Joey’s Home Movies For the Week of March 31st – ‘A Complete Unknown’ and ‘Companion’ Lead the Way

Welcome back to my Home Movies! This week, there’s actually a ton of new releases hitting shelves. Leading the charge are A Complete Unknown and Companion, though there’s also far less classy options, like Flight Risk. What else is coming out today? Well, read on to find out, including a new Criterion pick…

Joey’s Top Pick

A Complete Unknown

Making a Bob Dylan biopic is both obvious feeling and also nearly impossible. So, seeing James Mangold, along with Timothée Chalamet in the central role, pull it off is a real pleasure. All the pitfalls of a musical biopic are largely avoided, instead feeling the vibe of the man as inspiration for an exploration of Dylan. I spoke to Mangold about this work (here), as well as cinematographer Phedon Papamichael (here), alongside editors Andrew Buckland and Scott Morris (here) behind the scenes. In front of the camera, I chatted with co-stars Monica Barbaro (here), Boyd Holbrook (here), and Edward Norton (here) about A Complete Unknown. My review of the film, which cracked my top ten list, is here and starts off as such:

The mystery of Bob Dylan has lingered in pop culture for over a half century now. The enigma that is one of the most seminal artists of the 20th century endures, which is a testament to not just his staying power, but also the mystique surrounding him. Going into A Complete Unknown, I was worried that there would be an attempt to “figure him out” or make a grand statement about the why of it all. I’m only a casual fan of Dylan, but if that was the tact taken with the upcoming Bruce Springsteen biopic, I’d be annoyed. So, it’s very much to this film’s credit that the title is indicative of the depiction. Bob Dylan remains A Complete Unknown at the end of the movie, but you do sort of understand him a bit better, as well as why folks would be so drawn to him. It’s captivating and hypnotic, making for one of the year’s best works.

A Complete Unknown doesn’t feel the need to make Dylan someone who can be completely understood. It’s more important to understand those around him, as well as to get the vibe of why he was such a figure. Instead of just hitting the beats of his life, this is more about the allure and the frustrations that came along with knowing someone who can never be fully known. I got on its wavelength quickly and vibed with it from start to finish.

Recommended Viewing

Companion

This twisty sci-fi flick is a lot of fun. Early on, you’re wondering exactly where the film will go, so once it sets off on its path, you’re along for the ride. Companion manages to be satisfying and surprising in equal measure. I spoke to filmmaker Drew Hancock about the movie here. As for my review? It’s here and began like so:

Any film that’s citing both Barbarian and The Notebook in its advertising is going to have my attention. So, I went into Companion expecting something unusual, which, lo and behold, I certainly got. Luckily, there’s more here than just some surprises, as we end up with a funny, gory, and unique genre tale. The less you know about the plot, the better, so I’ll tread very lightly here in this review, but if you’re looking for something to see this weekend, here is a terrific option.

Companion mixes genres well, as there’s romanic comedy aspects at play, while horror and science fiction dance around as well. It all merges together pretty well, especially as focuses shift throughout the flick. The element of surprises benefits this movie, too, but it’s not wholly reliant on it. Not knowing the twist ahead of time is good in the sense that the filmmaker doesn’t want you to, but if you do find out, your enjoyment won’t be impacted. Still, go in as blind as you can. Trust me.

Also Available This Week

Dog Man

Flight Risk

Inglourious Basterds (4K)

Love Hurts

Love Me

Mufasa: The Lion King

One of Them Days

Renfield (4K)

Shoplifters (Blu-ray)

Superman & Lois: The Complete Series (TV)

Criterion Corner

Ugetsu

From The Criterion Collection: “By the time he made Ugetsu, Kenji Mizoguchi was already an elder statesman of Japanese cinema, fiercely revered by Akira Kurosawa and other directors of a younger generation. And with this exquisite ghost story, a fatalistic wartime tragedy derived from stories by Akinari Ueda and Guy de Maupassant, he created a touchstone of his art, his long takes and sweeping camera guiding the viewer through a delirious narrative about two villagers whose pursuit of fame and fortune leads them far astray from their loyal wives. Moving between the terrestrial and the otherworldly, Ugetsu reveals essential truths about the ravages of war, the plight of women, and the pride of men.”

Stay tuned for more next week…