(500) Days of Summer - 27th August 2013

Tuesday Night is Film Night welcomes back with open arms, the genre that is rom-com. However, will our film be a classic love story, or a seasonal disaster, as we check out;

(500) Days of Summer

How should one start with (500) Days of Summer? It is not your run of the mill romantic comedy, it has an almost unique twist, where things don't really work out as they should, it doesn't end with the fairytale romance that tends to round off these movies. In fact, we see at the start that the liaison is doomed to failure. How do we know this? Well, (500) Days of Summer doesn't follow a linear path from start to finish, it jumps up and down the 500 day time line that film is defined by. And as for Summer, well Summer is not the season, she is Summer Finn the female lead character.

Summer Finn is played by the absolutely lovely Zooey Deschanel, who has appeared in such diverse films as Elf and The Happening. Summer is a strange girl, cute, attractive, but not one who believes in love and romance. Her relationships are purely just good friends affairs. However, Tom Hansen (Joseph Gordon-Levitt) is more of the romantic type and was certain on that first day (of 500) , when he met Summer, that she was the one for him.

The path of true love was not a straight one, Summer and Tom developed their friendship over the days as they passed, but as I said previously, we jump forward and back in the timeline, which although sounds confusing, it provides an opportunity to compare and contrast their lives as they change, comparing events early on in the relationship, with similar events later on.

Although it is a romantic comedy, there is an element of drama to the piece, especially as we witness the disintegration of the relationship. Gordon-Levitt is really superb as Tom adding a degree of pathos to the role and a believable seriousness and this is key, as you have to believe the emotions if you are to empathise with the situation. Deschanel is also fantastic, although surprisingly her character is the bad guy so to speak, she plays the character with a wide eyed innocence that you really cannot be too hard on her.

I touched upon the singularity or uniqueness of the film earlier and this is true, as it employs several different traits to supplement the story. For example, there is a continuing third person narration that crops up over the film, this ties up the threads of the plot into a cohesive package, making the diversity of the storyline come together. Also, they occasionally do a talking heads piece, where various characters break the fourth wall and talk direct to the camera. These really enhance the story telling. What also helps this film, is a brilliant soundtrack. Music is really important in films especially to set the mood or underpin the emotion and (500) Days of Summer does this very well, leaning heavily on a British musical influence, which is always nice.

The story is good, unique in many ways, but it is let down by some very weak background characters and the associated back stories. If they could have bolstered the background players with a bit more enthusiasm or at least made them more real, rather than the synthetic stance they took, then the film would have been better, but then I guess some of the comedic scenes may have been lost.

The film is good, the story is better, the main characters are wonderful, bringing emotion, comedy and realism to their story. It is certainly a film that is recommended viewing.

As for the TNiFN scores, there seemed to be mixed reviews from the audience, but the average score comes out at a respectable 7 out of 10.

Top Gun - 20th August 2013

Tuesday Night is Film Night revisits the 80's tonight, but will the feature film be a highway to the danger zone and take our breath away? Or will it be shot down in flames, as we take to the skies with;

Top Gun

So, it's back to 1986 for tonight's film, but have the years been kind to this 80's classic?

Top Gun centres on the US Navy's elite fighter weapons school, where daring young flyers learn how to the best of the best. Tom Cruise plays Pete Mitchell AKA Maverick, a top notch if somewhat dangerous pilot, a maverick if you will. Along with his RIO (Radar Intercept Officer) sat behind him in his F-14, Nick "Goose" Bradshaw, played by Anthony Edwards. Maverick graduates to the Top Gun academy where they meet up with their cohorts for training.

Just to spin around the rest of the class, we have Val Kilmer playing the cool if somewhat annoying Iceman. Whip Hubley as Hollywood, Rick Russovich as Slider and a whole host of other ridiculous character names played by other actors. IMDB them, if you're really interested!

Cutting to the chase and trying to pull some enthusiasm out of the weak storyline; Maverick meets up with Charlie in a bar, Charlie is played by Kelly McGillis, Charlie happens to be a Top Gun instructor, so although the love interest is there, it's complicated, as Charlie cannot be seen to jeopardise her position by dating a student, although that clearly doesn't stop her and you have to put up with the romantic scenes whilst Berlin are constantly looping through "Take My Breath Away" for the umpteenth time!

As stories go, this one was very thin, relying heavily on the very well crafted dog-fight scenes and in-flight action to bulk out the plot. Cruise's character is egotistical to distraction to start off with. Goose, his partner, is the formulaic dumb character and the only student with a wife and child, so you know from the take off (get it?) that he is going to be the one to cop in an accident along the way. Which he does, sorry about the spoiler.

Unfortunately in a training mission, Maverick and Goose get into a lateral spin, caused by one of the engines stalling. They cannot pull out of the spin and have to eject. As a result Goose cops it.

This is where the film turns around and it becomes personal now for Maverick and he has to decide his fate. So yes, we do have a tried and tested formula for the thinly veiled plot. Bunch of characters are presented to us at the start, the good guys, the baddies, the lovable ones. We get the love interest. Followed by the tragedy. Tragedy proceeds the doubt, failure and Maverick giving up. The love interest returns, convinces Maverick to continue and he returns to graduate. Hooray! But it's not over, oh no, there's more.

After graduation, Maverick, Iceman and Hollywood are posted straight into a combat situation (with an unknown nationality) and end up flying straight into a dog-fight with a bunch of MiG's. Obviously after a long battle the outcome is a hero's return for Maverick. And lot's of back slapping etc. etc.

I just do not recall there being so much cheese around when I first watched the film in the eighties. On this viewing it was laughable and really ruined the end of the film. It was so cheesey, I thought I would need a grater! Very cheesey, very American and very eighties.

After this finale, Maverick is asked what he is going to do next? He suggests that he becomes a trainer at Top Gun! After one successful mission? Not very plausible really.

In summation, a good start, a fair middle and a diabolical end, sprinkled with copious amounts of cheese and you have a very popular film from 1986. Unfortunately that popularity has waned somewhat. The only saving grace was that Kelly McGillis looks really cute in a baseball hat. And there was a small part for the pretty Meg Ryan as Goose's wife.

As for the all important TNiFN scores, Top Gun fails to take our breath away, with a mediocre 5 out of 10.

If you feel like reliving a part of the eighties, pop on Top Gun and enjoy. Otherwise, pick another film.

Keeping Mum - 13th August 2013

Tuesday Night is Film Night is here again, but tonight we are keeping the title of the film a secret, in fact we're;

Keeping Mum

From 2005, our film this week is a real favourite. Yes, we have seen it before, but it has never graced the hallowed portal that is Tuesday Night is Film Night.

Keeping Mum, follows the Goodfellow family, a family from an idyllic English village, but their family life is far from idyllic. Walter Goodfellow is the village vicar, slightly forgetful, thinks too much about his parish than he does his wife and is seeking the inspiration to write a keynote speech at an upcoming convention. His wife; Gloria is fed up with the parochial life, and is more interested in her golf tutor and his training techniques. And their children; Holly and Petey have their own issues. Holly has a new boyfriend every week and Petey is being bullied at school.

All this changes, when the new Housekeeper; Grace Hawkins arrives. Grace has a murky past, a past that is alluded to in the opening flashback scene of the film. As you will see, Grace was once called Rosie Jones and Rosie Jones killed her husband and his mistress! Roll forward 40 years and Rosie (Grace) is released from her incarceration and is back at large, this time as the Goodfellow's Housekeeper.

Don't panic! It is a comedy. And a great, subtle, ensemble comedy at that.

To put some names to faces, let us spin around the cast. Walter Goodfelow, hapless vicar in the village of Little Wallop is portrayed superbly by Rowan Atkinson. Atkinson has played vicars previously, but in Keeping Mum it's not out and out comedy, it's more subtle laughs, as we see Walter come out of his shell somewhat, with the help of Grace.

Walter's wife; Gloria is played by the beautiful Kristen Scott Thomas. Gloria is a sort of key character in the piece, as she really is the centre of the family. She is a wife, a mother and soon to find out a daughter. to a woman who disappeared 40 years ago. (Are you with us yet?)

The absolutely sublime Maggie Smith plays Grace Hawkins, bringing with her a real understated, but beautifully timed comedy performance. A real asset to the film and truly perfect casting.

Also making up this ensemble of characters, is a wonderful Patrick Swayze, playing the very cheesy golf coach; Lance, whose amorous advances to Gloria are on the verge of splitting up the Goodfellow's family.

All this makes for a beautiful story, a great film and some really funny moments.

Essentially, Grace Hawkins starts to make things better for everyone concerned, but does so in her own inimitable way. Unfortunately this does involve a spade and an iron as murder weapons and the use of the Goodfellow's pond as a suitable hiding place for the bodies!

Again, not wishing to over-egg the pudding with too many spoilers, I cannot say more than that, but it is a fantastic film to watch. We have seen it on many occasions and it is still funny on what is probably the fifth time of asking! It certainly has a longevity about it. It is written extremely well, by Richard Russo, who had the original idea, which was then reworked by Niall Johnson, who also directed the film.

So to the verdict. I'm guessing if tonight's viewing had been the first viewing of this film, then the TNiFN score could have reached a fantastic 10, however, and this is not to discredit or undermine the film at all, we scored it a hearty 9 out of 10. Well worth a watch.

Red - 6th August 2013

After a week off, due to other commitments, Tuesday Night is Film Night is back with a bang! This week we check out the thrilling, action, comedy adventure that is;

Red

A supreme stellar cast, set the screen alight in this action comedy. Based on a DC Comics graphic novel, Red follows a band of ex CIA operatives, who get back together after one of them becomes a target of an undercover government plot to cover up some nefarious activities by the now Vice-President of the USA.

Bruce Willis heads up the cast as Frank Moses, the target of the high tech assassins, due his involvement in an operation several years ago in Guatemala, basically he knows too much and needs, along with the others involved, to be silenced. Permanently.

Frank Moses, up unto this point was classified as Retired, but Extremely Dangerous, hence the title; RED, see? In fact the only excitement in his life up until this point, was contacting the pensions department to complain about his pension or lack of it.

His case worker for his pension woes is; Sarah Ross, played by the delightful Mary-Louise Parker. Frank and Sarah hit it off on the phone, but after his first assassination attempt, Frank ends up, uninvited at Sarah's apartment. She thinks this is all a bit weird and doesn't trust Frank to begin with and as the people out to kill Frank, will now be after Sarah too, Frank (who has a penchant for duct tape) kidnaps her! Trust me, it will make sense.

As the threats become greater, the action starts to spread across the States, as the hunted are tracked by the hunters. On their travels, avoiding the killers, Frank and Sarah start to pick up Frank's old cohorts from the CIA, namely; Marvin Boggs played beautifully and manically by John Malkovich. Joe Matheson an old black op's pro who has ended up in a nursing home! Played by the quintessentially cool dude; Morgan Freeman. The fourth side to this retired quadrumvirate brings some English glamour into the action, as the always gorgeous Helen Mirren plays out the role of Victoria.

Whilst on the subject of the cast, one should make note that the current CIA agent who is leading the assault on Frank and his team is William Cooper. Cooper is played magnificently by Karl Urban. There are roles as well for Brian Cox, Ernest Borgnine and Richard Dreyfuss, so a very accomplished cast hit the screen for our entertainment.

As to the film itself, it is a totally over-the-top, bullets flying, big bangs, wheel-squealing, car chasing, gun-toting, action packed adventure.

And we loved it!

Much in the same vein as Die Hard and films of that ilk, where the good guys are seemingly indestructible, Red follows the formulaic approach, but injects a load more comedy, throws in a bit of a love story, you end up rooting for the good guys and are intrigued to find out how they will get out of the next predicament that they find themselves in. Look out for some plot twists too.

Red is a superb action movie, yes it is OTT, but it's a laugh as well. And with Red 2 at the cinema's now, we have a guaranteed TNiFN follow up as soon as it is available on DVD.

So, to the all important and much mocked TNiFN scores. After a quick add up and a little division the score comes to a nowhere near Retiring, but an Extremely and Dangerously good;

8.7 out of 10.

Really must start rounding the numbers up or down!

Anyway, Red is a winner. Enjoy!