Film Talk: Powerful biopic and lashings of stop-motion fun with Origin and The Inventor

This year’s awards are being dominated by some mighty movies we have previously hailed on these pages, and it’s nice to see the Academy agreeing with a few of our judgments (because if we don’t set their barometer, then who indeed does darling?).

As Hollywood’s best and brightest throw on their glad rags for a night sure to be filled with tears and triumph in equal measure, it’s time for us mere mortals here to do what we do best, and delve into those latest releases that are keeping the industry’s flag flying.

First up on the docket this week, we have Origin – a biopic of journalist and author Isabel Wilkerson. Directed by Ava DuVernay, the film follows the genesis of Wilkerson’s award-winning book, ‘Caste: The Origins of Our Discontents’ – an examination of racism in the United States and how this was reinforced by broken social ideals and the “tentacles of caste”.

With Aunjanue Ellis-Taylor in the starring role opposite Jon Bernthal, this one is packed to the brim with talented stars and is sure to get the box office bubbling this weekend. However, if animation is more your persuasion, Stephen Fry is lending his legendary vocal talents to a new stop-motion flick about one of history’s greatest geniuses. Directed by Jim Capobianco, The Inventor tells the tale of a certain Leonardo da Vinci, and with Fry’s dulcet tones backed up by Marion Cotillard, Daisy Ridley, and Matt Berry, this one is bringing voice actor A-game to multiplexes across the land.

With all this and more (evil teddy bears, anyone? ) hitting the flicks this week, it’s time to simply get comfy and break out the popcorn. Let’s do this...

ORIGIN (UK 12A/ROI 12A, 141 mins)

Released: March 8 (UK & Ireland, selected cinemas)

In writer-director Ava DuVernay’s beguiling biographical drama, Pulitzer Prize-winning journalist Isabel Wilkerson (Aunjanue Ellis-Taylor) delivers an empowering talk about her nonfiction book, Caste: The Origins Of Our Discontents.

“You don’t escape trauma by ignoring it,” she professes. “You escape trauma by confronting it.”

Her words resonate deeply, delivered a matter of months after the murder of George Floyd and before Donald Trump alleges the 2020 US presidential election was stolen from him.

We are the uncontested winners with DuVernay’s picture.

An elegant, non-linear script deftly traces connective tissue between historical touchstones in Wilkerson’s bestseller, which explores how entire groups have been dehumanised throughout history.

DuVernay glides between these deeply-moving stories of courage and defiance, which include early 20th-century social reformer Dr Bhimrao Ambedkar (Gaurav J Pathania), who openly challenges the idea that Dalits are the untouchable outcasts of Indian society; African-American anthropologists (Isha Blaaker, Jasmine Cephas Jones), who infiltrate the Mississippi Delta to study the subservience of black people to the whites; and a Nazi Party member (Finn Wittrock) and his Jewish lover (Victoria Pedretti) caught up in the gathering storm of 1937 Germany. Tragedies of the past ripple through time to the fatal 2012 shooting of 17-year-old Trayvon Martin (Myles Frost) in Sanford, Florida, by a self-appointed neighbourhood watch captain.

Ellis-Taylor delivers an emotionally raw performance as Wilkerson, who begins the film tending to her elderly mother, Ruby (Emily Yancy), in between speaking engagements.

Isabel and financial analyst husband Brett Hamilton (Jon Bernthal) wrestle with their guilt as they ruefully oversee Ruby’s move into an assisted-living facility.

Soon after, newspaper editor Amari Selvan (Blair Underwood) encourages Isabel to listen to an emergency services call made by the man who fatally shot Trayvon Martin.

“You can’t be walking around on a white street at night and not expect trouble,” Ruby comments on the case.

The idea for a new book germinates but two devastating personal losses within the space of a year almost break Isabel’s spirit.

Steadfast cousin Marion (Niecy Nash) provides emotional ballast so Isabel can eventually return to work and undertake globe-trotting research for her book

Filmed on location in the American South, Berlin and Delhi, Origin is another masterful portrait of the multi-faceted human condition from DuVernay.

The writer-director’s personal engagement with Wilkerson is evident, confidently shepherding us through dense subject matter that could, in lesser hands, feel inaccessible or dry. “There’s more to life than what we can see,” Isabel sermonises as a soulmate lingers in death’s embrace. Through DuVernay’s lens, we see filmmaking of the highest calibre that expands minds, profoundly moves and sparks animated discussion.

IMAGINARY (UK 15/ROI 15A, 104 mins)

Released: March 8 (UK & Ireland)

Moving back to your childhood home could be considered a blessing, or a curse, for some.

In the case of Jessica (DeWanda Wise), an author and illustrator of children’s books, what seems like a fresh start becomes truly the stuff of nightmares.

All is well until her youngest stepdaughter Alice (Pyper Braun) finds a stuffed bear called Chauncey in the basement of the house, which at first all seems innocent enough.

But within days Alice’s demeanour changes and she’s relaying conversations she’s having with her “imaginary friend”, aka Chauncey.

From there, terror-filled nightmares for Jessica continue while the others in the house – husband Max (Tom Payne) and another stepdaughter Taylor (Taegen Burns) – also start experiencing strange things.

As an offering from American film and TV production company Blumhouse, whose suite of horror titles includes Paranormal Activity, Insidious, The Purge, M3GAN and Five Nights At Freddy’s, there’s a high expectation set before you’ve even started watching the film.

Imaginary pairs blockbuster horror producer Jason Blum, who founded Blumhouse, with director and producer Jeff Wadlow. It is Wadlow’s third collaboration with Blumhouse following projects like 2018’s horror film Truth Or Dare. There are some great moments of scare and high-octane, anxiety-inducing scenes as Chauncey becomes a terrifying and otherworldly force.

The real powerhouse to be reckoned with is Wise, who is an inspired casting choice to lead the film.

The American actress, 29, who was equally impressive leading Spike Lee’s 2017 Netflix series She’s Gotta Have It, manages to keep the audience guessing while her character deals with layers of complexity and tension in a sometimes-lagging script.

The glimpses back to Jessica’s childhood, especially her relationship with her father, are useful pieces of a fragmented puzzle and you almost wish they had been expanded on a bit more.

THE INVENTOR (UK PG/ROI G, 100 mins)

Released: March 8 (UK & Ireland, selected cinemas)

Stephen Fry provides the voice of Leonardo Da Vinci in an educational stop-motion animated adventure based on events in the artist, engineer and scientist’s life.

In 1516 Rome, Leonardo and two trusted assistants, Francesco Melzi (Angelino Sandri) and Zoroastro, carry out anatomical studies to divine the secret of the human soul.

These investigations are in direct violation of edicts from the Pope (Matt Berry) but Leonardo is obliged to remain in Italy at the behest of his patron, Giuliano de’ Medici (John Gilkey).

When Giuliano dies, Leonardo accepts a generous offer from Francis I of France (Gauthier Battoue) to relocate to Amboise where he meets the king’s sister, Marguerite de Navarre (Daisy Ridley), who shares his love of science and progress.

Alas, the French monarch firmly insists Leonardo should devote his time to creating a large statue in his honour to impress visiting dignitaries Emperor Charles V (Max Baumgarten) of Spain and King Henry VIII (Daniel Swan) of England.

Leonardo’s health deteriorates and the inventor looks to the starry firmament for his final grand endeavour.

VINDICATION SWIM (UK PG/ROI PG, 98 mins)

Released: March 8 (UK & Ireland, selected cinemas)

In 1926 London, Mercedes Gleitze (Kirsten Callaghan) watches newsreel footage of American swimmer Gertrude Ederle (Melodie Tyrer) becoming the first woman to traverse the English Channel in a little over 14 and a half hours.

Mercedes already has several failed attempts at the crossing but Ederle’s headline-grabbing success inspires the Brighton-born secretary and stenographer to try again.

She resolves to secure sponsorship from the Amateur Swimming Association led by Sir Arthur Coleridge (John Tolputt).

Unfortunately, the ASA is wary of endorsing a candidate with German heritage so they throw their support instead behind glamour puss Edith Gade (Victoria Summer).

Mercedes is unperturbed and persuades retired trainer Harold Best (John Locke) to prepare her for a lucky eighth attempt.