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The Ritual (2017, David Bruckner) " ...let's all go down to the woods today, we're sure of a big surprise ...." Enjoyed this survival horror carry on. The British abroad and all that. 4 friends travel to Sweden to honour a fallen comrade's last wish. A decent amount of tension (and the build up) which is only slightly demeaned by the ending imho. Very BM I thought, though I am inordinately fond of Ulver's Bergtatt and it might just remind me of this
__________________ [SIGPIC][/SIGPIC] [B] "... the days ahead will be filled with struggle ... and coated in marzipan ... "[/B] |
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Fences (2016) ★★★★ Quote:
With Denzel Washington reprising his Tony-winning role from the stage play, he would be thrust into the same light as Paul Newman, Richard Burton, and Marlon Brando as actors who have been tasked with making a film successful through their performance (and the cast around them). Where Brando had Vivien Leigh and Kim Hunter, Paul Newman and Richard Burton and Elizabeth Taylor, Washington has Viola Davis, also reprising her Tony-winning performance from the 2010 stage version. It's not just Davis, but the bulk of the cast is from that celebrated ensemble, and the familiarity between them is clear to see. You don't watch Fences for an audiovisual spectacle – this isn't The Matrix, Avatar, or Gladiator – but for powerhouse performances in a very well realised 1950s setting bringing August Wilson's words to life. It's a great play which makes for a very good film.
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Philadelphia (1993) ★★★★ Quote:
The whole film is extremely well handled by Jonathan Demme, with typically engaging conversations due to the extreme close-ups and the actors looking directly into the camera and at the viewer, and the fine supporting cast which is notable for the high number of gay men, is as notable as the Oscar-nominated and Oscar-winning performances from the leads. Bruce Springsteen's theme song – Streets of Philadelphia – is also one of the most thought-provoking and lyrically engaging songs recorded for any film, but praise must go to Neil Young for his eulogy-like song which plays over the home movies at the end.
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I, Daniel Blake (2016) ★★★★★ Ken Loach is no stranger to films which somewhat capture the sociopolitical climate, front Cathy come Home in 1966 to Sweet Sixteen in 2002. With I, Daniel Blake, he's made something which is as much a docudrama as a piece of fiction. Based on thorough research and whistleblower testimony, it's a brutal exposure the British benefits system and the extent to which penalises those who are too ill to work but not deemed safe enough for support from the state. Through the titular character, it shows how people are caught between a rock and a hard place, facing appalling penalties for being slightly late to an appointment and needing to (figuratively speaking) jump through things to qualify for money with which to buy food and heat their homes. With extremely realistic, understated performances from the lead actors, faces who aren't famous, and are fairly novice actors, it contains at least two scenes which are likely to bring tears to the eyes of viewers, and have you in a state of righteous fury in the end credits roll. It isn't a polemic, but a film which is an important document and one which should be seen by every elected official in the UK as well as those working in the benefits system.
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Stalker (1979) ★★★★ Quote:
Leaving the story and characters to one side and concentrating on the look and feel of the film, it's an engrossing experience, a film which looks interesting and, just from the visuals, provokes questions throughout. I don't know the answers to those questions, but I'll certainly be watching this again to see if I can figure out exactly what answers can be gleaned from repeated viewings.
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Emma. (2020) ★★★ Quote:
Compared to Little Women and The Personal History of David Copperfield, this is not in the same league and left me wondering how much better it could have been with a different script, different crew, different cast, or whether it's just a case of the book not lending itself to a lively and engaging film adaptation. The film looks fantastic and the costumes are great, so it's a real visual feast and it's very well schooled. Watching this in the cinema was a pleasant enough way of spending a couple of hours, but is not a film I'll be rushing to rewatch or buy when it is released for home viewing. As adaptations of Jane Austen's novel go, give me Clueless any day of the week!
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