Screen
Sunday 04 October 2009
Broken Embraces
Not Almodóvar’s finest, but enjoyable all the same. Perhaps a little too long and lacking the humour of his previous films. That said I loved the numerous film references throughout and the ending was great.
— Andy
Tags: almodóvar, drama, in cinemas, spain
Comment [1]
Saturday 23 May 2009
Mark of an Angel
I recommend Mark of an Angel staring Catherine Frot, a great performance in an unsettling thriller based on a true story. Why are the French so good at making thrillers?
— Andy
Tags: drama, france, in cinemas, recommended, thriller
Sunday 21 December 2008
The Beat That My Heart Skipped
An amazing film with a superb performance from Romain Duris; his character is so complex that you can’t help but be gripped by the movie. The soundtrack, mixing classical and electro music, is excellent too. This is easily one of the best films I’ve seen in a while; it is a shame I missed it when it was originally on in cinemas.
— Andy
Tags: crime, drama, france, paris, recommended, romain duris
Saturday 20 December 2008
Monster's Ball
Monster’s Ball is the film that saw a spike in Halle Berry’s career; her performance is really good, particularly in the hospital and the scenes thereafter providing a very convincing portrayal of someone in grieving. Well worth watching.
— Andy
Tags: drama, halle berry, recommended, usa
Tuesday 09 December 2008
Black Book
Is it right to be entertained by a World War II themed film? Most I’ve seen of recent have reflected on the horrors of the war, like the excellent Downfall or Roman Polanski’s The Pianist. However, Black Book felt more like a fun movie, despite being set in Nazi occupied Netherlands. Perhaps this was a result of what I found to be the escaping realism of the film due to the actions of the protagonist; she was far too trusting considering the world in which she existed. Her lack of discretion would have been extremely dangerous at the time. I enjoyed this, but it struck me as a different type of war film to which I am used to.
— Andy
Tags: 2006, drama, the netherlands, world war 2
Good Will Hunting
I’ve finally got round to watching Good Will Hunting. Not as amazing as I had expected it to be, but very good all the same. It is easy to see how this catapulted Matt Damon’s career and got Ben Affleck noticed. Robin Williams is surprisingly good in such a serious non-comedic role.
— Andy
Tags: ben affleck, drama, matt damon, robin williams, usa
Comment [2]
Thursday 04 December 2008
Changeling
Changeling is a film based on a disturbingly true story, directed by Clint Eastwood and bizarrely written by the creator of Babylon 5. The truth of this story means that it is somewhat difficult to classify in a specific genre as the film flows from one to another as the story unfolds, taking some surprising directions. It is a powerful story that not knowing of the event beforehand made the twists and turns of the plot rather shocking. Occasionally the emotional responses seemed to miss the beat; for example the somewhat lack of horror at the mother’s discovery of her missing child early on in the film. However, the story was intriguing and easily kept my attention till the end.
— Andy
Sunday 23 November 2008
Einstein and Eddington
Einstein and Eddington is the story of Albert Einstein’s theory of relativity and his relationship with British scientist Sir Arthur Eddington, a new BBC drama. I was impressed by this, it struck me as being a very accessible film that attempts to explain Einstein’s theory whilst exploring the lives of the two scientists and their extraordinary relationship. I liked the way it showed that science can overcome the absurdity of war and bring down borders by bringing people together. Einstein and Eddington could be a little twee, but it was insightful in terms of their personal lives and relationship and I’d recommend it.
— 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
Zodiac
This is a really good movie; it approaches the real life story of the San Francisco bay serial killer ‘Zodiac’ in a very mature and intriguing way, delivering a real sense of frustration that the case cannot be brought to a close. It is interesting to see how limited the investigative process is due to a lack of the information technology that we take for granted in the 21st century. Zodiac is a long film, but it is worth sticking with. I particularly liked the character of Robert Graysmith, played by Jake Gyllenhaal; his enthusiasm and determination was very admirable even if some of its consequences were not so great.
— Andy
Tags: 2007, crime, drama, jake gyllenhaal, usa
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
Saturday 25 October 2008
TV: Battlestar Galactica 4.1
Possibly the fastest-paced season of Battlestar Galactica so far, and full of twists and revelations. It really made up for the rather poor second half of the previous season which I hadn’t really enjoyed all that much. I’m not going to say much else about it as it would be too easy to give plot details away that would spoil it for anyone reading this who is yet to watch the episodes. The last thing I’ll say is that I am a little disappointed that my theory on President Roslin was wrong. If you haven’t watch this season yet, go watch it, and if you haven’t even seen Battlestar Galactica you are really missing a great show!
— Andy
Tags: 2008, drama, recommended, sci-fi, television, usa
Sunday 06 July 2008
TV: Criminal Justice
This has kept me hooked all week! Criminal Justice has been a surprisingly intelligent and engaging mini-series for the BBC. Its depiction of the criminal justice system seemed real and the characters were well drawn. It was easy to connect to the accused and feel compassion for his predicament (despite Ben Whishaw’s slight over-acting — was I alone in noticing that?), although the little twist towards the end made me start to doubt everything I’d understood up to then. Unfortunately the final episode seemed to go a little out of control and felt out of place with the preceding episodes, but I can forgive them for that. It’s good to see some quality drama being broadcast on BBC One for a change.
— Andy
Thursday 03 July 2008
Time to Leave
Time to Leave (Le Temps qui reste) is a film about dying, a subject that is tackled beautifully. Melvil Poupaud and Jeanne Moreau’s performances are excellent. This is possibly one of the best François Ozon films I’ve seen. The final scene is very visually striking.
— Andy
Tags: 2005, drama, france, francois ozon
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
Monday 02 June 2008
Heartbeat Detector
Heartbeat Detector (La Question humaine) is a French corporate thriller currently in cinemas. It’s a very slow paced film that seems to be going no where for a long time, but then small events in the film ripple out to reveal a deep plot underlying the whole movie. Heartbeat Detector tackles some very heavy themes, of which I will not spoil here. At first this movie looks like a dull uneventful art house movie, but by the end I was stunned by the revelations and the questions they raise about the corporate world. This is not a film for everyone, but if you’re patient with it you’ll see an intelligence in the plot and twists not seen very often in the cinema.
— Andy
Tags: 2007, drama, france, in cinemas, thriller
Tuesday 27 May 2008
TV: Mad Men
Mad Men is a stylish incredibly well written drama from the States. The plot is subtle and well paced; it is a real slow-burner, but staying with it has been very rewarding. The first series has just finished on BBC Four in the UK and the cliff-hangers of the final episode have left me feeling a little impatient to see the second series. Yes, it does seem uneventful and slow at times, but it is worth sticking with as over time you’ll realise that it is one of the most intelligent and enjoyable shows about at the moment.
— Andy
Tags: drama, television, usa
Saturday 17 May 2008
Live Flesh
Live Flesh (Carne trémula) is a bit different for an Almodóvar film, in part because the lead characters are male and the story is based on a Ruth Rendall novel. It’s not his best work, but still good, particularly towards the second half when the plot starts to thicken. Penélope Cruz makes a brief appearance at the start as the mother of the protagonist Victor.
— Andy
Saturday 10 May 2008
TV: Best of Youth
I have just completed watching the Italian mini-series Best of Youth that has been shown on BBC Four recently and wow what a remarkably beautiful and moving story it was. The character of Matteo alone made it a compelling watch. His character was incredibly mysterious and sad, yet very deep even if we were given little insight into what was making him tick. Best of Youth managed to completely draw me in and the characters were so well drawn and acted that I really began to care about them and share in their moments of sadness and happiness. It is 400 minutes of TV well spent.
— Andy
Tags: drama, italy, television
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
Saturday 26 April 2008
Mio fratello è figlio unico
Mio fratello è figlio unico (My Brother is an Only Child) is one of the best Italian films that I’ve seen in a while; beautifully acted and a compelling story of two brothers divided by politics but united by blood in the 60s/70s. Interestingly it is the Fascist brother that is easiest to warm to, highlighting the intelligence of the script of this film.
— Andy
Tags: drama, in cinemas, italy, recommended