While you’re enjoying some chocolate and a seemingly endless stretch of time (4 days), I thought I’d share some recommendations perfect for a long weekend.
I love to curate a mood, and there IS a certain mood when you’re hanging out with no responsibilities for 4 days. The weather generally starts to get a little cosier, you’re spending time with friends/family, you’re eating chocolate eggs… And of course, you want to be the one who can select a great film that appeases a whole group.
This is a fine art, and not for the faint hearted so I have curated a few options for you to take into this weekend (and next, to be fair).
The Wild Robot (2024), which I recommended a few weeks back so I won’t rehash, is now streaming on Netflix and happens to be a great multi-generational friendly choice. Particularly if you’ve got some kids with you this Easter.
Mission: Impossible - Dead Reckoning (2023)
Film
Netflix
The 7th film in the Mission: Impossible franchise has just arrived on streaming, in time to prep for it’s direct sequel, which is hitting cinemas next month. As with the rest of the series, Dead Reckoning has all the hallmarks of a great action film: incredible stunts, betrayals, hidden threats, people wearing masks of other people’s faces. The villain of this film is interestingly, a highly intelligent AI, which has become sentient. It’s certainly a new era of enemy.
This movie is pure fun though, and you can tell how much fun Tom Cruise is having making it. Performing all his own stunts, including the much advertised motorbike ride off a cliff, taking names and kicking ass. I was on the edge of my seat for pretty much the whole runtime. Whilst having seen the other M:I films will add to your enjoyment, it isn’t essential, so don’t worry if some of the group isn’t as well versed in Agent Ethan Hunt and IMF’s lore.
Chef (2014)
Film
Netflix, Stan
Starring and directed by Jon Favreau, Chef follows a high powered LA restaurant chef who quits his job and launches a food truck in Miami with his ex-wife and son. The film focuses on the lead character reconnecting with his real passion and love for cooking, that he had lost along the way, as well as with his family. A look at how passion is lost through commerciality and bureaucracy, and found again in simple, quiet moments, shared with loved ones. It’s kind of like if The Bear (2022) was a happy, heartwarming story.
It’s a film that feels like eating your favourite comfort food, tucked up in bed. Interestingly because the conflict is pretty minimal, and instead focuses on a bunch of characters finding their joy again. Chef is a thinly veiled biography of Favreau’s own experience in filmmaking, creating an endearing and wholesome indie story with a great soundtrack and lots of delicious-looking food.
Clue (1985)
Film
SBS On Demand
Based on the board game of the same name (known as Cluedo here), Clue follows the six colourful guests at a mansion, who become murder suspects when the host turns up dead. Led by the butler, played perfectly by the formidable Tim Curry, the cast of guests must uncover the killer as the body count rises.
The fun thing about Clue, is it is a perfect film and it is so damn funny, totally absurdist, dark and dry in tone. Every line is delivered perfectly, down to the very last one, which happens to be one of my favourite final film lines ever. If you have any Knives Out (2019) fans in the group, this is a perfect choice to pop on.
The Fall Guy (2024)
Film
Netflix, Binge
In celebration of Best Stunt Design being added to the Oscars’ awards offering from 2028 - The Fall Guy is an excellent watch this weekend, combining action, a love story and a mystery to solve. Starring Ryan Gosling as stuntman, Colt and Emily Blunt as camerawoman/director and his ex-girlfriend, Jody. During a production, Colt suffers a career ending injury, disappearing from the industry and leaving his relationship. They’re reunited some time later on set for a new film that she is directing in Sydney, which my fellow locals may enjoy seeing as the backdrop of this film. If you remember the Harbour Bridge being shut for a production back in January of 2023, that was this film! Or you may get slightly annoyed at the parts that don’t make logical sense based on filming location - locals will have to suspend disbelief at the implausible jumps from one part of the city to another.
Gosling and Blunt together, famously being two actors that have more charisma in their little toes than many of us have in our whole bodies, makes for a lot of very charming and engaging chemistry. Serving as a love letter to stunts and making movies, it is a super fun and self-aware story with plenty of laughs. Plus, Gosling cries in a car to All Too Well (Taylor’s Version), in one of the more relatable moments ever put to screen.
A Knight’s Tale (2001)
Film
Prime Video, Binge
Starring Heath Ledger as William Thatcher, a peasant who masquerades as a knight to compete in tournaments. Serving as both an underdog “sports” story and a romantic comedy, Ledger is the heart and soul of this film. Truly just the most talented man, who took on such a diverse group of characters during his short career. This is a particularly charismatic role, making it an easy sell to root for his character, seeking glory and love through the elite world of knights.
Despite its medieval setting, the film employs a 1970’s soundtrack of legends like Queen, AC/DC and David Bowie with camp and engaging results. Turning this period film into a delightfully, fun romp. It’s a film that could have been slightly shorter, but it’s soundtrack, tone and actors make for an enjoyable and easy watch.
I hope you have a lovely, restful long weekend my friends. If you’d like to share this newsletter with someone who would enjoy it, I’d be very grateful.
This is getting serious,
Linley x
