What was the last film you watched?

[DallasFanForever]

Whitney Houston: I Wanna Dance with Somebody (2022)

This film was disappointing. I consider myself to be a big Whitney Houston fan so I really wanted this to be good, maybe I expected too much from it. It tells the story of Whitney Houston from when she was a young girl singing in church, to being discovered by Clive Davis, to winning Grammys. The focus was strongly on her career and all other aspects of her life were glossed over very briefly so there was little mention of her issue with drugs and her rumoured lesbian affair with her assistant. Even her death wasn't covered and only mentioned in a caption at the end of the film. The result was a far more bland film than would have been the case had they chosen to explore wider aspects of her life.

I was afraid this would be a disappointment. I still want to see it because she was one of my all time favorite entertainers but I guess I’ll lower my expectations a little.

 

[Angela Channing]

The Wonder (2022)

Set in Ireland in the 1800s, an 11 year old girl called Anna has stopped eating but remains in good health and seems unaffected by her actions. She claims to be fed with "manna from heaven". Some think she's a miracle and believers from afar come to see her. The wise men of her village decide to put her under the surveillance of a nurse called Elizabeth and a nun called Sister Michael to determine whether or not she is a fraud. The film is painfully slow and large sections just seem to be of the girl being watched with not much else going on. However, the acting was really good and the cinematography really showed off the beautiful Irish landscape but I hated just about everything else about the film. For me, the real wonder was how they were able the spin out such a slim story to make it last one and three quarter hours.

 

[Luke_Krebbs_Ewing]

I watched the 1979 animated cartoon version of The Lion, The Witch & The Wardrobe on YouTube this morning.

It was the American version of the film, with presumably American voice artistes.

I still enjoyed it.

 

[Seaviewer]

The Pajama Game (1957)
Musical starring Doris Day and John Raitt (Bonnie's dad) as a pair of star-crossed lovers on opposite sides of a labour dispute at (you guessed it) a pajama factory.
The stage origins are very evident and the gender relations are bit uncomfortable by today's standards but it's one hit song after another and the plot doesn't really matter.

 

[Mel O'Drama]

Sherlock Holmes (2009)

While I went into the film knowing practically nothing about it, the poster and Robert Downey Jr.'s casting as Holmes telegraphed the fact that this would be a contemporary spin on the concept.

While familiar with the character and his iconography, I haven't yet read any of Arthur Conan Doyle's novels (I have a boxed set of the complete annotated works which has been sitting on my bookshelf unopened for many years), and I have only a passing acquaintance with the stories in other media. I'm sure I watched some of Jeremy Brett's series in the Eighties, but I remember very little. I'm sure this all helped since I don't feel overly attached to the character.

It's most bizarre to hear RDJ doing RP, complete with rolled "R"s, though once I got used to it I found it pretty good. It was clear he'd researched and worked hard at it with dialect coach Andrew Jack. Actually, I found Jude Law's delivery in his own accent far more bothersome since he uses such a contemporary form of RP that added to the other anachronisms peppered throughout the film (from Rachel McAdams' Valley Girl vocal fry to the infrequent Americanisms coming from British characters).

I really thought I might dislike the action-heavy approach which seems so far removed from what I imagine Holmes to be. Actually, though, treating this as a different genre entirely works entirely in its favour. Yes, there's a slick, glossy, and frequently boisterous 21st Century Hollywood approach, but the budget helps it look very impressive and the darkness just beneath the surface added to its allure.

I had a good time. So good, in fact, that I've added the sequel to my watch list.​

 

[Seaviewer]

I was something of a Holmesophile as a kid and retain an interest today. I don't mind the contemporary spin of Elementary but the snarky action-adventure approach of the first Downey film was a turn-off. I haven't been back for the sequel.

 

[DallasFanForever]

I was something of a Holmesophile as a kid and retain an interest today. I don't mind the contemporary spin of Elementary but the snarky action-adventure approach of the first Downey film was a turn-off. I haven't been back for the sequel.

I actually enjoyed both films but I prefer the original in 2009. I have to say that they far exceeded my expectations of what a modern version of Sherlock Holmes would be.

 

[Mel O'Drama]

Sherlock Holmes: A Game Of Shadows (2011)

​

I was something of a Holmesophile as a kid and retain an interest today. I don't mind the contemporary spin of Elementary but the snarky action-adventure approach of the first Downey film was a turn-off. I haven't been back for the sequel.

I actually enjoyed both films

Even though they sound contradictory, I actually agree with both these comments.

Like its predecessor A Game Of Shadows is a well-made and fun film, but I would have greatly preferred it if they'd made exactly the same film but without any reference to the world of Holmes and Watson. They could have done a Kingsman and included references that pleased those familiar with Holmes without going all the way and risking pleasing nobody by fouling the nest (I'm sure the Kingsman films would have been far less well-received by purists if the main character were named James Bond and had colleagues named M and Q, etc.).

Watching A Game Of Shadows, I realised that the character played by Robert Downey Jr. feels far more akin to Peter Sellers's Clouseau than he does Holmes. Much of the time he's a bumbling, wildly eccentric object that the audience laughs at rather than with. Underneath it all he's practically a superhero with his ability to strategise given a Hollywood makeover and manifesting itself in a very physical way complete with special effects . It's an odd combination. Fascinating to watch, but a million miles from the way I envisage Holmes. It's a little difficult to get past and I realise that the Holmes iconography is actually weighing the film down, which isn't the way it should be.

Once again, Jude Law's contemporary RP felt wrong. With Rachel McAdams's role mercifully greatly reduced, Kelly Reilly was the biggest offender on the vocal fry front. Everyone spoke using contractions ("I'm" for "I am", etc.) and McAdams gave it the double-whammy by using a contraction that was also most ungrammatical when she said "There's two of you".

As a Sherlock Holmes film I'd advise anyone to steer clear. But if you're after an action-adventure with comedy, fun character interactions and nice period location work from around Europe you could do a lot worse than watch.

 

[Angela Channing]

The Son (2022)

Hugh Jackman plays Peter, the father of a teenage boy who has mental health issues and the film tells the story of how family negotiate all the problems and issues this throws up. I read a review about this film a few days ago that was so negative I had second thoughts about going to see it. I'm glad I wasn't put off because The Son is a thoughtful, intelligent, well-paced and well acted film. Hugh Jackman was particularly convincing as Peter who had left his wife for a younger woman with whom he now has a child which in part was a trigger for his son's depression and self-harming. Peter has one scene with his father, played by Anthony Hopkins, who always prioritised his work over being a good dad and Peter is determined not to make the same mistake with his own son. The scene did make me wonder whether "the son" referred to in the title of the film was in fact the Hugh Jackman character rather than his teenage son.

If you see bad reviews, don't believe them, this is a good film.

 

[Mel O'Drama]

Florence Foster Jenkins (2016)

Once again, watching with no idea of what the film would be about was a huge help. The name was only vaguely familiar so it allowed me to be taken by surprise by Meryl Streep wonderfully channelling Madame Edith from 'Allo 'Allo:

"I wish you a speedy recovery."

It was far funnier than I'd expected (in context, the scene above had me in stitches), but then pulled the rug out by following up some of its funniest moments with its most poignant. It's the kind of film that makes you laugh at a ridiculous character and then guilts you for your collusion by reminding you of the tragic truth behind it.

It's wonderfully cast down to the smallest role. Even Mavis Riley shows up as one of Florence's society hangers-on. Meryl Streep, naturally, is fantastic (bad singing for entertainment is probably far more difficult than good singing, but she achieves it while sounding exactly like the few recordings of Florence's I've since heard). This is probably the first thing in which I've seen Simon Helberg (other than a few unavoidable glimpses of him in The Big Bang Theory), and he impressed me as well. It's the best Hugh Grant performance I've seen. His character is the one who is aware of the way his wife is perceived but does everything he can to shield her from the truth and preserve her reputation. It's quite painful to watch, but it's also a beautiful love story in its own way.

It's beautifully written and tells a story that even those who'd heard of her may have been mostly unaware of.​

 

[Seaviewer]

Damn Yankees (1958)
About the seven millionth rip-off Faust in which a dedicated Washington Senators fan makes a deal with the devil to become a baseball star to lead his beloved team to victory over "those damn Yankees".
This showed up in my Tubi feed as something to watch after The Pajama Game, and the two films have some common parentage - most importantly co-directors George Abbott and Stanley Donen. This film, however, only has one bona fide hit: "(You Gotta Have) Heart."
Tab Hunter, a one time matinee idol who never quite hit the top of the pile, puts in a stolid performance, and it's interesting to see Gwen Verdon, a Braodway legend, in one of her rare film appearances. Knowing Ray Walston primarily for My Favorite Martian, it's always something of a surprise to see him in one of these musicals (he was also in South Pacific and Paint Your Wagon) but his otherworldliness stands him in good stead here in the role of "Mr. Applegate".

 

[Mel O'Drama]

Yesterday I had a double-bill of biopics about female British leaders (both of whom were alive at the time of their respective film's release but have since died).


First up was:

The Queen (2006)

It was only midway through the film that it dawned on me that I'd probably watched it before. As I watched, a memory popped into my head of The Duke Of Edinburgh calling the Queen "cabbage" as they said goodnight, and then a while later it happened. If I have watched before (as seems likely), then I remembered nothing else about it, about which I feel very grateful, because I thoroughly enjoyed it and found myself impressed with the film's writing and the performances (even if I always struggle to see Michael Sheen as anything other than Kenneth Williams, he was a great Blair).

In particular, I was impressed with the film's stillness, and the fact that it paid tribute to the Queen without becoming an exercise in sycophancy. Some scenes cast both she and her family in a less than flattering light. Just how unflattering possibly depending upon how much one buys into the image of Diana as a naïve, doe-eyed victim of the Establishment, and even in depicting the national hysteria of the public's response to her death the film includes some welcome balance.

There's an awful lot about the film that felt extremely current: discussions of funeral protocols; the film taking place at a time when the family's reputation was tarnished in part by their response to a media-friendly in-law who had fallen out with the family; and even the Queen Mother's comment that the monarchy's place would be scrutinised and challenged more in the wake of the Queen's death. All added subtext to a 2023 screening.​

 

[Mel O'Drama]

Next up was...

The Iron Lady (2011)

It's difficult to watch without comparing these two biopics. Despite the grandeur inherent in royalty, The Iron Lady still felt noticeably bigger. Everything from the performances to the focus on events involving explosions or forceful speeches to a far broader scope of time covered made The Iron Lady feel like it was intended to be an epic.

While the performances in The Iron Lady are great, many of them do nonetheless feel like performances. It also lacks the intimacy of The Queen. There are some great scenes depicting Thatcher's dementia of later years, and many of the scenes of Thatcher alone interacting with "Denis" were great, capturing the sense of confusion and frustration. However, we don't really get to spend time with any of the characters other than Thatcher. The Queen showed Charles's frustration with his mother's response to Diana's death; and Tony Blair at home and interacting with his colleagues. Despite having some great actors amongst the roster of Thatcher's colleagues, most end up as mute lookalikes, there to signpost and serve the story.

This lack of balance in its perspective meant that the frequently damaging impact of Thatcher's government and Thatcher herself (including her time as Education Secretary) on the UK's climate was wholly underrepresented. She was presented rather too much as a misunderstood champion, or a woman resented by her male peers for her status and strength. Unlike Mirren's Queen, it felt as though Thatcher's edges were blunted here to make her more sympathetic, accessible or palatable.

The Iron Lady's extremely broad canvas doesn't do it any favours either. While The Queen picks a moment in time and focuses on it, trusting the audience to follow along, The Iron Lady wants to tell us everything about Thatcher's life in 100 minutes. It's certainly interesting and eventful, and I found myself looking up information on certain events afterwards. Ultimately, though, it feels too busy and, as a result, doesn't take us beneath the surface in any way that satisfies. It's akin to Reader's Digest condensed book or having a Slim-Fast milkshake for lunch. All the needed information and ingredients are supplied but the lack of substance ultimately leaves one unsatisfied and with a feeling of having missed out.

This is a Streep vehicle, so one is naturally expected to marvel at how she embodies yet another persona so very different from anything she's done before. It is a great performance, of course, and it's impossible not to see this. And that's the thing: with The Iron Lady, I never quite felt I was permitted to forget this is a Meryl Streep performance. It felt as though it was expected that I should always be mindful of this in order to appreciate it. While in The Queen, in spite of the very different physical makeups between actress and monarch, I frequently forgot that this was Helen Mirren, so completely did she embody the role. Streep's performance was aided greatly by makeup and prosthesis, plus the fact that Thatcher herself was something of a caricature. I'm sure the same could be said for Her Majesty, but that only makes me more in awe of Mirren's reading finding the humanity and nuance behind the imagery without diminishing the truth of her character. In The Iron Lady, more often than not, I found myself seeing Streep as Janet Brown as Thatcher, which is a little bizarre.​

 

[Angela Channing]

Florence Foster Jenkins (2016)​

I love this film and think it's an underrated gem. Completely agrees with your comments about Hugh Grant, until I saw this film I never particularly rated him as an actor but he was really good in this. I also think this is one of Meryl Streep's best film and performances. Her interpretation of Florence could easily have fallen into parody or pure comedy but instead she created a vulnerable, sympathetic and quite moving character. It's a fantastic film, I've seen it three times and with every viewing I've liked it even more.

 

[Angela Channing]

This is a Streep vehicle, so one is naturally expected to marvel at how she embodies yet another persona so very different from anything she's done before. It is a great performance, of course, and it's impossible not to see this. And that's the thing: with The Iron Lady, I never quite felt I was permitted to forget this is a Meryl Streep performance. It felt as though it was expected that I should always be mindful of this in order to appreciate it. While in The Queen, in spite of the very different physical makeups between actress and monarch, I frequently forgot that this was Helen Mirren, so completely did she embody the role. Streep's performance was aided greatly by makeup and prosthesis, plus the fact that Thatcher herself was something of a caricature. I'm sure the same could be said for Her Majesty, but that only makes me more in awe more of Mirren's reading finding the humanity and nuance behind the imagery without diminishing the truth of her character. In The Iron Lady, more often than not, I found myself seeing Streep as Janet Brown as Thatcher, which is a little bizarre.

Both very good films, although I think The Queen is the better of the two.

I think most people know more about Margaret Thatcher so it's easier to pick out things in The Iron Lady that were wrong (for example, I don't think Margaret Thatcher ever wore a hat in the House of Commons). By contrast, we know very little about the Queen beyond her public face, which is surprising considering how long she was our head of state, so it was easier to accept things in The Queen as being believable even though more of it was probably from the imagination of the writer than historical accuracy.

 

[Angela Channing]

Sharper (2023)

Julianne Moore and John Lithgow are two of my favourite current actors so I really wanted to like this film and thankfully I did. It's a clever thriller with lots of unexpected twists. The story is told in an episodic structure focussing on a different character in each part. The main characters in the film are either con artists or their marks (the victims of the con artists) and in each segment of the film it's not always clear who is in each of these roles. It's hard to say much about the film without giving away any spoilers but it's a lot of fun even though I could see the ending coming from a mile off.

 

[Mel O'Drama]

I think most people know more about Margaret Thatcher so it's easier to pick out things in The Iron Lady that were wrong (for example, I don't think Margaret Thatcher ever wore a hat in the House of Commons).

I'm sure there were a number of little details like that which passed me by.

I thought one of the more glaring inaccuracies was Thatcher being present at the murder of Airey Neave. Presumably this one was a deliberate choice for dramatic reasons.

By contrast, we know very little about the Queen beyond her public face, which is surprising considering how long she was our head of state, so it was easier to accept things in The Queen as being believable even though more of it was probably from the imagination of the writer than historical accuracy.

Very true indeed. I haven't yet watched The Crown, but I suspect it's this mystique which makes the writers' little indulgences more believable (as well as enticing).

Sharper (2023)

I've seen this one advertised a lot recently and I'm mildly intrigued by the trailers. It's good to know that you enjoyed it.

 

[Mel O'Drama]

Completely agrees with your comments about Hugh Grant, until I saw this film I never particularly rated him as an actor but he was really good in this.

It was the same experience for me. I've generally thought of him as a reliable actor who's watchable enough but who plays the same character (adorably awkward slightly dim fop) in everything. He's still very recognisably Hugh Grant here but he makes it work and puts in a great performance. He was the film's grounding force for me.

I also think this is one of Meryl Streep's best film and performances. Her interpretation of Florence could easily have fallen into parody or pure comedy but instead she created a vulnerable, sympathetic and quite moving character.

Agreed. I love the way it still had those parodic, comic moments that initially lured me into thinking it was going to be one kind of film but which turned out to be quite another.

It's a fantastic film, I've seen it three times and with every viewing I've liked it even more.

I can imagine it holds up to multiple viewings. I'd certainly watch it again.

 

[Angela Channing]

Maybe I Do (2023)

To badly paraphrase President Biden, Let me start off with two words: I hated this.

This film is about 3 couples: couple 1 is Susan Sarandon and William H Macy, couple 2 is Diane Keaton and Richard Gere and couple 3 is the son of couple 1 and the daughter of couple 2 who are about to get married but the groom is beginning to have second thoughts. Unknown to everyone else, Susan Sarandon and Richard Gere's characters are having an affair and William H Macy and Diane Keaton meet in a cinema and contemplate having an affair not knowing how their children are connected. Couple 3 decide their parents should come together so they can all discuss the best way forward regarding the impending nuptials. Are you keeping up?

This is meant to be a romcom but it wasn't remotely funny and not even its stellar cast could save this lame production.

 

[Angela Channing]

The Whale (2022)

My usual criticism of plays that have been remade as films is that they don't take enough advantage of the new medium by opening it up more from the limited confines of a stage. In The Whale, the entirety of the story is told within the flat of Charlie, played by Brandan Fraser, but here the limited locations enhances the storytelling by not allowing the viewer to stray beyond the walls of home in the same way that Charlie is imprisoned there by his morbid obesity.

Charlie is a seriously overweight English teacher, who teaches his classes via zoom. He is terminally ill due to health issues brought on by his weight and he is trying to re-connect with his daughter before he dies. Brandan Fraser is truly amazing in this film, giving one of the best performances by a male actor in a film made in 2022. He conveys the sadness and vulnerability of his character impressively but the film is more than him, there are just 5 people in the cast and every one of them gives a powerful performance.

It's easy to think this film is about a fat man dealing with being fat but that's not really that at all, it's more about how people deal with feeling guilty about something and blaming themselves for that and how they express their guilt. Each of the 5 characters in the film dealing with their own issues and often not doing it very well.

An interesting and thought-provoking film.