The Queen of Versailles

And this week's Friday night movie has been... The Queen of Versailles!

Original image located here. Accessed 4th April 2025

It seems this year that I have been, once a month, watching a documentary, that started in one direction but ended up in a completely different direction. So lets keep that particular train going.

This documentary is a fascinating one as it tells a familiar story: A couple are intent on building their dream house but, due to meddling from the bank, they are forced to abandon this plan and settle for something smaller. So what makes this story different? The couple in question are an excessively wealthy businessman and his trophy wife: David and Jackie Siegel. 

So whilst this documentary starts with their original plan - a monumental mansion inspired by the Palace of Versailles - what happens next has such plans going belly-up with the financial crash of 2008 and these two settling for something lesser.
Now given that the super wealthy are hardly flavour of the month material at the moment, is this documentary condemning or sympathetic? The answer is both. Yes this couple make some poor spending decisions (especially Jackie), yes they have an oblivious approach to their situation, and yes they are effectively living in their own super-wealthy bubble. But at the same time, they are facing a lot of problems that the rest of us will face: limited funds, struggling to pay off debts and longing for a financial breakthrough. 

Make no mistake: These people are pretty much awful people who do dumb things and have a limited view of the world. And yet seeing them humbled in such a manner one can't help but feel sense of sympathy.
Maybe not a lot but its there.

The Snow Queen

  And this week's Friday night movie has been... The Snow Queen!

Original image located here. Accessed 28th March 2025

I have thrown plenty of curveballs on this blog but this must be the biggest one yet: A Soviet animated feature from 1957. An odd choice certainly but this film is noteworthy as it famously inspired Japanese anime titan Hayao Miyazaki and remains one of his favourite films.

At first glance one would think this was Frozen's dour Russian cousin but it isn't. Instead it follows the source material very closely.
But really the main selling point of this movie would be the visuals. The art direction is pretty good by itself and the animation quality still holds up decades later. But it is the various animation tricks and techniques that really sell this movie. 
Granted this is more an art movie than a Disney flick but that's what makes it so unique.

Treasure Planet

And this week's Friday night movie has been... Treasure Planet!

Original image located here. Accessed 21st March 2025

And so here we go again with Disney's Post-Renaissance era. That weird period where they eschewed the musicals in favour of doing some more experimental works, with the results being polarising at best. And yet, with the passage of time, some entrants of this period are looked favourably, with some praising them for both the quality and Disney's willingness to take risks.

I do recall when Treasure Planet was originally released, being greeted with both bewilderment and a weak showing at the box office. But in the years since, many people have come around to it. So what do I make of this?

Well, this is an adaptation of Treasure Island so the source material is unbeatable. As such a lot rides on what is done with it. 

And I have to say this movie is indeed inventive: the visuals are stunning, showing every cent of the large budget. The creativity is great and designs are staggering. And it's also pleasing to see a straight-up adventure movie coming from Disney - but given the source material that is expected. 

It is certainly an odd move to reskin Treasure Island in a sci-fi setting but, against the odds, it works. 

Also casting Emma Thompson as Amelia was a master-stroke as she sounds like she's having the time of her life.

Vernon: Florida

 And this week's Friday night movie has been... Vernon Florida!

Original image located here. Accessed 14th March 2025

I am attracted to any movie that has a fascinating backstory behind it and the one attached to this documentary is a doozy.
Documentarian Errol Morris went to Vernon, Florida to do a feature based on a story he heard about how local residents were cutting off body parts for an insurance scam. However this original idea had to be abandoned due to Morris receiving multiple death threats. So, as a Plan B, Morris instead made a documentary about some of the eccentric individuals that make up the town.

 As mentioned above this is exactly what it is: Some residents of a southern town talking about their lives and what they  think. It may sound dull but what makes it compelling isn't just these people's various eccentricities but their own insights thereby conveying their philosophies and experiences. Also noteworthy is that I gather this will be the closest we will ever get to see Southern people on the screen: a rarely seen people showing them as they are and having speak in their own voice. 

So in it's own roundabout way, this is a very human documentary. 
Truly a case of building something out of when one's original plan falls though....

Dungeons & Dragons: Honor Among Thieves

And this week's Friday night movie has been... Dungeons & Dragons: Honor Among Thieves!

Original image located here. Accessed 7th March 2025

Well I've been putting this one off long enough. I was reluctant to see this one as I still have the scars from seeing the previous efforts that bore the DnD brand. But I did hear that this latest one was actually really good. Certainly that sounds like an against the odds victory but it was enough to grab my interest.

I guess comparisons with the Guardians of the Galaxy movies are hard to avoid: It's not just the idea of taking an IP that shouldn't work and actually making it work - it's also ramping up the comedy, presenting absurd situation after absurd situation, and having an group of personalities bouncing off one another. However it is the latter that should make this a natural fit as that's what a DnD session is: Multiple players working off on another as they build a narrative. 
And the makers behind this realised this and ran with it. And that I found myself enjoying this a lot confirms the wiseness of such a decision. Certainly I could see various instances that hint towards the mechanics and spirit of DnD but the whole thing was delivered with humour, cast interplay, creativity and action that anyone not familiar with this tentpole of geekiness could get on board. 
Also props to Hugh Grant who looks like he was having a lot of fun. 

Jimmy Carter: Rock and Roll President

And this week's Friday night movie has been... Jimmy Carter: Rock and Roll President!

Original image located here. Accessed 28th February 2025

Here's an interesting concept for a documentary: One on former US president Jimmy Carter framed around his love of music. Given his recent passing, I guess now is as good a time as any to take a look.

But whereas I was intrigued by the framework, itself proves to be deceiving. Yes, it is fascinating to see Carter's interest in music, going from discovering gospel in his youth before branching out into country and rock 'n roll. Yes it is interesting to have input from the likes of Bob Dylan, Nile Rodgers, Willie Nelson and Gregg Allman. And yes it is amusing to see Carter use his political connections to engage with many of the acts of the era.
However the further this documentary goes on, the more it strays from it's original intent: And it gradually becomes less about Carter's love of music and more about Carter as a person. But that isn't necessarily a bad thing: The movie talks about his beliefs, his values and his decisions as president. And the interviewees are certainly willing to talk about Carter, contributing to the image of him as someone of genuine integrity. 

Informative yes, but not what I was expecting. 

Kung Fu Panda 4

  And this week's Friday night movie has been... Kung Fu Panda 4!

Original image located here. Accessed 21st February 2025

I didn't have plans on watching this, but this turned out to be one of the situations where Kiera chose the movie. Still, I am willing to be surprised. And I have had some glowing things about the other three Kung Fu Panda movies so can that winning streak continue?

Well allow me to resort to bullet points:

• The first three had their fair share of solemn moments but this does not. This was a mistake.
• The Furious Five are also absent. This is also a mistake. 
• Viola Davis was great as the antagonist. 
• Seems to be some hostility towards Zhen. Is it the character? Or Awkwafina's voice? If that is the case of the latter, I have to wonder this hostility came from as she was great in Crazy Rich Asians 
• I did enjoy the dynamic Po and Zhen as clearly the latter was written in a way reminiscent of the former in the first movie. 
• The idea of Po being a state of wisdom is a compelling one given the journey he had taken to get here. 
• The action is still as solid as ever
• The end credits theme is hilarious
• Ultimately there is some enjoyable moments but the end result is indeed removed from what the first Kung Fu Panda movies so great.

When Harry Met Sally

 And this week's Friday night movie has been... When Harry Met Sally!

Original image located here. Accessed 14th February 2025

Well it's Valentine's Day so here's one I've been saving for such an occasion. 

Seems to me that this movie is remembered for three reasons: Firstly, it defined rom-coms for the next couple of decades. Secondly, it made Meg Ryan the go-to actress for rom-coms. And thirdly, the diner scene. But I however came to this movie to judge on it's own, without these three factors in play.

And honestly, it's still really funny. There are some great gags and some razor-sharp writing, exploring the mindset of both genders. And it's interesting to note that whereas this movie became a benchmark of rom-coms it doesn't really follow the tropes associated with the genre (as dictated by It Happened One Night) and is all the better for it. 

It's also nice to see Carrie Fisher in a non-Star Wars role. 

The Boy and the Heron

 And this week's Friday night movie has been... The Boy and the Heron!

Original image located here. Accessed 7th February 2025

So when was it that I discovered the works of Studio Ghibli? The year 2000. And much like any other movie connoisseur/anime nerd, it didn't take much to win me over: Stunning animation, boundless imagination, a distinct brand of humanism and a fearlessness when talking about big ideas. How could I help myself but jump on that particular bandwagon.
But I did so at an interesting time. For the years that would follow would prove fascinating for Ghibli figurehead/genius Hayao Miyazaki: Releasing Spirited Away. Achieving worldwide success with said movie. Scoring anime's first Oscar. Going back and forth on retirement. Growing outspoken to the point of becoming a curmudgeon. Losing his friend/colleague/sempai Isao Takahata.
In fact, I think that the success of Spirited Away may have been something of a turning point: Whereas Miyazaki's movies prior were unique in their own way, what has followed Spirited Away (Howl's Moving Castle, Ponyo) seemed to be following the same template of throwing whatever weirdness his imagination can come up with. However one could make the argument that said weirdness can be relied upon too much and can be used as a smokescreen to cover up a weak script. 
Granted it is foolish of me to draw comparisons to previous Ghibli works but given the factors of the uniqueness of each work, the high quality of the studio's output and Miyazaki's advancing years, any instances of repeating one's self becomes hard not to notice. 

As for the movie itself it is extraordinary. The animation is of the typical Ghibli high quality and the afore-mentioned weirdness is at play. And the imagery is inventive and the imagination is, as ever, wondrous. 
But the real heart of this movie is this is a personal work for Miyazaki. All the pieces are in place to explain where he come from: The experiences of his youth, the building of the empire that is Ghibli, the musings of moving on and building something with one's own hands. Big themes to be sure but the movie does address them with flair.

Mind you, watching this movie however I can't help but draw comparisons to The Tale of the Princess Kaguya: The bombing sequence is animated in the same way and both films share a sense of finality running throughout. Makes me wonder just how hard Miyazaki took the passing of Takahata (seriously, watch him give the eulogy at Takahata's funeral: the poor guy is barely getting through it). Still, much like Kaguya, this is an effective way to say goodbye.

Also, props to the English dub for having Robert Pattinson playing the Heron as he seems to be having the time of his life.

Wallace and Gromit: Vengeance Most Fowl

And this week's Friday night movie has been... Wallace and Gromit: Vengeance Most Fowl!

Original image located here. Accessed 31st January 2025

As an IP, Wallace and Gromit's output is small: One feature film and a handful of shorts. Granted the quality of animation demands a lot of time and effort, but what there is, is never dull. And when a new entrant emerges, it is difficult to avoid.

No idea why you'd want to: The humour is near non-stop, the visuals are inventive and there are some surprising use of mood that would be suited to a horror movie. Also pleasing is the jabs at the increasing influencing devices and tech have in our lives. Okay sure there are more than a few allusions to The Wrong Trousers (perhaps to the point of reliance?) and Wallace makes for an exasperating character but this was a lot of fun. 

I recall watching Wallace and Gromit when I was in High School. And I'm glad to report this IP is still delightful three decades later.

Dark Star

And this week's Friday night movie has been... Dark Star!

Original image located here. Accessed 24th January 2025

Here's a question: Can anyone tell me, without looking it up, who created the Alien franchise?
My experience with sci-fi nerds - or any nerds for that matter - is that they tend to venerate creators who come up with successful IP. By way of example: George Lucas gave us Star Wars, Gene Roddenberry gave us Star Trek, J. Michael Straczynski gave us Babylon 5 and Joss Whedon gave us Firefly.
All recognisable names to be sure - so who created Alien?

The answer is two people: Dan O'Bannon and Ronald Shusett. The former wrote a movie called Dark Star and it impressed the latter to a point that they joined forces, worked on some of the ideas from said movie and gave us the horror/sci-fi hybrid that we all know.
And if that isn't enough, this movie was the directorial debut of one John Carpenter. It was originally a student film but, with some additional funds, it was expanded upon.
Quite a pedigree one would think.....

Let's get this out of the way: This is a B-Movie. The sets look shoddy, the sfx are cheap, the premises are ludicrous and there is no attempt to hide it. The monster in this movie is a beachball and the cast act like they're stoned. Certainly there are some elements that will crop up again in Alien - blue-collar space-farers working for a faceless corporation - but both films are so removed from each other it's hard to make the connection both came from the same writer. 
And yet, this movie still works: There are plenty of laughs and the cheap nature of it makes it endearing. It certainly does say a lot about doing a lot with limited resources and you must give props to a student film that made the leap into a full feature. 
Funny how big things would come to those behind a mere student film....

Gimme Shelter

And this week's Friday night movie has been... Gimme Shelter!

Original image located here. Accessed 17th January 2025

Behold: one of the most famous (infamous?) documentaries, music or otherwise, ever made. It's the chronicle of the Altamont Free Concert - a show put on by the Rolling Stones that ended in disaster.

For those who don't know: Altamont happened in 1969, four months after Woodstock. It was put together by the Rolling Stones and had them headlining with some other acts. During the show however the crowd was unruly and the security, provided by the Hells Angels, were very hostile to them. Needless to say, it descended into chaos and an attendee, one Meredith Hunter, was stabbed to death.
Since then, there have been varying accounts of the event but it has gone down in history as a catastrophe and, most significantly, the endpoint of both the sixties and the hippy ethos of 'peace and love' it inspired.

Of  course, this documentary does nothing to challenge such a narrative: the planning process is shown to be haphazard and the event is shown to be utter mayhem. And it is the latter that is the key selling point of this documentary: it is terrifying to watch and the alarm shown by the Stones is genuine. 

But the main strength of this feature is seeing Mick and Charlie being confronted with the footage. Granted the Stones may forever be the benchmark for pop music 'bad boys' but rarely are such 'bad boys' shown the consequences of their actions. And it is downright harrowing. 
Was that the intention of this documentary? Hard to say but what I do know is that this was a far from easy watch - but much like car crash, hard to look away. 

Nosferatu (2024)

And this week's Friday night movie has been... Nosferatu (2024)!

Original image located here. Accessed 10th January 2025

I saw this in the cinema where some goth girls were in the row behind me. And when the line came "He's coming! He's coming!" I heard some giggling....

It's a bold move to remake one of the foundation stones/benchmarks of horror cinema: what can one do with the source material? Okay sure the original is over a century old and may look creaky today, but there are some genuinely freaky moments that put more modern horror movies to shame. So what does this one bring to the table?

Well the atmosphere is stunning with some great use of creeping dread. The visuals are gorgeous and there plenty of nods to the source material. But at the same time, I can't help but think that this is a soulless exercise. It is horny to the point of absurdity, the accents are silly and I was left with the thought of what the whole point of it was.