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Reviews
No Time to Die (2021)
Gone, and hopefully a semi forgotten Bond entry.
Bond is dead, at last, this movie leaves a slight stain in the franchise, and is the weakest of Daniel Craig's entries. It lacks the style of most of the previous Bonds, there's little to no humour, and it bends over backwards to be PC, why ? Ian Fleming, sadly, should not have his name associated with this one.
A lot of film watchers under 30 won't have the discerning criticism that separates good to bad in 007's lengthy catalogue. Sorry, this movie is fair to semi poor, and not one that leaves the Bond fan, or Daniel Craig on a movie high.
There are odd moments that grip you and a couple of entertaining tight action sequences, but generally it is a cold, bleak and unnecessary overlong film, with a romantic co-plot that just is not needed.
Jason Statham wouldn't have looked a miss staring in this one. Maybe the bell tolls for an end to a great spy character franchise. Mr Fleming might just agree too.
Absolute Beginners (1986)
Music Videos or Musical Film ?
At the time of release in 1986, this film was getting a fair amount of plugging, hype and questionable credibility. I took a drama student girlfriend to see it, but having read a few negative reviews I decided to keep that to myself for the time being until we'd viewed it.
A great London Soho set intro and colourful movement and dance routines, then it lurched from one set piece scene to another with a plastic leading man and his superficial girlfriend filling the gaps in between.
As other reviewers have pointed out, director Julian Temple comes from an MTV music video background, and boy does that show. The less than positive reviews at the time generally said that the film was a collection of music videos stapled together with uninteresting lead characters and hit and miss cameo appearances from Bowie, Davis, Tenpole Tudor, Berkoff etc and leaves one with a feeling of not caring about anyone's outcome upon exiting the cinema. It's very uneven and with a lack of depth, the whole film comes over as a cartoonish music video jukebox.
I did feel political race issues might add that welcome amount of depth but it quickly turned from the serious into a rain filled song and dance wrap up ending. The real Notting hill riots didn't end like a Cliff Richard film, or did they ?. Disappointing, definitely the wrong director for an interesting UK cinematic project, and it didn't do full justice to a poignant late 50s youth novel either.
Il commissario Montalbano: Il metodo Catalanotti (2021)
A Truly Misfiring Finale
I have most episodes on DVD and totally immerse myself in the idyllic landscapes, the absorbing and sometimes amusing characters and the well crafted storylines on an escapist 90 minutes at weekends. Waiting to see the final episode I avoided reviews for an eternity and tonight, at last, got to see it on BBC 4.
What a let down. It seemed all over the place with no real plot or direction. It came across like edited outtakes tacked together, an partially incoherent and unrealistic storyline. It seemed completely more taken with trading in one girlfriend for another. The last Livia incarnation was a more mellow portrayal by actress Sonia Bergamasco, who played a better character balance for our Inspector. Enter a younger woman and then ride into the sunset together, and not a word to Livia up north. I'm sorry but a poor and weak last episode, one which won't be in my treasured Montalbano DVD collection. Do yourself a favour and stop at Series 14, Episode 2 - La Rete di Protezione and call it a day. Positive memories only.
We're Off to See the Munchkins (1993)
Highly Interesting Behind the Scenes Memories
The Wizard of Oz, made in 1939, remains one of Hollywood's most iconic and enduring films, an American fairy tale that still entertains young and old even in 2022 today. 83 years later. These munchkin actors and actresses are some of the last surviving cast members as of 1993. They were all fairly young at the time of shooting the movie, and it's the interesting stories and anecdotes these people tell on what it was like to work on this movie and also their mixing with the MGM superstars of the era. All the participants seem to hold very fond and cherished memories and with a grateful humility of just being part of the film that certainly touches the viewer. You don't get these sort of reminiscences in books and accounts describing the making of the movie. This fascinating documentary is now available to watch on Youtube. Find it, sit back and enjoy tales from Munchkinland. We're off to see the Wizard........
The Early Bird (1965)
Doesn't quite hit the mark!
My Dad took me to see this in early 1966. As a 9 year old a trip to the cinema was a great treat and Norman Wisdom back then was still fairly funny for a lot of people but he was past his best. Being in colour really livened up the story and 98 minutes of slapstick and mayhem was enjoyed by a half full cinema. In the 1990s The Early Bird turned up on tv and out nostalgic interest I sat down to watch it again. Oh dear, sometimes childhood cinematic memories are best left in their own vaults. The first fifteen minutes of the movie is ' waking up ' and this goes on and on and on to the point of annoyance. Then we start the story. Little man vs the corporation, a usual Wisdom film plot. There are some funny scenes of mayhem, ie: the lawnmower and fire brigade, but overall it certainly wasn't exactly the film I enjoyed in the sixties as a child. I guess as it was Wisdom's second to last film a new breed of comedian was taking over from the television world, and the celluloid funny men of the fifties and early sixties were on the way out. He did make a couple of good films but quite few of them were playing for over sympathy and heavy on sugary emotion. An average Wisdom film, he has made worst, but I have soft spot for him because when he's on form, he's a pretty funny guy.
The Big Red One (1980)
Fuller's War
Firstly I would like to know why IMDB have placed a fairly negative review entitled ' Dreadful ' as this film's top review. This movie has a current 7.1 vote rating, that does not entitle a top review of that pitch to represent this film, wrong IMDB!
Sam Fuller made movies that are in a lower budget mould but that certainly doesn't detract from the intelligent content of a lot of his scripts and style of direction. Fuller served in WW2 and saw a lot of intense fighting.in Africa and France. Such a indelible set of experiences were bound to spawn a film at some stage of his career. He tried in 1961 but it fell through with Warners and a wait of nineteen years to try again. The casting of Lee Marvin and his terrific performance keeps the film highly watchable through the horror, absurdity and harrowing nature of war. War is a surreal experience and a means to achieve objectives involving peace, but at what costs ?.
Please watch this movie, it's not an all star blockbuster nor is it totally anti war, it's a thoughtful and provoking set of experiences that Sam Fuller actually witnessed in WW2. You might not find all his views and characters fit at times but it's still a powerful piece of film making to convey his feelings. .
Nancy Wake, the White Mouse (2014)
One gutsy and brave woman
I'd not heard of Nancy Wake until I stumbled upon this tv film on YouTube history documentaries. Well aware of the SOE missions flown to France launched from Tangmere airfield in West Sussex, including those of Violette Szabo ( see Carve her name with Pride 1958 film ).
I found this account of Nancy Wake's wartime life a fascinating watch despite the interrupting verbal interjections from her biographer etc. It was reasonably well executed despite a average script in places, but hey, Nancy's exploits far outshine my critical nit-picking. Worth a watch as she contributed to give us all valuable peacetime today.