Yankee Doodle Dandy

And this week's Friday night movie has been... Yankee Doodle Dandy!

Original image located here. Accessed 24th June 2022

Another trip to the classics, with this flick hailing all the way from 1943. I first heard of this movie over twenty years ago when I read of it in a book. There, it said that the lead, James Cagney, took a departure from the gangster roles that made him famous to playing a biopic of theatre giant George M Cohan. This intrigued me: On paper it seemed like a great way to a) dodge typecasting and a way to show one's versatility. In fact, could you do something like that now? Like say, John Travolta going from a dancing guy to a tough g......never mind.
More recently, I watched a DVD Kiera has detailing the history of Broadway and I came to know who George M Cohan was. So I guess now is a good time as any.

Given this is a film that's nearly eighty years old, it would be easy to dismiss it for it's age. And while it may be dated in places, the strength of this movie purely lies in telling the story of Cohan's life . Sure it may be easy to dismiss any biopic for inaccuracies, but it does do an effective job of showing a life lived and introduces a lot of his music. And some of his music I did recognise even if they were adapted for AFL Team theme songs.
So yeah as a celebration of both Broadway and the life of a man who revolutionised it, this film still holds up.
And of Cagney? Well, he scored an Oscar for Best Actor, he singled out this movie as his favourite performance and apparently came up with the tap-dancing routines on the spot.
And I don't doubt him in the slightest.

Ran

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

Original image located here. Accessed 17th June 2022

Anyone heard of this? This was a Japanese movie from 1985, directed by the legendary Akira Kurosawa.
Akira Kurosawa. Any film geek worth their salt knows the name. The man who announced Japanese cinema to the rest of the world. The man who gave us the Seven Samurai and inspired a whole trope in it's wake. The man known for his samurai epics, humanistic approach and his Shakespeare adaptations.
And Ran is, apparently, one of his best. It's one of his aforementioned Shakespeare adpatations, in this case, King Lear.

In a word: Extraordinary. I thought I was familiar with Kurosawa, having seen Rashomon and Seven Samurai, but this is something else entirely. So much to admire I don't know where to begin: I like the use of landscapes, I like the acting, I how many of the battle scenes take place in silence. I like how is a different take on tried and tested material (Shakespeare amirite?). I like the battle choreography and the beauty present.
At first i didn't what to make of this movie but eventually, it did reveal itself as nothing less than a triumph
Some say that this movie was the end result of a lifetime in movie making. Kurosawa was 75 when he made this and it seems that what he learnt over the years is there on the screen.
I believe it.

Please Stand By

And this week's Friday night movie has been... Please Stand By!

Original image located here. Accessed 10th June 2022

Anyone heard of this? It's a movie from 2018 wherein Dakota Fanning plays an autistic character who attempts to get her submission for a Star Trek script competition entered.
As regular readers will know, i will show favoritism to movies that shows autism in a positive light. And I certainly won't say no to a plethora of Star Trek references.

Clearly the strength of this movie rests on the shoulders of Dakota and whether or not she can pull off a conviction portrayal of an autistic character. Some might think such a character should be be played by a genuine autistic actor and to do otherwise would be ableist. But for what I could gather, Dakota took the role as she wanted to establish an understanding for the autistic.
I believe her.
Okay so maybe the end result isn't 100% correct, but for the most part, the autism here is shown in a positive and sensitive light. And I don't get the impression the people who worked on this movie were being exploitative.
So yeah, looks like we have a winner

Ghostbusters Afterlife

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

Original image located here. Accessed 3rd June 2022

I have a friend named Nick. He is the biggest Ghostbusters fan i know and he was adamant that i watch this. Well, I'm not one to argue with fanboys - that and the fact that Nick is a big guy so I'm definitely not going to argue with him.

I have to say this movie does come across like the most expensive fan movie ever made. There's loads of in jokes and references. There is a sense that nostalgia is powering the whole thing. There is Paul Rudd acting like he can barely contain his inner fanboy.
Yet at the same time, while the reverence is there, it faces opposition. For movie is from Jason Reitman who directed Young Adult (which I saw weeks before). And the reverence is for a movie that was built on irony. And can I really buy Egon being a parent let alone a neglectful one?

Misgivings aside, there is still a lot going for this movie. The strength of the franchise - the unlikely combination of horror, humor and special effects - are at work here. There is some great use of atmosphere (the chess game for one), the kids that are the leads do a great job and and the climax is indeed a treat.
So yeah, not a bad effort

Favorite line: "Playtime's over, lets toast this muffin!"

Megamind

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

Original image located here. Accessed 27th May 2022

I will admit this one took me by surprise: I don't recall it being that big a deal at the time (2010) and some people have compared it unfavorably to the Incredibles. But as it turns out, a lot of people like this and the titular character commands a surprising amount of fangirls. Something must've worked right?

Turns out it did: I had a real ball with this. There were some genuinely funny moments (the first half hour is a riot) and there are some really hilarious jabs at the Superman mythos. But I think this is less a superhero movie and more a character study. Megamind himself is indeed fun to watch and he is indeed a three dimensional character. Throw in a lively performance from Will Farrell and suddenly the fangirls make sense.
And it is more than enough to elevate this movie to being more than a rip off of The Incredibles and being well and truly it's own thing.
Also they have the music of Guns N Roses in a kids movie. Yep, the one time 'World's Most Dangerous Band' is utilized in a (admittedly badass) scene. That deserves something right?

Eurovision Song Contest: The Story of Fire Saga

And this week's Friday night movie has been... Eurovision Song Contest: The Story of Fire Saga!

Original image located here. Accessed 20th May 2022

Well Eurovision was on this week so I couldn't ask for a better time to watch this movie.
It may be an easy target to make fun of Eurovision with it's songs, gaudy outfits and crazy staging. And in a way that was what i was expecting but, much to my surprise, this movie does not go in that direction. Instead it takes the Love Letter approach to its subject and - would you believe - that decision was a wise one.

So yes I did have fun in this and there is indeed genuine love for Eurovision - even to the point of bringing in previous winners in for appearances. There are some genuinely funny moments and the climax is surprisingly touching.
So yeah this movie surprised me. And given the amount of movies I've seen, a surprise like this is a welcome one.

Young Adult

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

Original image located here. Accessed 13th May 2022

You know how it happens: You put a movie on your To Watch List and it stays there. It stays there for so long that you eventually forget why you put it there in the first place. But then again, there is something to be said about approaching something with fresh eyes.

So what this movie is putting forth is a character study: Of a woman who is wrapped up in the idealised teen life that her own life is in a period of stagnation. It's billed as a comedy but I don't believe it is. It is quite a bleak movie. Sure there are laughs but they are few and far between. As mentioned above, I forgot why I wanted to see this movie but somehow I think the anxiety of my approaching middle age could have something to do with it.
So far what I may have typed up sounds anything but a crowd pleaser but the movie works purely through the lead Charlize Theron, who certainly does a lot to make a potentially dislikable character appear in a sympathetic light.
But here's a thought: Does it make all the difference that this character is a female one? Somehow i can't help thinking that if this character was played by a male actor the movie would be disregarded as either a) a Taxi Driver clone or b) incel bait.
So yeah, not an easy watch - more akin to a car crash if anything - but it certainly was compelling.

Spiderman: No Way Home

And this week's Friday night movie has been... Spiderman No Way Home!

Original image located here. Accessed 6th May 2022

I think we all know the big drawcard for this movie. I guess we knew it was coming given the sensation the trailer originally caused. Personally, i couldn't escape it - which is unusual because the MCU tend to keep it's big reveals very securely.
But who am I kidding? I knew it was coming. I knew we will see Tobey, Andrew and Tom all on screen together and it still a treat.

I guess it is inevitable that the MCU will make the attempt to integrate other movies into the canon. Sure the first Avengers movie did it originally but here the concept has been elevated even higher. I suppose this is what happens when you have the resources that only a behemoth such as Disney could provide.
And it works! Okay sure I never saw the Amazing Spiderman movies and yes this movie is kind of playing the same hand that Into the Spiderverse did ("I can do that too!" much?, but this was still great fun. It's fun to see these familiar faces and have them interacting with each other.
But, as mentioned above, we are here to see Tobey, Andrew and Tom all on screen together and it is truly a delight. They all work well off of each other and it is great to see Tobey again and Andrew scoring gold with his efforts.
So yeah, another feather in the MCU's (rather overstocked) cap.

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