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Out on Friday 5 June
Melissa McCarthy is armed with guns, gadgets and gags for the CIA. Jason Schwartzman is a grumpy novelist. Hope And Glory gets a long-awaited, unexpected sequel. Thats right, heres this weeks new releases. Click on for our reviews of Spy, Insidious: Chapter 3, Listen Up Philip, Queen And Country, Electric Boogaloo: The Wild, Untold Story Of Cannon Films, Shooting For Socrates, Black Coal, Thin Ice, Four Corners, Survivor and Second Coming. For the best movie reviews, subscribe to Total Film.
SPY
Bulletproof actor-director partnerships are a rare find, but Melissa McCarthy and Paul Feigs third comedic collaboration builds on the genre-subverting smarts of Bridesmaids and The Heat in a deliriously funny dismantling of the spy movie. Where Austin Powers poked fun at the James Bond movies familiar tropes and old-fashioned misogyny by imitating them to exaggerated levels, Spys female focus allows for a different and more knowing kind of parody, while also giving McCarthy her most nuanced role to date. Taking his first writing credit in more than a decade, Feig kicks things off with a 007-style prologue in which slick super-agent Bradley Fine tries to locate a nuclear bomb inside a labyrinthine Bulgarian mansion. Hes played with caddish relish by Jude Law, whos plainly having a ball reminding us all that in a different, less gritty era he could have slipped effortlessly into the DB5 himself (and came close, depending on who you believe). In Rosencrantz & Guildenstern fashion, our focus shifts from the obvious hero to the behind-the-scenes types back at Langley, specifically to Fines devoted desk-bound partner, Susan (McCarthy), who guides him through his missions via earpiece. Its a much sweeter, softer performance than were used to from McCarthy, who entirely embodies the role of a timid, downtrodden fortysomething Susans a fully trained CIA agent whos been sidelined into a glorified secretarial role and pines hopelessly for the oblivious Fine. But Susans anonymity and lack of field experience make her invaluable after Fine is assassinated by a haughty arms dealer named Raina (Rose Byrne), who knows the names and faces of all the CIAs major agents. Her dormant inner badass unleashed by grief, Susan persuades the CIA chief (a steely Allison Janney) to assign her a field mission tracking one of Rainas associates in Paris. So begins another smart, gender-loaded riff on a Bond trope instead of the slick spy subterfuge she dreamed of, Susans forced to camouflage herself as a frumpy Midwestern tourist (I look like someones homophobic aunt), while her Q equivalent arms her with gadgets disguised as believable luggage items: rape whistle, pepper spray, stool softener. All Im missing is a shirt that says Ive Never Felt The Touch Of A Man she complains, but despite her disillusion shes still raring to get out into the field. Sharing in her wide-eyed excitement is endearingly daffy best friend Nancy (Miranda Hart, whos just one of several bits of enjoyably off-piste transatlantic casting). Susans best foil is CIA meathead Rick Ford, played gloriously straight in a self-parodying turn by Jason Statham. Incensed that shes been assigned the mission in his place, Ford takes every opportunity to rattle off increasingly outlandish stories of his past exploits (I once drove a car... off a freeway... onto a train... while I was on fire) in a deadly serious monotone which contrasts beautifully with McCarthys expressive energy. Without ever making a big deal of its gender dynamics, Spy is an empowering breath of fresh air for female-driven comedy much like The Heat, which cast McCarthy and Sandra Bullock in an otherwise traditional buddy-cop partnership. The balance of power is entirely feminine, with the hapless-yet-competent Susan finally coming face-to-face with nemesis Raina in a series of breathlessly entertaining scenes that make you realise just how rare the combination of female hero and female villain is on screen. Having become known for playing variations on the aggressive take-no-prisoners ballbuster (The Heat, Tammy, Identity Thief), McCarthy is extraordinarily loveable here, bringing a grounded humanity and sweetness to even the most outlandish slapstick set-pieces. Her shifting power dynamic with Byrne allows her the most room to play, though shes surrounded throughout her mission by an array of memorable supporting characters. Notably theres Peter Serafinowicz on fine form as an overly amorous Italian chauffeur named Aldo, whose attention to Susan helps to ensure running gags about her appearance and ageing singledom never feel genuinely mean-spirited. And once again, Feig does something quietly revolutionary by concluding his heroines journey without a romantic happily-ever-after, though her crush on Fine gets payoff aplenty. The third act pivots on a twist you can see coming, but intentionally so this is as much a genre riff as Bobby Cannavales thinly motivated terrorist villain, or the regular references to the kind of budget constraints that never trouble Bond. Matching big set-piece comedy with small, detailed character writing in a script as sharp and genre-savvy as its execution, Spy bodes very well indeed for Feigs all-female Ghostbusters. THE VERDICT: A whip-smart blend of savvy parody, elegant slapstick and zinger-packed dialogue makes for the years most rewarding character comedy so far, and McCarthys best showcase to date. Director: Paul Feig Starring: Melissa McCarthy, Jason Statham, Rose Byrne, Jude Law, Miranda Hart Theatrical release: 5 June 2015 Emma Dibdin
Insidious: Chapter 3
The first of the recent glut of slick haunted-house flicks, 2010's Insidious was, in places, genuinely unnerving, but it ran out of story steam way before the last act. So what's left for Chapter 3, the directorial debut of series scribe and co-star Whannell? Set a few years before the original, it re-introduces medium Elise Rainier (Lin Shaye) as a younger, sadder woman who's given up on her gifts. When teenager Quinn (Stefanie Scott) knocks at her door, asking for help communicating with her late mother, Elise warns her off: If you call out to one of the dead, all of them can hear you. Quinn's soon in contact with something but it sure as hell ain't mommy. Whannell's writing deserves some kudos here. Quinn breaks both legs and is effectively bed-bound while all manner of demonic nasties stalk her room a smart set-up for a modern spook story. But what works on the page doesn't quite translate to the screen: Quinn's chief antagonist is a memorably nasty creation, but his sudden appearances leave no dread, so the (many) jump-scares spike and dissipate almost immediately. Other aspects don't work at all: the bland family dynamics, shaky performances, and out-of-place jokes. In the first Insidious, the arrival of Whannell and Angus Sampson as useless ghostbusters Specs and Tucker proved the kiss of death. Here they're more welcome, but with less to do. When Elise christens the afterlife The Further, Specs remarks, Cool name! which is effectively Whannell the actor patting Whannell the writer on the back, and should probably have been nixed by Whannell the director. As before, once we get to The Further, nobody's quite sure what to do. Elise starts trash-talking demons (Come on, bitch) and headbutting things, which doesn't really help steady the tone. A final lift from The Sixth Sense reminds us it is possible to be scary, moving and funny, just extremely rare. THE VERDICT: When a horror film's most shocking moment involves hurling a vehicle at us, it's safe to assume something's gone amiss. Shame, because the plot has real potential. Director: Leigh Whannell Starring: Dermot Mulroney, Stefanie Scott, Angus Sampson, Leigh Whannell, Lin Shaye, Tate Berney Theatrical release: 5 June 2015 Matt Glasby
LISTEN UP PHILIP
Following in the tradition of both Woody Allen and Wes Anderson, Alex Ross Perrys third film feels like a marriage between these two greats. Acerbic, biting and utterly hilarious, Listen Up Philip is a younger, snarkier brother to Andersons The Royal Tenenbaums coincidentally, his third movie also or Allens 1997 effort Deconstructing Harry, which dealt with a blocked writer haunted by characters from his past. Here, Philip (Jason Schwartzman) is an articulate but insufferably arrogant author. His first book was a critical hit and his anticipated follow-up, Obidant, is on the way; crushingly for Philip, word gets out that The New York Times is about to publish a bad review. Suffocating in the Manhattan heat and in the midst of a strained relationship with his live-in photographer girlfriend, Ashley (Elisabeth Moss), he sees a way out when his literary idol, author Ike Zimmerman (Jonathan Pryce), offers him some respite at his country retreat. Philip leaves for the summer, much to Ashleys chagrin, decamping to Ikes house where he meets his heros moody daughter, Melanie (Krysten Ritter). Its here that Perry pulls a fascinating switch, refocusing the narrative on Ashleys post-Philip existence before moving on to Ike and his difficult relationship with Melanie. Philip is returned to, not least when he gets a college lecturing job that he hates, but hes no longer the central character in his own story. Narration is provided by an omniscient Eric Bogosian, whose observations about the increasingly isolated Philip knit the film together, and Perrys meticulously scripted dialogue is a joy. Schwartzman, who plays Philip as if Max Fischer, his try-hard character from Andersons Rushmore, grew up to be a real asshole, delivers one of his best performances. Hes ably matched by Pryce, who relishes his role of the older, but not necessarily wiser, man. The result is a dizzying, delicious comedy-of-manners with a bitter aftertaste. THE VERDICT: Erudite, accomplished filmmaking from a new voice in cinema well worth listening to. If only all movies could be this well-written. Director: Alex Ross Perry Starring: Jason Schwartzman, Elisabeth Moss, Krysten Ritter, Jonathan Pryce, Josphine de La Baume, Jess Weixler Theatrical release: 5 June 2015 James Mottram
QUEEN AND COUNTRY
Back in 1987 veteran Brit director John Boorman gave us Hope And Glory, in which his nine-year- old alter ego, Bill Rohan, experienced all the excitement (at least, from a kids point of view) of WW2 and the Blitz. In this belated and equally autobiographical sequel its 1952 and Bill, now 18 (and played by Callum Turner), gets called up for National Service. After the obligatory delights of square-bashing and being screamed at by NCOs, Bill expects to be shipped off to fight in Korea. Instead, he and his chancer friend, Percy (Caleb Landry Jones), are promoted to sergeant and tasked with teaching recruits to touch-type. Boring, sure but better than being shot at. By way of alleviating the boredom, Bill and Percy enjoy winding up Sergeant-Major Bradley (David Thewlis), who knows the entire Army Regulations by heart and insists on enforcing them to the letter. Percy also concocts a scheme, with the help of artful dodger Private Redmond (Pat Shortt), to make off with the prized regimental clock. Both these pranks will backfire in different ways, but meanwhile the lads find romance, Percy with pretty nurse Sophie (Aimee-Ffion Edwards) and Bill with the enigmatic, neurotic Ophelia (Tamsin Egerton). Then Bills sexy older sister Dawn (Vanessa Kirby) returns from Canada, having got divorced. All this, plus one characters attempted suicide, another being court-martialled for subversion and in the background the imminent coronation, makes for a seriously overstuffed narrative. As such, Queen And Country often feels too episodic for its own good. Against this, though, the warmth of Boormans nostalgic vision, and his evocative sense of period, carry it through. As Bill and Percy, Turner and Jones get the callow tone right, but theyre outdone by the casts veterans: Shortt (Calvary) as the devious Redmond, Richard E. Grants wearily sardonic CO and above all by Thewlis, ultimately moving as a man taking refuge from the anguish of post-combat stress in absurd pettiness. THE VERDICT: An appealing exercise in nostalgia, even if the episodic plot feels like outtakes from an army sitcom. Director: John Boorman Starring: Callum Turner, Caleb Landry Jones, David Thewlis, Pat Shortt, Richard E .Grant Theatrical release: 5 June 2015 Philip Kemp
ELECTRIC BOOGALOO: THE WILD, UNTOLD STORY OF CANNON FILMS
In the 80s, a certain kind of B-movie ruled videoshop shelves. Whether they featured nunchuks or body-popping, upcoming stars such as Chuck Norris or nose-diving ones like Charles Bronson, these gleefully trashy efforts were usually traceable back to Cannon Films, belonging to Israeli toughs Menahem Golan and Yoram Globus. These tenacious cousins became the Miramax of bad movies, their output (American Ninja 1-4, Death Wish 2-4, the Breakdance movies the title references) a combustible combination of high concepts and low costs. As in his previous film, Ozploitation doc Not Quite Hollywood, Mark Hartley breezily traces the irrepressible rise and inevitable fall, wittily intercutting talking heads with illustrative clips. Cannon flooded Hollywood with saleable (if not always watchable) product in its inimitably bungling, bulldozing style. In this affectionate hatchet job, Hartley offers some great anecdotes, and the contributors prove equally game, with Franco Nero unlikely star of Enter The Ninja admitting to never having seen a ninja before. Best of all are the clips; try and keep a straight face while The Incredible Hulk star Lou Ferrigno wrestles the worlds least convincing bear in 1983s Hercules, or as Ninja III: The Domination melds martial arts with The Exorcist and Flashdance. Unlike Not Quite Hollywood there are few gems to discover here Cannon Films were good-bad at best so the second half is a little deflating. Quibbles aside, Electric Boogaloo is required viewing for connoisseurs of trash cinema, even if none of the films included are anywhere near as good as it is. THE VERDICT: Not quite Not Quite Hollywood but not far off, Mark Hartleys scurrilous Cannon Films retrospective is a top-drawer doc about bargain-basement legends. Director: Mark Hartley Starring: Bo Derek, Michael Dudikoff, Tobe Hooper, Alex Winter, Dolph Lundgren Theatrical release: 5 June 2015 Matt Glasby
SHOOTING FOR SOCRATES
British cinema has usually laboured when trying to produce films about football. From When Saturday Comes to the Goal trilogy, most movies on The Beautiful Game are about as appealing as an early bath. So its heartening to see James Erskines comedy-drama Shooting For Socrates, a film as satisfying as scoring a 30-yard screamer. Its a David and Goliath tale, as Northern Ireland manager Billy Bingham keeps reminding the press corps. Dramatising the run-up to the 1986 World Cup in Mexico, when Northern Irelands minnows qualified from a difficult group, Shooting For Socrates then takes us into the tournament itself, as the team plays its three group games against Algeria, Spain and world-beaters Brazil, then captained by the mighty Socrates de Souza. Director Erskine has made his name shooting acclaimed sports docs including Italia 90 story One Night In Turin and the 1981 England-Australia cricket showdown From The Ashes. As in those films, Erskine provides acres of social and political context, paying heed to the divisions and destruction that ruled bomb-torn Belfast at the time. Touchingly, part of the story is seen through the eyes of a young footie-mad lad, Tommy (Art Parkinson) from East Belfast, but its the moments abroad that really engage. John Hannah is excellent as the grouchy Bingham, and Conleth Hill provides fine comic relief as Jackie Fullerton, the boozy sports reporter who stays with the lads throughout the cup. The period details feel just right to the point where its difficult to tell if Erskine used real match footage or recreated the games. Yes, its sentimental but never overly so. This is one football film that just about gets it right. THE VERDICT: Cunningly made, well-performed and surprisingly effective, Shooting For Socrates scores in every department. In the words of Alan Partridge, this films got football pie all over its shirt. Director: James Erskine Starring: John Hannah, Richard Dormer, Conleth Hill, Art Parkinson, Barry Ward Theatrical release: 5 June 2015 James Mottram
BLACK COAL, THIN ICE
1999: an investigation into body parts scattered across Chinas coalfields goes tragically awry. Five years later, drunken ex-cop Zhang (Liao Fan) gets a second shot at solving the case. Diao Yinans thriller zig-zags with remarkably sure footing, buttressing the boast that it beat Boyhood and The Grand Budapest Hotel to Berlins Golden Bear. Bringing downbeat realism to old-school noir iconography, it benefits from vividly staged shocks and Liaos performance (another Berlin prize winner). Yet Diao isnt afraid to perplex; his enigmatic evocation of modern China will ensure fevered debate. Director: Diao Yinan Starring: Liao Fan, Gwei Lun Mei, Wang Xuebing Theatrical release: 5 June 2015 Simon Kinnear
FOUR CORNERS
The ongoing legacy of South Africas notorious Number gangs drives this (over)ambitious township drama. Director Ian Gabriel follows a quartet of characters a cop, a doctor, a kid, an ex-con but the choppy cross-cutting undermines each storys potential. Inevitably, the characters prove to be linked and every contrivance piles further implausibility on to routine ghetto-crime stylings. This milieu deserves a City Of God; Gabriels slickly shot, well-meaning but facile attempt to explain an entire societys hardships feels closer to Paul Haggis Crash. Director: Ian Gabriel Starring: Brendon Daniels, Jezreil Skei, Lindiwe Matshikiza, Irshaad Ally, Abdurahman Adams Theatrical release: 5 June 2015 Simon Kinnear
SECOND COMING
Son of God? Another Rosemarys baby? Theres no way of telling in Debbie Tucker Greens clever transplantation of the immaculate conception story to a modern British setting, and the enigmatic result is all the better for it. Teasing out its mystery by keeping us largely in the dark, the playwright-turned-director takes her time around nine months, in fact telling her elliptical allegory about a wife and mother (Nadine Marshall) who finds herself, inexplicably, up the duff. Idris Elba lends burly support as her bemused, accusatory husband in a film about faith, family and the quietly miraculous. Director: Debbie Tucker Green Starring: Nadine Marshall, Idris Elba, Sharlene Whyte Theatrical release: 5 June 2015 Neil Smith
SURVIVOR
Sleek assassin Pierce Brosnan chases gutsy American Foreign Service Officer Milla Jovovich around the streets of London in James McTeigues (V For Vendetta) sporadically enjoyable thriller. Dont look for political nuance: the lively Afghanistan-set pre-credits sequence establishes the Americans as the good guys and justifies our heroines demands for more stringent security checks at customs, while references to her backstory trauma try but fail to add depth. Brosnan may spout lines like Gotcha! with little enthusiasm, but theres still fun in the preposterous set-pieces. Director: James McTeigue Starring: Milla Jovovich, Pierce Brosman, Jamess D'Arcy, Dylan McDermott, Angela Bassett Theatrical release: 5 June 2015 Stephen Widdicombe
