Crazy Rich Asians

And this week's Friday night movie has been... Crazy Rich Asians!

Original image located here. Accessed 12 June 2020

I know more than few people who have been talking up this one. But I was cautious as it's intent is clearly spelled out in the title. Therefore I was concerned that this wouldn't be for me as I am a) white and b) not having money to burn

Thankfully that wasn't the case. For a movie that was telling a story through an Asian perspective, it is indeed universal and quite a lot of fun. It could be observed that the formula for the rom-com, which is movie is running on, is indeed rock-solid but, at the same time, challenged in numerous ways to present a healthy perspective on romance. But the real meat in this movie is the cast themselves, least not Michelle Yeoh, delivering stellar performances and giving them a chance to shine on their own terms.
At first glance, there may appear to be a lot stacked up against this movie but it comes out with it's head held high.

A Silent Voice

And this week's Friday night movie has been... A Silent Voice!

Original image located here. Accessed 5th June 2020

Far be it from me to try and block out what is happening in the world right now, so let's make it quick:
This is an anime movie that addresses themes such as regret, friendship, redemption and self-worth. Such themes are universal (and familiar in my case) and thus comes with the stamp of recommended.

Looking For Alibrandi

And this week's Friday night movie has been... Looking For Alibrandi!

Original image located here. Accessed 29th May 2020

Somehow this has slipped under my radar for quite some time. But when the gf found out about such an overlook, she made it her mission to rectify this.

At first I thought Looking For Alibrandi was some 'chick flick' fare, which may account for my initial avoidance of it, but it seems such an assumption is incorrect. It may tell of the trials and tribulations any teenage girl may face but in a way that is indeed universal.

There's a lot of things that work for this movie: The emphasis on Euro-Australians, recognizable Sydney locations, a snappy soundtrack and a compelling plot. Granted I am far from the teenage audience that this movie was intended for but the fact that I enjoyed it speaks volumes to it's universality.

Your Name

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

Original image located here. Accessed 22nd May 2020

Yep, we're taking a dive into the anime well this time folks. And in this case, we're tackling a movie that got a major release and scooped up plenty of acclaim in the process. Being the anime nerd that i am, I was well aware of this movie but I had been holding off seeing it because of the director attached: One Makato Shinkai.
As such there was a part of me thinking: 'YOU again.'
For me, Shinkai was one of those directors that had potential but was somehow missing the mark, with works that came across as dull and meandering, often ruining ideas that sounded compelling on paper. So approaching this movie came with caution: could he get his act together this time around?

Well the answer to that is resounding: YES!
Yep, Shinkai pulled it off. At first things were slow but when it hits it's stride. this movie knocks it out of the park. It's compelling, with beautiful artwork, a gripping plot and some moments of real emotional power. It's roller-coaster of a movie that kept going all the way to the end.
I will admit being intimidated by this movie given it's reputation but now, all the plaudits make sense. Great movie!

Marie Antoinette

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

Original image located here. Accessed 15th May 2020

I had heard of this movie from back in 2000s and I never thought I would be seeing it. But, as it happened, the gf suggested we give it a watch.

Obviously this movie is playing the whole 'Marie Antoinette as a Rock Star' angle with the soundtrack (featuring the Cure, New Order and the Strokes among others) and the presence of Marianne Faithfull in the cast. So clearly this is not aiming to be an accurate retelling of the life of the famous monarch.

Getting past that however and there is still a lot going for this film. The visuals are stunning, the location shooting is gorgeous and the wardrobe department are having a field day. Okay so it may not be historically accurate, and the opulent lifestyle shown here may be difficult to connect with, but as a piece of visual storytelling this is indeed something else.

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.