Cinema
Drive-Away Dolls
Directed by Ethan Coen (brother Joel has sat out on this one), Drive-Away Dolls has the look and feel of a classic Coen brothers movie – it's a dark comedy road trip injected with sex, violence and oddball characters galore.
Think Raising Arizona mashed with Burn After Reading, but with refreshingly underdog heroes who are unapologetically loud and fiercely proud, this is a Coen crime caper that sizzles with a fresh and infectious energy, thanks to a wonderful cast and Ethan's steady, sure direction.
The action revolves around bad-girl Jamie, a woman who marches to the beat of her own drum and attacks life with a ferocious disregard for her actions. When her girlfriend Sukie, a dry-witted cop, discovers that Jamie has been sleeping around, again, she rightfully kicks her out.
Not happy to be left in the doghouse, Jamie decides to seek her fortune in Tallahassee and sets out on a road trip with good-intentioned wallflower Marian, who just happens to have something of a crush on the wild and unpredictable Jamie.
However, when Jamie and Marian pick up the wrong car at the rental shop, they find themselves the target of some dodgy crooks who want to get their hands on a mysterious briefcase in the trunk of their car.
While the plotting here is not original in the slightest, it's the energy of the performances and Coen's eye for abstract framing and absurdity that gives Drive-Away Dolls a fresh and engaging take on this well-worn genre.
Margaret Qualley and Geraldine Viswanathan are brilliant together and exude an fire-cracker chemistry that's a joy to watch. There's also great support from the likes of Beanie Feldstein, Pedro Pascal and Matt Damon, who all add a touch of quality to this slap-dash crime flick. While it may not go down as a Coen classic, Drive-Away Dolls is well worth a look of you're in the mood for a colourful crime caper with a difference.
Disney+
Taylor Swift: The Eras Tour (Taylor's Version)
If you're a dedicated Swiftie, then you'll already have this one added to your Disney+ watchlist and your timer set for the release of Taylor's astounding cinematic outing that took the box office by storm last year.
At well over three hours long, every Taylor Swift fan in the world is going to be tuning into this one, and watching on repeat!
Dim the lights, pour yourself a tipple and just let Taylor's soulful, joyous and uplifting music whisk you away.
