Feelgood films
Published on 5th January 2015
January, eh? It’s dark, it’s cold, we’re all broke and under pressure to give up something we enjoy. Apparently it’s the worst time of year to make resolutions, and I second that. So leave those resolutions till the spring, and grab your poison, be it chocolate, single malt, or rasher sandwiches, then curl up on the sofa and watch some films that’ll give you a warm cosy feeling inside.
A hippie dreamer in 1970s Belfast: what could possibly go wrong? Mashing inspiring humour with genuine news footage and some great music, this is the story of the legendary Terri Hooley, of his soul-saving record shop where Hank Williams meets punk, and of his discovery of That Song – you know the one I mean!
Maori leader Koro has problems: he is the leader of a tribe coming to terms with the 21st century, and his son isn’t interested in taking up the role after him. His only other heir is his granddaughter, Pai, and who ever heard of a female leader? Pai’s mind is both fresher and older than her grandfather’s, however. A beautifully shot tale of identity, transition, and spirituality.
This coming-of-age film sees two boys strike up a very unlikely friendship and decide to create their own film version of Rambo. A little bit cheesy towards the end, but a bit of cheese isn’t so bad: it’s also funny and uplifting, with a brill (cough) 80s soundtrack.
The Way
A man tries to make sense of the death of his son by completing his son’s walk along the Camino de Santiago. Martin Sheen and Emilio Estevez have made a film that deals in an honest and unsentimental way with grief and redemption, and with the joy of the journey rather than the destination.