As a huge fan of Charlie Brooker’s anthology series Black Mirror – and being the only member of Film Night to have watched the original Channel 4 when first released – I was fascinated when I heard Netflix would be commissioning a third season.
For this reason, I decided not to binge watch season 3 of Black Mirror.
I wanted to take my time, wait for the storm to die down, and give each episode my complete focus without any outside influences or distractions.
As a big fan of true story films, I was very interested to see ‘A United Kingdom’ because I had never heard of this particular story. Starring David Oyelowo and Rosamund Pike, it recounts the incredible lives of Seretse Khama and Ruth Williams, two people from very different backgrounds and more crucially: with differing skin colour. Continue reading “A United Kingdom Review”
Like many others, I was counting down the days until Season 4 of Orange Is The New Black was ready for us Netflix users.
It’s a show I love and find incredibly binge-watchable. So, after just finishing the sixth episode, I thought it would be a good idea to give you my opinion on the season so far, before I turn into a Litchfield Penitentiary watching hermit.
The following review contains absolutely no spoilers!
Based on a novel by Gregory McDonald and adapted into a screenplay by Andrew Bergman, ‘Fletch’ is an 80s comedy in every sense. From the cars right the way through to the infectious music, if you’re an 80s kid then this is sure to be a nostalgia trip for the ages. Continue reading “The Collection Chronicles – Fletch (1985)”
Well most of you anyway. (There is bound to be one of you that answers ‘not good’ to that question, so I have to cover all bases don’t I)
Apologies for being a little late with the column this week. Well it is a bank holiday after all!
I have had a little bit of downtime over the weekend to recharge the old batteries. But I am back to it today!
But enough about me…….
Exorcist House of Evil – Released in the UK TODAY, Monday 2nd May 2016
This is an interesting one to start. You only have to read the name of the film to know what type of film this is.
That’s right its a comedy!
Only joking. No it is in fact a horror.
What makes this an intreguing watch is the fact that it is based on a true story.
Before we go any further, lets get this straight. Many films these days claim they are based on a ‘True Story’ or on ‘True Events’. Now, they may well be! However it is very difficult to distinguish what is the true bit, and what may have been added for, what, dramatic effect!
Anyhow we are heading onto a different dual carriageway and if we don’t stop now the next turn off is in 10 miles. And trust me, you don’t want me to go on for 10 miles talking about the ‘True Events’ argument.
Being one of the most famous houses in America, The Exorcist House, was a family home for many years and is the site 0f an infamous exorcism. The film focuses on the house when a young woman returns to the home she used to live in with her family.
A fun fact about this film is that while filming was taking place, the crew captured both audible and visible paranormal activity. It is no surprise then that the producers have left this footage in to give us a look at what haunts this remarkable house.
I don’t know what I think about the paranormal activity argument. Is it really a thing? Is there another universe? Who knows.
What I do know is that this film looks like an interesting watch.
Click on the film if you dare!!!
The Wild Life (Robinson Crusoe) – Released in the UK on Thursday 5ht May 2016
Next up, an animation adventure comedy. Originally called Robinson Crusoe, this animation is definitely based on the 1719 novel by Daniel Defoe.
An outspoken parrot by the name of Tuesday can’t stop dreaming of seeing the world. Living on a tiny exotic island with his friends, after a heavy storm, Tuesday discovers a strange creature who goes by the name of Robison Crusoe.
With Crusoe being the only human, he finds it hard to communicate with Tuesday, but realises that they have to work together to survive on the island.
To my surprise, this film was created in France. Now I don’t know why it shocked me but it did! However, when you look at it in a little more detail, the animation looks a little similar to the french theme park, Parc Astérix.
Rated a PG and lasting a lovely length of 90 minutes, this most certainly lands itself right in the centre of the family viewing category.
Please, correct me if I’m wrong but I don’t see any well known names for this film. This may be half to do with the fact that it is a French made film.
There isn’t really much more to say about this film to be honest, so if you want to find out more, just watch the trailer below.
Florence Foster Jenkins – Released in the UK on Friday 6th May 2016
Staring the likes of Meryl Streep and Hugh Grant, this Biographical Comedy Drama follows the life of Florence Foster Jenkins who is a New York Heiress wanting to become an Opera singer even though she can’t sing.
Having seen multiple trailers to this along with interviews with the cast, I believe that this film will go one of two ways. Firstly, it could be an 8 or 9 out of 10 and get to the point. The comedy could be spot on and be a laugh a minute.
Or it could, which I feel it might be, a measly 1 or 2 out of 10. Watching the trailers, the ‘comedy bits’ really are not that funny! Now it might just be me, but personally I feel timing is a little out.
Simon Helberg of ‘The Big Bang Theory’ features in the film and from what I’ve seen, his character is a little wet. Now I am a huge Big Bang fan. Personally I think it is one of the best American comedies of the last ten years. I know a few of my Film Night colleagues would disagree with me on this, but Helberg in the series has great timing and posture, for use of a better word. Something I believe he may lack in this outing.
Let me get to the point! Who cares about a lady who wants to be a opera singer who can’t sing? Not me thats for sure! Have we used all the other ideas for film that we now need to create them about just normal people?? I don’t know.
One positive point is that the film was filmed in Merseyside, Liverpool in the North West of England. Not a million miles from Film Night HQ, which is great to see. Hopefully a few more films could use the different areas of the North of England a little more.
If you would like to see a lady attempt to sing, but film miserably for almost 2 hours, then you should probably check out the trailer below.
And that, lovely reader concludes my column for the week.
I’ve wasted enough of your time and you probably have quite a bit to get through.
First off this week, you may have noticed that I have come up with a name for this segment, The Collection Chronicles. Basically, it stems from the fact that I am trying to build up my personal DVD collection. Right, now that’s out of the way let’s get started.
If you aren’t a fan of the Coen brothers, then all I can do is apologise that my first two disc dissections have focused on their work. However, I do promise that next week I will branch out.
Why did I decide to watch another Coen brothers film you ask? Well, as I said at the end of last week’s dissection, ‘Barton Fink’ fuelled my hunger for more. So here I am, having helped myself to another large portion of Coen delight.
Or perhaps delight is the wrong word to use this week. ‘A Serious Man’ stars Michael Stuhlbarg as Larry Gopnik, a middle aged Jewish physics teacher whose life is falling apart in front of his very eyes. His wife Judith (Sari Lennick) wants a divorce so she can leave him for his work colleague and close friend Sy (Fred Melamed), his brother Arthur (Richard Kind) shows no signs of finding his own home, his son Danny (Aaron Wolff) spends his time getting high and not listening in school, and his daughter Sarah (Jessica McManus) just wants nothing to do with him. Oh, and his neighbours are a hunting loving father and son on one side, and on the other is a mysterious lonely woman who torments Larry by sunbathing naked.
Unsure about what to do, he turns to his faith for answers. One by one, he meets with three rabbis in the hope their wisdom will guide him. Varying degrees of success (and hilarity) follow.
Larry Gopnik tries to figure out the answer to all of his problems
When the film starts, you may be excused for believing that you have inserted the wrong disc, as what follows is a five minute Yiddish folklore tale which the Coen brothers made up. It has almost no bearing whatsoever on the rest of the film but I actually really enjoyed it, found it fascinating and I also thought it was a very unique way to kick-start a film and grab the viewers attention.
The comedy style used in the film is dark and deadpan, so nothing new there then for the Coen brothers. I don’t have a major issue with the lack of originality, I just wished it had been funnier that it ultimately was. There were a few laugh out loud moments certainly, and the comedic timing was bang on, particularly from Stuhlbarg. I just wanted more of it. A lot more.
Also, if you’re not a Jew like myself, a lot of the language used in the script will mean nothing to you. That is until you watch the very helpful bonus feature which explains the Hebrew and Yiddish terms used (more on that later). This also makes it hard for me to relate to any character. If you’ve been through a bar mitzvah then I’m sure you will appreciate the closing moments of the film far more than I did.
What this film does brilliantly, is capture the look and the feel of 1967 Midwest America. The houses that line the neighbourhood and the costume designs are extremely subtle but the effect they have on the aesthetics is anything but. If you’re a bit of a petrol head and love classic cars, there are some corkers in this. I am by no means a car lover, but boy I really did appreciate some of the beauties on display.
Michael Stuhlbarg’s performance is a real highlight, the way he handles himself while his world falls apart is incredibly admirable and you really do feel for him. There are some lovely, touching scenes that he shares with his brother Arthur which stand out in the memory.
“Is that Larry Gopnik? I have another problem for you…”
What isn’t a highlight, are the performances of Aaron Wolff and Jessica McManus as Larry’s children. They both came across as rather wooden and stilted unfortunately. Larry’s friend and work colleague Sy Ableman is an incredibly irritating character, you just want to punch him in the face every time he speaks and that’s all credit to Fred Melamed’s performance because I’m sure that’s what Joel and Ethan Coen were going for. Sy’s story in the film takes a sudden and unexpected turn which I loved as well because that then triggers more unfortunate issues for poor old Larry.
Aaron Wolff contemplates the quality of his performance
I was also hoping for more from the rabbi scenes. Aside from the first rabbi Larry meets, Rabbi Scott played by Simon Helberg who you may know from ‘The Big Bang Theory’, these scenes were actually quite dull. The meeting with Rabbi Scott however is actually very funny.
The Verdict
A fairly enjoyable film in which Michael Stuhlbarg delivers a strong lead performance, but some weak acting from the younger members of the cast and a real lack of laughs mean that I can’t give it any more than 3 stars.
Bonus Features
There are three bonus features available, and each of them are well worth a watch. The first, ‘Becoming Serious’, is a 17 minute behind the scenes featurette, with interviews from all the major cast members and also an interesting insight from the Coen brothers themselves.
Next, is an equally fascinating, 13 minute insight titled ‘Creating 1967’ which is exactly what it says on the tin, with interviews from production designers among others. A look into how they transformed the locations into superbly realistic period pieces. Plus those cars, oh baby…
Finally, a very short, snappy, well put together language guide called ‘Hebrew and Yiddish for Goys’. Don’t know what a goy is? This useful little bonus feature reveals all. Or, you know, just Google it.
Yes, you may notice a Shakespeare reference or two in this weeks column/article/post whatever you would like to call it.
Well we couldn’t let his 4ooth Anniversary of his death float by without a mention could we? No that would be wrong of us.
Now, to mark this occasion, I will be using a few of his quotes and lines from a few of his works, so watch out! (I will underline them for those of you who are not familiar with him)
He was an alright Gent was good old William!
Wasn’t he?
I mean he has provided us with pages of text written in a language that most of us don’t really understand! We should be grateful!
I would be the first one to admit that I do find his works quite complicated at times! Although I am getting into the swing of things on that front!
Right! Are we ready?
Let’s go…..
Scream Park –Released in the UK Monday 25th April 2016
I’m jumping straight into this week and starting with a Horror. I haven’t heard of this one before as it was originally released into the public domain in 2013. Why it has taken forever and a day for it to be released in the UK I don’t knhttps://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2uLgH__wZVAow but, well, thats a topic for another day.
With a budget of $3,000,000, Cary Hill has written and directed this supposed scare – fest of a closing down amusement park that is struggling due to lack of ticket sales. Wanting a media stunt to spark interest, Mr Hyde (I wonder where they got that name from!) hires two henchman to dispatch the employees one by one.
From reading the synopsis and watching the trailer this looks very interesting. With a limited budget, it has a local feel to it. I’m not the biggest fan of horrors, however I am very intrigued as to see what this may be.
Unfortunately it may be a little difficult to source this film straight away as I don’t think it is released into the big cinema chains.
If you would like a little bit of a jump in your seat, yell off with his head and have a gander at this:
Capsule – Released at the Sci-Fi London International Film Festival on Wednesday 27th April 2016
I am always at the front of the queue to protest when it comes to Sci-Fi films. In my opinion the majority are just plain boring! However, I am prepared for the good of the Filmnight podcast to reserve judgment on this next one.
Capsule was released in the UK on 23rd December 2015 and stars Edmund Kingsley as Guy Taylor. The film follows Guy, an experienced British fighter pilot, who is in charge of the first British manned mission to space. Pretty similar to The Martian then?
And we all know what we thought of that!
Please Sci-Fi creator! That it should come to this?
The same old film recycled time after time? Please can we have a little originality?
No?
Ok then!
I think I should leave this here before I get on my high horse again! A horse! A horse! A kingdom for my horse! (Do you like that! I thought you would!)
Anyway……… here is the trailer:
Err….. I think we may have a problem! I can’t seem to be able to find trailer link. Perhaps this is telling us something about the film! Who knows!
Well this is a first!
You can find one, should you nosey onto another famous film website. I won’t go any further that that!
Golden Years –Released in the UK Friday 29th April 2016
Next up, it’s a comedy. With everything going on in the UK at the moment, what with the retirement age increasing year after year, why not create a comedy about it? Yes! That’s an idea.
Staring the likes of Simon Callow (A Shakespearian Actor did you know?) and Sue Johnston, this British production leads a well to do retired couple into a life of crime. Arthur and Martha Goode, annoyed with the fact that they are losing a percentage of their pension, decide to start robbing banks.
The question I ask is this. Is it so bad that it’s funny? Who can deny Zimmer Frames (walking frames for our american cousins) that turn into paintball guns or actors in their 70’s running around town wearing clown masks?
‘True is it that we have seen better days’ may be what I say when I leave the cinema after watching this but then again I may be saying ‘though this be madness, yet there is method in ‘t’.
If you would like to see Gangsta Grannies and Granddads hatch their next crime of the century, then please take a look at this:
Right, that concludes this weeks pick of films of you to keep your eye on.
Also before I sign off. If you can come up with an good name for this segment, please let me know. I’m all ears.
Ok! it’s time for me to go, but I will leave you with this……..
“The fool doth think he is wise, but the wise man knows himself to be a fool” – Hamlet
As a so called ‘film fanatic’, I suppose it is a bit of crime to say that until very recently, I really didn’t know much about the Coen Brothers at all. Yes, yes. Get it out of your system. I can almost hear the condescending gasps raining down upon me.
I mean, it’s not like I hadn’t seen any of their work. I have for example, seen their 2008 film ‘Burn After Reading’ and thought it was truly excellent. Even more recently than that, ‘Bridge of Spies’ and ‘Hail, Caesar!’ were the subject of a couple of our episodes. Episode 30 and Episode 44 respectively. Go on, give them a listen.
Despite that, it’s still no secret that I have a lot of catching up to do. So I decided to do something about it, and bought one of their earlier films, ‘Barton Fink’. Boy am I glad I did, what a truly fabulous piece of work.
Barton Fink (John Turturro) is a playwright who has just had enormous success on Broadway with his latest play. Naturally, Hollywood decides it wants a piece of the action and offers Barton the chance to write not for plays, but for pictures.
What follows is a fascinating story of what the film industry is really all about, and the incredibly unenviable life of a Hollywood script writer. From the moment Barton arrives at his eerily lifeless hotel, it is clear that this is not going to be the dream job he hoped it would be.
Turturro plays the socially awkward, mentally fragile role of Fink absolutely impeccably. Truly stellar acting. Somehow though, John Goodman manages to match him with his outstanding portrayal of Fink’s characterful neighbour Charlie Meadows. So delighted is Fink to have a friend he can talk to openly in this otherwise alien city, he is unable to see that Charlie isn’t perhaps all that he says he is…
John Goodman captivates as Barton Fink’s neighbour, Charlie Meadows
Suffering from a severe case of writer’s block and coming under increasing pressure from the head of Capitol Pictures Jack Lipnick (Michael Lerner) to deliver the goods on the wrestling film he has been tasked to script, he reaches out to Ben Geisler (Tony Shalhoub) in the hope he can put him on the right track.
He runs into his writing idol W.P. Mayhew (John Mahoney – born in Blackpool would you believe!) along the way and his wife and personal assistant Audrey Taylor (Judy Davis). It is upon meeting these characters that the film takes a turn so unexpected and against the grain that it will leave you begging to know more.
There are certain films that you simply cannot take your eyes off and this is most definitely one of those. The 1 hour and 56 minutes is gone in a flash.
Not only is the film full to bursting of incredible performances from its cast, but it has this wonderful uneasy tone about it which runs all the way through. Fink’s hotel room is the site of many fantastic scenes, whether he’s alone or whether he’s drinking and chatting away to Meadows, it always feels as though there is a lot more happening than simply what your eyes can see. His hotel room is almost a character in itself, its four walls with its drooping wallpaper casting a watchful eye over everything Fink does.
As you’d expect with a Coen Brothers film, there are plenty of surreal moments and some eye-catching camera work. As the film reaches its fiery climax, the line between fantasy and reality becomes increasingly blurred.
For me though, the standard of the acting is the most impressive element. Special mention must go to Michael Lerner who puts on an extremely memorable performance as the head of the studio. He is the highlight of every scene he is in, a real scene-stealer if you will.
Michael Lerner stealing yet another scene as Capitol Pictures boss Jack Lipnick
The Verdict
What a cracking way to kick off this new weekly feature! Among many things this film has done for me, one of them is to fuel my hunger for more Coen Brothers. Superb acting, a truly engrossing story, and a wonderful tone all add up to a gem of a film.
Very easy this week, 5 stars.
DVD Extras
Not a huge amount of bonus features available, however there are some pretty interesting deleted scenes to flick through and also a gallery of stills from the film. It’s a shame there is no commentary from the cast or the Coen brothers though, that would have been fascinating I’m sure.
Film Night Podcast 