Movie reviews

CREATION STORIES

Recommended. Co-written by Irvine Welsh, it's fun "Trainspotting" style but largely based on facts. Lots of tunes by Sex Pistols, Oasis and other greats means you rock out to the riveting soundtrack. For me, it was the first time I'd heard David Bowie's "Rebel Rebel" - I had heard covers only before without realising who sang the original. And music does matter. The protagonist is Alan McGee - a legend and the kingpin of the punk music industry but remarkably he produced all those bands just out of love for music, money rarely followed. The movie dazzles you with a myriad of visual effects and ever-changing scenes. You even get to see goosebumps rising on his hand or a primary school teacher jacking up. The story shows how pure luck makes history. I loved every minute of the film. 

Director Nick Moran says Benedict Cumberbatch was offered Malcolm McLaren's part but turned it down because it was going to be just one morning's job. More of the big shots failed to turn up. So Nick ended up performing the role himself. He had met Malcolm McLaren once before so he knew how to act. And he was brilliant. Then he kept directing in the wig for the rest of the day. The director seemed a bit concerned about the vulgar vocabulary used by the characters. He needn't be. Poles are accustomed to swear words. Funnily, the movie's a UK-Polish co-production since the UK producers lacked funds. The Polish co-producer is a long-time friend of the director's. The Polish chap met him in Morocco in 2005 when he was working as a photographer taking stills for some movie and noticed someone bent down walking up a rocky hill - that was Nick Moran looking for his passport. The producer says his first time in London was in gastronomy but the second time he landed at Heathrow he knew where to direct his steps. 

ESCAPE ROOM: TOURNAMENT OF CHAMPIONS

Watchable. Starts with a summary of the events from part one. Very handy since the first instalment was so forgettable. This one is better, no longer ludicrous. It is inventive but some room ideas are pervertedly cruel, e.g. acid rain. One of the characters is a copy of Amanda from "Saw" and she even bears the same name. The film's recorded in Atmos but the sound does not stand out in any way. The ending resembles Cronenberg's "eXistenZ". The whole film is a mixture of creativity and derivativity. Clearly part three is on the cards. I'm curious what it's going to bring. Hopefully a solution. I have a feeling the series will wear down if kept on for too long.