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The Searchers (1956)
The Searchers (1956)
1956 | Drama, Western
Landmark western (very nearly literally) from John Ford. When his brother's family are killed by Comanches and his nieces taken prisoner, soldier Ethan Edwards (Wayne) and his brother's adopted son set off in pursuit. The son wants to rescue the girls, but just what does Edwards have in mind...?

On one level this is another colourful, slightly cheesy and rather sentimental 1950s western - but on another it has a darkness to it which is quite surprising, for all that this moral ambiguity arguably eventually consumed the genre. It's a film about racism and an obsessive desire for vengeance - the Native Americans in this film are given a degree of depth and generally treated respectfully, but the film is honest about the savage conflict between them and the colonial population, and Wayne's mania for revenge, though understated, is clear. The film's subtexts about the importance of family and what it means to be an American are well-presented, though no doubt problematic for many modern viewers. Still, this is a hugely important and influential western and probably a great movie too.
  
The Imitation Game (2014)
The Imitation Game (2014)
2014 | Biography, Drama, War
Drama based on the life and times of Alan Turing, the so-called father of modern computing, who worked in Bletchley Park during World War 2 to break the hitherto-believed-unbreakable enigma machine that the German high command were using to send radio messages to their fleets.

This flits back and forth between three timelines: the 1950s (just before Turing committed society, after being found guilty of Homosexual behaviour, which was outlawed at the time), the late 30s/early 40s (his work at Bletchley) and the 1920s (his childhood at a public boarding school, where he was bullied).

Cumberbatch manages to bring a different aura to his portrayal of Turing than he did previously to Sherlock - even though both are geniuses who struggle with a low EQ (Emotional Quotient) - while Kiera Knightley does her period piece acting as his fellow (perhaps even smarter) codebreaker Joan, who has to also put up with the misogynistic attitudes of the time.

And yes, the Imitation Game of the title is a real philosophical conundrum (which is described during the movie itself).
  
Call the Midwife  - Season 1
Call the Midwife - Season 1
2012 | Drama
What a show!
Now I am rather late to the whole call the midwife scene. From the snippets that I've seen when my mother watches the show its babies, babies and more babies! Oh but how wrong could I be. This series not only deals with childbirth it also delves into the changing times and trials of the 1950s era as this series is based on true memoirs, you get a taste of the reality that everyday people were having to go through both from best practices in medicine to running the household its truly remarkable and I regret not watching it sooner! The the midwifes and sisters are outstanding and as the series goes on each person's story is slowly unravelled bit by tiny bit as their experience grows so does your love for each and every member of the cast. I have now progressed to series two and will continue to watch each season until I am fully up to date and I can tell you now a few binge watching sessions will be in order, like chocolate I just can't get enough!