Chapter and multiverse...
NOTHING STRANGE TO REPORT AS MARVEL CONTINUES TO WORK ITS BIG-SCREEN MAGIC
WILD MEN (15) Preview
A mid-life crisis propels a disillusioned father to the brink of self-destruction in this Danish black comedy.
Family man Martin (Rasmus Bjerg) feels ill-equipped to provide for his wife Anne (Sofie Grabol) and two daughters.
Under the auspices of attending a conference, he leaves home, dons the furs of Viking ancestors and heads deep into a forest to live off the land and prove his worth as a huntergatherer. Alas, Martin is poorly equipped to source food or fend for
himself so a local shop becomes a lifeline for provisions. During one sortie through the forest, Martin stumbles upon a badly injured man called Musa (Zaki Youssef), who turns out to be a drug smuggler on the run.
Martin nurses Musa back to health and they embark on a madcap quest to find a self-sustaining community in the mountains.
In cinemas from Friday
BARRY & JOAN (12A) Preview
Affectionately described as “Britain’s best-kept theatrical secret”, Barry and Joan Grantham met in 1948 in a stage musical and fell in love as they pursued careers in the theatre and on screen.
More than 70 years later, they are still married and welcome performing arts professionals from around the world to their workshops in London where they impart words of wisdom about vaudeville, eccentric dance and commedia dell’arte.
Directed by Audrey Rumsby, this
wistful documentary looks back over the playful couple’s careers.
The film portrays Barry and Joan as champions of expressive freedom and witnesses the duo’s methodical chaos as they share a treasure trove of inspiration with a new generation of artists and eccentrics.
■ In selected cinemas from Friday
DOCTOR STRANGE IN THE MULTIVERSE OF MADNESS (12A) ★★★ REVIEW BY PRUDENCE WADE
FIVE months after we last saw Dr Stephen Strange (Benedict Cumberbatch) casting an ill-advised spell in Spider-Man: No Way Home, causing fissures in the multiverse and bringing together some of the web-slinger’s most fearsome adversaries, the sorcerer is back for an action-packed sequel to his 2016 origin story.
Written by Michael Waldron and directed by Sam Raimi, who (fittingly) helmed the Tobey Maguire-era Spider-Man trilogy, Doctor Strange In The Multiverse Of Madness begins with Strange haunted by nightmares of impending doom.
He seeks out former Avenger Wanda Maximoff – aka Scarlet Witch (Elizabeth Olsen) – and he’s in dire need of help, particularly with the arrival of teenager America Chavez (Xochitl Gomez).
Chavez has the unique power to open doorways between dimensions – and she’s being hunted down by a sinister force who want to take her magic for themselves.
Strange and co start tumbling through various universes, meeting old foes such as Master of the Mystic Arts Karl Mordo (Chiwetel Ejiofor), Strange’s lost love, Christine Palmer (Rachel McAdams), and even versions of Strange himself.
The visuals of the film are overwhelmingly over the top – it seems as though every shot is laden with some kind of special effect, making for a slightly nauseous ride through the multiverse.
Strange doesn’t bring a lot of charisma to proceedings – but this is more than made up for with the big personalities of his quixotic mentor Wong (Benedict Wong), Chavez, and Wanda – who has a standout performance.
It won’t go down as the most ground-breaking Marvel film – the studio seems to have settled quite comfortably into exploring the multiverse narrative – but the framework does bring plenty of opportunities.
Fans of the franchise will be thrilled to see old favourites returning – as well as some new faces, appearing for the first time as well-known characters.
The film is most lacking a sense of humour running throughout – something that’s become a hallmark of irreverent modern Marvel movies. Instead, it’s darker, more violent and brings elements of the horror genre into proceedings – perhaps unsurprising, as director Raimi made his name with chilling films.
While the film is a lot of fun – the action races on at a blistering pace, the fight sequences are impressive and the ending will leave your head spinning – it’s not quite as original or memorable as other additions to the franchise. ■ In cinemas now
WAKE UP PUNK (15) Preview
In 2016, activist and businessman Joe Corre, who co-founded British lingerie firm Agent Provocateur, and his mother, Vivienne Westwood, staged a protest against the commodification of punk on a barge moored on the River Thames in London.
Next to Chelsea Embankment, they set fire to punk memorabilia worth an estimated £5m as – literally – an incendiary act of defiance. The stunt was designed to draw attention to the climate crisis and the imminent need to pursue sustainable energy.
In this documentary directed by Nigel Askew, Corre and his brother Ben talk with their mother about the punk era and their relationship with their trailblazing father, Malcolm McLaren.
Westwood shares personal anecdotes about the music, politics and fashion of the era and draws comparisons between the vibrancy of the punk revolution and the climate activism of younger generations.
Wake Up Punk is a passionate call to arms to affect lasting social change through decisive, direct action. ■ In cinemas from Friday