The Full Monty - 17th September 2013

Tonight there will be no half measures with our film choice, as we are going for;

The Full Monty

Where to start with this 1997 classic? We all know the story, do we not? A mixed bunch of unemployed Sheffield steel workers take it upon themselves to dance and strip their way to some ready cash, emulating The Chippendale's, who had recently set the hearts of the Sheffield womenfolk a-flutter with their erotic, honed and toned display of their Terpsichorean muse.

So, we know the story, well we should do, unless you are very young or have managed to avoid classic British cinematography consistently for the last 16 years! So let us not dwell on the story too much, although in essence, the story is what makes this film so popular. The film was written by Simon Beaufoy, who provided the screenplay for 127 Hours and Slumdog Millionaire by the by. And it is a well rounded story, with many, many different aspects, view points and levels that it keeps you entertained, enthralled and gripped throughout.

Filmed with the gritty backdrop of a forlorn 1990's Sheffield, The Full Monty brings together a strange mixture of characters led by Gary (Robert Carlisle), who tries to be a good Dad to Nathan, struggling to maintain dignity whilst unemployed and estranged from Nathan's Mother.

Gary is mates with Dave (Mark Addy), who is dealing with his unemployment situation and the fact that he is; "a fat bastard!" Along with Lumpor (Steve Huison), this trio open the film with some very funny, but also poignant moments which sets the tone for this comedy. It is a comedy, with some melancholic and sad overtones. Each characters' back story lending gravitas to the comedic front that we see. And this is what appeals so much with this film, you can, and will be laughing one minute and shedding a tear for the same character the next.

Gerald (Tom Wilkinson) joins the throng. Gerald used to be the foreman at the steel works and is living a continual lie as he leaves his Wife every morning on the pretense of going to work, when in fact he is attending the local Job Club with the other unfortunates. Despite this Gerald lives a modest middle class life, with access to his Wife's sunbed, a nice house in a nice area and also goes dancing, so is ideal for a bunch of hapless wannabe strippers to provide guidance, grace and choreography.

On route to the full monty they pick up a couple more hopefuls, namely Horse (Paul Barber) and Guy (Hugo Speer), who bring certain talents to the troupe! And there we have our band  complete and we follow their ups and downs throughout the film. Each one providing some very funny moments, but also displaying some sadder moments.

I could pick out a few favourite funny moments now;

Gerald's interview where his gnomes make an appearance at the window.

Dave getting a child's toy stuck on his wrist.

Dave sitting in the shed wrapping himself in cling film whilst eating a Mars Bar. Also, if you notice in that scene, there is a faux Rocky theme going on, drawing comparisons between the two characters as they prepare for battle.

The opening scene where Gary Dave and Nathan are trying to steel a couple of girders.

Lomper trying to gas himself in his car, but it won't start.

The gentle build up of the dancing in the dole queue to Donna Summer.

Brilliant!

On the flipside to this, you have those moments that move you to tears;

Lomper's Mum dying and the funeral thereafter.

Dave being confronted by his Wife, as she thinks he is cheating on her.

Gerald coming home to the repo. men removing all his belongings.

Gary not being able to see Nathan.

Some brilliant scenes.

Mark Addy and Robert Carlisle are excellent as the lead characters, young Nathan played by William Snape is also particularly good. Tom Wilkinson as the straight-laced Gerald is also worth a mention. Plus all of the other contributing cast, who all bring something to the piece making The Full Monty a classic film that can and should be enjoyed time and time again. It has that quintessential quality that makes it viewable many times and not many films have the ability to say that.

Now, to the all important TNiFN factor, we give it, drum roll please, not quite The Full Monty, but a hearty and well deserved 9 out of 10. And you can keep your hat on!

Bridget Jones's Diary - 10th September 2013

Tuesday Night is Film Night is back to the genre that is, in its shortened form, the rom-com, for tonight we open;

Bridget Jones's Diary 

Can I start with a problem? Can I?

The problem with Bridget Jones's Diary is that it is very popular. It has been seen and applauded by many. (Not by us at TNiFN, I might add). And so therein lies our little problemette, we have to deal with the preconceived idea that it is a good film. And alongside that preconception is the worry that we might not like it, all that glitters and all that. What if everybody was wrong, can we make a mini stand and say; "no! We don't like it"? Can we?

So we need to need to remove the preconceptions, take the movie at face value and make an honest critique of its content thereafter.

We needn't have worried, it has been lauded as a good film, because it is a good film.

So there we are. Problem solved, let us now take a look at the film.

Of course we know that Bridget Jones's Diary, is about Bridget Jones; single, thirtysomething, slightly fat, smoker of too many cigarettes and drinker of too much wine. And we know that this character is portrayed by the fabulous, narrow eyed loveliness that is Renée Zellweger. Bridget yearns for a better life and one new year decides to keep a diary, to help get her life back on track, but her honesty with her diary doesn't help too much.

She soon falls slightly in lust over her reprobate of a boss, Daniel Cleaver, played by Hugh Grant (who is actually just playing Hugh Grant, as that is really the only character he does play. Ooooh! Controversial, but true). However, the thing is Hugh Grant is perfect for this role, so that's fine and it fits in perfectly well with the big-knicker'd Bridget. Unfortunately, this love pairing is skewed by the introduction of some sideline shenanigans from Daniel and his fling with Bridget ends in a flurry with an accusation, a discovery of the 'other woman' and a disgruntled waggle of a fluffy bunny tail!

As one door closes, another one opens and interests are turned to Mark Darcy (Colin Firth). Another ideal casting. Firth plays an old childhood friend of Bridget's, who re-enters her life at one of her Mum's famous 'turkey curry' parties. "Anyone fancy a gherkin?" And from here a strange on off friendship develops.

Ally all of this with a fantastic supporting cast and you have the makings of a really great film. To spin around the notables in the credits, we have the consistently brilliant Jim Broadbent as Bridget's father. The most wonderful Celia Imrie as Una (Bridget's aunt, I think. Don't quote me on that). Sally Philipps as Bridget's friend Shazza, who has a penchant for the "F" word! Some of you will know Sally Philipps from Miranda. Another friend of Bridget's is Jude, played by Shirley Henderson, who maybe better known as Moaning Myrtle in the Harry Potter films. There is a small appearance from John Clegg who was on our small screens regularly back in the 70's and early 80's as La-di-dah Gunner Graham in "It Ain't Half Hot Mum".

So far we have a great cast. A cracking storyline, based on the Helen Fielding novel, some brilliant acting and a fantastic soundtrack. I will say soundtracks are often overlooked as a key element to a movie. The incidental music adds much to the ambiance of any film and it is no exception here. And of course a romantic comedy must have some laughs and they are plentiful in Bridget Jones. Some cracking one liners, some brilliant scenes and laughs all the way, but it is done in such a way that you have multiple layers of story packed in, so you may have a laugh, but it comes on that back of a more melancholic moment.

In summation then and with reference to the first paragraph above, although the preconceived notions abound about the quality of this film, for the ones among us who have not come to terms with the notion of big knickers revealed in the throes of passion, Bridget Jones's Diary is a very good film and it's is a good film for the reasons listed here and more. We like a nice, warming story, with a few laughs to keep us amused on a miserable September eventide and this was ideal.

What about the TNiFN scores I hear you cry? We give it a pink and fluffy 8 out of 10.

See you next time.

Die Hard: With a Vengeance - 3rd September 2013

Tuesday Night is Film Night gets tough tonight. However, that's tough with a bit of cheese, a bit of swearing, a lot of bullets and a yippee-ki-yay thrown in for good measure! It can only be the return of John McClane, in his third outing;

Die Hard: With a Vengeance

I feel it hardly necessary to run through a full plot synopsis for a Die Hard film, they are clearly very popular and the basic premise is the same, but I'll give it a go anyway!

Bruce Willis rolls up yet again as the maverick cop John McClane in this, the third of what was then, a trilogy of films. This time he is working for the NYPD, albeit on suspension, when an explosion rocks the city centre. The perpetrator of this dastardly deed is soon on the 'phone to the New York Police Department demanding the attention of John McClane and insisting he carries out a task, otherwise another explosion will go off.

McClane is picked up, very hungover and in need of some aspirin, what he actually gets is a quick trip to Harlem wearing a rather disturbing sandwich board over his shoulders! Here he meets up with Zeus....

"Yeah, Zeus! As in, father of Apollo? Mount Olympus? Don't f**k with me or I'll shove a lightning bolt up your ass? Zeus! You got a problem with that?"

.....played by Samuel L Jackson. Zeus turns out to be McClane's Good Smaritan and unwittingly they end up as a double act running around New York at the beck and call of "Simon". Simon being the guy on the other end of the 'phone, passing on instructions to McLane and Zeus on what they need to do to prevent more bombs exploding. All these tests and bombs are merely a distraction for the main coup de grâce in Simon's plan, which is to remove the billions of dollars in gold from the Federal Reserve.

Simon turns out to be the brother of Hans Gruber, from the original Die Hard, who died spectacularly as McClane launched him from the Nakatomi Plaza building. So this is a double headed plot; get revenge on McClane whilst helping yourself to vast quantities of gold! Simple.

Simon is played superbly by Jeremy Irons, he is very much like the Alan Rickman (Hans Gruber) character in the first Die Hard, cool, calm, collected and virtually merciless in his intent to rid New York of McClane and the gold.

As with the all the Die Hard movies, this is a flight of fancy grounded in a modicum of reality, McClane manages to survive two hours of the film whilst being shot at, bombed, chased in cars, in trains and on boats. Punched, kicked, dropped from a great height, overturned in a car and many, many other feats of mini human destruction and he does this with probably the "worst headache ever", apparently. But that is what makes these films so good, you get totally engrossed in the constant mayhem, you are firmly gripped with the action with intertwining plots. Plus this time there is the added bonus of riddles and puzzles from Simon, that prompts a great deal of audience participation, trying to work out how to get exactly four gallons of water out of 3 and 5 gallon jugs!

Samuel L Jackson is fantastic as the impromptu sidekick and a great foil to Willis' McClane. They seem like an unlikely pairing, but they get the job done and done with style.

You know what you are getting with a Die Hard film, it is totally over the top action with the virtually indestructible McClane, but it is just brilliant. Bring on Die Hard 4! Fantastic stuff.

As for the TNiFN scores, it is a 8.6 out of 10. It would be more, but one of the female contingent marked it down!

(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!