FILM | MAMMA MIA - HERE WE GO AGAIN

Mamma Mia II opens today & who better to review it than local actress Niamh Perry who played a major role when the theatre production toured globally? We tasked Niamh with giving us her F Words on the FILM. 

When I first heard rumours that Mamma Mia 2 was in the pipeline I wasn’t too sure how I felt about it. In fact, I thought it was a joke. ABBA and the worldwide smash hit musical-turned-movie has been such a huge part of my life and my career. Surely there was no way they could top the already carefully woven storyline with some of the most recognisable and memorable melodies ever? No one could get it right twice right?

Wrong.

Mamma Mia- Here We Go Again is exactly what it should be. Feel-good, heart warming, brilliantly cheesy and fantastically camp.

The film is written and directed by Ol Parker (of The Best Exotic Marigold Hotel fame) with story by Parker, Richard Curtis and Catherine Johnson (who wrote the original script for the musical back in 1999.)

The action jumps between Donna’s past and Sophie’s present as she get’s ready to re-launch her mother’s Greek hotel, aptly now renamed as Bella Donna. We step back in time to Donna Sheridan’s graduation day from Oxford University, and follow her on her journey to take a look at how she ‘actually’ met those famous “three possible dads” all those years ago. Lily James is wonderful as the younger version of Meryl Streep’s Donna, bringing sass and energy to the role, not to mention a beautiful singing voice.  As well as welcoming back the Hollywood Royalty cast from the original Mamma Mia Movie, the film introduces a talented new bunch of actors in Hugh Skinner, Josh Dylan and Jeremy Irvine who play Harry (Colin Firth), Bill (Stellan Skarsgård) and Sam (Pierce Brosnan) respectively. Shout out to Hugh Skinner who’s Young Harry brings the perfect balance of awkward geeky charm. 

Jessica Keenan Wynn as Young Tanya and Alexa Davies as Young Rosie also shine in their roles, perfectly cementing the unbreakable friendship shown by Streep, Walters and Baranski in the original movie. 

There are quite a few brilliantly timed cameos in the film. Benny and Bjorn pop up every so often when you least expect it, Omid Djalili is comedy gold as the Greek Customs Officer and Celia Imrie is fantastic as Vice- Chancellor of the University. Her turn in When I Kissed The Teacher with Lily James is amazing!

However, nothing quite prepared me for the entrance of Cher as Ruby Sheridan, mother to Donna (Meryl Streep) and grandmother to Sophie (Amanda Seyfried.) I was invited to watch a preview of the movie a few weeks ago (along with some of my lovely friends and peers who feature in the movie’s ensemble ‘Greek Chorus’) and the whole cinema erupted into a frenzy at the sheer sight of the woman. She is Glam, Fabulous and everything you want her to be. Her version of Fernando is a definite highlight. 

I could talk about this movie all day and I’ve tried not to give away too many spoilers but to sum up, it is the summer blockbuster we all need to see. Beautifully shot with an amazing cast and the perfect balance between cheese, honest storytelling and some of the best songs ever written. I defy you not to enjoy every single second. My F Word? FANTASTIC! Enjoy! 

FILM I OCEAN´S 8

Ocean’s 8 by Emer Dooris (emerdblog) and Cathy Martin

Oceans 8 opened this week and, for me, it's the perfect film released with perfect timing to embrace the zeitgeist of girl power in the world right now. Having watched the previous Ocean’s heist movies, I always thought the female characters had been lacking, but not in this film. On the contrary, in this fab film we have the Spice Girls of the heist world; as Ocean’s 8 brings together a female strategist, a female designer, a female hacker and a female who works in logistics.

These characters are all skilled, intelligent and empowered women who aren’t afraid to give each other a leg up. I ask myself why an action film like this hasn’t been made before? And I even dare to ask if they make an Ocean’s 9, can it have a female director please

The basic premise:  Debbie Ocean (Sandra Bullock) has been devising the biggest heist of her life whilst locked up in prison for all of  5 years, 8 months and 12 days - but who's been counting? She knows what it's going to take to pull off the perfect heist and she feels she has to prove this to her dead brother (Harry Ocean from the previous films). She assembles a team of the best people in the field, starting with her partner-in-crime Lou Miller (Cate Blanchett). Together, they recruit a crew of specialists, including jeweller Amita (Mindy Kaling), street con Constance (Awkwafina), suburban mom Tammy (Sarah Paulson), hacker Nine Ball (Rihanna), and fashion designer Rose (Helena Bonham Carter).

Their target? A necklace that's worth more than $150 million, set to be the star attraction on the red carpet at the Met Ball. It’s the normal Ocean’s premise, i.e. find a target and work out the most complicated but entertaining way to turn the tables so the bad guys end up looking like the good guys.

The film is clever with lots of twists and turns. It's about friendship, trust and a bit of a revenge plot in there too. Add in cameos from Kim K, Gigi Hadid and a few other A-listers, and it has you glued. Not enough suspense or action for me, but very entertaining all the same and I hope this a start of a new series of Ocean films!

FILM: THE POST

If you need one reason to watch The Post then consider this – this is the first film that Tom Hanks and Meryl Streep have made together. If you need another reason then it’s directed by Steven Spielberg. If you need a third reason; it’s excellent. 

The Post is the story the Washington Post’s struggle to publish the Pentagon Papers – a leaked report stating that the White House had lied to the American public for years about the Vietnam War. The Post and the New York Times had to fight all the way to the Supreme Court to publish what was one of the biggest governmental cover-ups in history. 

So of course this film is every bit as slick and stylish as you would imagine with three such big hitters involved. Spielberg has cleverly captured the current zeitgeist in a film set 40 years ago. The themes are all about free press and not allowing government to run roughshod over a nation – sound familiar?. Oh and there’s the thing about women too. 

I’ll admit I didn’t know anything about Katharine Graham before I saw this film, but now I want to know everything. Daughter, wife, mother, widow and chairwoman of the board. She was the owner and publisher of the Washington Post and the difficult decisions about whether or not the paper was breaking the law came down to her and editor Ben Bradlee, played by Tom Hanks. 

The film is her journey from struggling to find her way in an almost entirely man’s world, to finding her voice over all of theirs. Of course Meryl was nominated for an Oscar for this, it’s the kind of thing she does really well and I loved seeing her on-screen metamorphosis. I’m not surprised that Tom Hanks wasn’t nominated. It’s not that he didn’t give a good performance, I just felt that there wasn’t much substance to the character. 

I have to admit I love films like these. I love seeing offices full of typewriters and rotary telephones, with absolutely everyone smoking everywhere. I love the hairstyles and the clothes and how long it takes to do anything because they don’t have computers. 

The Post isn’t the sexiest story around. There aren’t any explosions or unrequited love stories. But I think it’s an important film to see in terms of US history and the history of women. Even if you’re not a history buff, it’s certainly a compelling film to watch. 

FILM: GAME NIGHT, A COMEDY YOU NEED TO SEE!

I’m not really one for a cringe worthy comedy. Slapstick isn’t my thing and just makes me feel awkward. Most comedies leave me unamused and are immediately unforgettable. 

Which is why Game Night certainly wins a prize for being the most surprising film I’ve seen in a while – it’s funny. 

And when I say funny, I mean really, laugh-out-loud, struggle-to-catch your breath funny. 

It’s a great story. Married couple Annie and Max – played by Rachel McAdams and Jason Bateman – regularly host game night for their friends. Max’s annoyingly over-achieving brother Brooks comes to town and throws the murder-mystery party to end all parties – particularly when it turns out his own kidnapping is real. The couples must race against time to find and free Brooks.

Now, I know what you’re thinking. This is a predictable plot and you’ve probably figured out the twist already – you haven’t. This is a slick and surprisingly believable offering from the duo that wrote Horrible Bosses. This time they’re directing as well as writing. Don’t worry, it’s better than Horrible Bosses, so much better. There are no ridiculous tricks and stunts here. We see three very ordinary couples find themselves in a quagmire of gangsters and drug dealers and panic accordingly. 

There are some seriously slick scenes in this movie. Watch out for the keep-away game at the Eyes Wide Fight Club house. Also see Max and Annie dealing with the removal of a bullet, a scene that makes them utterly believable as a married couple. 

I want to tell you more about this film. I want to tell you about the creepy next door neighbour and the Faberge egg. I want to tell you about Annie’s Pulp fiction moment or the squeaky hamburger or even the world’s weirdest game of charades but I can’t without ruining the whole thing, and even then I wouldn’t do them the justice that the film does. Go for the giggles in this one.

FILM | ALL THE MONEY IN THE WORLD

Having lived in Italy for two years I am immediately drawn to films shot there; and this one, by director Ridley Scott, was no exception. Add to that the intrigue of the story – based on fact – about a globally profiled Mafiosi kidnapping of a member of the richest family in the world, and this is a recipe for movie fairy dust in my eyes.

Scott re-tells the true story of the kidnapping of John Paul Getty III in 1973. Getty was the grandson of oil magnate J Paul Getty, the richest man in the world. He was also the man who stalled for five months before paying the ransom.

This story made headlines in 1973, but it made them again in 2017 even before the film was released because the actor who originally played J Paul Getty was Kevin Spacey, and accusations of his decades-long sexual misconduct surfaced not long after principal photography had wrapped. In light of the accusations, director Ridley Scott re-shot Kevin Spacey’s role, replacing him with Christopher Plummer. This is a pretty big deal in the film industry as the entire cast and crew had to be recalled.

After all the drama, the film has finally made it to the big screen with just 2-3 days’ delay and it’s had some mixed reviews. Some say that Plummer’s version of Getty isn’t as effective as Spacey’s would have been. That far from refusing to pay the ransom, his character seems like he could have been persuaded to give it up quite easily.  I disagree, I thought Christopher Plummer was amazing in his role and that it snapped into place easily with the rest of the film. His Oscar nomination is well deserved and I can’t imagine what Kevin Spacey would have brought to that role that Plummer didn’t deliver – and more.  

And he’s not the only one. There are some seriously good actors in this film.  I particularly enjoyed the bold and fulsome performances of Mark Wahlberg and Charlie Plummer (no relation to Christopher), who played John Paul Getty III and Michelle Williams as his mother, Gail Harris. I actually don’t understand why Michelle didn’t get nominated for an Oscar as she carried most of the film. After her son is kidnapped she is the one working to sway Getty to pay the ransom as her son’s captors become more and more vicious, eventually cutting off his ear in a scene so gruesome (but probably nowhere near the reality 45 years ago) I wretched repeatedly in the cinema.

Mega-director Ridley Scott is evident everywhere in this movie. He has really captured the colour and confidence of this beautiful country but also its ugly side with the Mafiosi.

This is a tense thriller running against a clock mixed with a cautionary tale about the perils and penalties of vast wealth and some very dark humour. It’s stylishly done – as you would expect from Ridley Scott. You definitely won’t fall asleep during this one.

FILM | THE DARKEST HOUR

Set in the early days of the Second World War, The Darkest Hour sees a newly-elected Winston Churchill take charge of a (so far) ill-managed war as the Nazis steadily take over western Europe. Britain’s newest prime minister must decide whether to negotiate a peace treaty or continue to fight one of the most formidable armies the world has ever seen.

You’ve probably noticed this film doing the rounds, if not for Gary Oldman alone. At the time of writing he has either won or been nominated for just about every award going for his star turn as the legendary Winston Churchill. The list includes the Oscars, Golden Globes and Baftas, among many others. The female casting was also superb, with Lily James (Cinderella) playing a blinder as Churchill’s secretary and Kristen Scott-Thomas giving a stellar performance as Clemmie, Churchill’s wife.

Churchill was a formidable statesman in so many ways, but this film is keen to show his true self with all of his failings. He smoked and drank to excess, but was also arrogant, gruff and disagreeable, characteristics which lost him both friends and allies in politics. It must be said that this is a war film without a huge amount of war in it. And it’s certainly fascinating to see an uncertain Churchill, trying to hold steadfast in the face of what would become the biggest conflict the planet has ever seen - before or since. But the movie also shows that his biggest conflict wasn’t necessarily with Hilter or Mussolini, but with Chamberlain and Lord Halifax who were scheming for a ‘Peace’ Treaty with Germany and all at once trying to undermine Churchill’s parliamentary and cabinet position. Hindsight proved that at least where Hitler was concerned, Churchill knew the cut of his jib.

I saw The Darkest Hour at around the same time as I was watching another great actor - John Lithgow - portray the great man on the Netflix series The Crown. (Which is unmissable, by  the way). Lithgow’s Churchill again scored him a clutch of awards and nominations. And while both men gave brilliant performances for such a complex character,  Lithgow, for me, had the edge. His performance was softer and showed a more vulnerable side - but then again he was mostly playing the victorious post-war Churchill, who no longer had to stand toe to toe with Adolf Hitler. The only real soft side of Churchill in The Darkest Hour is the scene (which I don’t think is factual) in which he takes to the Tube and touches base with some ‘real life’ folk, if only to justify his own beliefs about going to war. One also feels some sympathy for him in his ‘Black Dog’ moments of depression, however does it make me a bad person if I say he probably shouldn’t have been drinking through those. But who am I to judge, eh?

The film is quite dark – both in name and in content, but also in the cinematography too, and the only way I can describe it is that it feels like the whole thing was filmed with the Instagram Stories ‘New York’ filter. And for someone who enjoys positive and bright art in general, this made me pay attention – art is supposed to stimulate and provoke, right?

Churchill was not a pleasant person up close and that certainly comes across in the film, but like the British public at the time, we are won over by his genius idea of sending civilian boats to Dunkirk to rescue 300,000 British soldiers fleeing the Nazis. This cemented his celebrity and to this day it holds that one of his biggest victories was actually in retreat. I couldn’t help wondering after I had seen the movie, how much more would he have achieved if he hadn’t smoked or drank his way through most of his days?

The Darkest Hour separates the myth from the man in Winston Churchill. Gary Oldman deserves every one of his nominations and I would happily bet he’ll walk away with an Oscar. How could he not, having given us a glimpse at a real titan of the 20th century?

FILM | THE GREATEST SHOWMAN

In an age of pro-diversity and millennials brought up on Lady Gaga’s ‘Born this Way’, it seems strange - or maybe it’s timely - to watch a movie which so rawly exposes how people were once so afraid of (and unfortunately therefore nasty to) others who looked or behaved a little bit differently. And it’s a stark reminder that many people s

The Greatest Showman is a modern lesson in celebrating humanity, in all its shapes and sizes; it is a very romantic tale told around the story of Phineas Taylor Barnum’s original circus (which was likely pretty murky in its reality at times).  And whilst it is the story of the variety of humanity in the wider sense, it is the wonderful story of individual humanity and how one human’s early life mistreatment stirred a strive for success and appreciation from those who mistreated him, which most intrigued me. So my favourite lines in the movie had little to do with the diversity and kindness message, and everything to do with the people pleaser mentality in the once-impoverished-constantly-striving-for-success Phineas Taylor Barnum. When his wife Charity (played by Michelle Williams) tells him that you don’t need everyone to love you, you just need a few good people to, it hit home with me as I was once a massive people-pleaser. Another line in the same vein was delivered by the hugely successful Jenny Lind character (Rebecca Ferguson) who recogises Barnum’s need for approval from people who shunned him all his life when she acknowledges that being shunned because of who you are in your youth ‘leaves a hole that no ovation will ever fill’.

I watched this movie with my six year old, so I had to explain in simple terms why Zac Efron’s character Philip Carlyle’s family shunned the relationship he had with his fellow circus performer Anne Wheeler (played brilliantly by Zendaya) - and that, my friends, was our first conversation about racism. I then went on to talk about how rich people sometimes shunned poorer people and how people who were different or looked differently caused fear, which in turn caused the nastiness from those who thought themselves ‘normal’.  But in spite of the hatred exposed in the movie, the audacious razzmatazz of the circus sweeps you up and carries you along with the Barnum hoodwinkery and humbug to a happy Hollywood ending (thank goodness, as Valentina cried - sobbed - at least twice during the movie). 

But enough of my own personal experience, what is this, a blog or something?! (JOKE!) This movie is first and foremost a musical of course, and the lyrics and choreography are outstanding - with most lyrics written by the team behind La La Land. It is sure to make it to Broadway and the West End in time. The songs are safe, easy and super catchy, they are of their time, but also timeless in their appeal and they’re delivered in a massive belt-it-all-out way which will keep karoke fans happy for decades and will no doubt have the soundtrack at the top of the download charts. Keala Settle (who plays the Bearded Lady) is the crux of the vocalists in the movie for me - she really starts to Come Alive in the song of the same name, and when she gets her solo in This Is Me, you cant help but feel the empowerment conjured up with the lyrics and sentiment in the song. 

With my own background in fashion events, it is no surprise that I loved the movie’s wardrobe - what fun must the costumiers have had concoting those. Oh and by the way, can I please borrow that one-shouldered golden sequin leotard on one of the chorus? 

Cinematography was led by Armagh man Seamus McGarvey who scores in every one of his movies. And the director Michael Gracey apparently has loose roots here at home with my former BBC trainee colleague and now national producer friend claiming him as a cousin. Some critics say this is no Moulin Rouge, but when I realised he’d only ever done small commercials, I loved him a little bit more. 

Barnum famously said once ‘the show must go on’ - and I have every confidence that this one will. 

9/10 

FILM | GIRLS TRIP

LET RIP FOR GIRLS’ TRIP – HILARIOUSLY FUNNY…

As I was on holiday at the time of this movie premiere, so I sent F Words team member Debra (find her on Instagram @debra.wray) along in my place  - and she guest blogs her review here…

There’s nothing I love more than getting away with some of my best friends. If you’re like me, then I suggest you get your girls together and head to the cinema to watch “Girls Trip.”  For me it had all the laughs and the LOLs of a modern day girls’ trip.

The film has a strong cast featuring Queen Latifah, Jada Pinkett-Smith, Regina Hall and Tiffany Haddish as the “Flossie Posse”, best friends from college who have grown apart over the years. Hall’s character Ryan Pierce is described as the “second coming of Oprah” who has a wildly successful public speaking and writing career alongside her husband Stewart.

Jada Pinkett Smith plays Lisa, a single mum of two, who lives with her overbearing mother and has fallen way out of the dating game. Queen Latifah is Sasha, a former highly regarded journalist who is now scraping the barrel as a gossip blogger with serious financial issues. Less well known Tiffany Haddish plays Dina. It’s hard to describe Dina, but she is someone you’d definitely want as a friend; she’s funny, fierce and loyal, but her temper will get her in trouble.

Ryan is invited to be the keynote speaker at Essence Festival in New Orleans, she sees this is the perfect opportunity to get the group back together for one massive weekend of drinking, debauchery and dancing. However, the trip doesn’t go to plan when it is revealed by Sasha that Ryan’s husband Stewart (Mike Colter) has been having an affair with an Instagram model called Simone. Obviously this doesn’t go to down very well with the ladies and they find the best way to deal with it is to go out and party the night away. Cue “The Hangover” style montages and hijinks. But this film, like “Bridesmaids”, has a whole lot of heart and you can see the camaraderie between the lead actresses which makes their friendship and connection the best part of the film. Jada Pinkett-Smith’s character getting back into the world of sex and dating with a younger man is one of my favourite laugh out loud moments.

Haddish’s character Dina provides the bulk of the laughs, she is the wildest of the Flossy Posse and is not ready to let go getting “white girl wasted.” She manages to steal the film away from her other wildly talented co-stars. The film has many gross-out, laugh-out-loud moments which have been rare in female-driven comedies of late, plus there are many celebrity cameos which keep the film ticking over. I won’t give them all away, but P.Diddy’s cameo is unforgettable.

Their weekend becomes a journey of self-discovery, where friendships are tested in a predictable way - but the charm of this film lies with the raunchy lead characters. They are women you’d definitely want to party with, gossip with and be best friends with. Fiercely loyal and hilarious at the same time, you know they would always be there for you.

The movie is definitely one for the ladies, as at times the humour is as explicit as it is hilarious. It may not win any Academy Awards but it is one you’ll giggle about for days after. You don’t mind the film’s long run time as, by the end, the real heart of the story shines through - the importance of friendship. By the time the credits roll, you’ll be booking a girls’ trip of your own.

4/5