July 1st
Toy Story 4
Never Look Away
Yesterday
High Life

I'm finally catching up on missed films, and what a worthy collection of films to return with. I enjoyed 3/4 of these almost to the max, even though scores are a little variable.  

Toy Story 4
Director: Josh Cooley
Length: 100 min

© Disney - simply delightful. A totally

touching story about belonging

It's nine years since the wonderful Toy Story 3 graced our screens. One always feels a tad nervous when further sequels are released, but fear not - this is yet another winner! We last left the toys when they began a new life with little Bonnie, who is about to start kindergarten where she makes herself a new, instantly loved toy out of an old fork (Forky, voiced by Tony Hale). The gang are all here with notables Woody (Tom Hanks), Bo Peep (Annie Potts) and Buzz Lightyear (Tim Allen). The plot soon takes the form of a road trip with Mom, Dad, Bonnie and the toys on board, many of them endlessly getting lost and Woody in great peril when a sinister doll Gaby Gaby and her ventriloquist doll henchmen want to steal his talking voice box. Yes, the film will appeal greatly to kids, but it also encompasses so many critical truths about life, love, loss and belonging. There is humour galore, much tugging of the heart-strings, and clever referencing of well-known adventure films. The film is simple, yet sublimely clever at the same time - overall a wonderfully crafted tale that will reward cinema goers of all ages.
4.5 - wholeheartedly recommended!

Never Look Away
Director: Florian Henckel von Donnersmarck
Length: 185 min

© Sony - sweeping, intense, thought-
provoking. Top shelf cinema

Young art student Kurt Barnert (Tom Schilling) is in love with Ellie (Paula Beer). Ellie's Father, professor of gynaecology, Dr Seeband (Sebastian Koch) is hellbent upon breaking up the relationship. But Ellie's and Kurt's lives are already intertwined through a terrible crime that was committed by Seeband just before World War II erupted. This is an epic story, spanning generations, historical periods and art movements. It begins with Kurt as a little boy, deeply attached to his Aunt Elisabeth, who was mentally unstable. At that time Seeband was a member of the Nazi party. I shan't give away any more of the film's complex plot, but I will say it is one of the most mesmerising films I've seen in a long time, despite its generous runtime. Nominated for Best Foreign Language Film and Best Cinematography at this year's Oscars it has a lot going for it. The German title means Work Without Author, and there is much to machinate over, including ponderings upon the nature of art as a commentary upon events, as opposed to an expression of the artist's inner self. But even without such esoteric musings, the film is a sweeping tale of a time both terrible in its atrocities, counterpointed with lives of aspiration, fulfillment and beauty. (P.S: there's quite a brouhaha over the loose basing of the plot upon the life of actual artist Gerhard Richter, who is upset with the finished product.)
4 - highly recommended!

Yesterday
Director: Danny Boyle
Length: 116 min

© Universal - for fans of Beatles music, this
coulld be unmissable. 

Jack Malik (Himesh Patel) packs shelves in a supermarket by day but is aspiring to make it as a singer/songwriter. When one night, inexplicably, the electricity supply of the entire world crashes out for 10 seconds, Jack is hit by a bus. When he wakes, the rest of the world has no knowledge that The Beatles ever existed. Jack launches himself back into music, armed with all the songs the Fab Four ever wrote, and he becomes an instant overnight world sensation. His childhood best friend and agent Ellie (Lily James) is replaced by hard-nosed Yank Debra (Kate McKinnon), but as Jack rides the wave of stardom, he is tormented by needing to confess to the fraud, as well as to his long-repressed feelings for Ellie. Here's another feel-good film the critics have been unkind to, and yes it is a bit simplistic in parts, and schmaltzy in others, but it is a total delight for any fans of a good love story, and the music of arguably the greatest song-writing team in pop history. With the real Ed Sheeran playing himself (as the muso who discovered Jack), Patel a terrific musical interpreter of the Beatles' songs, and plenty of British humour throughout, Yesterday is thoroughly enjoyable.
3.5 - well recommended!

High Life
Director: Claire Denis
Length: 113 min
Nova exclusive

© Madman - is it a deep work of art, or a pretentious

unfathomable sci-fi? I'm at a loss.  

Monte (Robert Pattinson) is one of a group of death-row criminals launched into outer space on a never-to-return mission to see if energy can be harvested from black holes. Creepy Doctor Dibs (Juliette Binoche) is attempting a baby-breeding program with sperm she collects from the men to inseminate the women.This is one of the most perplexing, non-linear, fascinating, disturbing and infuriating sci-fi movies I've seen in a long time. Its plot unfolds in a totally non-linear way, so at the start we see that Monte already has his much-loved baby, and that he and the child are in fact the only survivors in the space ship. The back story gradually unfolds, the plot lurches back and forth, even back to times spent on Earth, while all the while a black hole looms closer and closer. Denis is a much respected auteur, and this is her first English language foray. Pattinson is a much deeper actor than his Twilight series vampire character would suggest, and Binoche is, as always, impressive. I'm at a total loss as to what to make of this film, but it is seldom less than intriguing.
2.5 - maybe! (or is it maybe recommended - beats me - plenty of award nominations and wins though)