’Dumb Money’

Snappy, fast-paced, fun David vs Goliath narrative as small time investors take on the might of Wall Street Hedge Fund analysts.

The strangulation of the video game store GameStop is the target for a quick, get-rich scheme by Gabe Plotkin (Seth Rogen). But in the time of COVID lockdowns, social behaviour follows no known pattern with ‘everyman’ Keith Gill (Paul Dano) following, analysing and broadcasting on YouTube the investment of his life savings into GameStop. Rather than strangling the company, with eight million followers mirroring Gill, the tables are turned on the billionaires as they head for bankruptcy. With Caroline Gill (Shailene Woodley) anxiously looking on as their investment moves from $100,000 to more than $20 million, Gill encourages all to stay firm and keep their shares: every dirty trick in the book is about to be thrown at them.

An incredible true story, director Craig Gillespie entertainingly covers several narratives linked to the core storyline. In-debt students, a GameStop employee (Anthony Ramos), a palliative care nurse (America Ferrara) are all first timers whilst Plotkin sees his life crumble in spite of massive injections of cash support from billionaires Steve Cohen (Vincent D’Onofrio) and Ken Griffin (Nick Offerman).

Rating: 72%

Director: Craig Gillespie (I Tonya, Cruella)

Writer: Lauren Schuker Blum (TV’s Orange is the New Black), Rebecca Angelo (TV’s Orange is the New Black)

Main cast: Paul Dano (The Fabelmans, There Will Be Blood), Pete Davidson (The King of Staten Island, The Suicide Squad), Shailene Woodley (Ferrari, The Fault in Our Stars)

‘A Star Is Born’

After a magnificent opening 20 minutes or so as troubled rock star Bradley Cooper meets the big-voiced Lady Gaga, A Star is Born settles into a slow, episodic unfolding of its narrative.

Gaga’s meteoric rise into a Grammy-award winning Britney Spears-like pop star is juxtaposed with Cooper’s demise into drug and alcohol addiction. It’s his struggle that is the real focus of Cooper’s directorial debut – in spite of the fact Lady Gaga is a revelation in her first leading role.

A solid remake/adaptation of the 1954 classic starring James Mason and Judy Garland, with some fabulous tunes from both leads, A Star Is Born is nevertheless disappointing considering the hype that surrounds it.

Nominated for 8 Oscars in 2019 (including best film, actor, actress, adapted screenplay), won 1 – best song.

Rating: 69%

Director: Bradley Cooper

Writer: Eric Roth (Munich, The Curious Case of Benjamin Button), Bradley Cooper, Will Fetters (Remember Me, The Best of Me) – based on the 1954 script of the remake of the 1937 film

Main cast: Bradley Cooper (American Sniper, Silver Linings Playbook), Lady Gaga (Men in Black 3, Machete Kills), Sam Elliott (Grandma, Up in the Air)