DVD OF THE MONTH AMERICAN HUSTLE
Te 12 films nominated for Best Film at this year’s Oscars represented the strongest
field in recent memory. From the technical brilliance of Gravity via the white-knuckle realism of Captain Phillips to the unflinching brutality of eventual winner12 Years a Slave, every one was a joy in its own way. For me, though, the pick of the pack was David O. Russell's American Hustle. Tis semi-true account of the FBI’s late 70s ‘Abscam’ honey-trap operation has similarity with Russell's 2012 awards-magnet Silver Linings Playbook; it is a perfectly judged balance of dark and light, being laugh-out-loud funny in places and pitch-black tragic in others without either feeling off-tone. Deceit and deception riddle every scene, every
APRILFILM RELEASES
04 April Noah Tey say seeing is believing. If that’s the case, imagine how busy church will be once everyone sees this in 3D at the IMAX? I just hope no one is offended by any artistic changes - it’s been a few years since Sunday school, but I don’t remember the bit with stone giants. God smash!
11 April Calvary Irish comedy from John Michael McDonagh (the Guard) about a priest who fids himself marked for death. Brendan Gleeson heads a familiar cast including Dylan Moran and Aidan Gillen. Hillarious, and less sacrilegious than Noah.
18 April LockeTom Hardy stars in this one-man-in-his-car thriller written by Stephen Knight (Eastern Promises). Low on budget, high on style, a man receives a phone call on the drive home that starts him unravelling. Experimental and exhausting, no pun intended.
25 April TranscendenceI know what you are thinking; “What, no sci-fi?” April fools, bitches, Heeeeere’s Johnny! It’s Grand Depp Auto, as a scientist with a terminal (pun intended) illness manages to download his brain into a computer. Surprise, surprise, he still looks like Johnny Depp. Smiley
APRILDVD ROUNDUP
07 April Te Hobbit: Te Desolation of SmaugSo, the first book of the famous Hobbit trilogy was all about dwarves singing songs of washing-up. Te second book is all about Bumblyfunk Crumblebatch sitting on top of a pile of money dressed as a big lizard. Watchoo Tolkien ‘bout, Willis?
14 April NebraskaYet another Best Film Oscar contender, this warm and charming father-son odyssey draws you in effortlessly and stays with you long after the end. A truly lovely film, full of wit and subtle surprises.
21 April Nurse Jackie: Season 5Edie Falco (Te Sopranos) carries this excellent dram- com series with a powerful and nuanced performance as Nurse Jackie Peyton, a complex, conflicted character struggling with addiction, family strife and a high-stress job. Funnier than it sounds.
28 April Anchorman 2: Te Legend ContinuesNot as good as the first, but much better than expected. It may be about 15 minutes too long and occasionally meandering, but the belly-laughs and an honest-to-God satirical streak (I know, right?) make it all worthwhile. Te news-team battle scene is a thing of beauty. Jay Freeman
character and every relationship in the film, so we're never entirely sure what’s real and what’s hustle, nor whether we're headed for a happy ending or an almighty clusterfuck. It's this schizophrenic unpredictability that kept me hooked throughout. Ever aware that the heart of American Hustle is a love story, we’re kept guessing as to who it's between. It's an impressive tightrope act conjured by great scripting and tight direction of a flawless cast, all of whom (Bale, Cooper, Adams and Lawrence) were Oscar nominated – unsuccessfully - in their respective categories. We’re also reminded that Robert De Niro can still be a genuinely chilling screen presence when he's not doing shit like Little Fockers. It may have lost the awards-season race to more serious or spectacular runners, but American Hustle is my favourite film of the year so far. Jay Freeman
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