From the Irish based Cartoon Saloon came this wonder of dreams and innocence, their 2nd piece of pure magic, in 2014. Following the equally loved The Secret of Kells (2009) and preceding the increasingly impressive Wolfwalkers (2020) and The Breadwinner (2018). Tomm Moore and Nora Twomey's superlative animation studio offers a welcome alternative to Pixar, … Continue reading Song of the Sea
This sumptuous film is often considered an inferior version in the same vein as the perhaps obviously superior In the Mood for Love, also starring Tony Leung - the Chinese Humprey Bogart in a different age and a different continental aesthetic, where the hero never smiles. The main difference I have always felt is the … Continue reading Lust, Caution
I wasn't quite impressed enough by this one to devote anything more than a micro-post to it. It is very watchable; Hanks does his stuff with ease, growing into his age and his beard very well. He engages us in every scene as he always has in everything he does. Yet here he exhibits some … Continue reading News of the World
As part of the period during Covid when watching movies could involve a little more discernment and patience, I decided to finally engage with Ozu's apparent masterpiece and oft cited "best film ever made", Tokyo Story. Intimidatingly, it is rated as the #209th best film of all time on iMDb, with a 100% rating on … Continue reading Tokyo Story
The first of three compelling yet contrasting documentary "films" I am reflecting on today is the insanely ambitious and often explosively insane Wild Wild Country, which was split into a six part mini series by Netflix, but that the creators call a 403 minute cohesive film, intended to stand as one document. It won the … Continue reading True Crime Trio #2
When we look back at what was going on in the heads of our youth in 2019, then this is probably the document to study. The sense of humour and astute writing captures perfectly the zeitgeist of what being an American teen in 2019 meant. Irreverent, wickedly smart, self aware and with a healthy dose … Continue reading Booksmart
You would have to blame everything unlikeable about this film on Stephen Chbosky. He writes well but is prone to condescending and manipulative schmaltz. Take The Perks of Being a Wallflower (2012) and all its worst cringe moments as evidence. Here he is very fortunate indeed to have Jacob Tremblay to thank for a stunning … Continue reading Wonder
Welcome to the first instalment for some time in the series of bad movies with something to like. Today's selection all contain merit, and are all far from a waste of time given the right mood. For some or several reasons they just aren't what you'd call "good". See what you think, and let me … Continue reading Bad Movie Triple Bill #6
The idea of this film lurked on the periphery of my consciousness for quite a while before I got around to seeing it. The name of Greta Gerwig as a new force in feminist film-making around the release of Ladybird made me take a closer look. And eventually when her Little Women was first announced … Continue reading Frances Ha
Book adaptations with long titles are made into films primarily to please women of a certain age who like a scone and a good natter about things - and I have no problem with that, it's nice. I've got a bit of time for Lily James, I think she has some talent and is very … Continue reading The Guernsey Literary & Potato Peel Pie Society
The Wasteland 