Category Archives: Decades

The decade in which the films were released.

Educating Rita (1983)

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2007 #77
Lewis Gilbert | 106 mins | TV | 15 / PG

Educating RitaJulie Walters makes her big screen debut opposite Michael Caine in this British comedy drama about a 26-year-old University student and her disenchanted drink-sodden tutor, adapted by Willy Russell from his own play and directed by the man behind Alfie and three Bond films.

For a comedy drama (which usually fail to do either successfully) it’s genuinely very funny, but maintains an appropriate weight in the dramatic moments. The script is full of great lines, beautifully delivered by the two leads; Walters is especially excellent.

If you haven’t seen it it might not be what you expect, but that’s no bad thing. Recommended.

5 out of 5

Brief Encounter (1945)

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2007 #76
David Lean | 83 mins | DVD | PG

Brief EncounterCelia Johnson and Trevor Howard star in the classic romantic drama from highly acclaimed writer Noel Coward and highly acclaimed director David Lean.

The central character’s relationship is, famously, a very British affair — all awkwardly repressed emotions, discussion of the weather, fear of society’s opinions, stolen passionate kisses, guilt, indecision, true love and endless cups of tea. The witty screenplay, direction, and lead and supporting performances are all excellent.

Undoubtedly and deservedly a true British classic.

5 out of 5

Brief Encounter is on Film4 tomorrow, Friday 31st October 2014, at 5:20pm.

It placed 6th on my list of The Ten Best Films I Saw For the First Time in 2007, which can be read in full here.

Confetti (2006)

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2007 #75
Debbie Isitt | 96 mins | TV | 15 / R

ConfettiLargely improvised Britcom, shot in a documentary style, about three couples trying to win a most original wedding competition.

It starts out quite poorly, with unlikable characters and an irritating style, but things do improve and a number of the characters do grow on you (some, deliberately, remain horrid). My favourites are the pair of camp wedding planners — you don’t get much more stereotypical, but they’re lovable and amusing from the off.

Fittingly, the weddings at the end are probably the best bits.

3 out of 5

Confetti is on BBC Two tonight, Monday 25th August 2014, at 11pm.

The Departed (2006)

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2007 #74
Martin Scorsese | 145 mins | DVD | 18 / R

The DepartedAn all-star cast lead Scorsese’s Oscar-winning remake of Hong Kong action thriller Infernal Affairs. It’s an unusual yet striking mix of elements: cops vs. robbers thriller, gangster drama, relationships of those who protect/threaten us drama, and several more. It winds up with an unusual feel for structure and pace, though is never less than stylish.

Having not seen many of Scorsese’s earlier films it’s hard for me to say if this is up to standard, as many say it is; but I still believe Greengrass’ United 93 was more deserving of the Best Director nods. As I did earlier this year with The Prestige, my rating errs on the side of caution.

4 out of 5

Night Watch (2004)

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aka Nochnoy dozor / Nochnoi dozor

2007 #73
Timur Bekmambetov | 110 mins | DVD | 15 / R

Night WatchUrban action fantasy from Russia; the first part of a trilogy (though, apparently, film two wraps the plot up and film three will be made in the US, looking at a different part of the story).

It makes for a pretty entertaining tale, with a neat ending that both concludes this film’s plot and leaves everything wide open for what’s to come. It also has some very snazzy subtitles (sadly only available on the two-disc DVD; I won’t waste too much space ranting about how crap the one-disc is here).

If you don’t like Films With Subtitles, this one might surprise you.

4 out of 5

Brick (2005)

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2007 #72
Rian Johnson | 105 mins | TV | 15 / R

BrickThere’s a nagging sense that you’re watching a student short film for large chunks of Brick, especially at the start. This is accompanied by a niggling worry that it’s also been vastly overrated.

But it does, eventually, kick into gear — the incomprehensible plot becomes a bit clearer and the fantasy that these high school kids are in some film noir becomes less irritating and more quite fun.

It occasionally lapses back into its earlier problems but, all said, I’m glad I bothered to stick with it.

4 out of 5

Kinky Boots (2005)

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2007 #71
Julian Jarrold | 102 mins | DVD | 12 / PG-13

Kinky BootsA working class Britcom in the vein of films like The Full Monty.

It may take too long to get going properly, and even the most casual film viewer could jot down the key plot points from the start, but it nonetheless manages some laugh-out-loud moments, and it’s more often happy than groan-inducing when the ‘twists’ come off. If nothing else it’s worth seeing for Chiwetel Ejiofor (who you may recognise from films such as Serenity, Inside Man and Children of Men) as a drag queen.

My score may be a little generous, but all round I enjoyed watching it, so why not?

4 out of 5

Primer (2004)

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2007 #70
Shane Carruth | 74 mins | DVD | 12 / PG-13

PrimerAccording to many this is a real ‘love it or hate it’ film; in typically awkward fashion I’m going to place myself right in the middle.

The thing is, I can see both sides — there’s a great conceit here, with a decent plot built around it; but it drags the idea of treating your audience’s intelligence with respect too far into the realms of Simply Not Explaining Things Properly, including taking almost half the film for anything to become clear. Sadly this clarity only lasts a few minutes before things get muddled up again in the second half of the plot.

I’d like to be able to love Primer, but the things that make me want to hate it just pull it down.

3 out of 5

Mean Creek (2004)

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2007 #69
Jacob Aaron Estes | 86 mins | DVD | 15 / R

Mean CreekA group of teenagers concoct a plan for revenge on a bully in this drama from first-time writer/director Estes. Whilst the premise might sound straightforward and liable to be morally simplistic, the writing, acting and direction combine to make a film that is complex, tense, tragic and ultimately believable.

Some might argue it loses its way a little towards the end, almost struggling to find a suitable conclusion, but it doesn’t do so enough to make it anything less than an excellent film.

Highly recommended.

5 out of 5

Mean Creek placed 3rd on my list of The Ten Best Films I Saw For the First Time in 2007, which can be read in full here.

Heat (1995)

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2007 #68
Michael Mann | 164 mins | DVD | 15 / R

HeatHeat will probably always be best remembered for two things: the excellent running shoot out on the streets of L.A., and De Niro and Pacino on screen together for the first (and, so far, last) time.

There’s a lot more to it than that, of course: ostensibly a cops-and-robbers crime drama, the film follows the personal lives of each side as well as the usual professional actions. The cop-with-failed-marriage / criminal-with-successful-relationship juxtaposition may already feel clichéd, but it works well enough here, and is well executed without distracting from the meat of the plot — which is, still, the crime and justice.

5 out of 5