![Fall Break [AKA The Mutilator] (1984, dir. Buddy Cooper & John Douglass)](https://255review.files.wordpress.com/2020/08/the-mutilator-fall-break-poster.png?w=328)
Students vacation at a beach house owned by the alcoholic father of one of their number; but Dad’s had a psychotic break. Minor slasher pic with a semi-professional cast, but some excellent make-up effects and an oddly jaunty soundtrack. For genre completists perhaps, but there are some quirky moments of interest.
Tag: sports
Paddleton (2019, dir. Alex Lehmann)
A terminal cancer patient decides to kill himself; he enlists the help of his neighbour and best friend. Gentle black comedy and study of male friendship, with a great brace of understated star performances and some subtlety in its approach. Recommended.
Ford v Ferrari [AKA Le Mans ’66] (2019, dir. James Mangold)
![Ford v Ferrari [AKA Le Mans ’66] (2019, dir. James Mangold)](https://255review.files.wordpress.com/2020/03/fordvferrrari.jpg?w=960)
Carroll Shelby and Ken Miles collaborate on a car to take on Ferrari for Ford at Le Mans. Old-fashioned, well-made and undeniably stirring, this is nevertheless a conventional sports drama that can’t quite convince in its attempt to tell an underdog story. Still, it’s fun, has a great if showy Christian Bale performance, and is blokey as hell.
I Am Mother (2019, dir. Grant Sputore)
A girl is raised by an android in an underground bunker as part of an Earth repopulation project. Well-designed and acted SF that sustains itself for an hour, but which doesn’t have the nous to engineer a third act; ultimately frustrating, even if there are many pleasures along the way.
The Bleeder [AKA Chuck] (2016, dir. Philippe Falardeau)
![The Bleeder [AKA Chuck] (2016, dir. Philippe Falardeau)](https://255review.files.wordpress.com/2019/04/chuck-bleeder.jpg?w=180)
The rise and fall of 1970s heavyweight contender and Rocky analogue Chuck Wepner. Well-judged biopic that despite featuring every one of the usual story and character beats, hits every one of them with unassuming skill.
Trouble With The Curve (2012, dir. Robert Lorenz)
A grizzled baseball scout takes a road trip with his ambitious lawyer daughter. There’s nothing original in this sports/family/romance hybrid, but everything works fine; a professional job all around. Another Eastwood meditation on ageing, with a fine supporting cast.
Deadpool 2 (2018, dir. David Leitch)
After the death of his girlfriend, Deadpool finds redemption in protecting a young mutant. Confident sequel with the same approach as before, mixing cartoony violence, baroque language and metatextual gags.
The Huntsman: Winter’s War (2016, dir. Cedric Nicolas-Troyan)
Sidequel to 2012’s Snow White and the Huntsman, minus the first film’s lead. Oddball attempt to craft a continuation; good casting in depth helps a bit, but the story’s a secondhand grab-bag of old tales that have been better retold by others.
2012 (2009, dir. Roland Emmerich)
A geological event threatens global disaster. Another of Emmerich’s gently-satirical throw-em-to-the-lions iconoclastic pictures, this time playing with Mayan prophecies and CG tectonic plates shifting. Fun if you go with it.
Bleed For This (2016, dir. Ben Younger)
Biopic of Vinny Pazienza, who overcame a broken neck to return to championship-standard boxing. A straightforward but immersive triumph-over-adversity story from the headlines, with great work from a talented cast, especially Ciaran Hinds and Aaron Eckhart.
255 Review 