TEAM PICKS
NICOLA RECOMMENDS… SNOWPIERCER (2013)
French graphic novel Le Transperceneige , it plants us aboard a high-speed mega train that circles around the globe while its passengers adhere to a rigid class system. The travellers in the upper tiers indulge in opulent meals, spa treatments and a drug- fuelled nightclub, while the downtrodden passengers in the tail section are starved
and brutalised – until they revolt and all hell breaks loose. Subtle, this film is not. On release, it received mixed reviews, but I see it as a near-perfect slice of sci-fi escapism. The hooded, axe-wielding guards bearing down on the rebels are genuinely terrifying, while Tilda Swinton is fantastically unhinged as their commander, Minister Mason. Visually, there’s so much to feast your eyes on – from the apocalyptic frozen landscapes outside the train to the endlessly creative production design inside it – creating different universes as we move from carriage to carriage. The fight sequences are brilliantly realised, too, with visceral handheld camerawork and a cool night-vision-shot brawl, demonstrating Joon-Ho’s talent for creating a visual spectacle, even when limited to the cramped confines of a train. The influence of Terry Gilliam looms large – so much so that there’s a key character named after the legendary filmmaker. So, if you enjoyed the surreal steampunk aesthetic and sharp social commentary of Brazil , chances are you’ll have a fantastic time with Snowpiercer . I know I did!
Before Bong Joon-Ho stunned the world with his Oscar-winning 2019 masterpiece Parasite , the South Korean director gave us Snowpiercer – an action-packed dystopian romp about the last human survivors of a new ice age. Based on the
KATIE RECOMMENDS… FRIDAY NIGHT LIGHTS (2006-2011) In the town of Dillon, Texas, high school football reigns supreme. Based on the book by Buzz Bissinger, Friday Night Lights follows the Dillon Panthers’ head coach Eric Taylor, his wife Tami and his daughter Julie – all of whom are under the spotlight in this sport- obsessed society. While the series might seem simple, its exceptional writing takes a closer look at the suburban American South, examining larger social issues related to class, race and gender, and questioning the special treatment of athletes. Visually, Friday Night Lights retains almost a fly-on-the-wall feel, shot primarily handheld and with a graininess akin to home video – ordinary in theory but successful in practice. I grew up in the US (New Jersey, not Texas), and my high school had no football team. Though fictional, for me, Friday Night Lights is a lesson in everyday hardships, a look at an alternate American life – and one of the best TV series I’ve seen.
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