Weekend Watch: Come From Away, Malignant

A rousing, emotional musical and a fresh terror from James Wan

Image Credit: Apple TV+

Welcome to the latest edition of Weekend Watch, in which I recommend (or occasionally warn against) movies or TV shows I’ve been checking out. This week, a musical hits receives the filmed stage treatment and James Wan is back in full horror mode. Follow James on Twitter: @jamwhite

Though stages around the world were closed for many months during the pandemic, theatres have started to light up again. But there are, naturally, fans of stage productions who don’t feel safe venturing back again as Covid remains a very real threat. And even before the big shutdown, there were many who couldn’t make it to where shows were being staged, or simply couldn’t afford the hefty prices of the bigger productions. Recording shows is not a new phenomenon, but it’s a welcome one at a time like this, and I launched this newsletter talking about my love for a certain other musical that was a big hit on Disney+.

Apple clearly realised a good thing when they saw it, which might explain why fellow musical success story Come From Away has arrived on the company’s streaming service, launching on 10 September, the day before the 20th anniversary of the 9/11 attacks. Created by Irene Sankoff and David Hein, it starts on the day itself and proceeds through the following week, tracking the true story of what happened when a swathe of planes were diverted to a small airport on Newfoundland, Canada. There, the tiny town of Gander and its big-hearted residents took in around 7,000 passengers and crew who were stranded as US airspace shut down. Overlapping tales follow residents and their unexpected guests as emergency supplies are scrounged, temporary housing is found and friendships/relationships blossom.

I’d known the basic concept of the show, but not much more than that and the emotional impact of this one hits hard. While the songs might not always have the sheer musical creativity of something like Hamilton, they nevertheless mix charm, comedy, fear, uncertainty, tragedy and love together as the disparate characters are weaved together. And if you thought it was impressive that the cast around Lin-Manuel Miranda play different roles, spare a thought for the ensemble here, who switch so fluidly between four, five and even more characters each that you’ll end up convinced every single one of them should’ve walked away with major awards.

Filmed in May 2021 at the Gerald Schoenfeld Theater the show stars members of the Broadway cast in one of the first productions to return as New York began to open back up again, directed by Christopher Ashley. It’s a marvel to behold, tugging the heartstrings while never feeling saccharine. At a time when the world still feels like a dark, disconnected place, it’s a worthwhile reminder that humanity can be wonderful at times when faced with a huge challenge, and that kindness can come from anywhere. If your heart feels heavy, this could be the perfect lift.

Come From Away is on Apple TV+ now.

Image Credit: Warner Bros.

James Wan knows how to make horror films. Heck, he’s wrought terror franchises into life with Saw, Insidious and, most successfully, the Conjuring series, which has spawned spin-offs faster than a Mogwai splashed with water. More recently, he’s applied his talents to bigger budget filmmaking, helping to juice the Fast franchise (with Furious 7) and indulging his superhero side via Aquaman. As I write this, he’s in production on a sequel to the latter, but, looking to keep his horror side fed, he broke off from giant movies to scale back down and tackle a new, original horror tale with Malignant. And the result sees him fully unleashing his wild side again in a way that even Aquaman’s drumming octopus can’t represent.

Working alongside writers Ingrid Bisu (who also pops up on screen as crime scene tech Winnie) and Akela Cooper (who penned the screenplay), Wan has cooked up something that harks back to his nervy, crazy younger days, albeit with the assured touch of a filmmaker who has full control of his talents.

Malignant follows poor Madison (Annabelle Wallis), who is being tormented with visions of a violent killer as they go about a slaughtering spree. And that’s on top of her troubled childhood – adopted into a loving family but haunted by a seemingly murderous invisible friend and the abusive relationship she’s just escaped (mostly because her horrible boyfriend was murdered). As the police dig into the slayings, Madison and her sister Sydney (Maddie Hasson) are drawn into the case.

This is Wan throwing his camera around the screen when needed, and letting it flow in other moments, playfully making use of the sets and his actors, unafraid to push the envelope with the gonzo factor. It doesn’t completely work – some aspects coming across as silly rather than scary, but there’s no denying that Wan knows how to put a film like this together. It’s strange that Warner Bros. would have waited so long to screen it, giving the impression that it’s a dud. It’s far from that.

Malignant is in UK cinemas now, and on release both in US cinemas and on HBO Max (the latter for the next 30 days).