Here we are again and this week we're sampling the delights of a drama based on a true story, whatever happens it will be better than last week's film! So sit down on the beach, relax and watch the waves, as we watch;
The Impossible
Now that is what we call a film! If you do nothing else put The impossible on your list of films to watch and see what you think.
Based on the true story of a family on holiday in Thailand and caught in the Indian Ocean tsunami of 2004. Ewan McGregor and Naomi Watts head up the cast as Henry and Maria who are spending Christmas in Thailand with their three boys; Lucas, Thomas and Simon, played superbly by Tom Holland, Samuel Joslin and Oaklee Pendergast respectively and it must be said that the children were superb especially the eldest Tom Holland who was just fantastic, almost stealing the limelight away from the older actors.
After the requisite scene setting we soon hit the tragedy of the story as the tsunami strikes and decimates the coastal resort of Khao Lak, sweeping away everything in it's path, including Henry, Maria and the three boys. Obviously with such a force of nature the family get divided and the rest of the film follows the story of how they get back together.
Firstly that is all there is to it storywise, but you don't need any more than it, it is a simple story, but a breathtakingly tragic one. Secondly how you get from the start of the film to the end is just a fantastic, emotional, dramatic journey. The special effects draw the viewer right into the action and the ten minute segment of the film where we see the tsunami hit took a year to film. You are totally gripped from start to finish, caught up in the maelstrom of this natural disaster.
It is beautifully shot on location in Thailand and Spain, with a haunting juxtaposition between the opening scenes of sun, blue sky and azure seas, followed closely by the devastating effect of of the tsunami charging inland. Throughout the story you have the poignant moments of jeopardy where at first you think things are going to be alright, then some twist appears that changes the course of the story, this is no more evident than in the hospital scenes with Maria and her son Lucas, these will definitely tug on the old heart strings.
One can surmise that there is no greater admiration for a film than to sit in the dark as the very long credits roll and to be still stuck in your seat awestruck by the story you have just witnessed, but that is what happened tonight. No one made a move until the final credit had rolled. Whether this was due in part to the haunting music that accompanied the credits, or the fact that we didn't want the film to end, or maybe it was the certitude that we had just witnessed a marvelous story, but the TNiFN panel were in no doubt that this week's film was a good one.
We cannot say anymore about the film, the story is simple, but gripping. The film is a roller-coaster of emotion from start to finish. If you haven't seen it, then we urge to take a look.
TNiFN Rating 93%
IMDB Link
Tuesday, 28 April 2015
Tuesday, 21 April 2015
Dark Skies - 21st April 2015
Tuesday Night is Film is going out of it's comfort zone tonight with a horror / sci-fi / thriller movie. Will it be a sleepless night tonight after we have seen;
Dark Skies
There's a reason why we tend not to watch horror movies here at TNiFN Towers, it's because we don't really like them! However, to ensure a fair spread of genres over the films we watch we decided to give this horror / sci-fi / thriller a try, after all the trailer did look intriguing. So what is it all about we hear you ask, let us explain.
Lacy and Daniel Barrett (Keri Russell and Josh Hamilton) live in a normal house, on a normal suburban street, in a normal American town, with their two normal sons; Jesse and Sam (Dakota Goyo and Kadan Rockett). However this normality starts to deteriorate as strange things start happening to the house and the family. Although they seem innocent, but inexplicable at first, they soon turn more sinister, severe and totally inexplicable, which in turn starts to eat away at the foundation of the Barrett's family, with Daniel and Lacy not knowing who or what to believe.
When things get so bad, they turn to a local man; Edwin Pollard, played by J.K. Simmons who has first hand experience in these pseudo-supernatural experiences and he attributes them to aliens.
As a story it is very dark, but pretty weak. The cross over between thriller, horror and sci-fi does not really work. It's like a mash up of ET and Paranormal Activity, with a modicum of Close and Encounters of the Third Kind thrown in for good measure. As a result, it is neither one thing or another. The only thing that it definitely is; is scary! Yes, if you do not like horror films then make sure you have a cushion or something similar to hide behind.
As with most horror films, it is not necessarily the things you see that are spine-chilling, but the things you don't. Very good use of music and sound effects raise the tension to formidable heights and it is this tension and apprehension that gets the hairs standing up on the back of your neck and a cold shiver running down your spine. However the thrills are short lived and the story continues, but it is not much of a story and that gripping tension soon fades.
From a horror genre, it is fairly standard and formulaic, it provides the necessary thrills and chills with a smattering of sinister events for you to ponder over, but with the inclusion of the alien element, therefore making it totally unworldly, does not work and the storyline is lacklustre as a result. It would have been better if they had hidden this part until the very end rather than picking it up halfway through, as a result the events lost a lot of their gravitas as we knew the perpetrators.
So this genre has now been dealt with and so it's time to move back to the security of some well liked genres, we'll see what next week brings.
As for the scores, Dark Skies is not going to break any records this week as it gets;
TNiFN Rating 59%
IMDB Link
Dark Skies
There's a reason why we tend not to watch horror movies here at TNiFN Towers, it's because we don't really like them! However, to ensure a fair spread of genres over the films we watch we decided to give this horror / sci-fi / thriller a try, after all the trailer did look intriguing. So what is it all about we hear you ask, let us explain.
Lacy and Daniel Barrett (Keri Russell and Josh Hamilton) live in a normal house, on a normal suburban street, in a normal American town, with their two normal sons; Jesse and Sam (Dakota Goyo and Kadan Rockett). However this normality starts to deteriorate as strange things start happening to the house and the family. Although they seem innocent, but inexplicable at first, they soon turn more sinister, severe and totally inexplicable, which in turn starts to eat away at the foundation of the Barrett's family, with Daniel and Lacy not knowing who or what to believe.
When things get so bad, they turn to a local man; Edwin Pollard, played by J.K. Simmons who has first hand experience in these pseudo-supernatural experiences and he attributes them to aliens.
As a story it is very dark, but pretty weak. The cross over between thriller, horror and sci-fi does not really work. It's like a mash up of ET and Paranormal Activity, with a modicum of Close and Encounters of the Third Kind thrown in for good measure. As a result, it is neither one thing or another. The only thing that it definitely is; is scary! Yes, if you do not like horror films then make sure you have a cushion or something similar to hide behind.
As with most horror films, it is not necessarily the things you see that are spine-chilling, but the things you don't. Very good use of music and sound effects raise the tension to formidable heights and it is this tension and apprehension that gets the hairs standing up on the back of your neck and a cold shiver running down your spine. However the thrills are short lived and the story continues, but it is not much of a story and that gripping tension soon fades.
From a horror genre, it is fairly standard and formulaic, it provides the necessary thrills and chills with a smattering of sinister events for you to ponder over, but with the inclusion of the alien element, therefore making it totally unworldly, does not work and the storyline is lacklustre as a result. It would have been better if they had hidden this part until the very end rather than picking it up halfway through, as a result the events lost a lot of their gravitas as we knew the perpetrators.
So this genre has now been dealt with and so it's time to move back to the security of some well liked genres, we'll see what next week brings.
As for the scores, Dark Skies is not going to break any records this week as it gets;
TNiFN Rating 59%
IMDB Link
Tuesday, 14 April 2015
Quadrophenia - 14th April 2015
Tonight we take a scooter ride back in time to a film from 1979 and set in the Swinging Sixties. So it's off down to Brighton for some;
It is always very hard to review a classic film, as there is no real point running through a well known synopsis, plus it is difficult to introduce a unique slant to the critique. Also there is a real chance that we could offend someone by not liking a classic film, luckily that's not the case with Quadrophenia, it is a classic and was admired by most members of the TNiFN panel, although the younger contingent was not impressed by this seminal piece of cinematography. Each to their own.
As you will all know, Quadrophenia follows the life of young Mod Jimmy, played superbly by a 19 year old Phil Daniels. Jimmy is a troubled young Mod, not sure of where he fits into life. He strives for acceptance from his peers, he tries hard to be somebody, to stand out from the crowd. Even though he asserts this outgoing persona, he becomes more and more insular as the film progresses. Fueled by a tapestry of amphetamines Jimmy starts to spiral into progressive ups and downs, riding a Lambretta style roller coaster to his own self destruction, not before having a right good go at the Rockers on Brighton beach.
There's not a great deal of story per se to the film, but there does not need to be, moreover it is a study on teenage angst, how it affects individuals and those that surround them. Does the pent up anguish and rebelliousness fuel love or hate? Do you fight the system or your family? Jimmy embodies all of this frustration and seems to rebel against everything in his fight for acknowledgement, either from the Mods he looks up to; Ace Face (played by Sting), or the "bird" he fancies; Steph, played by a young and rather lovely Leslie Ash. or indeed from his family. However, it seems that Jimmy alienates himself from everyone in the end, or those people that he looks up to have already sold out. This is particularly pertinent when Ace Face is exposed as a just Brighton hotel bellboy.
A lot of what is quintessentially good about Quadrophenia is where no action is taking place, or no dialogue is required, you just get a scene where Jimmy is just staring out to sea, or from a cliff, or on a train and the film tells its own story using the soundtrack brilliantly supplied by The Who with the gritty, meaningful and often melancholic lyrics of Pete Townsend.
The cast of Quadrophenia is a literal who's who of British drama and TV, almost half the cast have either subsequently appeared in Eastenders or The Bill or some such serial drama and the list is pretty endless. Ray Winstone makes an appearance as Kevin an old friend of Jimmy's, who in a bizarre juxtaposition turns out to be a Rocker and therefore an enemy, making it rather awkward for Jimmy. Toyah Willcox plays Monkey a Mod friend of Jimmy. We don't get to know much about Monkey and her life; indeed It's a Mystery.
Apologies.
There's also an early appearance from Timothy Spall. Along with some great acting from Michael Elphick and Kate Williams as Jimmy's parents. The list goes on and on, if you watch it make sure you have IMDB handy to look the actors up, as there will be a lot of "I know him from somewhere".
Quadrophenia is an 18 certificate from 1979, but although we have seen it before, the number of expletives were far in excess of what we remember, although we may have seen a cut version previously. However, viewers of a nervous disposition should be prepared for the exuding of various expletives to make your toes curl, but it's an essential element to a very gritty drama.
There we have it, not much synopsis as we all know, or at least should know the story. The film is a classic, there's no two ways about it and if you haven't seen it and are of that age who would appreciate it more, then we implore you to watch.
As for the scores, unfortunately the younger member of the panel did not agree with the classic status and failed to look beyond the superfluous storyline and delve into the inner workings of the mind of a juvenile delinquent, full of perturbation and unease. As a study of mental instabilities, this film is just a sublime example of how to do it right.
We digress, the scores;
TNiFN Rating 69%
Quadrophenia
It is always very hard to review a classic film, as there is no real point running through a well known synopsis, plus it is difficult to introduce a unique slant to the critique. Also there is a real chance that we could offend someone by not liking a classic film, luckily that's not the case with Quadrophenia, it is a classic and was admired by most members of the TNiFN panel, although the younger contingent was not impressed by this seminal piece of cinematography. Each to their own.
As you will all know, Quadrophenia follows the life of young Mod Jimmy, played superbly by a 19 year old Phil Daniels. Jimmy is a troubled young Mod, not sure of where he fits into life. He strives for acceptance from his peers, he tries hard to be somebody, to stand out from the crowd. Even though he asserts this outgoing persona, he becomes more and more insular as the film progresses. Fueled by a tapestry of amphetamines Jimmy starts to spiral into progressive ups and downs, riding a Lambretta style roller coaster to his own self destruction, not before having a right good go at the Rockers on Brighton beach.
There's not a great deal of story per se to the film, but there does not need to be, moreover it is a study on teenage angst, how it affects individuals and those that surround them. Does the pent up anguish and rebelliousness fuel love or hate? Do you fight the system or your family? Jimmy embodies all of this frustration and seems to rebel against everything in his fight for acknowledgement, either from the Mods he looks up to; Ace Face (played by Sting), or the "bird" he fancies; Steph, played by a young and rather lovely Leslie Ash. or indeed from his family. However, it seems that Jimmy alienates himself from everyone in the end, or those people that he looks up to have already sold out. This is particularly pertinent when Ace Face is exposed as a just Brighton hotel bellboy.
A lot of what is quintessentially good about Quadrophenia is where no action is taking place, or no dialogue is required, you just get a scene where Jimmy is just staring out to sea, or from a cliff, or on a train and the film tells its own story using the soundtrack brilliantly supplied by The Who with the gritty, meaningful and often melancholic lyrics of Pete Townsend.
The cast of Quadrophenia is a literal who's who of British drama and TV, almost half the cast have either subsequently appeared in Eastenders or The Bill or some such serial drama and the list is pretty endless. Ray Winstone makes an appearance as Kevin an old friend of Jimmy's, who in a bizarre juxtaposition turns out to be a Rocker and therefore an enemy, making it rather awkward for Jimmy. Toyah Willcox plays Monkey a Mod friend of Jimmy. We don't get to know much about Monkey and her life; indeed It's a Mystery.
Apologies.
There's also an early appearance from Timothy Spall. Along with some great acting from Michael Elphick and Kate Williams as Jimmy's parents. The list goes on and on, if you watch it make sure you have IMDB handy to look the actors up, as there will be a lot of "I know him from somewhere".
Quadrophenia is an 18 certificate from 1979, but although we have seen it before, the number of expletives were far in excess of what we remember, although we may have seen a cut version previously. However, viewers of a nervous disposition should be prepared for the exuding of various expletives to make your toes curl, but it's an essential element to a very gritty drama.
There we have it, not much synopsis as we all know, or at least should know the story. The film is a classic, there's no two ways about it and if you haven't seen it and are of that age who would appreciate it more, then we implore you to watch.
As for the scores, unfortunately the younger member of the panel did not agree with the classic status and failed to look beyond the superfluous storyline and delve into the inner workings of the mind of a juvenile delinquent, full of perturbation and unease. As a study of mental instabilities, this film is just a sublime example of how to do it right.
We digress, the scores;
TNiFN Rating 69%
Tuesday, 7 April 2015
The Heat - 7th April 2015
So after the long Bank Holiday weekend, Tuesday Night is Film Night is here and looking forward to some Sandra Bullock action, as she appears alongside Melissa McCarthy in the crime based comedy;
The Heat
What can we say about The Heat? Well, it was 117 minutes of sheer, unadulterated bliss! Yes indeed, nearly two hours of side splitting laughter, segued with an underlying buddy cop movie, that probably could have stood on it's on, without the laughs. Just brilliant! Generally you read the DVD cover review quote with a pinch of salt, in the case of The Heat, when they say; "Simply the funniest double act in ages", they are not joking.
All you need to know of the storyline is that; "an uptight FBI Special Agent is paired with a foul-mouthed Boston cop to take down a ruthless drug lord". (Thanks IMDB for that brief synopsis).
That FBI Special Agent is Agent Ashburn, portrayed by the gorgeous Sandra Bullock, who is coupled with licentious Boston cop; Mullins played by the not-so-gorgeous, but extremely funny and talented Melissa McCarthy. Ashburn is precise, perfect and gets results, however for that reason, her New York colleagues don't like or appreciate her, as a result she is posted to Boston to work on a drugs case, this is where she meets her juxtaposed partner in crime prevention; Mullins. Mullins is everything that Ashburn is not, the only thing they have in common is that they both get results, but now they have to forget their differences and work together to bring down the drug lord and that's where the fun starts.
The film is essentially a buddy movie, albeit a strange partnership, but that is why it works so well. The actual story itself could easily work as a drama, all the elements are there, but the sheer brilliance of The Heat is that they take all the seriousness away from gang members being shot in the head, for instance and make it extremely funny! Strange, but true. The laughs come thick and fast, especially from Melissa McCarthy who is just hilarious. However, not to be outdone Sandra Bullock also portrays her character with much hilarity and this builds throughout the film and it just gets funnier and funnier.
Much kudos should go the talented writer Katie Dippold and the director Paul Feig for putting together such a great story, taking a gritty subject and transposing it into an hilarious comedy, with just a modicum of pathos. Bullock is just superb and is a real joy to watch, not only for her stunning, well honed good looks, but also the way that she really gets into the character, she portrays each level of Ashburn from her initial FBI perfection in the opening scenes, right through her drunken antics in the bar scene and even to her clumsy ribaldry in one brilliant scene when the story hits a low for Mullins and Ashburn.
The two characters just gel so well, it is a joy to watch them both, no one could stop laughing long enough to fall asleep this week. And we're running out of superlatives to describe this fantastic film, brilliant sublime acting from the two leading ladies, a great storyline, fantastic supporting cast, plus a great soundtrack keeps the film bouncing along.
Really this review should just say; "Watch The Heat, you will not be disappointed".
TNiFN Rating 92%
IMDB Link
The Heat
What can we say about The Heat? Well, it was 117 minutes of sheer, unadulterated bliss! Yes indeed, nearly two hours of side splitting laughter, segued with an underlying buddy cop movie, that probably could have stood on it's on, without the laughs. Just brilliant! Generally you read the DVD cover review quote with a pinch of salt, in the case of The Heat, when they say; "Simply the funniest double act in ages", they are not joking.
All you need to know of the storyline is that; "an uptight FBI Special Agent is paired with a foul-mouthed Boston cop to take down a ruthless drug lord". (Thanks IMDB for that brief synopsis).
That FBI Special Agent is Agent Ashburn, portrayed by the gorgeous Sandra Bullock, who is coupled with licentious Boston cop; Mullins played by the not-so-gorgeous, but extremely funny and talented Melissa McCarthy. Ashburn is precise, perfect and gets results, however for that reason, her New York colleagues don't like or appreciate her, as a result she is posted to Boston to work on a drugs case, this is where she meets her juxtaposed partner in crime prevention; Mullins. Mullins is everything that Ashburn is not, the only thing they have in common is that they both get results, but now they have to forget their differences and work together to bring down the drug lord and that's where the fun starts.
The film is essentially a buddy movie, albeit a strange partnership, but that is why it works so well. The actual story itself could easily work as a drama, all the elements are there, but the sheer brilliance of The Heat is that they take all the seriousness away from gang members being shot in the head, for instance and make it extremely funny! Strange, but true. The laughs come thick and fast, especially from Melissa McCarthy who is just hilarious. However, not to be outdone Sandra Bullock also portrays her character with much hilarity and this builds throughout the film and it just gets funnier and funnier.
Much kudos should go the talented writer Katie Dippold and the director Paul Feig for putting together such a great story, taking a gritty subject and transposing it into an hilarious comedy, with just a modicum of pathos. Bullock is just superb and is a real joy to watch, not only for her stunning, well honed good looks, but also the way that she really gets into the character, she portrays each level of Ashburn from her initial FBI perfection in the opening scenes, right through her drunken antics in the bar scene and even to her clumsy ribaldry in one brilliant scene when the story hits a low for Mullins and Ashburn.
The two characters just gel so well, it is a joy to watch them both, no one could stop laughing long enough to fall asleep this week. And we're running out of superlatives to describe this fantastic film, brilliant sublime acting from the two leading ladies, a great storyline, fantastic supporting cast, plus a great soundtrack keeps the film bouncing along.
Really this review should just say; "Watch The Heat, you will not be disappointed".
TNiFN Rating 92%
IMDB Link
Tuesday, 31 March 2015
Hall Pass - 31st March 2015
Another week drifts by and we find ourselves here again for another Tuesday Night is Film Night. Tonight we skip back a few years to 2011 for a comedy with a touch of romance, maybe.
Yes, it's another Farrelly brothers film, with the same laddish humour, but maybe some subtle nods to romance, just. So what is it all about we hear you ask? Well, in a nutshell......
Actually, a nutshell is not going to be big enough for the synopsis, so take a deep breath and read on. Hall Pass is about Rick (Owen Wilson) and Fred (Jason Sudeikis), who are married to Maggie and Grace (Jenna Fischer and Christina Applegate) respectively. After Rick takes too much of a lingering look at another woman, Jenna berates him for the faux pas and brings up the subject with her best friend Grace. Grace concedes she has noticed the same behaviour in Fred. This leads to a discussion regarding the guys obsession with sex. In turn this leads to the suggestion that if they cannot control their desire to gawk at other women, perhaps it is time that they should have a Hall Pass. In other words a week off from marriage to get it out of their system.
A novel concept for a storyline, perhaps with some mileage for a Farrelly brothers treatment. Unfortunately, the 105 minute long film doesn't really get going until the end of the first hour. In fact the first sixty minutes were almost slumping into a dull mediocrity, with the occasional flash of inspiration. Essentially the girls allow their respective husbands to go off and enjoy a week of bachelorhood again, as the wives go off to stay with relatives, the guys hook up with some buddies with the predilection of having a good time and taking full advantage of their freedom. It transpires that it is not as easy as it used to be. There are some funny scenes, with some laugh out loud moments. Stephen Merchant appears as a token Englishman and supplies some comedic moments, but it appears to be a little strained in places, where the script was trying too hard for laughs and clearly failing.
However, it does get better and there are some really rewarding moments, as the boys struggle to find suitable dates for their dalliances. However, in an ironic juxtaposition, the girls who are not out to have any kind of extramarital action, fall into an unlikely friendship with the local baseball team where they are staying and end up enjoying their freedom much more than Rick and Fred are.
The first three quarters of the film deal with the comedy aspect of this unlikely scenario and it plays to the inabilities of Rick and Fred. However the last quarter introduces some romance, but also ramps up the comedy somewhat and the ending is ten times as good as the start. Owen Wilson and Jason Sudeikis are fairly standard as the leading men, the same for the leading ladies, nothing really to write home about. However, some of the supporting cast do shine out, especially Stephen Merchant as Gary, whose finale during the end credits is certainly well worth the wait. Derek Waters who plays Brent, a part time DJ and barista in a coffee shop, also adds a degree of anarchy and fun to the last few scenes. Also, not forgetting to mention Nicky Whelan, who plays Leigh, whose shapely curves become a distraction for Rick and we do see those shapely curves in the full. This will not affect the scores in anyway. (It might).
And there we have it, Hall Pass is in comedic romp through a week of pseudo-bachelorhood for Rick and Fred, which turns out to be what they do not really need, but let us not spoil the ending. It's funny, but formulaic. It's somewhat sexy, but slow in places. Rewarding in the end, but a struggle to start. Overall it is a good film, it could have been better, however it could have been a darn sight worse! If Hall Pass is on the TV, then it'll be worth a watch.
The scores clearly reflect the positive side of the film, as certain panel members enjoyed it, managing to stay awake, which is a feat in itself!
TNiFN Rating 73%
Hall Pass
Yes, it's another Farrelly brothers film, with the same laddish humour, but maybe some subtle nods to romance, just. So what is it all about we hear you ask? Well, in a nutshell......
Actually, a nutshell is not going to be big enough for the synopsis, so take a deep breath and read on. Hall Pass is about Rick (Owen Wilson) and Fred (Jason Sudeikis), who are married to Maggie and Grace (Jenna Fischer and Christina Applegate) respectively. After Rick takes too much of a lingering look at another woman, Jenna berates him for the faux pas and brings up the subject with her best friend Grace. Grace concedes she has noticed the same behaviour in Fred. This leads to a discussion regarding the guys obsession with sex. In turn this leads to the suggestion that if they cannot control their desire to gawk at other women, perhaps it is time that they should have a Hall Pass. In other words a week off from marriage to get it out of their system.
A novel concept for a storyline, perhaps with some mileage for a Farrelly brothers treatment. Unfortunately, the 105 minute long film doesn't really get going until the end of the first hour. In fact the first sixty minutes were almost slumping into a dull mediocrity, with the occasional flash of inspiration. Essentially the girls allow their respective husbands to go off and enjoy a week of bachelorhood again, as the wives go off to stay with relatives, the guys hook up with some buddies with the predilection of having a good time and taking full advantage of their freedom. It transpires that it is not as easy as it used to be. There are some funny scenes, with some laugh out loud moments. Stephen Merchant appears as a token Englishman and supplies some comedic moments, but it appears to be a little strained in places, where the script was trying too hard for laughs and clearly failing.
However, it does get better and there are some really rewarding moments, as the boys struggle to find suitable dates for their dalliances. However, in an ironic juxtaposition, the girls who are not out to have any kind of extramarital action, fall into an unlikely friendship with the local baseball team where they are staying and end up enjoying their freedom much more than Rick and Fred are.
The first three quarters of the film deal with the comedy aspect of this unlikely scenario and it plays to the inabilities of Rick and Fred. However the last quarter introduces some romance, but also ramps up the comedy somewhat and the ending is ten times as good as the start. Owen Wilson and Jason Sudeikis are fairly standard as the leading men, the same for the leading ladies, nothing really to write home about. However, some of the supporting cast do shine out, especially Stephen Merchant as Gary, whose finale during the end credits is certainly well worth the wait. Derek Waters who plays Brent, a part time DJ and barista in a coffee shop, also adds a degree of anarchy and fun to the last few scenes. Also, not forgetting to mention Nicky Whelan, who plays Leigh, whose shapely curves become a distraction for Rick and we do see those shapely curves in the full. This will not affect the scores in anyway. (It might).
And there we have it, Hall Pass is in comedic romp through a week of pseudo-bachelorhood for Rick and Fred, which turns out to be what they do not really need, but let us not spoil the ending. It's funny, but formulaic. It's somewhat sexy, but slow in places. Rewarding in the end, but a struggle to start. Overall it is a good film, it could have been better, however it could have been a darn sight worse! If Hall Pass is on the TV, then it'll be worth a watch.
The scores clearly reflect the positive side of the film, as certain panel members enjoyed it, managing to stay awake, which is a feat in itself!
TNiFN Rating 73%
Tuesday, 24 March 2015
Lost in Translation - 24th March 2015
Tuesday Night is Film Night drifts back to 2003 for this week's presentation, a drama starring Bill Murray and Scarlett Johansson where we hopefully will find out what gets......
Lost in Translation
Where does one start with Lost in Translation? Let us get the niceties of the cast out of the way and then tackle the story. Bill Murray plays Bob Harris and Scarlett Johansson is Charlotte. Bob is a 50-something actor who although past his prime is still getting work albeit in commercials. This leads him to work in Tokyo starring in an advertising campaign for whisky. Charlotte on the other hand is the young wife of a busy photographer with an assignment in Japan and Charlotte has come along for the ride. Both Bob and Charlotte are staying in the same hotel, both are jet lagged, tired but still find sleep to be difficult.
Charlotte is bored whilst her husband is out working and Bob is morose as his work is tedious and difficult due to the language barrier. Plus his dwindling 25 year marriage is continuing to suffer due to the distance between them, that and Bob's wife seemingly nagging him via the fax machine.
Bob first spots Charlotte in the hotel lift, it pleases him to see a friendly face within a sea of distance glances and thus starts a very slow, very deliberate coming together of these two disparate souls, worlds apart in history, age and purpose, but within this juxtaposed outlook their commonality of alienation in a foreign city pulls them together.
Lost in Translation is certainly not a fast paced film and the plot, although centreing on the unlikely relationship of the two main characters, is not overbearing or complicated at all. In fact Lost in Translation is more about the atmospheric approach to the story and in some scenes it is about what the characters don't say that is important.
Bill Murray is just sublime, providing the perfect characterisation for the aging actor Bob, as he struggles with life in a different culture. And as for Scarlett Johansson, who was just 18 when this film was made, she is just perfection. Scene after scene she just looks superb, by doing very little, just a glance here and a look there, it doesn't sound much, but within the context of an atmospherically drive storyline, that is what is needed and you can really feel a sense of sexual tension even though the relationship between Bob and Charlotte is not physical.
One supposes this is why Lost in Translation works so well, the viewer clearly enjoying the chemistry between Bob and Charlotte, then wanting the thread of the story to follow the normal formulaic approach of a love story, in this case a holiday romance or a foreign fling, but Lost in Translation is not a love story per se, moreover it is a diagnosis of a relationship where two very different entities are happily dropped together clinging to the one common denominator that put them together.
The story and direction by Sofia Coppola is just brilliant, the camera work, the settings and the undercurrent of music all combine to form a beautifully shot and produced film, not overtly arty and certainly without pretension.
However, differences of opinion here at TNiFN Towers will affect the scores. Some wanted the love story to be a love story, whilst others appreciated the subtle nuances as depicted on screen, accepting that the film was more about the thoughts of the characters as the film enveloped the viewer, rather than having those thoughts translated to deeds and acted out for you.
A film for thinking and not so much doing. (Apologies for the score).
TNiFN Rating 77%
IMDB Link
Lost in Translation
Where does one start with Lost in Translation? Let us get the niceties of the cast out of the way and then tackle the story. Bill Murray plays Bob Harris and Scarlett Johansson is Charlotte. Bob is a 50-something actor who although past his prime is still getting work albeit in commercials. This leads him to work in Tokyo starring in an advertising campaign for whisky. Charlotte on the other hand is the young wife of a busy photographer with an assignment in Japan and Charlotte has come along for the ride. Both Bob and Charlotte are staying in the same hotel, both are jet lagged, tired but still find sleep to be difficult.
Charlotte is bored whilst her husband is out working and Bob is morose as his work is tedious and difficult due to the language barrier. Plus his dwindling 25 year marriage is continuing to suffer due to the distance between them, that and Bob's wife seemingly nagging him via the fax machine.
Bob first spots Charlotte in the hotel lift, it pleases him to see a friendly face within a sea of distance glances and thus starts a very slow, very deliberate coming together of these two disparate souls, worlds apart in history, age and purpose, but within this juxtaposed outlook their commonality of alienation in a foreign city pulls them together.
Lost in Translation is certainly not a fast paced film and the plot, although centreing on the unlikely relationship of the two main characters, is not overbearing or complicated at all. In fact Lost in Translation is more about the atmospheric approach to the story and in some scenes it is about what the characters don't say that is important.
Bill Murray is just sublime, providing the perfect characterisation for the aging actor Bob, as he struggles with life in a different culture. And as for Scarlett Johansson, who was just 18 when this film was made, she is just perfection. Scene after scene she just looks superb, by doing very little, just a glance here and a look there, it doesn't sound much, but within the context of an atmospherically drive storyline, that is what is needed and you can really feel a sense of sexual tension even though the relationship between Bob and Charlotte is not physical.
One supposes this is why Lost in Translation works so well, the viewer clearly enjoying the chemistry between Bob and Charlotte, then wanting the thread of the story to follow the normal formulaic approach of a love story, in this case a holiday romance or a foreign fling, but Lost in Translation is not a love story per se, moreover it is a diagnosis of a relationship where two very different entities are happily dropped together clinging to the one common denominator that put them together.
The story and direction by Sofia Coppola is just brilliant, the camera work, the settings and the undercurrent of music all combine to form a beautifully shot and produced film, not overtly arty and certainly without pretension.
However, differences of opinion here at TNiFN Towers will affect the scores. Some wanted the love story to be a love story, whilst others appreciated the subtle nuances as depicted on screen, accepting that the film was more about the thoughts of the characters as the film enveloped the viewer, rather than having those thoughts translated to deeds and acted out for you.
A film for thinking and not so much doing. (Apologies for the score).
TNiFN Rating 77%
IMDB Link
Tuesday, 17 March 2015
Seeking a Friend for the End of the World - 17th March 2015
After a little break last week for birthday celebrations, which ironically included a trip to the cinema, Tuesday Night is Film Night is back with another film from our archives (also known as; "DVDs we get as presents on birthdays"!)
This week we are going to be;
Seeking a Friend for the End of the World
Well that was a refreshing change! To paraphrase the synopsis provided on Amazon, Seeking a Friend for the End of the World is about;
"..................with 21 days left until the end of the world. Insurance salesman Dodge (Steve Carell) is suddenly deserted by his wife and now has no idea how to spend his last remaining days. When a riot breaks out around his building, Dodge escapes in the car of his extraverted neighbour Penny (Keira Knightley). Seizing the moment, they embark on a hilarious road trip to reunite with their loved ones – Dodge with his long lost high school sweetheart and Penny with her family..........."
Just reading that is doesn't really enthrall the potential viewer does it? When in fact Seeking a Friend for the End of the World is a lot more that that simple synopsis.
We start the film with the news of the impending end of the world due to the impact of a huge meteor, heading ominously and certainly towards the earth. Dodge Petersen hears this news with his wife, who inexplicably runs off, leaving Dodge alone in the car. He heads home contemplating his own, time constrained future, when a chance meeting with his outgoing neighbour; Penny (Knightley) changes his future for the better. They discuss their past and their very short future and when the neighbourhood erupts with rioting they decide to head out of town to seek some happiness. Dodge discovers a letter that his childhood sweetheart sent him just a few months previously and realises that perhaps that is who he should be with. Penny would like to see her family again, but as they are in England that is going to be tricky, until Dodge says he knew somebody with a plane. So armed with these goals, they set off on a road trip.
That sounds all a bit twee, simple and sentimental, but you need to get past the necessary scene setting to enjoy the multiplicity of the storyline. The film seems to be promoted as an "hilarious roadtrip" comedy, which it isn't. It is more a romantic comedy, a feelgood (to a degree) journey through the short life and impending death of Dodge, Penny and those that they come into contact with. It is also the juxtaposition of the differing outlooks towards the bleak future. Some choose to drink and party themselves to their own oblivion, while others seek peace with family and friends. Some choose to fight the system and try to survive, others just fight each other.
Steve Carell is just perfect for the character of Dodge, at first very dour, introverted and lonely, but who then blossoms whilst with Penny. Penny on the other hand is the opposite, initially outgoing, but then when the enormity of the end of the world hits home, she seeks solace with the person who has helped her the most in the last few days, namely Dodge. Keira Knightley is just superb as Penny, outgoing, pretty and funny. The supporting cast are also very good, providing the laughs along the way, perhaps with not the amount of hilarity promised if you believe the reviews, but funny nonetheless. Martin Sheen is particularly good as Dodge's father.
So all in all a really good film to watch. The storyline is refreshingly different, the end of the world maybe nigh, but this ain't no disaster movie. It may have the tagline of "The apocalypse has never been so funny", but it is not an hilarious romp through the last few days on earth, it is a funny film, but with tender moments. It's a funny film, but some of that comedy is quite dark. It doesn't follow a formula, so you don't know where the story is going, you're not sure whether the next scene is going to be hilarious or an altruistic moment between Dodge and Penny.
Oh and the soundtrack is just superb, really brilliant music.
We enjoyed it and hopefully the scores will prove favourable.
TNiFN Rating 86%
IMDB Link
This week we are going to be;
Seeking a Friend for the End of the World
Well that was a refreshing change! To paraphrase the synopsis provided on Amazon, Seeking a Friend for the End of the World is about;
"..................with 21 days left until the end of the world. Insurance salesman Dodge (Steve Carell) is suddenly deserted by his wife and now has no idea how to spend his last remaining days. When a riot breaks out around his building, Dodge escapes in the car of his extraverted neighbour Penny (Keira Knightley). Seizing the moment, they embark on a hilarious road trip to reunite with their loved ones – Dodge with his long lost high school sweetheart and Penny with her family..........."
Just reading that is doesn't really enthrall the potential viewer does it? When in fact Seeking a Friend for the End of the World is a lot more that that simple synopsis.
We start the film with the news of the impending end of the world due to the impact of a huge meteor, heading ominously and certainly towards the earth. Dodge Petersen hears this news with his wife, who inexplicably runs off, leaving Dodge alone in the car. He heads home contemplating his own, time constrained future, when a chance meeting with his outgoing neighbour; Penny (Knightley) changes his future for the better. They discuss their past and their very short future and when the neighbourhood erupts with rioting they decide to head out of town to seek some happiness. Dodge discovers a letter that his childhood sweetheart sent him just a few months previously and realises that perhaps that is who he should be with. Penny would like to see her family again, but as they are in England that is going to be tricky, until Dodge says he knew somebody with a plane. So armed with these goals, they set off on a road trip.
That sounds all a bit twee, simple and sentimental, but you need to get past the necessary scene setting to enjoy the multiplicity of the storyline. The film seems to be promoted as an "hilarious roadtrip" comedy, which it isn't. It is more a romantic comedy, a feelgood (to a degree) journey through the short life and impending death of Dodge, Penny and those that they come into contact with. It is also the juxtaposition of the differing outlooks towards the bleak future. Some choose to drink and party themselves to their own oblivion, while others seek peace with family and friends. Some choose to fight the system and try to survive, others just fight each other.
Steve Carell is just perfect for the character of Dodge, at first very dour, introverted and lonely, but who then blossoms whilst with Penny. Penny on the other hand is the opposite, initially outgoing, but then when the enormity of the end of the world hits home, she seeks solace with the person who has helped her the most in the last few days, namely Dodge. Keira Knightley is just superb as Penny, outgoing, pretty and funny. The supporting cast are also very good, providing the laughs along the way, perhaps with not the amount of hilarity promised if you believe the reviews, but funny nonetheless. Martin Sheen is particularly good as Dodge's father.
So all in all a really good film to watch. The storyline is refreshingly different, the end of the world maybe nigh, but this ain't no disaster movie. It may have the tagline of "The apocalypse has never been so funny", but it is not an hilarious romp through the last few days on earth, it is a funny film, but with tender moments. It's a funny film, but some of that comedy is quite dark. It doesn't follow a formula, so you don't know where the story is going, you're not sure whether the next scene is going to be hilarious or an altruistic moment between Dodge and Penny.
Oh and the soundtrack is just superb, really brilliant music.
We enjoyed it and hopefully the scores will prove favourable.
TNiFN Rating 86%
IMDB Link
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