Sullivan's Travels

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

Original image located here. Accessed 27th August 2021

I will admit I have watched a lot of classic (as in pre-New Hollywood/1968) movies in recent months. But this is because that a lot of movies made recently are very much dour and socially conscious - one only needs to take a glance at the last lot of Academy Award nominees for Best Picture to see what i mean. Therefore, it should come to no surprise that i would come across this: A 1941 movie telling the story >of a filmmaker who wants to eschew making comedies in favor of making a socially conscious movie.

The march of time should be against this movie but it isn't. It is still funny, with witty dialogue, crazy situations and providing a solid case that slapstick can still work in 2021. Also impressive is how this movie switches gears and tackles a variety of movie genres throughout.
However it is of particular fascination that we have a character that wants to be serious but has to contend with a world that is working against him - I have seen this done many times before but here it works a treat.
I've never been sold on the narrative of: 'protagonist tries something new, only to fail and go back to old life' (and that's putting it lightly) but here it works. So it's a funny thing: A movie that came out eighty years ago, and has no doubt been replicated many times since, still has some bite that put's it progeny to shame. How about that....

The Suicide Squad

And this week's Friday night movie has been... The Suicide Squad!

Original image located here. Accessed 20th August 2021

I've never seen the original Suicide Squad - in all honesty, the backlash it received was enough to turn me off completely. But that places me in a position where I can judge this sequel/reboot on it's own terms and without any connection to it's predecessor.

Perhaps it is fitting that i should see James Gunn's earlier piece Super weeks prior because in a way, that movie is effectively a blueprint for this one. The only difference is, whereas Super is mean-spirited (even uncomfortably so) The Suicide Squad is less so. Sure it is loud, obnoxious, gory and has loads of profanity, but Gunn pulls the same trick he did with the Guardians of the Galaxy - that being taking characters that are lesser known, and hardly the type to be taken seriously, and making them work. And that certainly is a feat in itself. Sure Harley is the most recognizable face here (courtesy of the incomparable Margot Robbie) but the real stars are the rest of the Suicide Squad. Which is indeed saying something.
Obviously, the success of Guardians of the Galaxy netted Gunn the job of doing The Suicide Squad but for me, The Suicide Squad is clearly the work of someone who has been left off the leash and is going for it at full tilt.
So yeah, this movie was great and some truly demented fun.

So the big question now is what DC are going to do next. On one hand this movie, as well as Joker, proves that their movies can work well with the villains in mind - and that can't be underestimated.
But on the other hand, I have previously praised Shazam and Aquaman - and now, The Suicide Squad proves the notion that DC's movies can be successful if they take the characters that are either lesser known or not to be taken seriously and make them work.
Needless to say, it would be interesting to see what DC will take away from The Suicide Squad....

Space Jam A New Legacy

And this week's Friday night movie has been... Space Jam A New Legacy!

Original image located here. Accessed 13th August 2021

I should not like this movie. It has been said that this is less a movie and more an ad. And that many of the jokes are out of date. And it completely ditched the characterization of Lola Bunny provided by the Looney Tunes Show. And it operates at the pace of Sonic the Hedgehog on red cordial. And I can't escape the feeling that this was done by someone who really wanted to rewrite the narrative of 'Space Jam < Looney Tunes: Back in Action'

And while such criticisms are indeed valid, I couldn't help but enjoy this movie. I did enjoy picking out some familiar faces in the crowd scenes. I did enjoy LeBron Jame's presence. I did enjoy the humour that made me love Looney Tunes as a kid. And I especially loved Don Cheadle, stealing every scene he was in. It may be easy to dismiss this movie has being soulless but I can't say it was half-arsed (if that makes any sense).
So in the end, given the recent trend of movies leaning towards the socially conscious, perhaps there is something to be said about a movie that wants nothing more than to make it;s audience laugh.

For Your Eyes Only

And this week's Friday night movie has been... For Your Eyes Only!

Original image located here. Accessed 6th August 2021

As stated previously, one reason i have been watching more James Bond movies this year is that I have seen many of them in bits and pieces but few of them all the way through. And For Your Eyes Only was one of the former. True i have been saying I've seen it but it wasn't in it's entirety - and that struck me is being very dishonest. So time to rectify such a situation.

So what can i say about this one? Well, it's well and truly one of the highpoints of the Moore era. Roger is in suburb form with his quips and the action sequences are excellent. The Greek scenery is great and the final assault on Kristatos' (Pycelle!!!) lair.
It is well documented that this was intended to bring Bond down to earth after some truly fantastical adventures and to that end, it was a successful one. And it certainly is proof that the sensibilities of the Connery era can indeed work in the early eighties.