Film Review: Catfight

With Catfight, writer-director Onur Tukel mixes various types of humour to create amusing picture. The film works best in its satirising of American culture.

Veronica is a wealthy housewife in New York. Ashley is a struggling artist, who is working at a waitress at a party attended by Veronica. When the two former college friends meet, it is the start of an epic battle…

Onur Tukel’s Catfight is an interesting prospect. From the premise, the film is about a rivalry between two former friends that gets out of hand. However, in actuality the film offers more than this. Whilst there are a number of fight scenes, the film functions beyond a story about rivalry.

The film works on a number of levels. As a revenge picture, it offers some satisfaction. However, in its satirising of American culture and politics, the film really shines. The television show is a great device to deliver exposition and show passage of time. Violence in the film is peculiar mix of cartoon-like and brutal. There is no hair pulling here; the punches are raw and impactful in the fight scenes. There are a couple of standout scenes in Catfight, including the gallery sequence and baby shower. These are successful because they are ridiculous but believable.

There is an increasing tinge of sadness and futility, which works well given preoccupation with war and defence industry. This seems to be the strongest theme in the film. It is one that grows as the narrative progresses. The film’s minor characters drawn in broad strokes, but work well in this context. Particularly memorable are Sally and the Art Collector.

Sandra Oh and Anne Heche both deliver convincing performances. They are ably assisted by Alicia Silverstone and Ariel Kavoussi. It is most refreshing to watch a female-centric film where the crux does not revolve around male love interests. Catfight is a very entertaining watch.

Previews: The House Trailer, Get Out, More!

Plenty to see in this week’s preview of coming attractions, including The House trailer, Get Out, Aftermath, and more…

The House Trailer

This new The House trailer depicts an unusual way for parents to pay for their child’s tuition fees. Will Ferrell and Amy Poehler are the parents who decide to operate an underground casino to ensure their daughter can go to university. The comedy is the directorial debut of screenwriter Andrew Jay Cohen (responsible for the scripts of Mike and Dave Need Wedding Dates and others). The House is set for release in UK cinemas on 30th June 2017.

Kong: Skull Island Image

Here is anew image for the upcoming Kong: Skull Island. The film features a stellar cast that includes Samuel L. Jackson, Brie Larson, Tom Hiddleston, and John C. Reilly. The film reimagines the origins of the mythic Kong. Kong: Skull Island launches on to UK screens on 9th March 2017.

Aftermath Trailer

Here is the trailer for thriller Aftermath. Arnold Schwarzenegger stars as a husband and father who hunts down the air traffic controller who he holds responsible for the crash that killed his family. The film also stars Scoot McNairy and Maggie Grace, and is produced by Darren Aronofsky. Aftermath will hit UK cinemas on 7th April 2017.

Catfight Trailer

Catfight is a comedy about two old college friends who meet again years later. When wealthy housewife Veronica and struggling artist Ashley clash, their rivalry lasts years. The film stars Anne Heche, Sandra Oh, and Alicia Silverstone. Catfight is out in cinemas and on VOD in 10th March 2017.

Get Out Poster

Get Out is a thriller about a black man who visits his white girlfriend’s family estate. Worried that her family don’t realise he is black, the reality is about to get much worse. The trailer can be viewed here. The film is written and directed by Jordan Peele, and stars Daniel Kaluuya and Allison Williams. Get Out hits UK screens on 17th March 2017.

Logan Clip

Above is footage of Laura, a new character from the upcoming Logan. It reveals a little more about the young character who seems to have the same condition as the title character. Starring Hugh Jackman, Patrick Stewart, and Dafne Keen. Logan is out in UK cinemas on 1st March 2017.

Life Poster

Life is a new sci-fi thriller about a group of scientists who discover a new life form is space. The film stars Jake Gyllenhaal, Rebecca Ferguson, and Ryan Reynolds. Directed by Daniel Espinosa, Life will be released in UK cinemas on 24th March 2017.

Everything Everything Trailer

This is the new trailer for Everything Everything, based on the best-selling novel of the same name. The film is about Maddy, a teenage girl with a condition that means she can’t leave her house, and her neighbour Olly who wants to be with her. Starring Amandla Stenberg and Nick Robinson, Everything Everything is coming to cinemas soon.

Gleason Trailer

Here is the trailer for documentary Gleason. The film is about Steve Gleason, an American football star who is diagnosed with motor neurone disease (MND) at the age of 34. The documentary is directed by Clay Tweel. Gleason is out in UK cinemas from 17th march 2017.

Film Review: Cedar Rapids

A film about an insurance convention sounds like an unappealing prospect, but Cedar Rapids is a lot more fun that the description suggests.

Tim Lippe is an insurance salesman who is happy coasting at his Wisconsin workplace. When an accident occurs, Tim is sent to present at an insurance conference in Cedar Rapids. Nervous about the responsibility laid on his shoulders, Tim is taken under the wing of three insurance sales veterans…

Cedar Rapids is a comedy that works well for the majority of the time. The film is not relentlessly hilarious, but the often crude humour is amusing. Writer Phil Johnston keeps the humour accessible, with the odd in-joke thrown in for good measure. It is only towards the end that the mood starts to wane.

For the most part, director Miguel Artera maintains a light atmosphere which makes it permissible to laugh at everything. Some of the jokes are not political correct, but this is the fun of Cedar Rapids. In the final third of the film there is a shift to more serious matters, when emotion overrules comedy. This works fine, as the film never becomes too overindulgent. However, it is the comedy that is the real draw.

Narrative-wise, Cedar Rapids is a little formulaic. Tim’s journey ends the way it is supposed to, and all ends are neatly tied. On occasion, the film does not do what is expected of it. This is particularly true in the case of Bree, who seems to have been introduced for a certain purpose, but leads the film somewhere else.

Tim is the type of character that is often featured in comedies. He is set in his ways, but also very naive to the world outside his small bubble. The protagonist is sometimes laughed at, but more often than not will share in the humour. Supporting characters are developed well, and go beyond the caricatures they could have become.

Ed Helms is a great comedy actor, showing more of the same as Tim. The role is not a million miles from Stu in The Hangover, nevertheless it is the type of character Helms plays exceptionally well. John C. Reilly gives a fantastic performance as Dean Ziegler, capturing the larger-than-life nature of the character. Isiah Whitlock Jr. is great as Ronald, bringing humour and intensity to proceedings. Anne Heche seems to have a lot of fun as Joan.

Cedar Rapids is a great comedy for those in the market for something light and fun. The film is unlikely to stay with you, but that surely is the point.