Corsage

 

Corsage 2022

• Director: Marie Kreutzer
• Based on the novel: no
• Cast: Vicky Krieps, Florian Teichtmeister, Katharina Lorenz, Colin Morgan
• Personal “oh yeah him/her” reaction, i.e. have seen this actor in
• Vicky Krieps – Old, Colonia, Hanna
• Colin Morgan – Belfast, Three Families, The Crown, Humans, The Fall, The Living and the Dead, The Laughing King, Legend, Testament of Youth, The Tempest, Quirke, Merlin, Island, Parked. Doctor Who, the Catherine Tate Show
• Why? Colin Morgan
• Seen: 21 September 2024 

Elizabeth (Krieps) is the Empress of Austria, wife of Franz Joseph (Teichtmeister). She has turned forty and is regarded as old. She doesn’t want to be old, she doesn’t feel old. She loves riding and she’s strongly attracted to her sister’s groom Bay (Morgan). The attraction is mutual but she cuts it off because her grown son is afraid of scandal. She feels imprisoned in her boring life.

The risk with films about boring lives is that the films becomes boring. This is close at times but it’s handsome and quirky enough to hold the attention. It’s not gripping but it is interesting.

3* of 5

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

A Prairie Home Companion

 

A Prairie Home Companion 2006

• Director: Robert Altman
• Seen by this director: Gosford Park, Nashville, McCabe and Mrs Miller, M*A*S*H
• Based on the radio program by Garrison Keillor
• Cast: Lily Tomlin, Meryl Streep, Woody Harrelson, Kevin Kline, John C Reilly
• Personal “oh yeah him/her” reaction, i.e. have seen this actor in
• All of them – Many
• Why? Minnesota
• Seen: Once before. Now 20 September 2024 

It must be confessed – or maybe not – that Minnesota plays a part in my past so it’s kind of a duty to like this film. Or at least see it. Or at least like Garrison Keillor.

’A Prairie Home Companion’ is a radio program based in St Paul, Minnesota, which has been bought and closed down by some rich guy in Texas. Not-at-all fun fact: Texas bought the Minnesota Northstars for which I hate the state of Texas. The film is about the last broadcast.

The radio program really existed. My dad loved it.

Great cast, boring film. Minnesota notwithstanding, this is awful. 

1* of 5

 

 

 

 

 

 

Moonfall

 

Moonfall 2022

• Director: Roland Emmerich
• Seen by this director: 2012, Day after Tomorrow, Independence Day
• Based on the novel: no
• Cast: Halle Berry, Patrick Wilson, John Bradley, Charlie Plummer, Donald Sutherland
• Personal “oh yeah him/her” reaction, i.e. have seen this actor in
• Halle Berry, Patrick Wilson and Donald Sutherland – Many
• John Bradley – The Game of Thrones, Merlin
• Why? Sci fi
• Seen: 19 September 2024  

Most viewers seem to regard this film as bad, inane, ridiculous, unscientific and – fun, enjoyable, worth several more * that one would expect. So let’s see.

Though it starts with the death of an astronaut, it seems to be a comedy, a farce even. The moon’s orbit has shifted and it will probably crash into the Earth any day now, but the main conflict seems to be family squabbles.

Yupp. Bad, inane, ridiculous, unscientific (though, who knows?) and fun, enjoyable and the likeable actors make it worth 

3* of 5

 

 

 

 

 

 

Beau Is Afraid

 

Beau Is Afraid 2023

• Director: Ari Aster
• Seen by this director: Midsommar, Hereditary
• Based on the novel: no
• Cast: Joaquin Phoenix, Patti LuPone, Amy Ryan, Nathan Lane, Kylie Rogers, Armen Nahapatian, Stephen McKinley Henderson
• Personal “oh yeah him/her” reaction, i.e. have seen this actor in
• Joaquin Phoenix – Many
• Patti LuPone – Last Christmas, Union Square, Driving Miss Daisy, Witness
• Amy Ryan – The Wire, Birdman, Dan in Real Life, Gone Baby Gone, War of the Worlds, You Can Count on Me, I’ll Fly Away
• Nathan Lane – Swing Vote, Absolutely Fabulous, Love’s Labour’s Lost, The Birdcage, Frankie & Johnny, Ironweed
• Kylie Rogers – Skin
• Stephen McKinley Henderson - Dune, Lady Bird, Fences, Manchester by the Sea, Lincoln, Extremely Loud and Incredibly Close
• Why? Joaquin Phoenix
• Seen: 18 September 2024 

Beau (Phoenix) is a slightly overweight middle-aged man with serious phobias, anxieties and paralysing mum issues. In an attempt to visit her (LuPone) on the anniversary of his dad’s death everything in the cosmos conspires against him. Stolen keys. Blocked pay cards. Dead bodies. Poisonous spiders. Flooding bathtubs.

And it gets worse. And worse.

It’s absurd to the point of ludicrous, nightmarish but funny as nightmares can be. If it’s a film.

Poor Beau. Phoenix is phenomenal.

I’ve maybe seen weirder films but not recently. No doubt when I saw Midsummer by the same director. 

4* of 5

 

 

 

 

 

Zathura a Space Adventure

Zathura: A Space Adventure 2005

• Director: Jon Favreau
• Seen by this director: The Lion King, Iron Man etc
• Based on the novel: no
• Cast: Josh Hutcherson, Jonah Bobo, Dax Shephard, Tim Robbins, Kristen Stewart
• Personal “oh yeah him/her” reaction, i.e. have seen this actor in
• Josh Hutcherson – The Hunger Games
• Tim Robbins – Many
• Kristen Stewart - Many
• Why? Sci fi
• Seen: 17 September 2024 

Stressed divorced dad (Robbins) of three kids (Hutcherson, Bobo and Stewart) has got to go to an important meeting so leaves the kids at home in the care the indifferent sister.

They find a game called Zathura a Space Adventur, involving moving markers and drawing cards. Whatever is written on the cards happens. Including their house floating through outer space.

Cool. But scary.

It’s no Doctor Who but it’s fun with some clever effects. According to other viewers it’s pretty much a rip-off of a film called Jumanji but since I’ve neither seen it nor heard of it I don’t need to bother with it. I’m enjoying this one. Too bad it’s mostly for boys, and a little too long. 

3* of 5

 

 

 

  

All Quiet on the Western Front

 

All Quiet on the Western Front 1930

• Director: Lewis Milestone
• Based on the novel by Erick Maria Remarque
• Cast: Lew Ayres
• Personal “oh yeah him/her” reaction, i.e. have seen this actor in
• Lew Ayres – mostly TV series
• Why? The book
• Seen: 15 September 2024  

In a fit of ignorant and burning patriotism, egged on by hysterically nationalistic adults, a class of young German lads enlist as soldiers in 1914. They soon learn that there is no glory in war, only rain, mud, sadistic officers, starvation, bombs, fear, injury, killing, death.

No glory, no honour, no meaning or purpose, no victory.

One of the strongest anti-war films made based on one of the best anti-war books written, but what good did it do? The next world war broke out 9 years after the film was released.

It’s a well-made film that has held up well but I find that I can’t give it a rating. War hasn’t ended. 

No rating

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

The Burning Plain

 

The Burning Plain 2008

• Director: Guillermo Arriaga
• Based on the novel: no
• Cast: Charlize Theron, Jennifer Lawrence, Kim Basinger
• Personal “oh yeah him/her” reaction, i.e. have seen this actor in
• Charlize Theron – Many
• Jennifer Lawrence – Many
• Kim Bassinger – The Nice Guys, 8 Mile
• Why? Possibly interesting
• Seen: 14 September 2024      

Confusing, multi-charactered story. Adultery, teen-aged kids, dead parents. It jumps back and forth in time, which doesn’t help.

The acting is good but the interlocking stories with the mish-mash time line just doesn’t work for me. 

2 ½ * of 5

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Crimson Peak

 

Crimson Peak 2015

• Director: Guillerma del Toro
• Seen by this director: The Shape of Water, Pacific Rim, Pan’s Labyrinth, Mimic  
• Based on the novel: no
• Cast: Mia Wasikowska, Jessica Chastain, Tom Hiddleston
• Personal “oh yeah him/her” reaction, i.e. have seen this actor in
• Mia Wasikowska – Many
• Jessica Chastain – Many
• Tom Hiddleston – many including The Hollow Crown
• Why? The cast
• Seen: 13 September 2024 

Edith Cushing (Wasikowska) a radical young writer in late 19th century New York, sees ghosts, and writes about them ’as metaphores’, unappreciated by publishers.

Thomas Sharpe (Hiddleston) an inventor from London and impoverished aristocrat, unappreciated by Edith’s father who forbids him from seeing Edith.

Romance, class politics, ghosts and Tom Hiddleston – what more can we ask?

As followers of this blog know, I’m not fond of love stories but, I mean, Tom Hiddleston! Even if he is charmingly creepy here.

It’s a visually pleasing, spooky and entertaining Gothic romance. 

4* of 5

 

 

 

 

Together 99

 

Together 99 (Tillsammans 99)

• Director: Lukas Moodysson
• Seen by this director: Fucking Åmål, Lilja 4-ever, Tillsammans
• Based on the novel: no
• Cast: Lisa Lindgren, Gustaf Hammarsten, Anja Lundqvist, Shanti Roney, Sten Ljungren, Jonas Karlsson
• Personal “oh yeah him/her” reaction, i.e. have seen this actor in
• Lisa Lindgren – Tusenbröder, Tillsammans
• Gustaf Hammarsten – Old, Stockholm, Cleo, Tillsammans
• David Dencik – Chernobyl, Snömannen, Regression, Fasanjägarna, Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy, Män som hatar kvinnor, Upp till kamp
• Jonas Karlsson – Snömannen, Gustav III:s äktenskap, The Tempest at Sweden’s Dramatic Theatre
• Shanti Roney - Tusenbröder, Stockholm, Tillsammans
• Sten Ljungren – Gräns, Snoken, Tillsammans
• Why? Tillsammans
• Seen: 12 September 2024 

Twenty-four years later. Only two of them still live in the commune Tillsammans (Together), Göran (Hammarsten) and Klasse (Roney). They have weekly meetings (read: bickering) to discuss the washing up and the need to recruit new members.

Then Klasse invites the old gang to Göran’s birthday.

Awkward, awkward.

The abusive-turned loving husband (Michael Nyquist) has died – accident or suicide, no one knows. Michael Nyquist has died so they had to write him out the story (I miss him still) but he’s mentioned in the credits. Others, whereabouts unknown, or suffering mental illness or cancer, or spewing fanatical right-wing hatred, or successful in the real world but unhappy. And there’s a guy there who no one knows. Who’s he?

The first film is funny as well as sad. This one is just sad. Old dreams and friendships have faded or become scewed.

It’s as good as the first one.

4* of 5

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Together

 

Together (Tillsammans) 2000

• Director: Lukas Moodysson
• Seen by this director: Fucking Åmål, Lilja 4-ever
• Based on the novel: no
• Cast: Lisa Lindgren, Michael Nyquist, Emma Samuelsson, Sam Kessel, Gustaf Hammarsten, Anja Lundqvist, Ola Rapace, Shanti Roney, Sten Ljungren, Jessica Liedberg
• Personal “oh yeah him/her” reaction, i.e. have seen this actor in
• Lisa Lindgren – Tusenbröder
• Michael Nyquist – Colonia, Min så kallade pappa, John Wick, Luftslottet som sprängdes, Flickan som lekte med elden, Män som hatar kvinnor, Grabben i graven bredvid,
• Gustaf Hammarsten – Old, Stockholm, Cleo
• Ola Rapace – Vit skräp, Valerian and the City of a Thousand Planets, Skyfall, Svinalängorna, Tusenbröder
• Shanti Roney - Tusenbröder, Stockholm
• Sten Ljungren – Gräns, Snoken
• Why? Michael Nyquist, a modern Swedish classic
• Seen: Once before. Now 11 September 2024 

Stockholm, 1975. Franco is dead and the members of Tillsammans, the commune Together, are jubilant.

This is the story of the lives and loves, conflicts, friendships, squabbles, worries, arguments over whose turn it is to do the dishes, socialism, joys, nudity, sex, lack thereof, hotdogs. The sister Elizabeth (Lindgren) of one of them, Göran (Hammarsten), leaves her abusive husband (Nyquist) and moves in with two reluctant and sullen kids.

It’s funny and sad, philosophical and political, realistic and gently mocking, painful and affectionate, a loving look at how difficult but important it is to try to live up to one’s principles, to try to create a world with a little more solidarity and equality.

OK, call me nostalgic. 

4* of 5

 

 

 

 

 

 

Liam

 

Liam 2000

• Director: Stephen Frears
• Seen by this director: Victoria & Abdul, Philomena, Tamara Drewe, The Queen, Mrs Henderson Presents, Dirty Pretty Things, High Fidelity, The Van, Mary Reilly, The Snapper, The Grifters, Prick Up Your Ears, My Beautiful Laundromat
• Based on the novel: no
• Cast: Anthony Borrows, Ian Hart, Claire Hackett, David Hart, Megan Burns, Anne Reid, Russell Dixon, Jane Gurnett
• Personal “oh yeah him/her” reaction, i.e. have seen this actor in
• Ian Hart – Mary Queen of Scots, Escape from Pretoria, Breakfast on Pluto, Tristram Shandy, Finding Neverland, Harry Potter, Born Romantic, AberdeenLongitude, Michael Collins
• Claire Hackett – Line of Duty
• Anne Reid – many
• Jane Gurnett – The Other Boleyn Girl
• Why? I remember it as good
• Seen: Once before. Now 5 September 2024 

Little Liam (Borrows) is the youngest in a Catholic working class family in Liverpool during the Depression. Unemployment, pawn shops, socialism, fascism, hell and damnation religion are all viewed through this child’s eyes.

Grim, complex and very well acted. 

4* of 5

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Tell No One

 

Tell No One 2006

• Director: Guillaume Canet
• Based on the novel by Harlan Corben
• Cast: Francois Cluzet, Marie-Jossé Croze, Jean Rochefort
• Personal “oh yeah him/her” reaction, i.e. have seen this actor in
• Francois Cluzet – Intouchables
• Jean Rochet – Mr Bean’s Holiday, Le chateau de ma mère
• Why? Good reviews
• Seen: 2 September 2024   

Eight years ago Margot (Croze), Alex’s (Cluzet) wife was murdered. Now the cops suspect him. He gets an anonymous video of her, showing that she’s alive.

A thriller but boring, contrived and convoluted. Cluzet looks so much like Dustin Hoffman that it’s weird to hear him speaking French.

Most viewers seem to love this film, but not me. 

2* of 5

 

 

 

 

 

 

Captain Fantastic

 

Captain Fantastic 2016

• Director: Matt Ross
• Based on the novel: no
• Cast: Viggo Mortensen, George McKay, Frank Langella, Ann Dowd
• Personal “oh yeah him/her” reaction, i.e. have seen this actor in
• Viggo Mortensen – Green Book, Far from Men, The Road, Hidalgo, Lord of the Rings etc, Hidstory of Violence, 28 Days, A Perfect Murder, Carlito’s Way, The Indian Runner, Witness
• George McKay – 1917, Pride, How I Live Now, Sunshine on Leith, Birdsong, Resistance
• Frank Langella – many
• Ann Dowd – Hereditary, The Leftovers,
• Why? Viggo Mortensen
• Seen: 2 September 2024   

Ben (Mortensen) lives in the wilderness with his six children. He teaches them survival, literature, music, socialism, love, honesty and life. His wife Leslie, their mother, has been hospitalised for more than two years for severe bipolarity. They all long to have her back. Then they learn that she has killed herself.

Her father (Langella) forbids them to come to the funeral but they refuse to obey. Off they go to the funeral.

I really don’t want to live in the wilderness and I love junk food but we could learn a lot from Ben and his kids while enjoying the film, which is close to a masterpiece. Good old Viggo, again. 

4 ½ * of 5

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

The Wings of the Dove

 

The Wings of the Dove 1997

• Director: Iain Softley  
• Based on the novel by Henry James
• Cast: Helena Bonham-Carter, Linus Roach, Alex Jennings, Charlotte Rampling, Elizabeth McGovern, Alison Elliot
• Personal “oh yeah him/her” reaction, i.e. have seen this actor in
• Helena Bonham-Carter – many
• Linus Roach – Yonkers Joe, Batman Begins, The Chronicles of Riddick, Seaforth
• Alex Jennings – The Crown, The Lady in the Van, Being Human, The Queen
• Charlotte Rampling – many
• Elizabeth McGovern – many
• Alison Elliot – The Assassination of Jesse James by the Coward Robert Ford
• Why? The cast
• Seen: 4 September 2024  

Henry James is not an author I read voluntarily (had to, at Uni) and I don’t generally like love stories even when they involve class conflict. Here Kate (Bonham-Carter) is the penniless ward of wealthy Maud (Rampling). Kate loves Merton (Roach), a radical journalist but Maud will make her penniless if she continues to see him.

Etc.

This is 1910 so the hats are impressive. The whole film is visually pleasing. The story is typical James, i.e. unpleasant with unpleasant characters. Such a pity that the good cast is wasted. I had hoped they would make a James adaption worth watching, but alas. 

2* of 5

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

The Pianist

The Pianist 2002

• Director: Roman Polanski
• Seen by this director: The Carnage, The Ghost Writer, The Ninth Gate, Death and the Maiden, Tess, Chinatown, Macbeth, Rosemary’s Baby
• Based on the book by Wladyslav Szpilman
• Cast: Adrien Brody, Thomas Kretschman, Frank Finlay, Emilia Fox, Maureen Lipman
• Personal “oh yeah him/her” reaction, i.e. have seen this actor in
• Adrien Brody – Detachment, Wrecked, Cadillac Records, Darjeeling Limited, King Kong, The Village, Bread and Roses
• Thomas Kretschman – Young Victoria, Valkyria, Wanted, King Kong
• Frank Finlay – Merlin, Longitude
• Emilia Fox – Merlin, Keeping Mum
• Maureen Lipman - Doctor Who, Love’ Labour’s Lost, Educating Rita
• Good film
• Seen: Several times. Now 1 September 2024   

Warsaw. Renmowned pianist Szpilman (Brody) and his family are forced to move into the ghetto with thousands of other Jews. They survive. Then they are rounded up and forced to the trains, only Wladek is rescued against his will as his family are sent off to Treblinka. He survives, day by day, year by year, going into hiding towards the end of the war, with the help of friends, and enemies.

Based on Szpilman’ book.

The film won a Bafta for best film. Brody won an Oscar for best actor. They’re worth it. 

5* of 5

 

 

 

 

 

 

  

Reminiscence

 

Reminiscence 2021

• Director: Lisa Joy
• Based on the novel: no
• Cast: Hugh Jackman, Rebecca Ferguson, Thandiwe Newton, Cliff Curtis
• Personal “oh yeah him/her” reaction, i.e. have seen this actor in
• Hugh Jackman – The Greatest Showman, Wolverine etc, Les Misérables, Chappie, Australia, The Fountain, Kate & Leopold
• Rebecca Ferguson – Dune, Doctor Sleep, The Greatest Showman, Snömannen, The Girl on the Train
• Thandiwe Newton – Line of Duty, 2012, How to Lose Friends and Alienate People Crash, The Chronicles of Riddick, Beloved, Gridlock’d, Interview with a Vampire
• Cliff Curtis – Doctor Sleep, Sunshine, The Fountain, Whale Rider, Once Were Soldiers, The Piano
• Why? Hugh Jackman
• Seen: 30 August 2024  

Miami. The future. The streets and some of the buildings are under water. The war is over. The rich have won and stolen almost everything from everyone else. The survivors struggle.

Partners Nick Bannister (Jackman) and Emily Watts (Newton), have a clinic and use new techniques for recreating clients’ memories. They also work for the police to search victims’ and culprits’ memories to get convictions.

Nick falls in love with a client, Mae, (Ferguson) but after a few months she disappears. After living in his memories of her to the point of becoming addicted, he starts searching for her.

The film has flaws but it’s also odd and compelling with great visuals and good acting. It could become a favourtite with more viewings. 

4* of 5

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

He's Just Not That Into You

 

He’s Just Not That Into You 2009

• Director: Ken Kwapis
• Based on the novel: no
• Cast: Ginnifer Goodwin, Jennifer Aniston, Jennifer Connelly, Bradley Cooper, Scarlett Johansson, Justin Long, Ben Affleck, Drew Barrymore
• Personal “oh yeah him/her” reaction, i.e. have seen this actor in
• Sorry, there’s too many and I can’t be bothered. You probably know them all anyway.
• Why? I seem to remember liking it and some of the cast.
• Seen: Once before. Now 29 August 2024  

Married, not married, want to be married, don’t want to be married, calling back too often, not calling back at all. Men. Women.

Jennifer Connelly, Scarlett Johansson and Bradley Cooper are good as always. Otherwise, I don’t know what I liked about this the first time. I suppose because it sort of makes fun of the whole dating thing. It’s sad really. And irritating. Even offensive at times.

Nope. This time I don’t like it. 

2* of 5