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XXXVI: The Trip (Miles Swain, 2002)
On again, off again love story across a decade or more, where the actors vary in convincingness across the film as they age, and with too much historical nudging in the first section. As the lovers are male, the 1980s ending is rather too predictable. Forgettable
XXXVII: O Lucky Man! (Lindsay Anderson, 1973)
Follow up to if..., where this time Malcolm McDowell, a man on the make, becomes a coffee rep. Brechtian parable with ill judged sequence of a blacked up Arthur Lowe as an African president. Great Alan Price soundtrack, and Price and band move from chorus to characters. Maybe a top ten British movie?
XXXVIII: The Long Good Friday (John Mackenzie, 1980)
Another great British movie - the Thatcherite Godfather: Bob Hoskins under fire as he redevelops the docklands. Suffers a little from costarring isn't that himoff? I didn't revognise Piers Brosnan at first, but spotting Charlie from Casualty is a little weirder
XXXIX: The Hurt Locker (Kathryn Bigelow, 2008)
High octane, hi testosterone thriller, with a bomb disposal team. The politics are sidelined - apart from a throwaway line about making someone into an insurgent - and the suspicion that Iraqis get viewed with is shocking. But utterly convincing.
XL: Exam (Stuart Hazeldine, 2009)
Low budget sf thriller - think Cube. Eight people sit an exam only one of them can pass. So it gets nasty. I wanted to like this more than I did.
Totals: 40 (Cinema: 10; DVDs: 22; TV: 8)
On again, off again love story across a decade or more, where the actors vary in convincingness across the film as they age, and with too much historical nudging in the first section. As the lovers are male, the 1980s ending is rather too predictable. Forgettable
XXXVII: O Lucky Man! (Lindsay Anderson, 1973)
Follow up to if..., where this time Malcolm McDowell, a man on the make, becomes a coffee rep. Brechtian parable with ill judged sequence of a blacked up Arthur Lowe as an African president. Great Alan Price soundtrack, and Price and band move from chorus to characters. Maybe a top ten British movie?
XXXVIII: The Long Good Friday (John Mackenzie, 1980)
Another great British movie - the Thatcherite Godfather: Bob Hoskins under fire as he redevelops the docklands. Suffers a little from costarring isn't that himoff? I didn't revognise Piers Brosnan at first, but spotting Charlie from Casualty is a little weirder
XXXIX: The Hurt Locker (Kathryn Bigelow, 2008)
High octane, hi testosterone thriller, with a bomb disposal team. The politics are sidelined - apart from a throwaway line about making someone into an insurgent - and the suspicion that Iraqis get viewed with is shocking. But utterly convincing.
XL: Exam (Stuart Hazeldine, 2009)
Low budget sf thriller - think Cube. Eight people sit an exam only one of them can pass. So it gets nasty. I wanted to like this more than I did.
Totals: 40 (Cinema: 10; DVDs: 22; TV: 8)
