rob-1850 Reviews

The Band's Visit (2007)

What a surprisingly fab movie

[10/10 · 3 January 2008]

As a dedicated husband of a BAFTA voting member, we trawl through 100+ DVD's at this time of year. The Hollywood movies all blur into muchness, but then this film comes along without any fancy marketing blurb, no fancy box, just a DVD in a plastic sleeve. We put it in and said we would give it 10 minutes, and spent the next 100 minutes or so spellbound and laughing our socks off! The acting was simply wonderful, the comic situations and timing were redolent of "The Office", and the political analogies were intriguing, The soundtrack was the best of any 2007 movie imho. It gets our nomination for Best Film, Best Direction, Best Editing, Best Soundtrack, with further nominations for the "Dina" and "Tewfiq" actors plus a vote for others in the band in the supporting actor category.

Try to see it if you can!

Into the Wild (2007)

Definitely just for an American audience

[3/10 · 26 October 2007]

Saw this movie last night with BAFTA - before I go any further, let me just say that the cinematography is amazingly beautiful and "big".

The comments from another reviewer about the "shocking random human nudity" baffled me. If you would find the brief sight of a flaccid willy, a topless female sunbather and a 2-second distance shot of a bunch of naturists shocking, then beware! But there was nothing of a sexual nature, and nothing I would not allow my 6 year old grandson to see.

Other than the above comments, I am afraid I have mainly negatives.

This is the story of a privileged young college graduate who studied various calamities in Africa as part of his schooling. His only personal calamity is that he has parents who have been less than truthful to him about their family history, and who have the audacity to argue in front of him during his childhood. He appears to want some personal angst so badly that he uses this to fuel his requirement for his own "personal issues".

In order to "understand his true nature" (yuk!) he drops out of the education system and goes walkabout in the wilds - another prime motive for which appears to be to punish his parents for their sin of being less than truthful to him during his upbringing.

I do not think a European audience will warm to the story of such a self-indulgent, cruel character who appears to have no empathy for the people he emotionally hurts, and at 150 minutes I almost felt I had gone through a trial equal to that undergone by the character in the film.

What I also do not get is the big deal about living in the wilderness - replete with hunter's rifle, gas lighters and various other technological accoutrements including a derelict bus. Again, another America-centric theme: this time of "frontiersmanship" I would suggest.

Finally, I would say that the lack of empathy I felt for the character meant that the narrative did not touch me or make me care about his fate - and the way Emile Hirsch occasionally played to the camera, like a fly-on-the-wall reality show, broke the spell of "suspending belief" that is so critical in allowing yourself to be immersed in the story - it suddenly reminded me that I was merely watching a film All-in-all, I would recommend steering clear.

Sooty Heights (1999– )

Sooty and pals go from strength to strength

[10/10 · 18 June 2007]

The Sooty Heights hotel is the backdrop for the traditional comedy of errors perpetrated by Sooty and his pals, including a new nephew, Scampi. The writing really is top notch, and watching this with my grandchildren, I laughed as much as they did - which was quite a bit. My favourite episode was the one guest starring the beautiful Eva Gray as "celebrity presenter" Portia duPont from "Vets and Pets". Of course, Richard the male host falls in love with Portia, and many dream sequences ensue, concluding with him winning the kiss from Portia that he strives for all episode. Eva Gray lights up the screen and her comic timing is impeccable - why don't we see this talented actress more on our screens?

Southwark: The Movie - Hard Day at Office Love? (2003)

Comedy set in a call centre somewhere up North

[10/10 · 17 May 2007]

This film was made as part of a charity drive in Southwark, South-Central London, to raise money for Infantile Batten's Disease, a nasty pernicious condition affecting young children. I saw it as part of a screening in Southwark in a packed cinema containing lots of celebs who helped support the film. I believe it went on to several film festivals subsequently.

This is a laugh out loud comedy, covering the intricacies of several relationships within the office. Eva Gray is particularly outstanding as the slow-witted and hauntingly sexy Yvonne, describing how when she is broke she takes her kids to Sainsbury's to feast on the cheese samples.

Children of Men (2006)

Scarily reminiscent of current day totalitarianism

[10/10 · 13 February 2007]

This was the 2006 film of the year by some margin in my humble opinion. A fantastic blend of sci-fi fantasy, thriller and road-movie, whilst also being political "issuetainment".

I have been harbouring negative thoughts about Clive Owen since suffering his performance in "Closer", but this film was almost made for him - a very strong performance, and supporting actress Pam Ferris was a revelation, a million miles from "Darling Buds of May"! Julianne Moore was also a powerful presence, as was, inevitably, Michael Caine.

The only negative was the flagrant product placement by Philip Morris Inc, with the Clive Owen character chain-smoking Marlboro Lights in this future dystopia - seemed a little anachronistic to me, as the forthcoming public smoking ban in England will by then have seen the demise of cigarettes, to be replaced by Snus, Snuff and Nicotine Continuation Treatments (patches, gums, inhalators, and the new nicotine lollipops) as alternative delivery mechanisms for the drug nicotine - unless, like me, present day nicotine addicts attend Allen Carr's Easyway programme and get off the stuff permanently! I urge all IMDb readers to catch this movie if you can - truly one of the best of all time.

Miss Potter (2006)

Don't listen to the English critics - this film is enchanting

[9/10 · 13 February 2007]

Lots of sniffiness amongst English critics about Rene's casting as the eponymous heroine - and lots of critical comments about her accent and facial expression (Dr Kermode you let yourself down on this one - your critique was subjective, prejudiced and not up to your usual standards).

I thought Rene's casting was fine, she and the rest of the cast were truly excellent. A totally absorbing feel-good film, with enchanting animation. Ewan McGregor was a treat, and Emily Watson was, as always, fantastic. Not really my usual genre, I was embarrassed to shed a tear or two in front of my wife!

And isn't it refreshing these days to have a film that runs less than 100 minutes?