Newbury Weekly News

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Thursday, May 11, 2017 ARTS & ENTERTAINMENT
ALSO NOW SHOWING AT A
CINEMA NEAR YOU Comic book hero s play it for laughs
COMIC book cinema has
inherited the logic of its source
material – to attempt a new Marvel
movie without having viewed the
last dozen releases is to expose
oneself to a dizzying, incomprehen-
sible plot, a mind-numbing host of
heroes and villains and some of the
most downright nonsensical action
sequences yet to have graced the
multiplex. Guardians of the
Galaxy, the definitive sleeper hit of
2014, took this sorry state of
affairs and, with indomitable
energy and ruthlessness, turned it
on its head. This was a comic book
flick that ENCOURAGED us to
laugh at its excess and stupidity,
which dropped high-octane space
battles alongside engaging
characters, a killer soundtrack and
gags that were actually funny –
The Hitchhiker’s Guide meets
Flash Gordon meets Spaceballs.
A fantasy sequel either ups the ante,
opting for effects overkill and flagrant
crowd-pleasing, or dials down the
madness for the sake of storytelling
and dramatic introspection. The first
film being the unlikely, tongue-in-
cheek blockbuster that it was, GotG
Volume 2 here finds itself in an
interesting position, unable to deliver
on either pitch without upsetting a
large chunk of the audience. Forced
into a delicate balancing act, it plays
a strange game – the explosions,
jokes and alien exotica are all here,
but it’s within the context of an
across-the-board personalisation of
the action that does not always sit
well with the story’s galactic scale.
Everyone’s favourite spacefarers
now find
themselves embroiled in an intricate
web of family and identity issues –
Gomora (Zoe Saldana) in a feud with
her sister (Karen Gillan), Earthling
Quill (Chris Pratt) wrestling with
the return of his alien father (Kurt
Russell), and buccaneer Yondu
(Michael Rooker), a blue-skinned
outcast, struggling to find his place
in the universe.
It’s by no means a slow or unlikeable
movie (the impenetrability and
OTT-ness of the plot is totally played
for laughs), but one cannot help but
feel that Vol 2 is at its best when it
puts the melodrama aside and sticks
to what GotG does better than any
other super-franchise. Star-racoon
Rocket (voiced by Bradley Cooper) is
marvellous as ever, stealing the
show in his interactions with the
hapless, adorable Baby Groot
(voiced by, of all people, Vin Diesel);
their stretch aboard a pirate ship
boasts all the best lines. Director
James Gunn demonstrates, once
again, his keen ear for music, not
bad for the ‘mind’ that brought us
the live-action Scooby-Doo movies –
Awesome Mix Vol 2, featuring the
likes of Parliament, Fleetwood Mac
and Cat Stevens, comes dangerously
close to besting the first film’s
legendary soundtrack.
But those inspired moments do little
to paper over the biscuit-thin
execution – the movie takes the safe
route, sticking squarely to its
predecessor’s legacy. Constant
injections of energy and humour
cannot distract from the fact that
not a whole lot actually happens; it’s
as if a conscious decision has been
made to keep story and character
development to a minimum in
preparation for a blowout threequel,
and such a Spartan treatment rarely
works wonders where the sci-fi
genre is concerned, demanding as
it does around-the-clock thrills and
real human drama (NOT, it must be
said, the half-baked soap opera we
get in bucketloads here). The
second Guardians outing is a fun,
occasionally smart and spectacular
slice of cosmic pie, but we really
deserved more.
Guardians oftheGalaxy Vol2(12A)
Running time2hr16min
Rating PPP
But is that enough?
Not a whole lot
actually happens in
Guardians of the
Galaxy
Vol 2,
says film
reviewer
CHARLIE
MASTERS
UK solo debut at Oil Gallery
PRELUDE, the debut UK solo show by
Christopher Luigi Veggetti Kanku,
opens at Oil Gallery in Hungerford
tomorrow (Friday) .
Luigi is a commercially-successful artist
building a legacy through his work and
commissions. He lives and works in
Brianza, Milan.
His career so far has seen him win prizes,
press and plaudits, starting with first prize,
in 2008, in the Prize Ghiggini Arte, in the
young painters section. He was then signed
to a publishing deal through Italian
publisher Umberto Allemandi and started
releasing art books, 30 Tele in 2010, Forte
Dei Marmi in 2012 and Monza e Brianza,
due for release in 2018. He has appeared in
major Italian magazines such as Arte
Mondadori and Flash Art.
Luigi’s work is represented in galleries in
Berlin, Milan, Florence, Stockholm and
London and he has held numerous solo and
groups shows across many galleries.
His work consists of portraits, urban street
scenes and rural landscapes. Luigi’s style
is born in the classic and executed in the
modern.
“His use of bursting colour or
monochrome sepia splashed with acid just
pops to the eye and intoxicates your
senses,” says gallery owner Justin Cook.
“And this is what makes Luigi different.
You sense that he is becoming someone
who is building a real legacy.”
Luigi's latest commission for 2017 is
AFROITALIANI for the Italian
Government and will feature in Manifesta
11, the European Biennial of Contemporary
Art 2018 . He will paint 25 portraits, to be
exhibited in Milan and New York. The
works will then be distributed for hanging
through Italian embassies around the world
and one or two will be presented to
government and cultural organisations.
Justin says: “Oil is delighted to be hosting
Luigi’s debut solo show in the UK and
honoured to receive him after his legacy-
building AFROITALIANI project in
Italy.
“It promises to be something memorable.”
You can find Oil Gallery at 5 Bridge Street,
Hungerford, RG17 0EH.
Alien:Covenant
Hostile alien lifeform
forcesthespace
explorers intoafight
forsurvival
ADog’s Purpose (PG)
Re-born dogsear ches
formeaning inhis
multiple lives
Unlocked (15)
LoneCIAagent riesto
saveLondon from
terrorattack
TheirFinest (12A)
Anewpatriotic filmis
planned toboostBritish
moraleduring theBlitz.
Gemma Arterton stars
Guardians ofthe
GalaxyVol2(12A)
Theteamscontinue
theiradventures asthey
traverse theouter
reaches ofthecosmos.
Review thispage
FastandFurious 8
(12A)
Street racerTorettoand
hiscrewaretearing up
theroadsoncemore, in
NewYorkandCuba
NTLive:Obsession
JudeLawinthe
Barbican’s production
TheHappiest Dayin
theLifeofOlliMäki
(12A)
TruestoryoftheFinnish
featherweightboxer
Dancer (12A)
Portrait oftheRoyal
Ballet’s young
Ukrainian dancer
SergeiPolunin
Christopher Luigi Veggetti Kanku show opens ARTIST
Luigi Christopher Veggetti Kanku
is a Congolese-born artist who
grew up in Northern Italy. He is
one of the principal artists of the
Italian contemporary art scene.
PROJECT AFROITALIANI
...is an exhibition to show a series
of portraits dedicated to important
citizens of African descendants
who grew up or lived in Italy, from
the past through to the present
day. The portraits will represent
all the well-known and successful
people for their work and their
position in the community and
whose personal experiences and
achievements have had a strong
impact on the path of racial
integration of Italy.
The people’s portraits will include
writers, artists, politicians,
entrepreneurs, athletes and
others.
FRI12–THU18MAY
0845 5218 218|
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FILM
CINEMA
THEIRFINEST (12A)
Fri 17:55, 20:35
Sat 15:20, 20:30
Sun 17:00
Silver Screen Mon14:30
Parents and Babies Tue 11:00
Tue 18:05
Wed 13:15, 16:05
Thu 12:15, 17:55, 20:35
RSC ENCORE:
JULIUSCAESAR
Wed 19:00
DANCER (12A)
Sat 18:05 Tue 14:30
Parents and Babies Wed 11:00
THEHAPPIESTDAY IN
THE LIFEOF OLLI MÄKI (12A)
Fri 14:30 Sat 13:00
Sun 14:45 Tue 20:45
LOSINGSIGHT OF SHORE
Q&A Screening Sun 12:00
Newbury Weekly News