Before they know it, the fraudsters Albert (Pio Marmai, left) and Bruno (Jonathan Cohen) are on the street with climate activists. (Image: 2023 ADNP/Ten Cinema/Gaumont/TF1 Films Production/Quad+Ten/Carole Bethuel)
Two fraudsters among climate activists in “Black Friday For Future”, atmospheric horror cinema with “The Queen Mary” and the tribute to a music legend in “Joan Baez – I Am A Noise”: these are the new cinema releases on December 28th.
In 2012, even James Bond saw no match for this feel-good comedy: French directors Olivier Nakache and Éric Toledano quickly stormed the German cinema charts with their film hit “Pretty Best Friends”. At the end of the year, 9.2 million viewers had seen the tragicomedy – 1.3 million more than the 007 spin-off “Skyfall”.
Since then, the filmmaker duo have seen themselves as experts in light-hearted comedies, often with socially critical undertones. The same also applies to the film “Black Friday For Future”, which is now being shown in cinemas.
Also new in cinemas: “Dracula Untold” director Gary Shore explores the myths that have surrounded the iconic steamer for decades in the horror film “The Queen Mary”. In addition, folk legend Joan Baez receives a touching film tribute in a touching portrait that touches the heart.
Kaktus (Noémie Merlant) is one of the spokesmen within the climate movement. (Image: 2023 ADNP/Ten Cinema/Gaumont/TF1 Films Production/Quad+Ten/Carole Bethuel)
“Black Friday For Future”
With the tragicomedy “Pretty Best Friends” in 2012, French directors Olivier Nakache and Éric Toledano became high-flyers in European cinema. With the story of a rich and paralyzed snob (François Cluzet) and a petty criminal lout (Omar Sy), the two not only stole the hearts of the cinema audience, but also could hardly save themselves from awards. Now the two filmmakers are back with the comedy “Black Friday for Future”.
As the title suggests, it’s about criticism of consumerism, climate activism and capitalism. Bruno (Jonathan Cohen) and Albert (Pio Marmai) have not had good experiences with the latter in the amusing film with a socially critical tone. Both are heavily in debt, Bruno was abandoned by his wife, Albert is even homeless and sleeps there at the airport after completing his work. In order to save money, both of them stay afloat with more or less crooked business dealings and, if necessary, eat their way through a buffet of rescued food for free.
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In this respect, it is hardly surprising that she attracts free beer to an event organized by climate activists. Bruno and Albert can’t do anything with the ideals: “I don’t even know what the weather will be like tomorrow. How do they know what the weather will be like in 2050?” However, because they both have their eye on leader Kaktus (Noémie Merlant) and sense a chance to get their clean slate back at a big protest, the chaos duo goes after the climate activists – a topless protest against consumerism on Black Friday included.
Everything is still good: Anne (Alice Eve) and Patrick (Joel Fry) give their son Lukas (Lenny Rush) a tour on the scary ship Queen Mary. (Image: Splendid Film GmbH)
“The Queen Mary”
Between 1936 and 1967, the Queen Mary sailed cruise guests across the world’s oceans for the Cunard Line shipping company. The venerable ship also brought 800,000 US soldiers to Europe during World War II. Today the steamer is moored in Long Beach, California and, as a floating hotel, offers 365 rooms, which are particularly popular with fans of the supernatural. There are a lot of scary stories surrounding the ship, ranging from haunting ghosts to mysterious murders.
A particularly bloody, fictional death that occurred during a luxurious dinner on board in 1938 also forms the basis for the simply titled horror film “The Queen Mary”. 85 years after the bloody crime, Anne (Alice Eve) and her ex-husband Patrick (Joel Fry) go on a scary tour on the legendary ship with their son Lukas (Lenny Rush). But the horror of the past still swirls in the belly of the ship – and causes the boy to disappear without a trace.
In the increasingly desperate search for Lukas, Anne and Patrick penetrate deeper and deeper into the interior of the ocean liner and are about to reveal a terrible secret. Mysterious figures in the (half)darkness, the twisted belly of the ship and frightening creatures: director Gary Shore (“Dracula Untold”) fishes in familiar waters with his maritime horror film. Even if the script of “The Queen Mary” reveals weaknesses here and there, the horror piece told on two time levels delivers atmospheric entertainment.
The Queen Mary is teeming with dark characters. (Image: Splendid Film GmbH)
“Joan Baez – I Am A Noise”
In the end she sang after all. And even though her voice no longer filled the hall as clear as a bell as it once did, Joan Baez received a standing ovation at the 2023 Berlinale. The same also applied to the film that the 82-year-old had previously seen with the audience – a film about her life between stage shows, political activism and unfiltered looks into her sometimes tortured soul. The artist allowed the directing trio Karen O’Connor, Miri Navasky and Maeve O’Boyle – with whom she is also privately friendly – remarkably close to her.
Although the almost two-hour, intimate portrait is embedded in the framework of Baez’s Farewell tour in 2018 and 2019, it offers much more than a look behind the scenes of the concerts. The legendary artist opens a rich archive of diary entries, home movies, works of art and other material from several decades. With her sisters Mimi and Pauline, Joan Baez reconstructs her sometimes complicated childhood. Of course, a consideration of her relationship with Bob Dylan should not be missed: “Dylan broke my heart.”
The three directors undertake a remarkable journey through the life and career of the singer who always combined art with political activism. Joan Baez was not only the female star of the folk scene, she was also considered the political conscience of an entire generation. “I would say that the social consciousness was born in me before the voice developed,” Baez explains in the film. In the sensitive film portrait, she speaks just as openly about her inner demons, about panic attacks and fears that have accompanied her for decades.
Joan Baez always combined her existence as an artist with political activism. (Image: Alamode FIlm/Albert Baez)
2023-12-27 17:12:23
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