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Jeremy Workman recommended Green for Danger (1947) in Movies (curated)
Awix (3310 KP) rated The Eagle Has Landed (1976) in Movies
May 22, 2018 (Updated May 22, 2018)
Pretty reasonable, slightly silly all-star war movie; the Germans attempt to bring the Allies to the negotiating table by kidnapping Churchill. Sent on this improbable mission is Michael Caine's decent paratrooper officer and his men, and ridiculously Irish IRA man Donald Sutherland. Spoiler alert: Germany still loses the war.
Good performances, mostly, and some well-staged action in the closing sections of the film; what's curious about it is the way that the Germans are mostly presented sympathetically, at least as much as the British and American characters. It's a war movie without bad guys, but without much sense of moral or emotional investment either - as a result it's enjoyable as a piece of action cinema, but rather shallow. (It doesn't feel like the moral ambiguity is a deliberate creative choice: Caine thought the director was more interested in going fishing than in overseeing the final edit.) Fun in a disposable sort of way; you could be forgiven for expecting more, given the talent involved.
Good performances, mostly, and some well-staged action in the closing sections of the film; what's curious about it is the way that the Germans are mostly presented sympathetically, at least as much as the British and American characters. It's a war movie without bad guys, but without much sense of moral or emotional investment either - as a result it's enjoyable as a piece of action cinema, but rather shallow. (It doesn't feel like the moral ambiguity is a deliberate creative choice: Caine thought the director was more interested in going fishing than in overseeing the final edit.) Fun in a disposable sort of way; you could be forgiven for expecting more, given the talent involved.
Awix (3310 KP) rated Ghost Stories (2018) in Movies
Mar 18, 2019
Loving and very scary update of the classic British anthology horror film. A skeptical parapsychologist is challenged to investigate three cases of the supernatural and prove there was nothing unearthly involved: a security guard, a teenager, and a wealthy businessman all recount their tales of dark forces - but is there something else going on?
Possibly a bit mannered and old fashioned for today's younger generation (mutter, grumble, etc), but a film made with enormous care and attention to detail, with terrific performances from the cast (okay, it's a bit white-male-centric; get your blazing torches out if you really must). The kind of film where, once you've seen the ending, you reflect on the rest of it and recognise all the subtle ways in which the film was tipping you off all along. And, as mentioned, a properly frightening experience when watched in a darkened cinema, but in a good way.
Possibly a bit mannered and old fashioned for today's younger generation (mutter, grumble, etc), but a film made with enormous care and attention to detail, with terrific performances from the cast (okay, it's a bit white-male-centric; get your blazing torches out if you really must). The kind of film where, once you've seen the ending, you reflect on the rest of it and recognise all the subtle ways in which the film was tipping you off all along. And, as mentioned, a properly frightening experience when watched in a darkened cinema, but in a good way.
Awix (3310 KP) rated Saving Mr. Banks (2013) in Movies
Apr 4, 2019 (Updated Apr 4, 2019)
Well-mounted but self-referential (and that's putting it very charitably!) look at the origins of Mary Poppins. Pamela Travers (Thompson), who is very British and starchy, flies to Los Angeles where she meets the avuncular Walt Disney (Hanks), intent on adapting her books about a supernatural dominatrix for the cinema. Colin Farrell appears in flashback as Travers' feckless dad; despite what the soundtrack listing suggests, he does not sing 'Chim Chiminee', so manage your expectations.
Nicely made and played, and quite amusing an' all, but hard to escape the impression this is just a massive piece of self-aggrandisement by the House of Mouse: poor old repressed Travers just needs a bit more Disney in her life in order to become happier and more successful, to say nothing of the various factual inaccuracies. But then it's a Disney film actually about Walt Disney, so what do you expect? Watchable stuff, but take a pinch of salt along with the many spoonfuls of sugar.
Nicely made and played, and quite amusing an' all, but hard to escape the impression this is just a massive piece of self-aggrandisement by the House of Mouse: poor old repressed Travers just needs a bit more Disney in her life in order to become happier and more successful, to say nothing of the various factual inaccuracies. But then it's a Disney film actually about Walt Disney, so what do you expect? Watchable stuff, but take a pinch of salt along with the many spoonfuls of sugar.
Awix (3310 KP) rated The Quatermass Xperiment (1955) in Movies
Mar 4, 2018 (Updated Mar 4, 2018)
The original Hammer horror movie; the studio did actually know how to spell 'experiment', but the title refers to the 'X' certificate that all self-respecting horror films had at the time this was made. Astronaut comes back from space a changed man; the rest of his crew mysteriously vanished - just what went on out there? Professor Q must figure it out before the mutation afflicting the astronaut reaches its final form.
Actually really, really tame as a horror movie by modern standards, obviously, but also of great historical interest as the birth of a legend in British cinema. One can't help suspecting the TV show was a lot more thoughtful, but this still works pretty well as an SF movie, and an influential one at that, and the juxtaposition of B-movie SF ideas and images with post-war Britain is interesting. Imported American star Brian Donlevy is not very good as Professor Q (original writer Nigel Kneale claimed he was on the sauce all the time); Richard Wordsworth is mesmerising as the doomed astronaut.
Actually really, really tame as a horror movie by modern standards, obviously, but also of great historical interest as the birth of a legend in British cinema. One can't help suspecting the TV show was a lot more thoughtful, but this still works pretty well as an SF movie, and an influential one at that, and the juxtaposition of B-movie SF ideas and images with post-war Britain is interesting. Imported American star Brian Donlevy is not very good as Professor Q (original writer Nigel Kneale claimed he was on the sauce all the time); Richard Wordsworth is mesmerising as the doomed astronaut.
Michael Korda recommended Rififi (1955) in Movies (curated)
Sarah Lebaigue (1 KP) rated Dunkirk (2017) in Movies
Jan 27, 2018
Acting and script work was on point (2 more)
Costume and set design were perfect
Sound design and score kept my heart racing
Kept my heart racing from beginning to end
Dunkirk is a thrilling film that deserves the Oscar nomination that it has. Nolan has created a masterpiece using time and music to create an intensity that I have never felt before as a movie goer. The film used similar events at different times to mirror one another elegantly.
My heart was always in my throat. I cared about the characters and had a strong connection to the story. I am not a nationalist kind of person by any means, and this film made me ever so proud to be British. With stunning performances from this amazing cast, which made it a group performance without any star or lead actor.
Dunkirk handles the topics of war, death and desperation perfectly and with no nods to Germany or to anything related to the German socialist group. By making the film all about the British characters point of view and removing the name and enemy out of view was a beautiful decision. By this point in time we know about the world wars in depthly and there are many films that talk about it. But this is the first film that doesn’t harp on about the Germans being evil. It was a gorgeous film and one I wish I could see in cinema again, as it’s sound design and cinematography deserved a larger screen.
My heart was always in my throat. I cared about the characters and had a strong connection to the story. I am not a nationalist kind of person by any means, and this film made me ever so proud to be British. With stunning performances from this amazing cast, which made it a group performance without any star or lead actor.
Dunkirk handles the topics of war, death and desperation perfectly and with no nods to Germany or to anything related to the German socialist group. By making the film all about the British characters point of view and removing the name and enemy out of view was a beautiful decision. By this point in time we know about the world wars in depthly and there are many films that talk about it. But this is the first film that doesn’t harp on about the Germans being evil. It was a gorgeous film and one I wish I could see in cinema again, as it’s sound design and cinematography deserved a larger screen.
Andy K (10821 KP) rated Zoo (2018) in Movies
Oct 19, 2019
Saving your marriage or zombie apocalypse?
I have to admit being new to the world of British cinema (since I live in the US) so those extreme British accents are still a struggle for me at times (especially when you guys talk so fast!). I have to admit to even putting subtitles on a few times so I could get all the words.
Interesting premise of this film and the recommendation from a friend to watch.
How would you feel if a zombie infestation began right while your marriage was on the rocks? Which would be your priority to correct?
This young couple grapples with this exact issue and it is relatively successful. They spend time disagreeing with each other and moping about in their flat since they cannot go outside without having to deal with infected hoards trying to devour them. They begin having meaningful dialogue and then they get a knock at their door. A random couple ask if they can come and hide within to remove themselves from danger and are obliged. They immediately become a nuisance asking for provisions which are already in short supply and to "borrow a toothbrush"? I thought that was funny.
Their stay at the apartment is short, but long enough to have the couple start to unite themselves against their new house guests. After their departure, the couple becomes more intimate and work on their relationship before even more unwanted guests arrive.
The dialogue was a bit corny at times, but worked overall. I enjoyed the fresh take on the zombie genre. If romantic comedy zombie horror is a new sub genre I'm all in.
Interesting premise of this film and the recommendation from a friend to watch.
How would you feel if a zombie infestation began right while your marriage was on the rocks? Which would be your priority to correct?
This young couple grapples with this exact issue and it is relatively successful. They spend time disagreeing with each other and moping about in their flat since they cannot go outside without having to deal with infected hoards trying to devour them. They begin having meaningful dialogue and then they get a knock at their door. A random couple ask if they can come and hide within to remove themselves from danger and are obliged. They immediately become a nuisance asking for provisions which are already in short supply and to "borrow a toothbrush"? I thought that was funny.
Their stay at the apartment is short, but long enough to have the couple start to unite themselves against their new house guests. After their departure, the couple becomes more intimate and work on their relationship before even more unwanted guests arrive.
The dialogue was a bit corny at times, but worked overall. I enjoyed the fresh take on the zombie genre. If romantic comedy zombie horror is a new sub genre I'm all in.
Sarah (7798 KP) rated Hot Fuzz (2007) in Movies
Aug 24, 2018
Hilarious
I've re-watched this again recently and it's just as funny now as it was when I first saw it in the cinema.
It's hilarious, full of wit and British humour. Not only is it a brilliant comedy, it's a great action and mystery flick too. The pairing of Simon Pegg and Nick Frost works as well here as it did in Shaun of the Dead, and there's a great supporting cast in Jim Broadbent, Paddy Considine and the rest, including those blink and you'll miss it cameos.
Whilst I work for a large urban police force, there are a lot of areas of policing I recognise in this film, which for me makes it even funnier watching it back. From having to bring cake (bribes) in for colleagues, to the old school Vauxhall cars, office banter and the more onerous side of policing, they really have done their research. Although I can safely say I've never met an officer quite as dedicated as Angel! But I do reckon a lot of our new recruits have the same view of policing as Danny does...
Such an entertaining film that doesn't get old.
It's hilarious, full of wit and British humour. Not only is it a brilliant comedy, it's a great action and mystery flick too. The pairing of Simon Pegg and Nick Frost works as well here as it did in Shaun of the Dead, and there's a great supporting cast in Jim Broadbent, Paddy Considine and the rest, including those blink and you'll miss it cameos.
Whilst I work for a large urban police force, there are a lot of areas of policing I recognise in this film, which for me makes it even funnier watching it back. From having to bring cake (bribes) in for colleagues, to the old school Vauxhall cars, office banter and the more onerous side of policing, they really have done their research. Although I can safely say I've never met an officer quite as dedicated as Angel! But I do reckon a lot of our new recruits have the same view of policing as Danny does...
Such an entertaining film that doesn't get old.
James P. Sumner (65 KP) rated Yesterday (2019) in Movies
Jul 18, 2019
The best British film in years!
Despite not really being a fan of The Beatles or their music, when I first saw the trailer for this at the start of the year, I was genuinely intrigued by the concept. An aspiring musician (and huge Beatles fan) is hit by a bus during an inexplicable global blackout, only to wake up to a world in which The Beatles seemingly never existed. As the only one who remembers their songs, he releases them as his own and conquers the music world.
The trailer did a good job of letting you know what to expect without giving too much away, believe it or not. There are a few twists and turns along the way, which were a nice surprise. Ultimately, this IS a British rom-com underneath it all, and the final third is as predictable as every other film in the genre.
Yet this film oozes charm and whimsicality, and sets itself apart from everything that's come before it. Say what you want about Love Actually, but for me, that was the last British film to really make a splash on this level - which was 16 years ago!
The script is amazing. No scene feels unnecessary. No dialogue feels pointless. Richard Curtis, yet again, proves he's a true master of his craft. The lead roles are perfectly cast. Lily James, in particular, puts in another great performance, showing she's worthy of more heavyweight roles (although she's definitely found her niche in this type of film).
What I really loved about this film was how thought-provoking it was. Relative newcomer, Himesh Patel's portrayal of Jack Malek is spot-on, playing with your own emotions and morals, forcing you to ask yourself if you could remain as grounded and humble as he did if something like this happened to you. Despite being over the top at times, it all felt surprisingly real. I can imagine this is exactly how it would play out if something like this were to happen to someone - the media frenzy, the explosion of popularity online, the whirlwind of life-changing moments...
The film is about big moments in your life, and what you choose to do with them when they happen. It's about chasing your dreams and what you would do if you caught them. It's about how to follow your heart when it wants two things at once. I left the cinema smiling, but also genuinely thinking about my entire outlook on life.
Danny Boyle has done an excellent job with this film, and it deserves to go down as one of the best British films in recent years. Whether you're a fan of the music or not, this should not be missed. Near perfect!
The trailer did a good job of letting you know what to expect without giving too much away, believe it or not. There are a few twists and turns along the way, which were a nice surprise. Ultimately, this IS a British rom-com underneath it all, and the final third is as predictable as every other film in the genre.
Yet this film oozes charm and whimsicality, and sets itself apart from everything that's come before it. Say what you want about Love Actually, but for me, that was the last British film to really make a splash on this level - which was 16 years ago!
The script is amazing. No scene feels unnecessary. No dialogue feels pointless. Richard Curtis, yet again, proves he's a true master of his craft. The lead roles are perfectly cast. Lily James, in particular, puts in another great performance, showing she's worthy of more heavyweight roles (although she's definitely found her niche in this type of film).
What I really loved about this film was how thought-provoking it was. Relative newcomer, Himesh Patel's portrayal of Jack Malek is spot-on, playing with your own emotions and morals, forcing you to ask yourself if you could remain as grounded and humble as he did if something like this happened to you. Despite being over the top at times, it all felt surprisingly real. I can imagine this is exactly how it would play out if something like this were to happen to someone - the media frenzy, the explosion of popularity online, the whirlwind of life-changing moments...
The film is about big moments in your life, and what you choose to do with them when they happen. It's about chasing your dreams and what you would do if you caught them. It's about how to follow your heart when it wants two things at once. I left the cinema smiling, but also genuinely thinking about my entire outlook on life.
Danny Boyle has done an excellent job with this film, and it deserves to go down as one of the best British films in recent years. Whether you're a fan of the music or not, this should not be missed. Near perfect!