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.

Going Clear: Scientology and the Prison of Belief

And this week's Friday night movie has been... Going Clear: Scientology and the Prison of Belief!

Original image located here. Accessed 24th April 2020

Much has already been said/mocked/condemned about Scientology, with their beliefs and the tendency to attack any questioning parties. I thought I knew a lot about them but this documentary provided a whole new trove of information. And a lot of it is terrifying to say the least.
We meet the founder L Ron Hubbard, we see the extent of the influence of Scientology, and just how weird the religion can be. We also see some of the nastier tactics utilized against those who both criticize and leave the Church.

But what i find interesting is the second part of the documentary's title, the words: 'Prison of Belief'. Considering the tactics used by the Scientologists (legal action, always attacking and never defending, strong-arming celebrity endorsement, buying up key real estate, ruthlessness towards whistle-blowers and shunning those who leave), it isn't too hard to see the same tactics being applied by other groups, both religious and non-religious. Indeed it is surprising to learn how great the need for agency in one's life can be and what it can lead to
Perhaps the most telling moment for me came in the remark that through joining a group who encourages you to think for yourself, you end up being told what to think.

When Marnie Was There

And this week's Friday night movie has been... When Marnie Was There!

Original image located here. Accessed 17th April 2020

Being the Studio Ghibli fan that i am, it is fair to say that I would inevitability come to this movie - largely through the influence of the gf also being a Ghibli fan. Personally, I think any Ghibli movie that doesn't have the involvement of Miyazaki has an uphill battle to find a wide audience. But I am willing to give such a movie a chance.

Perhaps the choice of the words 'uphill battle' is a fitting one because this is indeed a challenging work.
On one hand, the art is up to the Ghibli standard (very high), the middle section is interesting, the building of suspense surrounding the mansion is engaging, and if this is Ghibli's attempt at a ghost/haunted house mystery story then it's remarkably effective.
But on the other hand, Anna is a hard character to like. Sure the pain of being the outsider can be relatable but lashing out people who try to help is not an endearing quality. Other characters seem either inconsistent (ie Marnie) or just.... there (ie Hisako). And the twist ending, as well as the exposition dump about Marnie, could have been handled better.

Was I expecting too much from Ghibli? How could I not given their staggering legacy?
So in the end I know some people love this movie but to me, it is hard to do so.

The Hunt For the Wilderpeople

And this week's Friday night movie has been... The Hunt For the Wilderpeople!

Original image located here. Accessed 3rd April 2020

I've had many people recommend me this movie so here we are: The little New Zealand movie that could.

So what this is really is a chase movie: Two protagonists on the run from the law and bonding as they do so. So what makes this one different? Well, the chemistry from the two leads, the fact that this chase takes place across bushland and an all-too quirky sense of humour that only the Kiwis can provide. Some beautiful shots of New Zealand scenery at it's best doesn't hurt either.
I thought I knew what to expect from Taika Waititi following Thor Ragnarok and Jojo Rabbit but apparently not. And that's a good thing

Rurouni Kenshin

And this week's Friday night movie has been... Rurouni Kenshin (2012)!

Original image located here. Accessed 27th March 2020

Twenty years ago, I had my first exposure to the anime that was Rurouni Kenshin. And, much like many people, I thought it was awesome. Later that year I watched the Memories OVA and doing so truly cemented my interest in Kenshin.
So perhaps it was inevitable that I would come to the series of live action movies that had been produced under the Kenshin brand.

If anything this movie is clearly aiming for a large audience. Granted it has a ready-made audience as this is based on a widely-loved manga/anime series, but there are various indicators of working beyond such a fanbase: The budget is clearly a big one, the fight scenes are stunning to behold and as an action movie it works well.
As a fan of Kenshin, I could recognize the important elements of Kenshin and some key story beats. This is clearly an adaptation of the first manga arc and it does it well with handling of key characters and even adding parts that were only introduced later in the manga. So i did enjoy this movie but would appear that being a fan of Kenshin helps - because I watched this movie with the gf, with it being her first exposure to Kenshin, who was left baffled.

But of course, this movie is the first of a franchise, so it would be interesting to see what happens next in the sequels....

The Talented Mr Ripley

And this week's Friday night movie has been... The Talented Mr Ripley!

Original image located here. Accessed 20th March 2020

Once again, this is another case of a movie I've been meaning to see for some time. But I finally come around to it for three reasons.
Firstly, I recall when this movie originally came out and left a lot of people baffled as to what to make of it - least not my parents who thought it was some sort of inspirational/life-affirming movie (and I can imagine they weren't the only ones). Yet once again, the distance of time builds a perfect platform to assess this movie on it's own merits.
>Secondly, I have seen the stage version of this with the titular role being played by a good friend of mine.
And thirdly, further interest was generated with the connection this movie has to The Room.

Perhaps it is just as well that I approaching this movie with an independent mindset because this is, ultimately, an odd movie - both for it's time and over twenty years later. As a psychological thriller it works well, assisted by some truly stunning imagery of Italy. But at it's core, this movie is a character study, one of a person who is a con-artist and commits some horrible acts but, at the end, still comes out as sympathetic. And the confusion surrounding Tom Ripley, assisted by Matt Damon's performance, makes him a compelling character to be sure. So in the end. if this movie is making me feel for a guy I have no right to, then it must've done something right.
What concerns me though is that we have a guy trying to belong but is greeted with condescension. Which makes me wonder how many 'people who shout at other people on the internet' would find such a scenario familiar....

Emma

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

Original image located here. Accessed 13th March 2020

Funny how things turn out: I never had much interest in the works of Jane Austen - I may have read Persuasion at Uni but said interest never went any further. That was until I was involved in a stage adaptation of Pride and Prejudice (twice!) so if you told 2000 me that I would be watching the latest adaptation of Emma twenty years later, 2000 me would say you'd be out of your mind.
That and the gf chose this one.

I suppose with any Jane Austen adaptation, there will be a ready made audience more than eager to lap it up. Of course, Emma is unfamiliar to me so i had no idea what to expect. And this was a surprise to me: It is slow moving at times but it still has plenty of humor. The number of characters may be difficult to keep track of but they are played by a committed cast.
Ultimately the movie is beautifully shot and the costume design is stunning (high collars ahoy!). So yeah, looks like we have a winner.

Senna

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

Original image located here. Accessed 6th March 2020

Last year I saw the documentary Amy and came away impressed - so much so, I was inspired to check out this: an earlier documentary from the same people, focusing on legendary Brazilian F1 racer Aryton Senna.

Much like Amy, Senna is intent on building an image of it's subject, showing Aryton doing what he did best. As such, we follow his career as the documentary discusses various points in his career: His rise to success, his various wins, his ability to drive in the wet, the rivalry with Alain Prost, and Aryton becoming a hero to many a Brazilian. We see nothing of Aryton's personal life but we do see a tonne of footage that, in hindsight, would've been difficult to get a hold of.
So this documentary goes a long way in explaining who Aryton Senna was, his passion towards F1 racing and his various triumphs. And even when we know how the story ends, it still hits hard.

The Invisible Man

And this week's Friday night movie has been... The Invisible Man!

Original image located here. Accessed 28th February 2020

The gf chose this one
Now this is not the first time I have seen a movie with Kiera - that honor goes to Little Women. Thing is, i chose that one - which means that I went for the 'chick flick' movie while Kiera selected a psychological thriller. Go fig.

Anyho, I noticed that the director of this movie is Leigh Whannell. In recent years, he may have made a name for himself through the Saw franchise but to me, Whannell will forever be the movie critic on Recovery. I mention this because, if this movie is anything to go by, he knows his stuff: he knows how to craft suspense, how to build tension from nothing (ie blank walls) and how to build a connection with the audience that leaves them (ie me) drained by the end of it.
That being said, there certainly a lot going for this movie. It has scares, unbelievable tension and Elizabeth Moss giving it her all. Recommended

Dances With Wolves

And this week's Friday night movie has been... Dances With Wolves!

Original image located here. Accessed 21st February 2020

I have mentioned previously how approaching certain movies can be an intimidating experience on reputation alone. And whilst this movie is one such instance, it does present an interesting case as this movie has a reputation that can only be described as a polarizing one.
On one hand, this was a sizable hit in it's day and subsequently silenced many a nay-sayer. It won Best Picture at the Oscars making it one of three westerns and one of six films done by a first-time director. It challenged a lot of western tropes by showing the Native Americans in a positive and sympathetic light.
But on the other hand, it was an undeserved winner at the Oscars. It robbed victory from Goodfellas. Despite it's intentions it still was a white man's movie. And a proponent of the 'white savior' trope that many a viewer would find insulting.
So for me, in order to appreciate this movie it is therefore necessary to divorce myself from both trains of thought and see it movie purely for what it is.

And you know something? It's actually pretty good. It may drag at times (I'm glad I didn't see the four hour special edition) but it succeeds in it's goal of offering a differing view in the western. Kevin Costner is certainly in control on both sides of the camera. But, much like the Searchers, the real star in this movie is the scenery, with moments of real beauty set in jaw-dropping landscapes.
So yeah. it's a solid movie from the brilliant moments of silence with Dunbar in isolation all the way to the punch-in-the-gut ending

Birds of Prey

And this week's Friday night movie has been... Harley Quinn: Birds of Prey!

Original image located here. Accessed 14th February 2020

Let me say this up front: I like Margot Robbie. She's a great actress and she's always entertaining whatever she's doing. And she has her own production company, so clearly she's making sure the movies she wants made get made - I admire that.
I never saw Suicide Squad but it is clear that Robbie's turn as Harley Quinn was clearly a highlight so of course she would get her own movie.

And of course it's Harley's show all the way. Which is both a good thing and a bad thing: Good because Robbie is clearly enjoying every minute of this role and bad because the other characters aren't really that interesting. In fact I'm not sure what this movie's intention is: Is it a Harley vehicle or is it an attempt to get an all-female team-up going? And of course the issue of the name change is further confusing matters.

With the other characters, there are some moments of interest but other times they seem dull and more interested in who can out-curse the others. As such, aside from some inventive action sequences, this movie was a chore to get through.
Now I'm not opposed to an all-female action/superhero team but ultimately, I need interesting characters to make it work. Because once you have interesting characters you can sell anything
A fact that My Little Pony: Friendship is Magic has proven many times over.

Jojo Rabbit

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

Original image located here. Accessed 7th February 2020

Okay seriously I want to know what pitch was used to green-light this movie. I guess Taika Waititi had built enough credit through the success of Thor Ragnarok that he is allowed to do whatever he wants - truly the ultimate goal of any filmmaker.

I should point out that my preferred brand of comedy is 'pitch black' and there is certainly a lot of it on display here. But scratch that surface and the true intent of the movie is revealed: It has a lot to say about hate and being brainwashed into it.
But at the end of the day, this movie is funny, bizarre, horrific and honest all at the same time. A tricky balancing act to be sure but, in a way, it succeeds.

One point of concern however - or for me at least - is that Waititi may have pinched my idea: In 2018 I worked on manuscript about a guy with an imaginary friend - one who is leading the guy down a wrong path and is ultimately overcome. Now it would seem this movie has prompted a rethink on my part...