RAMS ★★★★☆
Directed by Jeremy Sims. Starring Sam Neill, Michael Caton, Miranda Richardson, Asher Keddie, Wayne Blair. VOD, 115 min
Winning remake of the excellent Icelandic comedy concerning two brothers tending sheep angrily while refusing to exchange words. Neill plays the marginally more civilised Colin. The reliably charismatic Caton is the drunk, profane near-psychopathic Les. The shift to Western Australia alters the whole tone of the piece – but not in a bad way. Lighter, less at home to existential gloom, Rams becomes a very antipodean class of whimsical delight. Makes good use of its primates and even better use of its ruminants. DC
MALCOLM & MARIE ★★★★☆
Directed by Sam Levinson. Starring Zendaya, John David Washington. Netflix, 106 min
Euphoria creator Levinson throws his hat in the Oscars ring with this slinky, maddening, romantic, scathing two-hander in which a hot-shot director, returning from the successful premiere of his debut feature, argues with his domestic partner. The script is as indulgent as it is compelling, which is fair considering its depiction of two riled people who know each other's weaknesses. Both players are terrific, but Zendaya leaves the viewer yearning to watch the Spider-Man star in a silent movie. The monochrome cinematography is beautiful. TB
BLISS ★★★☆☆
Directed by Mike Cahill. Starring Salma Hayek, Owen Wilson, Madeline Zima, Nesta Cooper. Amazon Prime, 103 min
Wilson plays a man in full-blown midlife crisis after recently getting divorced and fired in quick succession. He's in a sorry and perhaps psychotic state when he meets Isabel (Hayek), a woman living on the streets who is convinced that the world around them is a computer simulation. Slowly, and somewhat messily, Bliss coalesces into an allegory about addiction. Maybe? Perhaps? Go in expecting head-scratching, some non-sequiturs and lots of quirks and Bliss will mostly entertain and consistently baffle. TB
EYE FOR AN EYE ★☆☆☆☆
Directed by George Gallo, Francesco Cinquemani. Starring John Travolta, Morgan Freeman, Famke Janssen, Robert Patrick, Kat Graham, Peter Stormare, Brendan Fraser, Ella Bleu Travolta. VOD, 98 min
Abysmal noir featuring a narcoleptic Travolta as an LA-based private detective visiting his old manor in Texas. Originally titled The Poison Rose, the picture dares to allude to a much better film in its opening frame. A private dick with a cat? You, sir, are no The Long Goodbye. Hats off to Fraser alone, who camps up his cameo with the gusto of a tipsy clown at a children's birthday party. It's good to know Eye for an Eye brought joy into one person's life. Early contender for turkey of the year. DC
