Films you have seen at the cinema 2023

[littlebabyjesus]

I thought it was okay -- given it's not really my kind of thing -- but the whole wrapping stuff up in the last third was way too neat (and unbelieveable).

I thought it was more like a cross between BHR and The Go-Between.

(It did capture the whole posh, rich and appalling thing very well I thought.)

I thought it captured it well enough, although the characters were caricatures. I just wasn't so interested in it. I thought the film relied too much on us the viewers wanting to have a glimpse of that world, envying the world if not the horrible people in it.

Everyone in the film is horrible without exception except Oliver's parents, who are in it for about two seconds. I know they're meant to be horrible, but it makes it hard to care. I did like the very final scene of him dancing naked through the house, but I'd stopped caring long before then.

 

[littlebabyjesus]

Fallen Leaves - Latest (maybe last? ) Aki Kaurismäki film., it's not a break in style but when you have such a great style who wants that. Funny, poignant, moving, political. Visually a treat. Just a great way to end the Leeds International Film Festival

I think that's a mubigo pick. Looking forward to it.

I missed out on Anatomy of a Fall last week. Cinema was sold out, which often happens with good mubi films. Annoyed about that.

 

[DJWrongspeed]

Just caught Eternal Daughter by Joanna Hogg. It's odd that it appears to have been finished in '21 on the credits. I'm guessing they had to release her other films before this one.
It's not really a horror or ghost story, more psychological. Depending on your perspective it's almost a kind of dark comedy. As with her previous films it observes Stewart Lee's quote about an "upper middle class family going on a disappointing holiday". On first viewing I'd give it 8/10. Soundtrack features The Bug, can you spot it! and Bartok's Music for Strings, Percussion and Celesta.
I'm wondering if this music has recently become public domain? Fits the film hand in glove. Why pay for a 3rd rate orchestral film score when you can have Bela instead !

 

[Elpenor]

Tonight at my regular cinema it was the No 2 in the sight and sound poll; and also much missed film guru Reno’s favourite film - Vertigo.

A lot to unpack from it, but a few highlights were the camerawork, sound and most of all San Francisco itself. It was my first time seeing the film; and I knew nothing of the plot twists, so was able to enjoy it at face value. One I’ll return to

 

[littlebabyjesus]

Tonight at my regular cinema it was the No 2 in the sight and sound poll; and also much missed film guru Reno’s favourite film - Vertigo.

A lot to unpack from it, but a few highlights were the camerawork, sound and most of all San Francisco itself. It was my first time seeing the film; and I knew nothing of the plot twists, so was able to enjoy it at face value. One I’ll return to

Cool. I'd love to watch that for the first time again. Great to see it first at the cinema.

 

[RedRedRose]

Napoleon, was a date movie with the wife. Thought it was tonally a bit off; scenes weren't very convincing; lots of clunky exposition and it also hinged the movie on a relationship that didn't entirely convince me. Also, mystified why Joaquin insisted on an American accent, when everyone else was speaking with British accents. Ended better than it started.

 

[littlebabyjesus]

Fallen Leaves

Aki Kaurismaki on very good form - pared down, simple, poetic. His usual territory examining characters who struggle with life in an unforgiving world and struggle to connect with one another, this time played out to a radio backdrop of the ongoing horrors of the war in Ukraine. Some cracking musical moments as usual from Kaurismaki, highlight of which is a two-girl band singing a catchy tune about the complete and utter hopelessness of existence. The details are gorgeous. Time passing is shown by the changing posters to old classics outside the cinema. Time spent waiting is shown by the size of a pile of cigarettes on the floor.

Kaurismaki shows you a world that really isn't very nice and makes you feel warm and fuzzy about it. If this is his last film, he leaves an amazing body of work. This is a very worthy addition, ranking alongside Drifting Clouds, for me.

 

[Elpenor]

A year in a field.

Christopher Morris has filmed - with an iPhone on a tripod according to the prerecorded Q and A, footage from a field in west Cornwall, with the focus on a standing stone.

The camera work is fixed with no tracking or zooms, some shots are time lapses. It is beautiful. As the year (it’s from December 2020 to December 2021) passes through the seasons, Morris’s gentle narration puts what we can see on the screen in context - historically, environmentally, globally, cosmically. By the end we have been given an insight into the havoc we humans cause to the earth.

All that and some stunning shots of slugs, not a sentence I thought I’d ever write.

 

[Orang Utan]

Not THAT Chris Morris though

 

[Dr. Furface]

Fallen Leaves

Aki Kaurismaki on very good form - pared down, simple, poetic. His usual territory examining characters who struggle with life in an unforgiving world and struggle to connect with one another, this time played out to a radio backdrop of the ongoing horrors of the war in Ukraine. Some cracking musical moments as usual from Kaurismaki, highlight of which is a two-girl band singing a catchy tune about the complete and utter hopelessness of existence. The details are gorgeous. Time passing is shown by the changing posters to old classics outside the cinema. Time spent waiting is shown by the size of a pile of cigarettes on the floor.

Kaurismaki shows you a world that really isn't very nice and makes you feel warm and fuzzy about it. If this is his last film, he leaves an amazing body of work. This is a very worthy addition, ranking alongside Drifting Clouds, for me.

I saw it yesterday and took this pic of the band, which fortunately also captured the subtitles.

 

[littlebabyjesus]

Hmmm. Great pic. Questionable phone use in a cinema...

 

[Dr. Furface]

Hmmm. Great pic. Questionable phone use in a cinema...

Really, why? There was no one behind me so I wasn’t affecting anyone’s view.

 

[littlebabyjesus]

Fair enough. Just don't let me catch you.

One of the great things about going to the cinema is that you share a communal experience with strangers. This is also one of the worst things about going to the cinema.

I get easily irritated in the cinema. Phone use of any kind, popcorn munching, sweet wrappers (opened slowly cos it makes a noise when that just makes the noise last longer), slurped drinks, talking, whispering, leaning over unnecessarily to reach into a bag, coughing, farting (deadly or otherwise), late arrivals, early leavers, people who need a piss half-way through. Talking about the film while leaving the cinema.

 

[DJWrongspeed]

Fair enough. Just don't let me catch you.

One of the great things about going to the cinema is that you share a communal experience with strangers. This is also one of the worst things about going to the cinema.

I get easily irritated in the cinema. Phone use of any kind, popcorn munching, sweet wrappers (opened slowly cos it makes a noise when that just makes the noise last longer), slurped drinks, talking, whispering, leaning over unnecessarily to reach into a bag, coughing, farting (deadly or otherwise), late arrivals, early leavers, people who need a piss half-way through. Talking about the film while leaving the cinema.

I saw "Blue Is The Warmest Colour" at the Bloomsbury Curzon cinema (3hrs!). Thankfully there were only a handful of people in the audience. There were some jolly ladies chatting about the film as we left. I love that though. It's always interesting to hear people reactions even if it is calmed by their comments to friends.

The worst was watching the 2nd Blade Runner film with someone explaining the 1st film throughout to his friend .....

 

[littlebabyjesus]

I saw "Blue Is The Warmest Colour" at the Bloomsbury Curzon cinema (3hrs!). Thankfully there were only a handful of people in the audience. There were some jolly ladies chatting about the film as we left. I love that though. It's always interesting to hear people reactions even if it is calmed by their comments to friends.

I'll rush out, or hang around for a bit or sometimes risk leaving with people. If I disliked the film, I don't care, but if I liked it (or I'm not sure), I really don't want to hear anyone's opinion right away, unless it was a riotous comedy, in which case ok. It feels like it is intruding and polluting my internal processing.

It's not just strangers. I don't like people I'm with asking me what I thought two seconds after the end. Gimme a chance. I don't know yet.

Curzon Bloomsbury is a good example of a cinema where you can be trapped with people. Two flights of stairs to negotiate. No swift exit.

 

[littlebabyjesus]

I'm aware that I come across as a grump btw. Believe it or not, I'm probably more relaxed now than I used to be. 20 years ago the only cinema I could tolerate was the NFT (as was) because they banned food and drink (well food - they may have allowed drink).

 

[Sue]

I get easily irritated in the cinema. Phone use of any kind, popcorn munching, sweet wrappers (opened slowly cos it makes a noise when that just makes the noise last longer), slurped drinks, talking, whispering, leaning over unnecessarily to reach into a bag, coughing, farting (deadly or otherwise), late arrivals, early leavers, people who need a piss half-way through. Talking about the film while leaving the cinema.

Absolutely this.

the NFT (as was) because they banned food and drink (well food - they may have allowed drink).

Food is definitely still banned*, drinks are allowed but they don't do those big slurpy cokes etc.

*I once saw a guy pull out a massive bag of crisps in screen 2. It didn't go well for him and his crisps.

 

[oryx]

Saw Maestro tonight. While Bernstein's work as a conductor and composer is a huge part of the film, the main focus is his complex relationship with his wife.

Bradley Cooper and Carey Mulligan are superb and it's very moving. Highly recommended (and if you can't find it at the cinema it's on Netflix on 20 December. I did quite a lot of searching to find it on the big screen, and it was well worth it).

 

[Jeff Robinson]

Chicken Run: Dawn of the Nugget.

Of course I loved the animal rights message of this film but it’s not one of Aardman’s best. The first chicken run movie feels dated now and this sequel does too. Not a patch on the Shaun the Sheep films.

 

[FridgeMagnet]

Godzilla Minus One. Excellent stuff. Doesn't try to be arty (in plot terms - the cinematography is great and it looks lovely all the way through) but is very character driven with loads of emotional tension. Don't worry though, Tokyo does take an absolute kicking, it doesn't disappoint on sheer destruction.

 

[Yossarian]

Definitely glad I saw Godzilla Minus One on the big screen

 

[tommers]

Saw Wonka today. It was delightful. Wholesome and fun and a bit emotional. Bit of an old style blockbuster, endless "hang on,that's so and so from that thing",most of the cast of ghosts, ray purchase, big suse etc etc.

Just a really nice time

 

[Kaka Tim]

Saw Wonka today. It was delightful. Wholesome and fun and a bit emotional. Bit of an old style blockbuster, endless "hang on,that's so and so from that thing",most of the cast of ghosts, ray purchase, big suse etc etc.

Just a really nice time

took the kids today - and same - fun, clever, exuberant, warm hearted and visually gorgeous. Refreshing to have a kids film that isnt trying oh -so-hard to be smart arse and "ironic" (why i dont like the shrek films). Wife and 9 year old lad were tearing up at the end. Lovely fun performances from all and sundry - but hugh grant pretty much steals the show. Proper family entertainment - take the kids - or borrow someone elses. Feeling all christmassy now.

 

[braindancer]

I've no idea if Wonka was good as I was too irritated with my fellow cinema-goers to notice. My local cinema is lovely and I think I've been spoilt. Wonka was sold out there so we travelled further afield to a cinema I've not been to before. It was fucking awful. It seemed half the audience we're talking at normal volume throughout the entire film. Five 13 year old lads sat next to me. One of them drank two liters of Pepsi during the trailers which he was very proud about - shouting 'Ive drank two liters of Pepsi' to his mates. He then obviously needed to piss six times throughout the film - barging past us each time. I was fucking raging by the end of it - as were the rest of my fam.

 

[metalguru]

A couple of late entries

Anatomy of A Fall: kept me entranced for almost all of the 2.5 hours. A good script focussing on motivations and ambiguities and excellent acting in this film. I was pleased I had avoided reading any reviews or spoilers. A late entry to my Top 5 films of 2023.

Priscilla: I did enjoy it but I would would be reluctant to recommend it. The biographical story is portrayed in a deliberately flat style, almost like a moving set of tableau, which are shot in a very distinctive style. For example the West German interiors seem grainy and ugly, and Gracelands also looks shabby and lacking in colour. Whilst this is quite effective in its way, the main problem for me is that Priscilla seems to have almost no agency in her story and consequently the film lacks any kind of energy or vitality and 2 hours did drag a bit in places.

 

[nightowl]

Godzilla Minus One. Definitely more enjoyable than the Hollywood versions. Amazing what they achieved on a relatively small budget. Interesting to see a touch of nationalism which reflects Japan's still awkward relationship with WWII. The war regret expressed in the film was more along the lines of 'we didn't do it right' rather than regret at the whole enterprise.

 

[krtek a houby]

Fair enough. Just don't let me catch you.

One of the great things about going to the cinema is that you share a communal experience with strangers. This is also one of the worst things about going to the cinema.

I get easily irritated in the cinema. Phone use of any kind, popcorn munching, sweet wrappers (opened slowly cos it makes a noise when that just makes the noise last longer), slurped drinks, talking, whispering, leaning over unnecessarily to reach into a bag, coughing, farting (deadly or otherwise), late arrivals, early leavers, people who need a piss half-way through. Talking about the film while leaving the cinema.

You'd love it here. Absolute silence during the film, no munching, phone fuckery or any of that.

The only drawback is feeling awkward when let out a guffaw, because (ime) the Japanese laughter is quite reserved in the cinema theatre.

I do try to be extra quiet over here but one time some guy behind us grassed on us for whispering during the adverts. That was novel.

 

[nightowl]

Noisy cinema-goers is one reason I usually don't rush to the early showings of new films. I normally leave it a week or two so there's room to sit away from people.

 

[Ĝasper]

An cailín cuin, Irish film, excellent

Fists of fury, vintage Bruce Lee

Wicker man, on Midsommar

Asteroid city, Wes Anderson

Oppenheimer ,good but trial scene needed cut, too long

Equalizor 3, too violent, quite funny/silly, nice Italian scenery

Dream scenario, excellent, not what I expected, surreal social commentary

Killers of the flower, far too long, could have done more with time, unusual story,

 

[nightowl]

Looking forward to seeing The Boy and the Heron sometime over the next few days, Hayao Miyazaki's latest Studio Ghibli offering.