Cert – 12, Run-time – 2 hours 1 minute, Director – Ben Wheatley

After meeting on the French Riviera a young woman (Lily James) falls in love with a wealthy man (Armie Hammer) who is still plagued by the memory of his late first wife

Daphne du Maurier’s novel Rebecca is regarded as a true classic gothic thriller. Many have brought it to the screen, perhaps most notably Alfred Hitchcock, whose take on the film won 1941 Oscar for Best Picture. Now sees a new take on the story of a young woman (Lily James) who falls in love with a wealthy man, Maxim de Winter (Armie Hammer), after meeting on the French Riviera, gradually learning of the dark past of her new husband and the tragedy of his late wife, Rebecca. When Netflix announced that Ben Wheatley would be bringing his take on du Maurier’s classic novel to their service, and cinemas, the choice seemed highly fitting – especially with Wheatley’s past of working with dark and gothic themes, particularly in his early films. Yet, this new take on Rebecca almost seems to be without an overly gothic tone.

The first 20 minutes of the film, as the young couple come together and get to know each other within the grounds of a lavish French hotel, where James’ unnamed protagonist (only really going by the new Mrs. de Winter) is acting as the low-paid companion for an elderly and wealthy lady (Ann Dowd) who looks down on and sneers at her employee, are highly romanticised. Everything plays at as an idyllic romance drama. Two unlikely people coming together and then running off to be married, ignoring those who say it won’t work. How could it not work? Well, it seems that everyone else knows why while our central figure is left out of the ring. Mr. de Winter is rumoured to have a dark past, mostly in relation to his first, now deceased, wife. Comparisons between wives old and new are made, although quietly in the eyes of the other figures throughout the film. Doubts begin to emerge about James as she notices the odd stares she receives, eventually being told “He can’t love you because you’re not her”. Much mystery lies around Rebecca. One certainty is that she’s undeniably highly missed by both the de Winter family and the antagonistic housekeeper of Maxim’s Manderley estate, Mrs Danvers (Kristen Scott Thomas).

All the elements of the film work rather well together. The performances are good and the general design helps to emphasise the lavish nature of the lives that the characters lead. And yet there’s one major contrast that gets in the way of the piece being properly investing. While every element is in agreement for the tone that they are aiming for the film itself feels as if it’s aiming for something different. The two tones conflict and mean that the film never feels like it properly settles. Even with slight shifts in tone during the film as a new element is introduced, a new act begins; or characters simply dramatically change their behaviour and attitudes in a split second with no gradual development, the tone the film seems to want doesn’t match that of the elements within it – not to say that this is the fault of Wheatley’s direction, this certainly isn’t the case. It almost seems to be something that happened in the editing room when the film was being pieced together and the pacing confirmed.

There’s a scene during Rebecca where Lily James is at a party. Her character feels out of place and unsure of her surroundings. Thoughts are rushing through her head in a state of confusion and upset. The camera slowly pans downward to gaze up at her as she looks around the room unsure as to where to go. It was at this point that I realised I wasn’t connected with her character, or the film. You’re not in the world that the cast and crew have been trying to create and have simply, for most of the run-time, been watching a screen. A lot of this seems to come down to the tonal conflictions between the film and its various different elements. It seems no major fault of any of the cast and crew, who all put in a good turn. It simply seems to not be quite as gothic or dark as it potentially wants to be and therefore conflicts with itself and leaves the viewer outside of its world in doing so.

Each of the individual elements of Rebecca work well together to try and create a mysterious tone and feel to the thriller. Yet it seems that the film loses itself somewhere, perhaps in the editing room, feeling as if it aims for something else and therefore disallowing the viewer from engaging with, or feeling a part of, it.

Cert – 12, Run-time – 1 hour 36 minutes, Director – Sofia Coppola

Suspecting that her husband (Marlon Wayans) is cheating on her, Laura (Rashida Jones) somehow enlists the help of her playboy father (Bill Murray) to find out the truth behind his various business trips

It may seem hard to believe but, Bill Murray’s only Academy Award nomination is for his performance in Sofia Coppola’s Lost In Translation. A magnificent turn that many were sure could have earned him the win, if it wasn’t for Sean Penn in Mystic River. Almost seventeen years later we could finally see him gain a second nod for his first feature collaboration – Netflix’s A Very Murray Christmas aside – with the writer-director in that time.

Although, while Murray shines throughout the film, the focus is definitely not on his character. Instead we follow Rashida Jones’ Laura. A mother of two who begins to suspect that her husband (a highly restrained and subtle Marlon Wayans – far away from the loud, spoof comedy performances that many of us have likely become use to from him over the years) is having an affair. He regularly flies off to other countries on business trips with his co-worker Fiona (Jessica Henwick). As she becomes increasingly worried and suspicious Laura finds herself somehow enlisting the help of her playboy father, Felix (Murray), to help get to the bottom of what’s really happening.

Murray and Jones’ chemistry throughout is fantastic. Beat for beat they match each other, creating a genuine bond that brings the viewer into the charmingly lit world of the film, assisted by Philippe Le Sourd’s warm and effective cinematography; having previously worked on Coppola’s The Beguiled. Two award worthy performances that bring about the many laughs – particularly around the somehow charming forwardness to and about the women Felix encounters – with a finely tuned sprinkling of emotion elsewhere. All bringing about the fact that this is a film about people just being themselves. Humans being humans, connecting and conversing with other humans. Admittedly rather wealthy humans who personally know the concierges of the best hotels in London, but still these characters feel real. Never stepping anywhere near the thought of exaggeration just for the purposes of entertainment.

You find yourself brought in for an enjoyable time. Into a piece of irresistible escapism. It’s hard not to have a large smile spread across your face, not just for a few seconds but for entire scenes and stretches of time. Simply caught up within the central father-daughter relationship that pushes the story further, allowing you to further connect with that also. Everything spring-boarding from Sofia Coppola’s fantastic screenplay; captured through her, as ever, expert direction. From start to finish of the gently flowing 96 minute run-time you invest in the central relationship that helps form the events of the film for an almost perfect story about human behaviour and responses, worries and joys.

Murray and Jones are sensational in the lead roles of Sofia Coppola’s latest hit. Bringing to life a top screenplay and creating an irresistibly inviting world that you can’t help but be caught up in. A pure escapist delight that manages to feel genuine and real.

Cert – 15, Run-time – 1 hour 33 minutes, Director – Barnaby Thompson

A young woman (Olivia Cooke) finds herself on the run from the effects of her dangerous relationships, travelling across the country with two near-strangers (Ben Hardy, Daryl McCormack), a bag full of drugs and multiple gang members not far behind

Pixie (Olivia Cooke) is said to be one of the most mysterious people in her town. She mostly keeps to herself in her small, isolated house on the outskirts of town while various rumours circulate about her, particularly among the men about her sex life. And her actual life is almost as complex as the rumours. Her step-dad (Colm Meaney) and step-brother are both key figures in a large gang who happen to rival a gang that are after something that Pixie happens to have in her shared possession. It’s not long until both gangs, partly spawned by the deaths of Pixie’s boyfriend and her ex, are after the titular figure on a road-trip through the country roads of Ireland.

Driving with Pixie, and often taking her lead, are Frank (Ben Hardy) and Harland (Daryl McCormack), two friends who have accidentally come across a large bag filled with drugs and, after another set of circumstances, a dead body in the boot of the car. Everything somehow leading back to Pixie; who has hatched the plan of selling the drugs, worth at least one million euros – according to Google – and then get the first flight out of the country, ideally to San Francisco. And while two gangs are on the tail of the group this never exactly feels like a gang story, one about someone stuck between two gangs or even just someone trying to escape from something. There’s more of a communal feel about the piece because of the relationship between the central three figures, and yet one feeling, or style, that sits throughout is that of an early 2000’s British gangster comedy.

On a number of occasions with the short lines that some characters are given the screenplay does sometimes feel as if it’s about two drafts away from being properly complete. There are brief asides that don’t seem to go anywhere and moments that don’t have any major benefit to the plot, and instead seem to be there so that a singular character has something to do while others are doing something to advance the narrative a bit more. While there are one or two mildly amusing moments that create the odd exhale of amusement the laughs don’t really roll in – during one shootout scene in particular the question comes about as to whether the scene is meant to be funny or not, the facial expressions and score – which sometimes you begin to switch your focus towards – imply it might be, but the effect isn’t really there.

All other elements are fine, the performances are relaxed and the actors seem to be having a good time – although Alec Baldwin’s Irish accent when we first meet his character; Father Hector McGrath, is somewhat questionable. Baldwin initially seems as if he’s present for as an odd cameo. However, after another 30-40 minutes he finally reappears for a few more minutes, proving, alongside various reports and articles on the film that reference his name, that this isn’t a cameo and making it feel as if there’s a lot with his character that’s been cut out. It ends up feeling like a very minor character is soon rushed into having a big deal made about them when it comes to the gang of priests and gun-wielding nuns in the drug trad – because nobody suspects a priest, cue joke about paedophilia within the Catholic Church.

When it all comes together everything feels as if it falls a bit flat, and it mostly leads back to the screenplay feeling as if it needs at least one more revision. While the performances are good and there’s potential for a good film, and some decent call-back moments, the film seems to lack something. Not quite having the comedic punch that it potentially could have. Leading it to not quite engage or have the energy and push that it might want to properly capture the feeling that could make it feel like a proper throwback to the 2000’s road-trip caper comedy.

With a few details lacking from the screenplay Pixie ultimately falls short of capturing the potential energy and humour that it could have. It might have some amusing moments but not enough to make it the pacey caper it could be.

Cert – PG, Run-time – 1 hour 39 minutes, Director – Marc Munden

A young, orphaned girl (Dixie Egerickx) finds herself living on her uncle’s (Colin Firth) estate in the Yorkshire Moors, which holds a large, fantastical garden

Since its first publication in 1911 The Secret Garden has been regarded as one of the most British children’s tales. Brought once again the the screen by producer David Heyman, behind British classics such as the Harry Potter franchise and both Paddington films – Paddington exec producer Rosie Alison also has a hand in this big-screen iteration of Frances Hodgson Burnett’s classic novel. Both highly British, especially Paddington, with there elements of fantasy. As the film’s protagonist, Mary (Dixie Egerickx) finds herself exploring the grounds of her uncle’s (Colin Firth) estate in the gloomy fog of the Yorkshire Moors, she quickly discovers a fantastical garden beyond that of the regular overgrown patches visible from the house.

Mary finds herself back in Britain after being orphaned in late 1940’s India. Taken to her distant Uncle, Lord Archibald Craven’s expansive home – rarely seen, and often spoken through his strict and direct housekeeper Mrs. Medlock (Julie Walters). The corridors of the home are dark, dusty and lacking decoration. Sounds are dull with the occasional rattling echo. One of those sounds belonging to Mary’s ill bedbound cousin Colin (Edan Hayhurst). Initially there are conflictions between the two, especially regarding their different backgrounds; it isn’t always easy to get on with the rather spoilt Mary, especially when her first instinct is to command maid and houseworker Martha (Isis Davis) before questioning whether she really is her servant – the answer is definitely no.

The state of the manor vastly differs from that of the garden. A brightly lit, sunshine-filled realm with plants that seem to stretch up to the sky and out to far reaches. Scattered with the occasional gently flowing stream and blatantly CGI bird. It’s in this area that almost seems like an entirely different world that the children, including new friend Dickon (Amir Wilson), who acts as the introduction to the garden itself, easily find escape and safety within. It offers a form of healing for them, and protection from the confines of the manor and the rest of Lord Craven’s estate. It’s during such moments where the central figures are simply allowed to be free and play in a relatively worry-free environment, although the pressures and anxieties of the rest of the world gradually creep in. And it’s also in such moments that the film shows itself as one that appears to target the kids more than anyone else.

At 99 minutes the run-time of the film is relatively short. The film breezes through with a fairly simplistic and traditionally told story, something that echoed through screenwriter Jack Thorne’s screenplay for 2019’s The Aeronauts. This doesn’t make the film unwatchable for the adults, there’s enough there to make this a pleasant watch for the fairly short and mostly harmless time that it’s on for. There’s enough there to certainly work for the kids and bring them into the world that the trio of youths find themselves exploring and experiencing the wonders of, and it’ll likely capture their imagination and engagement. However, there are points where you almost feel some elements could be slightly expanded upon, particularly in the final 15 minutes where the pacing begins to speed up and elements appear to rush by so that the film can still get out with a double digit run-time. But, for what it does provide and do within the space of time that it’s on The Secret Garden is a perfectly fine piece of work. It might be more for the kids, but there’s enough within this fantastical realm, and even the one that it separates from, to engage the adults too and make the film worthwhile enough with its rather traditional ways.

Simplistic and traditional help give this edition of The Secret Garden to life, yet they can also sometimes act as its barriers, for adult viewers at least. Nonetheless this is still a rather fine adaptation that’s very likely to work with younger viewers, and should act as a decent watch for everyone else.

Cert – 15, Run-time – 1 hour 36 minutes, Director – Jason Woliner

Borat (Sacha Baron Cohen) returns to America in the hope of supporting the now struggling nation of Kazakhstan, after the impact of his first film, through a gift to Vice President Mike Pence.

Back in 2006 Borat was one of the most outrageous characters the world had ever seen. Causing further waves across the world than he already had in his days on Da Ali G Show. And yet his misogynistic, anti-Semitic, sometimes racist, homophobic and all-out offensive views have no been claimed, by some, to be rather mild compared to what we see in the world today. And this is something that comes across as Sacha Baron Cohen’s iconic moustachioed Kazakh reporter ventures back into the land of the free, minus former travel companion Azamat Bagatov.

After the impact of his first film Kazakhstan has become a laughing stock. Borat is jailed, ridiculed and hated for what he has done. However, when America’s leadership changes to “Mcdonald Trump” the country is eager to form a bond with the States powerful leader, who they believe they share a number of views with. Borat is sent out into the world, travelling to America to gift Vice President with Johnny The Monkey; Kazakhstan’s Minister of Culture, and a highly successful ape porn star. Unfortunately after a series of events the gift changes from a chimpanzee to Borat’s far more dishevelled daughter Tutar (a scene-stealing Maria Bakalova); after a major make-over, of course.

One notable element of this sequel is the fact that it clearly has a much larger narrative in place. The relationship between Baron Cohen and Bakalova’s characters is key, as Borat’s belief in traditional Kazakhstani rules such as women not being allowed to drive, and not being able to learn or else strings in their brain will snap, conflicts with Tutar discovering feminism, freedom and her own identity. There are still a fair deal of interviews and run-ins with various figures – although not quite with the spark that the original film had, the joke of a stranger in a foreign land isn’t quite present in this place, more just someone with different views and background – to be found but not always a feeling like the first film. Mostly due to such moments seemingly relying on pushing the narrative on rather than the reaction of those involved.

In one key scene we see Baron Cohen’s character don one of a number of disguises throughout the film – preventing him from being chased and recognised with shots of “very nice!”, “great success!” and, of course, “my wife!”, all of which are mentioned in the film – lead a big sing-a-long at a pro-Trump anti-virus rally. The lyrics being sung repeated by the crowd amongst whoops and cheers brings back the flavour that many know from Borat, dwelling on and relishing the responses of the people who were, at the time of the first film, a seeming minority. It’s these moments that work the best and truly bring in the chuckles. There are one or two laugh out loud moments throughout the film, although not really at the shock factor of the film, rather some of the more ‘out there’ lines of dialogue and scenarios; the snappier, punchier moments of quick jokes and jabs and then onto the next thing. There are a handful of chuckles and exhales of amusement to be found but somehow the comedy gets lost in the narrative driven tone of the film, and perhaps the election and pandemic themed currency of the film that leads it to feel even more satirical and focused on various different points.

Borat is very much the same, and his daughter is a nice addition – avoiding being irritating and on a number of occasions being the true highlight of the film. Perhaps he just seems to blend in a bit more with everything we see in the world now, or we’re just not sure what to make of someone who’s already discovered the world he’s walking around in. The film certainly has it’s moments during the quicker, less-narrative driven moments where the film seems to be allowed to be itself, focusing on people rather than plot. There are some laughs throughout, and not all at the more outrageous moments, but the more organised focus of the film seems to prevent it from being a great success.

Borat is very much back as he once was, and Maria Bakalova very much steals the show as his daughter. While there are still some laughs based around the reactions of the unknowing participants something seems to be lost about the film within its more narrative driven focus.