Far From the Madding Crowd

And this week's Friday Night movie has been... Far From the Madding Crowd!

Original image located here. Accessed 3rd March 2023

Once again, we have a case of me watching a movie that I put on my 'to watch' list so long ago that I forgot why I put on said list in the first place. Still, the distance presents an advantage: I am effectively going into this one blind.

So what this movie presents is an adaptation of the novel by Thomas Hardy. Well I once read Tess of the d'Urbervilles and I'm not in any hurry to read it again. Still, this appears to be cut from the same cloth but less relentlessly grim (thankfully).
So what we have here is the story of a woman who juggles running a farm with her independence and the attentions of three potential suitors. Indeed it is the romance that intrigues me: Throughout the movie, I was wondering if there's a fandom attached to this book, rallying behind the banners of Team Oak, Team Boldwood and Team Troy. And I was hoping for a three-way standoff between them (like in The Good The Bad and the Ugly).

Jokes aside however, I liked this movie a lot. Special mention must go to the landscape shots, the music and the presence of the lead Carey Mulligan. And whatever misgivings I may have about Hardy, the story is certainly compelling and the makers of this film told in a stunning way.
Favourite line: "I intend to astonish all of you"

Her Majesty Mrs Brown

And this week's Friday night movie has been... Her Majesty Mrs Brown!

Original image located here. Accessed 2nd December 2022

Anyone heard of this? It's a movie from the late-nineties that I've been waiting to see for a very long time. Because at first glance this shows a tonne of promise: A film about the bond between Queen Victoria and her Scottish servant John Brown? Well that's something different. And the cast: Judi Dench (who never disappoints), Billy Connolly (doing one of his serious roles), Antony Sher, Geoffrey Palmer, and Gerard Butler (in his film debut). And we have director John Madden? Well I'm sold.

It should be noted that I knew of Madden through the wonderful Shakespeare in Love (and I am more than prepared to die on that hill) and a lot of his skills are at work here: The handling his cast and the use of humour is great. The bond between the two leads is built up well and while John may have potential as a Manic Pixie Dream......Jack there is enough to him to be more than that. And whilst Dench is fantastic as always, the real treat is watching Connelly taking on a serious role.
So yeah, a lot of talent on both sides of the camera makes for a superb movie

Her

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

Original image located here. Accessed 23rd August 2019

Hasn't this been a major hit: A movie about a guy who falls in love with an AI? Personally, I approached this movie with caution: I've seen a lot of anime which plays off a similar scenario (ordinary guy falls in love with anything-but-ordinary girlfriend in a story that is out to pander to an audience of guys who struggle with the world outside their bedroom) so can this movie do more than rehash an oft-played scenario?

Apparently it can. This is indeed an odd movie - but I suppose that is par for the course with Spike Jonze. It certainly has some things to say about getting over a breakup and moving on - but the way it is going about it is indeed something else. It's funny at times and emotionally intense other times. It is clever, challenging and not afraid to go for the jugular with it's emotional punches. And the two leads are great with Joaquin Phoenix carrying the movie and Scarlett Johansson giving the performance of her career (impressive when she is only present in voice).
Is it like the anime I mentioned in the previous paragraph? Maybe, but it is interesting to see a familiar trope being taken in a different direction.

It's a very good movie yet I can't help but think that it's just as well that the movie got made when it did (2013). because in a post-MeToo/Elliot-Rodger world one would think that a socially-maladjusted, emotionally-crippled, confidence-challenged protagonist would be one heading down the path of a villain.

Titanic

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

Original image located here. Accessed 17th March 2017

I've spoken previously about approaching movies with a reputation big enough to inspire intimidation but this one takes the cake.

You see, I remember this being a big deal in my last year of high school and my first year of college. Some people loved it but others hated it. It gave Leonardo Di Caprio's profile a mammoth boost. It made people call James Cameron a traitor for going to action movies (Terminator 1+2 and Aliens) to making a romance. It inspired criticisms ranging from the length, how the ship sinking was the only good thing about it and giving us that damn Celine Dion song.

A formidable reputation to be sure but for me the only way to approach this movie was to build some distance from it and view it on my own terms (as always). Well, two decades is a suitable enough distance so what do I think of this movie?

Yeah, it's not bad.

Strangely enough I didn't find Titanic slow or tedious as it's reputation suggests. The level of detail is impressive and the CGI effects still hold up rather well. Special mention must also go to the (very long) sinking sequence which is both impressive and horrific at once.

Ultimately though Titanic was indeed a passion project for James Cameron and it shows. It may be his show but it's certainly a good one