Looking For Alibrandi

And this week's Friday night movie has been... Looking For Alibrandi!

Original image located here. Accessed 29th May 2020

Somehow this has slipped under my radar for quite some time. But when the gf found out about such an overlook, she made it her mission to rectify this.

At first I thought Looking For Alibrandi was some 'chick flick' fare, which may account for my initial avoidance of it, but it seems such an assumption is incorrect. It may tell of the trials and tribulations any teenage girl may face but in a way that is indeed universal.

There's a lot of things that work for this movie: The emphasis on Euro-Australians, recognizable Sydney locations, a snappy soundtrack and a compelling plot. Granted I am far from the teenage audience that this movie was intended for but the fact that I enjoyed it speaks volumes to it's universality.

Your Name

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

Original image located here. Accessed 22nd May 2020

Yep, we're taking a dive into the anime well this time folks. And in this case, we're tackling a movie that got a major release and scooped up plenty of acclaim in the process. Being the anime nerd that i am, I was well aware of this movie but I had been holding off seeing it because of the director attached: One Makato Shinkai.
As such there was a part of me thinking: 'YOU again.'
For me, Shinkai was one of those directors that had potential but was somehow missing the mark, with works that came across as dull and meandering, often ruining ideas that sounded compelling on paper. So approaching this movie came with caution: could he get his act together this time around?

Well the answer to that is resounding: YES!
Yep, Shinkai pulled it off. At first things were slow but when it hits it's stride. this movie knocks it out of the park. It's compelling, with beautiful artwork, a gripping plot and some moments of real emotional power. It's roller-coaster of a movie that kept going all the way to the end.
I will admit being intimidated by this movie given it's reputation but now, all the plaudits make sense. Great movie!

Marie Antoinette

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

Original image located here. Accessed 15th May 2020

I had heard of this movie from back in 2000s and I never thought I would be seeing it. But, as it happened, the gf suggested we give it a watch.

Obviously this movie is playing the whole 'Marie Antoinette as a Rock Star' angle with the soundtrack (featuring the Cure, New Order and the Strokes among others) and the presence of Marianne Faithfull in the cast. So clearly this is not aiming to be an accurate retelling of the life of the famous monarch.

Getting past that however and there is still a lot going for this film. The visuals are stunning, the location shooting is gorgeous and the wardrobe department are having a field day. Okay so it may not be historically accurate, and the opulent lifestyle shown here may be difficult to connect with, but as a piece of visual storytelling this is indeed something else.

The Imitation Game

And this week's Friday night movie has been... The Imitation Game!

Original image located here. Accessed 8th May 2020

As mentioned previously in this series, i will show favouritism towards movies that portray protagonists who are clearly on the autistic spectrum. As such, i was eventually brought to this: A biopic on mathematician and computer engineer/pioneer Alan Turing.

Of course, this makes this movie an oddity: It is a movie about an Aspergian who historically actually wasn't an Aspergian. Okay sure some historians have tried to match Turnings behaviour to those on the autistic spectrum but doing so is more speculative.

Historical inaccuracies aside though, it would seem that the entire movie rests on the shoulders of it's lead, Benedict Cumberpatch. And he's an actor I like a lot because he never gives in a dull performance - and what do you know, he's firing on all cylinders here. His portrayal as an Aspergian is indeed accurate and is more than enough to make this movie engaging and capable of rising above any historical inaccuracies.
Funny thing: I am used to see Benedict Cumberpatch in roles where he is ultra confident (ie Richard III and Dr Strange). So it is indeed a surprise to see him in a role which is the antithesis of such roles. And further proof what a talented actor he is.

Lion

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

Original image located here. Accessed 1st May 2020

Here's a local movie that, in the years since, has garnered attention to an overseas market. Granted it was a co-production with the US and the UK helping out an Australia movie but it's good to sea local talent being recognized in such a manner. That and the use of Tasmanian locations is enough to pique my interest.
That and the gf urged me to take a look.

I have to say I'm impressed with this movie. i was impressed with the story it wanted to tell. i was impressed with the use of recognizable Tasmanian locations. I'm impressed that they managed to get some name actors in (David Wenham, Nicole Kidman and Rooney Mara). I was impressed with the cinematography and the use of Indian locations. And I was impressed with the central performance of Dev Patel.
I've heard this movie being called Manipulative but I don't get that. What i saw was an uplifting story told both honestly and very well. And I can't ask more than that.