What was the last film you watched?

[Angela Channing]

Creed 3 (2023)

Firstly, I have to say what a fabulous poster they created to publicise the film.

CREED 3 (2023)

I saw this just this afternoon in the theatre. I have to admit that I had very low expectations going in. After all, let’s face it, this is the ninth movie of the ROCKY franchise and considering it’s the first movie without the iconic character of Rocky Balboa, I had my doubts. The reviews have not been great from what I’ve read but believe me when I tell you that this movie is absolutely terrific. Michael B. Jordan turns out a fine acting performance and the movie has a very real feel to it in terms of the personal relationships between the characters. It’s not just a boxing story, it’s a life story and a really good one at that.

I agree with you, Creed 3 is a great film. I don't like boxing and I abhor violence but the Rocky/Creed films always deliver for me (well, let's forget Rocky 5 and come to think of it, Rocky 4 wasn't great either). All the films generally follow a formula:

1. Some background stuff leading into the first fight which has a surprise outcome
2. Family drama, conflict, a death or someone in a life-threatening condition, some grieving
3. An inspirational talk given or received by Rocky/Creed
4. A training montage with a powerful piece of music played in the background
5. Second fight with a uplifting outcome

Creed 3 doesn't mess with the formula but it tells the story in a fresh and interesting way. Michael B Jordan is excellent as Adonis Creed, as is Jonathan Majors as Damian, I totally believe in every scene they had either together or with other cast members. Michael B Jordan also directed this and it's pacy and exciting and the fight scenes are brilliantly shot.

I can see how they are laying the ground for Creed 5 (Creed 4 would probably be too soon for this) because Adonis's daughter seems quite interested in boxing and focusing on a female boxer would give the franchise a fresh approach in the future.

 

[Seaviewer]

Dallas: The Early Years
I haven't seen this in a while and thought it would be appropriate before resuming my series rewatch with season 10.

 

[Angela Channing]

Tetris (2023)

This movie is captivating, well-written and acted and the plot is a bit outlandish but amazingly it's based on a true story.

It's the story of how the licensing rights to the game were signed on paper sounds a bit dry but this is a rip-roaring adventure with some nail-biting edge of your seat moments. Russian programmer Alexey Pajitnov creates Tetris and it's quickly grows in popularity. Competing companies try to buy the rights, including Robert Maxwell and his son, but the communist state are not happy with the commercialisation of Tetris and try to stop it. While the various rivals slug it out, Alexey Pajitnov is cut of out all the money and deals they are agreed.

I used to love playing Tetris but I had no idea about the machinations and danger that went on behind the scenes concerning the licensing the game. Since watching the film, I've started playing Tetris again and it still one of the best computer games I've played.

 

[Angela Channing]

Close (2022)

This film explores the profound and deep friendship shared between two young boys, Leo and Remi. They go to the same junior school and are inseparable out of school, they do everything together and have sleepovers at each other's homes. When they go to high school, some of the other students question the closeness of their relationship and ask if they are a couple. It makes Leo uncomfortable that others would misinterpret their friendship and begins to push Remi away. Instead of spending so much time together, Leo start doing things he thinks are more macho, like playing ice hockey. Remi doesn't understand the rejections and is distraught about losing his closest friends. He later takes his life. The rest of the film is about how Leo negotiates the next phase of his life dealing with his grief and guilt while trying to move on with things.

The film portrays the devastating consequences of society's pressures and expectations on the depth and authenticity of their friendship. It is a tragic tale of how the world can take away someone's innocence at a vulnerable age when he lacks the psychological and emotional tools to understand its impact. This is a beautiful, intelligent and sensitive film, superbly acted, especially by the young actor playing Leo.

 

[DallasFanForever]

AIR (2023)

It’s very seldom I leave the movie theatre and am left speechless. As an avid sports fan, I have to say that this may very well be the best sports movie I’ve ever seen. The story of how a struggling shoe company called NIKE put it all on the line and all in the hands of an 18 year old rookie named Michael Jordan is quite intriguing. It’s an inspiring film, with terrific acting and some well placed, but not overdone, humor. This movie made me a little emotional I have to admit. If you grew up in the 80s like I did it’s a nice walk down nostalgia lane.

@Angela Channing I have a feeling you will be seeing this movie soon? I patiently await your review.

 

[Angela Channing]

AIR (2023)

It’s very seldom I leave the movie theatre and am left speechless. As an avid sports fan, I have to say that this may very well be the best sports movie I’ve ever seen. The story of how a struggling shoe company called NIKE put it all on the line and all in the hands of an 18 year old rookie named Michael Jordan is quite intriguing. It’s an inspiring film, with terrific acting and some well placed, but not overdone, humor. This movie made me a little emotional I have to admit. If you grew up in the 80s like I did it’s a nice walk down nostalgia lane.

@Angela Channing I have a feeling you will be seeing this movie soon? I patiently await your review.

Yes, this film has been on my radar to watch for a while now and I'm looking forward too seeing it even more now after reading your positive comments about it.

 

[Seaviewer]

Easter Parade (1948)
My annual viewing. Still notice the odd new detail. For instance, Astaire's and Miller's characters each have a servant/assistant from the get-go - a young African-American woman and an Asian man respectively. It finally registered with me that Garland's character gets one, too, once she becomes successful - an older white woman. Read into that what you will.

 

[Angela Channing]

Inside (2023)

This film has a very simple premise. Willem Defoe plays an art thief who breaks into an apartment to steal a valuable painting when the automatic security kicks in a traps him inside the area. He has to make use of the contents of the accommodation to survive and to try an escape. The film reminded me a bit of the films Cast Away (2000) with Tom Hanks and All Is Lost (2013) with Robert Redford in that the whole film is about how one character to survive his environment and deal with the boredom of being alone for a long period. Like those films, Willem Defoe is the only actor who appears in it to any significant extent. Sadly, the story and the jeopardy (both almost not existent) isn't strong enough to sustain the film for its 1 hour 45 mins running time.

 

[Seaviewer]

Astaire's and Miller's characters each have a servant/assistant from the get-go - a young African-American woman and an Asian man respectively.

Of course, I got that backward. It was right in my head but somehow got reversed in the typing.

 

[Seaviewer]

Man of the World (1931)
My second William Powell starrer of recent weeks. I don't know if it was a pattern for him, but here he plays another character in a moral dilemma. This time he is a blackmailer who falls for one of his victims, played by Carole Lombard.

 

[Angela Channing]

Shazam! Fury of The Gods (2023)

I thought Shazam! (2019) was one of the best DC superhero film adaptations so I had high hopes for this sequel but sadly I was disappointed. The story follows a new threat to the Shazam familywhen the Daughters of Atlas, Hespera, Kalypso, and Anthea, arrive on Earth after the barrier between their worlds was broken by Billy Batson, aka Shazam, when he broke the wizard's staff in the first film in this series. The sisters want to reclaim their god powers from the Shazam siblings which brings the two groups into conflict. The film has none of the humour which worked so well in the first film and the excessive CGI driven action sequences weren't anywhere as exciting as I had hoped. Not a terrible sequel but no where as good as the original Shazam! film.

 

[Mel O'Drama]

The film has none of the humour which worked so well in the first film and the excessive CGI driven action sequences weren't anywhere as exciting as I had hoped. Not a terrible sequel but no where as good as the original Shazam! film.

That's a shame. I thoroughly enjoyed the first one which was the nicest of surprises, so the sequel was definitely on my radar to watch at some point.

I'll probably still take a look at it sometime, but it looks as though I'll need to keep my expectations low.

 

[Angela Channing]

That's a shame. I thoroughly enjoyed the first one which was the nicest of surprises, so the sequel was definitely on my radar to watch at some point.

I'll probably still take a look at it sometime, but it looks as though I'll need to keep my expectations low.

You might like it more than me and maybe I was expecting too much because I hugely enjoyed the original, so it was always going to be difficult for the sequel to live up to my expectations. However, it's not a patch on first film, in my opinion. Even a brief cameo by Gal Gadot (who I secretly have the hots for) couldn't save this film for me.

 

[Mel O'Drama]

You might like it more than me

Yes, there is that possibility and I haven't written it off entirely. I now have the probable advantage of being forewarned that it may not be as good as the original which I'm sure will help.

it was always going to be difficult for the sequel to live up to my expectations.

Yes - that's probably true of many sequels to films I've liked. There are often so many reasons why I like a film that would be difficult to recreate them for a sequel (and if they could be recreated, it's often best not to).

 

[Angela Channing]

What's Love Got To Do With It? (2023)

You could easily mistake this film for being written by Richard Curtis because it has all the elements of something he might do. It was even produced by Working Title which seem to make a lot of his films. It was in fact written by Jemima Khan and seeing that the subject of the film is a Pakistani arranged marriage and how it's perceived by a white British mother and daughter, I can see why this subject would be of interest for her to write about.

The film is about Zoe (Lily James), a documentary filmmaker who has encountered challenges in finding a romantic partner through conventional means. In contrast, her childhood friend and neighbour, Kaz (Shazad Latif), has chosen to pursue an arranged marriage to find a suitrable and successful bride from Pakistan. Zoe, intrigued by Kaz's unorthodox approach to finding love, decides to document his journey on film. As she delves deeper into the intricacies of arranged marriages, Zoe begins to wonder whether there are lessons to be learned from this alternative path to love.

The film has all the elements of a British romcom with elements of a British cultural differences comedy mixed in. It's nothing than we haven't seen before but it is very entertaining, quite absorbing, moderately funny in places and a bit of a heart-warming ending. I really enjoyed it.

 

[cijimccashin]

AIR (2023)

It’s very seldom I leave the movie theatre and am left speechless. As an avid sports fan, I have to say that this may very well be the best sports movie I’ve ever seen. The story of how a struggling shoe company called NIKE put it all on the line and all in the hands of an 18 year old rookie named Michael Jordan is quite intriguing. It’s an inspiring film, with terrific acting and some well placed, but not overdone, humor. This movie made me a little emotional I have to admit. If you grew up in the 80s like I did it’s a nice walk down nostalgia lane.

@Angela Channing I have a feeling you will be seeing this movie soon? I patiently await your review.

!!! I can here to say the same thing. I loved it. It's amazing hope we get more movies like this in the coming years. It reminded me of many classics I grew up on.

 

[Mel O'Drama]

Yesterday I had a double-bill of films. First up was...

Elsa & Fred (2014)

Watched on a whim, based on nothing more than seeing Christopher Plummer's name on a thumbnail on Prime. It was appropriate Sunday matinee fare. It felt rather like a TV movie: simply made and not at all showy, but it worked on the basis of its performances and a decent, if basic, story. Plummer always gives good grumpy old man, while there are many well-known names and faces in the supporting cast.

I hadn't realised it was a remake of an existing film or else I'd probably have been more inclined to seek out the original.

This is far from a great film, and almost all concerned have done better work elsewhere. But there are far worse ways to kill 90 minutes on a Sunday afternoon.​

 

[Mel O'Drama]

Last night's film was another remake of which I haven't seen the original...

Cape Fear (1991)

Believe it or not, this was my first time watching this. It's been on my radar for many, many years and is one of those films I'm familiar with through some pop culture references and satires, so I'm glad to have finally seen it.

I was very impressed by how Hitchcockian Martin Scorsese's direction is. And not even subtly so... it's very in your face as a Hitchcock style film. Saul Bass's opening credits and Bernard Herrmann's score complete the picture perfectly.

The story was compelling enough, and there's a genuinely menacing darkness to the film that had me feeling that anything could happen by the end. The violence was quite shocking at times and the threat towards the protagonist's daughter particularly disturbing.

What most impressed me about the film were the performances. De Niro was fine (though I've always thought him rather overrated, with most of his performances being variations of the same character), but Nick Nolte, Jessica Lange, Juliette Lewis, Robert Mitchum and Joe Don Baker were all electric.​

 

[bmasters9]

The In Between (Paramount DVD of this 2022 Paramount Players/Paramount+ hit with Joey King and Kyle Allen)

 

[Mel O'Drama]

H Is For Happiness (2019)

Hands up, I watched this as soon as the it popped up on my Prime home screen for no other reason than the thumbnail featured Miriam Margoyles. I didn't even read any text... no other reason was needed.

Had I looked into it a bit more closely, I might have thought twice. That would have been a great shame because, as wonderful as Miriam is, she's not the most special thing about this film. That would be its sense of wonder and magic.

I wouldn't know how to sum up this film and do it justice. It's surreal, bizarre and quirky. But it's also dark, touching and truthful. Rotten Tomatoes describes it as "a feel-good family film", a description which might have nauseated me. But the way this is presented - from the eccentric-but-relatable writing to the engaging performances gave me a connection that I found unexpected. In the best possible way, it made me feel like a kid again.