The NeverEnding Story

Recently I watched the NeverEnding Story for the first time in a long time.

Original image located here. Accessed 29th September 2019

Geez, when did I see this last? I had only seen this once before and it was when I was in primary school, either in year 1 or year 3. Still, I do recall this being one of my earliest exposures to fantasy. As such, there is a lot from it that I remember quite vividly: I remember Rockbiter; I remember Falkor; I remember two sets of Sphinx statues (one gold that shoots death rays, the other blue that crumbles); I remember the trauma-inducing fate of Artax and, of course, I remember that unforgettable theme song in all its eighties-synth glory.

Looking back at it now through the perspective of nearly thirty years, I see some things I don’t recognise in the form of the Gmork and the climax where Atreyu meets the Childlike Empress. Furthermore, looking at the movie through the perspective of an adult, I have to admit that the film that the film still holds up with the use of puppetry, practical effects and the strength of its ideas. I have previously stated that the eighties fantasy movies tend to look a lot more grungier than their post-Lord of the Rings cousins and this is no exception.

However, one thing that strikes me about the Never-Ending Story, particularly through an adult perspective, is that it doesn’t look like a High Fantasy movie. If anything, I can’t help but notice but Fantasia looks kind of…..well…barren. The population is sparse, there is little to no sign of civilisation, and Atreyu’s quest seems to be going from location to location with stretches of empty-looking distance in between. Rockbiter, Nighthob and Teeny Weeny are shown as messengers for regions that are never shown and the Childlike Empress is the only sign of authority which makes me wonder just how much authority she actually has. Okay granted the film-makers of the time most likely didn’t have the budget to produce a living, breathing world (like Lord of the Rings) but we are told that Fantasia is a dying world – and yet shown at the same time that Fantasia is kind of empty. I swear, I can’t be the only one who noticed that the Southern Oracle is shown to be situated right in the middle of nowhere.

In fact, as strange as this may sound, I’m getting a Legend of Zelda vibe from this movie. Allow to me explain: When I played the original Legend of Zelda I realised that we have a protagonist, Link, traversing across a dangerous and sparsely populated world in order to help out an unseen monarch (Princess Zelda). The idea was a strong one and enough to make me wonder that if Hyrule is in the state it was, what kind of power Zelda had. Of course that maybe me trying to find a truth that wasn’t there to begin with but it’s the same wavelength with the Never-Ending Story. Indeed, I can’t help but think that whether the Never-Ending Story informed my perception of Legend of Zelda.
But at the end of the day, this movie still has wonder, inventiveness and holds up quite well over three decades later. And hey, who wouldn’t want to ride across the skies on a luck dragon?

Amy

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

Original image located here. Accessed 27th September 2019

Yep, it's the documentary based on the life of one Amy Winehouse.
At the time, when her career was in full flight, I didn't pay a lot of attention to Amy. I heard little of her music but I DID hear a lot about her daily escapades with drug & alcohol abuse and constantly making a fool of herself in public. Indeed, it's not a good sign when you find yourself asking 'Wait, she's a singer?'.
However, most of my knowledge about Amy Winehouse has been informed through reading the book Cradle to the Stage (by Virginia Hanson-Grohl). And the section dedicated to Amy, as recounted by her mother Janis, paints a picture of the eternal rebel, fiercely resisting advice, warnings, common-sense and any form of order and structure. And suddenly Amy's famous declaration of "They tried to make me to go rehab / I said: No No No" seems less defiant and more petulant.
So can this documentary present some new information?

Much like Mystify: Michael Hutchence, this is a documentary built out of (mostly) home video footage and the accounts of the people who knew the subject. It does indeed show Amy at her best, a singer and a writer, and at her worst. It doesn't shy away from the rebel image (as described above) and it is saddening to hear the attempts from various people trying to stop Amy from her self-destructive tendencies only to fail.
Indeed, it is depressing see Amy go from a young, pretty and charismatic performer into a mess. Going into the documentary, we all know how the story ends but that doesn't make the journey any less harrowing.
Still it is impressive to see the amount of material the makers of this documentary had to work with. A stand out for me was the footage of her in a studio working alongside her hero Tony Bennett. And a story from a friend who bursts into tears as she tells it.
So in the end, like any good documentary, this is raw, honest and leaves a sizable impression

Once Upon a Time in Hollywood

And this week's Friday night movie has been...Once Upon a Time in...Hollywood!

Original image located here. Accessed 20th September 2019

During my teen years I really did not like Brad Pitt and Leonardo Di Caprio as they, to me, represented this 'pretty boy' image that i had no hope in hell of matching. Who would've guessed that they would end up starring in a movie together? And not only that, but prove to be such a formidable duo?

Stars aside, this is advertised as a Quentin Tarantino movie and, as such, has some of what we've come to expect from a Tarantino movie: References for the movie geeks, a passion for film history and veteran cast members being handed unique roles. It also has the ultra-violence and the cussing but that isn't the point....

So what this is is Tarantino recreating Hollywood in the sixties. The recreations are fun, the attention to detail is superb and the familiar faces are interesting to spot. As mentioned above, Leonardo and Brad make a great partnership but for me the real star is Margot Robbie - she never disappoints and her role as Sharon Tate is interesting as Margot does so much with so little.
All in all, it's another gem from Tarantino which, considered his extensive oeuvre, is saying something.
Who would've guessed that hippies would be so dangerous?

Office Space

And this week's Friday night movie has been....Office Space!

Original image located here. Accessed 13th September 2019

Some of my buds have been urging me to see this, citing it's hilarity and situations I may find familiar. Personally, i had no idea that this movie existed but I'll try anything once.

And as it so happens it was funny. I can't say some of the situations in this movie has happened during my job (thankfully) but there is indeed some relatable elements in them and there were some decent laughs to be had.
Oh and when my home printer eventually gives up the ghost i am definitely giving it a send off reminiscent of the one portrayed in this movie

The English Patient

And this week's Friday night movie has been....The English Patient!

Original image located here. Accessed 6th September 2019

This movie was a major hit in the nineties but, as someone who lived through that decade, I don't recall it being a big deal. Maybe I, at the time, had my concerns directed elsewhere but I only became aware that this was a big deal when it swept the board at the Academy Awards.

As it turns out, it's not a bad film. Much has been said about it's cast but for me, the true star is the photography. The location shooting is nothing less than astonishing and is truly a sight to behold. It looks real, like you, the viewer, are there, in that environment. Equally impressive are the scenes involving examining painting on a cave wall and seeing frescoes by the light of a flare.
Personally i didn't care much for the love story but the visuals are what make this film. And that is more than enough.