Our top 5 film picks for March
BY Tom Browne
1st Jan 2015 Film & TV
We've selected five of the latest films out this month for you to watch. From the outstanding animation Anomalisa to the family-friendly trilogy topper, Kung Fu Panda 3.
Anomalisa
The career of US screenwriter Charlie Kaufman is a real source of fascination, veering from the brilliantly surreal (Being John Malkovich) to the frankly baffling (Synecdoche, New York). But this
stop-motion animation, co-directed by Kaufman and Duke Johnson, is a triumphant return to form.
It follows author Michael Stone (voiced by David Thewlis), a customer services guru whose chance encounter with sales rep Lisa (Jennifer Jason Leigh) seems to offer an escape from his mid-life crisis.
Kaufman’s ability to combine human emotion with off-the-wall comedy is given full reign here, but it’s the subtle performances that really tug the heartstrings and help bring the eye-catching animation to life. A genuine one-off.
Hail, Caesar!
The Oscar-winning Coen brothers return to their comedy roots with this tale of kidnap and intrigue on a 1950s Hollywood film set.
Sadly, the results are mixed, with the humour never reaching the heights of the Coens’ magisterial 1998 classic The Big Lebowski.
Nonetheless, there are several set pieces to savour, and the all-star ensemble cast (including Josh Brolin, Tilda Swinton and George Clooney) give it their all.
High–Rise
The Seventies seem to be back in vogue with today’s filmmakers, and this adaptation of J G Ballard’s 1975 novel—about the residents of a tower block who descend into tribal violence—is a case in point.
There’s no effort to update the socio-political content, and the hard-edged tone is rather alienating, but those with a soft spot for art-house cinema (think David Cronenberg or Terry Gilliam) will be won over.
Jeremy Irons, Tom Hiddleston and Sienna Miller star.
Truth
In the months before the 2004 election, US network CBS aired a story that questioned President George W Bush’s military record.
The evidence for these allegations sparked a scandal that ended the careers of producer Mary Mapes (Cate Blanchett) and news anchor Dan Rather (Robert Redford).
Whatever your political sympathies—and there’s a hint of special pleading and talkiness here—Truth tells the story with aplomb.
Kung Fu Panda 3
This third instalment in the profitable Kung Fu Panda franchise (with another three potentially in the pipeline) sees our eponymous hero Po (voiced by Jack Black) battling against supernatural threats and private revelations.
Kids will enjoy the goofy jokes and the 3D animation, although the freshness of the first two films is largely missing this time round.