“Furiosa: A Mad Max Saga” ★★★☆☆, a large-scale, somewhat monotonous prequel to Mad Max: Fury Road, features Anya Taylor-Joy in the role of the road warrior who eventually evolves into Charlize Theron. Directed by George Miller, the film stars Chris Hemsworth, Tom Burke, Alyla Browne, Lachy Hulme, and Nathan Jones. Although lacking the emotional ties that held the characters together in the previous chapter, “Furiosa” often gets lost in repeated spectacle. Nonetheless, the film’s non-stop action is highly enthralling.
“Ransom ’79” ★★★☆☆, a captivating documentary helmed by Colm Quinn, trails Charlie Bird as he investigates a notable case from his early career in the months leading up to his passing. In 1979, a letter was dispatched to the Department of Agriculture, threatening to spread foot and mouth disease among Irish livestock unless a ransom of £5 million was paid. In collaboration with Quinn and multi-talented writer Colin Murphy, Bird utilises his remaining strength to meticulously unfold a network that encapsulates a significant portion of the era’s frustrations. The story is also an inevitable goodbye to a beloved figure.
“Piano Dreams” ★★★★☆ is a film directed by Gary Lennon and Richard Hughes, released generally.
In other news, intense protests have arisen from residents of a Dublin housing complex over rising anti-social behaviour. On the entertainment front, Doireann Garrihy, the 2 Johnnies, and Jennifer Zamparelli have all made headlines by deciding to exit 2FM.
In this captivating documentary, we follow the journey of three gifted young Chinese pianists navigated by Irish filmmaker Lennon. Eight-year-old Xia Xidi is often pitted against his peers in intense piano competitions under the unyielding hand of his strict, fatherly music teacher. Twelve-year-old Xi Yingying dreams of performing as a concert pianist, while nineteen-year-old Zhou Yu’ang is prepping for his admission into an American conservatory. The conclusion carries an air of suspense as we eagerly anticipate the outcomes of Xia’s competition, Xi’s exam, and Zhou’s university admissions. Regardless of the results, there’s a touch of sadness acknowledging that they can’t all shine as brightly as the renowned Lang Lang. TB
In Flames ★★★★☆
The movie In Flames, directed by Zarrar Kahn, stars Ramesha Nawal, Bakhtawar Mazhar, Omar Javaid, Mohammad Ali Hashmi, and Adnan Shah Tipu. Nawal gives an outstanding performance as Mariam, a young medical student whose father and grandfather’s untimely deaths put her family in dire straits. With the financial responsibilities and meager wealth under her grandfather’s name, other males in the extended family claim their right to these assets. The tension builds up Hitchcockian intensity as the male members invade their space, creating an ominously threatening atmosphere akin to that of The Birds. The Pakistani provenance of the film truly soars when it delves into the harsh realities of patriarchal domination and mistreatment rather than dwelling on typical horror elements. This film marks a striking debut with a gripping climax. Full review TB