The Quiet Girl

 

The Quiet Girl 2022

• Director: Colm Bairéad
• Based on the book by Claire Keegan
• Cast: Carrie Crowley, Andrew Bennett, Catherine Clinch, Michael Patric
• Personal “oh yeah him/her” reaction, i.e. have seen this actor in:
• None of them
• Why? The author
• Seen: 24 March 2024 

       Young Cait (Clinch) is neglected by her large dysfunctional family and keeps to herself, timid and cowed. Her parents send her to relatives, a childless couple on a farm in rural Ireland, until her mother has her latest baby.

       Cait is unused to kindness and the relative luxury of her temporary home. She learns to enjoy working on the farm but there is sorrow in the house. Still, she’s happy and doesn’t want to return to her family.

       It’s slow, quiet, melancholy. Most of the dialog is in Gaelic and the Irish countryside is pleasant to see, but I expected something more gripping. 

3½ * of 5  

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Fright Night 1985

 

Fright Night 1985

• Director: Tom Holland
• Based on the book: no
• Cast: Chris Sarandon, William Ragsdale, Amanda Bearse, Roddy McDowell, Stephen Geoffreys, Dorothy Fielding
• Personal “oh yeah him/her” reaction, i.e. have seen this actor in:
• Chris Sarandon – Edie & Pen
• Roddy McDowell – Overboard, Planet of the Apes etc, Inside Daisy Clover, Cleopatra, many TV series
• Why? The re-make
• Seen: 22 March 2024 

       Can Roddy McDowell and Chris Sarandon really be better that David Tennant and Colin Farrell? I very much doubt it but this is the original so it’s probably worth seeing.

       One thing is immediately obvious: Anton Yeltsin is much better as Charley than Ragsdale, Toni Collette is much better as his mother and Imogen Poots is much better as his girlfriend.

       The story: Charley believes that his new neighbour (Sarandon) is a vampire. Nobody believes him. Until they do.

       It’s all in the actors. In this version they’re flat or hammy. In the re-make they’re convincing. The remake is better and I gave it 3 ½*. I will probably give it 4* when I see it again. Which may be soon. 

2 ½ * of 5  

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

In Search of a Midnight Kiss

 

In Search of a Midnight Kiss 2007

• Director: Alex Holdridge
• Based on the book: no
• Cast: Scoot McNairy, Sara Simmonds, Brian McGuire, Kathleen Luong, Robert Murphy, Twink Caplan
• Personal “oh yeah him/her” reaction, i.e. have seen this actor in:
• Scoot McNairy – Once upon a Time in Hollywood, Black Sea, Gone Girl, 12 Years a Slave, Six Feet Under
• Twink Caplan – Clueless
• Why? Good reviews
• Seen: 21 March 2024 

       Wilson (McNairy) is a 29-year-old loser in LA who’s desperate not to be alone on New Year’s Eve. His best friend (McQuire) talks him into signing up on a date site. He meets Vivian (Simmonds).

       Films with nothing happening but a young man and a young woman who don’t know each other walking around a city talking are highly over-rated. If not even Ethan Hawke can make me like that kind of film, this one probably can’t either.

       McNairy has some appeal (though his character doesn’t) but Simmonds is anonymously cute with little charisma. I hope the midnight kiss comes soon because it’s boring, unlikely and faintly unpleasant.

 2* of 5  

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

The Quake

 

The Quake 2018

• Director: John Andreas Andersen
• Based on the book: no
• Cast: Kristoffer Joner, Ane Dahl Torp, Jonas Hoff Oftebro, Edith Haagenrud-Sonde, Katrine Thorborg Johansen
• Personal “oh yeah him/her” reaction, i.e. have seen this actor in:
• Kristoffer Joner – The Quake, Revenant
• Torp, Oftebo and Haadenrud-Sonde – Boelgen
• Why? Boelgen
• Seen: 20 March 2024 

       Three years after the tsunami that struck Oslo in Boelgen a new natural disaster threatens the city. The man who saved so many lives in the tsunami, Kristian (Joner) is now suffering from severe post-traumatic stress and feels guilt for all the people he didn’t save. He knows the quake is coming but no one listens to him so he tries at least to save his family.

       It’s exciting and I like the characters. The effects are spectacular. 

4* of 5  

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Death of a Salesman

 

Death of a Salesman 1985

• Director: Volker Schlöndorff
• Seen by this director: The Handmaid’s Tale, The Tin Drum
• Based on the play by Arthur Miller
• Cast: Dustin Hoffman, John Malkovich, Kate Reid, Stephen Lang
• Personal “oh yeah him/her” reaction, i.e. have seen this actor in:
• Dustin Hoffman – Many
• John Malkovich - Many
• Kate Reid – Atlantic City
• Why? Good play
• Seen: 18 March 2024 

       Lee J Cobb’s version from the 60s has etched itself into my memory of this powerful play. Dustin Hoffman has a lot to live up to.

       Willy (Hoffman), a travelling salesman, is exhausted with his work, his family, his life. He’s angry and bitter and suffers from encroaching dementia. His wife Linda (Reid) is loving, long-suffering, worried and cowed by Willy’s verbal abuse. They have two grown sons. It is not a happy family.

       There’s a lot of shouting and talking. It’s a bit irritating, to be honest, and there are too many slow empty scenes. It does get dramatic as the dysfunctional family confronts its demons and realises that the American dream is dissolving into ashes of failure.

       But. Too much shouting. Not Hoffman’s best.

2 ½ * of 5  

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Princess of Thieves

 

Princess of Thieves 2001

• Director: Peter Hewitt
• Seen by this director: Whatever Happened to Harold Smith
• Based on the book: no
• Cast: Keira Knightley, Malcolm McDowell, Stuart Wilson, Crispin Letts, Jonathan Hyde, Stephen Moyer
• Personal “oh yeah him/her” reaction, i.e. have seen this actor in:
• Keira Knightley – many.
• Malcolm McDowell – mainly, especially A Clockwork Orange and If
• Stuart Wilson – Hot Fuzz, Dinotopia, Edie & Pen, Death and the Maiden, Ivanhoe, I Claudius
• Crispin Letts – Death on the Nile, Murder on the Orient Express, Skyfall
• Why? A young Keira Knightley
• Seen: 16 March 2024 

       Robin Hood and Marion had a daughter and she grew up to be a rebel. Never mind the story, it isn’t worth the bother. Walt Disney films can be good but this one isn’t. It’s embarrassingly bad and it’s lucky for Keira Knightley that the world didn’t hold it against her.

       1* because I watched the whole thing and ½* for the Girl Power message.     

 1½ * of 5  

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

This Is Spinal Tap

 

This Is Spinal Tap 1984

• Director: Rob Reiner
• Seen by this director: The Magic of Belle Isle, Rumour Has It, Misery, When Harry Met Sally, Stand by Me
• Based on the book: no
• Cast: Rob Reiner, Michael McKean, Christopher Guest
• Personal “oh yeah him/her” reaction, i.e. have seen this actor in:
• Rob Reiner – The Wolf of Wall Street, EDtv, First Wives Club, Sleepless in Seattle, Postcards from the Edge, All in the Family
• Why? Vague memories of possibly liking it the first time
• Seen: Once before. Now 15 March 2024 

       A pretend documentary about a pretend British rock band on a US tour that is more or less a complete disaster. It’s a parody of hard rock bands in the early 80s but it’s uncomfortably close to being accurate. Most viewers find it hilarious, best rock film ever made and all that. It is kind of funny, especially the deaths of all their drummers, but it’s a little too close to reality to laugh all that much. The whole macho 80s hard rock scene is a little embarrassing. And kind of sad. As is the film. 

3* of 5   

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

The Touch

 

The Touch 2002

• Director: Peter Pau
• Seen by this director: Crouching Tiger Hidden Dragon
• Based on the book: no
• Cast: Michelle Yeoh, Ben Chaplin, Richard Roxburgh, Brandon Chang, Margaret Wang
• Personal “oh yeah him/her” reaction, i.e. have seen this actor in:
• Michelle Yeoh – Everything Everywhere All At Once, Last Christmas, Sunshine, Crouching Tiger Hidden Dragon, Tomorrow Never Dies
• Ben Chaplin – The Children Act, Snowden, Cinderella, Birthday Girl, Remains of the Day 
• Richard Roxburgh – Elvis, Hacksaw Ridge, Moulin Rouge
•  Why? Michelle Yeoh
• Seen: 14 March 2024 

       Yin (Yeoh) and her brother (Chang) are renowned acrobats. Eric (Chaplin) is a master thief who has stolen a sacred relic but instead of giving it to his boss (Roxburgh) he gives it to his ex-lover, Yin.

       The film got almost unanimously bad reviews but I want to see Michelle Yeoh. Indeed, she’s the only asset the film offers. Well, also Chaplin’s handsome charm. Otherwise it’s mostly just a kung foo crouching tigers stolen treasure mishmash.

       But quite entertaining. And Yeoh is an impressive acrobat and kick fighter.

       So, no, it’s not very good. But I’ve seen worse. The Girl Power is cool.

       What’s this? Do I actually like it? 

3* of 5  

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Triangle of Sadness

 

Triangle of Sadness 2022

• Director: Ruben Östlund
• Seen by this director: Turist, Gitarrmongot
• Based on the book: no
• Cast: Harris Dickinson, Charlbi Dean, Vicki Berlin, Woody Harrelson
• Personal “oh yeah him/her” reaction, i.e. have seen this actor in:
• Harris Dickinson – Where the Crawdads Sing, The Darkest Minds
• Woody Harrelson – Many
• Why? Östlund
• Seen: 13 March 2024 

       Carl (Dickinson) and Yaya (Dean), both fashion models and turbulent lovers, join a luxury cruise yacht and its superrich passengers.     

       It’s absurd, of course, it’s meant to be. And satirical, to be expected. The famous vomiting scene is…rather more realistic than the weak-stomached might wish.

       Some people hate Ruben Östlund’s films. Some love them. I’ve liked the ones I’ve seen. He has a sharp eye for social absurdities and human foibles and he knows how to package them in innovative films.

       It’s a yes from me.    

 4* of 5  

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Train to Busan

 

Train to Busan 2016

• Director: Yeon Sang-Ho
• Based on the book: no
• Cast: Gong Yoo, Jung Yu-Mi, Ma Dong-Seok, Kim Su-An
• Personal “oh yeah him/her” reaction, i.e. have seen this actor in:
• Sadly, none of them
• Why? Zombies. Recommended by my friend JS.
• Seen: 11 March 2024 

       Zombies in Korea. Panic on the train from Seoul to Busan as more and more of the passengers and crew are attacked and become zombies within seconds.

       The film focuses on a young self-centred hedge fund manager (Yoo), who is reluctantly accompanying his little daughter (Su-An) to her mother in Busan, and a small group of other survivors (so far).

       It’s exciting, credible, not just dramatic but a psychological study of humans in crisis. There’s courage, cowardice, solidarity, murderous selfishness. Some fascism emerges and there is some character growth.

       Zombie lovers of the world, do not miss this one.    

    

4½ * of 5  

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

In the Presence of Mine Enemies

 

In the Presence of Mine Enemies 1997

• Director: Joan Micklin Silver
• Based on the book: no
• Cast: Armin Mueller-Stahl, Charles Dance, Elina Löwensohn, Chad Lowe, Don McKeller
• Personal “oh yeah him/her” reaction, i.e. have seen this actor in:
• Armin Mueller-Stahl – The X Files Fight the Future, Shine, Kafka, Night on Earth
• Charles Dance – The Book of Vision, Johnny England Strikes Again, Euphoria, That Good Night, Victor Frankenstein, Game of Thrones, Woman in Gold, The Imitation Game, Merlin, Starter for 10, Gosford Park, Hilary & Jackie, Michael Collins, Alien 3
• Elina Löwensohn – La Guerre est declarée, Venus Noire, Un long dimanche de fiancailles, Schindler’s List 
• Don McKeller – Scott Pilgrim vs the World, Slings and Arrows, eXistenZ, The Red Violin
•  Why? The subject
• Seen: 6 March 2024 

       Warsaw 1942. Rabbi Adam Hiller (Mueller-Stahl) tries to quell the rising urge for violent revolt in the ghetto against the Nazi oppressors. He is increasingly burdened by the appeals for help from his people as Nazi atrocities escalate. His son Paul (McKeller), escaped from a camp, burns for violent revenge. His daughter Rachel (Löwensohn) is raped by a German officer. His faith falters and he goes a little mad.

       It should be a very powerful film. Maybe for young people for whom this is their first exposure to this historical period, it is. But it’s filled with clichés and stereotypes and bad dialog.      

 

2½ * of 5  

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

The Molly Maguires

 

The Molly Maguires 1970

• Director: Martin Ritt
• Seen by this director: Stanley and Iris, Norma Rae, The Long Hot Summer
• Based on the book: no
• Cast: Sean Connery, Richard Harris, Samantha Eggar
• Personal “oh yeah him/her” reaction, i.e. have seen this actor in:
• Sean Connery – James Bond etc
• Richard Harris – Harry Potter, Gladiator, Smilla’s Sense of Snow, Camelot
• Samantha Eggar – The Astronaut’s Wife, The Collector
• Why? The subject
• Seen: Once before. Now 10 March 2024 

       The Molly Maguires were a secret group of Irish-American coal miners in the 19^th century. In the film Sean Connery is one of them and it opens with him and others blowing up a mine. Richard Harris plays a detective who infiltrates the miners and the Mollies.

       It is slow, verging on boring, and there is an unnecessary romance side story, but it portrays an important chapter in American labour history, so it’s worth seeing.      

 3* of 5  

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Shattered Glass

 

Shattered Glass 2003

• Director: Billy Ray
• Based on the book: no
• Cast: Hayden Christensen, Chloe Sevigny, Peter Sarsgaard, Steve Zahn, Rosario Dawson, Melanie Linskey, Hank Azaria
• Personal “oh yeah him/her” reaction, i.e. have seen this actor in:
• Hayden Christensen – Jumper, Factory Girl, Star Wars
• Chloe Sevigny – The Snowman, Broken Flowers Manderlay, Dogville, American Psycho, The Last Days of Disco
• Steve Zahn – Sunshine Cleaning, Riding in Cars with Boys, Hamlet, SubUrbia, Reality Bites 
• Peter Sarsgaard – An Education, Jarhead, Dead Man Walking
• Rosario Dawson – Zombieland Double Tap, Jessica Jones, Rent
• Hank Azaria - Friends, Cradle Will Rock, Heat
•  Why? Possibly interesting
• Seen: 9 March 2024 

       Stephen Glass (Christensen) is a young superstar amongst journalists, writing for all the biggest US magazines. He’s well-liked, kind, amiable.

       And then it’s discovered that he’s fabricated his latest major piece. Maybe many of his major pieces.

       It’s dramatic, based on true events and very well acted.           

 4* of 5  

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Women Talking

 

Women Talking 2022

• Director: Sarah Polley
• Seen by this director: Away from Her
• Based on the book by Miriam Toews
• Cast: Rooney Mara, Claire Foy, Jessie Buckley, Frances McDormand, Sheila McCarthy, Ben Whishaw
• Personal “oh yeah him/her” reaction, i.e. have seen this actor in:
• Rooney Mara – Don’t Worry He Won’t Get Far on Foot, Social Network
• Claire Foy – The Electrical Life of Louis Wain, First Man, Breathe, The Lady in the Van, Wolf Hall, Being Human
• Jessie Buckley – Judy, Chernobyl, Wild Rose, The Tempest
• Frances McDormand - many
• Sheila McCarthy – Orphan Black, Antiviral, Being Julia, Day after Tomorrow, I’ve Heard the Mermaids Singing
• Ben Whishaw – No Time to Die, The Personal History of David Copperfield, London Spies, Spectre, Suffragette, Skyfall, Cloud Atlas, Richard II, The Tempest, Bright Star, Layer Cake
• Why? The subject
• Seen: 8 March 2024 

       The women of a religious sect are drugged and sexually abused regularly by some of the men, who are finally caught and arrested. The sect’s men start raising bail for their release. The women must quickly decide: forgive them, not forgive them and be banished from the sect and heaven, stay and fight, or leave.

       That’s what they’re talking about.

Believe it or not, this is based on true events, not in the 16^th century, not in the 1950s, but less than 20 years ago.

Though extreme, the conflict these women are talking about here is relevant to our whole society.

The cast is outstanding.                   

 4 ½ * of 5  

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Alamar

 

Alamar 2009

• Director: Pedro González-Rubio
• Based on the book: no
• Cast: Jorge Machado, Roberta Palombini, Natan Machado Palombini, Nestór Marín
• Personal “oh yeah him/her” reaction, i.e. have seen this actor in:
• None of them. They all play themselves.
• Why? Possibly good
• Seen: 5 March 2024 

       Five-year-old Natan (Mochado-Palombini) is spending a month on his father Jorge’s (Mochado) and grandfather’s (Marín) island off Mexico. Fishing is a hard life but life on and by the sea is harmonious and beautiful. And then he goes back to Italy with his mother (Palombini).

       A nice little semi-documentary with pretty nature filming and an afterword about saving coral reefs, but frankly, just a bit boring.      

 2½ * of 5  

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

St Trinian's

 

St Trinian’s 2007

• Director: Oliver Parker and Barnaby Thompson
• Seen by these directors: Johnny English Reborn, St Trinian’s 2, Othello
• Based on the book: no
• Cast: Talulah Riley, Rupert Everett, Gemma Arterton, Jodie Whittaker, Lily Cole, Celia Imre, Fenella Woolgar, Colin Firth
• Personal “oh yeah him/her” reaction, i.e. have seen this actor in:
• Taluleh Riley – The Liability, Inception, St Trinian 2, The Boat that Rocked, Doctor Who, Pride and Prejudice
• Rupert Everett – Miss Peregrine’s Home for Peculiar Children, Hysteria, St Trinian 2, To Kill a King, A Midsummer Night’s Dream, Shakespeare in Love, The Madness of King George, Dance with a Stranger
• Gemma Arterton – Summerland, Their Finest, The Girl with All the Gifts, 100 Streets, A Song for Marion, Tamara Drewe, St Trinian 2, The Boat that Rocked, Quantum of Solace, Lost in Austen
• Jodie Whittaker – Doctor Who, Journeyman, Trust Me, Broadchurch, Adult Life Skills, Good Vibrations, Attack the Block, Marchlands, St Trinian 2, Perrier’s Bounty
• Lily Cole – Star Wars the Last Jedi, Doctor Who, The Imaginarium of Doctor Parnassus
• Celia Imre – many
• Fenella Woolgar – many
• Colin Firth - many
•  Why? The cast and the sequel.
• Seen: 4 March 2024 

       A school for the worst girl students in Great Britain. Emos, moonshiners, designers of tampons, pranksters and ‘Mission Impossible’ type thieves of ‘The Girl with Pearl Earring.’

       Of course it’s ridiculous. And juvenile. And utter nonsense. And possibly not as good as the originals from the 50s and 60s, but I’ve not seen them so I don’t have to bother with them.

       I love it.     

4* of 5  

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Department Q The Absent One (Fasanjägarna)

 

Department Q: The Absent One (Fasanjägarna) 2014

• Director: Mikkel Noergaard
• Seen by this director: Kvinnan i rummet
• Based on the book by Jussi Adler-Olsen
• Cast: Nikolai Lie-Kaas, Fares Fares, Pilou Asbaek, David Dencik, Danica Curcic, Sarah-Sophie Bousnina, Johanne Louise Schmidt, Marco Ilsoe
• Personal “oh yeah him/her” reaction, i.e. have seen this actor in:
• Nikolai Lie-Kaas – The Whistleblower, Kvinnan i rummet
• Fares Fares – Chernobyl, Rogue One, Jalla jalla, Kvinnan i rummet
• Pilou Asbaek – Game of Thrones, Ghost in the Shell, Kriget, Lucy, The Whistleblower
• David Dencik – No Time to Die, Chernobyl, Snömannen, Regression, Top of the Lake, Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy, Män som hatar kvinnor, Upp till kamp
• Danica Curcic – Ut och stjäla hästar, Bron
• Danica Curcic - Bron
• Why? The first one in the series is good.
• Seen: 3 March 2024 

       Department Q is back. Danish cops Carl (Lie-Kaas) and Assad (Fares) are investigating another cold case. Murder, rape, missing persons, drugs and very rich, powerful and violent sadists.

       Grim and suspenseful and great acting. Just like the first one.

       After seeing the first film I read the book but didn’t like it. The film is much better. I’m not going to read this book.

 

4* of 5  

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Drag Me to Hell

 

Drag Me to Hell 2009

• Director: Sam Raimi
• Seen by this director: The Gift, A Simple Plan
• Based on the book: no
• Cast: Alison Lohman, Justin Long, Lorna Raver, Dileep Rao, David Paymer, Reggie Lee
• Personal “oh yeah him/her” reaction, i.e. have seen this actor in:
• Alison Lohman – Things We Lost in the Fire, Big Fish, White Oleander
• Justin Long – He’s Just Not that Into You
• Reggie Lee – The Lincoln Lawyer, Grimm, The Dark Knight Rises, Crazy Stupid Love
• Why? Curious
• Seen: 1 March 2024 

       Once again, I’m trying to find a scary movie that’s scary.

       In an attempt to prove to her boss that she can make tough decisions Christine (Lohman) refuses to extend a mortgage to a sick witch-like old woman. On her way home Chris is attacked by the old woman, who curses her.

       Well, the title is a clue.

       Is it scary? Well, no, but it’s kind of funny at times. The thing is, people who work at banks and want to become district managers are not my favourite group of people. I really don’t like banks. And if she sacrifices her kitten to get rid of the curse I will be very angry.

       I really must learn not to bother with scary movies. They’re so silly.            

 2* of 5