are The same year as the moon landing, when a TV Rights movement were being murdered in their
unearthed from the vault. Questlove’s directorial reporter poses a question about the importance droves, the expressive, brightly dressed performers
debut explores the impact of the six-week event of Neil Armstrong’s giant steps, one festival-goer of the Harlem Cultural Festival emerged as
on culture, through live footage and retrospective bluntly says, “I couldn’t care less.” The film superheroes from the rubble. Questlove gives space
conversations with festival-goers and artists. clearly demonstrates Harlem could have burned to Charlayne Hunter-Gault, one of the first two
to the ground without the balm of the event. Black students at the University of Georgia in 1961,
UTILISING BEAUTIFULLY RESTORED who spent her days being hounded by the white
footage buried in a basement for 50 years, This is where Summer Of Soul thrives, in girls in the dorm above her pounding on the floor;
Summer Of Soul (…Or, When The Revolution Could never-seen-before performances by some of the she only got through it by listening to Nina Simone.
Not Be Televised) vividly paints a picture of the world’s greatest artists, showcasing electrifying To be young, gifted and Black was to live with a
Harlem Cultural Festival, often referred to as the sets from the likes of Stevie Wonder, Gladys target on your back, but, as Summer Of Soul proves,
‘Black Woodstock’, as the event the establishment Knight & The Pips, David Ruffin and the regal it also meant having music as your greatest
just didn’t want to happen. A labour of love for Nina Simone. Questlove drops in mini-portraits weapon. WHELAN BARZEY
director Questlove, best known as the ringleader of where the artists were at the time — The 5th
Dimension were delighted to play Harlem VERDICT Sonically flawless, authentically
because everyone thought they were white —
and employs a clever gambit of showing textured and deep-rooted in cultural
attendees and participants footage of the show, significance, Summer Of Soul succeeds
revelling in their delight or tears. But the musical magnificently in capturing the scale, spiritual
highlight is Mahalia Jackson and Mavis Staples’ resonance and, yes, soul of the Harlem Cultural
hair-raising rendition of ‘Take My Hand, Festival. It will not be forgotten this time.

AUGUST 2021 43

ON SCREEN Blessed be the fourth season: Elisabeth Moss
returns as June, and is in the director’s chair as well.

CHECKLIST
Your at-a-glance view
of this month’s reviews

[TV] lengthy monologue from June, Moss the FILM
director drawing the best out of a challenging OUT NOW
THE HANDMAID’S and intimate scene, showcasing her potential
TALE: SEASON 4 behind the camera. HITMAN’S WIFE’S ## P38
BODYGUARD ### P41
Her surrounding cast are given varying spaces ## P39
to play in. O.T. Fagbenle, whose character Luke LUCA (ABOVE)
has been limited to the role of helpless father and
husband for much of his arc, is rewarded with THE TOMORROW WAR
some big emotional pay-offs this season. Samira
#### OUT NOW (CHANNEL 4) Wiley equally gets to probe deeper into Moira’s 9 JULY #### P38
EPISODES VIEWED 10 OF 10 survivor’s guilt. Within Gilead, Bradley Whitford’s ## P38
screen time has been docked, but he offers one JUMBO ### P38
SHOWRUNNER Bruce Miller of the more interesting characters by far as MARTIN EDEN ### P38
CAST Elisabeth Moss, Joseph Fiennes, Commander Joseph Lawrence, a key player in the THE SURROGATE
Yvonne Strahovski state’s creation who despises its murky morals. TOVE

PLOT Picking up directly after the rescue mission Much of the season otherwise sticks to the 16 JULY
that closed Season 3, June (Moss) is recovering show’s established blueprint, to its disadvantage.
from a gunshot wound under the care of her The countless shots of June in shallow focus, or DEERSKIN #### P37
fellow fugitive handmaids. Meanwhile, her the feminist-anthem needle drops, have lost their NOWHERE SPECIAL #### P40
husband Luke (O.T. Fagbenle) and best friend sting after 35 episodes in spite of the scenes
Moira (Samira Wiley) continue their search for themselves being expertly played. The season’s SUMMER OF SOUL (…OR, WHEN ##### P43
June and her daughter, Hannah (Jordana Blake). pivot in narrative could have provided an THE REVOLUTION COULD NOT #### P34
opportunity to reconfigure the show’s architecture; BE TELEVISED)
instead, it remains as handsome yet bloated as ever.
TWO OF US
The frequent, sterile flashbacks of sexual
THERE’S AN EERIE timeliness that comes with abuse used to emphasise June’s trauma also feel 23 JULY #### P42
each new phase of The Handmaid’s Tale. Its first dubious. As June is able to put some distance #### P42
season premiered mere months after Donald between herself and her tormentors, reminders HERE WE ARE #### P34
Trump’s inauguration, which only served to are needlessly dotted throughout the latter RIDERS OF JUSTICE
bolster the show’s themes of female degradation episodes, as if the horror carried in Moss’ THE WORLD TO COME
and swelling conservatism. Fittingly, the fourth performance isn’t quite enough.
season takes a deep dive into the psyche of 30 JULY #### P36
someone who has lived through the worst and Yet the season ends on a captivating note.
come out the other side (or at least, appears to Whereas the finales that have gone before tended LIMBO ### P38
have). The previous three seasons have committed to end on a choice for June which would only #### P35
to building the world of Gilead, a totalitarian state cement her status as a modern hero, this time THE MOST BEAUTIFUL BOY ## P42
created to save the population through child- it’s not the case. It’s this move into new terrain IN THE WORLD
bearing slavery. Now, as June (Elisabeth Moss) that ends the series on a thrilling and dangerous
has been established as a maverick leader and note and opens up June’s role into something far THE SPARKS BROTHERS
a survivor of systematic rape, the show turns more unpredictable. BETH WEBB
inwards on its central character. SPIRIT UNTAMED
VERDICT Despite its increasingly familiar
Moss has maintained a guttural and raw TV P44
performance which runs wild in this most recent aesthetics, Season 4 of The Handmaid’s Tale OUT NOW P32
chapter. This season also sees her make her is the most rewarding since its first, and
directorial debut, with her credit at the top of thrives on a welcome move behind the THE HANDMAID’S TALE: SEASON 4 ####
three especially weighty and varied episodes. One, camera by Moss. LOKI ####
entitled ‘The Testimony’, involves a gruelling,
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44 AUGUST 2021

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48 AUGUST 2021