The contractor (2007)
5.0
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Movie
Ex-C.I.A. Agent James Dial (Wesley Snipes) is asked to take out terrorist Ali Mahmud Jahar (Nikolai...
Doctor Foster - Season 2
7.9
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The multi-award winning Doctor Foster returns to BBC One. The highly-anticipated second series tells...
Drama
Patrick (2018)
5.0
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Sarah Francis is a young woman whose life is a bit of a mess. The last thing she needs is someone...
You Will Meet a Tall Dark Stranger (2010)
6.5
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Two married couples find only trouble and heartache as their complicated lives unfold. After 40...
Sense and Sensibility (1995)
6.5
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Emma Thompson, Alan Rickman, Kate Winslet and Hugh Grant star in this captivating romantic comedy...
Unforgotten - Series 1
8.4
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TV Show
Unforgotten is a British crime drama television series, which initially aired on ITV on 8 October...
Crime Drama
LoganCrews (2861 KP) rated You Will Meet a Tall Dark Stranger (2010) in Movies
Sep 20, 2020
BankofMarquis (1832 KP) rated Rocketman (2019) in Movies
Jun 11, 2019
And...I would be wrong...for ROCKETMAN is a fun, fantastical fantasy musical depicting the rise and fall (by drug and alcohol abuse) of one of rock's most flamboyant showman of the 1970's.
Following the "Jukebox Musical" blueprint of something like JERSEY BOYS, Rocketman follows a young Reggie Dwight as he discovers his musical talent and grows into the Global Superstar known as Elton John.
I was happy that the filmmakers went this route (vs the bio-pic route that BOHEMIAN RHAPSODY went) for they were able to use the vast catalog of Elton John/Bernie Taupin tunes to their fullest advantage, when it made sense to drive the narrative forward - or to give the storytelling a shot of adrenaline.
This film had Elton John's blessings and he was not kind to a few people in his life - most notably his mother (an almost unrecognizable Bryce Dallas Howard in a strong turn), his father (Steve Mackintosh, who I had never seen before) and his Manager, John Reid (Game of Throne's Richard Madden). All 3 are pretty one-dimensional villains that help contribute to Elton's drug and alcohol abuse.
On the other side of the coin is his writing partner, Bernie Taupin (Jamie Bell, the original BILLY ELLIOT in a performance that I think is the best of his career) and his Grandmother, Ivy (good ol' Gemma Jones BRIDGET JONES DIARY and Madam Pomfrey in the Harry Potter films). Both of these characters are generally positive influences on Elton's life, trying to understand and support our hero on his journey.
As for our hero, Taran Egerton (the KINGSMAN films) embodies Elton with panache and zeal while showing an underlying shyness and insecurity that helps lead to his abuse issues. Egerton is EXCELLENT in this role - both in acting and singing. He doesn't so much imitate Elton John but embodies the essence of Sir Elton and his performance is quite effective. If Rami Malek deserved his Oscar for playing Freddy Mercury in BOHEMIAN RHAPSODY then Taran Egerton better be in the Oscar conversation this year.
The film was Directed by Dexter Fletcher (who was brought on to finish BOHEMIAN RHAPSODY once Bryan Singer was fired from that film for his on-set behavior), so he puts to good use his experience on the Queen movie, keeping the action moving fast, the characterizations simple (but satisfying) enough while showcasing just enough music to fill a "Best of" Album.
While BOHEMIAN RHAPSODY was a "meh" movie with a buffo ending (the recreation of the LIVE AID concert was amazing), ROCKETMAN suffers from just the opposite problem. Starting off strong and growing weaker until it ends in "meh" fashion. The fact that this film musical fantasy decided to end with a faithful recreation of the I'M STILL STANDING music video is at the heart of the issue. I understand the implied underlying meaning of this song selection, but it just doesn't pack the punch that a live concert appearance would have.
Come for the music, stay for Egerton's performance and you'll be glad you did.
Letter Grade: A-
8 stars (out of 10) and you can take that to the Bank(ofMarquis)
Bob Mann (459 KP) rated Bridget Jones's Baby (2016) in Movies
Sep 29, 2021
Proving that enormous ditzyness and lack of talent need not be an impediment to a successful career, Bridget is now a top TV floor manager on a cable news station, anchored by friend Miranda (an excellent Sarah Solemani). In an effort to shake Bridget out of her malaise, Miranda takes her to a music festival (featuring some fun cameos!) where she has a one-night-stand with the delectable (speaking at least for all the women in my audience) Jack (Patrick Dempsey). Following another one-night-stand with DâArcy and finding herself pregnant, a comedy of farce follows with one expectant mother and two prospective fathers competing for Bridgetâs affections.
OK. So itâs not bloody Shakespeare. But it is an extremely well-crafted comedy, and as a British rom-com it significantly out-does many of the efforts of the rom-com king â Richard Curtis â in recent years. As a series its just amazing how many of the original cast have been reunited after 2004âs rather lacklustre âBridget Jones: Edge of Reasonâ. Particularly effective are Bridgetâs parents, played by the delectably Tory Gemma Jones and the ever-perfect Jim Broadbent. And Bridgetâs trio of irreverent friends: Shazzer (Sally Phillips), Jude (Shirley Henderson) and Tom (James Callis) are all back. All are either well into parenthood or have impending parenthood, adding to the pressure on Bridgetâs aching ovaries.
New to the cast, and brilliant in every scene sheâs in, is the ever-radiant Emma Thompson as Bridgetâs doctor. Is there any actress in the movies today that can deliver a comic line better-timed than Thompson? I doubt it. Just superb. And Thompson also co-wrote the screenplay, together with Bridget author Helen Fielding and â an unlikely contributor â Ali G collaborator Dan Mazer. All contribute to a sizzling script â not based on Fieldingâs poorly received story â that zips along and makes the 123 minute run-time fly by. My one reservation would be â despite the film being set in the current day â lapses into internet memes like Hitler Cats and song crazes that are at least five years out of date. But I forgive that for the Colin Firth âGangnamâ line, for me the funniest in the whole film.
Zellweger looks fantastic, pulling off the 4 year age difference from her character with ease. And isnât it wonderful to see a middle-aged character as the centre of a rom-com for once? Hollywood would be well to remember that romance is not restricted to the 20-somethings. Certainly the packed cinema â filled with probably 90% (well oiled) women â certainly thought so, in what was a raucous and entertaining showing!
The music is superbly supported by an epic soundtrack of well-chosen tracks from Ellie Goulding, Years and Years, Jess Glynne, Lily Allen (with very funny adult content!) and classic oldies, all wrappered with nice themes by the brilliant and underrated Craig âLove Actuallyâ Armstrong.
Sharon Maguire â the director of the original âDiaryâ â has delivered here a fun, absorbing and enormously entertaining piece of fluff that deserves to do well. And it has in the UK, making $11M in its opening weekend here and playing to packed showings. However â incomprehensibly â it has bombed in the US with only $8M coming in. Hopefully it might prove a bit of a sleeper hit there: come on America⊠we go to see all of the rubbish rom-coms you send over here, and this is way better than most of those!
This was a film I was determined to be sniffy about with my rating. But as a) I enjoyed it very much and b) a packed audience of women canât be wrongâŠ
Holby City - Series 19
6.1
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The series was created by Tony McHale and Mal Young as a spin-off from the established BBC medical...
Drama