DVDs of the Month: November

There’s not a huge amount available this month, but the few films that are out do range from arthouse indie to superhero blockbuster.

Baby Driver

Edgar Wright is known for creating brilliantly entertaining, detailed, funny, and unique pieces of cinema. All of his films have developed a cult following, and it doesn’t look like his latest will break that trend. One of the coolest and original films of the year, Baby Driver charts the involvement of getaway driver, Baby (Ansel Elgort), in a string of robberies he has been coerced into assisting. Chronicling his attempts to break out of this crime ring, as well as his pursuit of romance and a life of freedom, the film edges more towards the dramatic side than Wright has done previously. It is a perfect blend of drama, thriller and comedy which combine to form a film likely to become an instant classic. The action sequences and the integration of music into the film is also wildly creative and effective. Every action performed on screen is done in time to the musical soundtrack; every gunshot, shutting of a car door, editing cut helps to seamlessly weave the music into the scene to create an inspired piece of filmmaking. The action sequences especially are phenomenal. It is incredibly gripping and builds an emotional undercurrent that helps to pin down the action and create genuine investment in Baby as a character.
As you might expect from Wright, the film is filled to the brim with Easter Eggs and little details that you might have missed the first time around. This makes it ripe for repeat viewings as you’ll probably pick up on something new each time around (plus the story and characters are so strong, there’s no sign of them failing to hold up). Like most of Wright’s films, this is hard to categorise, so even if you are unfamiliar with his work, give this a whirl and chances are it might surprise you.

Is it worth a Blu-ray? The stunning action sequences and use of colour certainly mean that a Blu-ray would be worth it.

Read the full review: ‘Baby Driver’ Review

The Big Sick

One of the surprise hits of the year, and proof that the romcom isn’t dead, this true tale (of star Kumail Nanjiani and his wife, and co-writer, Emily V. Gordon) takes your expectations of the genre and invigorates them with a freshness that has long been missing. The film details Kumail and Emily’s romance from when they meet (in a cute, but not overly cheesy meet-cute), through the initial stages of their romance, which is complicated by Kumail’s Pakistani family’s views on ‘love-marriages’, and through the events that happen when Emily is suddenly taken ill and is put into a coma in hospital. The unique challenges their relationship has faced in terms of the coma, combined with those of the cultural differences, means the film takes a new and interesting perspective. It all feels quite authentic (a feeling bolstered by the strong performances, with Holly Hunter as a standout, as Emily’s mum) and thus the film is less of the conventional romcom you may expect, as it avoids a lot of clichés. This may mean it will take some a little longer to settle into its rhythms, but it proves worth the wait. There are a lot of laughs, but the film also carries the emotional heft needed to ground it. If you like romcoms this might satisfy, but don’t expect the ‘Hollywood’ kind; for fans of offbeat comedy-dramas, this is more likely to serve.

Is it worth a Blu-ray? The visuals aren’t anything special here, it’s the characters you’ll be watching.

Read the full review: ‘The Big Sick’ Review

Spiderman: Homecoming

The sixth film and third Spiderman franchise in 15 years, Spiderman: Homecoming is a successful film in introducing a new Spiderman that functions more as a teen film than just a superhero one, delivering something new and different. The film doesn’t feature any radioactive spiders, but still shows Peter (Tom Holland) trying to get to get to grips with his powers, plus, as this is the first Spiderman in the MCU, it features him trying to prove himself to Tony Stark (Robert Downey Jnr.), adding a new element to the mix. The storyline and villain (Michael Keaton) don’t feel like much we haven’t seen before, or particularly memorable, but they carry you along through the film. It also serves to stand well on its own; you don’t need to have seen much, if any, Marvel to get the most out of this. This is a well-crafted superhero tale, but the greatest challenge it comes up against is the fact that there have been so many Spiderman films, and superhero films in general, in recent years, it can’t help but feel like retreading old ground. For superhero fans, and those less familiar with previous renditions, this is sure to be a hit, for others, it might just be too soon.

Is it worth a Blu-ray? No doubt for all of the superhero connoisseurs, a Blu-ray will prove beneficial, for more casual fans, not especially.

The Beguiled

Sofia Coppola’s remake of the 1971 Clint Eastwood drama is told from a decidedly female gaze which paints its women and their relationships in their complexity, and avoids the exploitative path a lesser adaptation could have taken. Set in the American Civil War, the film centres on a remote girls’ boarding school that takes in an injured soldier of the opposing side, but it is the sexual tension that takes centre stage, not the war-born conflict. The entire film is set at the school creating a claustrophobic atmosphere, heightening the emotions and the tension. The film works as a showcase for a uniformly strong cast, headed up by Nicole Kidman, with Colin Farrell as the soldier, and Kirsten Dunst and Elle Fanning as the stand-outs of the ensemble. The film is visually gorgeous, made up of soft and stylish shots that ensure that even where the film falters, it is still lovely to look at. For fans of Sofia Coppola, this is sure to satisfy. It is effectively tense, although perhaps never builds to the heights you might want, but it is an interesting and textured drama that differs from most fair at the cinema.