It’s Easter time, and what better time to settle down for a film and let those April showers pass? A problem we often have in choosing a film to watch though is making the choice across dozens of apps and platforms, so in the spirit of the season, rather you (Easter) hunting around for something to watch, here are some egg-cellent (sorry) choices of some hidden gems.
The Guest – Netflix
This stylish, violent and very fun thriller starring Dan Stevens came off the back of his star-making turn in Downton Abbey to star in this-a complete 180 from his persona in the ITV show. Released not long after the Ryan Gosling-fronted film Drive, producers realised that there was an audience seeking more films like that; propelled by a cool soundtrack, vivid visual style and topped off with brief moments of fairly extreme violence.
The popularity of Drive meant that The Guest followed that template to a tee: it’s a woozy mix of 80s action thrillers and classic westerns with a recognizable story, but set in a time that could be anything from the early 80s to today, soundtrack included. The story is fairly generic: a stranger arrives into a small town with a secret and things (violence) happen, but it’s done with a style that makes the film stand out above many other more boring examples, and leaves audiences satisfied to the point of wanting a sequel. Thoroughly enjoyable and satisfying.
Hunt for the Wilderpeople – Netflix
There was quite an apathetic feeling to the last Thor film, but writer Director Taika Waititi’s filmography is still STUFFED full of funny, silly and heart-warming films, often featuring irreverent and off-beat characters. Across his films, perhaps no film better demonstrates this (aside from the brilliant Jojo Rabbit) than Hunt for the Wilderpeople. Set in Waititi’s native New Zealand, the film is an action/comedy/adventure suitable for (most of the) family, and about a young man who, after spending his life being bounced around foster homes, decides he doesn’t want to move again and badly fakes his own death and runs away.
The great thing about this, aside from the superb performances of Sam Neill (yes, THE Sam Neill) and relative newcomer Julian Dennison, is the perfect blend of genuinely hilarious moments alongside touching and heartfelt scenes that will grab anyone with a heart. Waititi has a real-knack for using an irreverent tone in his dialogue and to cut through moments of intense emotion, and this is perhaps his best example and a film that almost everyone will love.
Train to Busan – Netflix
Who doesn’t love a zombie film? We’ve all seen them and all have preferences and favorites, from zombie comedies (Shaun of the Dead) to ultra-violent gore feasts (Evil Dead), romantic comedies with zombies (Warm Bodies) to animated zombies (ParaNorman), classic 1970s zombies (Dawn of the Dead), and modern day CGI zombie fests (World War Z).
So where does Train two Busan fit in? Well, with most of those examples, (aside from the animated part), but with a really simple concept: a man and daughter are on a train and a zombie outbreak occurs. The claustrophobia throughout makes for a tense atmosphere and fairly relentless action, but it’s the relationship between the father and daughter and the desperation to survive that really drive the film along. Train to Busan has become a real cult-classic in recent years, no doubt in part because of the interest in Korean cinema, and is well-worth a watch if you’re a fan of the genre.
Candyman – iPlayer
Most people would agree that remakes are bad. As are “reimaginings”. And sequels are rarely much better either! Luckily then, this sequel/remake/reimaging of the 1992 cult horror classic is excellent. It was quite divisive on its release, but we’re here to tell you that there’s a LOT to like in this underappreciated gem: clever set-pieces, constant sense of dread, dark and ominous soundtrack, moments of quite intense horror and gore, a really clever story that develops in a predictable but enjoyable manner, and links to the original film throughout. You don’t need to have seen the original to get the most from this film, but it’d make for an interesting double-header to watch the original and then this straight after. Whether you end up being a fan or not, it’s clearly a cut above many of the generic horror films we see these days, and well worth the brisk 90 minute run time.
Sicario – iPlayer
Even if we had the whole magazine to write about Sicario it wouldn’t be enough room to explain just how superb this film is and why you need to see it, either as soon as possible, or to watch it again if you’ve not thought about it in a while. With the release of (the superbly ambitious and deeply enjoyable) Dune 2, director Dennis Villeneuve has truly established himself as one of the finest filmmakers working today. Given that his body of work is now stacked full of modern classics, his filmography is often ranked and compared, (which is incredibly difficult, but Arrival doesn’t get enough love in these lists) with Sicario often unfairly near the bottom.
However, this action/crime/Western film is a genuine masterpiece. Firstly, it looks phenomenal, from the vivid desert scenes, to the dusky Mexican borderlands through to the astonishing extended sequence in night vision, the whole film is beautiful to just look at. Secondly, Villeneuve is well-regarded for his stacked ensemble casts, and here Emily Blunt, Josh Brolin, Daniel Kaluuya, Benicio Del Toro and Jon Bernthal lead a whole host of slippery, morally-bankrupt and ambiguous people which means that you’re never sure who to trust. But overall, from the first frame to the last, you’re never entirely sure what will happen next and what that will mean for the characters and as a result, you’re constantly on edge in the best possible way.
Ian Moreno-Melgar
