🍿#15: Supernova

This week's dose of great trailers, movie trivia and a feature review of Supernova starring Colin Firth and Stanley Tucci!

Jul 15, 2021

“You should be kissed and often, and by someone who knows how.”
~ Gone With the Wind, 1939

Let’s get this show on the road

Before we crack on with Salty Popcorn, I want to give a big shout out to the FilmEssentials Instagram page for promoting Salty Popcorn on their stories two weeks ago. I’d also like to welcome the flock of new subscribers that presumably found their way here as a result - you couldn’t have joined at a better time!

For you newbies, you might enjoy flicking through previous issues of Salty Popcorn, where you can read reviews of Another Round, Shiva Baby and A Quiet Place Part II. In each of these, you’ll also find trailers and trivia that are just as good (if not better!) than what’s included in this week’s edition - I’ll let you be the judge.

I’ve also got some very exciting news on the horizon as I’m currently in talks with an independent film festival to host a Salty Popcorn event. I don’t want to say too much, but there will be beer, there will be prizes and I’m hoping that premium subscribers will be able to attend for free, this is something I’m still negotiating!

So, watch this space and follow Salty Popcorn on Twitter for regular updates.

What have you been watching recently? Let me know in the comments below!

Upcoming Releases

Blue Bayou

UK: 3 December // USA: 17 September

The life of Korean adoptee, Antonio LeBlanc (Justin Chon), who grew up and lives near a Louisiana bayou is ripped apart when he faces deportation, despite living in the USA for 30 years.

I only saw this trailer yesterday, but it gave me a shiver and reminded me very much of A Place Beyond the Pines. Funnily enough, Emory Cohen who was in APBTB is in this as well.

Beckett

UK: 13 August // USA: 13 August

While on holiday in Greece, Beckett (John David Washington), an American tourist, finds himself in the centre of a political conspiracy following a devastating car accident.

While this looks like a fairly basic action-chase movie, the fact that it stars John David Washington (Tenet, BlacKkKlansman) gives me hope that there’s more than meets the eye.

Fact of the week

Christian Bale based his portrayal of Patrick Bateman on Tom Cruise after seeing him feature on The Late Show with David Letterman. Apparently, it was Cruise’s “very intense friendliness with nothing behind the eyes” that made Bale think he’d be the perfect person to base Bateman on.

I’m about 95% sure this is the clip…

Review: Supernova

Star rating:

3 (out of 5)

Worth a watch?

Maybe… This one depends on you.

Where to watch:

USA: Hulu

UK: Only in cinemas

Runtime:

1hr 34m

Blurb:

Sam (Colin Firth) and Tusker (Stanley Tucci), a couple, take a road trip around the UK in the wake of Tusker’s early-onset dementia.

The review (NO spoilers):

Supernova has all the ingredients for a great film, (good music, good actors, lovely landscapes and a good premise), but it doesn’t quite hit the mark.

As we follow Sam (Firth) and Tusker (Tucci) through beautiful landscapes, it quickly becomes clear that Sam’s way of dealing with Tusker’s dementia is to ignore it. Tusker, on the other hand, seems to have accepted his illness with a gentle wry humour that makes him the more likeable of the two.

Despite it being clear that they love each other, every affectionate moment has a mournful undertone, and when there’s no clear affection it’s expressed through their semi-playful bickering. While dementia obviously isn’t a happy subject, I would have liked to see more joy between Sam and Tusker, as they seem more like a couple on the verge of a breakup rather than a couple making the most of their time, which is amplified by the intense — and often unspoken — anger that lies underneath everything.

For me, it felt as though there was a lack of emotional diversity, which may be what’s missing. More dramatically joyous and sombre scenes would have juxtaposed each other, thus making those moments more poignant. Instead, the film’s pace trundles along in a kind of grey area between happy and sad. You could argue that Supernova isn’t dissimilar to Nomadland in that respect, but I’d argue that Nomadland pulled it off.

Don’t get me wrong, I enjoyed Supernova enough to recommend it to some but I expected more from a film starring Firth and Tucci and I’m not surprised it was mostly ignored throughout awards season.

If you liked Supernova…

The Father

2020 | UK: Select Cinemas // US: Amazon Prime ($4.99)

Based on the play Le Père, The Father focuses on Anthony (Anthony Hopkins) who refuses all assistance from his daughter as he ages and his mental health deteriorates. As he tries to make sense of his changing circumstances, he begins to doubt his loved ones, his own mind and even the fabric of his reality.

If you’re anything like me, little will prepare you for the effect of this film, though I won’t spoil it by saying too much. As this film is approaching the end of its theatrical run in the UK, there are only a few cinemas still showing it - but it’s worth it.

In the next issue:

Old

UK: 23 July // USA: 23 July | Watch the Trailer

The Critic’s Cut 🚨SPOILER ALERT🚨:

While a part of me thinks Supernova’s emotional depth would have been greater had we seen Tusker die, I’m glad we didn’t. Tusker manages to keep himself together for the majority of the film, yet his internal anguish is made clear throughout and when the moment he breaks down does come along, it’s all the more powerful.

I stand by my belief that something was missing from this film, but witnessing his suicide wouldn’t have made it any better - if anything, it would have cheapened it. That said, I wasn’t particularly happy with the ending. Although Firth is clearly a capable pianist, it was remarkably underwhelming for the film’s final scene, and Tusker didn’t get the send-off he deserved.

Do you know someone who’d like a taste of Salty Popcorn? Feel free to send this issue on.