Recent
Quantum of Solace
I
have always been a Bond fan, and although Roger Moore is my favourite
, I have become a firm fan of Daniel Craig. He may be a bit rougher
looking
than the previous Bonds, but he has a gritty realism that makes his
Bond believable. Although I must admit, I do miss the humour
of Moore, who could
say so much by just raising one eyebrow. In fact, that's all he could
do, but he did it perfectly.
Craig brings intense blue eyes and an intensely violent nature. This
Bond is a very dangerous man. He manages to fly around the world
several times without changing his underpants, and unwisely chooses
white trousers, which must be terriblly difficult to remove blood and
mud stains from. And to think, we tax payers foot his cleaning
bills...outrageous! Seriously though, I fully recommend this latest
Bond film - it's fast, furious and has a very attractive Russian
actress playing a very attractive Bolivian girl.
My rating 8.5 / 10
Mamma Mia
Everyone in the cinema cried during this musical, including me. Cried,
not because of a purposefully sad scene, but because this film captures
the joy of life and the passage of time so well. There are few films I
would see again immediately, but this is one of them. The songs, the
scenery, the characters, all come together to create a truly feel-good
experience.
It's not perfect, but in many ways it is. I never thought I
would hear Pierce Brosnan sing for one thing. Merryl Streep is
fantastic, she shows her raw showbusiness talent. The supporting cast
all look like they were enjoying themselves immensely. The songs fit
into the story effortlessly, and although the storyline is basic, it is
such a pleasure just to go with it and enjoy the ride. Pure joy.
My rating 10 / 10
Revolutionary Road
When
this movie finished,
the middle-aged Japanese guy in the seat to my left, gave a big sigh of
relief. Both leonardo Di Caprio and Kate Winslett give masterly
performances. The acting is unbelievably good. The story is dark and
relentless in its truthfulness about the human condition. There is no
Hollywood ending in these real people's lives. When the sanest man is a
mental patient, you know these characters' lives have gone off the
rails.
This is not a sad movie at all, but it is a painful one. We can all
reflect on missed opportunities and failure to take control and
responsibility for our selves. My only criticism is that the children
are not featured, but also not ignored, and I was left wondering where
they were all the time. This criticism aside, this is a powerful piece
of film-making.
My rating 9 / 10
All time
Barbarella - Queen of the GalaxyRoger Vadim Jane Fonda / John Phillip Law / Anita Pallenberg / Milo O'Shea / Marcel Marceau ASIN: B00005421R / 97 minutes / 1968 I love this movie. It is pure kitsch and gloriously camp. The sets, costumes and music were a great influence on modern culture - one of the characters gave his name to the '80s group Duran Duran and many bars and clubs have based their interiors on this film's design motifs too. It is a screen version of a popular French comic strip by Jean-Claude Forest. Jane Fonda is the sexy but innocent 41st Century space-age heroine, who never needs too much clothing - the film starts with the heroine stripping off in zero gravity! Barbarella embarks on a mission to find a scientist named Duran Duran by order of the president of Earth. On the way, she's attacked by killer dolls, is strapped into an orgasm machine (which she breaks!) and falls in love with a handsome blind angel. In keeping with its comic book origins, Barbarella's adventure unfolds in a series of dramatic and unlikely situations. However, it is not only a sexy comic sci-fi romp but also a tongue-in-cheek poke at the loose morality and debauchery of the late '60s. My rating 9 / 10 |
|
AmelieJean-Pierre Jeunet Audrey Tatou / Dominique Pinon / Jean-Pierre Jeunet ASIN: B00005RH3V / 116 minutes / 2001 A magical film from the seasoned French director with a lovable and memorable heroine in Audrey Tatou. Paris becomes a city of strange coincidences and tiny miracles. I can't imagine anyone who doesn't fall for the charming Amelie Poulain. This is one of the few films I want to watch again and again. Amelie is a young woman who sees the world in a magical
light, discovering small miracles every day. Shy and reserved, she was
raised by a parents who falsely diagnosed her with a heart problem at
the age of six and so limited her exposure to the outside world. But
now she is a grown woman, with a job in a cafe and an habit of spying
on her neighbours and playing kind-hearted practical jokes - for
example she sends her father's garden gnome on a trip around the world,
and she creates a connection at the cafe between a waitress and a
customer. But then Amelie decides to work her magic on the object of
her affections, Nino Quincampoix, whom she has never met. My rating 10 / 10 |
|
Strictly Ballroom (Released as 'Dancing Hero' in Japan)Baz Luhrmann Paul Mercurio / Tara Morice / Bill Hunter / Pat Thompson ASIN: B00005UQW2 / 90 minutes / 1992 Ballroom dancing has been popular for many years and is now back in fashion (to some extent!) This film can be blamed for keeping it in the spotlight. This was Australian Baz Luhrmann's first major film and his theatrical style later seen in Moulin Rouge works wonderfully here. This is a larger-than-life look at a smaller-than-small world that I simply love. Call me old-fashioned if you like, but I'm a sucker for a funny, colourful, warm-hearted love story with music and dancing. The handsome Scott is a young dancer who wants to dance his own steps in a competition. Fran is the ugly-duckling, Spanish beginner who the headstrong Scott is forced to dance with. His domineering mum is a former dancer herself and wants her son to win the Australian Pan-Pacific Championship (which she lost years before with a mystery partner). The scheming dance committee president is determined that there no new steps are allowed. The dancing is skillful but enjoyable and the characters lovable and straight from a comic. This film has a strong moral - "A life lived in fear is a life half-lived", but doesn't take itself seriously and provides many laughs and a gripping climax. My rating 10 / 10 |
|
Please return to see more.