What DVD have you just watched?

ewe,

Were these movies viewed like some of your music listening, where you play three at once using sets in different parts of the house?

A brilliantly acted documentary of the English 'Master of Light' painter John Mallord William Turner (1775-1851). 

Ida

A film by Pawel Pawlikowski

Agata Kulesza:                 Wanda

Agata Trzebuchowska:     Anna

Besides lack of depth, my main criticism of Hollywood and western movies in general is their inability to just shut up for more than one second at least.  Constant blabbering and noise combined with continual moving / jiggling / zooming of the visual.  So of course, I find little in Hollywood, as they tend to offend me directly on three fronts:  aurally, visually, and intellectually.

To the rescue comes polish director Pawel Pawlikowski with a stunning movie (at least in my eyes).  It is a movie where not much is said by the actors (the visual tells you everything) (check), it is beautifully filmed in black & white (check), and the long stills (fixed camera) reminds one of looking at a beautiful photo for long periods (atmospheric) (check).  

Sparse dialogue certainly does not mean lack of ideas.  Quite the contrary, as there is a lot to think about here.  The silence draws you in and says more than if the characters were constantly speaking.   Add the dreamy, slow moving imagery and one can be lost in thought and deep contemplation forever.  Music is not added as background music to guide your emotion at every turn (at least that I remember?)  Any music I recall tended to be heard as if you were there in the same environment as the characters.  For example, on a record player, on a car radio, at a club with live music.

The most notable music for me was not even part of the film but running through the credits or at the beginning before you hit play you will be entranced by Ich Ruf Zu Dir Herr Jesu Christ which is by Johann Sebastian Bach and transcribed by Busoni and played here by Alfred Brendel.  You could not have found more suitable music than this.  Utter perfection.

This is a very attractive movie to my liking and goes on my list of other similar movies in style and character that I hope to never forget.  I wish it would go on and on and never end.  There is nothing happy here.  In fact, it is melancholy and is overwhelmingly sad but at the same time the main character is quite stoic and filled with humble resolve and acceptance of her situation.

Count Arthur Strong - Series 1.

Funniest programme I've seen in years. Co written by Graham Lineham.

Courtesy of Lovefilm, The Drop arrived this week, appropriately wrapped in its cardboard envelope and dropped through the post box.  Appetite suitable whetted by Tom Hardy's superb performance in Locke, and knowing that this was James Gandolfini's last film (he died just a week or so after filming finished), I had been really looking forward to seeing this film and in many ways, it didn't disappoint.  You are left with a few unanswered questions - in particular "the bag" - but the film works and the performance by Tom Hardy steals the film.   Look out for an interesting scene with a mirror - blink and you miss it.

The Spy Who Came In From The Cold

What a great film, based upon the John Le Carre novel. Gritty, morally ambiguous and full of tension.

It interesting to compare the state of the world today with that of the Cold War.

M

Very much agree, Mr U.  I never fail to enjoy that film and really ought to get a DVD version.  RB is of course excellent but there are so many other strong performances too.  

Must have been quite inexpensive to make, too. No big scenes, just great acting and story-telling.  

The Mist

As a teenager I loved Stephen King novels, real page turners, unfortunately good adaptations are rare. I have not read The Mist so how accurately it tracks the original book I cannot say, but this is a good horror film. The tension builds around a series of well fleshed characters who act and react in ways that support their internal logics, this distracts from the causal root of the events, which is entirely secondary.

Generally I avoid horror films, in this case I am glad I didn't.

M

Hi Mike,

I had exactly this same thought myself.

Was on day off and played them one after another. 

Parker

Jason Statham do what he does ....best? Which certainly doesn't include accents.

I have to say that I actually enjoyed this, with the exception of watching him try a Texan drawl; why ask this guy to do anything other than Sarf London? It would have worked in context.

A fair few visceral fight scenes, and a reasonable plot. I could have done without the final denouement, that moved it off into 'Oceans' territory.

M

I find it hard to think of Jason Statham as anything other than the characters he played in Lock, Stock & Two Smoking Barrels and especially Snatch when he played Turkish ......."what do I know about diamonds?". 

I think that sums Mr Statham up quiet nicely, that in every film he does; which can be enjoyable.

M

He showed some range in Revolver, an otherwise ambitious mess of a film...

Three Days of the Condor

I remember watching this for the first time as a 14 year old, and loving it. It has stood the test of time and still entertains. I think this, along with The Sting, is amongst Redford's best work. The film works well, and the tension builds. Max Von Sydow's assassin is marvellously callous and dispassionate.

Great stuff.

M

Batman Returns

Watched this for the first time in an age the other night. I do enjoy Keaton as Batman. The genesis of Catwoman is completely nonsensical, but all super-people are and I enjoyed that Burton didn't even try and dress it up - just lots of cat licks!

The film is not quiet as strong as Batman for me, I think that the script is just a bit too convoluted. It is a shame as there are some great actors putting in some good performances. The one that I enjoy the most is The Penguin, as his self destruction bought on by his own personality traits.

As much as I do enjoy the more recent incarnation of Batman I think the two Burton films will get more viewing by me; Keaton, Nicholson, Devito and Pfeiffer directed by Burton and a great Danny Elfman score, what's not to like.

M

Salmon Fishing in Yemen

I confess, I like RomComs. I am not sure that this qualifies. Overall I think this film is a bit of a tonal mess. Is is a RomCom? Political satire? Kitchen sink drama? I think this falls between a number of genres, and suspect it will satisfy no-one.

M

Almost Famous

I really enjoyed this film. An adolescent has the hutz-pah to join a band on the road in the 70's just as, to quote Philip Seymour Hoffman's character, rock and roll is dying. This film follows the band and its interactions with the girl fans that they take with them, The Band-Aids. It is a film full of interesting observations, and one that allows you to empathise with the protagonists, and care.

Full of humour this movie is about emotion and pain.

Really, watch this.

M

Very much agree Mr U. It's one of those films that if I catch it on the TV, even part way through, I have to watch it to the end.  

Worth watching for Pfeiffer alone  

“Leviathan,” a Russian film which is a modern-day retelling of the story of Job, has received international critical acclaim, winning the Golden Globe for Best Foreign Film on January 11, and receiving a nomination for an Oscar in the “Best Foreign Film” category. The movie also garnered the prestigious Best Screenplay award at the Cannes Film Festival last May.

But Russian Orthodox clergy and activists are not happy with the film’s portrayal of Russian culture, politics, or church life.

Some, including Kirill Frolov, the head of the Russian Association of Orthodox Experts, are calling for “Leviathan” to be banned from Russian theaters and for the Russian state to invest in creating an “Orthodox Hollywood,” which would produce films favorable to Russian faith and culture.

“‘Leviathan’ is an evil film, and there should be no distribution for evil films,” Frolov told Izvestia newspaper. “We’ll ask the Culture Ministry not to let the film appear in cinemas, and urge them to create an ‘Orthodox Hollywood.'”

Archpriest Vsevolod Chaplin, the spokesman for the Russian Orthodox Church, also criticized “Leviathan,” telling Interfax on Wednesday that the film conforms itself to the worst Western stereotypes of Russia.

“The writers probably wanted to please the West with these notions of Russian vodka, messy licentiousness, a terrible state system, a Church that is also terrible — such myths about Russia are mimicked very well out there,” Chaplin said. “I’m not surprised that the film is very popular in the West.”

Western film critics say the negative reaction is predictable, as the “tough, theatrical drama reconfigures the Book of Job into a damning indictment of the Putin presidential government, while also yielding more universal themes of humanity, corruption and, well, yes, alcoholism.”

Watched The Colditz Story from this box-set last night.  I generally like these old British war movies but not this one. It might be a true story but the film didn't seem to have one (a story-line) and stereotypes of the different nationalities involved reminded me of Allo, Allo.  Pretty poor.