🍿73: Scrapper

SP hits 500 subs and we unmask some of the biggest hidden cameos!

Aug 24, 2023

“People don't realize this, but loneliness is underrated.”
~ 500 Days of Summer, 2009

500!

With 500 subscribers, Salty Popcorn certainly isn’t lonely anymore, and at its current trajectory, we could hit 600-700 total subs by the end of the year, and double that by August 2024!

In celebration of the big five-double-oh (and following some inspiration from reader submissions) we thought it would be a good week to talk about cameos — because who doesn’t love feeling clever after spotting a familiar face?

But rather than talk about the cameos that are easy to spot, let’s talk about the ones you almost certainly missed:

Steve Buscemi in Pulp Fiction | See the Scene
- I always felt there was something familiar about the depressed Buddy Holly in Jack Rabbit Slim’s, though I’d never put two together until now…
Cate Blanchett in Hot Fuzz | See the Scene
- Cate has an entire scene alongside Simon Pegg, but you’d be forgiven for not recognising her on account of the overalls and face mask.
Jim Carrey in Liar Liar | See the Scene
- You’ve got to see this one to believe it.
Michael Caine in Dunkirk | See the Scene
- You’ll need pretty sharp ears to ‘spot’ Sir Michael in this scene.

There’s one more cameo to add to this list, but it’s hidden (badly) in the Fact of the Week.

Now for the headlines:

Sofia Coppola’s Priscilla has been acquired by Mubi for international distribution. Read more.
Germany has chosen The Teachers’ Lounge, directed by Ilker Çatak, as its submission for Best Internation Feature at the 2024 Oscars. Read more.
The long-awaited Chicken Run sequel will premiere at the London Film Festival. Read more.
Disney Frozen is coming back as a podcast, without any of the original cast. Read more.

Upcoming Releases

Accused

UK: 22 September // USA: 22 September

Philip Barantini, director of Boiling Point, is back with another stressful drama. Accused focuses on Harri (Chaneil Kular) who finds himself wrongly accused by internet vigilantes, where online threats soon spill over into real-life retribution

The trailer is much better than the thumbnail would have you believe.

She Came To Me

UK: 29 September // USA: 29 September

Composer Steven Lauddem (Peter Dinklage) is creatively blocked and unable to finish the score for his big comeback opera. At the behest of his wife, Patricia (Anne Hathaway), formerly his therapist, he sets out in search of inspiration and finds much more than he bargained for.

Fact of the week

For the final, and possibly the best, hidden cameo we’re turning Steven Spielberg’s Hook starring Robin Williams and Dustin Hoffman.

This little gem was submitted by Chris M., where you can see none other than Glenn Close playing the role of Gutless, a pirate who’s punished severely for doubting Captain Hook (Dustin Hoffman).

Submit Your Fact

Review: Scrapper

Star rating:

3.5 (out of 5)

Where to watch:

USA: Only in cinemas

UK: Only in cinemas

Runtime:

1hr 24m

Director:

Charlotte Regan

Blurb:

Living alone in her London house, 12-year-old Georgie (Lola Campbell) must confront reality when her estranged father, Jason (Harris Dickinson), shows up out of the blue.

The review (NO spoilers):

Scrapper treads a fine line between quirky and heartfelt, and while it doesn’t always hit the mark, this comedy-drama delivers plenty of delightful moments that’ll make you smile.

Writer and director Charlotte Regan has no trouble bringing creative and artistic flair in ways that only seem to appear in British indie films. From dressing Jason (Harris Dickinson) up as a vampire (and then a gangster) while Georgie (Lola Campbell) tries to figure out his backstory, to conversations between a group of spiders. But these quirky moments felt irregular and inconsistent with the more tumultuous scenes.

There was also a certain lack of complexity. Considering the film focuses on a girl in quite a unique situation, there would have been an opportunity to bring more of a punch had it gone a little deeper in exploring the issues and emotions of its key characters.

I got the feeling that Regan tried to do this, as there was more conflict between Jason (Dickinson) and Georgie than I was expecting, but conflict doesn’t necessarily equal complexity. In fact, some of the best scenes were those that showed Jason and Georgie just hanging out, which was when they were most vulnerable with each other. It’s just a shame that such scenes were few and far between. Still, Regan exhibits plenty of emotional range, and Dickinson does a fantastic job of playing a father who has no idea what he’s doing, or even why he’s doing it.

To sum up, if you’re looking for a fairly feel-good film this bank holiday then Scrapper will certainly brighten your weekend — especially if it’s raining.

Scroll down for and to see what’s in the next issue.

If you liked Scrapper…

Aftersun

2022 | UK: Mubi / Amazon Prime (£3.49) // USA: Paramount+

20 years after their last holiday, Sophie, played by both Frankie Corio and Celia Rowlson-Hall, reflects on the rare time spent with her loving and idealistic father Calum (Paul Mescal). Sophie’s recollections become a powerful and heartrending portrait of their relationship, as she tries to reconcile the father she knew, with the man she didn't.

While both films share a similar pace, where Scrapper leans more toward being quirky and funny, Aftersun is solemn — both are heartfelt.

That said, if you’re more interested in playful filmmaking than the father-daughter relationship, Rye Lane might be more up your street.

In the next issue:

Past Lives

UK: 30 August 2023 // USA: 2 June | Watch the Trailer

Salty Popcorn