December Watch List

La Belle et la Bete

I had that there was to be a French film of Beauty and the Beast and I was pleased to see the cast. Vincent Cassel as the beast and Lea Seydoux as Belle. The story follows the original fairytale up to a point. The Beast's backstory is different, in this version, he was happily married but he was obsessed with hunting a golden deer. Even after his wife begs him to stop, he kills the deer only to see it transform into the deer. Then theres a bit about her father being god of the forest and he punishes the king turning him into a beast. Then theres a side story involvong Belle's brothers (note in the original story she has no brothers) who are in debt. They send the debters to the Beast's castle as it has money, jewels and other fine things. The relationship between Belle and the Beast also felt rushed which is a shame as the film is amazingly beautiful to look at and the story is an interesting adaptation. I think of the Disney one and can't help but compare. Still, if you manage to track down a decent version of the film, it's definitely worth a look. 3/5   

Carol

I've read many articles and reviews of 'Carol' based on Patricia Highsmith's The Price of Salt and they all praise the film for various reasons, some different, but they all say, this is a love story, a simple love story set against a difficult background and at a time when things were'nt easy. Carol's sexual orientation is never said outright, it's implied. Therese is just starting to understand her own but again, nothing is labelled, which I feel makes the love story between these two women all the more meaningful. Therese even tries to discuss love at one point with her clueless boyfriend. He says he loves her but she openly asks if he has ever fallen in love with a boy, hinting at her own feelings for Carol. While Therese is almost carefree and young, Carol is burdened with a husband who won't let go and a daughter who she will do anything for. Her troubles hang over the couple at the centre and in the end become each other's undoing, until Carol breaks the mould and defies convention. She says she cannot go against her own grain. She illustrates how painful it is to live a lie and does her best to continue life the way she wants but what she wants is Therese. The film is beautiful, particularly when Carol and Therese first meet, but at times so tragic. The tragedy is elevated by the quietness of the film and the characters looks towards each other, so much is conveyed in a look. But do not despair there is a happy resolution to this love story. Both leads are brilliant in their own way, the fuss that surrounds the film is deserved and understood. 4/5 

Bridge of Spies  

 I'm not Tom Hanks's biggest fan and I wouldn't see a film because he's in it. To be honest I'm not a massive Spielberg fan either but I like most of his films, I mean, Jurassic Park/World, it's pretty darn hard to beat Dinosaurs (but Star Wars did). The reason why I so desperately wanted to see this based on fact film about how a Russian spy was defended by a good and moral insurance lawyer who then went on to negotiate an exchange for an American pilot in East Berlin, a place where no one wanted to be, I wanted to see it because the Coen Brothers co wrote the screenplay. That's how much I needed a Coen Brothers fix. I'm too impatient to wait until February for Hail, Caeser! Tom Hanks is one the greatest 'everyman' character actors. He slips into James B. Donovan's shoes like a glove and I was honestly moved by his performace and determination to get both the American pilot who crash landed and the poor American student, wrongfully arrested. He wants them both, no one gets left behind. Although a little one sided, the film depicts the AMericans has being too quick to judge and not really thinking it through, except Donovan of course, it shows the Americans being far 'nicer' than the Russians and the Germans. It was too biast but a brilliant cast and story none the less. I was please to notice the Coenesque dialogue from the first few scenes, such great writing. I also noted, as did my friend who I saw it with, that the film was slow paced but still had your attention throughout, there wasn't a moment I looked at my watch. A slow moving thriller, it's something that you have to be skilled at. Ok, yes, I just really love the Coens. 4/5

Star Wars: The Force Awakens  

Star Wars is just such a big deal at the moment I will say nothing until the New Year and my thoughts on it. I leave you with my rating which is 5/5. I will write a separate post for the film.

 

Blind Spot: Double Indemnity

Almost all done for the year. My second to last film of the series I have had on my shelf, still in the wrapping since 2008. It was back in college when I started to watch more Film Noir films, even bought a book about it. Back then, I barely bought any film related booked, and that Film Noir book was one of my first. I was already an admirer of Billy Wilder's films, especially Some Like It Hot, I was raised on that, and so to my delight he had directed a Film Noir film that was, said to be, one of the best of the genre. Complete with brilliant typical voice over, femme fatale and a murder plot it was the perfect set up for me. But why had I waited 7 years to watch it? I have no idea. I suppose I wanted to devote some time to the film, give all my attention. When The Matinee posted about the Blind Spot series, this was the perfect chance.

I had actually seen clips of the film before but only what was included in Dead Men Don't Wear Plaid. I was still intrigued even though the story sort of resembled The Postman Always Rings Twice. But this was all about insurence. Oh and murder.

Insurence Salesman Walter Neff (Fred MacMurray), by chance goes to see one of clients about motor insurence but instead meets his intriguing and beautiful wife Phyllis. She plays the bored but concerned housewife trying to trick Walter into letting her sign accident insurence for her husband. Walter sees right through her plan and guesses murder. But already under her spell, infatuated the two begin an affair. Walter eventually comes round to the idea of murder and the two plan the would be perfect plot. When Phyllis' husband 'accidentally' falls from a slow moving train and breaks his neck, at first no one is none the wiser until Walter's colleague, an investigator of claims, smells foul play. Soon the deadly couple's plan and feelings unravel. 

Although the film has very stereotypical elements of Film Noir, there are things that are slightly skewed. The lead male is not a detective or a useless drifter, he's an insurence saleman. The 'detective' role is Keyes, Walter's colleague who can sniff out any false insurence claim by listening to what he calls 'the little man' inside him. But although he knows something is wrong the $100,000 claim after thinking it over, he doesn't suspect for one moment his friend and colleague is involved. Unlike other Film Noir genre films, the story had a central friendship, Keyes and Neff. Unlike the be all and end all relationship of a man and a woman having an affair. The two friends, have some great exchanges and also alters the dynamics of the film. The little things make all the difference, such as the ongoing exchange where Neff always lights Keyes' cigars for him. These are welcomed. Especially as insurance is not the most exciting of settings.

It's not surprise that the film has some similarities to The Postman Always Rings Twice as the original novella was written by James M. Cain. As the film was made at the time of the damned Hayes Code, the original ending, double suicide, was cut. The ending that Billy Wilder planned involved Neff going to the gas chamber with Keyes watching but instead the film ended with the two men on the ground, Neff dying and Keyes lighting his cigarette for him, a gesture of friendship.

Of course the story is really all about the femme fatale in this story, Barbara Stanwyck, she plays ice cold Phyllis who plays three women technically. The unwanted housewife, the lover and the sinister killer. She has the ability to be emotional and pretend to show love but in one quick stare morph into a cold hearted killer. It's brilliant to behold the changes.

Another brilliant part of this film was the opening titles. A lone man on crutches. Combined with the eery music of impending violence, it not only set the tone but the anticipation until the voice over starts, as thats what the audience waits for. But this image, important to the story, is an ominous prelude which I thought was an excellent touch.

At last I got to watch this film. It's a tick on this list as well as my 'must watch more Film Noir films' list. A true classic I believe.


To see where it all started and for an excellent insight to film, have a look at The Matinee and have a look HERE for more Blind Spot posts from other bloggers. 

Once Upon A Star Wars...

Note: This was written before I went to see Star Wars: The Force Awakens. I have since seen the film, twice. It's amazing. I also tried to write a post about the new film but I ended up having to redact everything.

Seeing as Star Wars: The Force Awakens is soon to be upon us, I, like any other film blogger out, am going to cast my mind back to yester year when I first saw Star Wars.

To be honest, I don't actually remember when exactly it was. But I remember seeing the film taped off the TV, my family were great for taping movies not buying them, except Disney. It has advert breaks too and it was an old brown TV with an ancient VHS player. Things were slightly out of focus (I swear) or maybe just softer. And in true family tradition, I saw The Empire Strikes Back first. I didn't actually see A New Hope until much later. This happened with quite a few films, hence the tradition. I seemed to watch Ghostbusters 2 first, The Temple of Doom first, Back to the Future 2 first. It's odd that.

Of course, having grown up on such delights as 80's, 70s and 90s movie classics as well as a few random choices into the mix. I was also brought up on a catalogue full of old 'black and white' movies, especially the Marx Brothers films. With excellent film education, of course I loved Star Wars.

The fact it was a story or saga set in space didn't even enter my mind. All I saw were ships, lightsabers, aliens, Chewie yelling, hating Lando and getting very distressed when Luke lost his hand. The famous line, 'I am your father', was just a line to me then. I hadn't grasped how big a plot point this was, even after I watched Return of the Jedi. Watching all three together, the penny dropped.

After I saw the whole trilogy I'm afraid I didn't run out and buy lots of merchandise, I wasn't obsessed. I did all that when I was 13 years old with Lord of the Rings. But I did frequently watch the Star Wars films over and over until the Empire Strikes Back video jumped in places. But my parents still refused to buy the real videos.

Years later, going to college and Uni, I met others who grew up on Star Wars and, after years in secondary school where they all thought I liked 'boys' films, I was free to talk Star Wars as much as possible. I got more into the Star Wars universe but shamefully, I still don't own any of the DVDs. Yet. I was put off massively by the prequel films which I dislike intently. Then again by the added CGI garb added to the original trilogy.

The 'hype' of the new trilogy, or at least the new film was felt by everyone, or anybody who ever liked, watched, remembered Star Wars and what a huge effect it had on everyone. I swear every year at London Comic cons people go crazy for the films and there are always dozens of talks, signings and such things to keep Star Wars fresh in our minds. Obviously this year was the lead up to one of the best films of the year. Or set to be one of the best films of the year.

My friends are Star Wars fans and my sister is a Star Wars fans, my brother-in-law is also a Star Wars fan. Even my physio is a Star Wars fan. In a way its comforting to be able to completely geek out about these films with everyone. Free from the judgement of secondary school, its just a breath of fresh air. I was able to go completely crazy of The Hobbit without many people thinking I was odd. Star Wars is just such a huge phenomemnon it cannot be ignored and any lover of sci-fi and films has a special place for Star Wars.

This seems to be turning into 'what Star Wars means to me' but I just wanted to share the first time I saw the films and how theu have evolved for me. Like any super nerd, I pre-booked tickets for the film and I actually wanted to see it in IMAX, the Force demanded it. Once I've seen it, I won't post a review at the risk of spoiling anything. But I am super excited!

To all Star Wars fans - may the Force be with you and you love the film.

Thursday Movie Picks: Family Get-Together/Reunions

Don't forget to check out what Wandering Through the Shelves picked, the blog that started Thursday Movie Picks. 

Families seem to gather for only a few reasons, funerals, weddings, births, Christmas and when someone returns home.  Or in the case of one pick, all of the above.

This Is Where I Leave You

Funerals are always a place where family are together. Unfortunately I know this from personal experience. There's the joy of seeing family you don't often see but then there's the sad reason why you're together. This film had the bitter sweet effect. Similar to Parenthood, the siblings aren't estranged, but there are the typical one. Three brothers, one sister, one is responsible taking on the family business. One has just ended a marriage after his wife cheated on him. One has all the children and in an unhappy marriage. And then theres the 'black sheep' lazy one. Everyone has a part and they come together dealing with their father's death in different ways. As with death, revelations are made, truths come out and not everyone is happy in the end.

8 Women 

This story is brilliant. All women, set in the 50s, Christmas time, murder mystery and theres music. Unfortunately, only half the songs are good. Of course its based on a play and it feels like it too the way the set is laid out and with the finale bow at the end. The film takes in a homecoming, the eldest daughter, Christmas time and a death. The death is unexpected but its what draws everyone in. It's a 'who done it' with several marvelous twists. And, yes they're all family (except the maid).


                                                                 Parenthood 

Technically this Ron Howard film is one long gathering as the siblings and their families live close by and are always gathering together. Four siblings, each with out their own issues, family, children, jobs, debt and money problems, but as I said they always gather togteher, even for births.

Thursday Movie Picks: Movies Set in a Hotel

Don't forget to check out what Wandering Through the Shelves picked, the blog that started Thursday Movie Picks. 

The Grand Budapest Hotel

The most successful and most popular of Wes Anderson's films, which is a bigger scale than his previous films to Fantastic Mr Fox. Anderson's films are full of quirk and delight but the amazing attention to detail and the how each character is well sculpted, even the smallest of roles, are what make his films amazing. I expect this film to appear on other lists, its just so brilliant. With obvious imfluences from older movies and European films too, a collections characters are brought together in one way or another to the named famed hotel. Gustave H. concierge of the hotel along with his junior lobby boy, Zero, become embroiled in a murder plot, a will and a missing painting. It's just pure brilliance.

What's Up Doc?

This film is has one of the best car chases and it happens to be in San Francisco so you can imagine the landscape. The whole film starts with 4 indentical bags, which causes confusion and mayhem with a little help from Judy (Barbara Streisand) who is taken with music researcher, Howard (Ryan O'Neal). Each person owning a bag is staying the hotel for different reasons. One is involved in a jewellr theft, the other is involved with spies and the other two belong to Judy and Howard. I couldn't stop laughing when I saw it and every time since.

A Night in Casablanca

One of the later Marx Brothers' films, not as brilliant as 'Day at the Races' or my favourite 'A Night at the Opera' but it has some funny moments, a scene involving a cupboard is great as well as most of Groucho's lines. Set in a hotel in, yes, Casablanca, where a Nazi criminal who keep murdering the hotel managers to get to the gold hidden within the hotel. Groucho plays the next the manager who is unaware of the murders. Chico owns the Yellow Camel Company, a taxi service with camels, and Harpo is ever silent buddy, they all team together to get to the bottom of the murders.

Blind Spot: City Lights

I have three films to get through this month as I missed a few during the year so I needed to start early. I'm an admirerer of Charlie Chaplin, ever since my mum taped Modern Times off the TV when I was younger, still in school. She said it was a brilliant film but silent. The fact that it was black and white didn't bother me as my sister and I grew up on old movies. Silent film was new for me. With patience and curiosity I watched the film. A brilliant masterpiece. I continued to search for more Chaplin, watching his short films on DVD and as time went by and You Tube was born, I found his films on there too. It's odd to think that I didn't grow up with You Tube. Skipping to the end, I had wanted to see the film where The Tramp (Chaplin's film alter ego) fell in love with a blind girl and added City Lights to my list.

I've seen plenty of clips from the film from never the film in its entirety. Hailed as one of Chaplin's better films, with a memorable score and touching story. The humour in the film is all slapstick alongside a cleverly choreographed boxing match, which for me, was the best scene in the film. City Lights, released in 1931 was the first film where Chaplin, as well as director, composed the film score. The chase music at the start of the film is the music I've heard most often when Chaplin's films are talked about.

The Tramp, sleeping on a new statue unveiled in front of a crowd is chased away. While wandering the streets, he meets a young blind girl selling flowers. He buys one but as she is about to give him his change, a wealthy man gets into a fancy car, slamming the door. The girl, upon hearing the door, thinks The Tramp is a wealthy man.

The Tramp saves a millionaire from killing himself and start a strange friendship where the millionaire only recognises him when he's drunk. The Tramp, wanting to help the blind girl, gets job the loses it. Desparate to help the blind girl with rent, he takes part on a boxing match in the hope of winning the prize money, but loses. He then meets the drunk millionaire who gives him money but he is hit on the head and sobers up. The millionaire claims to not know The Tramp and says hes been robbed. Before he is arrested, The Tramp manages to get the money to the blind girl so she can have an operation to fix her eyes. The Tramp goes to jail for months and returns to find the blind girl. She has her own flower shop and can see. She recognises The Tramp from his hands, the two are reunited at last.

It is a very sweet story, a simple love story really with comedy added in around it. The comedy in the film is classic slapstick which is funny in places but I think what I found the most humerous were Chaplin's expressions, especially in the changing room of the boxing arena. He is strange behaviour forces another boxer to dress behind a curtain. Little touches such as this, set the film apart, but Chaplin was in a league of his own. I've haven't seen any Buster Keaton though, and I know everyone said he was the master. Many of the scenes, mostly with the drunk millionaire, centrered around silly jokes like being drunk, falling over, eating decorations thinking its food and are sometimes played a little too long. I can imagine a 1930s audience absolutely loving the comedy though. I hate to say it, but its all very tame compared to modern comedies. But silent movies are a completely different genre I suppose.

The boxing match, as I mentioned, is my favourite scene. I laughed the most during this part as well as cheering The Tramp on. With the added brilliant score, the tension and comedy are brought together to end in a unfortunate climactic end with The Tramp being dragged away. The little touch which I found hilarious is when The Tramp's opponent, on the way to the ring, punches a man, knocking him out. At the end of the match, the same man is seen running away when the opponent returns. It's all the bottom of the sceen so not in an obvious eye-line. Just on the edge of the frame, suggesting another storyline playing out.

Rooting for the underdog is what the films featuring The Tramp is all about. You want him to help the blind girl, you want him to win the match, you want him to get away from the police and you want him to find the blind girl again. The love story is beautifully framed each time, whether they are side by side, or he's leaning to look through her window or they are looking into each other's eyes. It's romantic with an ending that needed just a few more minutes to play out. But the hope throughout that the girl will accept The Tramp is fulfilled, she loves him for who he is not what he is. The silence added a sense of elegance, especially with only expressions and looks to interpret.

City Lights was added last minute and I'm glad I did include it in the list. It's spurred me on to find more of Chaplin's features, the ones I haven't seen, just o explore his storytelling as well as the comedy.

To see where it all started and for an excellent insight to film, have a look at The Matinee and have a look HERE for more Blind Spot posts from other bloggers. 

Thurday Movie Picks: Con Artists

Don't forget to check out what Wandering Through the Shelves picked, the blog that started Thursday Movie Picks. 

I do love a good con-man film. Usually a con-man is a hated character in a film unless they are swindling 'bad guys' out of their money or something more valuable. 

Catch Me If You Can 

I first saw this film at the cinema as my friend had a massive crush on Leonardo DiCaprio, in fact she still does. At the time I just liked the film, enjoyed it for what it was but over time, knowledge and learning under my belt, this film is actually brilliant. It's a biopic of sorts as Frank Abagnale is a real person and he really did fly around the world pretending to be a pilot with a commercial airline. It's a sad story but after a while, Frank just wants to escape the charade he's kept up. He's technically a con-man but he's also humanised so you can understand some of his actions. The film also has the best opening credits.

Brothers Bloom

I loved Rian Johnson's first film, Brick, that I thought I'd have a look at his 'con-man film'. It's a slow paced film after the first half when it gets rather complicated with a few false ends but the first half was great fun. The Brothers, Bloom and Stephen are con-men through and through, complete with a small crew. But Bloom wants out so its all about the final score.  A great cast and some great looking locations, the script is a tad predictable but does exactly what it says on the tin.

Heartbreakers 

I hated this film the first time I saw it mostly because I hated Jennifer Love Hewitt, but upon second viewing, its actually very entertaining. It's another, con artist duo, doing 'the last con' together. This time its a mother-daughter team who swindle wealthy men out of their money. With sunshine, fake Russian accents, an obvious love story and Sigourney Weaver doing comedy, as I said its entertaining.

Judge Dredd vs Dredd

It's been a while but Original vs Remake is back! This time I'm taking on the Judges and in all fairness, this isn't a fair fight.

Someone argued that 1995's Judge Dredd starring Sylvester Stallone as the Judge, or 'The Law' himself was a, 'so bad it's good' film. Having read around on the film bloggershere, others have called it one of the worst films ever made, biggest flop, even cult classic. I only recently watched the film and oh dear gad, I hope to never see it again. Starting with such a strong statement might just give away my verdict at the end but for anyone who has seen Judge Dredd will understand, surely.

The two films that are going head to head are Judge Dredd, directed by Danny Cannon and 2012's Dredd, directed by Pete Travis. Both directors are British, and both have directed TV episodes of successful television shows. Cannon directed the pilot of Gotham but mainly produces. Travis' last directing job was on the rather good spy drama for the BBC, Legacy. My point here is that you might not have heard of these directors, so the films were relying on the 'star' power and source material to hook you in.

Back in the 90's, Stallone was rather a big household name when it came to action films (apart from Antz) and is the absolute perfect choice for Dredd. Also back in the 90's filmmakers didn't really know how to tackle comic book adaptations. Of course Batman Returns is the acception to the rule. The atmosphere of the film, the sets, costumes the typical 90's actors appearing, including an over glamorised appearence from Twin Peak's Joan Chen, her character was borderline pointless, all created the perfect set up for a great film about a post apocolyptic world where Judges are the law, trying to clear up scum bags off the streets of Mega City One. But the film is let down on three fronts.

The first, the explanation in the exposition. It's just words on a screen, no vision. The first scene we see is Rob Schneider's petty tech thief being released back into the city after serving time in jail. We, the audience don't really get a feel for the environment until the shooting starts and people start talking about 'block wars'.

The second is the most obviously the script and story. The story is poor in that this film was mean to be an introduction to Judge Dredd to those who weren't familiar to comics and was meant entice the die hard fans of 2000 AD. Instead the story that is chosen is one shattering the named character's life. He finds out he was part of an experiement and that his background was all a lie AND that his previous evil partner is actually his brother. Seems all too much for a film that only has Dredd follow the law for about 15 minutes before he gets framed and arrested for murder. It would have worked much better to see a film where Dredd is in full action mode. All he really does in this film is scream 'I AM THE LAW'. After a while he sounded like a whiny child. Granted there are quite few characters and storylines used for the story but really, its just one big narrative mess.

Thirdly, a minor detail was massively overlooked and I'm guessing it was due to the storyline. In the comics, Dredd never removed his helmet. What does Dredd do in this film, rather quickly, he takes off his helmet. Illusion shattered. Another reason why he took his helmet off was probably Stallone being a diva, he's a movie start after all. It's a small element but there is alot to be said for just maybe following this little important part of a cult character. Stallone is an absolute perfect choice for Dredd, despite the yelling and annoying lines, his jawline is just perfect for this character. But there in lies the problem, he looks the part but he's not Dredd.

Looking at the posters, even they express a different meaning. One says 'In the future, only one man is the law' and the other 'Judgement is coming'. The first is all about one man and nothing else it seems, whereas the second is implying judgement is coming for all, the background also makes the world bigger than Dredd himself, meaning, more to the story than this one guy.

On a brighter notes, it can't all be negative, the only really impressive part of the film, I found, were the costumes and theres no surprise why they were all weird and wonderful as they were designed by Versace.

Onto Dredd, which I saw against my will in 3D. This films is brilliant, 3D is not needed. Dredd is played by Karl Urban and he does an excellent job playing the ultimate Judge. He doesn't have the strong jaw line and his voice isn't the deepest and booming voice you've heard but he has precence. I was surprised that Urban was cast in this iconic role as he's not exactly top shelf but he's damm good in Dredd. He doesn't make the story about himself, he glides through the film with ease admid the violence and chaos and even gets injured which I thought was important to see. He's not a god, he's just a guy.

The story is extremely entertaining, I actually watch Dredd as my rainy day film or when I'm feeling ill film. For some reason it comforts me. It was unfortunate that The Raid, which had a similar storyline/setting, came out at the same time, but other than that, they are completely different. Still set in Mega-City One, we are introduced to the spralling city through a voice over intro, far more affective than writing. In the opening sequence we see the city, its people and the judges in action. The main film focuses on one mega block where a drug gang has taken over, it is discovered that this this distribution centre for a new drug in the city. Dredd and his rookie, Anderson are sent in after three gang members are found dead. They have to battle their way to the top floor take out the gang leadr after the block goes into lockdown. It's very bloody and yes, violent but throughout entertaining. Oh and Dredd never removes his helmet.

Although Diane Lane plays the 'female' judge in the 1995 film, she is literally just that. She is out manned by criminals and needs assistance, then she makes mistakes in the courtroom and then only fights another girl in the end fight. Oh and yes, kisses Dredd (???). But in 2012, things are better. Not only is the main villain sadistic and crazy, she is also a woman, complete with background story that you believe. There are also a few other women dotted around the film, including Dredd's superior and a woman who helps the two judges escape to another floor in the building. The main female character, Judge Anderson, played by Olivia Thirlby. She can hold her own, defending herself even when she is captured, she fights her own battles and has fair judgement. She is also a great contrast to Dredd in that she never wears a helmet in the film. I liked that touch (if it was deliberate). She has psychic powers which is why she doesn't wear it. Another brilliant and overlooked success at Anderson and Dredd's partnership is that there is literally no hint of romance. While watcing the film, you don't think about this but once its pointed out you realise. It's a true partnership or mentor/mentee relationship and works so well.

Verdict: There are two ways to look at these films, as adaptations and as just action films. As I don't really know much about the original comics and have onlt tried to read one comic once (I did't like the artwork) as adaptations I would say that both used elements of stories and characters to apease the fans but 1995 Judge Dredd failed in consistancy, 2012 Dredd was better as the writing was better, the story more compact while still in keeping in the film world of 2000 AD. If I was just comparing two actions films, Dredd, of course wins no questions asked.

Blind Spot: Casablanca

Of all the films on all the lists, I picked Casablanca for this one. My poor attempt at my own spin on a famous quote from the film. But it's true, Casablanca is the white whale of my 'to watch list'. It was about time I saw it and I got to see it in one of the best possible ways, on the big screen. The BFI have different seasons through the year and this Autumn its all about love.

I had heard but not read about Casablanca, with friends and family, mostly family, telling me little facts about the film. My favourite being that no one knew what was going on during filming and that the script wasn't even finished when shooting started. It sounded amazing, just like any other film. Usually with films that have such a great standing about filmmakers, critics and the audience, going down in history as one the greatest films ever blah blah blah, I turn off. Unless I agree. Then I engage. Having seen the  film at ling last, I can see the appeal and understand why its a brilliant piece of cinema.

Step by step. Firstly the story is timely and told in a way that isn't rushed, out of place or predictable. During World War Two, when the Nazis occupied Paris, refugees from all over Europe flocked to the south of France and then made their way to Lisbon to get to USA and freedom from the Nazis. But many refugees ended up stuck in Casablanca waiting to get a visa out. In Casablanca, many people who oporate in the black market and those who seek its help congregate at Rick's Café Américain owned by American expatriate Rick Blaine (Humphrey Bogart). After a regular customer and black marketeer is arrested for murder of two German couriers soon after he entrusts Rick with transit papers, the Prefect of the Police, Captain Louis Renault (Claude Rains) informs hims that an influential Czech resistance leader has arrived in Casablanca. He tells Rick that this man, Victor Lazlo (Paul Henreid) cannot leave.

Lazlo and his wife Ilsa (Ingrid Bergman) arrive at Rick's and after a chance meeting, it is obvious that Rick ans Ilsa know each other. Rick is hostile towards her  especially when she requests a certain song to be played. Lazlo is questioned by the Nazis recently arrived in Casablanca and tell him he will not be permited to leave, even though they are in unoccupied French soil. While Lazlo makes connections to try and aquire visas, Ilsa tries to reconnect with Rick. In a flashback it is revealed that the two had met in Paris just before the occupation and had fallen in love but Ilsa had left Rick the morning they were to travel. Rick, still hurt, won't listen to Ilsa explain that she was married to Lazlo at the time but he was in a concentration camp.

Lazlo finds out Rick has the papers and persuades Ilsa, knowing her connection to him, to ask him for the papers. In this meeting, Ilsa admits that she is still in love with Rick and he in love with her. She wants to stay with Rick. Rick creates a plan, pretending to set up Lazlo to be captured by the police but in facts sets up Lazlo and Ilsa' escape with the paper to America. They share a heart breaking good bye and Rick watches her leaves once more.

That is the jist of the story, combing over a few other points but the bare bones of the story is needed to illustrate that its a compelling story that moves quite fast despite there being several slower scenes. The main charachers hook you in and for me, they all had a fair screen time. But its the love between Ilsa and Rick that is most focused on. For it was it was a war story told from the point of view of everyone, with the love story taking centre stage. The question of the transit papers is meant to feel like a red herring, starting with the announcement of the murders and the missing papers. But it all comes down to the fact that Rick loves Ilsa and wants to let her go. He knows that Victor needs her to carry on the good fight and for once, he takes a stand.

The next step in the success of this film is the timing of its release. The film had its world premiere in 1942 and released nationally in 1943 just a few weeks after the Allied invasion of North Africa. This set in motion, a perfectly timed support fueled film for the troops. The film was of its exact time, what was happening in the world was also being projected on screen with A list Hollywood stars. This all helped the film's success and the winning of the Academy Awards, including Best Picture. The film boasts an international cast, with only a few Americans billed. For then, this was unusual, but of course films nowadays, we don't think of this. I think this diverse group also add to the likability of the film, the characters actually acting their nationality (at least most of them) or there abouts.

For a film that started as a play, 'Everybody Comes to Rick's', a play that I would like to see still, set entirely in the cafe/bar, the story has everything. A love story, Nazi damning, comradery, fantastic piano playing, an excellent cast, a war story, humanising refugees and some brilliant quotes. I think I laughed at almost every thing Claude Rains said, he delivered his lines in perfect tune, either sarcastic or meant in a humourous manner.

I'm still unsure if this is just a love story withe World War Two as the backdrop or if the film comments on war and those who wish to escape with a love story to pin point a linear storyline. Either way I understand the greatest of Casablanca. Here's looking at you kid.

To see where it all started and for an excellent insight to film, have a look at The Matinee and have a look HERE for more Blind Spot posts from other bloggers.

Thursday Movie Picks: Movies about Royalty

 Royalty, whether it is based on fact, an interpretation, real life events, observed from afar or an outsider, they provide the subject for countless films. Royalty, mostly past as present can be a but too dicey, are either fascinating or predicatable. How they are presented on screen is the interesting part. I've got British, French and Danish royalty in my picks this week. Don't forget to check out what Wandering Through the Shelves picked, the blog that started Thursday Movie Picks.

Lady Jane

Technically, she was royalty, she reigned for 9 days, so that counts. Featuring a very young Helena Bonham Carter and an equally young Cary Elwes as Lady Jane and her husband Lord Guildford Dudley. It is actually descibed as a period costume romance. Half the film is about the hate at first sight relationship and how they fall in love as the sickly king looms news looms over them. The second half is the manipulation from the adults in court trying to control their children for their own gain only have them both be beheaded. From this film, Lady Janes never really wanted to be Queen, making it all the more tragic an end.

A Royal Affair

A love triangle. We've seen this before but this time love is only on one side. When Princess Caroline of Great Britain married the mentally ill King Christian of Denmark, she had an affair with the King's royal doctor, Johann Friedrich Struensee. She even had his child. They were in love, but the King who thought of the doctor as a friend preferred whores to his wife's company. It was a huge scandal. The cast are brilliant and scandals are always more fun to watch play out even though you can feel the downfall coming a mile away.

Maire Antoinette

It was made clear from the start that modern(ish) music would be the soundtrack to Sofia Coppola's biopic. I'm not a huge fan of her work apart from The Virgin Suicides, but this was a brilliant interpretation (theres that word) of Maire Antoinette's life, leading up to but rightly so in not showing her death. She is literally stripped of her former life, married to someone she has never met, pressurised by family to have children but her husband is not willing. She then lets go and has fun, too much fun. We get a small glimpse at the lead up to the revolution but this is a teenager who has wealth and just wants to party with her friends. The music really helps this. As for events? No idea if its accurate, I just enjoyed the display of excess.

November Watch List

November, usually a good month for new releases but alas, all the films I want to see are being released at the end of the week and so will appear in my December Watch List. The list this month is very short indeed. I actually only saw two films at the cinema this month, which is very odd for me. I've watch quite a bit of TV. This happens tooo, one month I'm completely distracted by TV shows, catching up on them and so on, but the main obsession has been Moonlighting. Such a good show.

Spectre

After the game changing triumph of Skyfall, things were looking great for Bond. All the fans got excited about Spectre being allowed to be in the films and all the new fans were just looking foward to a great film. Well, to be honest, I'm not really a huge Bond fan, but I did like Casino Royale and Skyfall. Unfortunately Spectre felt like it was evolving the 'rebooted' franchise backwards. All the same characters were back but not really doing anything much. Moneypenny had more to do the adverts for the product placements than the actual film and Q spent most of his time in an empty basement. Bond got to roam around the globe going to some spectacular places, the opening sequence in Mexico was a highlight. But there were far too many 'eye roll' moments and the script was packed with cliche lines, it was all like one long nostalgic nod to the old Bond films, back in the 70s and 80s. It wasn't the best Bond film, I found myself picking it apart afterwards and it was just too long. Hopefully they will improve the next time around. 3/5

Mockingjay Part 2

A year of waiting is over. This was the film I was dying to see. With such a cliffhanger from Part 1 and the dearly departed Philip Seymour Hoffman's role having to be decreased, there was worry. I absolutely love the books and I consoled myself with the audiobook of Mockingjay all year. As long as they followed the book I'd be happy and they actually did. To avoid spoilers, I will talk generally. Part 1 was about preparation and Part 2 is about war. I think the films weren't balanced well. There is a whole section at the start that could have easily been included in the previous film to free up space to some scenes that definitely needed more time. Some key moments were cut short, plot holes too. But the main bulk of the film was perfect. The first two films were far better but Mockingjay watch as a whole is pretty damn good too, and an excellent end to the story, I got my closure or at least I will when I get to see some deleted scenes on the DVD. 4/5

Happy Christmas

The trailer makes the film seem like the run of the mill, lost 20 something coming to stay with family over Christmas, they mess but patch things up with said family. That is the basis of the story but it is more about Jenny bonding with her sister-in-law, Kelly, who is a writer. Nothing much happens to be honest and the way it was acted, almost natural with forced actions, statred to get on my nerves and I did get bored. I watch the film over 3 days. There were a few funny moments where Jenny, her friend and Kelly are all discussing what is ok to mention in a love scene that a character in a book is dreaming about. It's amusing in places but too slow paced and a little on the dull side.  But it was good to see Melaine Lynskey on the screen. 2/5

R.I.P.D.

From the moment the film started I understood how ridiculous it was going to be. Jeff Bridges hadn't even appeared yet. The film, story, charcters and purpose are all completely ridiculous but I think everyone knows it. A story about heaven, hell, the living and dead and the 'greatest lawmen' just seemed a bit too silly to be successful and therefore did not do well at all upon release but I'm guessing it was loved on all other forms. The fact that it was Rest In Peace Department should have tipped off everyone. When Ryan Reynolds wonder cop, happily married, good guy gets shot by his evil partner Kevin Bacon, he is transported to the R.I.P.D. instead of heaven. He is then partnered with Roycephus "Roy" Pulsipher who plays Jeff Bridges in a American Civil War Marshal get up. Complete with permanent gurn face and pointy beard.  Their job is to send 'deados' back to hell, those who refuse to pass on and somehow remain on Earth. There's a plot to reverse how things go, bring back all the dead people back to Boston or Earth. I think everyone involved knew how silly the film was but did it anyway for fun. 3/5

Thursday Movie Picks: South East Asian Films

 A nice long title - Non-English Language Movies - Asian Language Movies Set in South East Asia (Non-Horror). Luckily I don't watch horror so will have no idea there. Unluckily I'm a bit rubbish in that I haven't actually seen many South East Asian films.

So, shame on me. But I have seen the two picks below. It's pitiful but i could only think of two I had seen.

Don't forget to check out what Wandering Through the Shelves picked, the blog that started Thursday Movie Picks.

The Wayward Cloud

I saw this back in 2012 when I was doing my 'World Film Challenge' and I saw this on the '99p' shelf to rent at Blockbusters. I worked there at the time and thought 'hey I get free rentals, why not watch this porn musical that barely has any dialogue'. It's bizarre. Some of the songs are good and amusing but the actual story is a on the slow side but I gathered this was the director's style. Such a weird film.

The Raid

No doubt this film will pop up on quite few lists as its a brilliant film. To came out just before Dredd which has a similar premise but it was nudged ahead. A tale of brothers, one crimnal, one on the police force, who happens to be part of a team that infiltrtes a drug/crime lord type lair, a tower block. Action, drama, crime and martial arts all rolled into one. Not seen the sequel though.

Once And Never Again

 There are films out there that I've seen and been overwhelmed at how brilliant they are. Whether is it the story, the acting, the places or the subject matter, these all make for a great film, a masterpiece, but this doesn't mean I want to watch over and over again.

There are many people out there who may be disgusted by my film collection. I know they would ask 'why do you have so many, its not like you can watch them all the time'. This is true but I buy films for three reasons. One, I like the film dammit and I do want to watch it all the time. Two, I haven't seen the film and I am intrigued. Three, buying the DVD was literally the only way I could or ever would see the film.

BUT there are films I've seen and bought in the past and present that I've admired but have had a strong desire to never see ever again. Mostly because they were too depressing, too much in general or because I want to keep the menmory of seeing it for the first time. After reading Joseph Wade's post on The Film Magazine, I have written a short list of some of the films I never want to see again.

1. Blue Jasmine

 I do like Woody Allen films and I do enjoy Tennesse Williams' plays, particularly, A Streetcar Named Desire, so when Allen made a film inspired by said play I was very intrigued. The film is brilliant, the casting and story is just perfect. But overall, the film is incredibly depressing, Jasmine is a very disturbed character. Usually characters progress but none of the characters actually change, they learn no lesson.

2. We Need to Talk About Kevin

I don't think I need to explain why for this film, as anyone who has watched this can understand. A woman, so in love and happy with her husband has her world shattered by the arrival of her son. She knows theres something not quite right about him and so she never really bonds with him. She tortures herself thinking she's to blame for his action but some people are just born evil.

3. Requiem for a Dream

Another film that doesn't need explaining. I first bought this for 50p in a charity shop on VHS when I was in college. I did this a few times after classes before I started work at 4pm at the pharmacy. After my first viewing, I thought the film was ridiculously sad and brilliantly made, I saw it as a film about addiction. But after the second time on DVD, I vowed never again. It's a horrible presentation about drugs and how they ruin your life. But the characters who you get to know are just ruined by the end with no hope in sight. It's rather soul crushing.

4. Funny Games

This was a film I was reccomended to watch during my college days in Film Studies. Thinking back I cannot remember why I was told to watch this. The film is horrible. Director Michael Haneke even made a shot for shot adaptation. No one asked for it. Two young men terrorise a family staying at a cabin by a lake. It is revealed they have already done this to the neighbours and at the end they begin on the next house. There is no hope for anyone here and what makes it worse is the intruders break the fourth wall, addressing and looking at the camera.

5. Melancholia

The film is esstionally about the world potentially coming to end, that in itself is enough to not want to see the film again. I have a thing about the world ending, it freaks me out. There are two sisters as the leads, one of which is a manic depressive and she ruins her wedding day. Every unfolds slowly throughout the evening like slow moving tragedy. The second half is about the depressed sister accepting the end of the world and the other sister panicking, where as earlier she was normal and had everything in her life sorted.

Thursday Movie Picks: Movies about Music/Making Music/Musicians

 Now, the rules for this theme are quite strict. No Biopics or any focus on real life musicians. There are actually plenty of films that are about music or making music or about musicinas themselves.  Don't forget to check out what Wandering Through the Shelves picked, the blog that started Thursday Movie Picks.

1234

British film about a a call centre worker who tries to start a band. Simple idea, bring together those who wish to make music. A guitarist who wants a record deal and falls in love with the bassist. It's a gentle story with added music.

Inside Llewyn Davis

I've been dying to pick a Coen Brothers film and this was a perfect fit. The latest of the brothers film inspired by the folk music scene in New York in 60s, they created the definition of a truggling artist who goes full circle. Singing soulfully to getting gigs, to causing drama, losing money, giving up to singing soulfully to causing drama and so on. Great music and the brilliant Oscar Issacs.

School of Rock

This had to be included at some point. Back in 2003, this was the film to watch when I was at school. Not only was the finale performance damn good but those kids was ace musicians. A deadbeat musician poses as a substitute teacher for money then use and trains the children to be his band so he can enter a battle of the bands contest. There nothing about the plot that I don't like.

Tragic Romance with Piano Music

Back in May, my friend and I became obsessed with Suite Francaise. We saw it a few times at the cinema and read the book the film was based on. Our obsessed started because the end was so abrupt and there was no conclusion for the two main characters. It was an unsatisfying end. I had hoped the book would help but it only made things worse. The author, Irina Nemirovskaya, had planned 5 parts to the story but only two were included in the book and the film focuses on the 2nd part of the story.

Thinking back to 2006, I saw The Painted Veil. This was a love story in reverse. A married couple fall in love only after they are married and living in a cholera striken remote town in China. Of course tragedy is on the horizon. I found the end so unbelievably depressing and thought about reading the book but I never did.

I had read about The Piano briefly but it wasn't high on my list of 'must see films'. A friend of mine suggested I see the film as Anna Paquin had won an Oscar at 11 years old for her role and she is a big fan of Panquin. The Piano is less tragic than the other two films but the saddness of all the characters involved builds up to breaking points, centering around a piano. 

What links all three films is a distinct piece of piano music in each film. Not to be misledaing, I mean separate pieces of music, unique to their own film. I hope I'm not confusing anyone. Another common thread is that all the stories are set in places slightly remote. The Piano is in New Zealand during the mid 19th Century, The Painted Veil is first set in London, then Shanghai and then in a remote village in China, Suite Francaise is in a small town in France.

Suite Francaise, is set in a town on the outskirts of Paris soon after the occupation of France. With many refrugees seeking a place to stay, the town is already over crowded when a German regiment arrives. Lucille lives with her overbearing mother-in-law when an officer is placed in their home. Lucille and Bruno grow closer after their share their love of piano. But with the war, the judging neighbours and Lucille's mother-in-law, there is no hope for these two be together, barley savouring a moment alone together. The piece of music that Bruno is writing, of which the film and book are named after, is echoed through the film. Bruno gives Lucille the finished music so that she can play it and as she said at the end, whenever she does play it, it will always bring her back to him.

Suite Francaise - by Alexandre Desplat

The Painted Veil is about spoilt Kitty who marries bacteriologist Walter to escape her family. While at his post in Shanghai, Kitty has an affair with a married man, a British Vice consul. She assumes that they will marry but she is naive. To punish her, Walter takes a post in a remote village which is experiencing a cholera outbreak. While in the village however, Kitty find a place at the orphanage playing the piano. Slowly Walter and Kitty fall in love again, only for tragedy to strike. The piano music that Kitty plays on the piano at home then in the orphanage echoes through the film is a similar way to Suite Francaise. In one particular scene she plays the music in a way to connect with Walter who remembers the first time he saw her and fell in love with her.The tragedy of it all is that they're just at that point where they can be happy but its taken away from them.

The Painted Veil - Gnossienne, the complete series, by Erik Satie

The Piano is about a mute, Ada, who is sold by her father to marry a frontiersman in New Zealand. All Ada cares about is her daughter who translates for her and her beloved piano. Problems in her new marriage start when her new husband sells the piano to a sailor named Baines who also requests lessons. Through these lessons that start off as a way for her gain her piano back turn into a love affair. The Piano is such a slow paced and at times difficult to watch. But the images of the piano left on the beach with the water curling up around it is beautiful. Combined with the music, the tragic element in the story turns to true romance.

The Piano - soundtrack by Michael Nyman

The Afternoon Movie: Harry and the Hendersons

I cannot recall exactly the first time I saw the 1987 film about a family who run over a sasquatch and decided to take him home, only for him to wreck revoke and cause a media stir, not to mention grabbing the attention of a hunter. It is now regarded as a classic in our family. We quote only a few moments, mostly famously the short scene where the hunter, Jacques LaFleur (David Suchet), has been arrested and is making a call on the phone. Another favourite involves George Henderson, (John Lithgow) stuttering his name when the news cameras turn their attention on him. But I'm getting ahead of myself, I know there are those out there who are yet to watch the wonder that is, Harry and the Hendersons.

Unlike my previous posts of The Afternoon Movie, Harry and the Hendersons is not animated and was made in the 80s but it is still most definitely an afternoon movie.

The Henderson family, while on their way back from a campiing trip hit something with their car. Thinking that the creature is dead and deducing that it must be the myth like animal, Bigfoot, believe it might be worth money and take it home with them. Back in the forest a hunter who was tracking Bigfoot finds the car's licence plates. In the Henderson house, the creature is very much alive. Chaos ensues. But after an awkward scene of removing all the dead animals, trophies lining the walls are removed, the family makes the creature settle in. They name him Harry. And once you name something theres no going back. Of course Harry does run away and the family try to find him and take him home after the media grabs hold of the story. Jacques LaFleur continues to track Harry and the Hendersons turn to a Bigfoot expert for help

There are bits in the film that I recall more than others, such as the knocked over fridge in the kitchen. The drawings that George does of Harry. Little Bob the family dog. Harry eating Sarah Henderson's prom flower. Harry knocking her over thinking its affectionate. The annoying nosey neighbour who is the mum from My Big Fat Greek Wedding. The other neighbour, Kim Lee. Always getting hungry in the scene where the family throws a load of fast food burgers in the car to entice Harry. These little moments are just pitch perfect in memory.

When Harry starts to settle in and become a family member, he even starts to watch TV, laughing his head off. Hi choice of TV is excellent.

The story of how a sasquatch lives with a family and how they try to save him from being hunted first by the media then by that hunter, is odd, but its funny and bizarrely enjoyable. I think the fact that John Lithgow and David Suchet are in the same film is a massive draw for me personally. The film has some interesting observations, especially about traffic. Stick your head out of the window and make siren noises and this is guranteed to create a path through. The story is touching especially when George who has already admitted that Harry is like a friend, he pushes him away with anger as he knows that Harry is better off in the forest. This scene was also used to illustrate the point you have to be mean to keep someone safe, in an extremely funny episode of 30 Rock. This film has power.

Luckily this film is available everywhere. At one time you could only buy this now classic in US, DVD opened up for everyone and I have a sneaky suspicion that it was Netflix at one time. If you're in the mood to be amused and amazed, I'd suggest an afternoon in with Harry and the Hendersons.

Thursday Movie Picks: Secret Agents and Spies

 My first thought for this theme was 'YES!' but then I struggled for while thinking what I could pick so I went for random choices. I did really want to pick 'Burn After Reading' but that might be for a different sort of category altogether. I was also very tempted to include my latest obsession, 'The Man from U.N.C.L.E' but I thought, save it for another day.

Don't forget to check out what Wandering Through the Shelves picked, the blog that started Thursday Movie Picks.

OSS: Cairo Nest of Spies

After I saw The Artist, I sought out Michel Hazanavicius' previous films and to my delight his hit film and sequel were spoof spy stories set in the 1950's. Agent OSS 117 (Jean Dujardin) is sent to track down a missing agent who then literally stumbles upon international intrigue, that somehow involves everyone from the Soviets to some Nazis.A favourite scene invloves a light switch and chickens.

Tinker, Tailor, Soldier, Spy

The film has it all really, spies, moles, secrets a great cast and its set in London. British agent, Smiley is charged with trying to find the Soviet double agent at the British Secret Service. I know Alec Guinness played Smiley first (one of my Dad's favourite TV shows) but I do love Oldman in this. It was good to see him with his British accent.

The 39 Steps

The book, the films, the TV adaptations and the play. My favourites are the Hitchcock film and the hilarious play, it's just pure brilliance. I should mention, I haven't read the book. A man ends up helping a secret agent only to have her killed in his home. From there he's on the run, climbing out of moving trains, scrambling around the Scottish moors and trying to uncover the secrets of a spy organisation while trying to stop them from getting important information. Pure Hitchcock all over.

Perception of Love

Usually all the new films I see in a month are included in the Watch List. Most of them. But I thought The Lobster deserved a stand alone post.

Having recently seen a film where it's not clear where it's set and it's confusing mixture of accents and location terrain, I was wary about The Lobster. But within a few minutes I accepted this universe. I accepted as if it was something that was real. For me, it was like watching one of my most personal grievances played out as one of the scenarios I thought how things would turn out.

In a world, dystopian future or not, where everyone has to have a partner or they are sent to the sinister 'The Hotel' where they have 45 days to find a partner or they are turned into an animal of their choice, seems extreme but it is played out in such a 'matter of fact ' way where everyone under dramatises their speech, emotions and their environment, everything fits perfectly in this amusing yet terrifying place.  

After his wife of 12 years leaves him for someone else, David (Colin Farrell) is sent away from The City to go The Hotel where he must find a partner in 45 days. Everything is so damn formal. All the men and women are issued the same clothes and forced into awkward seminars and odd interactions as well as being summoned by a siren to hunt 'loners' in the wood, earning extra days for everyone they successfully hit with a tranquilizer. Trying to find a partner in The City is difficult enough but trying to fall in love in this environment is near impossible so some resort to desparate measures.

After an unsuccessful match David had manipulated goes wrong, he escapes into the woods and joins The Loners. The rules of The Hotel are strict enough but The Loners are even more grim. One of the things each person has to do is dig their own grave, as no one will do this for them. Loners are not allowed to flirt or kiss each other and they can barely show affection towards one another. A some group is selected to go into The City every so often to collect supplies but then they must return to the woods. This is where David meets the Short Sighted Woman (Rachel Weisz). They fall in love, showing their affection and I think flirting when they are in The City when they are paired as a decoy couple. One of the only times in the film where the barrier between real emotions and the world that is created is when the two lovers are listening to music in sync and slowly dancing. But, their fate is not a happy one. After the leader of The Loners finds the Short Sighted Woman's notebook from which the film has been narrated up until this point, she takes her anger out on the Short Sighted Woman and therefore crushing David's hope of happiness.

There only seem to be two choices in the society, find a partner to escape being an animal, even if you have to lie to them or be utterly alone with no affection or even emotion forever. Of course there is the third option, become an animal. In the woods, there are plenty of weird and wonderful animals wondering around minding their own business. Of course both groups are flawed and show little forgiveness for either. The would be couples desparately shoot down loners in the hope of extra days. The Loners blurt out uncomfortable truths shattering couples trust in one another.

If you were to delve deeper into this story, it is most definitely an unconventional love story but it is also a comment on how single people are viewed by couples and vice versa. Single people obviously have something wrong with them and couples are constantly lying to each other - apparently.

Another observation was on how couples are deemed worthy of being couples. The residents are obsessed with finding their perfect match. Each couple who make it through the 45 days, and their doesn't seem to be many of them, seem to share one thing in common and this defines them. The couple who like to ski. The couple are interested in science. The couple with nosebleeds. And so on. No one is defined by personality, interests and to be honest, not even by attraction. David is delighted to meet the Short Sighted Woman because of this small trait they share. David wears glasses for the same issue. This small detail doesn't ultimately matter but he clings to it. But when the Loner Leader punishes the Short Sighted Woman, that trait she shares with David is taken away. But their connection is more than this, its obvious. I think they both know it but they find it hard to continue, so they take drastic measures to share a new trait as they als believe that is their connection, forgetting of course that they are in love with one another.

What I learnt from The Lobster is that being single is a crime in the eyes of couples and that being in a couple you keep secrets. But this is not what is true in our society, right? It's a brilliant film upon reflection. My first reaction was mixed, being stumped by the end but then realising there was no other way for it to go. Then, thinking it over, reminding myself of the story and the locations, it was a great film. I have already said it but it is has some hilarious moments but the whole concept is terrifying.

Thursday Movie Picks: Halloween Edition: Ghost Movies

Don't forget to check out what Wandering Through the Shelves picked, the blog that started Thursday Movie Picks.

1. Blackbeard's Ghost

Family friendly Disney film about a blood thirsty pirate ghost who haunts a inn by the coast run by a group of little old ladies. They're trying to raise money to save the inn from being torn down when Dean Jones' out of towner arrives and releases Blackbeard's ghost which happens to be the amazing Peter Ustinov. Slapstick comedy commences, with invisible happenings, fights with no one and the excessive use of a wire. It's amusing but I have to admit, I laughed a hell of a lot more when I was 10 years old. 

2. Beetlejuice

 

This will and rightly so will be on many a-list. The ultimate (apart from Ghostbusters) ghost film as Beetlejuice is one of the best creations to come out of Tim Burton's head and Michael Keaton himself. I do love Keaton and this is one of Burton's classics. Of course it does make me weep a little inside when I think if the trope Burton has created lately. Beetlejuice is a bio-exorcist and a really hope he materialises in time to stop and squash these rumours about a sequel. It doesn't need one dammit.

3. Blithe Spirit

Adapted from Noel Coward's classic play, a play that I almost featured in at my local am-dram society. I was to be Edith the maid. Yes. That's not a big role but who cares. Alas the play never happened because the lead actress was pretty useless and never learnt her lines. Anyway, on with the British classc 1945 film where novelist Charles, invites an eccentric 'medium' Madame Arcati to conduct a seance. Unfortunately the result is appearence of the ghostly form of his first wife, Elvira who only he can see and speak to. It's a light comedy and is very terribly British which I like as it makes all the would be dramatic moments controlled and even more amusing. 

October Watch List

Man Up

 First off, I love both the leads. Simon Pegg because of Spaced, mainly and from there onwards. Lake Bell is awesome. I loved her debut, In A World... as she wrote, directed and starred. She is actually one of the very few American actors I don't mind putting on an English accent, mainly because she does it so naturually. The story is fun too plus you get to see bits of London, Southbank, my favourite place AND Waterloo which I see almost on a weekly basis, something thrilling about that. The poster pretty much says it all, right time, right place, wrong date. Two people are on a blind date but she's not the right person but it turns out they are a perfect match. Its funny, I laughed quite a few times which is usually rare with rom-coms. I have faith now that the gener might get better. Fingers crossed. Oh yes, Simon Pegg does cry in this film. He does that quite a bit. 3/5

Life

 

The director, Anton Corbijn, used to be a photographer, he has an excellent eye, which is what made his debut Control so well done and beautiful to watch. The subject here is blurred between two people, James Dean and the photographer who helped make him an icon, Dennis Stock. Stock wants to be famous himself or at least be able to make credible art not just movie stills. He meets James Dean, played pitch perfectly by Dane DeHaan, by chance at a party before he got the role of a lifetime in Rebel Without a Cause. James is looking for a friend, so it seems, but Dennis wants to make art. The film is set 7 months before James Dean died and although its not addressed at all, no major hints, just subtle things, this event we all know happens looms over the entire film.

Its not about James Dean, its actually about Dennis Stock but Dean, like always, steals the attention. It's an odd subject for a film. I wish we saw more of the photographs than just at the end in the credits. Throughout we see how they were made and how the people felt at the time which was interesting, but the film dragged a bit too much. DeHaan was definitely the film stealer here. 3/5

Macbeth 

I do like Shakespeare but I am more of a fan of the comedies rather than the tragedies. I studied Macbeth at school like many others and we saw countless versions of it, good and bad. I've not seen any of the Macbeth films apart from a filmed stage version. This film is both visually striking and beautiful at the same time which is an odd way to describe this violent play. This is how this story was meant to be seen. Everything from the cast, the costume, the setting and the beyond amazing scenary. 'Be bloody, bold, and resolute' can illustrate the mind and motive of Macbeth. I'm hoping most know the story of Macbeth, a play where the protagonsits (that's including Lady Macbeth) are evil and not people to cheer for. But if not, rather than me ruin it here, seek it out, maybe just a summary somewhere, but its best discovered in a book first then play then film. Sound snobby but I think its needed. I've seen a few Shakespeare plays without being familiar with the text and not enjoyed it as much at all. 4/5

I did have a lot more to discuss about this film but the film festival was a big distraction. I will add more later, hopefully.

The Martian

When this was first announced I wasn't too keen on watching it. If I saw it, I saw it. The trailer looked good but again, I wasn't too bothered. My friends were more keen than me. Having watched it, it was everything I expected, feeling an ache the whole way through, scrabbling around in my seat at the more difficult scenes, not enough Sean Bean. But it was a brilliant film, Ridley Scott has emerged from the Russel Crowe obsessed darkness, dusted off his alien suit and come up with an adaptation of the novel of the same name that is beyond the spectrum of the definition of survival. There are too many things to mention is a short paragraph, so forgive me if I ramble. After an expedition to Mars is cut short by a disaster, Astronaut Mark Watney is thought to be dead and the rest of the crew of Ares lll leaves to go back to Earth. But Watney is alive. To survive Watney oragnises the food rations he has while trying to gain contact with NASA. When NASA work out that Watney is alive through satalite pictures of the planet, they kick into action.

The film poses many questions, some being difficult to face. Do they save this one man for sake of billions of dollars? Do they ask a crew of 5 to risk their lives for the sake of one man? It sounds harsh but when you're watching the film, you start to see things from everyone's point of view, NASA, the engineers, the crew of the Ares lll but with Watney, its different. The scenes with just him are brilliantly done and the fact that Watney the Botney, he's a botanist, is that he has a winning spirit that is unparalleled with any other survivor. He doesn't sit around at any point, apart from one scene where he's watching Happy Days, he is always working, whether it is growing potatoes on Mars, writing out long messages to communicate with NASA or trying to fix a broken window on the hub. He is the key to all of the film. The intense scenes that I found myself squirming in my seat involve being stranded in space and floating around hoping to be caught. I find those scenes stressful. But that aside, its a great film, with a brilliant cast and core. As I said, Ridley Scott is back everyone! 4/5

Everest

After watching The Martian I threw myself at another nail biting story that I didn't realise was based on real events. Of course, we do not know for sure what happened on the mountain smmit which depicts those who lost their lives, but my god it felt real. A complete tragedy and loss of life all for the sake of climbing an impossible mountain. The climbers, leaders and followers alike ask the question 'why do they do this' and  they answer 'beacuse it's there'. You can apply to this literally anything though, why do we do these things? Because we can. Because we want to. Because we need to. All the climbers have their own reasons for being there and we only get an insight to a few in depth, such as expedition leader Rob Hall and Beck Weathers, an experienced climber and author of one of the books that the film takes its knowledge from. The gruelling conditions that these climbers put themselves through are painful and in some cases heartbreaking, especially for those who you know died on the mountain. This film could easily put classed as a disaster film as nature is the cause of all the problems but there something about the people involved in this tragedy that makes it an true life story (and it is with added cinematic touches). It is an emotional film. And views are incredible. 3/5

Crimson Peak

'Beware of Crimson Peak'. This is the hook that got me in the trailer, after seeing the beautiful gothic images of course. I thought I could handle ghost films, but I was hiding under my scarf during some bits of this film, as my friend, he had his jacket covering his face. Like cowards huddled under a blanket for safety we were spooked, but, we both agreed after the film, there wasn't enough ghost bits. The film location, set and not to mention the beautiful costumes are all visually amazing. These create an excellent introduction to Del Toro's gothic setting. The story is a little too predictable but the hidden secrets which our heroine Edith discovers upon arrival, are sinister enough to scare the hell out of you. The ghosts, when we do see them, are spirits, twisted and disturbed or wonderfully dressed all with a smoke like presence that I haven't seen before. These ghosts are elegant and actually bring warnings to help the living and it is the living that should be feared. You know, that old chestnut. But despite the predictable story and lack of ghostly bits, the film has enough atmoshpere and Tom Hiddleston to keep me watching. Technically a three person show who all show they're strengths is slightly different roles from previous ones, makes it interesting to watch (enough though you know the out come). 3/5

Sicario

I was in two minds about this film. I've read so much about and yet these articles and reviews barely give anything away. I understand why but I can't agree with everything I've read. The part Emily Blunt plays, Kate Macer, was originaly meant for a male actor. To be honest, the part is gender neutral. But I'm glad Blunt was cast otherwise there would have been no women in the film. That is pretty bad. Macer is an FBI agent brought in on a mission by the CIA and army. The purpose was to collect a senior member of the Mexican cartel back to the USA. We all know as much as Macer does and that is barely anything. She is literally there to observe. It's irritating. Aside from the uncomfortable tension throughout that does build up to an event that both brilliant and terrible, that irritating feeling haunted me throughout the film. It was a good thriller but like Macer, I was annoyed at the lack of information provided and the feeling of being left in the dark was mutual. The scenes between Blunt and Benicio del Toro are some of the best scenes, no matter how short, in the film. They seem to be wary of each other and even at some point trust each other but ultimately they both have their own stronge principles that go against each other. I gave it a higher rating originally but I switched to lower as I though I gave it higher only because of Blunt. But overall it needed a little more light on the situation. 3/5