After bravely fighting cancer for four years, Chadwick Boseman sadly passed-away at the age of 43 on the 28th of August.
Best known to a worldwide audience for his portrayal of super-hero Black Panther in four of the Marvel Cinematic Universe films. He is also known for playing iconic figures in African American history like Thurgood Marshall (Marshall), James Brown (Get on Up) and Jackie Robinson (42).
His final film, Ma Rainey’s Black Bottom has been scheduled for a Netflix release on 27th of November.
In other news, Christopher Nolan’s Tenet has topped the UK Box Office for the second week running having grossed £10 million to date. With cinema’s re-opening I have still to build up the courage to make my first trip back since March.
My recommendations this month are films I have watched on DVD, subscription-based streaming sites, and rental streaming for under £5.
My top three films for August are:
The Rider (2017)
Rating 9/10
Chloé Zhao’s modern-day Western hit me like a ton of bricks.
The story follows South Dakotan cowboy Brady Blackburn as he is on the road to recovery following a serious accident during a rodeo.
The script was heavily inspired by Brady Jandreau’s life and following Zhao’s request, he agreed to take the lead role in the film with no previous acting experience.
Opting to cast non-actors was a masterstroke as the film was about as authentic as you could get.
The understated score from Nathan Halpern accompanied Joshua James Richards cinematography perfectly as Brady’s journey develops.
To say I am now excited for Zhao’s new release Nomadland is an understatement.
You can rent The Rider on Prime Video & MUBI.
Hana-Bi (1997)
Rating 9/10
With Sonatine and Boiling Point watched last month, Hana-Bi was the third Takeshi Kitano film on the watchlist, and it sits comfortably as my favourite so far.
Kitano plays Nishi, a policeman struggling with his professional and personal life following a traumatic incident leaving him wracked with guilt.
With its minimal dialogue, beautiful Joe Hisaishi score and poetic storytelling, the film had me thoroughly engaged throughout.
Kitano’s films are known for their explosions of violence and how this is used here guides the story.
In the West, my movies are considered too violent. This point of view is embedded in their mind. Violence is essential in order to get other messages across. It really bothers me but there can be no compromise.
Takeshi Kitano “Making of Hana-Bi”
You can stream Hana-Bi on the BFI Player on Prime Video Channels & MUBI Library.
Father Soldier Son (2020)
Rating 8.5/10
New York Times journalists Leslye Davis and Catrin Einhorn wanted to explore the impacts of war on not only the soldiers but their families during and after deployment.
They were naturally drawn to Sergeant Brian Eisch, deployed to Afghanistan in 2010, a single parent to 12-year old Isaac and 7-year old Joey.
Masculinity, depression and patriotism are just a few of the themes underlined in the 10 years-worth of footage captured.
Davis and Einhorn have crafted a politically unbiased and deeply personal “show, don’t tell” documentary.
This was a challenging but essential watch.
You can stream Father Soldier Son on Netflix.
Honourable mentions:
Mean Streets (1973) Rating 8.5/10
A gritty New York tale from the legendary Martin Scorsese. Charlie (Keitel) has dreams of making it in the Little Italy mob but has other distractions within his friendship circles, as an internal conflict between Johnny Boy (De Niro) and Michael (Romanus) heats up. Side note, half of the budget was used to pay for the absolute belter of a soundtrack.
You can stream Mean Streets on Netflix.
One False Move (1992) Rating 8.5/10
Billy Bob Thornton co-wrote and starred in this excellent crime thriller spanning across three American states. The film bolsters a great cast, Bill Paxton is the standout as Arkansas sheriff Dale Dixon and Michael Beach impressed as ice-cold criminal Pluto.
You can rent One False Move on Prime Video, Google Play & YouTube.
Buffalo ‘66 (1998) Rating 8.5/10
Vincent Gallo wrote, directed, and starred in this character study of the fractured Billy Brown. The day he is released from prison, Billy makes the rash decision to kidnap a young dance student (Ricci) with the plan for her to pose as his girlfriend to impress his parents. Strong performances from the supporting cast and interesting filming techniques made this is a memorable experimental romance.
You can buy Buffalo ’66 on DVD.
Columbus (2017) Rating 8.5/10
Jin finds himself in Columbus for the foreseeable future, after his father has fallen into a coma, when local librarian Casey strikes up a conversation in passing. Though not an awful lot happens, and some may find it slow, I was invested in the characters and found this to be a therapeutic experience. Elisha Christian’s stunning cinematography of Columbus’ architecture gives the film an extra edge. A very calm and delicate directorial debut from Kogonda.
You can rent Columbus on Prime Video, BFI Player, and iTunes.
Glengarry Glen Ross (1992) Rating 8.5/10
This dialogue-heavy crime drama centred around 4 competing real estate agents had me hooked from the beginning. Director James Foley has David Mamet’s sharp screenplay (of his Pulitzer Prize- winning play) and a powerhouse cast at his disposal. Jack Lemmon’s performance, as desperate salesman Shelley “The Machine” Levene, is a joy to behold.
You can rent Glengarry Glen Ross on Prime Video.
Three Kings (1999) Rating 8.5/10
Revisited David O. Russell’s anti-war film for the first time in years and it well and truly held up. Its the aftermath of the Gulf War and a group of soldiers take up a mission to reclaim stolen Kuwaiti gold from the Iraqis. George Clooney and Ice Cube turn in solid performances but its Mark Wahlberg and Spike Jonze that steal the show in a film loaded with action, humour and experimental filming techniques for the time.
You can rent Three Kings on Prime Video, Google Play & YouTube.
Out of Sight (1998) Rating 8/10
Steven Soderbergh’s fun crime-romance caper went under my radar for years. The story follows bank robber Jack Foley (Clooney) in his quest for one last heist with Federal Marshal Sisco (Lopez) in pursuit. The screenplay is adapted from Elmore Leonard’s novel who is also known for writing novels Get Shorty and Rum Punch (Jackie Brown). I particularly enjoyed the chemistry between Clooney and Lopez as well as the strong supporting cast. This is Soderbergh’s first collaboration with Clooney, they would go on to make 6 other films together including the Ocean’s trilogy.
You can stream Out of Sight on Netflix.
The Sure Thing (1985) Rating 8/10
John Cusack knocks it out the park in his debut lead role in this rom-com road film from Rob Reiner (Stand by Me, When Harry Met Sally, Misery). College students Gib and Alison get to know each other as they hitch rides across the country to make it to California in time for the festive period. Yes, it is predictable and formulaic, but it didn’t take away from the fact that Cusack’s goofy humour and charm made this an enjoyable watch.
You can buy The Sure Thing on DVD.
American Graffiti (1973) Rating 8/10
Its 1962 and Curt (Dreyfuss) & Steve’s (Howard) last night in town before heading for college. The film jumps between each character as their night goes in different directions. This was George Lucas directing only his 2nd full-length feature – with Star Wars IV A New Hope coming a few years later – and its clear to see how much this film will have inspired future filmmakers. One film that comes to mind is one of my favourites, Dazed and Confused from Richard Linklater.
You can rent American Graffiti on Prime Video, Google Play & YouTube.
Rope (1948) Rating 8/10
Revisited Alfred Hitchcock’s adaptation of Patrick Hamilton’s thriller play from 1929. Two friends murder their former classmate shortly before hosting a dinner party. Edited to appear as one continuous shot, the camera tracks its way around the New York apartment as the party progresses. John Dall is excellent as Brandon and the legendary Jimmy Stewart is, of course, on top form as dinner party guest Rupert.
You can rent Rope on Prime Video, Google Play & YouTube.
You can find all my film ratings on my Letterboxd account.
See you next month with my September recommendations!
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