What movies did you see recently?

[kport]

They Shall Not Grow Old

A remarkable film everyone should see. It was a one day Fathom Event in local cinemas here. I hope it ends up on Netflix. Actual WW1 footage, which starts out as we are used to seeing it - flickering, black and white images - that transforms into a wide-screen colorised film telling us of the horrors - and mundane realities - of The War to End All Wars. Every image is 100 years old. What it teaches us is that War is merely the Noise between the Peace.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IrabKK9Bhds

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OXMhv7E0o7c

[Todd]

I highly recommend the new film called "The Upside." It's the story of a quadraplegic (Bryan Cranston) who hires an ex-con (Kevin Hart) to be his caretaker, despite his lack of qualifications. What follows is an often-humorous story of two people who couldn't be more dissimilar, but who somehow complement each others' needs and end up friends. It's also a look into the invaluable contributions made by caretakers, and what goes into their daily work when you see someone who's wheelchair-bound and don't stop to think how they got dressed, fed, bathed, transported, etc. to get to wherever it is that you're seeing them. Very interesting and smart film, with excellent acting all around.

[Todd]

I saw the new Elton John film "Rocketman" today. Fans of his will find it interesting to see how his upbringing shaped the adult he became, and led to a lifelong search for love and happiness. For me, the film's style has more in common with "La La Land" than it does with the recent "Bohemian Rhapsody." Characters break into song and dance every so often, making this more of a musical fantasy rather than a traditional bio-pic.

I would have liked to have seen more time spent on Elton John the musician, and perhaps less screen time on his struggles with drinking and drugs. No mention is ever made of his long-time band members Davey Johnstone and Nigel Olsson, as I would have enjoyed seeing more of their creative process in the studio, as well as more performance footage (such as his famous Dodger Stadium concert in 1975). Those were the things that interested me the most about "Bohemian Rhapsody," but "Rocketman" clearly aims to be a different kind of movie.

On the plus side, the relationship of Elton and his lyricist Bernie Taupin is very well done, as Taron Egerton (as Elton) and Jamie Bell (as Bernie) both do an fine job and have excellent chemistry together. Several elements of the film - particularly during his childhood and involving his difficult relationship with his parents - will remind fans of BETM. And with Lee Hall and Jamie Bell both involved - along with Elton John's music - there's certainly enough good things here to recommend this interesting and often sobering film.

[cheltonian]

I've just watched Boy Erased on a subscription TV service, a film I really wanted to see that wasnt even shown at my local multiplex.

The film is based on true life story of a gay 18 year old having the misfortune to be born to be born into a christian-fundamentalist american family (although not christian in any sense that I would acknowledge) who sent him for gay correction therapy.

I don't understand American morals at all. A society that is happy to sanction state execution, especially if the suspect is black, killing living sentient people, yet wishes to deny women the right not to give birth to children conceived as a result of rape.

Perhaps I digress, but for me a review of this film is less about discussing the performances, or the technical proficiency of the film makers, but about what it reveals (in truth we already know, but perhaps need it spelt out) about the attitudes toward, and treatment of, gay teenagers in a supposedly modern society.

Not an easy film to watch, but one which you should.

[Todd]

I highly recommend the new film "Yesterday," which I enjoyed enough to go see a second time. In a nutshell, the plot follows a struggling musician called Jack Malick (played by Himesh Patel) who is about to give up on his career in music. A worldwide power outage causes several things to disappear once power is restored, one of which is any connection to the Beatles (even the band Oasis - who are often compared to the Beatles - are erased). Jack Malick, however, is one of the lucky few who retain any memory of the band, and he decides to play their songs as his own. Sudden fame and fortune follow, but he has to decide whether to live a lie and enjoy the trappings of fame, or to disclose the truth and live a simple life with the girl who has loved and believed in him all along.

No spoilers here, but it's an original idea (a nice break from all the sequels and comic book CGI films these days) and a very enjoyable journey for any fans of the Beatles. The film does require the viewer to suspend disbelief and go along with the whole "Beatles erased" thing, but those willing to do so will find a feel-good story with unexpected humor and one of the better love stories I've seen in awhile.

[Real Geordie]

I’ve recently started to view theatre performances transmitted either live, delayed (but same day) or encore, by the National Theatre, London and other theatres, to local UK cinemas and also worldwide. The obvious advantages are that the seat ticket price is very (very !) much cheaper in the cinema and the expense of travel to, and accommodation within, London is eliminated. The disadvantage, to my mind, is that the atmosphere of a performance is very different in a cinema than from seeing a live theatre performance, and even though the reactions of the live audience are also transmitted, in other words applause, laughter etc, it still lacks the same inclusiveness of a like minded crowd. A bit like a stranger peeping through the door at a private party. A trade off where the wallet is the winner. I’ve recently seen The Merry Wives of Windsor from the Globe Theatre (amusing), The Lehman Trilogy at the National Theatre (an acting masterclass) and All About Eve at the National Theatre (bored witless !) . Next up Fleabag and One Man, Two Guvnors. Some of you may already be aware of this availability, and obviously it is much more widespread within UK cinemas, but access can be checked from the links below.

http://ntlive.nationaltheatre.org.uk/about-us

http://www.more2screen.com/

One film I have not yet seen, but fully intend to, is The King. A film drawing inspiration from Shakespeare’s Henry V. Its world premiere was at the Venice Film Festival 2019 on September 2, to be released in UK cinemas on October 11. Dean-Charles Chapman takes the part of Thomas, Duke of Clarence.

Trailer https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yMJnsTx-TBg

[kport]

I haven't seen it, but I will on 9/11: Fathom is showing You Are Here, the documentary behind the remarkable true story, when planes were grounded in Gander during 9/11. This story led to the musical Come From Away.

https://www.fathomevents.com/events/you-are-here

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=u0wO9x0RFy8

[Real Geordie]

Jojo Rabbit - This film has only just been released in the UK - I believe it was premiered in Toronto last September, and was released in the USA in October. I saw it first day out last Friday. It has polarised professional cinema critics, but has been well received by paying audiences. The subject matter (ostensibly) - the Hitler Youth, its adulation of the Führer and the persecution of the Jewish population - is off limits to many as too sensitive a topic. Other films have entered this territory, and ridicule and satire have been used previously against the Nazi regime - The Great Dictator, The Producers et al. This film however is one of the most thought provoking, interesting and affecting I have ever seen - absolutely brilliant directing by Taika Waititi, who somehow has rolled verbal and visual black humour, buffoonery, and all levels of emotion including tragedy into a coherent whole. The lead role (his professional debut) is taken by 12 year old Roman Griffin Davis - I read a quote from him somewhere that his acting experience was limited to playing a tree in a school play ! A central message is not “expressing yourself” but instead “thinking for yourself”. Keep an eye out for “Yorki” the (2nd !) best friend of Jojo. This film could easily transfer from screen to stage, and would be a powerful performance. Will return to see it again over the next few days. If you can get to see it do so - it is on wide release in the UK at this time.

There are a number of trailers on Youtube, which I think give a slightly distorted view of the film - as though it is an out and out comedy. Below are two short excerpts from the very start and very end (which if you intend to see the film you may wish not to view !) which I think are a better indication. The songs, and I did not realise this at the time, are all sung in German.

INTRO SCENE https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=brHnpUGFjE4

CLOSING SCENE https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BfL5V3WHhqM

[angelenroute]

I saw three movies over the past two weekends. My brief reviews below are in the order in which I saw them. No spoilers herein, really. Just broad overviews without giving anything away.

The Two Popes
I thought this might be a fun, interesting story, but despite the appealing subject matter--appealing for me, anyhow--I set my expectations fairly low. The film, however, is incredible! The way they shot it, many times with handheld cameras and filmed right there in Rome, offers a level of realism that's nothing short of hypnotic. You start to believe you're watching the actual pontiffs, in fact, especially Jonathan Pryce as Pope Francis, who's a dead ringer for the current pope. And while Sir Anthony Hopkins looks less like Pope Benedict, there are a few times throughout the movie where he absolutely becomes him in every way possible, including visually. I was genuinely floored by this movie, and cannot recommend it enough. Even my partner Andy, who isn't religious at all, loved it. Cinematography of the highest degree, funnier than you'd ever guess, and incredibly poignant at times too. A+

Star Wars: Episode IX - The Rise of Skywalker
Despite the technological advances of the last few years, I've decided at 44 years old that seeing a Star Wars movie in the theater is still an absolute must. I'm glad they're finally wrapping up the so-called Skywalker Saga, and will soon focus on other kinds of storytelling in the Star Wars universe (galaxy?), but it's clear from the ending that a new beginning could very easily start up where the current story ends. This may not happen for another 20 years, but when it does, they have everything they need already in place.

The movie itself struggled at the start, but it eventually found its rhythm. I didn't follow all the recent Marvel movies, but it seems this final chapter of the current Star Wars movies suffers under the same great challenge, namely the need to include all these many characters you've now introduced, and give them each as much screen time as possible. It was good but too clunky through the first half, and some jokes just fell flat for me, as they felt too corny and silly for the film. Han Solo's humorous moments back in the day fit the movies perfectly. The dumb responses of Jedi-tricked storm troopers in these last few films, however, doesn't fit at all.

All that said though, the movie does soon find its footing, its rhythm, and its power, and the entire last hour is superb. If you're a fan of the films, you'll see and feel all those special Star Wars emotions throughout the movie, and especially in the second half, and if you're anything like me, you'll be laughing, crying, and gasping in equal measure. I'd give the first half of the movie a B-, the second half an A, and the film as a whole a B. You certainly get plenty of A+ moments though too. Good flick, and a satisfying ending to the saga. B

Downton Abbey
I'm a big fan of the television series, but I wasn't honestly sure what to expect from the movie. I'll keep this one short: it's outstanding. There are at least ten different moving parts to the film, and each of them are moved with just the right degree of care and simplicity throughout until they're all resolved to a completely satisfying conclusion. Such brilliant storytelling, really. I'd personally give it an A+, but I think if you've never seen the TV show, you might be left without some of the richness of the characters' past, so I'll just back that up by half a grade for the general public. A

-Sean

[Real Geordie]

1917 Saw this film this afternoon [Friday] . No discussion of the plot as you could not help but give spoilers. Suffice it to say that there were genuine moments of unexpected events at the most unexpected times. I chose to see it on an IMAX screen and the bigger the screen the better. Some excellent panoramic shots which give an idea of the scale and chaos of a battlefield, and there is a gritty, muddy, dirty, bloody feel to it. Pleased that smells were not an optional extra. Top marks to the continuity crew. The cinematography throughout is of the highest standard, including the scenes in darkness, and often outstanding. Not a film I would choose to see more than once, but an excellent action movie without the ridiculous over the top scenes which are now commonplace.

I saw it as well. It defies comparison. I will summarize it this way: it inserts you into every scene. How they ever managed to film an entire movies in one scene with every second, in effect, 'live', is truly unique. This is one not to be missed.