Four Weddings and a Funeral.
Charles is a Hugh Grant type, nervously charming and charmingly nervous, by happenstance portrayed by the man himself. Charles is a serial monogamist, he’s had a string of girlfriends but is seemingly incapable of commitment. While serving as best man at his friend’s wedding he becomes transfixed by mysterious American, Carrie (Andie MacDowell). Over the course of another three weddings, with a funeral somewhere in between, Charles and Carrie bump into one another but are constantly prevented from permanently getting together, much to the chagrin of both parties. Four Weddings is a stereotypical Richard Curtis cheesy, clichéd romcom, with standout performances, not from the two leads, but from supporting actors Simon Callow and Kristin Scott Thomas. Some jokes don’t quite land as intended, but otherwise a fun, lighthearted flick that doesn’t require full concentration, in fact less than full is encouraged. To paraphrase Carrie’s cringeworthy line “is it still garbage I hadn’t noticed.”
Cronos.
Or, Guillermo del Toro and the Philosopher’s Crone…os. 16th century Mexico, an alchemist invests Cronos; a mechanical device that grants the user immortality. Four hundred years later, Cronos is discovered by Jesus Gris, an ageing antiques dealer, in the base of a statue. Unaware of the device’s purpose, Jesus triggers its mechanism, removing it before the process is completed. That night, unable to sleep, Jesus reattaches Cronos and awakes in the morning feeling, and looking, noticeably younger. Angel De la Guardia, a dying, rich man, is obsessed with Cronos and, upon discovering its whereabouts, confronts Jesus and reveals he alone has the instructions for its use. What ensues is a path of destruction that consumes everyone involved, with Jesus discovering the secret of Cronos and the price of eternity. An underrated horror film that doesn’t rely on jump scares to terrify its audience. Del Toro’s directorial film debut. Good effort son.
Ladybird Ladybird.
Liverpudlian Maggie has four children from four fathers, all in the care of social services. She meets Jorge, a kindhearted Paraguayan, who becomes enchanted after her rendition of Amanda McBroom’s The Rose on a pub karaoke machine. Over the course of the evening Maggie recounts the key moments in her life that led to her children being taken away: from her tragic childhood to her most recent relationship with violent and abusive boyfriend Simon, a terrifying cameo by Ray Winstone. A romance forms between Maggie and George (as she calls him), but after a lifetime of abuse and pain does she dare trust in Jorge and believe that she too can feel true happiness, all the while battling the bureaucracy of social services for the custody of her children. Ken Loach, yet again, delivers a powerful docu-drama full to the brim with raw emotion that is all too realistic in a critical indictment of British social services and the stunning lack of empathy within such bureaucratic systems.
What’s Eating Gilbert Grape?
Gilbert is a young man living with his family on the edge of small, working class town Endora. He works at a failing grocery store in order to care for his bedriddeningly obese mother and his mentally challenged younger brother, Arnie. Their father had killed himself years before, leaving Gilbert as Arnie’s protector and carer, while their two sisters, Ellen and Amy, are responsible for their mother’s wellbeing. Selflessly looking after their family in such a way comes at the cost of spending their lives, and future, in this dying town. Becky is a thoughtful bohemian, travelling the country with her equally free spirited grandmother, both staying in Endora while they repair their mobile home. As Gilbert and Becky get to know one another, Gilbert begins to question his position in the world and dares to consider his own happiness for once. What’s Eating Gilbert Grape? is a heartwarming film centred around family and life in small American towns, tapping on all our emotions along the way. For opinion on Leonardo diCaprio as mentally challenged Arnie, see Touch of Evil review and replace words accordingly.
Philadelphia.
Andrew Beckett is a young, hard-working lawyer, rising through the ranks of Philadelphia’s most powerful and prestigious law firm. Harbouring the secret of his homosexuality and AIDS diagnosis from his employers, Andrew receives a lucrative promotion only to be fired for apparent incompetence once the symptomatic lesions of his condition begin to show. Seeking a wrongful dismissal suit, Andrew approaches nine other attorneys before reaching Joe Miller, a homophobic small time lawyer who reluctantly accepts the case. Philadelphia is a story of alienation based on a lack of understanding, perpetuated through paranoia and media induced mass hysteria around the AIDS epidemic, shedding light on the homophobia, prejudice and discrimination that was, and still is, rife in society. Director Jonathan Demme and a standout cast including Tom Hanks, Denzel Washington and Antonio Banderas, as well as several real-life AIDS sufferers, produce a powerful, poignant, emotional film ultimately focussed on relationships, family, love and life.
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