Got something to say or just want fewer pesky ads? Join us... 😊

[Film] Film 2018







Meade's Ball

Well-known member
Jul 7, 2003
13,612
Hither (sometimes Thither)
With the power of a soya latte - caffeine hurts Meade's brain, but falling asleep in the cinema hurts me more - i was able to watch Dogman this evening. What a beauty. From the director of Gomorrah, this is a return to top form from Matteo Garrone. It's jovial to begin with as we meet Marcello, the local dog groomer, and his low level coke-dealing, love of canines, and his daughter for whom he is desperate to take on holidays she craves. But life isn't decent to the tiny Marcello as Simone, a marauding, monstrous, snorting beast roams around the area for his septum-singeing ends. Marcello is drawn in, nay dragged, and his goodness is undone somewhat by not being able to fight back. It's a horrible world, that he wants to be a part of for seconds, and the tension that Simone's unquellable onslaught brings to proceedings in the derelict waterside district is increasingly unbearable, as we stay close to Marcello and not his surroundings. Such a good film. Marcello is a great little anti-hero and the directing is amazing. I gripped my face for the last 20 minutes. Just a beauty.


Anywho, the slight mistake i made today was to watch the first 2 episodes of a BBC drama. For £14. I was wondering how the director, Park Chan Wook, would bring it to the small screen, his bold and crisp colour style, but it wasn't there much. It was The Little Drummer Girl, with some big Hollywood names involved, and was reasonably entertaining, but i should have watched a film, rather than opening elements of a series. I'll watch the rest when it's on the box. Most interesting, it feels now, was 2 of the writers of the tale talking about their time with the director. They would have 18 hour long meetings, apparently, with Park talking about each syllable within the script, and how that fits and will be shot. A long meeting, yes, by the writers said it was fascinating.

Am looking forward to tomorrow now, with 2 lattes already thought of being supped without apology.
 


Weststander

Well-known member
NSC Patron
Aug 25, 2011
63,915
Withdean area
Saw First Man yesterday, via 2D IMAX at Crawley. Thought it a wonderful film which really wasn't that much about the space race - and is really a film focused on the very human story of Armstrong coming to terms with grief. Would be interested to know how close to the real story it is; obviously they will have dramatised certain elements but feel that much is going to be true to how things were. It really reinforced just how brave/mad those involved were when you see the scenes of launches - that old thing about strapping yourself to a massive explosion has never felt more realistic to me than in this film. If you are seeing it, I would recommend IMAX - whilst a lot is focused on the characters' faces, certain scenes (on the moon, for example) look stunning with the added detail and size. Ryan Gosling and Claire Foy both turn in great performances, as do the supporting actors.

Kermode said that Armstrong's immediate family, as well as close NASA colleagues, worked with the film-makers and have backed it as incredibly close to reality.
 


dolphins

Well-known member
Jan 26, 2012
5,241
BN1, in GOSBTS
Kermode said that Armstrong's immediate family, as well as close NASA colleagues, worked with the film-makers and have backed it as incredibly close to reality.
Thanks for the info, Weststander. Presume that's from his R5 show with Mayo? Not listened to last week's podcast yet... good to know.
 






CorgiRegisteredFriend

Well-known member
May 29, 2011
8,317
Boring By Sea
Saw Thou Shall Not Grow Old last night in a packed sold out cinema. Very moving and skilful restoration of silent WW1 footage with colouristion about a third of the way in. The transition into this was really well done, the audience up until this point had been watching original film at the original speed which was then slowed down and washed in colour giving it a modern up to date feel. Narration was provided from recordings made in the seventies and eighties and some dubbing was used too. I’m not sure when this will show again as it seemed to be a one off broadcast. Worth looking out for though.
 


Meade's Ball

Well-known member
Jul 7, 2003
13,612
Hither (sometimes Thither)
I saw through my plan yesterday, of buying a soya latte and taking it in with me, but i feel the key part of it that i forgot was to GO LARGE. The effects wore off, and the 2.5 hour film on Budapest just a little pre-first-world-war had me drift in and out of the outskirts of dreams. It was directed, Sunset, by the chap who did Son of Saul a couple of years ago, which i thought a thorough beauty, and the style was somewhat similar - close-up to our main character, who had few lines and acted with the burden of reservation. After the film the director had his Q&As, which he does very well - he loves a lengthy rant on the terribleness of digital cinema -, and the first question was from a man in his late 70s, it seemed, saying he found it a little confusing. I agreed, although being almost asleep may have been a factor. Not bad, but i had hoped for better.

After that i went to the IMAX to see Guy Maddin's new film. I find that guy pretty funny, and on this occasion it tickled from the start, in being a 69 minute remake of Vertigo, using other clips from films and tv series set in San Francisco. I am not sure all those who watched found it to be a comedy, but the 5 minute merge of Chuck Norris clips, involving ones of him watching himself on video, had me chuckle heartily. The Green Fog, it was called, and it won't be released anywhere, i doubt. His co-directors were there, and they were very much of the field of not being sure what anyone would get from watching this, and also how anyone ever pays them to make films. I am glad some organisations do, though, as funny weirdness ensues.

Today, i grew a little sleepy again, but this time, annoyingly, in a rather good film. The director was there - Alice Rohrwacher - and i liked the sound of her. It was in English, but more of a straight translation from Italian, and there was something extra pretty, and poetic, because of it. Her film, Happy As Lazzaro, concerned these poorly treated workers, at the end of each month their debt to the marquis simply increasing, but mainly of Lazzaro, who everyone at every level used and mistreated. He did so with an endless innocence, and goodness. There were fairytale elements to the film, very much so halfway through when decades pass, and it was emotionally striking, and sweet in amongst the badness of folk. A good film and i might see that again when it's out.
 


Meade's Ball

Well-known member
Jul 7, 2003
13,612
Hither (sometimes Thither)
1 film today, and quite a good one too. I sometimes select a film for the festival by looking at the single image they have in the catalogue, and for this film it was the forlorn image of two children - what awful cruelty, to children, you might think, does Meade wish to view - and that invited me in. The film is Capernaum, and is a Lebanese tale of the rottenness of poverty for a child that has no faith in adults, having to wheel and deal and outwit those he doesn't want to be with. Quite a bit of the reasoning Zain gives for his actions, when anyone asks, are the imaginings of a youngster, so you're reminded through all of the trauma and struggle of his innocence. Zain, hating his parents, flees them, and ends up having to look after a 12 month old Ethiopian baby - originally that was to be for an afternoon, before the mother fails to return. The exploits are heartbreaking at times, but this, sadly, is a little undone by an over-perfect Zain, and the occasional music which groaned of sentimentality. The opening and end of the tale are also a bit ridiculous. Anywho, it was quite striking and i was glad to have seen it (and not fall asleep, which i now plan to do).
 




bob_monkhouse

Don't try to fix me, I'm not broken
Jun 16, 2014
399
Liphook
Saw Thou Shall Not Grow Old last night in a packed sold out cinema. Very moving and skilful restoration of silent WW1 footage with colouristion about a third of the way in. The transition into this was really well done, the audience up until this point had been watching original film at the original speed which was then slowed down and washed in colour giving it a modern up to date feel. Narration was provided from recordings made in the seventies and eighties and some dubbing was used too. I’m not sure when this will show again as it seemed to be a one off broadcast. Worth looking out for though.
I believe it is being shown on the BBC on armistice day

Sent from my SM-G960F using Tapatalk
 


LlcoolJ

Mama said knock you out.
Oct 14, 2009
12,982
Sheffield
I believe it is being shown on the BBC on armistice day

Sent from my SM-G960F using Tapatalk
Ah nice one. Me and the sprog saw something about it on the news and were wondering if it was going to be on TV. Will look out for it.
 






Meade's Ball

Well-known member
Jul 7, 2003
13,612
Hither (sometimes Thither)
So, a few films to go through now. Um, let's start with In Fabric. Directed by Peter Strickland, with his noise-heavy and style-abundant fare which is this time at its funniest, rather than just quirky. He was there to introduce the film, made a joke about it being a Nigel Farage nightmare, and largely said that he wouldn't mind at all if we walked out whilst watching it. I didn't at all. It was sordid and feral and vibrant in colour and 70s pastiche. Some scenes, with Julian Barrett and Steve Oram as the manager of the owner of the red dress, were rather funny, whilst the performance of Fatma Mohamed is a joy.

After that I went to kill time by seeing the new Halloween fillum. I hear that they wanted to make the ending the same as the original, but John Carpenter wouldn't allow it. The original is a classic, and was party to the birth of the teen slasher genre, as well as the brilliantly chilling synthesizer melodies that still strike, but I find trying to add depth to the character of Michael Myers and empty episode. This time they set it up so that no other films had been made since Halloween 2, and there in prison lurked Myers for 40 years. As per usual we do not see his face, but seeing him stand there, tall and a little withered, he didn't seem impossibly strong. Unsurprisingly, he escapes, and goes on a slaughter. Was nice to see Jamie Lee Curtis back in action, and a couple of deaths were gory fun, but I wasn't greatly interested.

On Saturday I saw Fahrenheit 11/9. The messages I wasn't in disagreement with, but like other Michael Moore films it was a little scattered in its overall delivery. It began and ended with the maddening evil of Donald Trump, but not with secrets unearthed, necessarily. I had seen quite a bit of this elsewhere, and I have, I think, a little too jaded a view than to think the current young generation will bring about grandiose, revolutionary change. Michael

Finally, on Sunday, I saw If Beale Street Could Talk. Of course, I am thinking it might be the Adam Woodyatt biopic we've been waiting for, but instead is the new drama from Barry Jenkins. His last film, Moonlight, was excellent, and I shiver at the thoughts of near the end of the film, with the burning desire peppering each moment. This time undying love was a key element, and our faith as a viewer that this could be unbroken, whilst withstanding racism in Harlem in the early 70s and ardent Christianity on one side of the couple's families. Based on the book of the same name, Tish narrates the opening of each chapter, with the sound of a novel rather than how she sounds on screen. Realism isn't its painstaking chore to express, although the message of hardship and restriction of opportunity is clear and piercing. The film is beautifully coloured, so rich and claret-hued. But some elements were rather corny, and the mixture of an impossible life and that of love powering through against all odds didn't always smoothly blend, or clash. It was quite good, overall, and a scene or 2 felt unforgivingly potent, but some bits were let go which could have carried on with intrigue, and the ending didn't feel like an ending. Anywho, the festival is over, and back to normal life I go.
 


Barry Izbak

U.T.A.
Dec 7, 2005
7,324
Lancing By Sea
Just saw Hunter Killer at the Odeon.
Last chance to see apparently, but this only attracted half a dozen souls.
I was expecting a silly unbelievable movie and was not disappointed.
That said, it was worth watching imo
Only 6/10
 


Acker79

Well-known member
NSC Patron
Nov 15, 2008
31,854
Brighton
I went to see An Evening with Beverly Luff Linn as part of the discovery series at Dukes at the Komedia. It was a weird one. It's been a couple of days and I'm still not entirely sure how I felt about it. It's from the director of The Greasy Strangler itself a pretty weird film, not least because the actors were quite stilted and awkward. At the time I chalked it up to being a low quality film and inexperienced actors. But this one had the same sort of stilted awkward acting suggesting it is, at least in part, a choice. It felt like some in the audience didn't like it and that kinda made me a little self conscious about enjoying it. I definitely enjoyed parts of it.
 




sydney

tinky ****in winky
Jul 11, 2003
17,750
town full of eejits
obviously may be a tad mainstream for some posters but just saw A Star is Born .......totally on a whim but was actually taken aback by the two lead characters , excellent performances and way better than the original , great film .highly recommended
 


Uncle Spielberg

Well-known member
NSC Patron
Jul 6, 2003
42,812
Lancing
I thought a star is born and bohemian rhapsody were both superb films. Very high quality. Gaga and Malek are both very strong shouts for oscar nominations, or at least they should be. 88 and 87 out of 100
 
Last edited:


Acker79

Well-known member
NSC Patron
Nov 15, 2008
31,854
Brighton
Mandy
Limited chances to watch this in Brighton. I saw a late screening on Saturday at the Komedia and they've added another showing tomorrow night, I believe. A lot has been made about Nic Cage doing his typical over the top thing, and I think that focus is a bit of a distraction. I liked the film, it is retro and psychedelic, violent and poetic. It is the story about a man (Nic Cage) and his partner (Andrea Riseborough) who are enjoying a peaceful life that gets interrupted when the leader of a small sect (Linus Roache) takes a liking to her and tries to recruit her, using a group of hell demon-like bikers. She ends up getting violently killed in front of him, which sends him over the edge as he seeks revenge. Obviously, because he has seen the love of his life violently killed in front of him, he loses it a bit. Anyone else, and I think people would have accepted it as an emotional outburst, but as it was Cage people seemed to find it funny - 'It's cage doing that internet meme! Haha'

Other than the audience laughing, I liked it.
 


studio150

Well-known member
Jul 30, 2011
29,611
On the Border
More Film 1968 than film 2018 but saw 'Once Upon a Time in the West' this evening at the Old Market. I always enjoy seeing old classics on the big screen and with direction by Sergio Leone, a score from Ennio Morricone and Henry Fonda in his only baddie role what's not to like.

Great fun
 




Peter Grummit

Well-known member
Oct 13, 2004
6,769
Lewes
Recommend Peterloo, brilliant Mike Leigh film about the massacre of families rallying for universal suffrage and basic rights in Manchester 200 years ago. An event shamefully ignored by school history curricula. Starring Rory Kinnear and Maxine Peak.

My interest for this was heightened by us finding ourselves in the pub on the site of the massacre - The Briton's Protection - prior to City away.

PG

Sent from my SM-G930F using Tapatalk
 


pearl

Well-known member
May 3, 2016
12,794
Behind My Eyes
More Film 1968 than film 2018 but saw 'Once Upon a Time in the West' this evening at the Old Market. I always enjoy seeing old classics on the big screen and with direction by Sergio Leone, a score from Ennio Morricone and Henry Fonda in his only baddie role what's not to like.

Great fun

Brilliant film. I remember the start very well
 


Albion and Premier League latest from Sky Sports


Top
Link Here