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Films you have seen at the cinema 2024

Elpenor said:
The Outrun

Powerful performance by Saiorse Ronan as Rhona, a woman returning from London to Orkney to deal with her alcoholism.

Orkney itself provides a brilliant supporting role, and the soundscape is absolutely incredible. You feel every gust of wind and crash or wave as Rhona anchors her recovery journey firmly to the place she is in.
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I thought this was great. Best film I've seen in a while.

A tough watch, at times, for sure but beautifully filmed and she's a great actor. I just about kept it together until This Is The Day by The The came on the soundtrack and then I went to bits. Powerful film. I've ordered the book.
 
Timestalker

Starring and written and directed by Alice Lowe. A woman stalks a (decidedly unimpressive (and unimpressed)) man through time over several reincarnations, with repetititvely hapless results. It's well-written and acted and very funny at moments. Nicely silly ending. Nicely silly film, taking the piss out of the more earnest entries in the time-travelling genre. Genius to set a chunk of it in 1980 and allow them to go peak terrible fashion.
 
1. American Fiction
2. Drive Away Dolls
3. Love Lies Bleeding
4. Hit Man
5. Blink Twice
6. My Old Ass
7. The Apprentice
 
The Manxman, an early Hitchcock silent film. Originally released in 1929, and filmed partly in Polperro, Cornwall, this has been retouched or whatever they do to old films.

It was shown in Polperro village hall with a live piano - and flute score by the chap who composed a full orchestral score for the film around 12 years ago. This was particularly impressive as at times he was playing the piano and flute at the same time! It was put on by South West Silents who seem to have a few other events on and I think they’re also involved in the film noir festival I’m off to in a few weeks time.

The film was not particularly loved by Hitch, and it’s a fairly standard love triangle that goes wrong. I haven’t seen many silent films so don’t have much of a yardstick to judge by, but it was a lot of fun, quite a lot of humour I thought. I assume they were a lot more expressionistic and exaggerated in their acting in the silent era due to the lack of sound, but I quite enjoyed that aspect.

A few interesting camera shots and visual effects that showed, despite the primitive conditions and technology, there was a master starting to develop his craft.
 
Elpenor said:
The Manxman, an early Hitchcock silent film. Originally released in 1929, and filmed partly in Polperro, Cornwall, this has been retouched or whatever they do to old films.

It was shown in Polperro village hall with a live piano - and flute score by the chap who composed a full orchestral score for the film around 12 years ago. This was particularly impressive as at times he was playing the piano and flute at the same time! It was put on by South West Silents who seem to have a few other events on and I think they’re also involved in the film noir festival I’m off to in a few weeks time.

The film was not particularly loved by Hitch, and it’s a fairly standard love triangle that goes wrong. I haven’t seen many silent films so don’t have much of a yardstick to judge by, but it was a lot of fun, quite a lot of humour I thought. I assume they were a lot more expressionistic and exaggerated in their acting in the silent era due to the lack of sound, but I quite enjoyed that aspect.

A few interesting camera shots and visual effects that showed, despite the primitive conditions and technology, there was a master starting to develop his craft.
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Oh, I love that era. Yes, the acting is exaggerated and is quite charming in a way. We saw Hitchcock's The Lodger (1927) at a town hall many years ago and really enjoyed the piano accompaniment.

Warning: getting into the silent era films can be a whole warren :)
 
We went to see The Outrun. A rare visit to the cinema for us.

The kabbess, who really wanted to see it, didn’t really like it. I thought it was okay but no more than okay. Artfully shot and well-acted, sure. But the main character was too dislikable for either of us to really connect to. Hers was an ordinary story of a young woman going through something pretty normal. Which is fine as fiction, but a bit self-indulgent to write a memoir about. What was the memoir supposed to be saying? There was too much of nothing for it to be about something. I don’t mean action — there was little introspection or interaction or meaning. Just lots of standing on a beach. It came across as the story of a self-pitying twenty-something, to be mooned over by other self-pitying twenty-somethings. As the kabbess said, she’d have enjoyed it when she was twenty-something. Then real problems happened to her.
 
kabbes said:
We went to see The Outrun. A rare visit to the cinema for us.

The kabbess, who really wanted to see it, didn’t really like it. I thought it was okay but no more than okay. Artfully shot and well-acted, sure. But the main character was too dislikable for either of us to really connect to. Hers was an ordinary story of a young woman going through something pretty normal. Which is fine as fiction, but a bit self-indulgent to write a memoir about. What was the memoir supposed to be saying? There was too much of nothing for it to be about something. I don’t mean action — there was little introspection or interaction or meaning. Just lots of standing on a beach. It came across as the story of a self-pitying twenty-something, to be mooned over by other self-pitying twenty-somethings. As the kabbess said, she’d have enjoyed it when she was twenty-something. Then real problems happened to her.
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So violent rape isn’t a real problems then? Just bizarre.
 
Some from the LFF.

The Talk of the Town. 1942 screwballish comedy with Cary Grant, Jean Arthur and Ronald Colman. Grant is falsely accused of arson and murder and Arthur helps enlist law professor Colman to clear Grant's name. This was excellent, can't believe I'd never seen it before. And how many films turn on borscht with an egg?

Maria Candalaria. Mexican Golden Age film with Dolores del Rio suffering for the 'sins' of her mother, not helped by the appearance in her small town of an American painter. Beautiful cinematography, lots of religious symbolism and a baying mob with torches to boot.

Misericorde. A man returns to a small French town after the death of his mentor and various dark shenanigans ensue. Black comedy by Alain Guiraudie (probably best known for The Stranger by the Lake). Had its moments but not really for me.

I'm Your Venus. Venus Xtravaganza, one of the stars of Paris is Burning (a documentary about queers/trans balls in NYC) was murdered before its 1990 release at the age of 23. In this documentary, her family and friends try to find out who killed her and her brothers explore who Venus really was. Honest, funny and very sad.

Maldorer. Fictionalised retelling of the Marc Dutroux murders and the corruption in the Belgian establishment that allowed his crimes to flourish. Okay, if grim.

Fall is Coming (Quand vient l'automne). Understated story about an ageing woman, her spoiled daughter, dubious mushrooms and an ex-con. I love Francois Ozon's films (well apart from Potiche which I thought was terrible) and this is a low-key cracker. Who did what, who knew what and when and why. Lots to think about coming out of the film.

My Everything (L'inseperable). A woman cares for her grown-up son who has learning disabilities and has to learn to let go and re-discover her own life. First feature from Anne-Sophie Bailly with great performances from the lead trio.

On Falling. Another first feature, this time from Laura Carreira. A Portuguese woman working in an Amazon-esque warehouse in Scotland feels increasingly disconnected and isolated from others. And all while struggling to make ends meet and improve her lot. Unsurprisingly depressing but a really impressive debut. I'm really interested to see what the director does next.
 
Sue said:
Some from the LFF.

The Talk of the Town. 1942 screwballish comedy with Cary Grant, Jean Arthur and Ronald Colman. Grant is falsely accused of arson and murder and Arthur helps enlist law professor Colman to clear Grant's name. This was excellent, can't believe I'd never seen it before. And how many films turn on borscht with an egg?

Maria Candalaria. Mexican Golden Age film with Dolores del Rio suffering for the 'sins' of her mother, not helped by the appearance in her small town of an American painter. Beautiful cinematography, lots of religious symbolism and a baying mob with torches to boot.

Misericorde. A man returns to a small French town after the death of his mentor and various dark shenanigans ensue. Black comedy by Alain Guiraudie (probably best known for The Stranger by the Lake). Had its moments but not really for me.

I'm Your Venus. Venus Xtravaganza, one of the stars of Paris is Burning (a documentary about queers/trans balls in NYC) was murdered before its 1990 release at the age of 23. In this documentary, her family and friends try to find out who killed her and her brothers explore who Venus really was. Honest, funny and very sad.

Maldorer. Fictionalised retelling of the Marc Dutroux murders and the corruption in the Belgian establishment that allowed his crimes to flourish. Okay, if grim.

Fall is Coming (Quand vient l'automne). Understated story about an ageing woman, her spoiled daughter, dubious mushrooms and an ex-con. I love Francois Ozon's films (well apart from Potiche which I thought was terrible) and this is a low-key cracker. Who did what, who knew what and when and why. Lots to think about coming out of the film.

My Everything (L'inseperable). A woman cares for her grown-up son who has learning disabilities and has to learn to let go and re-discover her own life. First feature from Anne-Sophie Bailly with great performances from the lead trio.

On Falling. Another first feature, this time from Laura Carreira. A Portuguese woman working in an Amazon-esque warehouse in Scotland feels increasingly disconnected and isolated from others. And all while struggling to make ends meet and improve her lot. Unsurprisingly depressing but a really impressive debut. I'm really interested to see what the director does next.
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There was an article on Laura Carreira and her films in Publico. I've snipped a translated version of the article as I cant send a link as the original is subscription only). Ive seen Great Yarmouth - Provisional Figures , which is set in a turkey factory in Yarmouth , which is mentioned and that is quite depressing as well.

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Thanks The39thStep. I'd never heard of her until I bought a ticket for the film on the basis that it sounded interesting. Watching it, I did wonder why it was set in Scotland as apart from all the comments about the weather being terrible, it could've been set anywhere in the UK really. Laura Carreira was there and did a Q&A and of course mentioned that she lived in Scotland which explains that I guess.

I also thought it captured a lot of real life mundane things really well. A pissed woman in the toilets who the other women rally around, the chat of the woman on the makeup counter, the women on a hen night in a cafe, the social care interview -- which was apparently based on an interview Carreira had. It's definitely worth catching if you get the chance.

Oh, and Carreira won a directing prize for it at the San Sebastian film festival. :thumbs:


ETA And the best first feature prize at the LFF!
 
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Megalopolis

Truly awful. Laughed quite a bit, mind.
An expensive demonstration of why constraints are necessary to make art worthwhile.

Maybe one day it will reach culthood status, requiring Rocky Horror style audience participation to make it in any way acceptable.

-1 85-year-old-auteur-shouting-at-cloud out of 5
(one point deducted because Shia Lebeouf is in it and nobody shot him in the face)
 
Orang Utan said:
(one point deducted because Shia Lebeouf is in it and nobody shot him in the face)
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I never remember he even exists and then when he is in something, I remember he exists and is always bloody awful. (Well I think he is anyway, I couldn't actually name anything he's been in apart from that ^ and that's only cos I saw it v recently. How does he ever get any part ever????)
 
I enjoyed Megalopolis quite a lot, although I did take a fair bit of ketamine. Before. And during. 😵‍💫 😂

Got cult classic written all over it IMO, and is definitely a unique film, something which seems to have been passed over quite a bit while people line up to eviscerate it. Yes it’s daft, lofty, non-sensical and a total vanity project, but it’s also strangely compelling. I wanna see it again *shrug
 
I don’t ever want to see Megalopolis again. There might have been some good ideas in there somewhere but it was so very boring.

But I did really enjoy another vanity project this year - Kevin Costner’s Horizon - which is a fairly conventional western in the style of How The West Was Won which has had fairly terrible reviews so yeah I get the fact that you can take something from a film that no one else does!
 
Transformers One

The Optimus Prime origin story literally no one asked for. Unremitting nonsense. Would not recommend. My 9 year old thought it was the best film ever 😂
 
Lord of the Flies (the old black and white version directed by Peter Brook) a free showing at the local arts centre, with an introduction by someone at the university (which hosts the William Golding archive apparently). Apparently rarely shown these days.

Have memories of studying this at GCSE as I’m sure many people do (or for other exams).

Anyway the film is quite good, very faithful to the book, so no real surprises, but the buildup to the key moments was intense. The jungle soundscape and music are the real star, the dialogue was dubbed in apparently. Also the opening - a series of still images setting the scene - probably a budget decision to save money - was very powerful as its effectively a series of jump cuts taking the viewer from peace to war.
 
Elpenor said:
Lord of the Flies (the old black and white version directed by Peter Brook) a free showing at the local arts centre, with an introduction by someone at the university (which hosts the William Golding archive apparently). Apparently rarely shown these days.

Have memories of studying this at GCSE as I’m sure many people do (or for other exams).

Anyway the film is quite good, very faithful to the book, so no real surprises, but the buildup to the key moments was intense. The jungle soundscape and music are the real star, the dialogue was dubbed in apparently. Also the opening - a series of still images setting the scene - probably a budget decision to save money - was very powerful as its effectively a series of jump cuts taking the viewer from peace to war.
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Great film. Quite Expressionist from memory.
 
The Wild Robot. Beautiful animation and a gorgeous telling of the old find-your-purpose story. Refreshingly uncynical. I needed that today.
 
Saw The Crime is Mine, Francois Ozon's comedy crime caper set in Paris in 1935. Very light, frothy, fast-paced and enjoyable with great performances in particular from Nadia Tereszkiewicz and Rebecca Marder. It's beautifully filmed to emphasise art deco Paris, and - seated in the complementary surroundings of Screen 2 of the Curzon Mayfair - it felt at times like drifting into an art deco revival paradise.
 
metalguru said:
Saw The Crime is Mine, Francois Ozon's comedy crime caper set in Paris in 1935. Very light, frothy, fast-paced and enjoyable with great performances in particular from Nadia Tereszkiewicz and Rebecca Marder. It's beautifully filmed to emphasis art deco Paris, and - seated in the complementary surroundings of Screen 2 of the Curzon Mayfair - it felt at times like drifting into an art deco revival paradise.
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I saw and enjoyed this too. Great costumes.
 
I caught The Room Next Door this evening. I’d had a very long day so was glad for a fairly simple plot- Tilda Swinton is dying of cancer and her old friend Julianne Moore reconnects with her over her final months, first in New York City and then in a house upstate. That’s about it. As I was quite tired I just let the wonderful colour palette wash over me and let my mind wonder on the subject of death and dying.

I quite liked an early flashback scene with a house on fire which reminded me the house in one of my favourite films - Days of Heaven - which was based on an Edward Hopper painting, house by the railroad. Then later on there was a scene which featured a Hopper painting. Which I appreciated.
 
Scorpio Rising. Well I had high hopes for this gay biker short movie they tried to ban (the American Nazi Party also attempted to sue its director for defamation because being a gay biker in leathers is obviously way worse than being a Nazi or something.) Ultimately, it's a good soundtrack with pictures. It was in a double bill with:

Psychomania. I randomly saw half of this years ago when I got in half-cut from the pub and always meant to watch the whole thing. Anyway, British low budget motorbike flick with black magic, Beryl Reid, spooky standing stones and big toads. (Unintentionally?) hilarious. The biker gang menacing the locals feels....not very menacing. Also George Sanders' last film

I defy you not to laugh when they bury Nicky Henson upright still sitting on his motorbike.

Emilia Perez. Well this was a bit of a departure for Jacques Audiard. A very scary Mexican cartel boss wants to transition to being a woman and enlists a lawyer to help organise it all. All this in Spanish and done as a musical too. It should've been a car crash but it actually, really surprisingly, works. It probably tries to fit way too much in but full marks for ambition. The leads -- Zoe Saldana and (especially) Karla Sofía Gascón are excellent.
 
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This weekend I am going to a film festival where will see some of the films on this list:

I’ve seen a few of these before so expect I’ll pick and choose, and some of these clash with each other. The Mexican noirs sound interesting but not sure if I’m up for four of them. Decisions, decisions.

The big heat
Point blank
To Have and Have Not
El Bruto (The Brute)
Nowhere To Go
Human Desire
Out of the Past
Aventurera (Adventuress)
The Night and the City
Blackmail Sound Version
Víctimas del Pecado (Victims of Sin)
The Big Sleep
Body Heat
Gilda
Llévame en tus Brazos (Take Me in Your Arms)
Don't Bother to Knock
Dark Passage
Blackmail Silent Version + Live Music
Double Indemnity
Key Largo
Scarlet Street
The Last Seduction

Festival Schedule | South West Silents

www.southwestsilents.com www.southwestsilents.com
 
Elpenor said:
This weekend I am going to a film festival where will see some of the films on this list:

I’ve seen a few of these before so expect I’ll pick and choose, and some of these clash with each other. The Mexican noirs sound interesting but not sure if I’m up for four of them. Decisions, decisions.

The big heat
Point blank
To Have and Have Not
El Bruto (The Brute)
Nowhere To Go
Human Desire
Out of the Past
Aventurera (Adventuress)
The Night and the City
Blackmail Sound Version
Víctimas del Pecado (Victims of Sin)
The Big Sleep
Body Heat
Gilda
Llévame en tus Brazos (Take Me in Your Arms)
Don't Bother to Knock
Dark Passage
Blackmail Silent Version + Live Music
Double Indemnity
Key Largo
Scarlet Street
The Last Seduction

Festival Schedule | South West Silents

www.southwestsilents.com www.southwestsilents.com
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That sounds great. I'd be up for all of them.
 
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