Talking Movies: Stella Murders, The 355 and Falling Inn Love
Spling reviews Stella Murders, The 355 and Falling Inn Love as broadcast on Talking Movies, Fine Music Radio. Listen to podcast.
TRANSCRIPT
Good morning – welcome to Talking Movies, I’m Spling…
This week, we’re talking about a true crime documentary, an espionage actioner and a romantic comedy.
Starting off with a documentary now on Showmax…
STELLA MURDERS
An investigation into the tragic deaths of teenage best friends that rocked the community of Stella in the North West.
Director: David Enright
– Stella Murders comes from the documentarian behind Devilsdorp, a provocative series that covered a spate of killings in Krugersdorp.
– Enright’s latest documentary is delivered in the format of a feature film, exploring the circumstances surrounding the untimely deaths of two boarders at Stella High School.
– An otherwise peaceful town where everyone knows you better than you know yourself, this incident shook locals to the core.
– As a true crime documentary, Stella Murders is fairly straightforward, offering a respectful chronicle of events, grounded by a series of deeply emotional, honest and sincere interviewees.
– While it features suspenseful music, this documentary steers away from sensationalism in its attempt to get clarity in what becomes a strangely cathartic experience.
– A character portrait of the victims, the ripple effect is far-reaching in its heartbreak with their purity positioned as the real legacy for Stella and its tight-knit community.
– This is a compelling and heart-wrenching film, emotionally taut in its discovery and thorough in its slow-burn investigation.
– While key interviews could have added more dimension, the documentary gives the victims voice through the friends and family they leave behind.
– Stella Murders could have taken a step back to offer more context from the perspective of South Africa’s violent culture but chooses to focus on this as an isolated tragedy.
– A vivid and sleek film that unpacks the story behind the cold-blooded murders with an uncommon sensitivity, it’s enriched by its heartfelt undertone.
A solid 7!
Moving on to a movie now on Showmax…
THE 355
A wildcard CIA agent assembles a crack team when a top-secret weapon falls into mercenary hands.
Director: Simon Kinberg
Stars: Jessica Chastain, Penélope Cruz and Lupita Nyong’o
– Simon Kinberg is best known for his involvement with the X-Men film franchise, switching over to a Mission: Impossible type vehicle with The 355.
– Refreshed by an all-female team of highly skilled agents and a stellar ensemble, it doesn’t pander to the trademark elements of Charlie’s Angels.
– Unfortunately, in spite of its A-list actors, potent ingredients and mid-tier budget, The 355 falls surprisingly flat.
– Most of its problems can be attributed to its threadbare script, failing to add texture to its characters and peddling an uninspired and fairly basic plot.
– The actors have enough physicality and skills to sell the action but its frenetic and passable rather than exhilarating.
– The acting talents of Chastain, Cruz and Nyong’o are wasted on this espionage thriller, which rarely slows down long enough to ratchet up dramatic suspense.
– To make matters worse, there’s no clear antagonistic force, shapeshifting between a number of villains in a game of pass-the-bomb.
– The 355 has some good ideas and moments but is so loosely engaging across the spectrum that it hardly seems worth the time.
– Beyond seeing an all-female team take down bad guys in some middling action sequences, it’s all quite underwhelming and in constant danger of becoming a cautionary tale.
– As popcorn entertainment, there are enough stars and spy thriller tropes to connect the dots with a promising start but it simply skips along the surface.
A flimsy 4!
And finally a movie now on Netflix…
FALLING INN LOVE
A city girl travels to New Zealand to partner with a contractor to fix and flip a rustic inn.
Director: Roger Kumble
Stars: Christina Milian, Adam Demos and Jeffrey Bowyer-Chapman
– Falling Inn Love, that’s inn as in innkeeper, is a terribly cheesy movie title that verges precariously on being a dad joke.
– Much like the ridiculous premise of winning an inn online, the trick is to see past the silliness and just go with it.
– Once you’ve got past the opening credits, inn-winning and find yourself in New Zealand, things start to improve.
– One of Falling Inn Love’s saving graces is its star in Milian, turning in a bubbly and lovable performance – reminiscent of Jennifer Lopez.
– An unabashed “romcom”, the set up is fairly predictable as a cute-meet plays out and Gabi tries to start over without the help of the only contractor in town.
– The cookie-cutter romantic comedy is pretty straightforward as typical supporting characters come out of the woodwork.
– While it’s no Under the Tuscan Sun, what makes it bearable and charming is that it’s set and shot entirely in New Zealand.
– Besides being an unusual setting for anything other than JRR Tolkien fantasy, the country’s natural beauty adds a touch of pastoral bliss.
– This homeliness is further enhanced by the array of delightful Kiwi characters, making this small town ensemble resemble Star’s Hollow.
– While Gabi doesn’t have a daughter who could be her sister, the dynamic has a few shades of Gilmore Girls in its heart and warmth.
– The breezy and comfortable spirit of Falling Inn Love is what makes it enjoyable, as satisfying as a warm cup of tea.
– Leaning on its village for a cultural refresh, its charming co-leads, fun-loving characters, gentle ebb-and-flow and romantic setting ultimately win the day.
A satisfactory 6!
So just to wrap up…
STELLA MURDERS… raw honesty underpins this straightforward, heartbreaking and vivid investigation into a grisly double murder… A solid 7!
THE 355… while promising and bolstered by a stellar cast, a thin script ultimately underwhelms in this rote espionage thriller… A flimsy 4!
FALLING INN LOVE… while predictable and far-fetched, this romcom thrives on its breezy, charming and naive community spirit… A satisfactory 6!
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