Angel's Egg

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

Original image located here. Accessed 25th November 2022

This past couple of months I have been watching really lesser known movies - and no doubt confusing my audience in the process. So I did consider watching something more well known but then, for whatever reason, I changed my mind.
So we head back to the anime well to tackle this movie. Now I knew of this movie as it has a reputation with anime fans in that a) it was an early effort from director Mamoru Oshii (the man who would later give us Patlabor 1 & 2 and Ghost in the Shell), b) it is something more of an art piece than a movie and c) is near incomprehensible. Still, I'm game.

And it would seem that this movie's reputation is well deserved. Sure the animation is impressive and the art direction is stunning, but there is a lot of symbolism being put to work here - and one can understand how it may be off-putting. It should be noted that, in regards to this movie's puzzling nature, it was built around a loss of faith. And there is certainly a lot of Christian symbolism throughout this movie although whether or not it works is anyone's guess (it should be noted that Oshii himself still seems puzzled by the finished product). Personally, this is certainly a visually striking movie but what one gets out of it is up to them.
As for next week? I think I have exhausted this run of lesser known movies - so i think i will go for something more familiar..

Persistence of Vision

And this week's Friday night movie has been... Persistence of Vision!

Original image located here. Accessed 11th November 2022

Two weeks ago i watched The Thief and the Cobbler: the Recobbled Cut - a fan edit of an unfinished animated film. This then led me to this evening's feature: a documentary of the original work itself.

It should come as no surprise to see a documentary on this topic as the story behind it is a fascinating one. This is, after all, telling the story of a movie that was never completed. But even if the destination was never reached, the journey is all we have.
And what a journey it was: The goal of animator Richard Williams to keep pushing the boundaries of what animation can accomplish; the decades long production time with backers dropping in and out; the battle between the creative genius and business side that never seems to reconcile; the seemingly endless pursuit of perfection; that the film originated as a 'side-hustle' in-between doing commercials; the success of Who Framed Roger Rabbit leading to Warner Brothers stepping in (and out).
Indeed it is fascinating to see something develop that will remain unfinished. Guess nothing holds sway like the notion of What Could've Been.

The Roxette Diaries

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

Original image located here. Accessed 11th November 2022

Anyone heard of this? This is a collection of footage taken of Swedish popstars Roxette during their late 1980s/early 1990s heyday - all taken in the 'home video' style. And I only knew of it once it showed up on my streaming service.
Personally, when i was a kid in the late eighties, Roxette seemed to me like the biggest stars on the planet: They had multiple hits that got tonnes of radio play and a constant presence on early morning rage. Of course in the years since, Roxette's material may come across as dated but to be one of Sweden's biggest pop exports (second only to ABBA) is nothing to sniffed at. And besides it's unlikely that Savage Garden would've existed without them.

So what this movie is a whole bunch of footage captured on (presumably) camcorders shot by both Roxette themselves and friends. We see footage of live shows, goofing around backstage, store appearances, music video shoots, gold record presentations, and generally, Marie Fredriksson and Per Gessle being themselves. Granted this is nothing new given we have YouTube and TikTok, but the fact that it was utilizing the tech of the time is impressive.

Thing is, I have to wonder: What is the point of this? The obvious answer is, as mentioned above, showing Marie and Per as themselves. I won't fault that that - it is even spelled out in a statement at the beginning - but a lot of the footage i found to be arranged in such a haphazard manner: There is little to no context of the footage. And the pace is VERY hurried, with some sequences moving on just as soon as they arrive. And such editing choices do indeed seem at odds with the mission statement.
So yeah. a great idea handicapped with some strange editing choices. Damn...

The Thief and the Cobbler: The Re-cobbled Cut

And this week's Friday night movie has been... The Thief and the Cobbler: The Re-cobbled Cut!

Original image located here. Accessed 4th November 2022

Some background: In the 1960s animator Richard Williams commenced work on an animated film that would later be dubbed The Thief and the Cobbler. Williams would then spend the next twenty eight years (!) working on it. And in that time, he would make a herculean effort into the quality of animation, he would keep adding bigger and grander ideas, would see backers come in & out and miss multiple deadlines. Eventually, Williams would lose control of his work to liquidators and the film would be completed under different hands, becoming two separate films: The Princess and the Cobbler and Arabian Knight.
But it didn't stop one dedicated fan, Garrett Gilchrist, to make a fan edit of the movie using what resources they had.
Now with this series there is one concrete rule: I must watch a movie I haven't seen all the way through. However fan-edits can represent something of a loophole. But in any case, this edit has quite the story behind it and is enough to grab my interest.

In the terms of fan edits, this is impressive: Using what animated footage he could find, Garrett put it all together with the support of those who worked on the original and incorporated test footage and work prints into the edit. Some footage was even corrected of animation errors. Impressive? Yes. A staggering amount of effort? Of course. But is the finished product any good?

Given so much time was spent on the animation, it should come to no surprise that it is of very high quality. The artwork is very beautiful, boasting an arresting art direction and an extraordinary sense of movement that leaves more recent animation for dead. If Williams wanted to make this movie to show what animation can do then I don't doubt it.
But unfortunately that's all there is. The plot is all over the place, there is a lot of random scenes and some sequences just simply drag on. Sure there is style but no much in the way of substance.
Still this film exists as a monument to animation and what a dedicated fan can accomplish. So I will give it that

Carnival of Souls

And this week's Friday night movie has been... Carnival of Souls!

Original image located here. Accessed 28th October 2022

And so this years clutch of October/horror movies comes to a close with this lesser known movie from the early sixties. Personally I knew of this film through it's reputation as a precursor to a lot of horror movies that followed in it's wake.

Watching this movie now, six decades later, it is interesting to see what it does. It is clearly made on a small budget but such limitations work in it's favour: It relies heavily on mood, atmosphere and suggestion. There is a freaky-sounding organ score running throughout and the scares are genuinely frightening. And this works in my book as I will take atmosphere/mounting-dread over jump scares any day.
Still this movie is showing it's age and the slow parts do prove to kill the momentum. But when this movie hits, it hits hard

An American Werewolf in London

And this week's Friday night movie has been... An American Werewolf in London!

Original image located here. Accessed 21st October 2022

I do believe it's safe to say that I'm not the first person to know this through the Michael Jackson connection: He liked this movie so much he hired the people who made it for the music video for Thriller. So may as well take a look at the source material then...

It can't be denied that this movie has an identity all of it's own: It's not just the werewolf effects - which still look incredible forty one years later - but also the odd combination of horror and humour. Sure there is some moments of suspense and gore but there are some actually genuinely funny moments. But compared to other horror/humour hybrids (like the Evil Dead trilogy), the humour doesn't come across like it's going out of it's way to be funny. As a result the humour hits harder - a prime example being the cinema scene.
So yeah, great movie and it's amazing how some of the effects haven't aged at all. Practicality, amirite?

Roadgames

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

Original image located here. Accessed 14th October 2022

From one Australian horror movie to another. This was made in 1981 and tells the story of a truck driver being put through the wringer by a potential serial killer. However it should be noted that this has been noted as a favorite by one Quentin Tarantino.

Thing is, I don't feel this is really that much of a horror movie. Sure it relies on the Australian landscape as hostile (much like Long Weekend) and barren, and sure there are some jump scare moments and sure there is a building of tension to rival that of a Hitchcock flick. But I feel this is more a character study: Our protagonist is constantly fighting not just against the driver menacing him but also his paranoia and somewhat fragile mental state. I suppose it is impressive that this film can stand up as something that took the lessons imparted by Hitchcock but somehow this seems more dull then frightening.
Maybe next week I'll try something with a bit more bite...

Long Weekend

And this week's Friday night movie has been... Long Weekend (1978)!

Original image located here. Accessed 7th October 2022

It's become something of a tradition with this series that whenever October rolls around, I watch horror movies. It may be cliche but normally I don't watch horror movies so there's something to be said about stepping out of the comfort zone for a month - and stepping out of one's comfort zone is something that horror movies thrive on, amirite?

So we have this: An Australian movie from the late seventies where a couple go on a camping trip and, through a number of irresponsible acts, end up earning the wrath of Mother Nature who mounts a revenge...
This movie is a classic case of the slow burner: The first two thirds is dedicated to get to know the couple. It may soon dull and slow paced but there is a slow sense of creeping dread. And this pays off in magnificent fashion in the final third. I've always praised horror movies that rely on dread and unease over jump scares and this one delivers. Of course, it may be easy to joke that this reaffirms the observation that the Australian flora and fauna is trying to kill you but here it works.
So we start this October's clutch of horror movies with a bang. What would be coming up next...?

Flushed Away

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

Original image located here. Accessed 30th September 2022

Once again I approach a movie that I have been putting off for years. Not quite sure why it took me this long: I've always been impressed with what Aardman Animation have done in the past (Wallace and Gromit, Chicken Run and Creature Comforts) but, as the saying goes, better late than never.

But yeah, this was great. The same strengths that Aardman have applied previously are at work here with rapid fire jokes, English sensibilities, great voice work from the cast and detailed animation. This being Aardman's first stab at CGI animation, it certainly allows for more spectacular set pieces that plasticine animation can't do. Also of note are the many details in the world-building and how the familiar objects are utilised.
Has this aged in the sixteen years since this was unleashed on the world? I don't so. It was still funny and still entertaining.
Yet I can't help think this is one movie that slipped through the cracks and is more or less forgotten. What, is a Dreamworks movie that isn't Shrek/Kung Fu Panda/How to Train Your Dragon DOA? Well i challenge that because this movie was better than being hit by that fate...

Lilo and Stitch

And this week's Friday night movie has been... Lilo and Stitch!

Original image located here. Accessed 23rd September 2022

I have to wonder where this movie fits in with the Disney canon. It's generally accepted that everything after Lion King is something of a hit or miss affair and it would take Disney some time (Tangled perhaps?) before it remembered how to make a runaway hit again. Still certain movies from this period have their fans and will stick up for them. So where does Lilo and Stitch fit in?
I'm not sure myself so best find my own perspective on this.

On paper this movie sounds awful: A celebration of Hawaiian culture that incorporates the music of Elvis and space aliens. Such a strange combination shouldn't work but somehow it does. Of course such elements are the window dressing: the real heart of this movie is the familial bond between Lilo and Nani and how the presence of Stitch effects this. And I will admit: the movies succeeds at this. I can't be the only one who sees said bond and compare it to that of my siblings.
Also, I appreciate that this movie seems to be aimed at slightly older audience: I don't get the impression it is once talking down or relying on 'cutesy' gimmicks to bring in the younger crowd. And Stitch is far from the atypical 'cute' animal sidekick - and is therefore all the better for it.
So in the end, despite an odd setup there is a lot going for this movie and I enjoyed it a lot. And yes consider me a freshly-converted fan of this movie

Love and Mercy

And this week's Friday night movie has been... Love and Mercy!

Original image located here. Accessed 16th September 2022

Yep, another biopic. And another music one at that - dedicated to Brian Wilson of Beach Boys fame.
I can't say I'm a fan of the Beach Boys. But I am well aware of the trials and tribulations that made up Brian's life - the kind that would make a fascinating film to say the least.

So what we have here is a movie that shows two aspect of Brian: The young and enthusiastic music genius, played by Paul Dano, and the middle-aged troubled soul played by John Cusack. It does make for an interesting approach and any music pic that strays away from the familiar formula is welcome in my book.
Of course all the story beats are here: Brian's genius at songwriting, his obsessive dedication to find sounds only he can hear, his eccentricities, his mental decline, and falling in with dodgy guy extraordinaire Eugene Landry. But as this story has been told many times before, it's really in how it's told. Aside from the afore-mentioned dual Brians, it's in the empathetic approach to it's subject and the dedication of the actors that really make this movie work.
And hey, the line 'You need to come back to yourself' does indeed have resonance

Straight Outta Compton

And this week's Friday night movie has been... Straight Outta Compton!

Original image located here. Accessed 9th September 2022

I remember this being a big deal when it was released, circa 2015. Never got around to watching it - I will admit that my knowledge of the subject, N.W.A., is somewhat limited - but I was aware that this movie was generating plenty of attention. And in a way, enough that made it difficult to ignore.

I will admit that in recent years I have become quite cold towards biographical movies where music bands are the subject - Such coldness comes from watching, and enjoying, Walk Hard: The Dewey Cox story that points out how all of said movies tend to be formulaic and mocks them.
With such knowledge in mind, it may be difficult to take such movies seriously again.
That being said, I did enjoy the build up involved in the first half: Seeing how each member of the N.W.A. is introduced, witnessing their formation, the road to success and the controversy they courted (not to mention the danger that came with it). That part is indeed compelling and the actors involved certainly do a sterling effort of playing their real-life counterparts.
Funny thing is, once these guys stop performing live, and Ice Cube leaves, the film tends to lose focus: It goes in all kinds of directions and comes across like it's meandering around. Granted the N.W.A.'s history is plagued by infighting - and props to Ice Cube and Dr Dre for being honest about said infighting even when they're credited as producers - but somehow the second half can't compare to the fire of the first half.
Although the movie does do a great job of portraying Suge Knight as an absolutely terrifying figure.
Still I will give the movie props for avoiding the tropes associated with band-bio pics and portraying a time and place like no other

Booksmart

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

Original image located here. Accessed 2nd September 2022

Behold: Another movie that i have been wanting to see for quite some time but, for some reason or another, I never got around to it. Well, seeing as this is on Iview, I guess now is a good time as any.

For the uninitiated, this movie tells the story of two high schoolers who are best friends and are hardworking students. Upon realising they haven't had much of a high school experience outside of their work, they decide to spend the night before graduation going to a party. And as this is a movie, such a plan does not go...according to plan.

I have seen plenty of movies with this scenario but this still manages to stand out for a number of reasons. Firstly, these characters seem real and relatable. Secondly the gross-out humour is kept to a minimum. And thirdly it is actually funny. Makes me wonder: Did director Olivia Wilde watch the movies that follow the American Pie template and thought: 'I can do better than that"?
No matter: i like this movie a lot: It was funny, the characters seem exactly like the kind of people one would meet in high school, the situations never seem ludicrous, the script is funny and clever and it can be surprisingly touching.
Actually let me say it up font: Bugger American Pie, this is better