Introduction
This was going to be the first double-week entry in a fair while, the main reason being that I'm going away for the best part of a week very shortly, probably without internet to post an entry. But then I watched a fair few films at the start of this week and decided to just do an earlier entry instead! So this may be called Week 34, but it's actually Week 34 Days 1-4, and the next entry will just silently include Week 34 Days 5-7 (if I even watch anything then). I'm sure no one will mind but me!
If I do get the net working during my away-time, you may be lucky enough to see the first stand-alone editorial here. I've been musing on the IMDb Top 250 and may put some of those thoughts down...
Week Thirty-Four
Several over-long reviews this week -- I appear to be losing my self control on that front. They'll have multiple paragraphs before long, you mark my words!
Something I've also just noticed is that across five reviews I've used four different scores. Considering I've so far this year only seen one film deserving of the lowest score, that's quite a spread. Just a shame the scores nicely rise only to fall right back at the end, eh.
91) Neon Genesis Evangelion: Death & Rebirth (1997, Hideaki Anno, Masayuki & Tsurumaki Kazuya, DVD) 2/5
The genesis of this film is a long story (at least, longer than I'd like for this review!) The anime series Neon Genesis Evangelion ends with bizarre theme-centric episodes that fail to conclude the story; a film was produced to re-tell the end from a story-centric position and/or to provide an alternate ending (depending who you believe). This is not that film, but something that was released a bit before that. The first 69 minutes (titled Death) are an intriguing reorganisation/summary of the series in a somewhat impressionistic way, including a few new scenes. It's either quite clever or just a jumble. The final 27 minutes (titled Rebirth) are an all new continuation of the story. There are answers, revelations, some great sequences, and a great cliffhanger! Unfortunately this is also the start of the concluding film, which ultimately renders this as just one thing: a fan-only curio. Its main value, in my opinion, is the neat cliffhanger, which makes for a tantalising ending (instead of the first act plot point it must be in the next film). If you're curious about Evangelion and think a filmic summary sounds a good idea, don't watch! Get hold of the series, it's worth the time. (I'll undoubtedly share my thoughts on the conclusion, The End of Evangelion, as soon as Play.com get it back in stock!)
92) The Cat's Meow (2001, Peter Bogdanovich, DVD) 3/5
Possibly-true 'murder mystery' set in 1920s Hollywood. As with the similar Gosford Park, the point lies less in plot and more in characterisation -- there are some good performances, especially from Eddie Izzard, Joanna Lumley and Edward Herrmann, though Kirsten Dunst seems a bit flat in comparison. The era's style suits her though, and the whole period is beautifully evoked; for my money the prettiest scenes are the black & white bookends. Sadly the similarity to Gosford Park is the film's main shortcoming: once realised, it's clear that Cat's Meow doesn't have the same subtle complexity in its story or performances. In its own right, though, there's much to like.
93) Letters From Iwo Jima (2006, Clint Eastwood, DVD) 4/5
Companion to Flags of Our Fathers (widely considered the better of the two), showing the same battle from the Japanese perspective. Letters focuses on the human angle, getting to know the characters as they prepare for battle (the Americans don't arrive for almost an hour) and through flashbacks. The action sequences and cinematography owe a lot to Saving Private Ryan -- desaturation is becoming a war film cliche; that said, it works here, fitting the bland sandy environment and emphasising bursts of colour from blood and flames. The film aims to humanise 'The Enemy' but only succeeds in showing that there were some good people in a society of old-fashioned ideas; the obsession with pointless suicide over genuine use of men may be true, but still seems savage and unpractical (probably more a flaw of the real military attitude than of the film, then). No character who follows this is a good guy; likable ones survive or are Westernised. The Americans we see are a mix too (one shoots captured soldiers for no reason, for example), but this feels like a hollow attempt to depict the filmmakers' countrymen equally rather than genuinely aiding the concept of the Japanese as good guys. A mixed film then, the value of which lies not in presenting a view of war, humanity or Japanese culture, but in providing a view (or, indeed, half a view) of this one particular battle. (I'll undoubtedly share my thoughts on the first half of this pair when LoveFilm decide to send it to me.)
93a) Gone With the Wind (1939, Victor Fleming, DVD) 5/5
I thought I'd seen Gone With the Wind but, watching it again, it's clear I hadn't properly. This is partly because I first saw it on TV, in two halves, a week apart, each starting at 1AM. I just about managed to follow the story, in between drifting off for whole chunks. Another reason is the quality of the restored print on the DVD: it looks stunning, every frame is beautiful; it's a shame no films look like this today. The performances are uniformly excellent, especially (of course) Vivien Leigh and Clark Gable; though special mention must be made of the fantastic Oscar-winning Hattie McDaniel as Mammy (the first African American to be nominated for and win an Oscar, and deservedly so). The direction is brilliant, displaying styles you think weren't invented for another 20 years; all of the design work is gorgeous; and the story is epic and expertly told, moving across genres (romance, war, melodrama, comedy) with ease. It's easy to see why this is the most popular film ever made. First time round I just thought it was very good; now it's firmly one of my favourites.
94) The Black Dahlia (2006, Brian De Palma, DVD) 2/5
Noir-wannabe, adapted from the James Ellroy novel based on a real, unsolved case. That case is far from the focus here; from the start the apparently-central crime is anything but, meaning the biggest let-down is that events barely follows the eponymous story. It's one of many problems in a film that tries hard to be a proper noir but fails in almost every respect: performances (most of which wind up flat), corny dialogue, plot, pretty-but-vacant direction, and even voice-over narration. I haven't read the novel, but apparently it's a poor adaptation too. What you want is a '40s-style thriller; what you get is a weak '40s-set character drama.
Thursday, 23 August 2007
Monday, 20 August 2007
Week 33
Introduction
As of this week, the blog is genuinely in sync with the entries on deviantART. I will switch to individual film entries here at some point, as mentioned in the introduction, but for the time being I'm going to stick with these compendiums. I expect I'll either switch at the start of year two, or with film number 101. Which, as you shall soon see, may not be so far off...
Week Thirty-Three
The biggest news this week: I've passed 90! 90! Only ten films to go til I hit the final aim -- I think I can manage that in 19 weeks, to be honest. Anything after that... it's all a bonus, and something to aim to beat next year!
Anyway, on to the business of the films themselves. The first one up this week is an odd'un, but I've gone ahead and justified that in the review itself. Elsewhere it's the usual mixed bag of filmic delight and despair. How I've fit it in whilst also watching nearly all of Neon Genesis Evangelion I do not know.
83) The Sign of Four (1983, Ian Mackenzie & Alex Nicholas, DVD) 3/5
A slightly unusual one to review, this -- it's a 49-minute animated Sherlock Holmes adaptation from the '80s, one of four in this particular series. But, as best I can tell from IMDb, it's not specifically TV-based, and it does feature the voice of Peter O'Toole. Vocally he makes for a good Holmes, though the character design could be a little better. I can't recall the original story well enough to comment on this as an adaptation, but it's a decent mystery that's well explained. The animation is not bad; certainly no worse than most kids' TV animation from the '80s and '90s, and better than the flat Flash-animated stuff of today. A solid production.
84) Alfie (1965, Lewis Gilbert, DVD) 4/5
Michael Caine stars as the eponymous London lothario in this '60s sex-based comedy/drama, which helped bring about a change in British abortion law thanks to its chilling final act. If you're only familiar with the Jude Law-starring remake, most of the original might come as a shock to you -- whereas the 2004 version was pretty light and amusing, this is actually a more serious affair. There is humour, but it's tinged with a sad awareness of how deluded and misogynistic Alfie is; horribly so now, but bad even for his time. This one may be more complex and worthy but, sacrilegious as it may be, I'd rather watch the remake.
85) Thunderbirds (2004, Jonathan Frakes, TV) 2/5
No doubt you've heard only bad things about this re-imagining of Gerry Anderson's '60s puppet extravaganza (apart from that esteemed publication The Funday Times proclaiming "You'll love this!" on the DVD cover). Certainly there's much for fans to hate -- dull teen angst, tired moral messages, low budget CGI, an iffy storyline and a truly horrendous re-mix/ruining of the theme music. But, believe it or not, it's not all bad: the redesigns of the Thunderbirds and Tracy Island are modern but faithful, the scenes where they're doing some proper rescuing aren't bad, the characters are as annoyingly FAB-perfect as they actually are on TV (apart from Alan's angst of course), and Lady Penelope and Parker are near spot-on too (except when they go all Buffy). The interpretation of the Hood may be weak (even more so thanks to his pathetic henchmen) but his plan's not bad. There are even times when the whole thing feels like it's adapted from an original episode... albeit a relatively poor one. If you loved the series you'll never like this; heck, unless you're under 10 you'll probably never like this (and that's being generous). Maybe, someday, there'll be a decent new version of Thunderbirds. Sadly, this has probably hindered any attempts at that. Shame.
86) An Inconvenient Truth (2006, Davis Guggenheim, DVD) 4/5
Famous/infamous documentary centred on Al Gore's presentation about global warming. Many were surprised by the numerous high-scoring reviews this film received, considering it's a bloke talking in front of some pictures for an hour and a half. Watching it, though, it's easy to see why. For one thing there's more to it than that -- the show (made on Apple's Keynote, not PowerPoint as many reviews incorrectly state) is full of clear diagrams and video footage. Gore is a captivating speaker, explaining the issues in understandable terms without being patronising, and with humour when appropriate. The little interruptions following Gore on his 'campaign trail' are a mixture of illuminating and pointless, but ultimately don't detract from the point.
87) Point Break (1991, Kathryn Bigelow, DVD) 3/5
Jock-tastic '80s-style surfing-based crime thriller. If you've seen Hot Fuzz you'll know of this -- it's the one where Keanu Reeves lies on his back and empties his gun into the air while screaming "nooo!" The first half hour is pretty dull, unless you like surfing or American football, but it picks up to some pretty decent action sequences in the middle (a foot chase through back gardens is especially worthy of note). It's nothing particularly remarkable, but if you can stomach the overlong sports sequences, the occasionally cliched plot and Keanu Reeve's' acting, there are a few good things to be had here.
88) Perfume: The Story of a Murderer (2006, Tom Tykwer, DVD) 4/5
Recent adaptation of Patrick Suskind's popular novel, often considered unfilmable because of its focus on the sense of smell. Tykwer covers for that with strong cinematography, with sumptuously rich visuals and a judicious use of close-ups to evoke beauty of disgust as appropriate (the early birth scene in a fish market is particularly rancid -- do not watch this right after eating!) Dustin Hoffman and Alan Rickman give typically brilliant supporting performances, and Ben Whishaw is fairly notable in the virtually mute lead role. John Hurt's narration is also excellent; he may well have the best narrative voice known to film. The ending is pretty bizarre, yet possibly very appropriate; certainly, it raises the whole story up to the level of legend.
89) Mrs Brown (1997, John Madden, TV) 4/5
Period drama focusing on the friendship between Queen Victoria and her Highland servant John Brown, alongside political threats faced by the British monarchy in the 1860s. There are undoubtedly some parallels to be drawn with recent Oscar-winner The Queen (British Queen retreats to Balmoral to escape the public eye amidst political events threatening the monarchy's future, etc), but the real treats here are the performances. Judi Dench is fantastic as ever as the Queen, a character more complex than the stereotypical "we are not amused" image; and comedian Billy Connolly is surprisingly effective in a rare serious role.
90) Wilde (1997, Brian Gilbert, TV) 4/5
Stephen Fry leads a starry British ensemble in this biopic of poet, novelist, playwright and genius Oscar Wilde. The film focuses not on Wilde's literary achievements and public life, but on his private relationships with various men, and in particular his obsession with the young Lord 'Bosie'; of course, eventually, all of these things collide. Fry is perfectly cast as Wilde and Jude Law is suitably horrid as the spoilt, stroppy and thoroughly dislikable Bosie, whose selfishness brings about Wilde's downfall. Also worthy of note is the ever-excellent Michael Sheen in a smaller but vital role; he's a criminally under-acknowledged actor.
As of this week, the blog is genuinely in sync with the entries on deviantART. I will switch to individual film entries here at some point, as mentioned in the introduction, but for the time being I'm going to stick with these compendiums. I expect I'll either switch at the start of year two, or with film number 101. Which, as you shall soon see, may not be so far off...
Week Thirty-Three
The biggest news this week: I've passed 90! 90! Only ten films to go til I hit the final aim -- I think I can manage that in 19 weeks, to be honest. Anything after that... it's all a bonus, and something to aim to beat next year!
Anyway, on to the business of the films themselves. The first one up this week is an odd'un, but I've gone ahead and justified that in the review itself. Elsewhere it's the usual mixed bag of filmic delight and despair. How I've fit it in whilst also watching nearly all of Neon Genesis Evangelion I do not know.
83) The Sign of Four (1983, Ian Mackenzie & Alex Nicholas, DVD) 3/5
A slightly unusual one to review, this -- it's a 49-minute animated Sherlock Holmes adaptation from the '80s, one of four in this particular series. But, as best I can tell from IMDb, it's not specifically TV-based, and it does feature the voice of Peter O'Toole. Vocally he makes for a good Holmes, though the character design could be a little better. I can't recall the original story well enough to comment on this as an adaptation, but it's a decent mystery that's well explained. The animation is not bad; certainly no worse than most kids' TV animation from the '80s and '90s, and better than the flat Flash-animated stuff of today. A solid production.
84) Alfie (1965, Lewis Gilbert, DVD) 4/5
Michael Caine stars as the eponymous London lothario in this '60s sex-based comedy/drama, which helped bring about a change in British abortion law thanks to its chilling final act. If you're only familiar with the Jude Law-starring remake, most of the original might come as a shock to you -- whereas the 2004 version was pretty light and amusing, this is actually a more serious affair. There is humour, but it's tinged with a sad awareness of how deluded and misogynistic Alfie is; horribly so now, but bad even for his time. This one may be more complex and worthy but, sacrilegious as it may be, I'd rather watch the remake.
85) Thunderbirds (2004, Jonathan Frakes, TV) 2/5
No doubt you've heard only bad things about this re-imagining of Gerry Anderson's '60s puppet extravaganza (apart from that esteemed publication The Funday Times proclaiming "You'll love this!" on the DVD cover). Certainly there's much for fans to hate -- dull teen angst, tired moral messages, low budget CGI, an iffy storyline and a truly horrendous re-mix/ruining of the theme music. But, believe it or not, it's not all bad: the redesigns of the Thunderbirds and Tracy Island are modern but faithful, the scenes where they're doing some proper rescuing aren't bad, the characters are as annoyingly FAB-perfect as they actually are on TV (apart from Alan's angst of course), and Lady Penelope and Parker are near spot-on too (except when they go all Buffy). The interpretation of the Hood may be weak (even more so thanks to his pathetic henchmen) but his plan's not bad. There are even times when the whole thing feels like it's adapted from an original episode... albeit a relatively poor one. If you loved the series you'll never like this; heck, unless you're under 10 you'll probably never like this (and that's being generous). Maybe, someday, there'll be a decent new version of Thunderbirds. Sadly, this has probably hindered any attempts at that. Shame.
86) An Inconvenient Truth (2006, Davis Guggenheim, DVD) 4/5
Famous/infamous documentary centred on Al Gore's presentation about global warming. Many were surprised by the numerous high-scoring reviews this film received, considering it's a bloke talking in front of some pictures for an hour and a half. Watching it, though, it's easy to see why. For one thing there's more to it than that -- the show (made on Apple's Keynote, not PowerPoint as many reviews incorrectly state) is full of clear diagrams and video footage. Gore is a captivating speaker, explaining the issues in understandable terms without being patronising, and with humour when appropriate. The little interruptions following Gore on his 'campaign trail' are a mixture of illuminating and pointless, but ultimately don't detract from the point.
87) Point Break (1991, Kathryn Bigelow, DVD) 3/5
Jock-tastic '80s-style surfing-based crime thriller. If you've seen Hot Fuzz you'll know of this -- it's the one where Keanu Reeves lies on his back and empties his gun into the air while screaming "nooo!" The first half hour is pretty dull, unless you like surfing or American football, but it picks up to some pretty decent action sequences in the middle (a foot chase through back gardens is especially worthy of note). It's nothing particularly remarkable, but if you can stomach the overlong sports sequences, the occasionally cliched plot and Keanu Reeve's' acting, there are a few good things to be had here.
88) Perfume: The Story of a Murderer (2006, Tom Tykwer, DVD) 4/5
Recent adaptation of Patrick Suskind's popular novel, often considered unfilmable because of its focus on the sense of smell. Tykwer covers for that with strong cinematography, with sumptuously rich visuals and a judicious use of close-ups to evoke beauty of disgust as appropriate (the early birth scene in a fish market is particularly rancid -- do not watch this right after eating!) Dustin Hoffman and Alan Rickman give typically brilliant supporting performances, and Ben Whishaw is fairly notable in the virtually mute lead role. John Hurt's narration is also excellent; he may well have the best narrative voice known to film. The ending is pretty bizarre, yet possibly very appropriate; certainly, it raises the whole story up to the level of legend.
89) Mrs Brown (1997, John Madden, TV) 4/5
Period drama focusing on the friendship between Queen Victoria and her Highland servant John Brown, alongside political threats faced by the British monarchy in the 1860s. There are undoubtedly some parallels to be drawn with recent Oscar-winner The Queen (British Queen retreats to Balmoral to escape the public eye amidst political events threatening the monarchy's future, etc), but the real treats here are the performances. Judi Dench is fantastic as ever as the Queen, a character more complex than the stereotypical "we are not amused" image; and comedian Billy Connolly is surprisingly effective in a rare serious role.
90) Wilde (1997, Brian Gilbert, TV) 4/5
Stephen Fry leads a starry British ensemble in this biopic of poet, novelist, playwright and genius Oscar Wilde. The film focuses not on Wilde's literary achievements and public life, but on his private relationships with various men, and in particular his obsession with the young Lord 'Bosie'; of course, eventually, all of these things collide. Fry is perfectly cast as Wilde and Jude Law is suitably horrid as the spoilt, stroppy and thoroughly dislikable Bosie, whose selfishness brings about Wilde's downfall. Also worthy of note is the ever-excellent Michael Sheen in a smaller but vital role; he's a criminally under-acknowledged actor.
Wednesday, 15 August 2007
Special 1: Star Wars
Introduction
While my main quest this year has been to see 100 films I've never seen before by the end of 2007, I've obviously seen other films around this. One of these has been to watch all six Star Wars films in their narrative order, over a three-day weekend. This turned out to be the weekend just passed, from Friday 10th to Sunday 12th. This special entry documents my thoughts on the films when viewed back to back in such a way.
Star Wars
Of course, everyone knows that these films were made 'back to front', in that 4 to 6 were made from 1977 to 1983 and 1 to 3 were made from 1999 to 2005. One might argue that there are reasons for viewing a story in such an order (for example, Memento works because it's back to front), but the fact that the films are numbered so suggests they should be watched that way. I've tried to view them with this in mind -- not as two trilogies from 4 to 6 and 1 to 3, but as one continuous story across six films, 1 to 6. Hopefully my comments reflect this. To help bolster this illusion, I watched the first two on Friday, the next two on Saturday, and the final two on Sunday.
For the sake of clarification, the versions of 4 to 6 watched were the most recently remastered DVD releases, complete with all sorts of controversial changes. Details of them can be found on sites such as IMDb.
1) Episode 1: The Phantom Menace (1999, George Lucas, DVD) 2/5
Everything you remember about Episode 1 is still true: the plot is too mired in political machinations, the dialogue is truly dire, the acting frequently wooden, the direction flat and Jar Jar Binks is as annoying as ever. There are some good bits -- the pod race is exciting and the four-way climax works, especially the excellent lightsabre battle. A lot of the CGI holds up remarkably well, but equally a lot of it wouldn't pass muster for a computer game now. If you're a 10 year old it all might be fine: you've grown up with CGI everywhere, you won't notice the dialogue, most plots wash over you anyway, the action is cool, and you're the same age as Anakin so you might not find him as whingeingly irritating. The Star Wars series would never have taken off (probably at all, let alone to the degree it has) if this had been the first entry we all saw.
2) Episode 2: Attack of the Clones (2002, George Lucas, DVD) 3/5
10 years on from Episode 1 and Anakin's a fully fledged Jedi (almost), Padme's a senator and Obi-Wan has a beard. Episode 2 benefits from improved dialogue and performances. Unfortunately it's still far from ideal -- the overuse of CGI leaves much of it looking fake (this is, almost, an animated film with a few real actors in) and the first hour is blighted by a slow pace, too much plot, and the allegedly all-important love story in which Anakin and Padme fall in love because, well, the plot says they do. There's also a building sense of the connectedness of all the films... well, obviously, because the Clone Wars kick off here; but it also more subtly lays the groundwork for other plot and character developments. It's a film still filled with flaws, but it still feels a lot better than the previous one in spite of them.
3) Episode 3: Revenge of the Sith (2005, George Lucas, DVD) 3/5
The sextet reaches its darkest point: Anakin turns to the Dark Side and slaughters the Jedi younglings before burning in the fires of Mustafar. It's all very depressing. To the film's credit, it doesn't conclude; that's to say, as the last film to be released you might've expected Lucas to bring things to a definite conclusion, but instead it ends with a sense that there's more to come -- exactly how things should be at the halfway point! The rest of the film is a mixed bag. The opening and closing 25 minutes are action-filled excellence, all epic space battles and lightsabre duels; Obi-Wan vs. Anakin even manages to pack an emotional punch. But the Anakin-Padme love story still rings false, and the latter is wasted, sitting around in her apartments waiting for updates and then dying of Plot Implausibility. In trying to make Anakin a Complex and Divided character, Lucas instead makes him seem fickle and underwritten. The simpler, action/adventure-orientated characterisation of the later films is actually stronger and deeper. But I'm getting ahead of myself: Revenge of the Sith is undoubtedly a better film than the two that precede it, but we all really know the best is yet to come.
4) Episode 4: A New Hope (1977/2004, George Lucas, DVD) 4/5
Here it is: the big crossover; the moment of truth. How does it fair? Pretty well, actually. A long time has passed since the dark finale of Episode 3 and there's undoubtedly a lighter feel (despite the Empire being in control!) C-3PO and R2-D2 are onboard the ship from the end of Episode 3, a useful visual link as things almost start over -- it's Luke's story now, and, with a new actor as Obi-Wan, it's only the droids and Darth Vader who are recognisable from before. The events of the previous trilogy add weight to Guinness' performance, as well as to the mythology that gets thrown about. Obi-Wan's final duel may not be as visually stunning as the one on Mustafar, but there's added emotion now we've seen the character develop. Real sets, costumes and models largely look better than CGI, though there are a few dodgy effects that you'd think they'd've fixed. Sadly, the CGI added in 1997 doesn't seem to have been improved for the 2004 release, so things like Jabba look pretty dreadful; that said, it's presence helps smooth the link between the trilogies, as does the music, a couple of plots (Obi-Wan vs. Vader; the Death Star) and some ship designs. However, the biggest change is in tone: 1 to 3 present an epic fantasy story, full of wizard-like Jedi, intricate galactic politics and ancient prophecies; by contrast, A New Hope is straight-up action/adventure, far more concerned with gunfights, tricky situations, exciting dogfights and amusing banter than with whether the President has been granted too much executive power. It's all the better for it -- even without glossy CGI and choreographed lightsabre duels, this is by far the most fun film so far. If anyone's only seen the prequels they may be baffled why so many people love Star Wars. This is the answer.
5) Episode 5: The Empire Strikes Back (1980/2004, Irvin Kershner, DVD) 4/5
There are a variety of elements in the series' penultimate film that have a very different impact in light of what we've experienced in the first trilogy. The most obvious is the revelation that Vader is Luke's father: it's no longer a twist, of course, but the emotional impact on Luke still makes it an important moment. Yoda's line "There is another" is less mysterious, as is Luke's ability to telepathically alert Leia near the end. Thank God their kiss is only a brief moment of humour though! Speaking of Yoda, he seems to have gone a little loopy after several decades alone on Dagobah; the odd little green puppet is quite far removed from the wise old CGI sage we've seen before. His first mention (by an 'hallucination' of Obi-Wan) is also far less mysterious considering we know who Yoda is. The film finds itself lacking in the lightsabre duel department -- after the long, complex fights of the prequels the Luke/Vader duel looks decidedly weak; though, at the end of it, Vader exhibits characteristics which are very reminiscent of Anakin in Revenge of the Sith. Also, Han and Leia's burgeoning romance is infinitely more believable than Anakin and Padme's in only a fraction of the screen time. With Yoda, Boba Fett, the Emperor and Jabba all cropping up, threads planted and grown in all four preceding films are coming together, and things are in place to be wrapped up in the concluding film...
6) Episode 6: Return of the Jedi (1983/2004, Richard Marquand, DVD) 4/5
Considering it's the grand finale, it's perhaps surprising that Episode 6 is largely the lightest of all the films, filled with extra humour and all those cute little Ewoks. Personally, I like the Ewoks -- they make me laugh, go "aww", and it's sad when they die! Yoda's death is another sad moment, and even more so having seen him in full action in the first three films. The threat posed by the Emperor is also even more apparent, there's more of a sense that Luke truly could follow in his father's footsteps, and there's added poetic irony in Darth Vader's final decision -- it is the same thing that caused him to turn to the Dark Side that saves him from it. Here is also the biggest failing of the films as a single series, however: the prequel trilogy is endlessly obsessed with the prophecy about Anakin bringing balance to the Force; it isn't mentioned once here. A dubbed line or added shot with Yoda saying something would've been nice. Instead, the major change at the end is adding Hayden Christensen over Sebastian Shaw. It's a dreadful idea on paper... and so too in practice. He looks out of place and doesn't at all match with the man we just saw die in Luke's arms. Seeing celebrations across Bespin, Tatooine, Naboo and Coruscant neatly ties this right back to Episode 1 and shows the larger impact of the end of the Empire in what is an otherwise surprisingly brief and low key post-victory epilogue. Another thing worth a quick mention is the speederbike chase through the forests of Endor -- one of the series' very best action sequences, and all the more effective for being entirely practical instead of CGI. When all's said and done, I think Jedi is actually the most underrated of all the films.
Final Thoughts
So, does it work?
As with most things it's a case of yes and no. As I'm sure you've seen, my review of A New Hope covers many of my thoughts on the changeover between the two trilogies, and my comments on The Empire Strikes Back and Return of the Jedi elaborate on how things progress across the final two episodes. In short, it is, perhaps surprisingly, not the haircuts or quality of effects that really give away the change between the two trilogies, and the 28-year gap between Episodes 3 and 4; rather, it's the dramatic shift in tone, away from epic fantasy into thrilling action/adventure. This is not a bad thing, but when viewed in order it leaves you longing for Yoda and Obi-Wan to start wittering away about the fulfillment of prophecies and whatnot at the end of Episode 6.
The other thing potentially bothering is how some of the original trilogy's plot explanations come off, considering we've just seen them spelt out in almost seven hours of detail. Pretty well, as it turns out -- most of Obi-Wan's explanations to Luke are surprisingly brief, coming over more as gentle reminders to the audience, or at worst well-handled instances of those always-awkward cases of "Character X must be told Information Y that audience already knows". There's the odd reference that doesn't quite gel with what we've seen (for an example, Leia having some vague memories of her birth mother) and the lightsabre duels aren't up to the calibre of those in the new trilogy, but that's hardly bothersome.
If you're a fan of the films it's an interesting exercise to watch them in this order, and I'd recommend giving it a go. If you know someone who's never seen them before, especially if they're young enough to not be aware that Vader is Luke's father, I'd say they should still watch the original trilogy first -- it may still be effective in numerical order, but nothing beats that as a shocking revelation!
Monday, 13 August 2007
Week 32
Introduction
Another single-week entry! Well now, isn't my film watching going smashingly.
Some might say I've been generous with the five-star ratings of late -- four in the last two weeks, compared to a total of six in the 29 weeks before it! Maybe I have. There aren't any to be seen this week, though that doesn't mean I haven't seen any good films! In fact, some only fall slightly short.
Another thing you'll notice this week are reviews of the original Star Wars trilogy. This is the first time I've seen them in a ridiculously long time; certainly, more than five years, possibly as many as ten! It's all part of a little Star Wars weekend I've had -- watch out for a 100 Films special (yes, I have specials now!) about it in the next few days!
Week Thirty-Two
It would be pretty hard to beat the massive eight new films I saw last week... and I haven't. But five new ones, plus all six Star Wars films (three reviewed here), is far from bad going. And, obviously, adds up to more in total.
I say five news ones -- that's not strictly true. You see, we begin with a slight oddity this week: I actually saw Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix a couple of weeks ago... and then completely forgot to review it! So, technically, it belongs in an earlier entry, with a lower review number... but that's far too much hassle, so I've just put it here instead. I'm sure no one will mind...
78) Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix (2007, David Yates, cinema) 3/5
The main problem here lies in trying to condense a 600+ page novel into a bit over two hours. While the book feels padded, watching the film it becomes apparent that this actually builds mystery and suspense, most of which is lost in what feels like a series of extended montages that create an abridged version of the book. The direction is stylish and there are still some neat action sequences, but it lacks much of the fun or flowing coherence of the previous two entries. Hopefully the next novel can be translated to the screen better, though I'm beginning to fear that anything less than using two films to adapt the final entry will be a mistake.
79) C.S.A.: The Confederate States of America (2004, Kevin Willmott, DVD) 2/5
Mockumentary about the history of America had the South won the civil war. While an intriguing idea, in practice it's disappointing. Apparently such a victory would have led to everything the nation did since being to maintain slavery. There are some neat ideas (a Cold War with Canada) and some genuinely amusing or cleverly satirical bits, but the focus is too narrow and, consequently, unbelievable and sometimes dull. It also seems unable to break away from reality far too often: Wall Street still crashes, JFK becomes President and is assassinated, etc. The acting is frequently dodgy and it all has a very amateurish feel. To top it off, considering it's pretending to be a British documentary, the style is too like cheap American TV documentaries. All in all, a disappointment.
80) Pan's Labyrinth (2006, Guillermo del Toro, DVD) 4/5
Empire's 2nd best film of 2006; IMDb's 43rd best film ever; winner of over 60 awards... Pan's Labyrinth comes to any viewer with a serious amount of critical acclaim and genuine hype. As you might expect, this is a problem. I'm not going to disagree that it's a very good film, but I wasn't blown over by it, as I probably expected to be. Nonetheless, it's definitely worth seeing. The cinematography is worth mentioning especially. If there's one pro in the sacrilegious argument for a dub over subs, it would be that you could watch the pretty pictures properly. If you manage to not let the buzz take effect, you might find you love the film too.
81) Stranger Than Fiction (2006, Marc Forster, DVD) 4/5
Another of Empire's best films of last year (this one was 21st). Forster is developing an eclectic filmography, with Oscar-nominated dramas Monster's Ball and Finding Neverland alongside psychological thriller Stay and the 22nd Bond film. Stranger Than Fiction is different again, melding several styles into a cohesive whole -- mystery, rom-com, existentialism, a bit of fantasy, and those Ikea graphics from Fight Club. Some plot beats may be cliched, but that's almost the point; besides, there's plenty of originality to make up for it. A few plot turns in the final act also make sure you're never certain how it will end.
81a) Star Wars - Episode 4: A New Hope - DVD Edition (1977/2004, George Lucas, DVD) 4/5
Much criticism has been made of Lucas deciding to modify the original trilogy for the 1997 re-release, and then further for the 2004 DVD release. It's not necessarily unjustified, but it is sometimes picky. If Han shooting first bothered you, you may be a little pleased to know they now shoot at the same time. There are a few other extremely minor changes from the '97 version... sadly, though, not to the CGI: Jabba still looks dire, not even as good as the Episode 1 version -- CGI that was five years old by the time of this release! The film itself is still a fun sci-fi-fantasy action/adventure, devoid of many problems that plague the new trilogy.
82) Tenacious D in The Pick of Destiny (2006, Liam Lynch, DVD) 3/5
JB and KG, aka Tenacious D, go in search of the Pick of Destiny, an ancient guitar pick that will make them rock gods, in their first movie. The humour is a mixture of schoolboy toilet gags, general silliness/quirkiness, and rock/culture references -- undoubtedly, therefore, your mental age will dictate which bits (if any) you laugh at. Some jokes hit, others don't, and whole sections seem to be there merely to ensure the movie gets to a decent running time. If you're already a Tenacious D fan it's worth checking out, but if you don't like them you'll never like this. Personally, I think the music's the best bit -- and that's all on the soundtrack CD.
82a) Star Wars - Episode 5: The Empire Strikes Back - DVD Edition (1980/2004, Irvin Kershner, DVD) 4/5
Little here is visually different from the '97 Special Edition. Cloud City benefits from the CGI windows and lighting it was given back then, though the views look as fake as ever. The big change comes in dubbing both Boba Fett and the Emperor with appropriate actors from the prequel trilogy (as well as a few other minor audio tweaks). Other than shunning the poor original actors in such a way, Empire is much the same as ever. Widely held as the best in the series, of course, which is not something I'd dispute. The 7th best movie ever made though? Possibly a bit of a stretch.
82b) Star Wars - Episode 6: Return of the Jedi - DVD Edition (1983/2004, Richard Marquand, DVD) 4/5
Again, there seems to be only minor differences or effects improvements here -- it does make you wonder what the fans were kicking up such a fuss about! The main additions are shots of planets around the Empire following the destruction of the Death Star, and these actually improve what is otherwise a very low-key celebration. The main addition to the DVD is Hayden Christensen as Anakin Skywalker. It doesn't work at all; in fact, it manages to make it looks as if there was never anyone there at all! The film is still a great piece of entertainment; the speederbike chase is one of the trilogy's greatest action sequences. And Ewoks are cute.
Another single-week entry! Well now, isn't my film watching going smashingly.
Some might say I've been generous with the five-star ratings of late -- four in the last two weeks, compared to a total of six in the 29 weeks before it! Maybe I have. There aren't any to be seen this week, though that doesn't mean I haven't seen any good films! In fact, some only fall slightly short.
Another thing you'll notice this week are reviews of the original Star Wars trilogy. This is the first time I've seen them in a ridiculously long time; certainly, more than five years, possibly as many as ten! It's all part of a little Star Wars weekend I've had -- watch out for a 100 Films special (yes, I have specials now!) about it in the next few days!
Week Thirty-Two
It would be pretty hard to beat the massive eight new films I saw last week... and I haven't. But five new ones, plus all six Star Wars films (three reviewed here), is far from bad going. And, obviously, adds up to more in total.
I say five news ones -- that's not strictly true. You see, we begin with a slight oddity this week: I actually saw Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix a couple of weeks ago... and then completely forgot to review it! So, technically, it belongs in an earlier entry, with a lower review number... but that's far too much hassle, so I've just put it here instead. I'm sure no one will mind...
78) Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix (2007, David Yates, cinema) 3/5
The main problem here lies in trying to condense a 600+ page novel into a bit over two hours. While the book feels padded, watching the film it becomes apparent that this actually builds mystery and suspense, most of which is lost in what feels like a series of extended montages that create an abridged version of the book. The direction is stylish and there are still some neat action sequences, but it lacks much of the fun or flowing coherence of the previous two entries. Hopefully the next novel can be translated to the screen better, though I'm beginning to fear that anything less than using two films to adapt the final entry will be a mistake.
79) C.S.A.: The Confederate States of America (2004, Kevin Willmott, DVD) 2/5
Mockumentary about the history of America had the South won the civil war. While an intriguing idea, in practice it's disappointing. Apparently such a victory would have led to everything the nation did since being to maintain slavery. There are some neat ideas (a Cold War with Canada) and some genuinely amusing or cleverly satirical bits, but the focus is too narrow and, consequently, unbelievable and sometimes dull. It also seems unable to break away from reality far too often: Wall Street still crashes, JFK becomes President and is assassinated, etc. The acting is frequently dodgy and it all has a very amateurish feel. To top it off, considering it's pretending to be a British documentary, the style is too like cheap American TV documentaries. All in all, a disappointment.
80) Pan's Labyrinth (2006, Guillermo del Toro, DVD) 4/5
Empire's 2nd best film of 2006; IMDb's 43rd best film ever; winner of over 60 awards... Pan's Labyrinth comes to any viewer with a serious amount of critical acclaim and genuine hype. As you might expect, this is a problem. I'm not going to disagree that it's a very good film, but I wasn't blown over by it, as I probably expected to be. Nonetheless, it's definitely worth seeing. The cinematography is worth mentioning especially. If there's one pro in the sacrilegious argument for a dub over subs, it would be that you could watch the pretty pictures properly. If you manage to not let the buzz take effect, you might find you love the film too.
81) Stranger Than Fiction (2006, Marc Forster, DVD) 4/5
Another of Empire's best films of last year (this one was 21st). Forster is developing an eclectic filmography, with Oscar-nominated dramas Monster's Ball and Finding Neverland alongside psychological thriller Stay and the 22nd Bond film. Stranger Than Fiction is different again, melding several styles into a cohesive whole -- mystery, rom-com, existentialism, a bit of fantasy, and those Ikea graphics from Fight Club. Some plot beats may be cliched, but that's almost the point; besides, there's plenty of originality to make up for it. A few plot turns in the final act also make sure you're never certain how it will end.
81a) Star Wars - Episode 4: A New Hope - DVD Edition (1977/2004, George Lucas, DVD) 4/5
Much criticism has been made of Lucas deciding to modify the original trilogy for the 1997 re-release, and then further for the 2004 DVD release. It's not necessarily unjustified, but it is sometimes picky. If Han shooting first bothered you, you may be a little pleased to know they now shoot at the same time. There are a few other extremely minor changes from the '97 version... sadly, though, not to the CGI: Jabba still looks dire, not even as good as the Episode 1 version -- CGI that was five years old by the time of this release! The film itself is still a fun sci-fi-fantasy action/adventure, devoid of many problems that plague the new trilogy.
82) Tenacious D in The Pick of Destiny (2006, Liam Lynch, DVD) 3/5
JB and KG, aka Tenacious D, go in search of the Pick of Destiny, an ancient guitar pick that will make them rock gods, in their first movie. The humour is a mixture of schoolboy toilet gags, general silliness/quirkiness, and rock/culture references -- undoubtedly, therefore, your mental age will dictate which bits (if any) you laugh at. Some jokes hit, others don't, and whole sections seem to be there merely to ensure the movie gets to a decent running time. If you're already a Tenacious D fan it's worth checking out, but if you don't like them you'll never like this. Personally, I think the music's the best bit -- and that's all on the soundtrack CD.
82a) Star Wars - Episode 5: The Empire Strikes Back - DVD Edition (1980/2004, Irvin Kershner, DVD) 4/5
Little here is visually different from the '97 Special Edition. Cloud City benefits from the CGI windows and lighting it was given back then, though the views look as fake as ever. The big change comes in dubbing both Boba Fett and the Emperor with appropriate actors from the prequel trilogy (as well as a few other minor audio tweaks). Other than shunning the poor original actors in such a way, Empire is much the same as ever. Widely held as the best in the series, of course, which is not something I'd dispute. The 7th best movie ever made though? Possibly a bit of a stretch.
82b) Star Wars - Episode 6: Return of the Jedi - DVD Edition (1983/2004, Richard Marquand, DVD) 4/5
Again, there seems to be only minor differences or effects improvements here -- it does make you wonder what the fans were kicking up such a fuss about! The main additions are shots of planets around the Empire following the destruction of the Death Star, and these actually improve what is otherwise a very low-key celebration. The main addition to the DVD is Hayden Christensen as Anakin Skywalker. It doesn't work at all; in fact, it manages to make it looks as if there was never anyone there at all! The film is still a great piece of entertainment; the speederbike chase is one of the trilogy's greatest action sequences. And Ewoks are cute.
Monday, 6 August 2007
Week 31
Introduction
My quest to see 100 films I've never seen by the end of 2007 passes the three-quarters point this week, and we're not even two-thirds of the way through the year!
This is the first single-week entry since week 14. As well as a concerted effort (such as three films on the Friday!), it's helped by a lessening in the amount of TV I've been watching -- last entry's list of 19 on-going programmes has shrunk to 13 by the end of this week. Some might say I watch too much TV...
Nonetheless, I've moved from about two films per week average over the last 16 weeks, to a total of eight films this week! Well well well.
Week Thirty-One
As well as a Week Of More it's a bit of a Week Of Quality. Three of this week's films are ones I've been dying to see for ages, and the rest follow not too far behind (OK, maybe I wouldn't've put the likes of Kinky Boots or Confetti on a list of films I was dying to see, but I did want to). There's also a fair few awards and nominations, and no small amount of critical acclaim, across them.
One could also argue that it's a Week Of Variety. To be honest, I suspect there's always a fair bit of variety in my film choices, but this week it's especially pronounced -- straightforward British comedies stand by low-budget intellectual sci-fi; complex teenage faux-film noir sits next to epic trilogy-starting Russian fantasy/horror; American gangster thriller lies beside classic British romance... And, while most were made in the new millennium, there's a spread of over 60 years between the oldest and the most recent. All within the space of seven days, too!
Perhaps because of all these reasons I've found choosing the final rating for every film here quite tricky; all of them have some malleability, either up or down.
70) Primer (2004, Shane Carruth, DVD) 3/5
According to many this is a real 'love it or hate it' film; in typically awkward fashion I'm going to place myself right in the middle. The thing is, I can see both sides -- there's a great conceit here, with a decent plot built around it; but it drags the idea of treating your audience's intelligence with respect too far into the realms of Simply Not Explaining Things Properly, including taking almost half the film for anything to become clear. Sadly this clarity only lasts a few minutes before things get muddled up again in the second half of the plot. I'd like to be able to love Primer, but the things that make me want to hate it just pull it down.
71) Kinky Boots (2005, Julian Jarrold, DVD) 4/5
A working class Britcom in the vein of films like The Full Monty. It may take too long to get going properly, and even the most casual film viewer could jot down the key plot points from the start, but it nonetheless manages some laugh-out-loud moments and it's more often happy than groan-inducing when the 'twists' come off. If nothing else it's worth seeing for Chiwetel Ejiofor (who you may recognise from films such as Serenity, Inside Man and Children of Men) as a drag queen. My score may be a little generous, but all round I enjoyed watching it, so why not?
72) Brick (2005, Rian Johnson, TV) 4/5
There's a nagging sense that you're watching a student short film for large chunks of Brick, especially at the start. This is accompanied by a niggling worry that it's also been vastly overrated. But it does, eventually, kick into gear -- the incomprehensible plot becomes a bit clearer and the fantasy that these high school kids are in some film noir becomes less irritating and more quite fun. It occasionally lapses back into its earlier problems but, all said, I'm glad I bothered to stick with it.
73) Night Watch (2004, Timur Bekmambetov, DVD) 4/5
Urban action fantasy from Russia; the first part of a trilogy (though, apparently, film two wraps the plot up and film three will be made in the US, looking at a different part of the story). It makes for a pretty entertaining tale, with a neat ending that both concludes this film's plot and leaves everything wide open for what's to come. It also has some very snazzy subtitles (sadly only available on the two-disc DVD; I won't waste too much space ranting about how crap the one-disc is here). If you don't like Films With Subtitles, this one might surprise you.
74) The Departed (2006, Martin Scorsese, DVD) 4/5
An all-star cast lead Scorsese's Oscar-winning remake of Hong Kong action thriller Infernal Affairs. It's an unusual yet striking mix of elements: cops vs. robbers thriller, gangster drama, relationships of those who protect/threaten us drama, and several more. It winds up with an unusual feel for structure and pace, though is never less than stylish. Having not seen many of Scorsese's earlier films it's hard for me to say if this is up to standard, as many say it is; but I still believe Greengrass' United 93 was more deserving of the Best Director nods. As I did earlier this year with The Prestige, my rating errs on the side of caution.
75) Confetti (2006, Debbie Isitt, TV) 3/5
Largely improvised Britcom, shot in a documentary style, about three couples trying to win a most original wedding competition. It starts out quite poorly, with unlikable characters and an irritating style, but things do improve and a number of the characters do grow on you (some do, deliberately, remain horrid). My favourites are the pair of camp wedding planners -- you don't get much more stereotypical, but they're lovable and amusing from the off. Fittingly, the weddings at the end are probably the best bits.
76) Brief Encounter (1945, David Lean, DVD) 5/5
Celia Johnson and Trevor Howard star in the classic romantic drama from highly acclaimed writer Noel Coward and highly acclaimed director David Lean. The central character's relationship is, famously, a very British affair -- all awkwardly repressed emotions, discussion of the weather, fear of society's opinions, stolen passionate kisses, guilt, indecision, true love and endless cups of tea. The witty screenplay, direction, and lead and supporting performances are all excellent. Undoubtedly and deservedly a true British classic.
77) Educating Rita (1983, Lewis Gilbert, TV) 5/5
Julie Walters makes her big screen debut opposite Michael Caine in this British comedy drama about a 26-year-old University student and her disenchanted drink-sodden tutor, adapted by Willy Russell from his own play and directed by the man behind Alfie and three Bond films. For a comedy drama (which usually fail to do either successfully) it's genuinely very funny, but maintains an appropriate weight in the dramatic moments. The script is full of great lines, beautifully delivered by the two leads; Walters is especially excellent. If you haven't seen it it might not be what you expect, but that's no bad thing. Recommended.
My quest to see 100 films I've never seen by the end of 2007 passes the three-quarters point this week, and we're not even two-thirds of the way through the year!
This is the first single-week entry since week 14. As well as a concerted effort (such as three films on the Friday!), it's helped by a lessening in the amount of TV I've been watching -- last entry's list of 19 on-going programmes has shrunk to 13 by the end of this week. Some might say I watch too much TV...
Nonetheless, I've moved from about two films per week average over the last 16 weeks, to a total of eight films this week! Well well well.
Week Thirty-One
As well as a Week Of More it's a bit of a Week Of Quality. Three of this week's films are ones I've been dying to see for ages, and the rest follow not too far behind (OK, maybe I wouldn't've put the likes of Kinky Boots or Confetti on a list of films I was dying to see, but I did want to). There's also a fair few awards and nominations, and no small amount of critical acclaim, across them.
One could also argue that it's a Week Of Variety. To be honest, I suspect there's always a fair bit of variety in my film choices, but this week it's especially pronounced -- straightforward British comedies stand by low-budget intellectual sci-fi; complex teenage faux-film noir sits next to epic trilogy-starting Russian fantasy/horror; American gangster thriller lies beside classic British romance... And, while most were made in the new millennium, there's a spread of over 60 years between the oldest and the most recent. All within the space of seven days, too!
Perhaps because of all these reasons I've found choosing the final rating for every film here quite tricky; all of them have some malleability, either up or down.
70) Primer (2004, Shane Carruth, DVD) 3/5
According to many this is a real 'love it or hate it' film; in typically awkward fashion I'm going to place myself right in the middle. The thing is, I can see both sides -- there's a great conceit here, with a decent plot built around it; but it drags the idea of treating your audience's intelligence with respect too far into the realms of Simply Not Explaining Things Properly, including taking almost half the film for anything to become clear. Sadly this clarity only lasts a few minutes before things get muddled up again in the second half of the plot. I'd like to be able to love Primer, but the things that make me want to hate it just pull it down.
71) Kinky Boots (2005, Julian Jarrold, DVD) 4/5
A working class Britcom in the vein of films like The Full Monty. It may take too long to get going properly, and even the most casual film viewer could jot down the key plot points from the start, but it nonetheless manages some laugh-out-loud moments and it's more often happy than groan-inducing when the 'twists' come off. If nothing else it's worth seeing for Chiwetel Ejiofor (who you may recognise from films such as Serenity, Inside Man and Children of Men) as a drag queen. My score may be a little generous, but all round I enjoyed watching it, so why not?
72) Brick (2005, Rian Johnson, TV) 4/5
There's a nagging sense that you're watching a student short film for large chunks of Brick, especially at the start. This is accompanied by a niggling worry that it's also been vastly overrated. But it does, eventually, kick into gear -- the incomprehensible plot becomes a bit clearer and the fantasy that these high school kids are in some film noir becomes less irritating and more quite fun. It occasionally lapses back into its earlier problems but, all said, I'm glad I bothered to stick with it.
73) Night Watch (2004, Timur Bekmambetov, DVD) 4/5
Urban action fantasy from Russia; the first part of a trilogy (though, apparently, film two wraps the plot up and film three will be made in the US, looking at a different part of the story). It makes for a pretty entertaining tale, with a neat ending that both concludes this film's plot and leaves everything wide open for what's to come. It also has some very snazzy subtitles (sadly only available on the two-disc DVD; I won't waste too much space ranting about how crap the one-disc is here). If you don't like Films With Subtitles, this one might surprise you.
74) The Departed (2006, Martin Scorsese, DVD) 4/5
An all-star cast lead Scorsese's Oscar-winning remake of Hong Kong action thriller Infernal Affairs. It's an unusual yet striking mix of elements: cops vs. robbers thriller, gangster drama, relationships of those who protect/threaten us drama, and several more. It winds up with an unusual feel for structure and pace, though is never less than stylish. Having not seen many of Scorsese's earlier films it's hard for me to say if this is up to standard, as many say it is; but I still believe Greengrass' United 93 was more deserving of the Best Director nods. As I did earlier this year with The Prestige, my rating errs on the side of caution.
75) Confetti (2006, Debbie Isitt, TV) 3/5
Largely improvised Britcom, shot in a documentary style, about three couples trying to win a most original wedding competition. It starts out quite poorly, with unlikable characters and an irritating style, but things do improve and a number of the characters do grow on you (some do, deliberately, remain horrid). My favourites are the pair of camp wedding planners -- you don't get much more stereotypical, but they're lovable and amusing from the off. Fittingly, the weddings at the end are probably the best bits.
76) Brief Encounter (1945, David Lean, DVD) 5/5
Celia Johnson and Trevor Howard star in the classic romantic drama from highly acclaimed writer Noel Coward and highly acclaimed director David Lean. The central character's relationship is, famously, a very British affair -- all awkwardly repressed emotions, discussion of the weather, fear of society's opinions, stolen passionate kisses, guilt, indecision, true love and endless cups of tea. The witty screenplay, direction, and lead and supporting performances are all excellent. Undoubtedly and deservedly a true British classic.
77) Educating Rita (1983, Lewis Gilbert, TV) 5/5
Julie Walters makes her big screen debut opposite Michael Caine in this British comedy drama about a 26-year-old University student and her disenchanted drink-sodden tutor, adapted by Willy Russell from his own play and directed by the man behind Alfie and three Bond films. For a comedy drama (which usually fail to do either successfully) it's genuinely very funny, but maintains an appropriate weight in the dramatic moments. The script is full of great lines, beautifully delivered by the two leads; Walters is especially excellent. If you haven't seen it it might not be what you expect, but that's no bad thing. Recommended.
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