The Crazy Family. Film Review. At Derby Quad Cinema.

 A true black as crude comedy gem made in 1984 by Japanese director Sogo Ishii, The Crazy Family follows a seemingly close knit family as they settle into their new suburban home.

At first we see a harmonious unit at peace, but things change quickly as Katsukuni starts to believe spouse and siblings are subject to a creeping sickness that he fears will destroy everything.

For the first two acts, Ishii injects side-splitting humour into proceedings: along with the uproarious The Trouble With Jessica, it delivered the most laughs I've had so far this year at the cinema, but things do get dark (extremely dark) during the last third of this film: the hilarious sequence where Katsukumi digs deep below the floor to construct a basement for his recently arrived father is absolutely side-splitting, constantly complaining about ants  as he maniacally lays waste to their dream house.

The introduction of grandad - good humoured stock characterisation at first - eventually turns into something else entirely. In fact, there is one truly disturbing scene to endure, and seconds after, two members of the audience left: may have been a case of 'last bus syndrome' but I think not. Those of you who have seen this film will know exactly what I'm referring to.

The Crazy Family is imbued with true Punk spirit; not least with its delightfully kinetic soundtrack and breakneck visuals.

Derby's wonderful Quad cinema was one of just 4 UK venues to play host to this film, as explained during an introduction by one of our excellent local film historians, Peter Mumford. The Crazy Family was a part of Quad's Satori Screen offerings which take place on a monthly basis.

In June 2024, the superb label Third Window Films will release The Crazy Family on blu-ray here in the UK.

Mothers' Instinct Film Review.

A tense psychological thriiler that studies different levels of grief experienced by five members of two families, following a tragic death. The feature debut of cinematographer turned film director Benoit Delhomme. Mothers' Instinct is a remake of the 2018 Belgian film Duelle which itself was inspired by Barbara Abel's novel.

Here, Jessica Chastain and Anne Hathaway turn in extraordinary performances in a film that not only examines loss, but a whole range of emotions that eventually give way to extreme actions. While I  don't wish to give away any spoilers, I will say that although you may well guess the outcome, it's quite a ride to see exactly how we get there.

It's perhaps a little too Hitchcockian for many, but the performances, cinematography and composition do elevate this, making it a more than decent exercise in 2 of those ubiquitous deadly sins.

Screening at Ashbourne's Elite Cinema and Theatre.

 

All Of Us Strangers Cinema Review

 Based on the 1987 book Strangers, written by Taichi Yamada, Andrew Haigh's film is a heartbreaking British film that fully deserves the description 'award worthy'.

Essentially, it's a romantic fantasy concerning the coming together of two kindred spirits and their escalating relationship. The two men - Harry and Adam - played by Paul Mescal and Andrew Scott, are neighbours in an apartment block, and as their love blossoms, Adam finds himself drawn back to his childhood home where his parents (Claire Foy and Jamie Bell) look exactly the same as they did some three decades earlier.

It's perhaps unfair to single out one actor from what is a quartet of terrific performances, but Andrew Scott is quite remarkable here, and certainly gets my vote as one of the finest actors currently working. 

Probably the most emotional slice of cinema I'll see all year, All Of Us Strangers is many things but ultimately, it's perhaps a ghost story and reminds us there's nothing more powerful than love.

Madama Butterfly. Opera Review.

 The eclectic programming of my local cinema, The Ashbourne Elite Cinema and Theatre, compelled me to start reviewing Opera, plays and Ballet for this blog.

Yesterday, I was present for a Royal Opera production of Madama Butterfly, with music by the great Giacomo Puccini. This production was conducted by Kevin John Edusei, and directed for the screen by Bridget Caldwell. For this screening, Madama Butterfly was sung in Italian with English subtitles provided onscreen. 

Puccini's tragic opera was presented in 3 acts, telling the story of a marriage between Lieutenant Pinkerton (Joshua Guerrero) and Cio-Cio-San/Butterfly (Asmik Grigorian). When Pinkerton departs for America, his wife endures a long wait until she sees her beloved again,and it's his re-appearance that signals heartbreak is just around the corner.

 There's so much to enthuse about in this fine production: the music, of course, is remarkable, performed by the orchestra of The Royal Opera House to perfection. Costume and set design are impeccable and the lighting is just beautiful. The cast are also  uniformly first-rate, but a special mention for Asrik Grigorian whose rich soprano voice simply soars, bringing both joy and despair to proceedings.

Staged in 3 acts, Madama Butterfly is a triumph and well worth seeking out. 

Immaculate. Film Review.

 Directed by Michael Mohan, Immaculate is a wonderful throwback to 70s exploitation horror cinema,

boasting some positively wince-inducing moments as Sister Cecilia (Sydney Sweeney) joins an Italian convent, aiming to assist with caring for nuns facing their final days. Cecilia herself once 'died' for seven minutes, during an ordeal on a frozen lake and thus began her dedication to God.

It's not very long before Cecilia discovers the convent harbours dark secrets, and although its premise is hardly new, Immaculate breathes fresh air into the genre, and more than caters for the gorehounds amongst us with some gruelling set pieces.

Sydney Sweeney has garnered much praise for her performance, and rightly so, going through the full range of emotions, and successfully capturing the true horror behind the convent walls.

This is exactly the type of film that will reward multiple viewings, allowing better appreciation of the nuances of Sweeney's performance and further highlighting Mohan's assured direction.

With the timely release of the excellent Late Night With The Devil, Horror cinema is in a very good place.