Chariots of Fire

And this week's Friday night movie has been... Chariots of Fire!

Original image located here. Accessed 24th September 2021

I tried to watch this movie back in 2009. But for some reason or another I never got around to finishing it. Well, today seemed like a good as any. After all, this film is forty years old. And 2021 is an Olympic year (kinda). And I WILL get past that unforgettable theme song and finally see the movie that came with it!

As is often the case, it is not the story but the way it is told. Sports movies aren't my favorite kind of movies because they tend to have an outcome that is never in doubt (ie the protagonists win) but here, there is enough drama and detail that one doesn't think about the outcome. It does indeed make for compelling viewing to see these characters go all the way from Cambridge to competing in the Olympics And such a sincere approach does, surprisingly, hold water when a modern approach demands cynicism and drug scandals.
In fact being a document of the era it is set in (despite a number of inaccuracies) is one of the strongest assets of the film. The costumes, the sets and the details are are stunning to behold - as well as various class/religious differences of the time.
So yep, looks like this movie scores gold.

Not Quite Hollywood

And this week's Friday night movie has been... Not Quite Hollywood: The Wild, Untold Story of Ozploitation!!

Original image located here. Accessed 17th September 2021

For those not in the know, this is a documentary from 2008 that describes a particular period of Australian cinema. Whilst the seventies are widely regarded as a boom time for Australian cinema, this however concentrates on the lesser known area: the exploitation films of that era - and beyond.

So what this movie presents are the movies of the era,- divided into the camps of sex, horror and action - and it is intercut with the interviews from both the people that made them and fans - least not is one Quentin Tarantino who played a key role in getting this documentary made.

This certainly is fascinating to watch, as it describes many of the aspects of a particular era. It isn't just the movies themselves but how they were made, the trails and tribulations involved, how they represented the time they were made in, the challenges of trying to find an international audience, and the personalities who made them. Plus it's fun to see Tarantino speaking about movies - a subject where one can expect him showing the enthusiasm of an evangelist.
But really the biggest success is how this documentary generates interest in these movies - why after I was finished and added more to my 'To watch' list. Sure it may be a wasteland which builds numbers faster than it loses them but hey, it's proof this documentary did just what it set out to do.

Ingrid Goes West

And this week's Friday night movie has been... Ingrid Goes West!

Original image located here. Accessed 10th September 2021

Earlier this year, I saw a movie, Promising Young Woman, which ended with a wedding being disrupted. This evening, I saw a movie that starts with a wedding being disrupted. Should I be worried?

I came into this movie expecting a satire that casts a critical eye on the use of social media. Whilst that was indeed what i got, there is however something else lurking underneath the surface.
Stop me if this narrative sounds familiar: The protagonist is unhappy with their life; they become enamored of some female figure and they are so intent on establishing some kind of human connection that they will resort to stalker tactics. Now someone people may slam rom-coms for utilizing the same narrative path, stating it is creepy, and sets unrealistic romantic expectations for guys. HOWEVER! What if the protagonist is female? Does that make a difference?

Probably not but this movie does have credibility as a character study. Sure the dangers of social media are displayed (becoming obsessed with an influencer and your private information falling into the wrong hands) but this is really an examination about an unhappy person and the lengths they would go to to show they have a fun and interesting life. It is cringey, it is a blackest of black comedies but there are moments that prove that when this movie hit, it knocks it out of the park (the final video scene ("I know there's something wrong with me...") being one example). And much of the movie rests on the shoulders of Aubrey Plaza - who, let's face it, is able to make a stalker character sympathetic. It's also great to see Elizabeth Olsen in a role that isn't Wanda Maximoff

The Living Daylights

And this week's Friday night movie has been... The Living Daylights!

Original image located here. Accessed 3rd September 2021

The journey through the James Bond series continues as I now enter the Timothy Dalton era.
Oh, Timothy Dalton - history has not been kind to this guy. Connery defined the role, Lazenby has his defenders, Moore has the longevity, Brosnan played the character like it was his life's ambition and Craig breathed new life into franchise. But Dalton? It seems he has been deemed the 'forgotten' Bond. Either that or at least a polarizing figure: Some say his movies were dour, other say he was the closest to the source material.
Personally, this is new territory for me as I have no previous experience with Dalton, so what do I think of his debut?

It's well documented that Dalton was committed on bringing his own spin on the character through having his portrayal be more true to Ian Fleming's books. As such, we have a Bond that is living on the edge, being all too aware that he can be taken out at any moment. It's an interesting take on the character (especially given that Dalton's predecessors never took this angle) and it certainly gives Dalton some credibility - I doubt anyone could make the words "Strawberry jam!" as intimidating as he can.
The problem is that Dalton's intentions don't really match the script. Sure the action sequences are great (this is a James Bond movie after all) but the script is all over the place. it is hard to follow with so many factions working off each other - which is unusual for a Bond film.
Still Dalton's presence and the actions sequences are indeed plenty enough to carry this movie. And this it seem that the 'forgotten' Bond has indeed something of his own to say