Bill & Ted's Excellent Adventure

Bill and Ted’s Excellent Adventure 1989

• Director: Stephen Herek
• Based on the book: no
• Cast: Keanu Reeves, Alex Winter, George Carlin and many others I don’t recognise
• Personal “oh yeah him/her” reaction, i.e. have seen this actor in:
• Keanu Reeves – John Wick, The Private Lives of Pippa Lee, The Day the Earth Stood Still, The Lake House, A Scanner Darkly, The Matrix Trilogy, Sweet November, The Gift, Feeling Minnesota, Johnny Mnemonic, Speed, Much Ado about Nothing, My Own Private Idaho, Thumbsucker
• George Carlin – Dogma, Prince of Tides
• Why? I liked it the first time
• Seen: Once before, now 15 September 2019      

       The year 2688. Rufus (Carlin) welcomes us to this great and excellent future and tells us he must travel back in time to help the two young heroes fulfil their mission to save the world and the universe.

       Bill (Winter) and Ted (Reeves) are two very nerdy wannabe rock stars who can’t play their instruments and have zero clue about anything.

       Followers of this blog may have noted that I’m a history teacher and so I take it very seriously that these boys are failing their history class miserably. I applaud the teacher who gives them one last chance in their final history project. If they flunk this, Ted’s father is going to send him to military school in Alaska.

       They definitely need help from the future.

       I love Keanu Reeves. Here he’s wonderfully witless and so sweetly young. The whole film is just so juvenile, so silly, so much laugh-out-loud fun. And wow, isn’t that Clarence Clemons? And extra star for him.

       But really – a phone box for time travel? Isn’t that just a wee bit of Doctor Who plagiarism?

       Oh well, they’ve done their thievery from a brilliant series.

4 * of 5 (Hal can stretch it to 2 ½)

Remember, one of my stars is for Clarence.

X Men First Class

X Men First Class 2011

• Director: Matthew Vaughn
• Based on the book: no
• Cast: James McAvoy, Michael Fassbinder, Jennifer Lawrence, Kevin Bacon, Rose Byrne, Oliver Platt, January Jones, Nicholas Hoult, Caleb Landry Jones, Lucas Till
• Personal “oh yeah him/her” reaction, i.e. have seen this actor in:
• James McAvoy – Victor Frankenstein, X Men Days of Future Past, Filth, The Last Station, Wanted, Atonement, Becoming Jane, Starter for 10, The Last King of Scotland, Macbeth Re-Told, Inside I’m Dancing, Bright Young Things
• Michael Fassbinder – Macbeth, X Men Days of Future Past, Prometheus, Jane Eyre, Inglourious Basterds, Fish Tank, Hunger
• Jennifer Lawrence – Passengers, Joy, The Hunger Games 1-4, Silver Linings Playbook, Winter’s Bone
• Kevin Bacon – Frost/Nixon, Mystic River, JFK, Tremors, Footloose
• Rose Byrne – 28 Weeks Later, Sunshine, The Dead Girl,
• Oliver Platt – Nine Lives, Ginger and Rosa, 2012, Frost/Nixon, Benny and Joon, Postcards from the Edge, Working Girl, Married to the Mob
• January Jones – Madmen, The Boat that Rocked, Love Actually, Full Frontal, The Glass House
• Nicholas Hoult – Mad Max Fury Road, X Men Days of Future Past, Jack the Giant Slayer, Wah-Wah, About a Boy, Intimate Relations
• Caleb Landry Jones – Three Billboards outside Ebbing Missouri, Breaking Bad, No Country for Old Men
• Lucas Till – X Men Days of Future Past, Walk the Line
• Why? Because
• Seen: 13 September 2019      

       Grim start. Concentration camp WWII, a boy with powers. Switch to a boy in a stately country home who discovers a blue girl in the kitchen and is happy because he’s not the only mutant with unusual powers.

       In other words, the X Men (and Women) as children, and they grow up to become McAvoy, Lawrence et al.

       The bad X Men are on the side of the Russians. The good X Men are on the side of the CIA which just shows that the film doesn’t understand the complexities of political history, although the CIA is not only good here, and the Soviets are not all bad. Charles (McAvoy) puts together his own team of young mutants and off they go.

       The use of the Cold War of the 60’s is both clever and a bit tedious in its James Bondness. But the characters of the young mutants and their training to hone their special powers and themselves are very engaging and make this a strong film. It’s often exciting and the actors are good too. It’s one of the best prequels, ever so much better than the Star Wars prequels.

4 * of 5

Thumbsucker

Thumbsucker

• Director: Mike Mills
• Based on the book by Walter Kirn
• Cast: Lou Taylor Pucci, Tilda Swinton, Keanu Reeves, Vincent D’Onofrio, Kelli Garner, Vince Vaughn
• Personal “oh yeah him/her” reaction, i.e. have seen this actor in:
• Lou Taylor Pucci – Spring
• Tilda Swinton – Hail Caesar, The Zero Theorem, Snowpiercer, Only Lovers Left Alive, Moonrise Kingdom, The Curious Case of Benjamin Button, Michael Clayton, Broken Flowers, Young Adam, Adaption, Beach, Orlando
• Keanu Reeves – John Wick, The Private Lives of Pippa Lee, The Day the Earth Stood Still, The Lake House, A Scanner Darkly, The Matrix Trilogy, Sweet November, The Gift, Feeling Minnesota, Johnny Mnemonic, Speed, Much Ado about Nothing, My Own Private Idaho, Bill & Ted’s Excellent Adventure
• Vincent D’Onofrio – Cadillac Records, Homicide Life on the Street, Men in Black, Feeling Minnesota, Ed Wood, JFK, Full Metal Jacket
• Kelli Garner – Taking Woodstock, Lars and the Real Girl, The Aviator, Buffy the Vampire Slayer
• Vince Vaughn – Into the Wild, Pauly Shore Is Dead
• Why? Keanu Reeves
• Seen: 14 September 2019      

       Once again, I have absolutely no idea what this film is about. I’ll soon find out.

       Justin (Pucci) is an insecure nerdy teenager who sucks his thumb. His dad (D’Onofrio) is embarrassed and calls it pathetic. His mother (Swinton) tries to be understanding. His dentist (Reeves) tries to help him understand why and how to stop.

       Medication is suggested. He tries it and feels great. He even succeeds on the debating team, winning prizes.

       But life does not get simpler.

       This film got lots of praise and prizes and the acting is good, especially Pucci and Swinton with Reeves doing a convincing weird on this odd role as a very odd dentist. I should like it, but I find it hard to care about these dysfunctional people. There are no doubt important points made here but it comes off as a bit pretentious.

2 ½ * of 5, maybe 3

The Mist

The Mist 2007

• Director: Frank Darabont
• Based on the novella by Stephen King
• Cast: Thomas Jane, Marcia Gay Harden, Laurie Holden, Andre Braugher, Toby Jones, William Sadler, Jeffrey DeMunn, Frances Sternhagen, Nathan Gamble
• Personal “oh yeah him/her” reaction, i.e. have seen this actor in:
• Thomas Jane – The Thin Red Line, Face/Off, Buffy the Vampire Slayer
• Marcia Gay Harden – Into the Wild, The Dead Girl, American Dreamz, Mona Lisa’s Smile, Mystic River, Pollack, Meet Joe Black, First Wives’ Club, Miller’s Crossing
• Laurie Holden – The X Files
• Andre Braugher – Homicide Life on the Street
• Toby Jones – Sherlock, The Hunger Games, The Man Who Knew Infinity, My Week with Marilyn, Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy, Doctor Who, Kick Ass Girls St Trinian’s 2, Creation, Frost/Nixon, Amazing Grace, Infamous, Mrs Henderson Presents, Finding Neverland, Ladies in Lavender,  Hotel Splendide, Ever After, Naked, Orlando and he’s Dobby’s voice
• William Sadler – Fringe, Roswell, The Green Mile, The Shawshank Redemption
• Jeffrey DeMunn – Burn After Reading, The Green Mile, The X Files, The Shawshank Redemption, Hill Street Blues
• Francis Sternhagen – Julie and Julia, Misery, Independence Day
• Nathan Gamble – The Dark Knight
• Why? I liked it the first time
• Seen: Once before. Now 8 September 2019      

       Oh clever, the first scene is a young artist painting what insiders will recognise as a poster for Stephen King’s The Dark Tower. Then a big storm comes, causing great damage to the young family’s house. They see a mist coming across the lake. David (Jane), his son Billy (Gamble) and their cranky neighbour Benton (Braugher) head into town to the supermarket where people are buying up in face of what is clearly some kind of major disaster. The mist surrounds them, and they’re trapped. They panic, then deal, in different ways.

       This is Stephen King, folks. It’s creepy. It’s a study on human psychology in the face of the dangerous and incomprehensible. It looks into darkness. It doesn’t shy away from small town bigots and fanatics. And it has monsters. Really scary monsters.

       The hero David is too macho/handsome/all-wise/brave/generic to be believable or likeable but some of the supporting cast are good. Harden as the Christian fundamentalist. Jones as the supermarket manager. Braugher as the neighbour. Sternhagen as the old woman. Sadler is good and so is Gamble as the kid.

       This is Stephen King. Good vs evil. Stupidity vs reason. Good guys vs bad guys. There are some captivating nuances and it’s well filmed.

       This is Stephen King. Excessive in every way but addicting.

3 ½ * of 5

Legend (Ridley Scott)

Legend (Ridley Scott) 1985

• Director: Ridley Scott
• Based on the novel: no
• Cast: Tom Cruise, Mia Sara, Tom Curry, David Bennett, Alice Playton, Annabelle Lanyon, Tina Martin
• Personal “oh yeah him/her” reaction, i.e. have seen this actor in:
• Tom Cruise – Edge of Tomorrow, Oblivion, Valkyria, War of the Worlds, Eyes Wide Shut, Interview with a Vampire, Born on the Fourth of July, Rain Man, Cocktail
• David Bennett – The Tin Drum
• Annabelle Lanyon – The Quatermass Conclusion, The Brothers
• Why? Someone recommended it, I don’t remember who
• Seen: 7 September 2019      

       Oh dear, the Lord of Darkness is going to destroy the sun forever. The evil goblins are sent to destroy the unicorns. Enter the lovely human princess Lili (Sara) and the lovely human whatever-he-is – free spirit? – Jack (Cruise) and they frolic together in the forest.

       It’s just a fairy tale – enchantments, fairies, evil, love, riddles. There isn’t much of a story but lots of visual effects. Quite a lot of plagiarism from The Sword in the Stone, A Midsummer Night’s Dream (thought it’s winter), Macbeth, Star Wars, Lord of the Rings.

       It tries hard but Aliens it’s not nor is it Gladiator or Thelma and Louise or any of Scott’s many other good films. Ultimately, it’s trite and boring, not my kind of film at all.

1* of 5 (Hal gives it 2, he thought the story was OK).

A United Kingdom

A United Kingdom 2016

• Director: Amma Asante
• Based on the book by Susan Williams
• Cast: David Oyelowo, Rosamund Pike, Tom Felton, Jack Davenport, Laura Carmichael, Terry Pheto, Abena Ayivor
• David Oyelowo – Interstellar, The Butler, The Help, Small Island, The Nr 1 Ladies Detective Agency, The Last King of Scotland, As You Like It, Derailed
• Rosamund Pike – Gone Girl, What We Did on Our Holiday, A Long Way Down, The World’s End, Made in Dagenham, An Education, The Libertine
• Tom Felton – Harry Potter, Anna and the King
• Jack Davenport – The Boat that Rocked, Pirates of the Caribbean, The Libertine,
• Laura Carmichael – Downton Abbey, Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy
• Terry Pheto – Good-bye Bafana, Tsotsi
• Why? The subject.
• Seen: 6 September 2019      

       In one of the books I used in my English class there was a text about Seretse Khama and Ruth Williams. I included the text in the required reading. I wish I’d had this film to show my students. It’s based on a true story.

       In 1947 Seretse (Oyelowo) is a law student in London. Ruth (Pike) works in an office. Ruth’s sister Muriel (Carmichael) takes her to a church social for African students. Seretse and Ruth meet, and it’s love at first sight. Jazz and dancing sweeten their relationship but sadly he’s the heir to the throne of Bechuanaland and he must return to his country.

       In the face of racist outrage from both families and countries, they marry and go to Bechuanaland. The love story is more moving than most. The political intrigues are very interesting. They struggle with the poverty and the compact hostility of the British government and the neighbouring African British colonies. Their courage, persistence and ultimate success in defeating British imperialism to establish together the republic of Botswana gives hope. We know it’s possible to build something good from something bad.

       It’s an elegant film with solid acting, including Draco Malfoy in another nasty role that he (Felton) does so well.

       It’s just a bit glossy and feel-good for a full score but well worth

4* of 5

Pleasantville

Pleasantville 1998

• Director: Gary Ross
• Based on the novel: no
• Cast: Tobey Maguire, Reese Witherspoon, Jeff Daniels, Joan Allen, William H Macy, J T Walsh, Don Knotts, Marc Blucas, Danny Strong,
• Personal “oh yeah him/her” reaction, i.e. have seen this actor in:
• Tobey Maguire – The Great Gatsby, Spiderman, The Cider House Rules, Fear and Loathing in Las Vegas, The Ice Storm,
• Reese Witherspoon – Wild, Walk the Line, Legally Blonde, Friends
• Jeff Daniels – Looper, Good Night and Good Luck, The Squid and the Whale, The Hours, Speed, Terms of Endearment, Ragtime
• Joan Allen – Face/Off, The Ice Storm, In Country, Peggy Sue Got Married
• William H Macy – Room, Cake, The Lincoln Lawyer, Happy Texas, Fargo, Benny and Joon
• J T Walsh – The X Files, The Client, Red Rock West, Misery, The Grifters, Good Morning Vietnam
• Don Knotts – The Andy Griffith Show and other series
• Mark Blucas – The Jane Austen Book Club, Buffy the Vampire Slayer
• Danny Strong – Buffy the Vampire Slayer, Third Rock from the Sun
• Why? I like the film
• Seen: Twice before. Now 1 September 2019      

       The 50’s were – despite all the nostalgia amongst some people my age – terrible.

       David (Maguire) thinks the decade looks great because his decade, the 1990’s, isn’t so cool either. He’s a fanatic follower of the sit com Pleasantville and suddenly he and his sister Jen (Witherspoon) are transported back to the 50’s, transformed into Bud and Mary Sue with the perfect Pleasantville parents (Macy and Allen). They’re horrified but David knows his Pleasantville and goes with the flow. He knows the people after all, and they know him and Mary Sue. Jen is appalled that there is no world outside Pleasantville, the pages in all the books are blank, there are no actual toilets in the soda shop’s ladies’ room, and there is no sex. She starts provoking everyone, trying to poke holes in this very fake, smiley, oh so pleasant black and white world.

       This unchangeable little world starts changing. Drastically.

       All kinds of complications arise. It’s funny and clever and sweet and it even has a message. Humans aren’t meant to be isolated. Change is necessary and good. Racism and the patriarchy are bad. Small towns are terrible. Well, maybe that last one isn’t the real message but I grew up in one, so believe me, they are. (Now all friends of small towns will hate me).

       There are moments of triteness and at times the film swerves annoyingly close to sexism but mostly it stays on track. I didn’t enjoy the 50’s but I certainly enjoy this film, especially Witherspoon. They’re all good.

4* of 5 (Hal gives it 5).