The Predator

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

Original image located here. Accessed 28th September 2018

As a franchise I love a love/hate relationship with the Predator. On one hand, we have a fantastic creation with the titular character and a series of movies that tries something new with each iteration. But in the other hand, the execution of said movies can be patchy at times. So how does this new one fare?

As stated above, I like the Predator as a creation with it's abilities and mythology built up. Thus, there are plenty of directions you can take it. And clearly the makers of The Predator felt the same as there is a lot going on here. But at the same time it does come across as incoherent. Furthermore, I'm not really buying this idea that the Predators, as a race, are into evolution - or at least trying to advance it. And I'm especially not sold on the Predators thinking an autistic child is the next step in evolution.
Still, the actions great, the quips are entertaining, there a call-backs to the original and I like the idea of the Predator facing a bunch of PTSD-inflicted soldiers. But is this the reboot the series needed? Probably not but, much like Predators, it does leave the door open for some new ground to be covered.

Panda go Panda

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

Original image located here. Accessed 14th September 2018

This feature is a pair of anime half-hour shorts. Its not well known outside some circles but it is notable for being an early collaboration between Hayao Miyazaki and Isao Takahata before they founded the legendary Studio Ghibli. With these shorts, Takahata directs and Miyazaki provides the script, design, layouts and animation.

So what we have here is clearly Studio Ghibli in it's Mesozoic era. The artwork is indeed a far cry from what would come in the future (this was made in the early seventies) but all the familiar trademarks are already in place: An eye for detail, expressive animation, humor, charm for both adults and children alike, an interesting heroine and, in Papa Panda, a progenitor of Totoro.
It may not be on par with Ghibli's finest but that doesn't mean it's without it's charms.

They Found a Cave

And this week's Friday night movie has been.....They Found a Cave!

Original image located here. Accessed 7th September 2018

For the uninitiated, this is a movie based on a 1948 children's novel by Tasmanian author Nan Chauncy. The film was released in 1962 and is noteworthy for utilizing a Tasmanian cast and crew. This movie is of particular interest to me as I'm currently involved with a stage production of They Found a Cave.

Obviously this movie is a product of it's time and very much of a low budget quality but as a kid's movie it works well. The child actors are good and the cinematography is superb. Whilst the shots on a studio set are obvious the shots on location otherwise look great.

Ultimately this is throwing down of the gauntlet: it's something for myself and my theatrical cohorts to rise up to...

Wake in Fright

And this week's Friday night movie has been.....Wake in Fright (Outback)!

Original image located here. Accessed 31st August 2018

Yes it's one of the classics of Australian cinema. For those not in the know, it was made in 1971 and was something of a touchstone of Australian horror - or something.

So yeah, this was not the easiest thing in the world to watch. It was horrific, unsettling and does indeed display the uglier side of Australia for overseas viewing. Unfortunately, for Aussie's like myself, some people here are indeed like this.

Still, it is interesting to note that Wake in Fright came out the same year as Walkabout and both films were about the Australian outback. But whereas the latter was haunting, the former was hellish. And this from a Canadian director.
Not exactly a positive image of this country for an overseas audience eh?

The Kingdom of Dreams and Madness

And this week's Friday night movie has been.....The Kingdom of Dreams and Madness!

Original image located here. Accessed 24th August 2018

Yes, it's the documentary on Studio Ghibli, documenting the process behind the development of both The Wind Rise and The Tale of Princess Kaguya. Granted I'm cheating somewhat as I have (at time of writing) yet to see both movies but with Isao Takahata passing away earlier this year and more recent revelations been made about him being difficult to work with, now would be good time to watch it.

What i found interesting is that on the DVD cover (see above), there's Hayao Miyazaki, Toshio Suzuki and Takahata - yet in the movie itself, Takahata gets little screen time. In a way it;s not surprising knowing what we all know now (and the fact that he got a separate documentary all to himself with his work on Kaguya). Which ultimately means that the documentary's focus then falls on Miyazaki and Suzuki.
While we do see Miyazaki at work and see what is involved whenever he makes a movie, the real surprise is what Suzuki has to go through with facing the press, having to make uncomfortable announcements and dealing with clashes with staff.
I was expecting this movie to the complete picture of Studio Ghibli but what I got was a reinforcement of the notion that making any movie is near-miracle in itself. And quite frankly, this documentary is all the better for it.

Das Boot

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

Original image located here. Accessed 17th August 2018

From the director of The Never-Ending Story...

Let me say this up front: Tense does not BEGIN to describe this movie. I was dreading a three and a half hour movie would be a slog to get through but this wasn't the case. It was gripping, it was never dull and one gets the feeling that this is as real as one is ever going to get with a German U-Boat. Furthermore, one gets the impression this is quintessential submarine movie: the one where everyone has been trying to replicate ever since.

But I think the greatest achievement of this movie is to make me root for a cast of Germans in a World War 2 movie. I found the rising of the sub in the last half hour genuinely inspiring and the conclusion a real punch in the gut. Seeing as people like a clear distinction between Good-guys and Bad-guys (if the Facebook debates I've seen are anything to go by) one would have to be insane to try and give Germans in a WW2 movie some humanity but here it works - largely through a committed cast.
Mind you, at least i now know where that joke from Disney's Aladdin originated...

Rio Bravo

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

Original image located here. Accessed 10th August 2018

Of course, it's fitting that I should follow High Noon with this movie. For those not in the know, both actor John Wayne and director Howard Hawks were unimpressed with High Noon, So they whipped out this movie as a response.

As is often the case with movies made before the New Hollywood (circa 1968-1980), I got the impression that the elements of this movie has been replicated many times over that it's kinda hard to look at the source. Example: The final showdown sees the main characters in a gunfight but still has room for them each to exchange quips and have their personalities work off of one another. Sound familiar? It may seem impressive in it;s day but now it's become something of the norm.

Still, I did enjoy this movie. Clearly this is one made by someone (Hawks) thoroughly enjoying his job and there's some great lines throughout. But is it better than High Noon? Now that's a damn good question....

High Noon

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

Original image located here. Accessed 3rd August 2018

"Do not for-sake me oh my Dar-lyn...."

Okay seriously this must be one of the most famous films ever made, let alone one of the most famous westerns. So there is a degree of intimidation that comes approaching it. Personally, i was impressed with this movie on three fronts: a) the whole thing is done in real time which is still remarkable over sixty years later, b) it has a degree of suspense that I haven't seen in any western prior and c) the final shootout still holds up, even with the passage of time and the whole 'one-man-army' trope that has been done a thousand times since.
Throw in some solid directing, Gary Cooper's performance (which snared him a well-deserved Oscar) and this is still an excellent movie.

Funny thing though: This movie is often regarded as a product of it's time: It was made during the era known as McCarthyism hence there are some themes tied to it within the movie itself. Personally I didn't really see it, so I think it;s safe to say that this is one of those rare movies that transcend the era they were made (treasure them folks for they are rare indeed). If anything, the idea of one person who is committed to doing the right thing even when everyone else is walking out on them is remarkably universal theme.
Even with the distance of sixty six years

Incredibles 2

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

Original image located here. Accessed 27th July 2018

In a way i was dreading this: The first movie was fantastic, without question, but the presence of a sequel is problematic: The original a) has no room for a sequel and b) is a ridiculously tough act to follow.

But somehow, this movie still won me over. The strengths of the previous movie are still in full flight here (the family dynamic and each of the characters), the animation is still top-notch, the direction is excellent, the jokes are hilarious and the commentary on an adult life is welcome.
Sure the movie comes across as covering ground it's already traversed but as a character-driven story it's a winner.
And if I must be honest, this is more a movie for adults - moreso than the previous one. And, in all honesty, is the better for it.

By the way, anyone else get an Uncle Walt vibe from Winston?

Sunshine on Leith

And this week's Friday night movie has been.....Sunshine on Leith!

Original image located here. Accessed 20th July 2018

Yep, it's the musical based on the music of the Proclaimers.

I've never been a fan of the so-called 'jukebox musicals'. This is because they always seem to come across as if the writer spent more time on song selection than the rest of the script. Thankfully, this is an exception.

There's a lot to like here: The songs are used to great effect, there's some great characters, Scottish accents ("X-berks"), a script with some drama and some genuinely touching moments. I especially like how never once the songs tend to drown out the story completely and it gives time to develop characters and give them agency.
And the finale, to (unsurprisingly) 500 miles, is truly a thing of joy.

On a more personal note however, I recall having the Proclaimers big album (of the same name) playing a lot in the house when i was a little kid. So it's certainly something to see these songs that i recognized being presented in such a manner.
So yeah: Great movie and a shining example of a Jukebox musical done right.

Ant-Man and the Wasp

And this week's Friday night movie has been.....Ant-Man and the Wasp!

Original image located here. Accessed 13th July 2018

I have to admit: I actually like this better than the first one. Maybe it's due to the sense of focus from having a singular director from beginning to end, but this was a lot of fun with great humor, solid performances all round, the Wasp stepping up to be a great character, and another interesting villain that suggests a catch-up on Marvel's part.
But I swear, I saw more of Scott Lang than I did of Ant-Man.
Was that intended in order to get more of Wasp?
(not that I'm complaining)

American Graffiti

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

Original image located here. Accessed 6th July 2018

Behold: George Lucas' second movie.
I've said in an earlier post that it's often been said that getting a movie made is no small task, usually involving a lot of blood, sweat and tears. So for a young and upcoming film-maker, it must be incredibly rewarding to have your second feature film reap numerous successes: Nominated for Best Picture at the Academy Awards, Making 200 million off of a 700-grand film, and making enough money to be a millionaire.
However whilst such success may be impressive, it must look feeble compared to that of George's next movie (need I say what that was?).

As for the movie itself, i was at first unsure of it - but within time I grew to enjoy. It was funny, compelling and well-shot. And, for a guy known to overload his later films with special effects, it had a whole lot of heart.
It's also a reminder of what a valuable asset editor Marcia Lucas was to George

The Graduate

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

Original image located here. Accessed 29th June 2018

It's been fifty one years since this movie was first released. Fifty one years! Considering the ravager that is Time (and how people these days would associate The Sound of Silence more with Sad Affleck), how does this movie hold up?

Well the acting is great, I like the scenes of repartee and this is definitely a document of the counter-culture/rebelliousness that defined much of the 1960s.
But is this the romantic-comedy this film has been pitched as? I think not. Maybe I'm viewing this through the lens of age and experience but Ben doesn't resonate with me that much. He's not interested in his future, he just wants to rebel against the confines of his life. And he does - but, as that last shot indicates, he's not sure what to do next. And he, along with Elaine, are both stuck with nowhere to go from there.

So in a way, I don't get The Graduate as a rom-com - in fact not as a comedy at all. It's something different. And more substantial.

"Hello darkness my old friend..."