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Emma @ The Movies (1786 KP) rated Smallfoot (2018) in Movies
Sep 25, 2019
I'm not one for horror films, but classic movies at the cinema are something to behold so I snapped up a ticket for what turned out to be a packed screening. It was a nice surprise to be treated to a little documentary before the film too.
I had always assumed that Halloween was going to be scary, and it was, sort of. It was scary in a very different way to modern horrors though. The reason I tend to ignore the genre is that the story lines don't make up for the amount of "jump out of your skin" moments they put in. Something can be scary without having to make you jump.
On the modern scale of films Halloween isn't very good on several levels. That being said though, it's still an excellent film and the fact that it's so simple and plays on the basic human feeling of unease is great.
It's good to see that the horror movie staples were at their peak in the 70s: not turning the lights on when searching a dark house; only stabbing your attacker once, even though you thought he was dead when you stabbed him once the first time... AND the second time; and my personal favourite... I've stabbed my attacker and he's down, he looks dead so I won't bother checking, instead I'll just turn my back and take a breather for a moment.
One things that I couldn't help doing while watching this film was laughing. Come on, it's funny. But it's only that way to me because I've seen so many films now that I know what's going to happen. The bad guy is always going to have vanished when you try and point him out to someone, there will always be a creaking window or door, and 4 times out of 5 there will be a body behind/inside whatever you open. I still got those chilling feelings while watching it but I was also drawn in by the fact I was sitting there willing things to happen that I knew were coming.
What should you do?
It's definitely a classic and well worth seeing. Just remember it isn't the big budget movies you're used to seeing if you only watch modern things.
Movie thing you wish you could take home
Normally I would say it's difficult to want something from a horror film, but in this instance I'd quite like some of the immense luck that's going around. Michael and Laurie both have an amazing ability to survive life threatening situations. That's something I would definitely want.
I had always assumed that Halloween was going to be scary, and it was, sort of. It was scary in a very different way to modern horrors though. The reason I tend to ignore the genre is that the story lines don't make up for the amount of "jump out of your skin" moments they put in. Something can be scary without having to make you jump.
On the modern scale of films Halloween isn't very good on several levels. That being said though, it's still an excellent film and the fact that it's so simple and plays on the basic human feeling of unease is great.
It's good to see that the horror movie staples were at their peak in the 70s: not turning the lights on when searching a dark house; only stabbing your attacker once, even though you thought he was dead when you stabbed him once the first time... AND the second time; and my personal favourite... I've stabbed my attacker and he's down, he looks dead so I won't bother checking, instead I'll just turn my back and take a breather for a moment.
One things that I couldn't help doing while watching this film was laughing. Come on, it's funny. But it's only that way to me because I've seen so many films now that I know what's going to happen. The bad guy is always going to have vanished when you try and point him out to someone, there will always be a creaking window or door, and 4 times out of 5 there will be a body behind/inside whatever you open. I still got those chilling feelings while watching it but I was also drawn in by the fact I was sitting there willing things to happen that I knew were coming.
What should you do?
It's definitely a classic and well worth seeing. Just remember it isn't the big budget movies you're used to seeing if you only watch modern things.
Movie thing you wish you could take home
Normally I would say it's difficult to want something from a horror film, but in this instance I'd quite like some of the immense luck that's going around. Michael and Laurie both have an amazing ability to survive life threatening situations. That's something I would definitely want.
BackToTheMovies (56 KP) rated For Love or Money (2019) in Movies
Jul 2, 2019
Featuring a wonderful British cast including Samantha Barks, Robert Kazinsky, Tony Way and Anna Chancellor we have the utterly hilarious For Love Or Money.
Our film follows Mark, a man set to inherit ÂŁ20m on a secret business deal. Little does he know that Connie, a girl he was in love with for many years in high school also knows. A gold digger who hatches a plan to marry Mark to inherit half of his fortune. What Connie doesnât know however is that quite early on Mark realises what is going on and puts a plan into action.
Labelled as an unromantic comedy this couldnât ring truer. We have this gold digger hellbent on getting Markâs fortune. On the flip side, we have Mark who is putting Connie through hell as punishment for her awful actions. The movie never takes itself too seriously and itâs hilarious watching Mark prank Connie at every turn. Every single member of this cast is on point throughout. The plot smoothly flows by with British cheeky charm and whilst sometimes pushes boundaries, it never gets too carried away.
Whilst the whole film does revolve around the pranks and the revenge plot there is another arc. A more subtle and emotional arc that takes place as the film draws to an end. Not the best film to watch for me personally, freshly out of a recent relationship but the film hits home in the more sensitive departments. How far someone would go for money Vs how far someone would go for love. This constant battle between the two contrasting beliefs is endearing to watch.
I can see For Love Or Money being a surprise comedy instalment for 2019. Itâs sneaking under the radar. Itâs shot beautifully and has a charm that has been rarely replicated in British comedies for many years. One minute youâre laughing, the next youâre welling up. Itâs a rollercoaster ride thatâs well worth the watch!
Our film follows Mark, a man set to inherit ÂŁ20m on a secret business deal. Little does he know that Connie, a girl he was in love with for many years in high school also knows. A gold digger who hatches a plan to marry Mark to inherit half of his fortune. What Connie doesnât know however is that quite early on Mark realises what is going on and puts a plan into action.
Labelled as an unromantic comedy this couldnât ring truer. We have this gold digger hellbent on getting Markâs fortune. On the flip side, we have Mark who is putting Connie through hell as punishment for her awful actions. The movie never takes itself too seriously and itâs hilarious watching Mark prank Connie at every turn. Every single member of this cast is on point throughout. The plot smoothly flows by with British cheeky charm and whilst sometimes pushes boundaries, it never gets too carried away.
Whilst the whole film does revolve around the pranks and the revenge plot there is another arc. A more subtle and emotional arc that takes place as the film draws to an end. Not the best film to watch for me personally, freshly out of a recent relationship but the film hits home in the more sensitive departments. How far someone would go for money Vs how far someone would go for love. This constant battle between the two contrasting beliefs is endearing to watch.
I can see For Love Or Money being a surprise comedy instalment for 2019. Itâs sneaking under the radar. Itâs shot beautifully and has a charm that has been rarely replicated in British comedies for many years. One minute youâre laughing, the next youâre welling up. Itâs a rollercoaster ride thatâs well worth the watch!
LeftSideCut (3776 KP) rated Curse of Chucky (2013) in Movies
Dec 6, 2019
A horror franchise this many movies in should be on its arse at this point, but the Child's Play series still manages to be entertaining with it's sixth entry.
After the silliness if Bride and Seed, Curse of Chucky steps back in to horror territory a bit more.
The majority of the film takes place in a creepy old house, as Chucky stalks an entirely new set of victims.
The characters this time around aren't hugely likable, except for Nica (played by Fiona Dourif, Brad Dourif's daughter). Not only is she likable and realistic final girl type, but she pretty badass as well. She is also wheelchair bound, which is a refreshing direction to take in this kind of film, and her disability adds a whole new dynamic to the Chucky series and just makes her more badass.
The plot itself is straightforward slasher material, but the last 20 minutes or so, really hammer home the movies connections to the original film, and the rest of the series. The ret con of Charles Lee Ray's origins and work a treat, and learning about more about him is an unexpected highlight.
The Chucky doll this time around looks weird. Really unsettling actually. There's a semi twist halfway through that actually has something to do with the way Chucky looks, and he's still pretty horrible looking.
The effects are mostly passable - there's a kill quite early on involving a car, that boasts some genuinely impressive practical effects, but it does mean towards CGI after that. Not always a bad thing mind, but there's one shit in particular of Chucky walking down a staircase... It's could have been so so good, but the obvious CGI is horrible...bleughh.
Other than that though, Don Mancini throws some decent camera work at us (the title card is an early highlight) and he successfully makes Curse of Chucky into a decent little horror movie.
After the silliness if Bride and Seed, Curse of Chucky steps back in to horror territory a bit more.
The majority of the film takes place in a creepy old house, as Chucky stalks an entirely new set of victims.
The characters this time around aren't hugely likable, except for Nica (played by Fiona Dourif, Brad Dourif's daughter). Not only is she likable and realistic final girl type, but she pretty badass as well. She is also wheelchair bound, which is a refreshing direction to take in this kind of film, and her disability adds a whole new dynamic to the Chucky series and just makes her more badass.
The plot itself is straightforward slasher material, but the last 20 minutes or so, really hammer home the movies connections to the original film, and the rest of the series. The ret con of Charles Lee Ray's origins and work a treat, and learning about more about him is an unexpected highlight.
The Chucky doll this time around looks weird. Really unsettling actually. There's a semi twist halfway through that actually has something to do with the way Chucky looks, and he's still pretty horrible looking.
The effects are mostly passable - there's a kill quite early on involving a car, that boasts some genuinely impressive practical effects, but it does mean towards CGI after that. Not always a bad thing mind, but there's one shit in particular of Chucky walking down a staircase... It's could have been so so good, but the obvious CGI is horrible...bleughh.
Other than that though, Don Mancini throws some decent camera work at us (the title card is an early highlight) and he successfully makes Curse of Chucky into a decent little horror movie.
Kelly Knows (95 KP) rated The House of Doors in Books
Jun 28, 2019
Worlds of Horror
Wow, what a fantastic book. I am still surprised this story has not been optioned for a movie adaptation. House of Doors is a unique tale with a simple concept, the age old question of man meets aliens and how that first contact would go down. What if we were tested? Brutally? Would we measure up? This book answers those questions and more in terrifying fashion. Brian Lumley spins a rich tale of daring and adventure, with a new even more terrifying world behind each door the characters open. The illustrative text will illuminate wondrous monsters in your mind and fill your head to the brim with images of strange worlds twisted by alien machinery, born of the desires and fears within us all. The alien species in this story is unlike anything you've seen before. The characters are witty and engaging. Even the ones you hate are written so well you can't help but question your instinct to despise them. My personal favorite aspects of this book are the world designs. No spoilers, you'll just have to find out what I mean, but it is seriously awesome. Also bringing a lot to this fast paced thrill ride is the main character, Spencer Gill. A wry, clever man with more to him than meets the eye, Spencer Gill reminds me of the Indiana Jones/Jack Ryan, kind of heroes I grew up admiring. All of the characters involved have their moments to shine, whether it be a bright light or a darker moment. Even the sinister alien Thone get a role in the narrative in an unlikely writing style that pays off the investment, with interest. This is the kind of book that gets you into reading books, and if you like it, there is a pretty good sequel as well. Sci-fi and horror clash spectacularly as humanity finds out if they measure up, and the terrible consequences that will occur if they don't.
LeftSideCut (3776 KP) rated A Beautiful Day in the Neighborhood (2019) in Movies
Aug 28, 2020 (Updated Aug 28, 2020)
A Beautiful Day in the Neighborhood is genuinely wonderful.
Like any good drama, it if course has its somber moments, but the overall atmosphere is so heart warming, it honestly feels like a lovely hug, but one of those lovely hugs that makes you cry because life is hard sometimes.
Growing up in the UK, I never watched Mr Rogers, but was always aware of him, and just how much he meant to a massive number of people. This film is less a biopic, and concentrates firmly one one point of Fred Rogers life, namely when he met Tom Junod (presented here as fictional character Lloyd Vogel), a journalist writing for Esquire and profiling Mr Rogers for a piece on American Heroes.
Lloyd is a cynical person, who doesn't hold much love for his fellow man. This begins to change as he spends more time with Fred, a man who truly sees the good in everyone.
At the same time, Lloyd's estranged father is trying to reconnect with him, forcing him to relive past trauma as he struggles to forgive.
It's all very emotionally charged, but wrapped up neatly in Oscar-baiting packaging.
Tom Hanks as Mr Rogers, and Matthew Rhys as Lloyd are nothing short of excellent. Their chemistry is thoroughly believable. Tom Hanks is at the top of his game here, just as much as he has ever been.
The supporting cast are great as well, especially Susan Kelechi Watson and Chris Cooper.
ABDITN also looks fantastic. The contrast of real life drama to dream like sequences within Mr Rogers' show is an inspired choice by director Marielle Heller, and the use of model cars and cities as segues is effective.
The original score by her brother Nate Heller is just downright pleasant.
Overall, A Beautiful Day in the Neighborhood is a decent drama about the importance of family, and what it means to love others, whilst remaining a well written love letter to Feed Rogers himself. It's just a really swell movie, definitely check it out.
Like any good drama, it if course has its somber moments, but the overall atmosphere is so heart warming, it honestly feels like a lovely hug, but one of those lovely hugs that makes you cry because life is hard sometimes.
Growing up in the UK, I never watched Mr Rogers, but was always aware of him, and just how much he meant to a massive number of people. This film is less a biopic, and concentrates firmly one one point of Fred Rogers life, namely when he met Tom Junod (presented here as fictional character Lloyd Vogel), a journalist writing for Esquire and profiling Mr Rogers for a piece on American Heroes.
Lloyd is a cynical person, who doesn't hold much love for his fellow man. This begins to change as he spends more time with Fred, a man who truly sees the good in everyone.
At the same time, Lloyd's estranged father is trying to reconnect with him, forcing him to relive past trauma as he struggles to forgive.
It's all very emotionally charged, but wrapped up neatly in Oscar-baiting packaging.
Tom Hanks as Mr Rogers, and Matthew Rhys as Lloyd are nothing short of excellent. Their chemistry is thoroughly believable. Tom Hanks is at the top of his game here, just as much as he has ever been.
The supporting cast are great as well, especially Susan Kelechi Watson and Chris Cooper.
ABDITN also looks fantastic. The contrast of real life drama to dream like sequences within Mr Rogers' show is an inspired choice by director Marielle Heller, and the use of model cars and cities as segues is effective.
The original score by her brother Nate Heller is just downright pleasant.
Overall, A Beautiful Day in the Neighborhood is a decent drama about the importance of family, and what it means to love others, whilst remaining a well written love letter to Feed Rogers himself. It's just a really swell movie, definitely check it out.
Bob Mann (459 KP) rated The Upside (2019) in Movies
Sep 28, 2021
Not the 5* French classic, but a fun and moving movie nonetheless.
So, the movie-going audience for this film will divide into two categories:
Category A: those that have seen the original 2011 French classic âThe Intouchablesâ that this is based on, and;
Category B: those that havenât.
2011 is just before I started âOne Mannâs Moviesâ, but âThe Intouchablesâ would have got 5* from me, no problem.
This movie joins a list of standout European movies â for example, âThe Girl with the Dragon Tattooâ; âLet The Right One Inâ; âSleepless Nightâ; etc. â that have had Hollywood âmakeoversâ that donât match up to the originals. And this is no exception. However, itâs still been well made and deserves respect as a standalone piece of movie-making.
The Plot
Based on a true story, Phillip Lacasse (Bryan Cranston) is left both paraplegic and widowed by a string of bad luck. Not that money can buy you everything, but his care arrangements are substantially helped by him being a multi-millionaire (âNot rich enough to buy The Yankees; Rich enough to buy The Metsâ). This is from success in investments and writing about such investments.
Depressed, cranky and with a âDNRâ that his diligent PA Yvonne (Nicole Kidman) seems unable to comply with, Phillip lashes out at anyone and everyone and so dispatches his carers with monotonous regularity. Dell Scott (Kevin Hart) is on parole, with the requirement to seek work. Due to a mix-up, he finds himself in the employ of Phillip: with the suspicion that heâs been hired because he is the very worst candidate imaginable, and thus the most likely to let Phillip shuffle off this mortal coil. But the two menâs antipathy to each other slowly thaws as they teach each other new tricks.
Pin left in the grenade
Those who have seen âThe Intouchablesâ will fondly remember the first 5 minutes of that film: a flash-forward to a manic police car-chase featuring our protagonists (there played by François Cluzet and Omar Sy). It drops like a comedy hand-grenade to open the film. Unfortunately, you canât help but feel a bit let down by the same re-creation in âThe Upsideâ. It has all the same content but none of the heart.
After that rocky start, the film continues to rather stutter along. Part of the reason for this I think is Kevin Hart. Itâs not that heâs particularly bad in the role: itâs just that he IS Kevin Hart, and I was constantly thinking âthereâs that comedian playing that roleâ.
However, once the story gets into its swing, giving Cranston more of a chance to shine (which he does), then the film started to motor and my reservations about Hart started to wane. Some of these story set pieces â such as the one about the art work â are punch-the-air funny in their own right. Cranstonâs timing in delivering his punchlines is immaculate.
This IS what actors do
There seems to have been some furore about the casting of Bryan Cranston as the role of the disabled millionaire instead of a disabled actor. Lord save us! Heâs an actor! Thatâs what actors do for a living: pretend to be people theyâre not! Itâs also worth pointing out that François Cluzet was an able-bodied actor as well.
As already mentioned, Bryan Cranston excels in the role. Phillip goes through such a wide range of emotions from despair to pure joy and back again that you canât help but be impressed by the performance.
On the female side of the cast, itâs really nice to see Nicole Kidman in such a quiet and understated role and itâs nicely done; Aja Naomi King does a nice job as Dellâs protective ex-girlfriend Latrice; and thereâs a nice female cameo as well, which I wonât spoil since I wasnât expecting to see her in the film.
Final Thoughts
As a standalone film it has some laugh-out-loud moments, some feelgood highs and some moments of real pathos. The audience I saw this with was small, but there was still a buzz in the room and sporadic applause as the end titles came up: God only knows thatâs unusual for a film!
The director is âLimitlessâ and âDivergentâ director Neil Burger, and itâs a perfectly fun and innocent night out at the flicks that I commend to the house in this month of celluloid awards heavyweights.
Category A: those that have seen the original 2011 French classic âThe Intouchablesâ that this is based on, and;
Category B: those that havenât.
2011 is just before I started âOne Mannâs Moviesâ, but âThe Intouchablesâ would have got 5* from me, no problem.
This movie joins a list of standout European movies â for example, âThe Girl with the Dragon Tattooâ; âLet The Right One Inâ; âSleepless Nightâ; etc. â that have had Hollywood âmakeoversâ that donât match up to the originals. And this is no exception. However, itâs still been well made and deserves respect as a standalone piece of movie-making.
The Plot
Based on a true story, Phillip Lacasse (Bryan Cranston) is left both paraplegic and widowed by a string of bad luck. Not that money can buy you everything, but his care arrangements are substantially helped by him being a multi-millionaire (âNot rich enough to buy The Yankees; Rich enough to buy The Metsâ). This is from success in investments and writing about such investments.
Depressed, cranky and with a âDNRâ that his diligent PA Yvonne (Nicole Kidman) seems unable to comply with, Phillip lashes out at anyone and everyone and so dispatches his carers with monotonous regularity. Dell Scott (Kevin Hart) is on parole, with the requirement to seek work. Due to a mix-up, he finds himself in the employ of Phillip: with the suspicion that heâs been hired because he is the very worst candidate imaginable, and thus the most likely to let Phillip shuffle off this mortal coil. But the two menâs antipathy to each other slowly thaws as they teach each other new tricks.
Pin left in the grenade
Those who have seen âThe Intouchablesâ will fondly remember the first 5 minutes of that film: a flash-forward to a manic police car-chase featuring our protagonists (there played by François Cluzet and Omar Sy). It drops like a comedy hand-grenade to open the film. Unfortunately, you canât help but feel a bit let down by the same re-creation in âThe Upsideâ. It has all the same content but none of the heart.
After that rocky start, the film continues to rather stutter along. Part of the reason for this I think is Kevin Hart. Itâs not that heâs particularly bad in the role: itâs just that he IS Kevin Hart, and I was constantly thinking âthereâs that comedian playing that roleâ.
However, once the story gets into its swing, giving Cranston more of a chance to shine (which he does), then the film started to motor and my reservations about Hart started to wane. Some of these story set pieces â such as the one about the art work â are punch-the-air funny in their own right. Cranstonâs timing in delivering his punchlines is immaculate.
This IS what actors do
There seems to have been some furore about the casting of Bryan Cranston as the role of the disabled millionaire instead of a disabled actor. Lord save us! Heâs an actor! Thatâs what actors do for a living: pretend to be people theyâre not! Itâs also worth pointing out that François Cluzet was an able-bodied actor as well.
As already mentioned, Bryan Cranston excels in the role. Phillip goes through such a wide range of emotions from despair to pure joy and back again that you canât help but be impressed by the performance.
On the female side of the cast, itâs really nice to see Nicole Kidman in such a quiet and understated role and itâs nicely done; Aja Naomi King does a nice job as Dellâs protective ex-girlfriend Latrice; and thereâs a nice female cameo as well, which I wonât spoil since I wasnât expecting to see her in the film.
Final Thoughts
As a standalone film it has some laugh-out-loud moments, some feelgood highs and some moments of real pathos. The audience I saw this with was small, but there was still a buzz in the room and sporadic applause as the end titles came up: God only knows thatâs unusual for a film!
The director is âLimitlessâ and âDivergentâ director Neil Burger, and itâs a perfectly fun and innocent night out at the flicks that I commend to the house in this month of celluloid awards heavyweights.
Bob Mann (459 KP) rated Spielberg (2017) in Movies
Sep 29, 2021
On making Drew Barrymore cry.
âSpielbergâ is an HBO-produced documentary by documentarian Susan Lacy. Youâll never guess who the subject is?!
Steven Spielberg is a product of one of the most surprising revolutions in Hollywood in the late 70âs: one of a set of wunderkind directors alongside such luminaries as George Lucas, Francis Ford Coppola, John Milius, Brian De Palma and Martin Scorcese. These men (only men, it should be noted!) were ready to cock a snook at Hollywoodâs traditional studio system to break rules (case in point, Star Warsâ lack of opening credits) and move cinema into the format that would last to this day.
As this excellent documentary makes clear, Spielberg was one of the least rebellious of the movie-brats. Even though (astoundingly) he blagged himself a production office at Universal (after hiding during the Tram Tour toilet stop!), his path to the top was through hard graft on multiple Universal TV shows, after recognition of his talents by Universal exec Sidney Sheinberg who speaks in the film.
Before we get to that stage of his life, we cover his childhood back-story as a reluctant Jew living in a non-Jewish neighbourhood, driven to fill his time with tormenting his sisters and movie-making with a Super 8 camera. Scenes of home videos, photos and his early attempts at special effects are all fascinating. The impact of his Bohemian mother Leah and workaholic father Arnold, and particularly the very surprising relationship breakdown that happened between them, go a long way to explain the constant return to âfather issuesâ in many of his films such as âE.T.â, âClose Encounters of the Third Kindâ, âHookâ and âIndiana Jones and the Last Crusadeâ.
The majority of the film though settles down into a roughly chronological review of the highlights of his movie career, with particular emphasis justly being placed on some of the key watershed moments in that career. Most of his films get at least a mention, but âJawsâ, âE.T.â, âSchindlerâs Listâ, âThe Color Purpleâ, âJurassic Parkâ, âMunichâ and âEmpire of the Sunâ get more focus. It is such a wonderful trip down my cinematic memory lane. I also forget just what cinematic majesty and craftsmanship is present in these films: I just hope that at some point this will get a Blu-Ray or DVD release so it can be properly appreciated (rather than viewing it on a tiny airplane screen which is how I watched this): the combination of film clips in here is breathtaking.
As might be expected for a documentary about the great director, there is plenty of âbehind the cameraâ footage on show, some of which is fascinating. Spielberg could always get the very best performances out of the youngsters on set, from Cary Guffey (âToys!!â) in âClose Encountersâ to a heartbreaking scene where he reduces the young Drew Barrymore to howls of emotion in âE.T.â. A master at work.
All of the movie scenes are accompanied by new interview footage from Spielberg himself, as well as warm platitudes from many of the luminaries he has worked with in the past. Directors involved include many of the the directors referenced above, as well as those modern directors influenced by him such as J.J. Abrams; his go-to cinematographers Vilmos Zsigmond and Janusz Kaminski; his âgo-toâ composer John Williams; and stars including his go-to âeverymanâ Richard Dreyfuss, Tom Cruise, Harrison Ford, Bob Balaban, Tom Hanks, Opray Winfrey, Leonardo DiCaprio, Christian Bale, Dustin Hoffman and James Brolin. Some of these comments are useful and insightful; some are just fairly meaningless sound bites that add nothing to the film. What all the comments are though is almost all uniformly positive.
And thatâs my only criticism of the film. Like me, Susan Lacy is clearly a big fan. It is probably quite hard to find anyone who isnâtâŚ. but perhaps Ms Lacy should have tried a bit harder! There is only limited focus on his big comedy flop of 1979, â1941â, and no mention at all of his lowest WW grossing film âAlwaysâ. And there are only a few contributors â notably film critic Janet Maslin â who are willing to stick their head above the parapet and prod into Spielbergâs weaknesses; ostensibly his tendency to veer to the sentimental and away from harder issues: the omitted âColor Purpleâ âmirror sceneâ being a case in point.
This is a recommended watch for Spielberg fans. On the eve of the launch of his latest â âReady Player Oneâ, a film that I am personally dubious about from the trailer â itâs a great insight into the life and works of the great man. It could though have cut a slightly harder and more critical edge.
Steven Spielberg is a product of one of the most surprising revolutions in Hollywood in the late 70âs: one of a set of wunderkind directors alongside such luminaries as George Lucas, Francis Ford Coppola, John Milius, Brian De Palma and Martin Scorcese. These men (only men, it should be noted!) were ready to cock a snook at Hollywoodâs traditional studio system to break rules (case in point, Star Warsâ lack of opening credits) and move cinema into the format that would last to this day.
As this excellent documentary makes clear, Spielberg was one of the least rebellious of the movie-brats. Even though (astoundingly) he blagged himself a production office at Universal (after hiding during the Tram Tour toilet stop!), his path to the top was through hard graft on multiple Universal TV shows, after recognition of his talents by Universal exec Sidney Sheinberg who speaks in the film.
Before we get to that stage of his life, we cover his childhood back-story as a reluctant Jew living in a non-Jewish neighbourhood, driven to fill his time with tormenting his sisters and movie-making with a Super 8 camera. Scenes of home videos, photos and his early attempts at special effects are all fascinating. The impact of his Bohemian mother Leah and workaholic father Arnold, and particularly the very surprising relationship breakdown that happened between them, go a long way to explain the constant return to âfather issuesâ in many of his films such as âE.T.â, âClose Encounters of the Third Kindâ, âHookâ and âIndiana Jones and the Last Crusadeâ.
The majority of the film though settles down into a roughly chronological review of the highlights of his movie career, with particular emphasis justly being placed on some of the key watershed moments in that career. Most of his films get at least a mention, but âJawsâ, âE.T.â, âSchindlerâs Listâ, âThe Color Purpleâ, âJurassic Parkâ, âMunichâ and âEmpire of the Sunâ get more focus. It is such a wonderful trip down my cinematic memory lane. I also forget just what cinematic majesty and craftsmanship is present in these films: I just hope that at some point this will get a Blu-Ray or DVD release so it can be properly appreciated (rather than viewing it on a tiny airplane screen which is how I watched this): the combination of film clips in here is breathtaking.
As might be expected for a documentary about the great director, there is plenty of âbehind the cameraâ footage on show, some of which is fascinating. Spielberg could always get the very best performances out of the youngsters on set, from Cary Guffey (âToys!!â) in âClose Encountersâ to a heartbreaking scene where he reduces the young Drew Barrymore to howls of emotion in âE.T.â. A master at work.
All of the movie scenes are accompanied by new interview footage from Spielberg himself, as well as warm platitudes from many of the luminaries he has worked with in the past. Directors involved include many of the the directors referenced above, as well as those modern directors influenced by him such as J.J. Abrams; his go-to cinematographers Vilmos Zsigmond and Janusz Kaminski; his âgo-toâ composer John Williams; and stars including his go-to âeverymanâ Richard Dreyfuss, Tom Cruise, Harrison Ford, Bob Balaban, Tom Hanks, Opray Winfrey, Leonardo DiCaprio, Christian Bale, Dustin Hoffman and James Brolin. Some of these comments are useful and insightful; some are just fairly meaningless sound bites that add nothing to the film. What all the comments are though is almost all uniformly positive.
And thatâs my only criticism of the film. Like me, Susan Lacy is clearly a big fan. It is probably quite hard to find anyone who isnâtâŚ. but perhaps Ms Lacy should have tried a bit harder! There is only limited focus on his big comedy flop of 1979, â1941â, and no mention at all of his lowest WW grossing film âAlwaysâ. And there are only a few contributors â notably film critic Janet Maslin â who are willing to stick their head above the parapet and prod into Spielbergâs weaknesses; ostensibly his tendency to veer to the sentimental and away from harder issues: the omitted âColor Purpleâ âmirror sceneâ being a case in point.
This is a recommended watch for Spielberg fans. On the eve of the launch of his latest â âReady Player Oneâ, a film that I am personally dubious about from the trailer â itâs a great insight into the life and works of the great man. It could though have cut a slightly harder and more critical edge.
LeftSideCut (3776 KP) rated The Cabin in the Woods (2012) in Movies
Dec 29, 2019 (Updated Jan 22, 2020)
I absolutely love The Cabin in the Woods. It's masquerades as a straight up horror flick but with a ridiculous curve ball thrown in(no spoilers here, but seriously, watch it already!), that manages to subvert everything you would expect from a standard slasher type horror.
The cast are all great - Kristen Connolly, Chris Hemsworth, Anna Hutchison, Fran Kranz, and Jesse Williams - all play typically heightened stereotypes of the kind of run of the mill teenage cannon fodder you usually find within the genre, and with the film's tongue firmly in cheek, it hard to not like any of them.
Then you also have Richard Jenkins and Bradley Whitford providing the majority of the comic relief, and the two of them together are pretty funny, and seem to be having a ball filming.
The narrative of The Cabin in the Woods is the secret ingredient here though. It's fun, it's different, and when the aforementioned twist arrives, it shifts heard pretty quickly, providing one if the most absurd and memorable final acts I've seen in a horror movie.
The gore and violence on display is truly astonishing, and it's nice to see that the effects teams on board used a lot of practical effects to achieve a lot of this, with digital effects used only when necessary. The costume designs for a certain aspect of the film are fantastic as well (still trying to avoid spoilers).
I can't for the life of me see why anyone who likes horror wouldn't get a kick out of The Cabin in the Woods. It tries to do something different, and in my opinion pulls it off with flying bloody colours, and is easily one of my favourite horrors out there.
The cast are all great - Kristen Connolly, Chris Hemsworth, Anna Hutchison, Fran Kranz, and Jesse Williams - all play typically heightened stereotypes of the kind of run of the mill teenage cannon fodder you usually find within the genre, and with the film's tongue firmly in cheek, it hard to not like any of them.
Then you also have Richard Jenkins and Bradley Whitford providing the majority of the comic relief, and the two of them together are pretty funny, and seem to be having a ball filming.
The narrative of The Cabin in the Woods is the secret ingredient here though. It's fun, it's different, and when the aforementioned twist arrives, it shifts heard pretty quickly, providing one if the most absurd and memorable final acts I've seen in a horror movie.
The gore and violence on display is truly astonishing, and it's nice to see that the effects teams on board used a lot of practical effects to achieve a lot of this, with digital effects used only when necessary. The costume designs for a certain aspect of the film are fantastic as well (still trying to avoid spoilers).
I can't for the life of me see why anyone who likes horror wouldn't get a kick out of The Cabin in the Woods. It tries to do something different, and in my opinion pulls it off with flying bloody colours, and is easily one of my favourite horrors out there.
Martin Scorsese recommended 8 1/2 (1963) in Movies (curated)
LeftSideCut (3776 KP) rated The Hunt (2020) in Movies
Oct 13, 2020
In short, The Hunt is an action heavy, Battle Royale inspired semi-horror that attempts to satire political leanings, conspiracy theorists, keyboard warriors, and the rich elite.
The main issue I had was that all of the satire is very on the nose, possibly a purposeful choice? Either way, it gives the impression that The Hunt thinks it's cleverer than it actually is. This is constantly present within the unbalanced dialogue. Some of it is genuinely funny, some of it comes across as try hard, attempting to cram in as many messages as possible resulting in none of these commentaries being particularly clear cut.
Then again, it's not a film to be taken seriously and this could actually be a non-point - hard to tell!
It would be a an altogether worse movie if it wasn't for lead actress Betty Gilpin. Her character Crystal is the picture perfect no bullshit, badass final girl, and her performance elevates The Hunt as a whole.
I could be wrong, but it also seems like she did her own stunts, which is particularly badass considering the ridiculous fight scene near the films end. Same can be said for the always reliable Hilary Swank. Pretty sure the two of them were just going at it, and it's easily the films best scene.
The whole film is actually a more gory experience than I expected, and is pretty effective, even if a lot of it is obvious CGI.
The Hunt is a loud and obnoxious experience that is frequently muddied by it's own smugness, but the stand out performance from Gilpin, and some genuinely great set pieces ensure that it's an entertaining action-horror that's worth a watch.
The main issue I had was that all of the satire is very on the nose, possibly a purposeful choice? Either way, it gives the impression that The Hunt thinks it's cleverer than it actually is. This is constantly present within the unbalanced dialogue. Some of it is genuinely funny, some of it comes across as try hard, attempting to cram in as many messages as possible resulting in none of these commentaries being particularly clear cut.
Then again, it's not a film to be taken seriously and this could actually be a non-point - hard to tell!
It would be a an altogether worse movie if it wasn't for lead actress Betty Gilpin. Her character Crystal is the picture perfect no bullshit, badass final girl, and her performance elevates The Hunt as a whole.
I could be wrong, but it also seems like she did her own stunts, which is particularly badass considering the ridiculous fight scene near the films end. Same can be said for the always reliable Hilary Swank. Pretty sure the two of them were just going at it, and it's easily the films best scene.
The whole film is actually a more gory experience than I expected, and is pretty effective, even if a lot of it is obvious CGI.
The Hunt is a loud and obnoxious experience that is frequently muddied by it's own smugness, but the stand out performance from Gilpin, and some genuinely great set pieces ensure that it's an entertaining action-horror that's worth a watch.
Lee (2222 KP) Sep 25, 2019