Bye!
July 27, 2021
July 24, 2021
31 day movie challenge for the summer months - Day 20
My favourite comedy is, without a shadow of a doubt, Midnight Run. Robert De Niro, Charles Grodin, Yaphet Kotto, 1988. A perfect film IMO. Hilarious, insanely quotable, brilliantly drawn characters, that one scene in the middle of it all that kicks you in the heart and an ending that will always make you smile.
18 films on TV this week to help you celebrate the end of all that horrible hot weather
If you find any old favourite or something new a retweet is always appreciated. Thank you.
Land Of The Dead Sat 24/7 The Horror Channel @ 21.00
The 4th installment in George A. Romero's undead series zooms in on a very divided Pittsburgh where the rich live in tall, safe glass houses looking down on the poor in the slums below fighting for their lives. As always social commentary is to the forefront of a Romero film but he lashes on the gory thrills and spills too. An intelligent and exciting watch, with nice turns from Dennis Hopper, John Leguizamo and Asia Argento powering the story.
Split Sat 24/7 Film4 @ 23.15
Casey, Claire and Marcia have been kidnapped by Kevin. Or is that Patricia? Or Dennis? Or Hedwig. Or the beast? M. Night Shyamalan's 2016 thriller is a ludicrous watch, one bordering on offensiveness at times but James McAvoy gives such a committed performance as a sympathetic monster that you'll be welded to the screen throughout. Seriously, he's magnetic in this. Anya Taylor-Joy more than holds her own too.
Marguerite Sun 25/7 BBC2 @ 00.30
Marguerite Dumont lives to sing. It's her passion in life. But she's absolutely dreadful at it and the people who love her are loathe to shatter the illusion she's built for herself. Then one day she decides to really go for it. This French film from 2015 is based on the life of Florence Foster Jenkins and is a more thoughtful and sensitive take on her story than the American version from 2016. But you'll still be entertained by it all. Catherine Frot excels in the lead role.
Come Back To The 5 And Dime, Jimmy Dean, Jimmy Dean Sun 25/7 Talking Pictures TV @ 01.20
It's been twenty years since James Dean died in a car crash and his fan club is meeting up to mark the occasion and catch up. But as so often happens, meeting old friends can often open up old wounds. Robert Altman's adaption of the broadway play is a joy to watch, with nifty camerawork used to avoid a stagey feel and some wonderful performances from Cher, Sandy Dennis and the always reliable Karen Black.
Mary, Queen Of Scots Sun 25/7 RTE1 @ 21.30
Mary Stuart has become the Queen of Scotland. Her cousin Elizabeth is the Queen of England and is worried about Mary's claim to her throne. A worry that sets in motion a dark chapter in British history. Purists will whinge about inaccuracies in the story but when you have Saoirse Ronan and Margot Robbie both doing masterful work in a lovingly depicted past who cares? Be warned, some scenes will disturb.
Breaking In Sun 25/7 Virgin Media Two @ 23.05
After her father's death Shaun heads to his high tech home to deal with his estate, not realising she's put herself and her children in harms way by doing so. This throwback to the home invasion films of the early 90's isn't perfect but it's a solidly built thriller featuring nasty bad guys, some bruising and bloody encounters and a rousing performance from Gabrielle Union as a mammy who'll do anything to protect what's hers.
This Is England Sun 25/7 CH4 @ 00.00
A young boy grieving for his father is taken under the wing of a gang of skinheads. Life is sweet until a face from the past turns things upside down. The best British film of the 21st century. A stunning look at the horrible dark underbelly of life in Margaret Thatcher's Britain. Shane Meadow's directs an astounding cast of (then) unknowns in a film that will bowl you over. Stephen Graham & Vicky McClure are the stand outs.
Rampart Mon 26/7 TG4 @ 21.30
Scumbag LAPD cop Dave Brown is in trouble once again. He's been filmed beating a suspect and his career is in trouble. He's also outrunning his past and he doesn't know how much longer he can keep going. From the pen of James Ellroy comes a dark, nihilistic and troubling look at the people who "protect" us. It's tough to watch but a captivating Woody Harrelson will grip you. The supporting cast is fantastic too, with way too many to name here all adding to the mix.
The Good, The Bad And The Ugly Mon 26/7 TCM @ 23.00
Three men, Blondie, Tuco and Angel Eyes, have their sights set on a treasure trove and backstab and connive their way across the desert to get to it first. The final part of Sergio Leone's spaghetti western trilogy is an absolute masterpiece, astonishing in it's scale, jaw dropping in it's cruelty and beauty. Clint Eastwood, Eli Wallach and Lee Van Cleef do amazing work and the music from Ennio Morricone will just carry you off into another time.
Maggie Mon 26/7 The Horror Channel @ 23.00
A man sets out to find a cure for his daughter after she's bitten during a zombie attack. Ya, I know it's yet another zombie film but this one is a far deeper and more personal story than the usual gorefests. Young Maggie is played by Abigail Breslin and her father is none other than Arnold Schwarzenegger who honest to god, does some real acting for once as a man struggling to come to terms with his worst nightmare.
The Square Tues 27/7 Film4 @ 00.50
The curator of a Stockholm art gallery has having a hard time. He's been the victim of a robbery and he's also in the middle of setting up a rather unique art exhibit. One that's bound to court controversy. This satirical look at the mores of the art world is an enthralling watch where you'll cringe as much as you'll laugh. Claes Bang, Elisabeth Moss & Dominic West do fine work in a film that's quite long but worth your time.
A Farewell To Arms Tues 27/7 BBC4 @ 22.40
WW1. Not the most romantic of times but Lieutenant Henry and Nurse Catherine made it work, even when their relationship was torn asunder by bombs, bullets and jealous friends. This semi autobiographical work from the pen of Ernest Hemingway still works 89 years after it's initial release as a paean to the power of love even under the worst circumstances. Gary Cooper and Helen Hayes do everything right.
Skate Kitchen Wed 28/7 Film4 @ 01.25
Camille is a teen feeling lonely after a boarding injury. She's lost, friendless & generally not liking her New York suburban life until the day she discovers a girl gang of skateboarders and everything changes for her. A low key, charming, beautifully created feminist coming of age story that feels fresh and vital despite covering familiar ground. Real life skater Rachelle Vinberg does nice work in the main role.
The Senator Wed 28/7 BBC2 @ 23.15
Chappaquiddick, Massachusetts. July 1969. Mary Jo Kopechne is the unfortunate passenger in a car driven a man wielding a famous name. A true life take that went under the radar on it's initial release but it's an important and topical look at the privilege afforded by fame & power and how it will save you every time. Kate Mara and Jason Clarke lead a superb cast in a film that deserved a bigger audience than it got.
I Capture The Castle Thur 29/7 BBC4 @ 22.35
A teenager and her unusual family are living in the wreck of an old castle and struggling to get by as their father deals with writers block in his attempt to create that difficult second novel. Then some visitors pop by and things get romantically complicated. A funny, whimsical and exceedingly British look at the trials and tribulations of young love. Romola Garai, Rose Byrne and the estimable Bill Nighy all work well together.
P'Tang Yang Kipperbang Fri 30/7 Film4 @ 02.20
The two great loves in Alan's life are cricket and a classmate called Anne. Both are causing him to fail miserably at school but he doesn't care. He's a dreamer, and an idealist and he's optimistic about the future. Michael Apted's little love story from 1982 is set in post war Britain but it's telling a tale that could be set anytime and anywhere. An endearing, funny and humane story. John Albasiny and Alison Steadman do lovely work.
Why Don't You Just Die Fri 30/7 Film4 @ 23.15
Andrei's a very unpleasant man and he's about to find out exactly how hated he is when a disparate group of people turn up to his apartment looking for revenge. First off, if you are in any way squeamish, don't bother with this but if you like your humour black and your violence bloody then you might just have a good time with this dark Russian comedy. Vitaliy Khaev and Aleksandr Kutnetsov ably lead an interesting cast.
The Taking Of The Pelham One Two Three Fri 30/7 RTE1 @ 23.30
Four criminals take a subway train hostage in New York City. If their demands aren't met hostages will die. It's up to a transit police lieutenant to sort the mess out. This 1974 film is a masterful thriller. Well paced, funny, economical, tense, filled with memorable characters and is far superior to the later remake. Walter Matthau and Robert Shaw are brilliant in the lead roles. A film that's well worth staying up for.
Blood Red Sky
The last time Dominic Purcell was in a vampire film the result was the absolutely execrable Blade Trinity, a film that couldn't even be saved by the combination of Parker Posey and a blood sucking Pomerian. This time around he's the most famous face in Blood Red Sky, a new UK/German action horror from Netflix. It's a better film but not because of anything he does, even if it is funny watching him slowly morphing into Vin Diesel.
Blood Red Sky is the type of film most won't even give a chance to because it's a Netflix original. Yeah, Netflix original, two words that tend to strike horror into the heart of people, but every now and then they actually turn out to be ok. Sometimes they're even fun. That's exactly how I'd describe Blood Red Sky. It's fun. Sadly it's also about 20 minutes too long though and that's it's biggest failing. Way too many modern films use the Fabula and Syuzhet structure (showing the end of the film at the beginning) and assume it's going to hook us into the story instead of having the confidence to let the story and it's characters grip us as it builds. Blood Red Sky may be a horror but at it's heart it's the story of a mother and son and they work well enough together to excuse the need for any extraneous build up.
Nadja (Peri Baumeister) and her son Elias (Carl Anton Koch) are on their way to the US of A from Germany so she can avail of treatment to restore her back to the woman she once was. On their way across Europe their plane is taken over by terrorists led by Dominic Purcell's Berg and Karl (Roland Møller) who viciously wipe out the air marshalls on board and then demand a ransom from the authorities using the passengers as a bargaining tool. Nadja realises the only chance she has of saving her son is to unleash the vampiric secret she's been hiding from him and the others around her. It's time for a showdown between fangs and bullets. Let's see who'll win.
Well, we all know who'll win but we'll have a bit of fun seeing how it happens. There's an early kill during the initial plane takeover that may have people reaching for the off button but for most of it's running time Blood Red Sky is pretty user friendly, feeling like Passenger 57 with added bloodsucking and no Elizabeth Hurley. It gets surprising mileage out of it's cramped locations and has fun finding it's cast members new and novel places to hide away from the supernatural entity stalking the plane. It's creature effects are well realised and actually quite unsettling but the best thing about it all is it's central pairing of Nadja and Elias, a mother and son who feel like they belong together. Peri Baumeister does well as a woman who's maternal instinct is in constant battle with her thirst for blood and watching her doing whatever she can to keep her son safe gives us a couple of surprisingly effective moments. It gives Blood Red Sky is own little spin on vampiric lore too. The turn is instanteous but the infection doesn't turn you evil straight away. I think Bram Stoker would have liked that angle.
Blood Red Sky is streaming on Netflix now. Unnecessary framing devices aside it's not a bad genre piece at all with effective turns from Peri Baumeister and Carl Anton Koch saving the day.
BTW, if you do watch this watch the original audio version. The dubbing over the German language parts is dreadful.
July 22, 2021
31 day movie challenge for the summer months - Day 19
My favourite action/adventure film.... Hmmmm. That's a tough question. But I'm going to go with Romancing The Stone. It's so much fun. One of those 80's family films that still managed to be packed with violence and saucy language. The sweaty South American atmosphere. The insane chemistry between Kathleen Turner and Michael Douglas. The mudslide, the music, the car chases, the extremely scary bad guy Zolo and his close encounter with a crocodile at the end. The opening western homage. "JU ARE JOAN WILDEER!!!" Danny Devito the little rat bastard and ...ah man it's just deadly.
Werewolves Within
Films based on computer games tend to fall into two categories. Absolute crap or forgettable fun. Super Mario Bros? Crap. Tomb Raider? Forgettable fun. Assassin's Creed? Crap. Rampage? Forgettable fun. Far Cry & Max Payne? Craaaaaaaaap. Mortal Kombat & Monster Hunter..... you can see where this is going. There's just something about the brilliance computer games are capable of that hasn't yet translated across to the silver screen. I wonder which side will Werewolves Within fall?
The town of Beaverfield is split in two. A gas pipeline tapping into the natural resources of the surrounding area has been proposed and while it will bring money to Beaverfield and it's people, many are against it saying it will ruin the look of the town and put other people out of work. Into the middle of this argument arrives an amiable forest ranger called Finn Wheeler (Sam Richardson) and with the help of postal worker Cecily Moore (Milana Vayntrub) he starts to get the lay of the land and a sense of the zany inhabitants of the place. As Finn and Cecily grow closer odd things start to happen, people are going missing, machinery is being sabotaged, pets are being mangled and gory discoveries are being made under peoples porches.
The title kinda gives it away doesn't it. Werewolves Within was never going to be a romantic drama but the hint of attraction between Finn and Cecily is one of the winning things about this new comedy horror that definitely leans more into the comedy side of things. Within minutes we're economically introduced to the meat......I mean the people of Beaverfield and it's here the fun begins as you start guessing who'll live, who'll be minced, who you want to die horribly and who or whom may be the things that go bump in the night. As a light hearted take on The Thing or that creepy X-Files episode Ice it works well with the snowy environs evoking their same chilly atmosphere but it's the utter lack of anything resembling a scare that lets the film down. Every edge is blunted by a one liner, building tension is dissipated every time by silly arguments (there's a lot of them in this and they are all annoying) and at times it feels like the movie is afraid to alienate it's audience by actually scaring them.
The best comedy horrors are remembered because they went for broke with their scares and let the laughs afterwards soothe the viewers. An American Werewolf In London, remember those petrifying dream sequences? Return Of The Living Dead's Tarman or the ghoulish exploits of Christian Winter in Extra Ordinary. Proper horror intertwining successfully with full on belly laughs. With Werewolves Within we get the haha but none of the horror. It's a genre that works best when you get to like the characters before seeing 'em torn asunder and Finn and Cecily are a likable pair, especially during an early scene set to an Ace of Base song but never once will you feel like they're in any bit of danger. Something that's pretty crucial in this genre dontcha know.
As such it definitely falls into the forgettable fun category. Sam Richardson's bumbling schtick (used so well in Veep) hasn't quite gotten old yet and Milana Vayntrub has the type of charming screen presence that will no doubt be absorbed into the Marvel money machine sooner rather than later. Both work well together and their chemistry is the high point here.
Werewolves Within is streaming on google movies now. It will pass 90 minutes for you but you won't remember much the next day.
July 21, 2021
31 day movie challenge for the summer months - Day 18
LA Confidential. James Ellroy's LA set, labyrinthine post war masterpiece that was pared down beautifully for screen by Curtis Hanson and screenwriter Brian Helgeland. If you've read the book you'd be amazed by how it was adapted. Huge swathes of story removed but never in a way that hinders the plot or that lessens the characters. Amazing work in an amazing film.
Mr Inbetween - One of the best tv shows of the last decade
Ray Shoesmith. Father. Friend. Boyfriend. Hitman. General all round crime handyman. The star of Mr Inbetween. The best TV show I've seen in years.
You know a show is good when you watch 3 episodes in a row. You know it's brilliant when you watch all 26 episodes in a week. Even at just under 30 minutes an episode that's good going.
It's a hard show to quantify. A comedy/drama/thriller blend. An Australian soap opera about a killer that delves in the minutiae of the everyday life of a man who'll kill you if the price is right but also a man who lives by a very strict code of conduct. No women, no kids, no one who isn't a criminal. He's ruthless and flat out terrifying in work mode but with his friend Gaz he's an amiable guy who loves a conversation about Sci-fi or who's the best Bond. With his daughter Brittany he's a loving father who has an open and honest relationship with the most important person in his life, answering questions about Santa, the Easter Bunny, sex and drugs in a way that never feels condescending. He's as far from a one dimensional criminal as you'll ever get and Scott Ryan just fucking nails the performance, switching from lovable to petrifying in the blink of an eye. You'll care about him even when you see him clearing up the aftermath of a murder by feeding a body to pigs or eviscerating a room full of scumbags with a shovel.
Like Ray the show flips between pain and pleasure with ease. One minute you'll be laughing along at Gaz's latest adventure and then the next you'll be appalled at the sight of someone being waterboarded for information or having their brains blown out by a blast of double aught buckshot. These flips happen in the blink or an eye and you never get to relax because you literally never know whats coming next. It's like Ryan (who also writes every episode) knows what you're expecting and so goes the other way every-time and the odd time you do guess what's coming, it's so extreme that you'll end up gasping at the screen. It makes it all so exciting and short episode lengths mean no filler, all killer. Literally.
Ray's painted as a likable guy but never as one you would want to spend time with. The show is clever about him. He's a crowd-pleasing antihero but as it moves forward you get to see the toll his life is taking on him, his friends, his family. No one is left unscathed, most of the scars are psychological but all are gaping. We also get a sense of why he is the way he is. Just a sense but it's not over egged and it's never used as an excuse. Crucially director Nash Edgerton (brother of Joel) leaves big things to your imagination, especially when Ray is dealing with the worst of the worst. He doesn't give us the chance to enjoy revenge vicariously and it's a great decision because you really don't want to find yourself cheering on the bloody exploits of a killer, no matter who he's killing. Shows like The Sopranos sometimes had a slapstick element to it's violence to help keep up the illusion that it's characters were just big lovable goofs but here when people get hurt, they get HURT.
Quality pervades the show. Every scene has meaning, every moment adds something, every line and every character feels genuine. It's as rewarding as TV gets and I wholeheartedly recommend it to the 3 people who'll read this. It's finished now so there's no waiting around for new episodes and no excuse not to start at the very beginning. Do it. You will no regret it.
Run.
July 20, 2021
Nable
This heat. I dunno. It's not right. It's acting the bollix tbh.
There's only one way to beat it.
The cinema.
Lovely air conditioning.
And a blue slushie.
July 19, 2021
31 day movie challenge for the summer months - Day 17
A film from the 60's. One comes to mind instantly. Night Of The Living Dead. A stone cold classic and a perfect example of a horror film that reflected the fears of the time it was made in. 53 years later it's still terrifying.
It's too hot to type anything else.
The Forever Purge
The Purge came out in 2013. It was a blunt and brutal allegory about the state of America at the time and struck a chord with genre audiences. Eight years, two presidents and one pandemic later we get The Forever Purge, the 5th film in a franchise that started feeling stale after part 3. It fails to strike that same chord this time around because real life has just gotten so much worse than any silly film.
Southern Texas, 2048. A totalitarian political party called The New Founding Fathers of America has staged a coup and took control of the US government 8 years after they were ousted from power. Their first move is to reinstate the Purge, a 12 hour period where all crime is legal, a move first introduced by them to allow an angry population to blow off steam. Each year the Purge has descended into horrific violence and now those who can afford to be are ready for it. The Tucker family has a state of the art security system on their ranch to keep them safe and father Dylan (Josh Lucas, wasted as a walking cliche who comes to respect those he once hated) is ready for anything. Not everyone is so safe though. Adela (Ana de la Reguera) and Juan (Tenoch Huerta), two undocumented immigrants from Mexico have just arrived into what's about to be a night of terror, especially when the marauding gangs are white nationalists who have anyone with dark skin in their sights. These same gangs have no intention of stopping after 12 hours either and their battle cries are about to be heard all across America.
This is the kind of film that would make you hope Donald Trump is a frequent cinema goer. There's always going to be a thrill imagining his reaction when a nazi with a swastika tattoo on his face gets his neck snapped by a black man or when a militant white supremacist gets a machete embedded in his head by a Mexican man on his way back across the border because the land of opportunity has turned out to be a shithole. The Purge has no qualms about painting the US of A as dystopian hell, a place where all of society's ills are the fault of outsiders, where roving gangs of racist gun toting lunatics, swathed in white power logos storm cities with no regard for law. We're supposed to be appalled by this imagery but think back to January 6th, 2021, Washington DC, it's all been done, in a switcheroo to the supposed effects of cinematic violence, real life has left us desensitized to what's happened onscreen. The Purge feels old hat now. Maybe it's time to give up and move on. Or, because there's already another on the way, up the ante. Go all out. Full exploitation. Embrace the grime and the viciousness of what's depicted. No half measures to quote himself in the silly hat. We can but hope.... but the world will probably be even worse again when it's released.
As an action thriller (the horror aspects of the earlier films are mostly phased out now) it's a decent enough watch though. It gives us a likable pair of characters (Adela & Juan) to root for and keeps them forever moving, always in danger but thankfully able to take care of themselves, across well crafted one take city battlegrounds and out into the Chihuahuan desert in a move that gives the climax of the film a nice western feel, especially in a moment that might remind you of the Alamo, but in reverse. Oh man, you can just hear the roars when this plays in a cinema in San Antonio. Arrows pierce, dynamite pulverises and bullets shatter and it's here that the film is at it's most satisfying. A revenge fantasy centuries in the making but only for a few short minutes sadly. Director Everardo Gout, making his feature film debut, has a good eye for action and hopefully away from this franchise he'll really make a mark.
The Forever Purge is in cinemas now. Purge completists will like it but at this stage it's time to change up totally or stop dead. The law of diminishing returns is well under way.
July 17, 2021
31 day movie challenge for the summer months - Day 16
Take the gun, leave the cannolli.
You know, Mike, we was all proud of you being a hero and all. Your father too.
Monday, Tuesday, Thursday, Wednesday, Friday,Sunday, Saturday.
It's the smart move. Tessio was always smarter.
My father made him an offer he couldn't refuse.
Son of a bitch! Do you know who I am? I'm Moe Greene! I made my bones when you were going out with cheerleaders!
It's not personal, Sonny. It's strictly business.
Hey, listen, I want somebody good - and I mean very good - to plant that gun. I don't want my brother coming out of that toilet with just his dick in his hands, alright?
It's a Sicilian message. It means Luca Brasi sleeps with the fishes.
It's gotta be The Godfather.
17 films on TV this week that will stop the sunburn
The Spy Who Dumped Me Sat 17/7 CH4 @ 21.00
The lives of two best friends living in Los Angeles are disrupted when an ex-boyfriend reappears on the scene. He has baggage. But it's not the emotional kind. More the army of deadly assassins out to kill him kind. This film is a fun & exciting way to spend a couple of hours on a Saturday night. Kate McKinnon and Mila Kunis play off each other nicely but some of it's violence may take you by surprise so be wary.
Capote Sat 17/7 TG4 @ 21.20
The late and much missed Philip Seymour Hoffman leads this 2005 look at an important part of the life of Truman Capote. In 1959 a cold blooded murder took place in Kansas and the writer in Truman feels compelled to put pen to paper about it. It has a massive effect on him. Hoffman is sensational in a well put together crime drama and gets superb support from Catherine Keener as Nelle Harper Lee, a woman who became very famous in her own right.
The Revenant Sat 17/7 RTE2 @ 21.40
In 1823 a hunter named Hugh Glass was left for dead after both a bear attack and a bitter betrayal by a fellow hunter. Somehow he managed to survive and he wanted revenge. A ferocious film that's a genuine experience to watch. This is not a movie for the faint of heart but you'll be stuck to it nonetheless. Leonardo DiCaprio, Domhnall Gleeson, Will Poulter and Tom Hardy are all outstanding. The kind of film high definition was created for.
Deep Impact Sun 18/7 E4 @ 16.40
A Washington based reporter investigating a political scandal discovers something far scarier is about to affect Earth and only the lucky few are going to be prepared for it. By far the better of 1998's two film's about meteors heading towards us. This is a rare watch, a blockbuster more interested in the lives about to be disrupted than it's CGI spectacle. Tea Leoni, Morgan Freeman, Robert Duvall and Elijah Wood lead one of the most underrated big film's of the 1990's.
Heaven Can Wait Sun 18/7 Talking Pictures TV @ 22.00
Henry Van Cleve has passed away. At the gates of hell he requests entry, knowing that he lived a life that's in his mind has earned him a place there. But the powers that be want him to prove his credentials first. Told mostly in flashback this 79 year old comedy drama is a touching and funny slice of technicolored sentimentality. Don Ameche is a winning lead and the unique Laird Cregar has a ball as Beelzebub himself.
The Limehouse Golem Sun 18/7 BBC1 @ 22.30
Victorian London was a grim & squalid place and a series of hideous murders has the city on a knife edge. Inspector John Kildare is the man who must figure out who's behind the violence. A dull turn from the usually reliable Bill Nighy as Kildare aside this is a nicely atmospheric, queasily brutal and compelling look at the lengths some people will go for fame. Daniel Mays and Olivia Cooke add plenty to proceedings.
Broken Flowers Mon 19/7 TG4 @ 00.05
Just after Don has had his heart broken, a blast from the past forces him out of his slump and on a roadtrip across America to engage with a part of his life he didn't even realise existed. Jim Jarmusch's low-key slowburn comedy dramas aren't for everyone but this one is a bittersweet and likable watch about how the past never stays in the past. Bill Murray, Sharon Stone, Jessica Lange and Jeffrey Wright all put in a good shift.
Appointment With Danger Mon 19/7 Film4 @ 11.00
Gary, Indiana. A postal officer has been murdered and Inspector Goddard is on the case. There's a single witness, a nun by the name of Sister Augustine. She's in danger and he must go undercover to save her and solve the crime. Every film list needs a film noir and this is a solid example. It's familiar stuff as noir goes but there's a subtle streak of humour running through it, Alan Ladd is good value as the lead and we get an interestingly off kilter turn from Phyllis Calvert as the witness.
Salt Mon 19/7 TG4 @ 22.35
A CIA agent finds herself on the run and under suspicion of treason after a prisoner accuses her of being a Russian spy. Angelina Jolie is in bruising form in the lead role and makes for a very believable action hero in a story that can be slightly confusing at points but one that all comes together pleasingly at the end. A rare action thriller that really deserved a sequel. Liev Schreiber, Chiwetel Ejiofor and Corey Stoll give Jolie fine backing.
The Ploughman's Lunch Tues 20/7 Film4 @ 01.25
A cut-throat news reporter living in London in the early 80's is self serving and impatient about his career and isn't above climbing over friends and lovers to do further it. This film, from the pen of Ian McEwan and set during the Falklands war, is a tumultuous look at a life lived in tumultuous times. Jonathan Pryce is a magnificently cold lead and his actions in the final scene will stay with you for an age.
The Man In The White Suit Tues 20/7 BBC2 @ 14.50
Sidney has developed a fabric that's both stain resistant and doesn't fall apart. He's happy to share his invention with the world but clothing manufacturers who stand to lose out are not one bit happy about his momentous find. Alec Guinness is a joy in the lead of this very amusing Ealing comedy production that will not only make you laugh but also give you plenty of food for thought. A perfect lazy Tuesday afternoon watch.
Creed II Wed 21/7 RTE1 @ 21.35
Adonis Creed's star is ascending in the boxing world and a name from the past is requesting a confrontation. It's Viktor Drago, the son of the man who killed his father in the ring three decades before. The latest installment in the Rocky franchise is more visceral & bombastic than it's predecessor but it has a bucket-load of heart too. Michael B. Jordan, Tessa Thompson, Sylvester Stallone & Dolph Lundgren all do first rate work in their parts.
Memento Wed 21/7 BBC2 @ 23.15
Leonard is a man with no short term memory who's searching for his wife's murderer. Sounds simple right. Haha. No, it's far from it from. This is the film that made Christopher Nolan famous and rightly so. It's a mind boggling thriller and one which demands your utmost attention as it's non linear plot line can be rather confusing. Guy Pearce works wonders in the main role and gets fiery back up from Carrie-Anne Moss and Joe Pantoliano
Nebraska Thur 22/7 CH4 @ 02.10
A father and son called Woody and David are taking a trip from Montana to Nebraska to claim a prize. Woody is slowly losing his memory to dementia and David is dragged into the mess created along the way. Alexander Payne's comedy drama is a beautifully written and crafted look at the complexities of family relationships. Plus it has a couple of wicked belly laughs hidden away. Bruce Dern, Will Forte and especially June Squibb put in stellar turns.
A Fistful Of Dollars Thur 22/7 TCM @ 21.00
A stranger rides into a dusty town troubled by the rivalry between two feuding gangs and sees a way to make himself a fistful of dollars (!!!!) by creating chaos and sitting back to watch it all happen. The first in Sergio Leone's famous western trilogy is now 57 years old and is the least of the 3 but it's still a splendidly entertaining and surprisingly brutal watch with a storyline that's still being ripped off to this day. Clint Eastwood rocks the lead.
Wings Of Desire Thur 22/7 Film4 @ 23.15
The streets of Berlin are filled with struggling people and watching over them are angels. A pair called Damiel and Cassiel find their celestial work interrupted when a mortal senses their presence and one of them falls in love. Wim Wenders 1987 fantasy drama is a beautiful film. Whimsical but dense, tragic and romantic, filled with glorious black and white imagery. Bruno Ganz, Solveig Dommartin and Peter Falk all amaze.
The Lost Boys Fri 23/7 BBC1 @ 22.35
A family moves to a nice beach town to start a new life and finds the place has a far darker side than they could have imagined. This film is as 80's as they come and it's still a delightful watch three and a half decades later. A scary, gooey, funny and imaginative take on a tale as old as cinema. The 80's vibe continues with a cast that includes both Corey Haim & Feldman, Dianne Wiest, Jamie Gertz & Jason Patric but Kiefer Sutherland robs the film from all of them with a star making role.
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July 16, 2021
31 day movie challenge for the summer months - Day 15
A film from the 70s. Well that's an absolute fucker of a question.
It has to be Jaws. Yep, it's an obvious answer but it's a brilliant film. Perfectly captured tension, brilliant characters, memorable dialogue, a HUGE shark and this magnificent scene onboard a boat called the Orca. A scar comparison competition leads to Quint talking about a tattoo he had removed after World War II.
Wow.
Fear Street part 3 : 1666
If Fear Street part 1 was Scream crossed with It and Fear Street part 2 was a full of homage to Friday The 13th then the only way to describe Fear Street part 3 is Blood On Satan's Claw meets Chopping Mall (minus the robots sadly) with a touch of Freddy Vs Jason in the mix. It's out today on Netflix and it has some harsh home truths for us.
After finding the skeletal hand of Sarah Fier, the witch who's put a curse on Shadyside, Deena (Kiana Madeira) is thrown into the colonial past of her town, 328 years in the past to be exact. It's a place full of recognisable places and faces, with characters from Part 1 and Part 2 playing familiar versions of their own ancestors, with all their good and bad traits. Deena's in the body of Sarah Fier and as in the present, she's a free spirit prone to behaviour that the patriarchal, puritanical leaders of the town frown upon. When things start turning rotten and horrific (and nauseating) tragedy hits, the townsfolk turn on those, who in their eyes, deviate from the norm. Meanwhile back in 1994 that past and present clashes in the very place where all the horror began.
The first half of FSP3 is far darker and way more stressful than you'll ever imagine it's going to be after the Ghostface and Jason Voorhees aping earlier installments of this trilogy. As with so many moral panics of the past it's a fear of sexuality that kicks things off, a scorned man screaming because he doesn't get his own way, wounded masculinity that turns into a witch-hunt culminating in a moment with a hideous resonance to modern day america. What started in fun slasher territory is suddenly a state of the union address. It's brutal, there's no knowing nods at nostalgia and no Sophie B.Hawkins or Buzzcocks songs to take the edge off like in the previous films. The dark heart of this story lays in the past and when those sins aren't dealt with properly they are doomed to be repeated. As a metaphorical device it's blunt as hell but effective as hell too.
The second half of the film brings us back to more familiar territory. Shopping malls, The Offspring on the soundtrack and Hot Topic in the background. The folk horror is over, replaced by bloody slapstick and shrieking histrionics. You couldn't have two more different halves but they somehow compliment each other, the latter adding a much need bit of fun and the former fleshing out the madness on display. Kiana Madeira as Deena does very well tying both parts of the story together and her centuries spanning connections to her brother Josh (Benjamin Flores Jr) and Sam (Olivia Scott Welch) really give us someone to root for, especially when everything goes full on monster mash at the end. It might make you roll your eyes but if you've made it this far you're well used to the silliness by now.
Fear Street Part 3 is on Netflix now. Part 1 and 2 were fun but this one took a much needed step ahead, giving it a topical vitality that feels necessary and, especially for a film on a huge streaming service, ballsy.
Happy vaccine day
Part 2 of the Pfizer jab will be in my shoulder within 12 hours. I'm nervous, a bit giddy, a little bit anxious but mad to get it over and done with. Nothing will be normal for a long long time but this is just another step towards normality.
Have you gotten your jabs yet? If you have fair fucks to you. If you haven't yet, good luck to you. If you aren't going to well then fuck off you silly prick.
July 15, 2021
A perfect pairing of sound & vision. Breaking Bad - a musical massacre
Walter's in trouble. The muscle of his drug empire has vanished and the men in prison, who helped build his business, being paid to keep their secrets aren't going to be receiving their hush money anymore. They need to be silenced. But there's a problem. All nine are in separate prisons and the minute one is killed the others will instantly be put into protective custody. So they need to be taken out simultaneously. The only people with that reach across the New Mexico penal system are the aryan brotherhood and getting into bed with a neo-nazi organisation is just one more step on Walter's descent into hell.
The silky smooth voice of Nat King Cole and dozens of sharpened toothbrush handles being used as knives. Who knew they'd compliment each other so well. Listen to those words too.
Nothing's impossible I have found,
For when my chin is on the ground,
I pick myself up,
Dust myself off,
Start all over again.
Don't lose your confidence if you slip,
Be grateful for a pleasant trip,
And pick yourself up,
Dust yourself off,
Start all over again.
Work like a soul inspired,
Till the battle of the day is won.
You may be sick and tired,
But you'll be a man, my son!
Will you remember the famous men,
Who had to fall to rise again?
So take a deep breath,
Pick yourself up,
Dust yourself off,
Start all over again.
Walter's ascent summed up. When you fall you get back up. Work for it. Someday you'll be the horrible cunt everyone is talking about.
The perfect compliment to a perfectly horrifying scene.
Previous pairings
Beetlejuice
Hard Boiled
8 mile
Wheels On Meals
The Office (UK)
Do The Right Thing
Se7en
Mad Men
The Colour Of Money
Rules Of Attraction
8 mile
Wheels On Meals
The Office (UK)
Do The Right Thing
Se7en
Mad Men
The Colour Of Money
Rules Of Attraction
Jackie Brown
The Good, The Bad And The Ugly
Deliverance
The Omen
Copland
Buffy The Vampire Slayer
The Mission
The Good, The Bad And The Ugly
Deliverance
The Omen
Copland
Buffy The Vampire Slayer
The Mission
July 14, 2021
31 day movie challenge for the summer months - Day 14
My favourite horror? There can only be one answer. George A. Romero's stunning Dawn of the Dead from 1979. A horror masterpiece that takes popshots at capitalism, consumerism and society while liberally splashing about Tom Savini's brilliantly gooey make FX.
Crazy Samurai: 400 Vs 1
The title of this new Japanese action drama set in Edo period Japan is actually quite misleading, It should be called 588 vs 1. Well that's according to the trivia section on IMDB. 588 people dying at the hand of 1. That sounds nuts right. Maybe the most exciting film ever? Well from a technical viewpoint maybe. From an entertainment viewpoint? God no.
The Yoshioka clan is disgraced. Their leader has died in battle and a child has been placed in charge. They've set a trap for the killer, a samurai named Musashi, to wander into and he has no way out of it. One hundred samurai and hundreds of other crazed warriors are out for revenge. Surely one man couldn't fight against those types of numbers. The plot is as basic as you get but this isn't a film that cares about a storyline. It's an experiment. A one-take action scene takes up nearly 90% of the film's running time and fair play to it, it's as audacious as film making can get but no film can get by on action alone. We need something to get our teeth into and Crazy Samurai ain't going to give it to us.
 |
| Obviously not a Wu-Tang clan fan |
The story of Miyamoto Musashi may be 400+ years old but he's still a popular character in Japanese culture. Hundreds of films, tv shows and anime have been made about him. The great Toshiro Mifune even played him in the Samurai trilogy and his likeness has cropped up in dozens of modern day video games. In 2011 director Yûji Shimomura shot a 77 minute one-take action sequence featuring Tak Sakaguchi as Miyamoto taking on his enemies. 9 years later he managed to crowdfund enough money to turn it into a film, adding bookends, music and, unforgivably, CGI blood. From a technical viewpoint it's an astounding achievement, a feat of choreography and stamina, but it takes it's toll on the viewer. After 10 minutes you'll start feeling bored and by the end of the 77 you'll just want Miyamoto to be put out of his misery.
It feels shitty complaining about a film when this much obvious hard work has been put into it but the constant formula of wash, rinse and repeat would get to even the most hardened of action film fans. It ain't a spoiler to describe whole chunks of this as:
- Miyamoto wanders onto an arena like area, an opening in a forest or a village square.
- 30+ warriors attack him, one at a time, and he takes them out with a belly slice or a knock on the head.
- A master samurai appears and is instantly eviscerated.
- Miyamoto takes a break, finds a handily stashed water supply and a brand new sword.
- And it all starts over again. And again. And again. And again.....
It's like playing a computer game. It's as theatrical and artificial a film as you'll ever see. You'll start noticing how each fight is put together, fallen warriors running off screen to die so as to not get in the way of others or recycle themselves as additional fighters, the same two moves used over and over again, swordsmen waiting in the background for their turn at bat. You won't care about Miyamoto the character but you'll stress for Sakaguchi the actor as you watch him visibly tire as the film moves forward. You'll never see an actor earning his wage as much as he does here. It's an intensely physical action performance that deserves a much better film around it. For real one take amazement in Asian action cinema watch Tony Jaa's Tom Yum Goong from 2005 for a 3.5 minute one take shot that's still the best you'll ever see.
Crazy Samura : 400 Vs 1 is streaming on google movies now. Watch it to appreciate it's craftmanship. But expect nothing else from it.
July 13, 2021
31 day movie challenge for the summer months - Day 13
1978. There can only be one answer. The 36th Chamber Of Shaolin.
Kung fu perfection. One man's story of revenge and the bucketload of training he had go through first. Massively influential and so much damn fun.
July 12, 2021
3 days without....
The shakes are kicking in.
The fear is here.
The pangs are appalling.
The hands are clammy and the palpitations are brutal.
The DT's are shockin' altogether.
3 days.
72 hrs.
72 hrs without watching a film.
What is happening?
I put one on last night and fell asleep before the credits started.
Oh jesus....
Is this it?
Have I hit middle age?
There's only one thing for it.
I'll
*gulp*
I'll watch to watch the new Bruce Willis film.
July 10, 2021
31 day movie challenge for the summer months - Day 12
Fave rom-com. Gotta be The Sure Thing. A perfect 1980's comedy without the shittier aspects that decade brought to a lot of films. Cusack's on fire. Zuniga is fantastically uptight. Loads of great cameos - Tim Robbins is brilliant. Some proper belly laughs and a perfect ending. Lovely stuff.
16 films on TV this week that will put the va in your voom
The Driver Sat 10/7 Talking Pictures TV @ 21.35
The Driver is a king behind the wheel of his car making him indispensable to criminals. A detective is obsessed with catching him and turns to the underworld to set up a trap to catch him. Walter Hill's action thriller is a joy, a film that oozes style. There's not much going on under the bonnet but you'll like this film's sleek lines. It's so cool it doesn't even bother with character names. Ryan O'Neal, Isabelle Adjani and Bruce Dern all rock here.
Intolerable Cruelty Sat 10/7 TG4 @ 22.15
Miles is a scumbag divorce attorney who's the king of pre-nuptual agreements. Marilyn is a gold digger who likes her men rich. Their paths cross in court and they become mortal enemies. But this is a Coen Brothers film and in their world things always take a twisted turn. This comedy is quite family friendly by Coen standards but it's still entertaining as hell and George Clooney, Catherine Zeta-Jones, Billy Bob Thornton and Edward Hermann all add to the fun.
Stardust Sun 11/7 ITV2 @ 18.30
In order to win the heart of the woman he loves Tristan Thorn sets off on an adventure into a magical realm to find a falling star. Pfft, easy peasy, nothing to it at all sure. Well apart from the witches and pirates after it too. Matthew Vaughn's 2007 comedy/adventure is an absolute peach and it's innate silliness is overruled by committed world building and a second to none cast that includes Charlie Cox, Robert De Niro, Michell Pfeiffer, Peter O'Toole, Claire Danes and many others.
Glassland Sun 11/7 TG4 @ Midnight
John is a young Dublin taxi driver struggling with financial problems and a mother who is rapidly drinking herself to death. To earn money to help her he finds himself in a bad place. This 2014 film from Gerard Barrett is a tough, unsettling look at the darker sides society we never hear about. It's far from enjoyable but worth watching for some superb acting from Toni Collette, Jack Reynor and Will Poulter.
The Boxer Mon 12/7 TG4 @ 22.35
A pugilist named Danny Flynn returns to a divided Belfast after a long time away and sets about rebuilding his life and his community. Sectarian hatred doesn't like change though. Jim Sheridan's drama is dark, grim stuff and a damning indictment of the troubles and the pointless chaos and hate caused by it all. Daniel Day Lewis as always disappears into his part and here he gets exceptional support from Emily Watson, Ken Stott and a detestable Gerard McSorley.
Reversal Of Fortune Mon 12/7 TCM @ 23.10
Christmas has taken a nasty turn for Sunny Von Bülow after she falls into a diabetic coma after a festive party. A suspicious coma it seems and before long her husband Klaus is being accused of all manner of nastiness. But he do it? This darkly satirical look at the lifestyles of the rich and shameless is a brilliantly acted look at one of the most famous trials ever conducted. Glenn Close and Jeremy Irons both do wonderful work.
Naked Mon 12/7 Film4 @ 23.20
Johnny's wandering the streets, accosting and ranting at anyone unfortunate enough to cross his path. He's manic, cynical, aggressive, egotistical. Will an encounter with him leave you better or worse? Mike Leigh's film might be 28 years old but it still packs the punch it had on it's controversial release in 1993. It's tough going but David Thewlis's turn in it is just magnetic. His Johnny is quite rotten but he'll really get under your skin.
Tales That Witness Madness Tues 13/7 The Horror Channel @ 02.30
02.30 on a Tuesday morning. A mighty time for a portmanteau of horror. The link between four scary stories is a psychiatrist played by Donald Pleasance, who else, whose patients are all suffering from varying levels of psychosis. Could the terrors plaguing them be real? TTWM tempers it's scares with a nice subtle wit and a solid cast of seasoned actors including Kim Novak, Joan Collins and Charles Gray does worthwhile work.
Gravity Tues 13/7 BBC1 @ 20.35
Sandra Bullock finds herself in a rather precarious position when an accident in space leaves her all alone and she has to use all her ingenuity and technical know how to get home. The opening 10 minutes of this cosmic adventure will pin you to the wall. It is petrifying and depending on your constitution, quite nauseating too. An agreeable piece of science fiction fun and Sandra Bullock makes for a very believable lead.
The Lady From Shanghai Wed 14/7 Great! Movies Classics ( Sony Movies Classics) @ 06.00
Film noir heaven from director Orson Welles. Rita Hayward is stunning as a woman using her wiles to entice a man into a scam involving her husband. A convoluted Hitchcockian tale but at the same time intensely watchable. Hayward is fantastic and the camera just loves her. Welles himself nails the male lead too. This one ends with a memorable climax that's been imitated in so many films that it will ring a bell the second you see it.
The Hate U Give Wed 14/7 Film4 @ 21.00
Starr and Khalil have been best friends forever and when a fateful encounter with cops on their way from a party changes her life forever she decides to take a stand. Against everything. The title of this film comes from a Tupac Shakur song and the film itself pulses with the raw power of his lyrics. It's a little simplistic in places but it's an important and horribly topical watch about the horrors facing black lives in white America. Amandla Stenberg is a first rate lead.
Wilde Thur 15/7 BBC4 @ 22.55
Oscar Wilde, Irish playwright extraordinaire is the toast of London, he's married the beautiful Constance Lloyd, life is good. Or so it seems. Until his secret life is exposed, a life that in Victorian London would ruin him. Stpehen Fry was born to play the title role of this broad, funny, sad, touching and intimate portrait of an Irish legend. Jude Law, Vanessa Regrave, Tom Wilkinson and many other famous British faces add to a fine watch.
Miss Sloane Fri 16/7 RTE2 @ 21.30
Elizabeth Sloane is a Washington DC lobbyist who's respected and feared in equal measure. While taking on the most important case of her career and she realises she's more vulnerable than she thinks. Jessica Chastain is excellent in this nuanced and dialogue driven look at the less visible side of the political world. Solid support from Alison Pill, Gugu Mbatha-Raw and Mark Strong rounds things off nicely.
A Simple Favour Fri 16/7 BBC1 @ 22.35
Stephanie and Emily become friends when they meet at the school their kids go to. One day Emily goes missing and Stephanie tries to figure out what happened. This is loads of fun, a twisty, turny comedy thriller that never does exactly what you think it will & that's sprinkled with a little bit of what made Hitchcock's films so compelling. Anna Kendrick is a likable lead and Blake Lively is good value as the mystery woman.
Frozen Fri 16/7 The Horror Channel @ 23.00
Three snowboarders wangle their way onto a ski lift in the hopes of getting a mountain run for free. It's the end of the day. The lift stops, suspending them in midair. No one knows they're there and it's getting cold. Very cold. There's not much in the way of plot here but that doesn't stop Frozen from being a genuinely effective and unsettling survival horror. Shawn Ashmore and Emma Bell are a decent pair of leads.
Shirley Valentine Fri 16/7 RTE1 @ 23.45
Shirley's had it up to *here* with her life. She's bored and her husband's a melt who expects her to be at his beck and call every day. When she gets a chance at a free holiday she jumps for it and in the space of a few weeks discovers a whole new side of herself. Pauline Collins is the star of this warm, humane slice of life and you'll love her and every decision she makes. Just ignore Tom Conti's Greek accent, I beg of you.
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