Comedy
Eternity (15)
Review: A married couple, who have been side by side for 67 years, face an unexpectedly agonising decision in a metaphysical romantic comedy directed by David Freyne and co-written by Pat Cunnane, which begs the question: who do you want to spend the rest of your afterlife with? Larry (Barry Primus) and Joan Cutler (Betty Buckley) playfully bicker en route to a gender reveal party for their latest grandchild, both savouring one final day of happiness together before they disclose her terminal cancer diagnosis to the rest of the family. Confetti-filled balloons cushion Larry’s fall when he chokes to death on a pretzel, and he regains consciousness as his younger self (Miles Teller) on a train as it pulls into The Junction.
This is the holding area for newly departed souls transitioning to personally matched paradises, including Men Free World, Queer World and Wine World (currently sold out). Afterlife co-ordinator Anna (Da’Vine Joy Randolph) shepherds Larry through the process: he has seven days in a swanky high-rise apartment to decide where to spend eternity and, once he makes his choice, there is no turning back. Or he can wait for Joan in basic, lower-level accommodation.
On the seventh day, Joan loses her battle with cancer and materialises as her younger self (Elizabeth Olsen) in a hospital gown. A tearful reunion with Larry is interrupted by rival afterlife co-ordinator Ryan (John Early) and his client: Joan’s dreamy first husband Luke (Callum Turner), who died in the Korean War and has been waiting 67 years for a second chance at love. The clock is ticking for Joan to decide between her two husbands and where she wishes to spend the rest of her afterlife.
Eternity is a delightful and fantastical confection, which world-builds with confidence to succinctly educate us about the time-sensitive rules of The Junction, with a little help from the delightfully droll co-ordinators who guide clients towards a fitting forever (else they be banished into the void). Teller and Turner are well-matched to compete for Olsen’s affections and the actors put themselves, and eventually us, through the emotional wringer. Refreshingly, when the time comes for Joan to announce where her heart belongs, the filmmakers do not chicken out and they consider the ripple effect of her decision.
Oscar-winner Randolph is in show-stopping form and she notches up a succession of belly laughs with her salty one-liners. Early is an impish foil and Olga Merediz makes the most of her limited screen time as Larry and Joan’s plain-speaking neighbour, who has a hilarious epiphany when she becomes a widow. Freyne navigates twists and turns in his own elaborate design with ease and only trips himself up as he attempts to tie up loose ends into a neat bow. In limbo as in life, messiness is part of fun.
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Horror
Five Nights At Freddy's 2 (15)
Review: The nightmare continues for Mike Schmidt (Josh Hutcherson), former night-time security guard at the abandoned Freddy Fazbear’s Pizza entertainment centre, in a ghoulish horror sequel directed by Emma Tammi, based on the popular series of video games created by Scott Cawthon. Mike has managed to protect his younger sister Abby (Piper Rubio) from the truth about what happened to oversized animatronic animals Freddie, Bonnie, Chica and Foxie.
When the girl sneaks out to reunite with her mechanised pals, Mike returns to the scene with police officer Vanessa (Elizabeth Lail). Together, they face the robotic predators and expose dark secrets about Freddy’s origins. Vanessa’s unhinged father, serial killer William Afton (Matthew Lillard), is party to the escalating madness.
Reviews of Five Nights At Freddy’s 2 are embargoed until Thursday morning. Check back later in the week for our full review.
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