Screen
Monday 11 May 2009
In the Loop
In the Loop is f’ing hilarious! I was sceptical of the television to big screen transfer of the sitcom The Thick of It, but it works incredibly well and I was laughing all the way through.
— Andy
Tags: comedy, in cinemas, recommended, uk
Thursday 04 December 2008
The History Boys
Still funny; the ‘French’ class scene is hilarious!
— Andy
Sunday 23 November 2008
The Life and Death of Peter Sellers
The Life and Death of Peter Sellers is a rather disappointing biopic about the British comedy actor Peter Sellers made famous for the part of Inspector Clouseau in The Pink Panther movies. My main issue with the film was the bizarre scenes in which Peter Sellers (Geoffrey Rush) would assume the character of relatives and friends and break the fourth wall putting his spin on how people perceive him; it felt so out of place. I would rather have watched the real Sellers as Clouseau in one of the fantastic classic Panther films which guarantee a lot of laughs! The Life and Death didn’t amuse me.
— Andy
Saturday 15 November 2008
Mischief Night
Mischief Night is a decent and enjoyable film set in Leeds following the events of an ensemble of characters in the lead up to Mischief night. The film is produced by the people behind the television series Shameless and it shows. The different plot lines of the characters twist and turn in unexpected directions leading up to the big night which changes the lives of each of them. Mischief Night tackles some grim subjects such as racial divisions, Jihad, criminal gangs, and child abductions, yet it comes out with an upbeat mood and a charm that makes you warm to the characters. One thing that did puzzle me throughout though was that the days seemed very long and bright for the time of year it is supposedly set in. It must have been filmed earlier in the year.
— Andy
Sunday 09 November 2008
Junebug
A quirky and funny film about family. The characters of Madeleine (a slightly stuck-up Brit who owns an outsider art gallery) and Ashley (very talkative and heavily pregnant country girl from North Carolina) really steal the show. The two women are from completely different worlds, but share one thing in common, both have married into a family that lacks the ability to communicate with one another. I found it a little bit of a slower starter, but once the main characters have all been introduced it really got going and was very funny.
— Andy
Thursday 06 November 2008
Belleville Rendez-vous
An excellent film; a beautifully rich and original animation with a Stomp-like soundtrack. Belleville Rendez-vous is a very funny movie playing on French and American stereotypes such as the French love of frogs legs and Le Tour de France, and American’s obesity and poor manners. I just love the dog whose characteristics are so real.
Director Sylvain Chomet’s second animated feature, The Illusionist, should be out next year and is based on an unproduced Jacques Tati script.
— Andy
Thursday 30 October 2008
I Heart Huckabees
I Heart Huckabees is bizarre, random, and hilarious! Its quirky look on existentialism made it feel very original. Okay, the plot might be a little unfocused, but who cares as the characters are a joy to watch and keep the whole thing moving forward. This is just my sort of comedy!
‘There is no remainder in the mathematics of Infinity.’
— Andy
Sunday 22 June 2008
Le Goût des Autres
This is a cool film! A light comedy looking at human interaction, perspectives, and discovering the meaning of life. I love the way the film darts between the many characters fleshing out the movie whilst essentially being guided by the protagonist’s re-awakening as he discovers a new world to that in which he has been living. A feel-good movie of sorts, Le Goût des Autres is really worth a look.
— Andy
Sunday 01 June 2008
The Incredibles
The Incredibles is a very funny film that takes the superhero concept to a whole new level, looking at what becomes of those with super-powers when they settle down to normal family life. Not only is it unique in terms of the superhero genre, it also feels very different from the majority of the CGI-animations out there; perhaps an indication of the industry’s new found confidence with the medium. There are some superb characters in this movie, but for me I really like Frozone and Edna ‘E’ Mode. Just as entertaining the second time round.
— Andy
Tags: animation, comedy, hollywood, pixar, sci-fi, superheroes
Thursday 22 May 2008
Ratatouille
A superb film from Pixar about a rat who loves to cook in Paris. I’m not a big fan of CGI-animation, but Ratatouille is beautiful looking, Paris is really brought to life. The story feels original and is very funny without having to rely on loads of cultural references for laughs. Possibly one of the best from the studio that really got the ball rolling with Toy Story.
— Andy
Monday 12 May 2008
Bienvenue Chez Les Ch'tis
A funny comedy from France about a Southerner being relocated to la nord where the sun never shines and the locals speak in a barely understandable dialect of French. The English subtitles do their best to translate the idea of the unintelligible words and accent of the ch’tis (the locals), and do help make the film enjoyable although I suspect it is a lot funnier if you are fluent in French (plus the muddled subtitles did begin to feel like hard work towards the end). I loved the scenes involving the mail round and the wife’s visit to Bergues. Overall a decent comedy providing an interesting insight into the French’s North-South divide (much like England in many ways).
— Andy
Tags: comedy, farce, france, in cinemas
Monday 28 April 2008
Happy-Go-Lucky
Mike Leigh’s latest film is a feel good movie that takes the daring move to put a somewhat dislikeable character at first as the lead. There are plenty of laugh-loud-moments, particularly the first driving lesson and the Flamenco dance class. Happy-Go-Lucky lacks a clear plot, but makes up for it in the comic moments and well drawn characters.
— Andy
Tags: comedy, drama, in cinemas, recommended, uk