Your must see — or avoid — summer holiday movies
From fast, furious and fun to truly terrible, Leigh Paatsch gives us his pick of must-see or must-skip movies for the 2020 summer holidays.
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From fast, furious and fun to truly terrible, Leigh Paatsch gives us his pick of must-see or must-skip movies for the 2020 summer holidays.
LITTLE WOMEN (G)
An old book in a new light, and a small wonder that thinks big, US, 133 min
A fastidiously realised and impeccably cast rendition of Louisa May Alcott’s classic novel. With their father taken away by the US Civil War, all four young March sisters’ growing up will be done under the watchful eye of their warmly supportive mother, Marmee (Laura Dern). And if they get too out of hand, they can count on the notoriously ornery Aunt March’s (Meryl Streep) icily dismissive intercession. Saoirse Ronan has the plum role of Jo March, and delivers her usual shrewd read of a character. Rising star Florence Pugh (Midsommar) more than matches Ronan in the deceptively demanding part of Amy. The incomparable Streep and ever-consistent Timothee Chalamet (skilfully underplaying the male heart-throb role of Laurie) add more power to an already strong ensemble. Written and directed by Greta Gerwig (Lady Bird).
4.5 STARS
General Release
CATS (G)
Apocalypse meow, UK, 111 min
Word of mouth on this flamboyantly bizarre screen adaptation of the bonkers Andrew Lloyd Webber stage musical is already radioactive. There is no other way of putting it. Cats is a dog. It is a movie that never stops throwing 50 shades of WTF at you, but never once starts making sense. Expending little effort to engage the viewer between its many generically overblown (and occasionally grotesque) song-and-dance numbers, the screenplay dumps a jumble of indecipherable jibber-jabber on its audience, and leaves it at that. All claws, no effect. Avoid. No stars.
Stars Idris Elba, Judi Dench, Ian McKellen, Rebel Wilson.
General Release
THE GENTLEMEN (MA15+)
The grass is always greener ‘til you get to the other side, UK, 111 min
An erratic, yet endearingly eccentric British crime thriller from a bloke who knows a thing or two about the genre, director Guy Ritchie (Lock, Stock and Two Smoking Barrels). Matthew McConaughey stars as American drug kingpin Mickey Pearson, a debonair dope dealer who dominates the UK marijuana trade. However, now he wants out, which means offloading his ingenious farming operation to a buyer who will not blow his cover. However, Mickey’s dutiful second-in-command, Raymond (Charlie Hunnam) is not so sure his boss can pull it off. Especially now that muckraking journalist Fletcher (Hugh Grant) knows something big is going down. This only scratches the surface of what The Gentlemen will be getting up to in terms of continually colliding characters, conversations and crazily convoluted crimes before your very eyes. It might all amount to nothing more than a juiced-up joy ride into the London underworld, but what a fast, furious, fun ride.
3.5 STARS
General Release
JOJO RABBIT (M)
Learning the Reich way is the wrong way, US, 107 min
Described by writer-director Taika Waititi (Hunt for the Wilderpeople) as “an anti-hate satire”, Jojo Rabbit is a genial coming-of-age comedy that is definitely not for everyone. But it will appeal to more than many will assume on first impressions. So what is the sticking point here? Well, the movie is set in Nazi Germany in the 1940s. The innocent young hero (played wonderfully by youngster Roman Griffin Davis), who discovers his mother is hiding a Jewish girl in their home, continually turns to an imaginary friend for advice. The name of that friend? Adolf Hitler. Remarkably, Waititi snatches triumph from the jaws of folly with an inspired and touching work that won’t be forgotten in a hurry. Stars Scarlett Johansson, Taika Waititi, Sam Rockwell.
3.5 STARS
General Release
JUMANJI: THE NEXT LEVEL (PG)
Same game, better result, US, 114 min
The core premise of this quality sequel has been refreshed just enough to keep Jumanji fans leaning forward and ready for anything. There are a new set of player-to-avatar switcheroos to be executed, the standouts of which are Dwayne Johnson subbing for Danny DeVito (very amusing work from The Rock) and Kevin Hart channelling his inner Danny Glover circa Lethal Weapon (uncannily on the money).
Co-stars Jack Black and Karen Gillan do not have as much to do as they did before — and the same goes for the younger cast of regulars — but it doesn’t really matter that much. The action-adventure sequences are given more emphasis to build consistent momentum this time around, and it lends a slight edge over its well-regarded predecessor.
General Release
PORTRAIT OF A LADY ON FIRE (M)
All in the flame of love, France, 121 min
A multiple award winner on the global festival circuit in 2019, this fine period drama is a seductive experience. Set in 18th century Brittany, where a young and evolving artist named Marianne (played by Noémie Merlant) has accepted a lucrative commission to paint the portrait of Heloise (Adele Haenel), a noblewoman’s sheltered daughter. Once a strong mutual attraction takes hold, the necessarily secretive nature of their relationship changes in complex and fascinating ways. Writer-director Céline Sciamma (one of the hottest talents in French cinema) captures these subtle, yet potent mood swings with a deepening intensity of feeling. The pay-off is one of the most unforgettably moving endings you will see this summer.
Selected cinemas
SPIES IN DISGUISE (PG)
Saving the world while winging it, US, 95 min
The most pleasing point of difference to this new action-animation affair is a welcome anti-violence message underpinning its story of high-stakes international espionage. Young tech prodigy Walter (voiced by current Spider-Man lead Tom Holland) has a policy of assisting in crime fighting only if it means no bullets, bombs or bloodshed. Sometimes Walter’s desire to experiment with gadgetry, DNA and data can generate results that do not quite work, such as when he accidentally turns his employer’s best super-spy, Lance Sterling (Will Smith), into a pigeon. Fast-paced, yet quite easy to follow, this is a solid effort that comes off as a semi-engaging mix of a Mission: Impossible adventure and a James Bond flick by way of The Incredibles.
General Release
STAR WARS: THE RISE OF SKYWALKER (M)
Sith hits the fans, US, 142 min
Saddled with the daunting task of bringing the official ‘Skywalker Saga’ of Star Wars to a definitive close, this ninth episode keeps switching between states of good-natured incoherency and controlled panic. In particular, the first two acts are uncharacteristically messy, convoluted and disjointed. Without straying into the spoiler zone, it can be revealed that a sinister Sith villain long thought to be dead is back in business. He is not a fan of Jedi poster girl Rey (Daisy Ridley), and dispatches her telepathically connected nemesis Kylo Ren (Adam Driver) to put a light saber to her throat ASAP. Oh, and in breaking news: Storm Troopers can now fly.
2.5 STARS
General Release
Originally published as Your must see — or avoid — summer holiday movies