153. Pranaya Vilasam; movie review

 

PRANAYA VILASAM

Cert 12A

121 mins

BBFC advice: Contains infrequent moderate violence

Another week and another Indian movie which reserves all of its punches for its second half.

The opening hour of Pranaya Vilasam is a rather laboured drama in which a middle-class family's patriarch (Manoj K.U.) has little time for either his wife (Sreedhanya) or adult son (Arjun Ashokan).

Indeed, he is having clandestine but relatively innocent meetings with the first love of his life (Miya George).

At the same time, his lad doesn't take life too seriously and has a similar secret relationship with a fellow student.

In their own ways, they think their respective wife and mother is an open book. Until they discover she has more to her than either realise.

Panaya Vilasam is subtler than most Indian films - initially brash characters are faced with discoveries that force them to rethink their views.

It takes the audience on a journey through the Indian countryside as as father and son go from barely speaking to realising they need to work together to reach their respective goals.

I admired the nuanced performances of both Manoj and Arjun as they both realise the errors of previous thinking.

And I enjoyed the curve balls thrown by writers Jyothish M and Sunu AV and director Nikhil Muraly.

It is an enjoyable, thoughtful if unusually low-key Indian movie.

Reasons to watch: Unusual relationship drama

Reasons to avoid: Takes too long to reach its point

Laughs: None

Jumps: None

Vomit: Yes

Nudity: None

Overall rating: 7/10

Did you know? According to the Harvard Political Review, approximately 90 per cent of marriages in India today are arranged. 

The final word. Nikhil Murali: "We slowly realised that Malayalam cinema rarely revisited the 90s. Besides, it's less complicated because there are no major differences between the aesthetic of today and then -- aside from updated vehicles, television sets, and mobile phones, of course. We thought people would find that aesthetic easier to connect than something preceding it." Cinema Express

152. Mitran Da Naa Chalda; movie review

 

MITRAN DA NAA CHALDA

Cert 15

118 mins

BBFC advice: Contains sexual violence, strong bloody images

Surely nobody would argue with the vehement message of Mitran Da Naa Chalda that women should not be sexually harassed in the workplace.

Pankaj Batra's movie also makes very strong points about attractive women being sexualised in wider society and the legal system being loaded in favour of lecherous men.

Therefore, it could and should have been so good.

Unfortunately, its execution is clumsy - especially the ludicrous courtroom scene finale.

Mitran Da Naa Chalda stars Gippy Grewal as a broker for low-grade legal firms. He knows the law better than many of his clients but cannot practice because of a bad stammer.

By the way, the mockery of those with affliction or disability in Indian films is incredibly jarring.

I digress.

He has a glad eye for a pretty lass (Tania) but she gives him zero encouragement despite his pleasant nature.

However, by coincidence, she ends up needing him in her greatest hour of crisis.

So, after a bit of a flowery and comedic first half, the movie focuses on four women who have left their homes for work but become victims of sexual harassment.

Tania, Raj Shoker, Renu Kaushal and Aarchi Sachdeva play the quartet who are renting rooms in the same accommodation in Chandigarh. 

In common, they all need to send money to their families while struggling to make ends meet themselves and they all face discrimination in their jobs or even among their supposed friends.

Their plot to try to gain revenge on their tormentors backfires and they face dramatic consequences.

As said, Mitran Da Naa Chalda makes some serious and important points but I would have felt more comfortable if the actresses playing the key roles hadn't used their respective beauty to get on in their careers.

And it would have been better still if real court procedure hadn't been completely ignored during the film's crescendo.

Nevertheless, it is worth a watch.

Reasons to watch: Heart in the right place

Reasons to avoid: Clumsy handling of important subject

Laughs: None

Jumps: None

Vomit: None

Nudity: None

Overall rating: 6/10

Did you know? According to a survey in 2019, India ranked highest in the list of dangerous countries for women with over 400 thousand reported crimes against women in that year alone.

The final word. Pankaj Batra: "The film talks in the favour of the modern woman, who is unapologetic to be herself in today’s world. The audience is going to see Gippy and Tania, both in a new light. Hoping, they (the audience) will appreciate our efforts with open arms.”

151. Kabzaa; movie review

 

KABZAA

Cert 15

134 mins

BBFC advice: Contains strong bloody violence

Has there been a more violent Indian film that Kabzaa?

They must have needed an ocean of fake blood in the literally dark tale of a nervous trainee Indian Air Force pilot who takes on the crime lords who grabbed power after Partition.

Upendra plays Arkeshwara, the son of a freedom fighter killed just before before British rule ended.

He is devoted to his country but his path is diverted when his brother is beheaded by a criminal gang in cahoots with corrupt police.

The deadly act inspires him to carry out extreme revenge and blood-letting on a mass scale.

Meanwhile, there is an unlikely romance with the daughter (Shriya Saran) of the head of a royal family (Murali Sharma).

The battle for power comes from various sides during R. Chandru's movie but all are equally keen on violence.

This only serves to make our hero even more ruthless in his pursuit of bumping off his rivals.

There is no doubt that Kabzaa is ambitious - the live action scenes are on a grand scale and are mixed with some news footage and computer-generated imagery.

And Upendra makes a stirring leading man, inspiring his fans to root for him.

My problem was that there was very little substance beyond that slashing, shooting beating and shouting.

This meant that I groaned when the final shot led us straight into a sequel, although I would imagine that there will be those who can't wait for it.

Reasons to watch: Packed with action

Reasons to avoid: Literally so dark it is difficult to see

Laughs: None

Jumps: None

Vomit: None

Nudity: None

Overall rating: 6/10

Did you know? There are nine active royal families in India at present despite monarchy being abolished in 1971, They lead very extravagant lifestyles. 

The final word. Upendra: "When the teaser dropped, people were talking a lot about how it looked like KGF. However, after the trailer, they understood how it was a very different story. Now I think there are no more such comparisons happening." The Indian Express

150. A Clever Woman; movie review

 

A CLEVER WOMAN

Cert 15

88 mins

BBFC advice: Contains strong language

This is the third Jon Sanders film I have reviewed and I am afraid I am no nearer to getting on with his work.

I suspect that this is simply down to Sanders being from a world which is so alien to mine, it might as well be Neptune.

In the words of Tom (James Northcote), the main characters of A Clever Woman 'talk a lot'. Indeed, they do - as if they are on stage.

They also sing - rather badly.

Josie Lawrence and Tanya Myers play Dot and Phoebe - sisters whose domineering and philandering mother died a year previously.

Tom has been looking after her substantial and cluttered cottage but now has come the time for them to sort things out prior to sale.

Instead they wallow in nostalgia, blame and self-pity with the occasional hug and dance around the room.

Meanwhile, their friend Anna Mottram follows in their mum's outrageous footsteps.

I shall write no more about that other than to say it is easily the most entertaining element to A Clever Woman - which, ironically, seems to be entirely devoid of smart females.

Of Sanders' movies A Change To the Weather and then Back To the Garden, I wrote: "There are elements which are admirable but, ultimately, it is little more than old luvvies sitting around navel-gazing."

I added that I wasn't old enough to have appreciated them as much as others might.

Well, having just turned 60, I fit the audience profile but still found his characters acutely irritating.

Reasons to watch: If you like over-acting

Reasons to avoid: Luvvies being luvvies

Laughs: None

Jumps: None

Vomit: None

Nudity: None

Overall rating: 4/10

Did you know? Jon Sanders' directing experience started with Channel 4. He made the widely-praised documentary Then When the World Changed, about the lives of four patients in a mental hospital.

The final word. Josie Lawrence: "As soon as I could speak, I was putting on shows. I used to open the back door in the morning and shut it again. They didn’t know why. And then they realised I was letting my imaginary friend in.” The Guardian

149. Three Colours Red (Trois couleurs: Rouge); movie review

 

THREE COLOURS: RED (TROIS COULEURS - ROUGE)

Cert 15

99 mins

BBFC advice: Contains brief strong sex

Opinions differ wildly over which is best of Krzysztof Kieślowski's Three Colours trilogy but I am plumping for Red.

This is the most mysterious, most alluring, best written and, ultimately, in my opinion, most satisfying.

But it is certainly not straightforward and requires the concentration of an avid movie fan to squeeze out maximum enjoyment.

Red represents fraternity in the French tricolour although, in common with its sister films, the link isn't obvious.

Anyway, it stars Irène Marie Jacob as a catwalk model besotted with a lover who seems to be messing her around.

She is also worried about her adopted brother who appears to have turned to drugs.

Meanwhile, she becomes transfixed by a much older, rather strange, plain-speaking retired judge (Jean-Louis Trintignant).

He has a hobby which initially appals her but, much to her own surprise, creates a deep fascination.

In parallel, there is a focus on her near-neighbour who is a new judge and how he strives to combine work with giving time to a supportive girlfriend.

None of the stories adds up to a hill of beans but, laid against each other, they work neatly.

I found Jacob magnetic - her beauty, combined with her character's inquiring mind, is intoxicating but Trintignant steals the show, playing the ex-judge with frothing anger.

However, the day is really won by a storyline which has plenty of surprises and doesn't rely on lots of noise.

Reasons to watch: Intriguing and satisfying

Reasons to avoid: Low on action

Laughs: None

Jumps: None

Vomit: None

Nudity: Bare bum

Overall rating: 8/10

Did you know? The Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences disqualified the film from competing as Switzerland's official entry for the Academy Award for Best Foreign Language Film but Switzerland rejected the Academy's offer to submit another film.

The final word. Krzysztof Kieślowski: "Idon’t have any answers but do know how to pose questions, it suits me to leave the door open to varying possibilities. I realised this some years ago. I don’t want to pose as a relativist, because I’m not one, but I have to admit that there’s an element of relativism in play here." BFI

148. Winnie The Pooh - Blood and Honey; movie review

 

WINNIE THE POOH: BLOOD AND HONEY

Cert 18

84 mins

BBFC advice: Contains strong violence, gory images, threat

AA Milne would be turning in his grave.

When he created Winnie The Pooh and his friends of Hundred Acre Wood, one would presume he had in mind the exact opposite of this ghastly film.

It is shocking that anyone would have an imagination warped enough to come up with Winnie The Pooh: Blood And Honey and prompts equal dismay that so many people seem to have 'enjoyed' it to make it a financial triumph.

Rhys Frake-Waterfield, who has already created bloody horror out of Bambi and the Easter Bunny, goes for the grotesque again with Pooh and his pals.

The very strange premise is that Pooh and his friends are mutant crosses between animals and humans and are discovered by Christopher Robin in the woods when they are all young.

But when he goes away to college, they are left to starve and, on a night of desperate hunger, eat poor Eeyore.

At that point, they vow never to speak again while pledging to wreak revenge on Christopher Robin and any other humans.

Thus, when he returns as an adult (played by Nikolai Leon) with his new wife (Paula Coiz), they find a very different wood from the one he left.

Their arrival is soon followed by a group of attractive young women on a girls' woodland break.

And, yes, they all become bloody fodder for the mutants but not before boobs and bums are flashed.

Did AA Milne imagine Pooh and Piglet dragging a bikini-clad girl from a jacuzzi and running over her head until her eye pops out?

I suspect not - even during his worse nightmare. 

Winnie The Pooh - Blood and Honey taints the legacy of a great writer.

Reasons to watch: Can't think of any

Reasons to avoid: Too many to list

Laughs: None

Jumps: None

Vomit: Slobbering rather than vomit

Nudity: Yes

Overall rating: 0.5/10

Did you know? The filmmaker was one of the first to use the expiration of the copyright for A.A. Milne’s books, which Disney held until recently. According to US law, copyrights expire 95 years after a work is first published – Winnie-the-Pooh debuted in 1926.

The final word.  Rhys Frake-Waterfield: "It's a bit like Marmite; you've got like the lovers and the haters. Fifty per cent of people absolutely love it and are obsessed with it, and then I've got the haters. They're the people who have messaged me on Instagram, but obviously, they're not the people I'm making the film for." Screen Rant

147. The Age Of Innocence; movie review

 

THE AGE OF INNOCENCE

Cert 12A

138 mins

BBFC advice: Contains moderate bad language

Anyone who enjoys cinema will agree that Martin Scorsese is a genius but when they think of him, it is most likely that they conjure thoughts of his violent movies.

But The Age Of Innocence proves that he doesn't need even a drop of blood to create intense drama.

This is the perfect combination of superbly detailed writing and magnificent execution. It transforms gossip into art.

Scorsese and Jay Cocks adapted Edith Wharton's novel which focuses on the mental torture of Newland Archer, played with constrained agony by the sublime Daniel Day-Lewis.

He is a lawyer who mixes with the highest echelons of New York society in the 1870s and is expected to marry May (Winona Ryder) from one of the city's most prestigious families.

However, while their prolonged engagement drags on, he falls for the mysterious and rather exotic Countess Olenska, played sublimely by Michelle Pfeiffer.

Appearances and proper behaviour mean everything but betrayal and backstabbing are never far away in old New York and Scorsese creates a dark underbelly beneath the facade of loyalty and respect.

While each of the characters is mindful of their language, Joanne Woodward's pinpoint narration tells the audience what is going on behind the veil of pomposity.

The Age Of Innocence is sumptuous. Every scene has an intricate costume and backdrop detail (the food at the elaborate dinners is mouth-watering) as well as precision dialogue.

Meanwhile, the acting is so rich - Day-Lewis portrays Newland to perfection, with a hint of John Malkovich's accent.

Pfeiffer's Countess is devilishly alluring without ever being sluttish and Ryder's May is much more conniving than seems possible from such a sweet outward appearance.

There is also outstanding support from Miriam Margolyes, Michael Gough and Richard E. Grant among others.

Overall, I found it surprisingly enthralling.

Reasons to watch: Scorsese shows his breadth

Reasons to avoid: Too many clipped sentences

Laughs: None

Jumps: None

Vomit: None

Nudity: None

Overall rating: 9/10

Did you know? The Age of Innocence is a 1920 novel by American author Edith Wharton. It was her twelfth novel and was initially serialized in 1920 in four parts in the magazine Pictorial Review. Later that year, it was released as a book.

The final word. Martin Scorsese: "Although The Age of Innocence may look lavish, the editing, the angles, the dissolves and the length of the images were all worked out way in advance to give the impression of extravagance. In fact, it only cost $32-34 million, and some of the most complicated things, like the beginning of the ball sequence, took only three-quarters of a day. But it was important to achieve the effect of a saturation of detail."  BFI

146. Leaving To Remain; movie review

 

LEAVING TO REMAIN

Cert 12A

90 mins

BBFC advice: Discrimination references

Back in 2015, I visited the home of a Roma family in Derby amid controversy about immigrant families in the lead-up to the referendum.

Their home was pristine and they could not have been more welcoming - despite claims that their community were responsible for mess in the street and were involved in anti-social behaviour.

Roma have a long history of having taken the blame for society's ills and consequently faced out-and-out discrimination.

Mira Erdevicki's film takes a very different slant, giving the personal stories of three Roma who have made huge contributions to British life.

Petr Torák, Denisa Gannon and Ondrej Oláh settled in the UK to escape from racial persecution in Central Europe. 

They arrived 20 years ago when Britain was part of the European Union and, although they are still connected via family to Slovakia or the Czech Republic, England is their home.

The British-Roma film crew follow the trio - a lawyer, teacher and police officer, from before the referendum, through the vote on to the Covid pandemic and beyond.

During lockdown, they were given cameras to record their experiences and Covid's impact.

This a deeply honest appraisal of what life is like for Roma in their homeland and in the UK and how that has changed through Covid and post-Brexit.

The contributors are eloquent and enthusiastic about the opportunities in the UK but occasionally fraught over the difficulties faced by them and those in their community.

They paint a fascinating picture but one which needs more meat on the bones.

Reasons to watch: An unusual take on Brexit

Reasons to avoid: Too much like a home movie at times

Laughs: None

Jumps: None

Vomit: None

Nudity: None

Overall rating: 6.5/10

Did you know? Records of Romani people in the UK date back to Scotland in the early 16th century.

The final word. Mira Erdevički: "The pandemic forced us to adopt a new filming concept, using iPhones to record our protagonists' lives with intimate access, which presented an opportunity to reveal the Roma community from the inside. This material quickly became the core of the film, with crew-generated material available for flashbacks to the pre-Covid era."

145. Shehzada; movie review

 

SHEHZADA

Cert 12A

142 mins

BBFC advice: Contains moderate violence, bloody images

Would I have been as disappointed with Shehzada if I hadn't already seen the Telugu film on which it is based?

Impossible to say but it did mean that there were no open-mouthed, shocked responses.

Ala Vaikunthapurramuloo had grabbed from its start in which an employee of a successful businessman switches their babies to ensure his son has a better life than he can give him.

It is one of the most impactful openings to an Indian film in the past five years. Indeed, it was so unforgettable that I knew what was coming three years later in Shehzada.

This time the poor employee, played by Paresh Rawal proceeds to bring up the industrialist's boy, Bantu, with a sharp tongue and little love while his lad, Raj, is spoiled in palatial surroundings.

The question of the power of nature over nurture or vice-versa is at the heart of Rohit Dhawan's film.

We see how it plays out when the plot moves on 25 years and alights upon the likeable Bantu (Kartik Aaryan) struggling to nail down a job.

Regardless, he keeps trying and manages to impress the recruiter (Kriti Sanon) of a law firm.

Sanon's character is a strange one. Initially, she is played as a hard-nosed businesswoman with a taste in eye-popping short skirts and then, after an awkward romance with our hero, she simply fades away.

Meanwhile, Raj (Ankur Rathee) is grotesquely spoilt and completely naive, driving to his breakfast in a toy car in his mid-20s.

However, the paths of the two cross unexpectedly and that is when Shehzada finds much-needed direction.

It is a vibrant movie with attractive and colourful song and dance numbers and a lead who has a heck of a lot of front.

But it lacks freshness because it is only three years since the release of its original which was grittier and had greater allure.

I guess that most people won't see the film in two languages but I had and I can only record my experience.

Thus, Shehzada fell flat for me.

Reasons to watch: The attractive base story

Reasons to avoid: Nowhere near as good as the original

Laughs: None

Jumps: None

Vomit: None

Nudity: None

Overall rating: 5.5/10

Did you know? Allu Arvind and S Radha Krishna the producers of the original film remade the film for Hindi audience.

The final word. Kartik Aaryan: "For this one. Initially, I was not onboard as a producer for Shehzada. At first, I had taken my fees and remuneration. And then there was a crisis. The film was going through a crisis and they needed somebody to step up. So I asked my producer then I gave up my money. That is how this whole thing, production and me becoming a co-producer came (into being).” Daily Times

144. Never Forget Tibet; movie review

 

NEVER FORGET TIBET

Cert PG

93 mins

BBFC advice: Contains mild references to violence, infrequent suicide references

I am not a religious person but I have to confess that the teachings of the 14th Dalai Lama seem to be as good a doctrine as any to follow.

He believes that the need for love lies at the very foundation of human existence and that forgiveness breaks cycles of suffering as opposed to anger or vengeance which cause more harm.

Cynics may question his liberal views and even claim he is left-wing (he once applied to join The Chinese Communist Party) but doesn't it make sense to favour love over hate?

Anyway, there are many such sage quotes during Jean-Paul Mertinez's documentary, sanctioned by Tibet's leader-in-exile.

This combines the incredible story of his escape from the Chinese in 1959 as told by the man himself and the political officer who hosted him in India after he had crept over the border.

The latter's niece is a journalist and she brings the two men together for the first time since that tumultuous time.

Meanwhile, there are contributions from those close to The Dalai Lama who speak about him and the importance of keeping the history and traditions of Tibet alive.

And scholars add the historical relevance of the title and the role the Chinese had and now have in the former independent country.

It is not only an interesting film but also an uplifting one, underscored by that consistent message of compassion and forgiveness.

Yes, even towards the Chinese who have killed and tortured his former subjects.

Never Forget Tibet is illumninating on several levels and Dr Deepak Chopra, New York Times best selling author and long time friend The Dalai Lama, has provided a special meditation for World Peace, which will be shown before the film's screenings in cinemas.

Reasons to watch: Thorough insight into the Daila Lama and Tibet

Reasons to avoid: Presumes a bit of knowledge

Laughs: None

Jumps: None

Vomit: None

Nudity: None

Overall rating: 8/10

Did you know? The Dalai Lama was awarded the Nobel Peace Prize in 1989 for his work advocating nonviolent means to free Tibet from China.

The final word. The 14th Dalai Lama: "Most of the problems in the world are a result of past centuries' thinking. What we need today is to consider the wellbeing of all seven billion people on the planet and to cultivate a sense of oneness of all beings together.” 

143. Cairo Conspiracy; movie review

 

CAIRO CONSPIRACY

Cert 12A

121 mins

BBFC advice: Contains moderate violence, threat, bloody images, sex references

How many people in the world find themselves reluctant pawns in the power games of others?

In Egypt, there is a push-me-pull-you between religious and political leaders and nobody would want to stand between them.

However, Tarik Saleh's riveting thriller Cairo Conspiracy alights upon a naive fisherman's son (Tawfeek Barhom) who is used by both sides.

The lad, Adam, is initially delighted to be given a place at a university that has the reputation for being the most prestigious seat of learning in Islam.

But it soon becomes clear that there is not only infighting between its sheikhs but also interference from state security.

This manifests itself most clearly when the seat of the all-powerful Grand Imam becomes vacant.

Adam is approached by a government informant and fellow student (Mehdi Dehbi) but almost immediately witnesses his murder.

Thereafter, he is signed up by a ruthless state security colonel (Fares Fares) and, during clandestine coffee shop meetings, is given instructions on how to destabilise the university's hierarchy.

Meanwhile, he is also shown favour by a religious zealot (Sherwan Haji) who leads a band in secret anti-government activity.

The tightrope he is forced to tread provides the film's great tension.

Barhom is made for the role, portraying the student as initially nervous and then emboldened but always needing to look over his shoulder.

Fares, who was impressive as an under-pressure cop in Saleh's The Nile Hilton Incident, catches the eye again as the dishevelled but tough-nut security service colonel.

It all adds up to a credible and nail-biting couple of hours.

Reasons to watch: Deep and well-fashioned thriller

Reasons to avoid: Background knowledge is needed

Laughs: None

Jumps: None

Vomit: None

Nudity: None

Overall rating: 8/10

Did you know? Egypt's National Security Agency is responsible for counter-intelligence, internal and border security, counter-terrorism, and surveillance and has about 100,000 employees and at least as many informants.

The final word.  Tarik Saleh: "It was not possible to shoot Cairo Conspiracy in Egypt. I haven't been able to go back there since 2015 when, three days before we were to start shooting The Nile Hilton Incident, the Egyptian security services ordered us to leave the country. "

142. Meet Me In The Bathroom; movie review

 

MEET ME IN THE BATHROOM

Cert 15

108 mins

BBFC advice: Contains very strong language, strong sex references, drug misuse

If only we had known what was bubbling beneath the surface of New York when we had our only visit in 2002.

To be fair we had two young children with us but it would have been amazing to go to a club and see one of the city's raw, up-and-coming bands.

We are offered that glimpse of hindsight with Dylan Southern and Will Lovelace's Meet Me In The Bathroom, a documentary about The Strokes and their Big Apple peers.

Inspired by Lizzy Goodman's best-seller, the movie chronicles the indie band explosion through intimate archive footage.

At the same time, New York was devastated by the horrors of the World Trade Center terrorist attacks on 9/11.

There are scenes from that day and its aftermath as the film follows emerging bands Yeah Yeah Yeahs, Interpol, LCD Soundsystem, TV on the Radio, The Rapture and The Moldy Peaches. 

None of the band members is seen 20 years on but some add to the narrative with explanations of extreme highs and lows of being at rock's cutting edge.

And it certainly isn't all glamour - Interpol recall how they played in front of just five people in a pub on one ill-judged tour of England.

These are bands with punk ideals so much of the music is edgy and lacks the finesse of their studio albums.

While it is fascinating to see them in private settings, I felt there needed to be a wider discussion about each act's relative success or failure.

Thus, I found myself looking up their respective discographies to add some context.

Nevertheless, Meet Me In The Bathroom is worthwhile viewing.

Reasons to watch: Intimate footage 

Reasons to avoid: Needs bigger picture narration

Laughs: None

Jumps: None

Vomit: None

Nudity: Yes

Overall rating: 7.5/10

Did you know? The Strokes were named Band of the Year in 2002 by Spin and heavily influenced bands such as The Killers, Arctic Monkeys, and Franz Ferdinand. Alex Turner, lead singer of Arctic Monkeys, sang "I just wanted to be one of The Strokes" in their 2018 song 'Star Treatment

The final word. Dylan Southern: "When you’re having the best time of your life, you probably don’t realise it at the time." NME

141. Scream VI; movie review

 

SCREAM VI

Cert 18

122 mins

BBFC advice: Contains strong bloody violence

Good grief. Scream VI is as lame as a three-legged donkey.

The same old slashings, the same old movie-within-a-movie premise and, in some cases, the same old characters.

Perhaps fans of horror movies feel comfortable with familiarity but I am struggling to understand how franchises such as this, Halloween, Friday The 13th and Nightmare on Elm Street deserve such a long run.

But there is bound to be more to come because the superficial storyline and lashings of fake blood in Tyler Gillett and Matt Bettinelli-Olpin's movie have helped it notch up a $130m profit in the first month at the cinema.

Anyway, the killings begin early with an attractive college professor's gruesome slaying in an alley.

It turns out her murderer has links to Sam and Tara Carpenter (Melissa Barrera and Jenna Ortega) who thought they had finished off Ghostface in Woodsboro.

But, as anyone who has had the misfortune to watch a Scream film knows, there ain't just one masked murderer.

So, before protective Sam can throw a blanket of cotton wool around Tara, folk are being bumped off, left right and centre.

Inevitably, Courteney Cox returns as Gale Weathers, the TV journalist who has literally survived all six Scream movies.

Meanwhile, Jasmin Savoy Brown and Mason Gooding return, as does Hayden Panetierre as another legacy character.

And the crazed slashings go on and the inevitable deaths and improbable survivals make up part of one of the dullest films I have seen in quite a while.

If it were its first or even the second outing, I just might have appreciated Scream - but the sixth is taking the joke way too far.

Reasons to watch: If you are a Scream addict

Reasons to avoid: If you are a discerning film fan

Laughs: None

Jumps: Two

Vomit: None

Nudity: None

Overall rating: 3/10

Did you know? Every actor who auditioned for Scream VI had to read a Ghostface monologue to make sure the killer's identity wasn't leaked.

The final word. Tyler Gillett: “I think we always felt like this was going to be a spiritual sequel to the original sequel in a lot of ways." Bloody-Disgusting

140. Atomic Hope; movie review

 

ATOMIC HOPE

Cert 12A

83 mins

BBFC advice: Contains infrequent strong language

The word nuclear conjures up disasters from Hiroshima to Chernobyl and beyond and is chucked into the aggressive narratives of Putin when he is threatening the West.

And yet nuclear power could be the world's saviour, according to scientists featured in Frankie Fenton's They even put a compelling case that it offers the only feasible route to solving the energy crisis.

However, they admit that they need charismatic campaigners to get over the message to the sceptical public.

The documentary proves that they have a damned difficult task - even incurring the wrath of climate change activists who are dead set against nuclear energy.

Fenton's film is a platform for nuclear advocates from organisations as diverse as Thorium Energy Alliance, Generation Atomic and Mothers for Nuclear.

They argue that it is the safest, cleanest and most productive energy option and argue vehemently about misinformation about the effects of radiation leaks.

They put forward a pretty good, if superficial case - leaving out the technical detail of nuclear's qualities and how it could be rolled out worldwide.

And then there is the tricky issue of funding. The participants all claim moral and ethical high ground and yet we couldn't work out how they are financed.

I thought Pandora's Promise which went over the same ground ten years ago was a tad more compelling but it is good to see the subject back up for public debate.

Reasons to watch: Fascinating subject

Reasons to avoid: Unanswered questions

Laughs: None

Jumps: None

Vomit: None

Nudity: None

Overall rating: 7/10

Did you know? The nuclear industry supports nearly half a million jobs in the United States and contributes an estimated $60 billion to the U.S. gross domestic product each year.

The final word. Frankie Fenton: "From my perspective as a filmmaker, I wanted to point the camera at people who had an opinion, rather than give an opinion myself. The minute I started doing that, people were engaged and could see that this was a story that was worth listening to." POV

139. Agilan; movie review

 

AGILAN

Cert 12A

129 mins

BBFC advice: Contains moderate violence, injury detail, drug references, threat, language

What a giant mess of a movie. I scratched my head so many times during two and a quarter hours, I barely have a hair left.

And even looking back, I have no idea what director and writer N. Kalyanakrishnan was trying to achieve.

The questions begin with the title character, played by Jayam Ravi. Is he a hero, anti-hero or just a plain villain? Should we have been rooting for him and, if so, why?

The setting of Agiulan is interesting - a huge harbour in which corruption is rife and backhanders and brute force rule. But, beyond that, the film is barely comprehensible.

Agilan is introduced as the harbour enforcer, called in when necessary by a criminal fixer (Hareesh Peradi) who does the dirty work of the harbour's overlord (Tarun Arora ).

However, neither can control him as he goes renegade, killing and maiming anyone in his way.

The central problem is that his motivation is unclear. For much of the movie, it seems he just enjoys the slaying and then there is a sudden hint that he might have a more charitable aim.

Meanwhile, the violence just goes on and on and on. During these badly choreographed fight scenes, he regularly beats up multiple enemies and survives being stabbed and shot endless times without any obvious ill effect.

There is also a really strange love interest in the shape of a police inspector (Priya Bhavani Shankar) who I can't work out is corrupt or on the side of good.

And then there is the only blemish-free fella on the scene - another cop (Chirag Jani) who has a reputation for shooting first and asking questions later.

That is about it apart from lots of loud menacing music and two hours of people shouting at each other (are all Indian folk deaf?).

It was not a good use of my time.

Reasons to watch: Lots of brutal action

Reasons to avoid: Difficult to understand what is going on

Laughs: None

Jumps: None

Vomit: None

Nudity: None

Overall rating: 3/10

Did you know? With the support of the Government of India, the Maritime Anti-Corruption Network - a global business network of over 110 companies - is working to tackle corruption in the maritime industry

The final word. Jayam Ravi: "The harbour is more than just a premise in Agilan. It is a character by itself. There are many untold stories about the harbour and Agilan is a compilation of all." Cinema Express

138. Leonor Will Never Die; movie review

 

LEONOR WILL NEVER DIE

Cert 15

99 mins

BBFC advice: Contains strong violence, language, threat

Here's a contender for strangest film of the year and one which will no doubt gain the adoration of cinephiles.

But be warned, Leonor Will Never Die demands maximum attention because it goes off on crazy tangents and has myriad twists.

Amid the tale of a long-retired screenwriter is a tribute to the 70s and 80s action b-movies.

Indeed, Martika Ramirez Escobar's feature flicks between the present-day and dream-like sequences of those old films.

It stars Sheila Francisco as Leonor Reyes a forgetful pensioner who spends much of her time watching her old movies.

She lives with her son (Bong Cabrera) who wants to leave home but fears that his mother will not be able to look after herself financially or physically.

With the idea of making some cash, she answers an advertisement for screenplays and rekindles an unfinished script.

This is where fantasy and fact begin to mingle and Leonor dreams of her hero (Rocky Salumbides) as well as her real-life son (Anthony Falcon) who died in a freak tragedy.

Leonor Will Never Die is certainly original and has a rare joy about it with its homage to Filipino action movies.

On the downside, it isn't always easy to follow because there is so much going on.

I suspect it will split cinema audiences between those who live it and those who find it too chaotic.

Reasons to watch: Original homage to Filipino action movies

Reasons to avoid: Not very easy to follow

Laughs: Two

Jumps: None

Vomit: None

Nudity: None

Overall rating: 6/10

Did you know? Action movies reached their height in the Philippines after Ferdinand Marcos declared martial law in 1972. At a time when Filipinos felt the most helpless the action formula provided comfort.

The final word. Martika Ramirez Escobar: "If I had to make one film before jumping off a cliff, I would want it to be about my relationship with cinema — how it takes me places and keeps me sane."