Mystic River (2003)

Posted on July 30, 2007 by badblokebob

2007 #66
Clint Eastwood | 132 mins | DVD | 15 / R

The acting is the main draw of this Oscar-winning murder drama, in which three childhood friends who grew apart are brought back together when one of their daughters is murdered. Tim Robbins is particularly excellent, easily earning his Best Supporting Actor Oscar.

Unfortunately most of the plot is not far above the standards of your average police procedural show, albeit fleshed out with more insight into the various characters and plot complexities — and, of course, with superior acting from all involved.

The Woodsman (2004)

Posted on July 16, 2007 by badblokebob

2007 #65
Nicole Kassell | 84 mins | DVD | 15 / R

Kevin Bacon stars in this compelling drama.

If anyone saw Channel 4’s recent Secret Life, this treads very similar ground — recently released paedophile struggles to fit back into the world and avoid recommitting former crimes. But whereas C4’s drama was issue-driven this is character-based; it doesn’t necessarily make it better, but it does make it different. Bacon manages the tricky task of eliciting sympathy and understanding as the paedophile (though perhaps not as much as Matthew Macfadyen did).

A relatively intelligent look at what is usually a mindlessly treated subject.

Capote (2005)

Posted on July 16, 2007 by badblokebob

2007 #61
Bennett Miller | 110 mins | DVD | 15 / R

It is, unsurprisingly, Philip Seymour Hoffman’s Oscar-winning lead performance that dominates this movie. While the title might suggest a biopic, the film actually concentrates on the five year period in which Truman Capote researched and wrote his non-fiction novel In Cold Blood.

While this process forms the structure of the plot, the title gives away what the movie is actually ‘about’ — in and around the mechanics of the murder investigation and Capote’s work process, it’s the character of the man, and how it’s affected, that is really revealed to the viewer (in a subtler way than my blatant highlighting of it here would suggest).

The ‘other’ Truman Capote movie from the mid-noughties, Infamous, is on BBC Two tonight, Friday 5th June 2015, at 11:50pm.

Kramer vs. Kramer (1979)

Posted on July 4, 2007 by badblokebob

2007 #60
Robert Benton | 100 mins | TV | PG

The acting is what shines in this multiple-Oscar-winning custody drama. Troubled wife Meryl Streep leaves husband Dustin Hoffman within the first five or so minutes (today she probably wouldn’t leave ’til the end of the first act) and suddenly busy, work-driven daddy has to look after their young son all on his lonesome.

I personally didn’t find the later courtroom scenes quite as edge-of-your-seat intense as some have, but you can’t fault the abilities of the actors. Perhaps particularly noteworthy is the kid, played by Justin Henry, though clearly it wasn’t good enough to launch a decent career for him.

Sense and Sensibility (1995)

Posted on July 4, 2007 by badblokebob

2007 #58
Ang Lee | 131 mins | DVD | U / PG

A host of familiar British faces turn up in this Oscar-winning adaptation of the Austen-novel-with-the-name-like-Pride-and-Prejudice-only-not. Fans of any of the following will love this film: Jane Austen, costume drama in general, Emma Thompson, Alan Rickman, Hugh Grant, Kate Winslet.

For the rest of us, there’s still lots of enjoyment to be had. Austen’s plots may be virtually identical and you might be able to spy the endings almost from the start, but there’s fun to be had getting there. Hugh Laurie’s small supporting role is particularly worthy of mention.

West Side Story (1961)

Posted on June 11, 2007 by badblokebob

2007 #53
Robert Wise & Jerome Robbins | 146 mins | DVD | PG

“Everything’s free in America,” goes the famous line; but this film is probably more accurately summed up in its following line: “For a small fee in America”.

For, surprisingly, underneath the song and dance numbers (some impressive, some embarrassing), the Shakespearian romance story, and the vibrant and beautiful cinematography, beats the heart of a gritty, political, social drama about gangs, racism, immigration, and more — issues that seem as pertinent today as ever.

It’s a brilliant film, which falls short of full marks only thanks to some of those weaker song & dance bits (and I might be being a tad unfair there).

Hello, Dolly! (1969)

Posted on May 21, 2007 by badblokebob

2007 #52
Gene Kelly | 139 mins | DVD | U / G

Comedians Walter Matthau and Michael Crawford (yes, Frank Spencer!) star alongside Barbra Streisand in this comedy musical directed by Gene Kelly (yes, the star of many a musical himself!) which flopped at the box office but did well at the Oscars, and has gained in popularity since.

The best bits are the very impressive dancing waiters at Harmonia Gardens, although some of the more amusing songs are worth seeing. It’s this tongue-in-cheek, sometimes-silly tone that stops it seeming too dated, although other elements of its style (and the running time) don’t help.

Surely a must-see for musical fans, though others may not be as engaged.

Hello, Dolly! is on Movie Mix today, Thursday 9th July 2015, at 6:05pm.

Stormbreaker (2006)

Posted on May 8, 2007 by badblokebob

2007 #48
Geoffrey Sax | 92 mins | DVD | PG / PG

An adaptation of the first in Anthony Horowitz’s bestselling series of Alex Rider novels. It does a good job of translating the book, aided by an extensive cast of recognisable Brits (and some Yanks) and some entertaining action sequences.

It occasionally lets itself down in its choices of which bits to adapt and which to leave out, especially in the third act — some of the best action sequences are swapped for lesser ones (quad bikes for a horse in central London? Maybe a good idea on paper, but it doesn’t work), and the climax isn’t as fulfilling as the apparent one that happens just before it.

Not a bad effort, especially for kids.

Casanova (2005)

Posted on May 8, 2007 by badblokebob

2007 #44
Lasse Hallström | 107 mins | DVD | 12 / R

As expected, this film pales in comparison to the Russell T Davies-scripted, David Tennant-starring BBC production from the same year. Where that version is witty, clever, entertaining and actually does something with the characters, this film is silly, predictable and only occasionally graced with an amusing moment. Heath Ledger isn’t in the same league as Tennant as Casanova-in-his-prime, and obviously few could compare to Peter O’Toole as old Casanova (in the BBC one, that is).

Basically: avoid this, but be sure to see the BBC one.

(Additionally, it says a lot about America that the vague innuendo and sexual themes of this gained it an R rating over there, while in the UK it only managed a (much more appropriate) 12.)

The Devil Wears Prada (2006)

Posted on April 9, 2007 by badblokebob

2007 #38
David Frankel | 105 mins | DVD | PG / PG-13

Emily Blunt steals every scene, which is impressive alongside an Oscar-nominated Meryl Streep (that being the now-customary acting-nominee-from-a-blockbuster, est. 2004 by Mr Depp). Anne Hathaway provides the plot/emotional through-line against these performances, which is somewhat impressive when playing a lead character who morally sells out (albeit into a lifestyle that is undoubtedly desirable to the film’s intended audience).

The plot and character arcs may be pretty predictable, but it’s an above-average example of a film of this type.

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