Times are dark and we could all do with a good laugh – something silly, something stupid, something to get our weary minds away from the worries of the world, at least for 90 minutes.
So, in a prime example of being in the right place at the right time, along comes The Naked Gun to service the need.
OK, it’s not a great comedy by any measure, but the reboot of the classic Leslie Nielsen cop-show spoof comedy films has already proved to be a global hit.
Best known as a serious dramatic actor, Liam Neeson plays lieutenant Frank Drebin (son of Nielsen’s character) who investigates the suspicious death of a software mogul, a case brought to him by the dead man’s sister (Pamela Anderson).
Nothing sophisticated here, just a lot of cheap visual gags, some word play and lots of toilet humour.
Still, it’s sufficiently funny and is apparently the type of innocuous low-brow humour the world needs right now.
Another cop-related comedy is Honey Don’t!, an old-fashioned detective yarn in which small-town private investigator Honey Donoghue (nicely played by Margaret Qualley) investigates a local church cult after one of its members is killed in a car crash.
Well-directed by Ethan Coen and featuring lovely location photography in a dusty corner of New Mexico, it’s a fun throwback to the noir films of old, though it does get violent and quite a bit sexy as Honey and a local cop (Aubrey Plaza) get hot and sweaty.
Another adults-only crime-comedy worth seeing is Caught Stealing, a period film that takes place in 1998 New York.
Baseballer-turned-bartender Hank (Austin Butler) gets drawn into the crime world when his mo-hawked punk neighbour (Matt Smith) gets him to care for his cat while he’s away.
The cat seems normal, yet is the cause of much violent activity as a succession of goons come knocking, the most insistent being two trigger-happy thugs who happen to be ultra-orthodox Jewish gents.
Be warned: mixed in with the comedy are some heavy doses of violence that some might well find off putting.
In Relay, a corporate whistleblower (Lily James) has a change of mind and negotiates her freedom from harassment through a special operative (Riz Ahmed) who only communicates via a translation service for the hard of hearing. It’s a neat hook for an above-average thriller. Also stars Sam Worthington.
And now, a couple of really good Australian films that, yet again, are likely to slip through cinemas quickly because of a grand lack of marketing.
Made in Queensland, Primitive War is a ripper action-adventure lark set in 1968 Vietnam as a group of US soldiers do battle with dinosaurs. Think Platoon meets Jurassic Park and you’ll get the general idea. It’s a blast.
In the beautifully directed family drama Kangaroo Island, a failed actress (Rebecca Breeds) returns home at the beckoning of her ageing dad (Erik Thomson) where she fights with her religious sister (Adelaide Clemens). Strong performances throughout, and a great ending. See it before it vanishes.
For some fun in the sky, take a ride with director Mel Gibson and Flight Risk, a nifty, tight little comedy thriller in which a small plane carrying US Marshall Madolyn Harris (Michelle Dockery) and her prisoner, mob informant Winston (Topher Grace, very funny), is usurped by a criminal pilot (Mark Wahlberg).
If you’re after a terrific way to kill 90 minutes it’s hard to beat. For fans of Mel’s oeuvre, Flight Risk is his first directing gig since 2016’s Hacksaw Ridge.
Catch it on Prime.
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