Earwig and the Witch

And this week's Friday night movie has been... Earwig and the Witch!

Original image located here. Accessed 12th February 2021

Going into this movie I was under the impression that this was Studio Ghibli trying to take on Pixar at their own game. I will admit it's an idea - after all its well documented that Pixar has been looking over Ghibli's shoulder for many years so maybe some cross-pollination could work?

In all honesty this is a difficult movie to assess. On one hand, there are moments of real imagination and the Ghibli standard of 'fantastical whimsy meets mundane' is well and truly in place. And Earwig's impulsive and commanding nature certainly grants her a place in Ghibli's (sizable) ranks of heroines.
But on the other hand, the plot seem under-developed. The ending is abrupt and the movie comes across as incomplete - questions are never answered and it could've easily gone for another half hour. As such, this movie comes across as if there is a full third that got left on the cutting room floor.
I did some research and found that the original text was written by Diana Wynne Jones - and it was her final work before her passing. And as it turns out, the original text is both short and has an abrupt ending. It would've been nice if Ghibli expanded beyond the confines of adaptation but it seems unlikely giving the reverence the studio has for Jones. And as such, the movie suffers.
Its an experiment to be sure, but it does raise the question whether Ghibli can manage without it's esteemed founders.

From Russia With Love

And this week's Friday night movie has been... From Russia With Love!

Original image located here. Accessed 5th February 2021

Given that i will be talking about more James Bond movies over the course of this year, lets get it out of the way: Formula.
The James Bond series has a nasty reputation for being formulaic. It's a reputation that has been built up over the years and is known to both fans of the series and those who aren't. And this reputation is so entrenched, it has proven difficult to shake off: There have been numerous attempts but none of them have been successful (with the possible exception of the Daniel Craig era).
That being said, it is interesting to see this early entrant in the series- the second to be precise - before the formula began to solidify. As such: this movie is effectively it's own thing.

And boy is it ever: Looking at From Russia From Love I am surprised just how it plays differently from it's successors. Sure there's the usual - gadgets, action, exotic locales, secret agent shenanigans and bikinis - but there is no climax in some super huge villains lair. In fact, it is fair to say that this plays out less like a James Bond movie and more like a Cold War thriller. It would be easy to say that this is the most grounded of the James Bond movies but here it works - and from a series known for moments of going over the top that's saying a lot
It may not adhere to the formula but in doing so, From Russia With Love stands proudly on it's own two feet.

Rain Man

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

Original image located here. Accessed 29th January 2021

It is nothing new to slam previous winners of the Oscar for Best Picture - usually accompanied by the words 'doesn't hold up against the passing of time' and 'undeserved winner'. Is this movie one such film? Maybe but personally, I think one could make a case for this movie starting the trend of 'mentally-handicapped-person-helps-shallow-person-find-meaning-in-life = Oscar success'.

Still i did enjoy this movie. Having said that though, a lot of it rests on the shoulders of its two leads. I've never thought much of Tom Cruise but here he brings his A-Game. And Dustin Hoffman impresses with his committed portrayal of an autistic savant.
There is a part of me that should hate this movie because a) it started the above mentioned trend and b) creating a lot of stereotypes about autistic people. And yet somehow I do not.
In a way i was dreading this to be a slog to get through but to my surprise that was not the case. So yes, I'm glad I saw this one.
And hey, looks like we have a well-deserved winner of the Best Picture Oscar.

Anne of Green Gables: Road to Green Gables

And this week's Friday night movie has been... Akagi no An (Anne of Green Gables)!

Original image located here. Accessed 22nd January 2021

Yep, we taking another dive into the anime well - and in this case, the World Masterpiece Theater. And what is World Masterpiece theater you may ask?
From 1979 to 2000, Nippon Animation would annually produce a TV series based on famous work of classical literature. Such titles to get the anime treatment would be Little Women, Heidi, Tom Sawyer and others. Some of these would even get shortened down into a feature length release.
World Masterpiece Theater is also notable for being a early work for future Studio Ghibli founders Isao Takahata and Hayao Miyazaki. And this is one such work with Takahata directing, Miyazaki doing layouts and another Ghibli alumni, Yoshifumi Kondo, proving character designs.

I must admit that watching this movie was a challenge on multiple fronts. Firstly I have no familiarity with the source material so this was going through new ground. Secondly, this is a a one hundred minute movie made up of the first six episodes of a 50 episode strong (!) series, thereby making it a glimpse into something greater. And thirdly, I have found a lot of anime made in the late seventies tend to age quite drastically.
But to view this movie as an early Ghibli work is a fascinating one. Already some of the Ghibli trademarks are in place: Detailed artwork, gorgeous scenery, animation with realistic movement, moments of whimsy, and a female protagonist who is both spunky and charming. And Takahata once again proves to be the master of the quiet moment.
It may not be on par with the future triumphs that Ghibli would bring but from the looks of it., it was already on it's way.

Argo

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

Original image located here. Accessed 15th January 2021

Maybe it's just me but it would appear that interest in this movie has dropped off completely. What was once a critical darling and a Best Picture winner at the Oscars is now a movie that has slipped through the cracks - Perhaps it is indeed telling that I would get this at the Salvos for $3. Is this what happens when you make a movie based on historical facts but neglect to mention some crucial details?

Still, this movie sets itself out to be a tense thriller and to that end it succeeds. Sure it may play like any caper movie, what with the planning process and the carrying out of the act itself, but I really enjoy caper movies and this one certainly delivers. I don't know Ben Affleck for his directorial ability but I must say: When he hits he can clearly knock it out of the park.

Dr No

And this week's Friday night movie has been... Dr No!

Original image located here. Accessed 8th January 2021

I have a goal for this year and that is to watch more James Bond movies.
Now I have enjoyed the James Bond movies but the amount I have seen all the way through is surprisingly few. Sure I have seen bits and pieces of some but that doesn't really count to this ongoing series.
So I plan to rectify this in 2021 by watching a James Bond movie every month and playing catch up. After all, with a new movie on the way, I couldn't ask for a better time.

And so what better place to start than at the very beginning.
It may be easy to dismiss Dr No as being the starting point of the franchise and thereby trying to figure itself out. But already some familiar elements are in place: John Barry's unmistakable theme, the gun barrel introduction, how Bond introduces himself, Car chases, Bond's tendency to quip upon defeating a foe, exotic locales, Bond's choice of martinis, a final showdown in a grandiose enemy lair and bikinis.
Of particular note is that this Bond comes across as a different one than his future incarnations: he is less suave and more thuggish. And as there are no gadgets, he is more dependent on his own ingenuity. I have to wonder: is this James Bond more in line with that from the source material?
Still, this movie was enjoyable: the series hits the ground running. And it can only go up from there....

Lady From Shanghai

And this week's Friday night movie has been... The Lady From Shanghai!

Original image located here. Accessed 18th December 2020

Once again I am watching a movie from the pre-New-Hollywood era: in this case, from 1947. Nothing wrong with that - but in this case, I have been wanting to see this because there's a story attached.

You see apparently, this movie originally ran for three hours but the director, Orson Welles, was forced to cut it down to half that running time. The missing portion has since been lost to time and the movie has suffered for it.

With this in mind, watching The Lady From Shanghai is an odd experience. The narration is strongly placed, the flow is jarring and there are moments that may have required additional scenes. Welles have been attempting to do something different with film noir - admirable seeing as he was working with the limitations of what he had - but he doesn't quite pull it off successfully. Still it has it's moments: Not least of which is the final showdown in a hall of mirrors (oft-imitated but never bettered).

Temple Grandin

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

Original image located here. Accessed 11th December 2020

As mentioned in previous posts, I will show favoritism to movies that are based around protagonists that are on the autistic spectrum. And this movie is one from that particular ell. It's a biopic based around livestock scientist Temple Grandin.

I will admit: I had no idea who Temple Grandin was until i saw this movie. And if a Biopic makes me interested in knowing more about the person in question then it has done it's job with flying colors.
Over the course of the movie, we see key moments in Grandin's life: Her diagnosis, her ingenuity, her coping methods and her revolutionary ideas on the treatment of livestock. And such a remarkable life is handled by Claire Danes giving the performance of her career.
It may be a TV movie but it sure stands head and shoulders above the rest.

Lady and the Tramp

And this week's Friday night movie has been... Lady and the Tramp (1955)!

Original image located here. Accessed 4th December 2020

Well i am a dog person so perhaps it is inevitable that I end up seeing this.
You know, this movie is sixty-five years old and yet it still comes across as being quite striking. One of the beauties of animation is that it can do things that Live action can never do and that certainly is the case here. It is impressive that we have animated dogs acting very much like real dogs and the sheer expressiveness of these characters are stunning to behold.
It may be short and it may be overlooked by Disney fans but honestly? I think this is one of their strongest works.

Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows (part 2)

And this week's Friday night movie has been...Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows (part 2)!

Original image located here. Accessed 27th November 2020

And so here we are: the endpoint of a journey that took ten years to complete (although for me it took eighteen). We have seen these characters, not to mention the actors and actresses playing them, grow and age over that time. On the whole, it is impressive that this film series manage to pull off a continuous story being told over a decade - Okay sure the story in question was already established in written text but it is difficult to imagine current movie franchises as they are had they not followed the path the Harry Potter movies made out. Indeed, it's not much of a stretch (at least in my mind), to picture the MCU looking over Harry Potter's shoulder and taking notes.

As for the movie itself, i was expecting a conclusion that would leave a crater of sizable portions and that's exactly what i got. Clearly the first Deathly Hallows movie existed just to get some of the character moments out of the way so we can see the final confrontation between Harry and Voldemort. And what a confrontation it is: The siege is spectacular, the sight of Hogwarts following said sage is indeed a shock, the long-awaited final confrontation is something to behold and it's nice to see various faces form the preceding movies make a reappearance.
However for all the spectacle, my favorite moments in the movie are, ironically, the quiet ones (example: "You've been so brave sweetheart"). I have spoken previously how it worked for the last movie but here it strikes gold, being able to warm the cockles of my cold, jaded heart.

And so, we reach the end of this particular movie serial. I may have been skeptical when i started but these movies did win me over. Granted the movies may be a mere glimpse when compared to the richness of the source material (or so i have been told) but now, the fandom sure makes a whole lotta sense.
So here's to you, Harry.

Oh and House Ravenclaw forever.

Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows (part 1)

And this week's Friday night movie has been...Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows (part 1)!

Original image located here. Accessed 20th November 2020

Last week i observed that there is nothing wrong with serials taking the occasional step back and addressing a more smaller-scale/personal story. The only difference between this and the Half Blood Prince however is this pulls it off more successfully.

In all honesty, this movie surprised me: I was expecting something apocalyptic, considering the build-up with Voldemort, but what I got was the opposite: I got to see Harry on the run and having to confront the possibility that he, along with Hermione and Ron, is out on his own and just what a terrifying prospect it can be. I can imagine seeing these kids tramping through the wilderness may seem dull but that's kind of the point: It's an effective use of conveying isolation.
And such a mood reaches it's height with the graveyard scene - for me this is, so far, the apex of this series. It is well done and proves that being quiet can be damn effective.
Also who would have guessed that the music of Nick Cave would work in a Harry Potter movie?
Still, this movie is still intent on building up to a major conclusion. And I can imagine it's going to be something spectacular - after all, how could it not?

Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince

And this week's Friday night movie has been... Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince!

Original image located here. Accessed 13th November 2020

It is interesting to revisit this movies over a decade later. Because I can do it on my own terms and be as far removed from the hostility this series initially attracted as I wish. Of course, a disgusted fanbase grumbling about an adaptation is nothing new but as the years went on, this hatred eventually died down. So I have to ask: Do the Harry Potter fans still hate the movies? I suppose
a) the fact that the movies all came over the course of a decade wore the haters down
b) the Potter fans grew older and wiser
c) the realization from the fanbase that the movies were drawing in new interest
d) the knowledge that we should be grateful that these movies gave us Emma Watson and Daniel Radcliffe
e) the haters moved on. To Game of Thrones (probably).
Can anyone confirm this?

As for the movie itself, I will admit that this is perhaps the weakest entrant in the series so far. Sure it all looks nice and we get some interesting character moments but far too often Half Blood Prince comes across as meandering and slow paced - which seems to go against the grain of what came previously. I don't object to serials taking the occasional step back and address a more smaller-scale/personal story but not if they make two and a half hours a slog to get through.
HOWEVER! I am willing to forgive this tedium purely for the final half hour. Oh my goodness, is that a rollercoaster of a ride. Atmospheric, frightening, exciting and heart-wrenching, it is proof that when these movies score a hit, they can knock it out of the park.
Ultimately though, I can't shake the feeling that the slower pace of this entrant is a buffer for what's happening next which, as is my understanding, is going to get nasty.

Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix

And this week's Friday night movie has been... Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix!

Original image located here. Accessed 6th November 2020

Seems Chronicles of Narnia isn't the only fantasy serial I have neglected...
Funny thing with the Harry Potter movies: I started them but I never got around to completing the series entirely. So for this November, i will rectify this situation. Granted I've picked a bad time to do this but hey, I'm not one to leave a job unfinished.
Now previously I couldn't remember if I have seen Order of the Phoenix before but I watched it anyway: Largely to refresh my memory.

However it is difficult to assess this movie on it's own as a) it's part of a serial and b) it's the first of four movies headed by the same director, David Yates. Still, this was a lot of fun. And it has the same wonder, adventure, scares and humor that won me over when i saw the first movie back in 2002 (!).
Also it is handy to be reminded why people hate Dolores Umbridge so much.