[Film] Film 2019

[The Clamp]

A Simple Favour:

Homely and helpful widow Anna Kendrick befriends wild and unconventional Blake Lively after meeting at the school gates. Blake Lively’s character disappears and turns up....dead. Anna Kemdrick’s Stephanie turns detective and uncovers an unexpected past.
Directed by Bridesmaids director Paul Fieges but this is no rom com. Dark and twisty. Stephanie we find out has shagged her half brother and BL’s character likes a threesome.

It also has a rather breathy French soundtrack which I liked.

I really rather enjoyed it. Not least because I’d like to kiss Lively on the face. Twice.

Entertaining, well made and well acted. I give it 6/10. And a kiss on the face.

 

[Acker79]

A friend and I do mini Oscar predictions each year (film, directing, acting x4, writing x2, music x2, feature length animation). When the nominees were announced I was surprised by how many I had seen (it felt like a baron year for me, cinema-wise). It looked like I would be able to see almost all of them. This weekend I caught up on a few of the nominees, though not at the cinema.

Of the 22 films across those 11 categories, I've seen 15. One is on Netflix, two are at the cinema now. Once I can rent through amazon prime. The other three might take some less legitimate sourcing...

18/22 of the oscar films now.

21/22 now.

The Ballad of Buster Scruggs (netflix)
This is a western anthology film. Like with a lot of anthology films, the different vignettes are of varying quality. They alsohave different tones, from almost surreal musical comedy, through to dark Poe-like horror. Decent enough couple of hours.

First Reformed (Amazon Video - not prime)
I quite liked this until the very end. For the most part it is a reflective film pondering the meaning of religion, politics, environment. There's something about a talky Ethan Hawke movie that I always tend to enjoy. According to imdb there are a couple of alternate endings, either of which feel like they fit better. The one they went with leaves you with a feeling of 'wait, how am I meant to take that? Was it a vision, or real?' If the former it felt very poorly executed, if the latter it felt like there needed to be a little something more to it.

RBG (Amazon Video - not prime)
A documentary on the second and currently only female supreme justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg (soon to be the subject of a biopic starring Felicity Jones). It was a decent documentary.


I try to source my movies through legal means, and only ever go to less legitimate sources if I have to - At Eternity's Gate isn't out in the UK until March. I have been unable to legally source Mirai (nominee for best animated feature, from Japan) in time for tonight's awards ceremony. Even the place I usually go to for less than legitimate viewing doesn't have it yet. Though, I seriously doubt it will win.

 

[Meade's Ball]

I went along to Vice with little spirit inside after a tiring Saturday of overtime, and i emerged with perhaps less, and not entirely for the dastardliness of Dick Cheney. I found the opening comment on the screen annoying, but that it was more telling about the film that it was of what could be said. It spoke of Cheney being ultimately secretive, and so it proved, quite drably. Christian Bale grates me somewhat as an actor, i am finding, whilst Steve Carell alongside him grates me for not being an actor, really. Anywho, i sat through it, and didn't think much of it.

 

[piersa]

Late review.

Just watched First Man.

Total borefest.

I thought it was a bit slow. Got bored. Worse films around though. 6/10

 

[Acker79]

From the Film2018 thread:

Three identical strangers is a superb docu-film, on at the Duke of Yorks at the moment.

This is on Channel 4 on Thursday, 9pm. Got a lot of good reviews.

 

[CliveWalkerWingWizard]

Paddleton on Netflix , no spoilers but one of the scenes was superb.netflix is starting to put out some really good material.

 

[dolphins]

Saw Fighting With My Family today, and walked out of the cinema saying to my chum that it was a really unexpected gem. Funny, touching, heartwarming and despite me not having interest in wrestling (WWE is nothing like the glory days of Haystacks, Daddy and co, on World Of Sport) had us absorbed until the end. Based on a true story, and whilst there are apparently some narrative shortcuts employed, for us non-aficionados this made no difference to things. It was fun to see clips of the real family involved at the beginning of the end titles. Slightly uncomfortable seeing Norwich City shirts on the big screen a number of times though! Definitely recommend it if you fancy a film with a change from the norm.

 

[Uncle Spielberg]

Green Book. I thought this was superb, easily the best film I have seen in 2019 ( from 5 ), Mortensen and Ali are sublimy good in their parts, what a dude Mahershala Ali is, fabulous talent. The story was strong and inspiring and I know the backlash about the white man helping the black man stuff and I don't buy that. Any film that can question a racist's thinking is good for me. It is a worthy Oscar winner. 88 out of 100

Can you forgive me. Lewes depot. 60 percent full. Ok 2 hours not a bad film but not memorable in any way really. Decent turns from McCarthy and E Grant but Oscar nominated performances ? Nah not me for. Standard fare. It rates a 64 out of 100 and is last in the 2019 list of films seen so far

 

[Acker79]

Captain Marvel
Just got back from a midnight premiere. There was a nice tribute to Stan Lee to kick things off. Won't go into too much detail, but I thought there were good performances from all the main characters (Fury is younger and less jaded, so Sam Jackson gets to lighten him up a bit), good chemistry, decent story that might not go the way you expect while going in exactly the way you'd expect it to (it's hard to explain that, it's just the feeling I had as it was unfolding). Overall I enjoyed it very much.

 

[n1 gull]

Saw Fighting With My Family today, and walked out of the cinema saying to my chum that it was a really unexpected gem. Funny, touching, heartwarming and despite me not having interest in wrestling (WWE is nothing like the glory days of Haystacks, Daddy and co, on World Of Sport) had us absorbed until the end. Based on a true story, and whilst there are apparently some narrative shortcuts employed, for us non-aficionados this made no difference to things. It was fun to see clips of the real family involved at the beginning of the end titles. Slightly uncomfortable seeing Norwich City shirts on the big screen a number of times though! Definitely recommend it if you fancy a film with a change from the norm.

Excellent news taking the family to this tonight. I wasn't overly looking forward to it as I have zero interest in WWE etc.. but maybe I will pleasantly surprised

 

[Uncle Spielberg]

Fighting with my family

A decent film, funny, poignant great lead performance from Florence Pugh, quite impressive and great back up from Frost, Vaughn and The Rock. Uplifting. It is a yes from me. 81 out of 100

 

[dolphins]

Excellent news taking the family to this tonight. I wasn't overly looking forward to it as I have zero interest in WWE etc.. but maybe I will pleasantly surprised

Keen to hear your take on this film... Did you and your family like it?

 

[n1 gull]

Keen to hear your take on this film... Did you and your family like it?

Absolutely loved it. My 13 year old son was totally absorbed as he actually knows what WWE is unlike myself. I thought it was a great family watch, funny and heartfelt. Highly recommend

 

[Easy 10]

Green Book. I thought this was superb, easily the best film I have seen in 2019 ( from 5 ), Mortensen and Ali are sublimy good in their parts, what a dude Mahershala Ali is, fabulous talent. The story was strong and inspiring and I know the backlash about the white man helping the black man stuff and I don't buy that. Any film that can question a racist's thinking is good for me. It is a worthy Oscar winner. 88 out of 100

I thought it was *ok*

Enjoyed the performances, but I found the notion that Tony Lip went from disposing of glasses used by black men in his house, to within 2 months embracing Don as a treasured friend, a little fanciful. A lifetime of engrained racism can't end as neatly as that.

Its been a poor year for films, so this was probably one of the better ones overall I guess, but most years it wouldn't stand an earthly. I'd give it a solid 74%, but winning Best Picture ?? That was this years Argo / Slumdog.

 

[Uncle Spielberg]

I thought it was *ok*

Enjoyed the performances, but I found the notion that Tony Lip went from disposing of glasses used by black men in his house, to within 2 months embracing Don as a treasured friend, a little fanciful. A lifetime of engrained racism can't end as neatly as that.

Its been a poor year for films, so this was probably one of the better ones overall I guess, but most years it wouldn't stand an earthly. I'd give it a solid 74%, but winning Best Picture ?? That was this years Argo / Slumdog.

Well it is a true story so I guess he did

 

[Easy 10]

Well it is a true story so I guess he did

Artistic licence.

 

[Uncle Spielberg]

Artistic licence.

Were you there with them old chap ?

 

[Easy 10]

Were you there with them old chap ?

Nope. The story arc from outright racist to best of buds was a little rapid though, no ?

 

[sussex_guy2k2]

Nope. The story arc from outright racist to best of buds was a little rapid though, no ?

I totally get what you're saying, but it's a film rather than a TV series. And ultimately the ignorant are usually enlightened by exposure to the thing they are ignorant about. 2 months of being with one person, non stop, is probably going to change your perception a bit, especially when you see the things he saw.

 

[Wilko]

Saw Fighting With My Family today, and walked out of the cinema saying to my chum that it was a really unexpected gem. Funny, touching, heartwarming and despite me not having interest in wrestling (WWE is nothing like the glory days of Haystacks, Daddy and co, on World Of Sport) had us absorbed until the end. Based on a true story, and whilst there are apparently some narrative shortcuts employed, for us non-aficionados this made no difference to things. It was fun to see clips of the real family involved at the beginning of the end titles. Slightly uncomfortable seeing Norwich City shirts on the big screen a number of times though! Definitely recommend it if you fancy a film with a change from the norm.

Agreed. I think this is my fave film of the year so far. Excellent stuff.