[Film] Film 2018

[Meade's Ball]

Right, so I managed to sneak off and watched 2 films as I did so.
The first was that there Sicario 2 feature. Now, what I recall of the first one was a brooding tension that, whilst not perfect, wasn't bad. For this one, under a different director, you have a couple of the same characters, the same heavy whirr of occasional backing music, but the feeling of weaker dialogue, and the essence of a lesser sequel - Weekend at Bernies 2. There isn't much space for the remaining characters to develop, which is fine, but the exploits they get up to needed to carry greater realism and potency (they may have been based on real events, but didn't feel it) not to disappear into standard stereotypes of dastardliness. Benicio del Toro was less enigmatic here too, probably because of a more prominent role, and I don't go along with what happens to him.
Anywhoway, it was alright, if not particularly striking.

The second film was Leave No Trace, for which I had reasonably high hopes. I'd rather liked Winter's Bone - surprisingly 8 years ago - and this was good too, but I didn't have the same level of feeling for it. Everyone was astonishingly warm in it. Maybe that's just America, or being in and around Portland, but I didn't feel their take on the social services being so accepting of the situation was wholly authentic, or that society itself would be quite so helpful. Saying that, it was a good film. The feeling of the wild, and looking to disappear into it, along with notions of loyalty, both within the father/daughter relationship and how we are to see and treat those with wartime trauma, and of love itself in which sometimes you just have to let people go. A good flick, and I look forward to the director's next one, no matter how long away that might be.

 

[Meade's Ball]

Twas Saturday when I went to one of the local cinemas to find myself there alone, but for one old gentleman who clearly couldn't make it up the stairs so sat in the front row with his neck constantly stretched backwards, for a Spanish film, that by the end had me in tears. Ok life can sometimes be emotional and what you escape yourself into can, not exactly mirror it, but prod the nerves or glands that secure the thrusts of feeling that for an eternity we look to conceal. And I feel that was the way with this film, reminding of an unfortunate past, but on its own building to a couple of scenes that would have dragged me in and under even if my tear ducts weren't at the ready.

It's the autobiographical tale of a 6 year old girl, Frida, whose parents have perished, and off to her aunt and uncle she goes. The film is of her and shot mostly at her level, with people talking over and around her, but of her, and of her parents and why they were gone. The acting is great for the children involved, who seem playful and natural, with Frida removed and quietly absorbing both her surroundings and the new family she is within. It was subtle and striking and heartwarming in amongst the tears. A really good film that, and a wonderful debut for the director.
Oh yeah, it's called Summer 1993

 

[pearl]

Twas Saturday when I went to one of the local cinemas to find myself there alone, but for one old gentleman who clearly couldn't make it up the stairs so sat in the front row with his neck constantly stretched backwards, for a Spanish film, that by the end had me in tears. Ok life can sometimes be emotional and what you escape yourself into can, not exactly mirror it, but prod the nerves or glands that secure the thrusts of feeling that for an eternity we look to conceal. And I feel that was the way with this film, reminding of an unfortunate past, but on its own building to a couple of scenes that would have dragged me in and under even if my tear ducts weren't at the ready.

It's the autobiographical tale of a 6 year old girl, Frida, whose parents have perished, and off to her aunt and uncle she goes. The film is of her and shot mostly at her level, with people talking over and around her, but of her, and of her parents and why they were gone. The acting is great for the children involved, who seem playful and natural, with Frida removed and quietly absorbing both her surroundings and the new family she is within. It was subtle and striking and heartwarming in amongst the tears. A really good film that, and a wonderful debut for the director.
Oh yeah, it's called Summer 1993

I was considering seeing that, but I don't trust myself to keep it together

 

[Tom Hark Preston Park]

Saw a brief clip and interview with the lead actor of A Prayer Before Dawn on - of all things! - the Tim Lovejoy cooking thing whatever it's called last weekend. Looks amazing. Wlll be signing up for next Tuesday's matinee @ Komedia pronto tonto

https://www.picturehouses.com/cinema/Dukes_At_Komedia/film/a-prayer-before-dawn

 

[pearl]

Has anyone seen First Reformed? Can't make my mind up if worth seeing, it sounds a bit 'same old' and when the weather's so good it seems a shame to be inside (in a dark room).

 

[Tom Hark Preston Park]

So. Deliciously air-conned matinee of A Prayer Before Dawn at Dukes at Komedia. Joe Cole (no relation) asked to be written out of Peaky Blinders because he didn't want to be typecast as violent and aggressive. So what does he do? Ditch the Brummie accent and pop up here in the lead role as baby-faced Scouse lowlife Billy Moore, dealer, addict and not too successful Muay Thai boxer. Doh! The film, based on Moore's true story, centres on his experiences of being banged up abroad. It's filmed in a documentary style inside a Thai prison, using a cast consisting largely of genuine Thai ex-prisoners and real Thai boxers. There's more tattoos on display than you can shake a Thai stick at. Adding to the air of authenticity there are no subtitles and much shouting in Thai. 'I don't know what you're fookin saying' shouts Moore at one point, and neither do we. There are a few snippets of pigeon English language along the way so you're not left completely in the dark, but a bold linguistic move by director Jean-Stéphane Sauvaire anyway. This movie doesn't pull any punches, and won't be everybody's cup of tai chi, but to me represents two hours well spent. Especially with the air-con on. 7/10

 

[luge]

A wee plug for my film which is screening at Lewes Depot this weekend - Kaiser! The Greatest Footballer Never to Play Football

17:30, followed by a Q and A with - er - me!




You can read all about it here...

https://www.thesun.co.uk/sport/football/6798246/carlos-kaiser-farce-footballer-documentary-brazil/

https://www.sussexexpress.co.uk/new...ake-footballer-who-fooled-the-world-1-8579044

 

[Meade's Ball]

On a hot occasion i find the cinema tends to be emptier. That's when i head in repeatedly. I'm not anti-vitamin-d, as such, but i prefer the darkness, and an uninterrupted rendition, when i have the chance. Perhaps it's the time for fanatics, and those not hungry for company or too often without it.. Anywho, i disappeared into the mostly unlit fray a few times this week, twice for the vast nonsense of the mainstream, and once for a slight oddity that bruises both the heart and psyche.

The first was on a Saturday afternoon, with a mere 11 or so others, and i partly wondered who they were when leaving. The film was Apostasy, and it felt like not an entirely rotten introduction to the world of Jehovahs Witnesses, although slowly exposing the agony of a long-serving and loyal member, when her daughters each have their own experience. I felt as if i was back at school at times, watching a video brought in by a local religious group to give a feeling of their faith and invites young people in. But what happens, is quiet and disastrous, and the internal conflict of the mother, played excellently by Siobhan Finneran, is difficult to view, but felt authentic. Not a fun watch, but interesting, and striking at times.

Mainstream stuff now, firstly in the form of Mission Impossible: The Nonsensical Twistathon. It really is pointless twaddle, but rather entertaining. It tickled me early on from how bad an actor Tom Cruise generally is. His face and eyes carry little alarm, with them seemingly endlessly in a partial smirk, even on the verge of death 18 times a movie. It's a franchise that has made billions, and has Tom Cruise is the idea-smith behind it as a big screen remake originator. I shan't applaud him for such, as it's not the act of a genius, but he seems to have realised what he can be on screen, retaining his stardom to the end, rather than the serious-role hunter of 20 years ago. Maybe a small clap is deserved for that maturing over time.
The film, though, was good fun, with a mixture of waffle, bunkum, and absurd action, the last of which had one or two people in the cinema unleash a happy oh for f*cks sake.

The other mainstreamer i saw this evening was Ant Man and The Wasp. It wasn't a stunner, for me, but waded along through a thick goo of only occasional funniness and size-changing-ness. I saw it was co-written by Paul Rudd and i guess he was in charge of the funny bits, which didn't massively tickle. *shrug*
I hope Stan Lee films maybe 100 or so quickfire cameos now, as he looks on his last legs, and must have a place in the next decade's main blockbuster film output. His line here was more amusing than much of the other mirth, with Michael Pena's Luis being a mainly cringeworthy simpleton sidekick.
As a film it went about itself without, mostly, the emotional tragedy attached to many a superhero film, and was playful and throwaway. The 2 hours didn't seem way too much, but i would advise against hanging around for the very end of credits clip, as that seemed to laugh at those who'd bothered. I like Michael Douglas. There. Said it.

 

[pearl]

On a hot occasion i find the cinema tends to be emptier. That's when i head in repeatedly. I'm not anti-vitamin-d, as such, but i prefer the darkness, and an uninterrupted rendition, when i have the chance. Perhaps it's the time for fanatics, and those not hungry for company or too often without it.. Anywho, i disappeared into the mostly unlit fray a few times this week, twice for the vast nonsense of the mainstream, and once for a slight oddity that bruises both the heart and psyche.

The first was on a Saturday afternoon, with a mere 11 or so others, and i partly wondered who they were when leaving. The film was Apostasy, and it felt like not an entirely rotten introduction to the world of Jehovahs Witnesses, although slowly exposing the agony of a long-serving and loyal member, when her daughters each have their own experience. I felt as if i was back at school at times, watching a video brought in by a local religious group to give a feeling of their faith and invites young people in. But what happens, is quiet and disastrous, and the internal conflict of the mother, played excellently by Siobhan Finneran, is difficult to view, but felt authentic. Not a fun watch, but interesting, and striking at times.

Mainstream stuff now, firstly in the form of Mission Impossible: The Nonsensical Twistathon. It really is pointless twaddle, but rather entertaining. It tickled me early on from how bad an actor Tom Cruise generally is. His face and eyes carry little alarm, with them seemingly endlessly in a partial smirk, even on the verge of death 18 times a movie. It's a franchise that has made billions, and has Tom Cruise is the idea-smith behind it as a big screen remake originator. I shan't applaud him for such, as it's not the act of a genius, but he seems to have realised what he can be on screen, retaining his stardom to the end, rather than the serious-role hunter of 20 years ago. Maybe a small clap is deserved for that maturing over time.
The film, though, was good fun, with a mixture of waffle, bunkum, and absurd action, the last of which had one or two people in the cinema unleash a happy oh for f*cks sake.

The other mainstreamer i saw this evening was Ant Man and The Wasp. It wasn't a stunner, for me, but waded along through a thick goo of only occasional funniness and size-changing-ness. I saw it was co-written by Paul Rudd and i guess he was in charge of the funny bits, which didn't massively tickle. *shrug*
I hope Stan Lee films maybe 100 or so quickfire cameos now, as he looks on his last legs, and must have a place in the next decade's main blockbuster film output. His line here was more amusing than much of the other mirth, with Michael Pena's Luis being a mainly cringeworthy simpleton sidekick.
As a film it went about itself without, mostly, the emotional tragedy attached to many a superhero film, and was playful and throwaway. The 2 hours didn't seem way too much, but i would advise against hanging around for the very end of credits clip, as that seemed to laugh at those who'd bothered. I like Michael Douglas. There. Said it.

Brilliant reviews

Have you seen First Reformed?

 

[Meade's Ball]

Brilliant reviews

Have you seen First Reformed?

No, I haven't. Paul Schrader eh. I see it's on at 9.15 at my local, and such a time might lure me in at present, with a cutprice halloumi cheese wrap attached.
I was thinking this weekend of seeing Sicilian Ghost Story. I notice that's on 6 tomorrow, which would fit in with my hunger for film and rubbery cheese.
Anything interesting coming out for you?

 

[Stat Brother]

Anyone watching:-

Mark Kermode's Secrets of Cinema

https://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/b0bbn5x8

 

[Tom Hark Preston Park]

Nobody owning up to having seen the Mama Mia sequel that's shamefully been block booked for the DoY for the past month then?

 

[Easy 10]

I went and saw Mission Impossible: Fallout the other day. Superb. Tom Cruise is on top form, he's one of the few actors who can still dominate a movie with sheer charisma and screen presence. The violence is stupendous, the action scenes brilliantly choreographed, the stunts are thrilling, the climax is gripping. I've not clenched my arsecheeks that hard since I was at a Michael Barrymore pool party.

Perfect summer action blockbuster. 92%.

 

[Uncle Spielberg]

Nobody owning up to having seen the Mama Mia sequel that's shamefully been block booked for the DoY for the past month then?

I have seen it 3 times and I love it. 89 out of 100

 

[Uncle Spielberg]

On a hot occasion i find the cinema tends to be emptier. That's when i head in repeatedly. I'm not anti-vitamin-d, as such, but i prefer the darkness, and an uninterrupted rendition, when i have the chance. Perhaps it's the time for fanatics, and those not hungry for company or too often without it.. Anywho, i disappeared into the mostly unlit fray a few times this week, twice for the vast nonsense of the mainstream, and once for a slight oddity that bruises both the heart and psyche.

The first was on a Saturday afternoon, with a mere 11 or so others, and i partly wondered who they were when leaving. The film was Apostasy, and it felt like not an entirely rotten introduction to the world of Jehovahs Witnesses, although slowly exposing the agony of a long-serving and loyal member, when her daughters each have their own experience. I felt as if i was back at school at times, watching a video brought in by a local religious group to give a feeling of their faith and invites young people in. But what happens, is quiet and disastrous, and the internal conflict of the mother, played excellently by Siobhan Finneran, is difficult to view, but felt authentic. Not a fun watch, but interesting, and striking at times.

Mainstream stuff now, firstly in the form of Mission Impossible: The Nonsensical Twistathon. It really is pointless twaddle, but rather entertaining. It tickled me early on from how bad an actor Tom Cruise generally is. His face and eyes carry little alarm, with them seemingly endlessly in a partial smirk, even on the verge of death 18 times a movie. It's a franchise that has made billions, and has Tom Cruise is the idea-smith behind it as a big screen remake originator. I shan't applaud him for such, as it's not the act of a genius, but he seems to have realised what he can be on screen, retaining his stardom to the end, rather than the serious-role hunter of 20 years ago. Maybe a small clap is deserved for that maturing over time.
The film, though, was good fun, with a mixture of waffle, bunkum, and absurd action, the last of which had one or two people in the cinema unleash a happy oh for f*cks sake.

The other mainstreamer i saw this evening was Ant Man and The Wasp. It wasn't a stunner, for me, but waded along through a thick goo of only occasional funniness and size-changing-ness. I saw it was co-written by Paul Rudd and i guess he was in charge of the funny bits, which didn't massively tickle. *shrug*
I hope Stan Lee films maybe 100 or so quickfire cameos now, as he looks on his last legs, and must have a place in the next decade's main blockbuster film output. His line here was more amusing than much of the other mirth, with Michael Pena's Luis being a mainly cringeworthy simpleton sidekick.
As a film it went about itself without, mostly, the emotional tragedy attached to many a superhero film, and was playful and throwaway. The 2 hours didn't seem way too much, but i would advise against hanging around for the very end of credits clip, as that seemed to laugh at those who'd bothered. I like Michael Douglas. There. Said it.

Tom Cruise an awful actor ? Really ?

 

[Barham's tash]

Tom Cruise an awful actor ? Really ?

Forget everything outside of his films to influence you the man is simply box office. He is extremely competent at delivering excellent characters in thoroughly enjoyable films.

When’s Top Gun 2: the new batch out?

I went and saw Mission Impossible: Fallout the other day. Superb. Tom Cruise is on top form, he's one of the few actors who can still dominate a movie with sheer charisma and screen presence. The violence is stupendous, the action scenes brilliantly choreographed, the stunts are thrilling, the climax is gripping. I've not clenched my arsecheeks that hard since I was at a Michael Barrymore pool party.

Perfect summer action blockbuster. 92%.

Very tempted to go and see this tonight. I need some mindless escapism and not many films this year have ticked that box so far.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

 

[Easy 10]

Very tempted to go and see this tonight. I need some mindless escapism and not many films this year have ticked that box so far.

If thats what you're after, it delivers in SPADES. Yes the plot gets rather convoluted, yes some of the incredible escapes are ridiculous, but its just an absolute thrill-ride from start to finish. Cruise is 56, but you'd never know it. He just throws himself into this role and totally owns it. Ghost Protocol and Rogue Nation both upped the ante in this franchise, and this one is right up there with them.

 

[Meade's Ball]

Tom Cruise an awful actor ? Really ?

For the most part, yes. He's down there with Depp, but slightly better than Keanu.

In this he's found his niche in a series of thinking man's Fast and Furii. As a producer he does well, and even brings in an interesting director or two through the chain, but as an actor he remains trapped behind his monotonous twinkle.

 

[pearl]

No, I haven't. Paul Schrader eh. I see it's on at 9.15 at my local, and such a time might lure me in at present, with a cutprice halloumi cheese wrap attached.
I was thinking this weekend of seeing Sicilian Ghost Story. I notice that's on 6 tomorrow, which would fit in with my hunger for film and rubbery cheese.
Anything interesting coming out for you?

I saw Dark River recently, loved the filming, scenery and music, but found the story quite disturbing, especially the end.
Nothing else planned at the moment

 

[pearl]

Nobody owning up to having seen the Mama Mia sequel that's shamefully been block booked for the DoY for the past month then?

I don't feel I need to after sharing a train carriage with a gaggle of American girls loudly giving the low-down of the entire plot from start to finish