TIMESTALKER (2024)

Written & Directed By: Alice Lowe

Cinematography: Ryan Eddleston

Editor: Chris Dickens and Matyas Fekete

Cast: Alice Lowe, Jacob Anderson, Nick Frost, Tanya Reynolds, Anuerin Barnard, Eleanor Barrett, Boyd Clark, Katie Dickie 

Agnes, a hapless heroine, falls for a mysterious man, promptly meets her bloody demise, and then is reincarnated a century later. When she meets her love again, the cycle begins anew. As Agnes traverses through time, she repeats all the messy thrills and spills that come with daring to follow one’s heart. How can she ever hope to break the cycle when she’s destined to be a fool for love?

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this film feels like a bunch of sketches that are all connected through different time periods and the same cast playing different roles in them. So that it feels almost like a sketch group throughout, but with one obvious star. Who also wrote and directed the film. 

The film does offer a sharp satire of what it might have been like for women in the past 1800s and beyond. Only instead of being eye candy or supporting characters you glimpse. You get more of an accou t if their day to day existence. Activities and dilemmas.

This films Is definitely not for everyone. So can see some really enjoying it, some not getting it and some hating it. Either way an intriguing idea.

The film is dedicated to itself and its ideas and presentation of comedy, but not quite as funny as it should be. It’s outrageous but also seems to hold itself back to a certain degree. To seem a bit more refined. For every joke you don’t laugh at, but can see how clever it might be. 

This is the type of comedy where what is funny has to be explained a bit. As at times it feels like something might be lost in translation. That is just not connecting. Which then allows the absurd to come in. Which gives the film a feel of a 1980’s British type sitcom comedy. With plenty of costumes at their disposal. Though sometimes it feels like an over-the-top melodramatic soap opera spoof. Filled with the most ridiculous plot twists. 

The film is strange enough and true to itself. No matter how odd the results. Though it works leaving it to be funny in an off center way and determined.

Jacob Anderson walks away with every scene he is in. 

It feels less risky then Alice Lowe’s previous film PREVENGE which was a horror comedy. Though this film feels less commercial.  

Grade: C

KRAZY HOUSE (2024)

Written & Directed By: Steffan Haars & Flip Ban Der Kuil 

Cinematography: Joris Kerbosch 

Editor: Rene Van Henegouwen and Flip Ban Der Kuil 

Cast: Nick Frost, Alicia Silverstone, Jan Bijvoet, Gaite Jansen, Walt Klink, Kevin Connolly,

Chris Peters, Matti Stooker 

Set in the 1990s, Krazy House follows religious homemaker Bernie and his sitcom family. When Russian workers in Bernie’s house turn out to be wanted criminals, Bernie has to man up and save his imprisoned family, while slowly going crazy.


This film plays like an extended and demented adult swim short film. Only trying to be as cynical and nasty as it could be well also being anti-religious.

At first, it comes across as a satire of living inside a kind of fantasy sitcom world. Before getting darker and darker a bunch of criminals are introduced into this fantasy and start to literally wreck everything..

This causes the father character head of the family to Sometimes flash into a reality that is much slicker, but also much more violent and cruel. 

The lead glimpses into the main character’s fractured psyche. then can easily figure out what will happen when he finally breaks more often.

Though the film is 90 minutes, it takes so long to get there. It feels like punishment for the audience, as well as the characters finally have the bad guys get their comeuppance.

It still manages his surprise at times it would help if we cared enough about the characters once eight finally starts to move.

This film just feels very low rent, even though the filmmakers have made a cult comedy series of movies with the new kids in gross Norwegian exploit of comedies. 

They also made another horror film starring Nick Frost, who stars. The other film GET AWAY Fairs, is much better as it is a bit more conventional and traditional with a twist. Nick Frost co-wrote that film. This film feels more experimental and inspired to try an expand on an idea and material and not quite being successful at it

Grade: D+

CUBAN FURY (2014)

CUBAN

 

Directed By: James Griffiths
Written By: Jon Brown
Based On An Original Idea By: Nick Frost
Cinematography By: Dick Pope
Editor: Jonathan Amos 


 Cast: Nick Frost, Rashida Jones, Chris O’Dowd, Ian McShane, Olivia Colman, Rory Kinnear, Steve Oram, Alexandra Roach, Kayvan Novak

1987: A 13 year old natural born dancer with fire in his heels and snakes in his hips is working himself up to explode all over the UK Junior Salsa Championships. But then: a freakish bullying incident on the mean streets of London robs him of his confidence, and our young hero finds his life diverted down a very different path. So it is that 22 years later, an adult Bruce Garrett finds himself out-of-shape and unloved – trapped in a downward spiral of self-pity, repression and Nando’s take-outs. Only Julia, his smart, funny, gorgeous new American boss, gives him reason to live. But she’s untouchable. Out of his league, so he imagines, with her perfect smile and perfect life. Unknown to Bruce however, Julia has issues all of her own. Luckily for him, she also has a secret passion. Then there’s Drew, his alpha male colleague and horny king-monkey of the office. With Drew making no secret of his desire to get (his words) “all up inside Julia”, Bruce is forced into action. And thus, Bruce is once again brought face-to-face with the darkest and most powerful of his inner demons. Somehow, someway, and with a lot of hand-holding from loyal sister Sam Bruce must learn how to unshackle his dancing beast, regain his long lost fury and claim the love of his life…and he’s going to do it all On The Dance Floor…

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FIGHTING WITH MY FAMILY (2019)

fightingwith

Written & Directed By: Stephen Merchant
Cinematography By: Remi Adefarasin
Editor: Nancy Richardson 


Cast: Florence Pugh, Lena Headey, Nick Frost, Jack Lowden, Vince Vaughn, Dwayne “The Rock” Johnson, Stephen Merchant, Olivia Bernstone, Julia Davis, Paul Wight, Stephen Farrelly 


A former wrestler and his family make a living performing at small venues around the country while his kids dream of joining World Wrestling Entertainment.

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