Air ★★★☆☆
Directed by Ben Affleck. Starring Matt Damon, Ben Affleck, Jason Bateman, Chris Tucker, Chris Messina, Marlon Wayans, Viola Davis, Matthew Maher, Julius Tennon. 15A cert, gen release, 112 min
Like Affleck’s Oscar-winning Argo, his study of Nike’s efforts to get Michael Jordan’s endorsement for their new basketball shoe buzzes furiously through its engagement with unlikely truths (and the odd forgivable invention). The film is well cast. The 1980s period detail is as exhausting as it is captivating. All this is not enough to distract from the whiff of late-capitalist decay at the film’s green-backed heart. This is ultimately a project in glorification of a gym shoe, a trainer, a gutty. Both product and celebrity are worshipped to a suffocating extent. But, yes, it is fun. Full review DC
Godland ★★★★★
Directed by Hlynur Pálmason. Starring Elliott Crosset Hove, Ingvar Eggert Sigurðsson, Jacob Lohmann, Vic Carmen Sonne, Ída Mekkín Hlynsdóttir. 12 A cert, gen release, 142 mins
A Danish priest travels to 19th-century Iceland with a mind to establishing a Lutheran church. This is film for neither thrill-seekers nor the faint of heart. Pálmason’s contemplative screenplay pitches faith against hypocrisy, weak-mindedness against brute strength, and imperialism against nature. It takes a village to build the church, and yet the structure looks metaphorically flimsy. A sexual liaison and a barking dog are enough to threaten the entire institution. Gyula Pados, the Hungarian cinematographer, finds sublime tableaux that are as daunting as they are bewitching. One of the year’s best. Full review TB
The Super Mario Bros Movie ★★★☆☆
Directed by Aaron Horvath and Michael Jelenic. Voices of Chris Pratt, Anya Taylor-Joy, Charlie Day, Jack Black, Keegan-Michael Key, Seth Rogen, Fred Armisen. PG cert, gen release, 92 min
Illumination, the big brains behind the Despicable Me trilogy and the lesser brains behind ho-hum sequels to Sing and The Secret Life of Pets, turn in this serviceable adaptation of the beloved Nintendo franchise. It’s the best outcome we could have hoped for: fun for kids; very okay for adults. It is unfortunate that two directors and a screenwriter (Matthew Fogel) felt the need to awkwardly shoehorn in an extended family and - groan - oedipal crisis for both Mario and Donkey Kong. Despite this misstep, the film belts along with an assault of candy colours and a commendable command of canonical detail. Full review TB
Lola ★★★☆☆
Directed by Andrew Legge. Starring Emma Appleton, Stefanie Martini, Rory Fleck Byrne, Aaron Monaghan, Shaun Boylan. 15A cert, limited release, 79 min
After 20 years making innovative shorts, Legge moves into features with the tale of two English women who, in the lead up to the second World War, construct an apparatus that can hear radio broadcasts from the future. They become premature fans of David Bowie. They assist the Allied war effort. Eventually, their efforts lead them into a familiar alternative history. Lola perhaps neglects its core personal story, but, careering home at a breathless 79 minutes, the film cannot be faulted for invention or originality. A cult awaits the Irish filmmaker. Full review DC
