The Last Film You Watched

I think the lack of background for Ingrid is one of the reasons I couldn't get invested in it.

I'm still determined to see Juror No 2 but struggling to find an affordable & accessible screening (without going to London for once) & hadn't planned to see The Piano Lesson but was encouraged by decent ratings & hearing it discussed on R4's Front Row this week. So I went to see that instead yesterday and it was NOT what I expected or hoped. I knew it was long - over 2 hours - so was prepared for that; also that it was another adaptation based on an August Wilson play, but which the R4 reviewers said had been opened out & didn't feel too stagey, which was true. However, they didn't mention how gothic it was, especially the over-long, overwrought penultimate scene which really had me fidgeting and resisting, with difficulty, looking at my watch. A definite case of "less would have been more" and a misjudgement which tipped the balance of the film the wrong way. Not a complete waste of time but unless this kind of thing is for you, not something I could recommend either.

It Rains on our Love

(Bergman)

I found this to be engaging and enchanting and the parrels with its Wonderful Life are clear. Both debuted in 1946 - im sure a dissertation exisits somewhere on the pair.

The reviews for this are not glowing but i was hooked, perhaps its themes of perserverence in adversity are universal.

I thought Small Things Like These was perfection. So beautifully filmed. That sodium light on the dark pavements. I was glad to see that in the costume credits the breakdown artist got a credit. Making those clothes look worn is a real skill - I once went on a tour of Sands Studios in Rotherhithe where they were breaking down costumes for a Dickens film. It's a real art.

I know the Ireland of the 1970s better than the 1980s (My Irish dad died young in 1982 and we stopped 'going home' at that point.) But the social mores of those times are very well known to me. And those relationships with the nuns (I was taught by Sisters of Mercy at a secondary modern turned comprehensive in East London) were certainly transferred over to the UK. Emily Watson's portrayal was not overdone. Of course those women had their own demons/upbringings to deal with but the outcome was the same - cruelty and terror reigned. And families (including mine) kowtowed to members of religious congregations and feared offending them.

Quite weird to see who the producers of the film were. But I guess that Cillian Murphy is now able to draw in big Hollywood money from the likes of Damon and Affleck and so get something like this made. For which I am very grateful.

The Piano Lesson - ***

Some good, meaty metaphorical stuff here on reckoning with generational trauma, and the actresses ALWAYS shine in these August Wilson adaptations, but this is probably my least favourite so far. It suffers from many of the 'stage to screen' obstacles that the rest of them have, but for some reason, to me anyway, they feel more pronounced.

Goes without saying too, absolutely STELLAR cast.

Hmm, interesting! I raised the point on Twitter too and had a couple of replies agreeing with me, from different cinema chains in different cities!

Gladiator II - 2 stars

This turned out to be everything I hoped it wouldn't be - tacky, bad acting, bad CGI, bad costumes. The story does pick up a little in the second half but the original did not need a sequel. This may have worked better as a standalone franchise as opposed to riding the coattails of the original. Weak plot, no substance, no emotional intensity, no goosebumps inducing moments. Disappointing.

Emilia Perez - 4 stars

Fast paced and keeps you intrigued until the very end. Great performances all round but Zoe Saldana is a standout.

I enjoyed Paddington in Peru more than I was expecting to. As someone who has been through the empty nest bit (though - like so many others - I have found my adult children returning due to the cost of renting in London) I found that aspect genuinely touching. And I thought that some of the clever touches rivalled stuff from Wallace and Gromit (the bears' names were particularly genius). I also liked the Michael Bond stamp on the letter. I guess that is it for Paddington films now - hard to see where they would go next with the Brown children grown up.

Gladiator II - ***

EVERYTHING that Denzel is doing here is top tier, with the rest of a mixture of vaguely cool set pieces and absolutely cringeworthy references to the original. Worth it just for Washington.