Malcolm X

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

Original image located here. Accessed 5th June 2026

Surprisingly I haven't seen any of the filmography of one Spike Lee. The immediate impression is that he is a black movie director making movies for a black audience - which subsequently places me in a considerable disadvantage. 
Still I've been meaning to watch this as a) I seen Denzel Washington in numerous movies and he never disappoints, b) I am curious to find out more about a historical figure that I have heard a lot about but only in name and c) I am willing to consider a perspective different from my own.

But what does it matter? Turns out this movie was something unexpected: A biopic that transcends it's intent and becomes something more epic. I mean it worked for Lawrence of Arabia...
Seriously though, this is very effective as a character study, taking us through Malcolm's life, highlighting key points and showing his passion for civil rights. His speeches, teachings and white-hot rage (pun unintended) are all incorporated and even moments when his views are challenged (i.e. his pilgrimage to Mecca and what happens afterward) are included. Indeed, even if the widely-known image of Malcolm X is one of anger, this movie does indeed go to great lengths to show there was a humanity tied to him. 
When one watches a biopic, one gets the feeling that they are watching a propaganda piece but I never got that that with this movie - which means it did it's job better then anyone could've hoped for. 

Funny thing: I did find the first hour a bit of a mess but it really got more focused once Malcolm went to prison, had a religious revelation and began heading on his path of being a civil rights activist. But having typed that sentence out, it would appear that that was the point....

A Man For All Seasons

 And this week's Friday night movie has been... A Man For All Seasons!

Original image located here. Accessed 31st May 2024

Best Picture Oscar winner no.: 39 (1966)

It could be said that this is the forgotten Best Picture winner of the 1960s. After all, it does share room with some heavy hitters (ie Sound of Music, Lawrence of Arabia) so maybe it got lost in the crush?

Looking at it now, one could make the case that this is an early slice of Oscar bait: it is a biopic (tick), it has some big names in the cast (tick), it is a costume drama (tick) and it is about someone who sticks by their convictions even they lose everything and, eventually, their life (tick).
Cynicism aside though, there is a lot going for this movie: The direction is superb, it's beautifully shot and works with it's origins as a stage play. But the real meat is the acting: Orson Welles makes the most of his one scene, Robert Shaw is both compelling and frightening as Henry VIII (How come he never got more scenes?) and Paul Schofield carries the movie, giving it his all.

Unfairly forgotten? One would think so.

Lawrence of Arabia

And this week's Friday night movie has been... Lawrence of Arabia!

Original image located here. Accessed 1st July 2022

Well I'm in quarantine so now would a good time as any to address some of the longer running movies in my to-watch list.
I knew this movie on two fronts: a) it's a very famous movie and b) it was directed David Lean. Now I've already seen one of his works, Doctor Zhivago, and it seems to me his films are defined by two characteristics: a) they feature lots of exotic locales and b) they tend to be very long. So should I be put off by such a reputation?

No I shouldn't. Because it seems to me this movie's reputation is justified. It runs over three hours but it never drags. The locations are astonishing and the filmmaking techniques put to use are incredible. The battle scenes are great and there are plenty of unforgettable images. There is plenty of desert sure but the film does a clever job making you feel like you're there - which is saying a lot for a movie approaching it's 60th birthday.
And it's always nice to see a pre-Star Wars Alec Guinness.
I was told that this is one of cinema's achievements and now I see no reason to doubt it.