The Unbearable Weight of Massive Talent
The last decade of Nic Cage’s career has been a straight to streaming/DVD rollercoaster of average and often diabolically bad movies, but things seem to be taking a turn of late and after receiving great reviews for Pig (2021), ‘The ‘Unbearable Weight of Massive Talent’ is rumoured to continue his return to form.
Cage plays a version of himself, a washed up actor who accepts an offer from a billionaire super fan Javi (Pedro Pascal), to attend his birthday party. They develop a close friendship, but Javi might not be the man Nic thinks he is.
With plenty of references to his previous movies such as 'The Rock' and 'National Treasure', this is essential viewing for any Cage fan.
The Unbearable Weight of Massive Talent previews at cinemas nationwide on April 18th.
The Northman
Those whose cinematic experience of the Vikings is limited to a one-eyed Kirk Douglas running on the ships oars in Richard Fleicher’s 1958 classic should prepare themselves for an escalation in the old ultra violence. The Northman is a bloody revenge epic directed by Robert Egger’s (The Lighthouse) and written by Eggers and the Icelandic poet Sjón. Alexander Skarsgård takes the lead whilst Nicole Kidman, Claes Bang, Anya Taylor-Joy and Björk are on supporting duty.
The Northman is released at cinema nationwide on April 15th
Compartment No.6
Shortlisted for the best International Feature at this years academy awards, Compartment No.6 is the story of a Finnish student travelling by train from Moscow to Murmansk in the Arctic to study the Kanozero Petroglyphs, rock drawings dated to the 2nd and 3rd Millennium BC that have yet to be deciphered. Forced to share the small train car with a gruff Russian Miner, they form a bond that changes both of their lives.
With some critics comparing it to Richard Linklater’s classic romance movie ‘Before Sunrise’, this could be the perfect date movie to enjoy over the easter weekend.
Compartment No. 6 is showing at selected cinemas nationwide.
Sweet Smell of Success
Mauled by critics during it’s original previews, Sweet Smell of Success is now regarded as one of the greatest films of the 1950s and any chance to see it on the big screen should not be spurned.
Burt Lancaster plays monstrous theatre gossip columnist, J.J. Hunsecker, who ropes unscrupulous press agent, Sidney Falco (Tony Curtis) into smearing an up-and-coming jazz musician who is romancing his sister.
Directed by Ealing Comedy stalwart Alexendar Mackendrick and with the legendary Cliff Odets and Ernest Lehman on scripting duty, you’ll be sucked in by the music and majesty of a black and white Manhattan.
Sweet Smell of Success is showing at London’s Prince Charles Cinema on April 16th.
Carlito’s Way
Al Pacino and Brian De Palma’s 1983 collaboration ‘Scarface’ gets all plaudits and recognition but for many their second movie, Carlito’s Way, is the pick of the pair.
Reformed heroin dealer Carlito Brigante is released early from prison and determined to go straight. All he wants is to make enough money so he can disappear to paradise and invest in a rental car company, but he gets sucked back into the underworld after being in the wrong bar at the wrong time.
Sean Penn gives one of his best performances as Carlito’s ambitious cocaine snorting lawyer and Pacino is on song as the world weary romantic gangster trying to avoid what he’s good at. The music is great, the dialogue is quotable and although De Palma pinches many ideas from his influences, and himself in the case of the train station shoot-out which reeks of The Untouchables, he’s a tasteful thief indeed.
Carlito’s Way is streaming on Netflix UK now
