The Eternals

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

Original image located here. Accessed 29th April 2022

Here we are: The MCU's first 'flop'. Sure it may have made a lot of money (hey, it's the MCU of course it's going to make money) but it has polarized both critics and audiences alike. Given MCU's track record it would be interested to see if they can bounce back from th...what a minute, the new Spiderman movie was a box office hit? Oh well never mind then.
Personally, I was a bit cautious about this one. The trailers seemed to indicate something that breaks the tried and tested formula and, to me, suggest a movie akin to 2001: A Space Odyssey. In which sense, I do give credit to MCU for taking their guaranteed success and attempting to stretch out & try something different. So how is it?

People have said this was long and tedious. I won't deny that. People say there is a lot going on here. I won't deny that either. People say that a lot of blame for this movie's shortcomings rests on either Jack Kirby and Chloe Zhao. That seems awfully harsh to me (will Zhao's; career bounce back? Now there's a thought...).
But I still find a lot to admire here. I like the diversity and how it is handled. I like the action sequences. I like the visuals. I like seeing Richard Madden and Kit Harrington back on screen together. I like the handling of time in the narrative. And I like the use of Pink Floyd in the opening titles.
Actually the mention of Pink Floyd is an apt one. For when I was listening to them in my university years, i was drawn to idea of listening to Pink Floyd with undivided attention and absorbing what was being presented to me. Which, in a way, is very much like this movie. Was that what Zhao was going for? One can only wonder...
So in the end is this movie the failure I was led to believe it was? I don't think so. But ultimately, i would rather a noble failure than a weak success any day.

Strictly Ballroom

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

Original image located here. Accessed 22nd April 2022

Thirty years ago, i recall this movie being a big deal. It was everywhere in advertising, was a box office hit and scooping numerous AFI awards. And it introduced the world to a director by the name of Baz Luhrmann.
Oh Baz Luhrmann - not one of my favorite film directors. I found him - as indicated by his follow ups William Shakespeare's Romeo+Juliet and Moulin Rouge - as the kind of guy who is obsessed with visuals, who is more concerned with style than substance, who directs like he's on a sugar high and knows his audience, a legion of squee-ing teenage girls, all too well.
I was going to be happy not seeing this movie but little did I know that Kiera had other plans...

But you know what? It's not that bad. No wait, scratch that: It's kinda good. It's funny, it's entertaining and - could it be? - Luhrmann's direction is reigned in enough to make the action on screen happen. In retrospect., this does seem a world away from what would happen with the afore-mentioned movies but the DNA is still there.
However lets be honest: the greatest selling point of this movie is the dancing and boy does this movie deliver. Say what you like about Paul Mercurio's limited acting ability but his dancing prowess is beyond compare. Also props to the Silverdome standing in for the climax.
Indeed, it makes me wonder what happened to this side of Baz Luhrmann. As the saying goes: constrictions inspire creativity so what happened to him in regards to his follow ups? Did success go to his head? Did he go crazy upon discovering larger budgets? Did he get replaced by a doppelganger? One can only wonder.

Encanto

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

Original image located here. Accessed 15th April 2022

Well I guess it was inevitable that i would see this one: It's been a hit with critics, audiences, and Tiktok users. In fact, given how much traction this movie has inspired, it is a near miracle i kept myself away from the plot. And spoilers. And the music. Because, as I've mentioned many times before, there's nothing like approaching a movie on your own terms, amirite?

Oh who am i kidding. Encanto was great!
Given that much has been said about the music (and sung by many people) I find it interesting to discuss it because I found that much of it is words being shot out at a rate so rapid, it's difficult to keep up. Indeed, there are many times I wondered: What did that character just say?
Other than that, I really enjoyed the sense of family that this movie conveys. Each character in this is unique and are supportive of each other. It does indeed resemble my own family when I was a kid, - being part of this network of aunts, uncle and cousins - and just how bound together they are.
The animation is great and the art direction is superb but given it's a Disney movie, that's kind of a given right?
But in the end, everyone will be gravitating towards the music but I am far more interested in the depiction of a familial unit

Local Hero

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

Original image located here. Accessed 8th April 2022

Sometimes you know a movie by - and only by - it's theme tune. And this is one such movie.
Growing up in the eighties I became very familiar with the tune Going Home. It was only much later when I found out it was written by Mark Knopfler (of Dire Straits fame) and was part of a soundtrack to a movie called Local Hero.
The latter, of course, is interesting to me. I just knew the song but knew next to nothing about the movie it was from. And that can hardly be called a positive sign: if the theme song is more important than the source material then that inspires a level of expectation that is near impossible to reach.

So what i got from this movie was the sense that this is a British comedy where a town is visited by an outsider and the outsider finds the people in the town are quite eccentric. Thing is, this formula has been replicated many times since to a point that going back to the movie which started it (or at least made it work) it seems rather flat in comparison. Yes this was a comedy and yes there were some funny moments but somehow coming to this movie at this point in time, I come away with the sense it doesn't have the impact it should've had. It would be easy to say this movie was dull but in doing so I can't help but admit I have missed something.
Still the soundtrack was great. And it's it fun to see a young Peter Capaldi.

(nothing)

And this week's Friday night movie has been... nothing.

Yes I saw nothing this evening. In fact, bugger this. I'm through with waffling about the movies I saw. I'm outta here!

April Fool!

Still with me? Good. Normal business shall resume:

And this week's Friday night movie has been... Shall We Dance?!

Kiera chose this one. Largely because it has dancing in it.
So there's this guy who sees a woman in the window of a dance school and decides there and then that he wants to take up ballroom dancing. He gets good at it but he goes to extraordinary effort to hide it from those around him.
I will admit I was skeptical at first: I wasn't sold on the idea of an old guy getting into dancing because of a younger woman. And why would he go to the effort to hide it? It's nothing to be shamed of now is it?
Still, the strength of this movie lies in the dancing sequences and they are indeed a delight to behold. I don't watch a lot of dancing movies but what is presented here is indeed a some of the best I have seen (granted that's not much of a yardstick but still...).
All in all, not a bad effort

Saving Private Ryan

And this week's Friday night movie has been... Saving Private Ryan!

Original image located here. Accessed 25th March 2022

Well it's Oscar season so now would be a good time as any to address a movie that was a hot favourite for Best Picture but got pipped at the post.
I remember this movie being a big deal back in 1998 but I never got around to seeing it (at least until now). And I also remember a lot of anger that Saving Private Ryan lost the Best Picture Oscar to Shakespeare in Love. But conversely, i wasn't angered: I thought very highly of Shakespeare in Love - and still do - so i was delighted by the win. Sure it puts me in a minority position and yes it has since been revealed that grade-A douchebag Harvey Weinstein made an aggressive push to secure the Best Picture Oscar to Shakespeare in Love but I regret nothing.
Which in turn places me in an interesting position to approach Saving Private Ryan.

When it comes to Spielberg I have found he only makes two types of films: Light Entertainment (ie ET, Jurassic Park, Indiana Jones) and "Take me Seriously Dammit!". And Saving Private Ryan does indeed belong in the latter category. Much has been written about the opening half hour and how it has set a new standard for portraying war scenes in movies but what i got out of it was just how brutal Spielberg's approach is: It's not just the violence but the shaky cam and the grimness of the whole thing. Clearly this was an attempt to show the war as it really was and the plonk the viewer straight in the middle of it. And the gamble paid off.
So yeah, as stated above, this movie was indeed a big deal and, it would appear, for very good reason.

I am Big Bird

And this week's Friday night movie has been... I am Big Bird!

Original image located here. Accessed 18th March 2022

Anyone heard of this? It's a documentary on the now deceased muppeteer Carroll Spinney, exploring his life, his career and his passion in working with puppets.
As the title suggests, a lot of this documentary was focused on Spinney's greatest achievement: Big Bird. A lot is discussed on his creation, how the process of operating the giant muppet works (which sounds arduous) and his SNL appearance among other points.
Also focused is Spinney's other muppet (Oscar the Grouch), his friendship with Jim Henson, his commitment to being a children's entertainer and his rather fascinating life.
So yes, this was indeed compelling to watch and a remarkable journey through the life of a very talented man.

Legally Blonde 2

And this week's Friday night movie has been... Legally Blonde 2!

Original image located here. Accessed 11th March 2022

Well I saw the first one so I may as well see the second one too. Also Kiera insisted that we both watch this.
Once again this is pretty much Reese Witherspoon's show, living it up in this role and being a charismatic force. Granted it could be argued that she is effectively carrying this movie but I had fun with this one and it was both funny and surprisingly triumphant. And is even more surprising is how much I gathered from the American legal process XD

Grizzly Man

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

Original image located here. Accessed 4th March 2022

I've been wanting to see this for a long time: A documentary about a man named Timothy Treadwell, who would make regular visits to the Alaskan wilderness to take footage of bears - often with himself sharing the frame. And who would became something of celebrity due to his passion for them.

Much of this movie is made out of the footage that Timothy shot. And as a result we learn a lot about him: he is indeed enthusiastic about the bears but at the same time, he is someone who is clearly in love with his own passion. As such, Timothy is constantly putting himself in dangerous situations, is unperturbed that he is dealing with ruthless killing machines, claims to be keen on conservation but isn't doing anything to back it up, is clearly more at home in the wild than in civilization, is unafraid to vent some anger at the National Parks Service, has no proper idea of what he is doing and is a clear interference in the flow of nature.
But on the other hand, Timothy does show some talent as a filmmaker and certainly has an eye for an image. And however misguided he may be, you can't fault him for his passion.

Still, this does have some resonance for me as this is someone who is clearly out of his depth chasing a dream that is ultimately misguided. Those who know me will know that I have never had a lot of faith in the notion of 'Be yourself and disregard what anyone else thinks' because, at least to me, that does inspire a mindset of tunnel-vision. And this movie is that theory in practice.

In the end, this is indeed a fascinating character study. The subject is certainly not a usual choice for one which, in turn, makes it even more compelling

Console Wars

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

Original image located here. Accessed 25th February 2022

Anyone heard of this? It's a documentary chronicling the rise of Sega and how it challenged Nintendo and the changes it brought about into the console/video gaming market.
The titles indicates that this is about both Sega and Nintendo but this is really the former's story all the way. Sure Nintendo get a decent hearing but this is all about how one small company decided to take on a seemingly unstoppable juggernaut.
And this is how the various men and women made it happen, telling what they did and the repercussions the effects had.

If you know the story, then all the familiar beats are here: the crucial hiring of Tom Kalinske, the godsend that was Sonic the Hedgehog, the ingenious marketing strategies, appeals to a teenage market, the serious threat posed to Nintendo, the gulf between Sega of Japan and Sega of America, the flop that was the Saturn and the subsequent rise of Sony and it's PlayStation.
This certainly does present a fascinating snapshot of the era but it ends with Sony - who, of course, don't get a say. And I would've liked that they did - particularly Steve Race (whose story i would most be interested to hear) who remains frustratingly elusive.
Still this documentary made for a compelling story and one I am grateful is told

Belle

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

Original image located here. Accessed 18th February 2022

Yep, it's another trip down the anime well. And this time we are taking a look at the latest offering from auteur Mamoru Hosoda.
I have been saying glowing things about this guy and his work (Summer Wars, the Girl who leapt Through Time, Wolf Children) and with this latest effort he does not disappoint.

At this point I have seen enough of Hosoda's repertoire to recognise some familiar themes: The search for connection, the use of online personas, the importance of family, and the act of being true to one's self. And all of which are put to work in Belle in an effective manner.
I like the artwork, i like the music and I like the ideas presented about having an online persona and how one utilizes it to interact with the world.

Much has been made how this movie owes a sizable debt to Disney's Beauty and the Beast. i certainly won't deny it but for me it remains an odd aesthetic choice. Because for me, Disney's Beauty and the Beast is all about how one wants to change themselves for the people around them. In belle however, it is all about the pursuit of understanding and empathy. Not a bad idea but it does make the sequences in the Beast's castle somewhat jarring. Indeed it is telling to me that the sequences in the real world leave a greater impression - especially the part focusing on the webcam conversation and the subsequent climax.
Still, i will not fault Hosoda: He has some great ideas, an eye for the visual and he certainly knows how to pull the heartstrings. Has he delivered another winner? I think he has.

License to Kill

And this week's Friday night movie has been... License to Kill!

Original image located here. Accessed 11th February 2022

Last year I was watching one James Bond movie per month. But this one slipped through the net - so consider this the one that was originally intended for October (before I remembered that that particular month is reserved for horror movies).
Anywho, this was Dalton's second and final stab at the role. I know this movie isn't recognized as one of the best in the franchise - indeed it is often regarded as one of the most dour efforts - but I have to admit: I found a lot to admire here.

As mentioned previously, as the James Bond franchise has a reputation for being formulaic, I will welcome any effort that makes the effort to break it. So we have Bond going on a personal mission, a Bond girl who's packing, Q as a field agent and a second Bond girl who doesn't get killed off. Also special mention just go to the tanker chase - apparently it was the most dangerous stunt the series has ever filmed and i don't doubt it.
So is this as dour as it's reputation suggests? Well again, I welcome the break from formula. But if anything, this is closest we will ever get to what Dalton had in mind for the character - compared to Living Daylights which is more a remnant from the Moore era. So it's a shame he didn't do more

The Muppet Movie

And this week's Friday night movie has been... The Muppet Movie!

Original image located here. Accessed 2nd February 2022

It's a been a childhood favourite for many people but I have never, in my thirty nine years of existence, gotten around to seeing it. Well, time to rectify this I would think!
Time has certainly been kind to this movie. Over forty years later and this is still very entertaining with the jokes on point, the technical and practical effects being impressive and the heart. It's pretty much the Muppets doing their shtick and proving that what they do on TV can translate to the big screen with ease (and thus justifying the numerous movies that followed in it's wake).
I mean hey, it's the Muppets: You can't go wrong, right?
And it says a lot that I can still enjoy this movie even when I'm on the wrong end of my thirties XD

Oh and new friendship goal: Learn the words to Moving Right Along so i can sing it in the car with some other like-minded people.