Tag: Oscar nominated

On Golden Pond (1981) Film Review

when life is at its finest…when love is at its fullest…

Rating PG
Length 1h49
Release 12.03.1981
Director Mark Rydell
About After Chelsea leaves Billy, her fiance’s son, with her parents, she returns to find a friendship bloom between Billy and Norman, her father. Shocked, she reassesses her relationship with her father.
Moon: no moon sighting
Where to Watch: ITV X
Trailer:

The Good

The film, much like others adapted from theatre plays, has incredible dialogue. Yes, the visuals are as good, however it would work just as well performed as a radio play.

Katherine Hepburn, Henry and Jane Fonda not only work well individually, but they work off each other and the chemistry, and animosity, billows off the screen.

I have to give this film credit; it really surprised me. I thought I’d predicted the end. I was so certain of it that I was on edge for the entire film. It was only in the last scene did the film show me that I can sometimes be wrong with my predictions.

The relationship between Norman and Billy Ray Jnr is beautiful and heartwarming. From the exchange “I turned 13 two weeks ago”/ “We’re practically twins” I was sold on where this film was going.

The Bad

The set up of the young boy staying with the elderly couple does not feel authentic. Yes, I just go with it and suspend my belief because the film is so good. For me it was only afterwards and reflecting upon it did I feel that it was the last place Chelsea and her fiancee would ask for help; particularly seeing the damage Norman had done to Chelsea and her happiness.

The Ugly

I found myself shouting at the screen at times. Not necessarily the film, but the character of Edith and her dismissal of Chelsea’s experience really hit home and angered me. I think it is a generational thing; for some wives to berate their children and defend their partner’s actions. The film goes so far as to have Edith treat Billy Ray Jnr in the same way. Instead of acknowledging Norman sundowning as part of his declining memory, she makes the issue about Billy Ray taking it too personally.
It won’t bother people who don’t share Chelsea’s experience and the difficulty in healing, however for some it will make for a difficult viewing.

Also, Niagara Falls! I sobbed like a bitch.

Final Thoughts

I absolutely need to watch this again. If for nothing else, to watch without the anticipation of what I was predicting.

Midnight Express (1978)

Walk into the incredible true experience of Billy Hayes, and bring all the courage you can!

Rating 18
Length 1h37
Release 10.08.1978
Director Alan Parker
About Billy, an American caught smuggling drugs, is prosecuted and jailed in Turkey for four years. When his sentence is increased to 30 years, Billy, along with other inmates, makes a plan to escape.
Trigger warnings: attempted rape, animal death, drug abuse.
Moon: no moon sighting
Where to Watch: ITVX
Trailer:

The Good

Never in a million years did I think I would be saying this, but Randy Quaid! Dude knocked it out the park. Perhaps I’d written him off as a comedy goofball, but, but his performance is really refreshing.

It really does give food for thought. Yes, the conditions and treatment may have been exaggerated, however we do know that arrests and capital punish happen around the world for what we would consider misdemeanours. By presenting a ‘based on’ reflective film, it keeps that dialogue and conversation at the forefront of all politics. The aim is not to allow people to go free, but ensure that the punishment is humane and gives an opportunity for rehabilitation.

John Hurt gives a performance one would expect of him and from all accounts, he really went to great lengths for an authentic performance.

The Bad

It’s hard to place this here, given that the film won an Oscar for it, but I have an issue with the music. It’s a well crafted score, however it doesn’t fit this film. The synth heavy music would be at home in any SciFi of the time but as it stands, it clashes with the visuals.

I found Billy to be a rather unsympathetic character. No one deserves the treatment he gets in the prison; that is what human rights are for. However, in terms of him being a criminal, there’s no defending him. He’s clearly from an upper economic social background, so his reasoning of ‘I needed the money’ is galling.
Then consider the opening and closing scenes. He’s really shit at not being sus! He might as well have had ‘I’m smuggling drugs’ tattoo’d on his forehead. Then, when he thinks he’s in the clear, Billy grabs his girlfriend’s boob; something that is also punishable in Turkey. Entering into the final act, Billy firstly begs his girlfriend to undress and I found that most disturbing of all. That after being caught in the system, he would put her at risk to masturbate. Horrific.
Finally, what disappointed me most of all is that upon escape and facing an oncoming vehicle, Billy’s body curls in. The body language screams ‘I’m an escapee’ and I don’t understand how he’s not caught. While I’m sure freedom is the overall story arc, for Billy it should have been that ability of being able to carry himself in a way that enables/ earns his freedom. It really is a shame.

This film had Mark Hamill wanting to audition. In the words of Julia Roberts, the studio denying that opportunity? ‘big mistake, huge.’ I guess all Hamill was really known for at the time was Star Wars, but playing Billy, or even Jimmy would have allowed Hollywood to see the versatility that we know Hamill is capable of decades earlier.

The Ugly

The violence is brutal, unrelenting and inhumane. It comes from all directions; inmates and guards. It’s a struggle to watch and the scenes will churn even the strongest of stomachs.
Then there is also the animal abuse and the attempted/ implied rape that add to the brutality of this film. While it’s stated by many after its release that this representation was exaggerated, you cannot deny that this sort of punishment does exist in the world.

By extension, the representation of Turkey in this film is problematic. The real like Billy, the director of the movie and screenwriter, and up and coming Oliver Stone, have all since apologised. With so many apologise, it’s a wonder how much better this film would have been if only they paused to consider the optics.

Final Thoughts

Incredibly well made, but I will never watch it again.

A Farewell to Arms (1932) Film Review

“Let’s love tonight,” they said, “There may be no tomorrow!”

Rating PG
Length 1h30
Release 08.12.1932
Director Frank Borage
About An American ambulance driver in the Italian forces falls in love with an English Red Cross nurse and their relationship is tested by WWI and stressful circumstances.
Moon: no moon sighting
Where to Watch: BBC IPlayer
Trailer:

The Good

The sets are really beautiful and while the close ups have that hazy look to them, but the wide and mid shots are okay and well framed.

There are transition scenes; the location or passage of time in which the film expresses some whimsy. Seeing the smoke of the train write out Milan was adorable.

There’s a section, not long after we’re informed that Frederic is in Milan that we get a section of pov shots. It’s quite a moving way of establishing Frederic being in a hospital. They’re really quite effective only being able to see the ceiling as he’s wheeled to his room, faces voices answering his questions.

The Bad

I know it will be reflective of the time, but the admonishment of Catherine and Frederic’s conversation about children in their future. How the fuck do you have a successful and healthy relationship without talking about such things before marriage?!
Yes, okay, society was very different then and it was a religious imperative for family life to take place within a marriage. However, it just really hit me as a really toxic and sure-fire way of having a really unhappy couple.

Helen Hayes may have given a strong performance in terms of character and emotions, however her accent is appalling. There’s scenes where she gives up completely.

The war time montage with only a musical score was really hard to follow. Slightly too quick edits in fast succession. Slowing it down and adding some dialogue would have just filled in the gap.

The Ugly

This film has been edited and cut up to a detrimental effect. Not the director’s fault, but more a reflection of the time and the introduction of the Hays Code. They are harsh and rushed cuts that are obvious to anyone who watches.

I get the sense that the romantic thread is only part of the original story. The war was almost a backdrop to the romance instead of an integral part of who they all were and the decisions they made.
The film could have demonstrated the action of war a little more.

Final Thoughts

A decent film for the time in which it was made. I would love to see the original cut of it as the way it stands, its a little too rough and choppy.

The French Connection (1971)

Doyle is bad news – but a good cop.

Rating 18
Length 1h44
Release 18.01.1972
Director William Friedman
About New York City cop Doyle and his partner are trying to bust a drug cartel based in France. Albeit short-tempered, Doyle is a dedicated cop whose nemesis, Alain Charnier, is too polished for a criminal.
Moon: no moon sighting
Where to Watch: BBC IPlayer
Trailer:

The Good

Much in the same way Detective Peralta was inspired to join the force on the back of Die Hard, I could imagine John McClane being inspired by Jimmy ‘Popeye’ Doyle.
The character operates in the shades of grey and you can very quickly tell, it’s the only way to operate in the grime and challenges of 70s New York City. I could not imagine anyone other than Gene Hackman playing this ambigious role. Most of his great performances involve a flawed character.

For the time, this was considered fast paced. Oh how long for this standard, instead of the nauseating blurs of CGI we get today. Most younger viewers have been conditioned with the car chases of franchises, not least of which is Fast and the Furious.
However, those who truly love film will be able to appreciate the technical skill required for the chase sequence in this film. It’s simple, the cars keep to speed limit that doesn’t invoke the sound of NOS and yet it will still have your adrenaline pumping.

The Bad

The fact that this film has a sequel. Even though, I’ve not seen it, the ambiguity of that final scene is undone just from the knowledge that the sequel exists. Much in the same way there’s no sense of jeopardy in Marvel’s Black Widow because she’s present in films that take place after BW.

The Ugly

I know what the film was trying to achieve with the semi-hand held free movement of the camera; it compliments the tone by giving that pseudo documentary style of filmmaking. However, at times it really made me sick to my stomach.

Final Thoughts

It’s not a film I personally would watch for entertainment. However, I also recognise that this film walked so many crime based films and shows could run.

Blazing Saddles (1974)

Mel Brooks’ comic saga of cowboys and imbeciles.

Rating 12
Length 1h33
Release 23.06.1974
Director Mel Brooks
About Hedley Lamarr, a corrupt politician, hires an African-American man as the sheriff of a small town to drive its residents away, but his plan backfires when the townspeople take a liking to the sheriff.
Moon: no moon sighting
Where to Watch: BBC Iplayer
Trailer:

The Good

Gene Wilder was an excellent choice and last-minute replacement for Jim. His relationship with Bart is what the film needs and they truly work together. As always, Wilder is on form with his comic timing.

I saw that Richard Pryor was briefly considered for the role by Brooks, however Pryor’s substance abuse was rather public at the time and so the studio vetoed the choice.
For me, I’m rather glad of studio meddling for once. It meant that we got an incredible and much more understated performance from Cleavon Little. There’s no question, Little carries this film effortlessly.

On the whole, the film is funny while actually broaching some serious social issues. Those without an understanding of satire may incorrectly see the film as ‘racist’, however the film is asking you to laugh at the ridiculousness of hate.

With it being one of Brooks’ early films, there’s not so many references that rely on a person having knowledge of the time in which it was made. As much as it pains me to say this, Blazing Saddles is a much better movie than the Cary Elwes led, Robin Hood: Men in Tights (1993).

The Bad

Yeah… you all bigged up that farting scene way too much. It cannot live up to the way people talk about it. In a world in which we have a film that has two women playing “battle shits” in the college dorm bathroom, the impact of this monumental cutaway scene has greatly reduced.
Not helped by the fact that I’m sure I’ve scene the whole scene play out on no less than 3 ‘best of’ countdowns. It just felt a little ‘that it?’

The dude named Mongo. It’s a personal thing, but to name a character coded as slow and stupid Mongo feels so painfully ‘nudge-nudge, wink-wink’ on the nose.

It’s alway good to see Santa in something, anything, other than Santa Clause: The movie (1985).

The Ugly

The film goes a little too meta at the end for me with the escaping the world of the film, to the behind the scenes. Then it goes and doubles down by going to watch the ending of the film in a cinema on the studio lot.
I’m sure Mel Brooks had that planned from the outset, but it comes across to me as if the story ran out of steam and this gave the film an ending.

Final Thoughts

It’s a film I’m going to wait a while to revisit, but I am glad I finally understand what all the fuss is about.

Killers of the Flower Moon (2023)

Rating 15
Length 3h26
Release 20.10.2023
Director Martin Scorsesse
About Real love crosses paths with unspeakable betrayal as Mollie Burkhart, a member of the Osage Nation, tries to save her community from a spree of murders fueled by oil and greed.
Moon: full moon seen 25 minutes in
Where to Watch: Apple TV
Trailer:

The Good

I’m calling it now: Lily Gladstone will take away the Oscar for Best Actress in a leading role on 10 March. She is incredible in representing what I see as a matriarchal power within a community that many women today would say is what feminism is looking for in terms of ‘equality’.
Gladstone even when at the most vulnerable point of Mollie’s life, gives a strength of character and morals that will have you wanting to reach through the screen to ensure her survival.

It is a visually beautiful film. You cannot deny, that Martin Scorsese is an incredible, talented, filmmaker. He’s even able to utilise slow motion is a competent and effective way.

The story is powerful. I found myself at the half way mark, maybe a little after, thinking so angrily about how corrupting wealth is. It then pulled me up short because this is a wealth that is still causing death, deception and dehumanisation a hundred years later. We’re not talking about money, but something more powerful. Oil.
Then you consider the characters of Mollie and Ernest. My opinions of DiCaprio aside, it’s clear these two characters love each other. It creates an almost paradox, not only within the film but the audience’s own understanding too. It will have you thinking about it, long after the film has finished.

The Bad

The run time. Yes, I do think that it’s largely to do with what the story is telling and how it perhaps could have been a trilogy. Maybe if Scorsese was younger, he’d have entertained it. However, I think this is the first three hour film I’ve watched since the most recent Bond. I didn’t need to stop the film, but with it being a slow and relatively quiet film, I know others would struggle.

By extension, because of how long the film is, the one thing I disliked was the use of flash back in the final act to an earlier part of the film. It wasn’t a replay of scenes, but still felt unnecessary.

The Ugly

I big swing, but Leonardo DiCaprio is too overrated and I could have watched this film with anyone else in the role of Earnest. In fact, I would have preferred Jesse Plemons take on the protagonist, and DiCaprio in the smaller, third act role, of Tom White.
Maybe I’m missing something that others can see in DiCaprio’s performances, but I couldn’t distinguish this performance, to that of The Revenant (2015), or even Don’t Look Up (2021). His ability to gurn and look like he’s attended Joey’s School of ActingTM does not an actor make for me.

By extension, Robert DeNiro should have been swapped with John Lithgow for the very reason that there was doubt or question about the morality of Bill Hale. The moment you see DeNiro, you know that while he himself doesn’t get dirty, he’s the shots.
Put Lithgow in the role, what is seen immediately as manipulation, becomes a much more subtle and opportunistic plot. DeNiro is too much the obvious choice for that role and I truly would have loved to have seen Lithgow get his teeth into a multi act performance and allowing DeNiro to play the smaller, government role.

Final Thoughts

An incredibly well made film that is a little too long for me. Not because of attention span as such, more that the story does lend itself to a trilogy.
That said, if you’re a fan of Scorsese, you’ll find this biopic perfect.

Great Expectations (1946) Film Review

Moths and all sorts of ugly creatures hover about a lighted candle. Can the candle help it?

Rating U
Length 1h58
Release 26.12.1946
Director David Lean
About A humble orphan boy in 1810s Kent is given the opportunity to go to London and become a gentleman, with the help of an unknown benefactor.
Moon: no moon sighting
Where to Watch: BBC IPlayer
Trailer:

The Good

John Mills and Alec Guiness are incredible in their individual rights. I’ve loved them both in anything I’ve watched. However, having them in a film together and sharing scenes is simply delightful.

The film stays rather true to the book, but it also makes some excellent choices when it comes to editing the narrative. Removing sections involving the attack and death of Mrs Joe, allows a much smoother transition from Pip’s childhood and into his adult life.

Young Pip and Joe are both adorably played by their respective actors.

The Bad

For me, the actresses who play Estella are a bit mismatched. I personally preferred the actress playing the younger Estella, so it meant that once the adult appeared, I found it difficult to engage with her. Perhaps more a testament to Jean Simmons good acting than suggesting Valerie Hobson was bad.

The Ugly

The final act felt a little rushed and lacking in detail; particularly the last few character connections that would have all the separate narratives woven together finally.

There is a

Final Thoughts

A near perfect film with such incredible cast; up there with Its a Wonderful Life and A Matter of Life and Death.

Beasts of the Southern Wild (2012) Film Review

Discover the most MAGICAL film of the year

Rating 12
Length 1h33
Release 19.10.2012
Director Benh Zeitlin
About In the wake of her father’s ill health and the flooding of her home, Hushpuppy, a six-year-old girl, must brave prehistoric creatures called aurochs and seek out her lost mother.
Moon: no moon sighting
Where to Watch: ITV Plus (Oscar Collection)
Trailer:

The Good

It’s such a beautiful film with an incredible, and unique, filmic style. With the fantasy element it is clearly a fictional piece, however by presenting the narrative within a documentary style it elevates the danger felt by all the people involved.

Hushpuppy, played by Quvenzhane Wallis, carries this film. The narration is enchanting and it adds to the love you’ll have for Hushpuppy and her headstrong behaviour.

The Bad

Another film about mankind’s mistreatment of the world and the impact it is having. The melting icecaps is an all too real a topic and the death and destruction a painful reminder of what is to come. It is a hard watch.

The Ugly

There’s a pain to be felt by following Hushpuppy during the environmental destruction of her home. The devastation of flooding is emotionally tense as it is, but add to it the back story of her mother and the current crisis with her father and it will leave you devestated.

Final Thoughts

An incredibly visual and emotional film that everyone much watch.

A Beautiful Mind (2001)

The Only Thing Greater Than the Power of the Mind is the Courage of the Heart

Rating 12
Length 2h15
Release 22.02.2002
Director Ron Howard
About John Nash, a brilliant but asocial mathematical genius, finds himself in pain when he encounters a cruel disorder. He ultimately overcomes his struggles and emerges free of any trauma.
Moon: no moon sighting
Where to Watch: Now TV
Trailer:

The Good

Jennifer Connolly is incredible as Alicia Nash. The entire story arc is flawlessly portrayed. She provides the voice of reason, the spark of love and loyalty and a character the audience could empathise with.

The story is well told, not only in terms of structure but how Nash’s health dictates the narrative. Without giving away too much of the plot, there are interactions and structuring of the film that will make you want to rewatch.

While I struggled with the way in which Russell Crowe moved his mouth, and I relied on subtitles, the performance is incredible. The lucid, the crisis and the paranoia induced conspiracies are all well performed.

The Bad

The music was not the best. It felt brash and amateur considering this film is made by Ron Howard.

I would have loved to have spent more time in the college of Princeton. I understand why we needed the span that we had to understand Nash’s genius, however it equally could have been a film that resolved with the penning of his article.

The Ugly

While the impact Nash had on the world, there was little of that present in the film, instead choosing to focus upon the mental illness that perhaps sidelined his work for many years.
There’s so many biopics that focus on the negative and makes it feel that the audience is imposing on something too private, too intimate.

Final Thoughts

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Hope and Glory (1987) Film Review

Rating 15
Length 1h53
Release 03.09.1987
Director John Boorman
About A nine-year-old boy growing up in London during the Blitz enjoys an exhilarating childhood among the tragedies and ruins of World War II.
Moon: no moon sighting
Where to Watch: BBC IPlayer
Trailer:

The Good

The final act in which we spend more time with the Grandfather is that sort of bittersweet nostalgia warmth you get from seeing a familiar relationship that you no longer have presented on screen.
Ian Bannen is perfect in the role and is able to successfully portray the man as a grumpy yet loving family man that takes Billy under his wing.

There’s a scene in which the Rowan family are caught in the middle of an air raid. The slow motion shows the impact of bombs dropped in England. The craft used to produce that scene is incredible; from the ripples on the faces, to the lighting used.

The Bad

It’s an odd one in that the quality of this film feels more like a TV drama than an internationally known, Oscar nominated, film. It’s incredibly well made and the story is gripping, but there’s something that’s lacking.

The Ugly

I almost wish the sex scenes were edited out to bring the rating down to at least a 12. Not that it isn’t well done, and it is somewhat necessary to the plot. However, by removing these scenes, you would create a perfect film for younger viewers.
This would make for an incredible educational film; having a protagonist of 9 years old is a perfect focus for those initially learning about WWII and the conditions during the Blitz.

Final Thoughts

Charming, flawed, yet really funny. Another film that needs to be watched by everyone.

Witness for the Prosecution (1957) Film Review

Rating U
Length 1h56
Release 30.01.1957
Director Billy Wilder
About A lawyer is troubled when a supposedly conscientious woman testifies against her husband. However, the motives behind her testimony put him in an ethical dilemma.
Moon: no moon sighting
Where to Watch: BBC IPlayer
Trailer:

The Good

Charles Laughton, best known to me as Henry Hobson in Hobson’s Choice, is an absolute cantankerous delight as barrister Sir Wilfred Robards, pulled into a court case against Doctor’s orders when his nurse confiscates his cigars.
It’s very rare to have the gravitas Laughton has, and give the range of humour, vulnerability and anger that he does. He’s perfectly cast and carries this film, from start to finish.

Elsa Lanchester, Laughton’s real life wife, as Miss Plimsoll is the perfect addition to the original Agatha Christie plot. The chemistry and bickering between the two is some of the bests scenes in the film and I do actually wish she was in more.

There’s some beautiful shots in the film, particularly the Oxford Street establishing shot in which the reflection of the road, the bus and the crowd is seen while Mrs French is trying on hats in the shop.

The Bad

I disliked the Vole flashback showing how he met Christine. There’s no chemistry between them and the scene is rather clunky. After also having such extensive flashbacks with Mrs French, it may have been better to have Vole in the present relay the information.

The Ugly

The decoration of Mrs French’s living room with African art gives away more about her than perhaps we would like? It’s established that she’s wealthy; that’s the motive for murder. However, the African art could indicate a source of her money. It’s hard to not think this when appropriated art hangs like animal heads in a hunting lodge. It sucks.

By extension the anti-foreign sentiment is a painful reminder that xenophobia today is nothing new. Not only is it presented by many characters as a personal view “we should have an embargo on foreign wives,”, it’s expressed within the courtroom too.

Final Thoughts

An incredible film, and one all must watch but pales in comparison to another law-based Oscar contender for 1967: 12 Angry Men (1967).

Jojo Rabbit (2019) Film Review

Rating 12
Length 1h48
Release 01.01.2020
Director Taika Waititi
About Hitler Youth cadet Jojo Betzler firmly believes in the ideals of Nazism manifested by his imaginary friend, Adolf Hitler. However, his foundations are shaken when he finds a Jewish girl in his house.
Moon: no moon sighting
Where to Watch: Disney+
Trailer:

The Good

Sam Rockwell portrays his character so unbelievably well. Giving enough to make you question who he might be. Or rather, hope, he is who we think he might be. The presence of doubt allows for jeopardy at important turning points in the film.

That opening with a German-language version of I Want to Hold Your Hands by the Beatles is an absolute genius choice of song, particularly when the film then doubles down with brightness and joyful “youth Hitler” camp, that mirrors the height of Beatle Mania. It’s odd, it’s juxtaposed to everything other films have represented any element of WWII, but that’s exactly why it is so clever.

There’s a visual element that’s reminiscent of work by Wes Anderson and so it gives me as a viewer my favourite part of his work, without the heaviness that I find with his dialogue and choice of music. I’m now honestly, wanting a team up between him and Waititi.

The young stars are incredible and walk the line between absolute innocence and old before their time without it feeling like Bugsy Malone. The character of Jojo is well presented and has a clear story arc and growth.

The Bad

As much as this film will make you laugh, it most definitely will counter with tears. It doesn’t hold back on the truth about Hitler’s regime, and the death, hate and destruction that comes with it.

The Nazi

Having Taika Waititi play Hitler is as powerful as the musical number within The Producers by Mel Brooks, proving yet again the best way to present the biggest evil is to poke fun and laugh.
Waititi, while scary at the end when everything has gone awry for Germany, also retains an element of a child-like tantrum seen throughout the film. I couldn’t think of anyone better to pull this off.
He’s also right; being of Jewish heritage and playing Hitler, is the biggest ‘fuck you’ to the guy. I couldn’t be more proud of him as a director, and levity aside, I cannot imagine how difficult it would have been for Taika Waititi to do this.

Final Thoughts

You have to be in the right frame of mind for this satire. I tried to watch this in 2020, and I didn’t get past the rabbit test scene. Perhaps it was that I was too deep into the Covid isolation, but I struggled and bailed. This time though, I discovered the most beautiful film that had a lot to say about love, despite the overwhelming hate all around.