Smoke

 

Smoke 1995

• Director: Wayne Wang
• Seen by this director: Maid in Manhattan, Anywhere but Here
• Based on the book by Paul Austen
• Cast: Harvey Keitel, William Hurt, Jared Harris, Harold Perrineau Jr, Stockard Channing, Forest Whitaker, Ashley Judd
• Personal “oh yeah him/her” reaction, i.e. have seen this actor in:
• Harvey Keitel - many
• William Hurt - many
• Jared Harris – Chernobyl, The Crown, Lincoln, Fringe, Sherlock Holmes Game of Shadows, The Curious Case of Benjamin Button, Igby Goes Down, How to Kill Your Neighbour’s Dog, Happiness, I Shot Andy Warhol, Dead Man, The Last of the Mohicans
• Harold Perrineau Jr – Lost, 28 Weeks Later, Dead Like Me, Matrix etc, Lulu on the Bridge, Romeo & Juliet, I’ll Fly Away
• Forest Whitaker – many
• Stockard Channing – Sparkle, Out of Practice, Bright Young Things, Practical Magic, The Ex-Wives Club, Edie & Pen, Six Degrees of Separation, Grease
• Ashley Judd – Twin Peaks, Frida, The Divine Secrets of the Ya-Ya Sisterhood, Double Jeopardy, Heat
• Why? Liked it the first time.
• Seen: Once before. Now 1 June 2024 

       Augie (Keitel) runs a corner tobacco shop in Brooklyn where regular customers get their smokes, talk baseball and philosophy, gossip. Their stories intertwine but they don’t know much about each other. Augie takes a photo every single day from the same spot outside his shop and fills photo albums with them. Paul (Hurt) a widower offers homeless (supposedly) Rashid (supposedly) (Perrineau) a place to stay for a couple of days, which he does then takes off to confront his father (supposedly) (Whitaker). Ruby (Channing) shows up after 18 years demanding help with her and Augie’s (supposedly) daughter (Judd), a pregnant (supposedly) coke head.

       It’s a bit stagy at times and the dialog doesn’t always work but the cast is good. I especially remember Channing. This is the first film with her I saw and she has become a big favourite. Perrineau is also very good.

       It’s 1990. Everybody smokes. Constantly. It’s a good film anyway.      

 4* of 5  

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Noah

 

Noah 2014

• Director: Darren Aronofsky
• Seen by this director: Black Swan, The Wrestler, The Fountain, Requiem for a Dream
• Based on the book: no
• Cast: Russell Crowe, Jennifer Connelly, Emma Watson, Anthony Hopkins
• Personal “oh yeah him/her” reaction, i.e. have seen this actor in:
• Russell Crowe, Henmnifer Connelly, and Emma Watson – many
• Anthony Hopkins – many including Titus
• Why? Curious
• Seen: 31 May 2024 

       The film has received very mixed reviews and I have been reluctant to watch it because as an atheist I am no fan of the bible, which is mostly nonsense that religious people use for nefarious reasons. But the flood myth is known to many peoples and the cast is good so I’m giving it a try.

       An enjoyable fantasy, actually. Not as fun as Harry Potter but more fun than Lord of the Rings and as visually spectacular.

       The message seems to be that the Creator is a mass murder (read your bible, he is indeed) and that Noah is a murderous religious fanatic.

       I quite like this film.   

4* of 5  

 

 

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The Brothers Bloom

 

The Brothers Bloom 2008

• Director: Rian Johnson
• Seen by this director: Knives Out, Star Wars the Last Jedi, Breaking Bad, Looper, Brick
• Based on the book: no
• Cast: Mark Ruffolo, Adrian Brody, Rachel Weisz, Rinko Kikuchi, Robbie Coltrane
• Personal “oh yeah him/her” reaction, i.e. have seen this actor in:
• Mark Ruffolo, Adrian Brody, Rachel Weisz and Robbie Coltrane – many
• Rinko Kikuchi – Pacific Rim, Norwegian Wood, Babel
• Why? The cast
• Seen: 30 May 2024 

       The Brothers Bloom are con men. The older brother Stephen (Ruffolo) writes elaborate stories and Bloom (Brody) performs the bluff. They are assisted by the mute and mysterious Bang Bang (Kikuchi).

       Bloom wants to quit, wants a real life. Stephen cooks up a final hustle involving the super rich and lonely Penelope (Weisz).

       This is one of those films in which the story is so-so but the actors are having a good time, so we are too. They also create quirky likeable characters, so we like them.

       It’s fun and complicated enough that we want to see it again.   

4* of 5  

 

 

 

 

 

 

Richard II (The Hollow Crown)

 

Richard II The Hollow Crown 2015

• Director: Rupert Goold
• Seen by this director – Judy
• Based on the play by William Shakespeare
• Cast: Ben Whishaw, Rory Kinnear and a slew of British actors
• Personal “oh yeah him/her” reaction, i.e. have seen this actor in:
• Ben Whishaw – many
• Rory Kinnear – No Time to Die, Spectre, The Casual Vacancy, The Imitation Game, Skyfall, The Hollow Crown, Quantum of Solace, Secret Smile
• Why? Why? Shakespeare
• Seen: Once before. Now 29 May 2024 

       The acting is so good that I sit in awe as I watch. Ben Whishaw is simply brilliant.

       Unlike the Globe’s production (though I love the Globe dearly), this is dramatic from the very beginning.

       Astounding.    

 5* of 5  

 

 

 

 

 

When Darkness Falls

 

When Darkness Falls 2006

• Director: Anderson Nilsson
• Based on the book: no
• Cast: Bahar Pars, Lia Boysen, Reuben Sallmander, Annika Hallin
• Personal “oh yeah him/her” reaction, i.e. have seen this actor in:
• Bahar Pars – En man som heter Ove
• Lia Boysen – Det nya landet
• Reuben Sallmander  - Bron, Äkta människor, Flickan som lekte med elden, Män som hatar kvinnor, Snoken
• Annika Hallin - Min lilla syster, Luftslottet som sprängdes, Flickan som lekte med elden, Män som hatar kvinnor
• Why? Good reviews
• Seen: 27 May 2024 

       Two sisters under the violent yoke of their Christian Syrian father and uncles. A journalist whose violent husband resents her success. A nightclub owner threatened by the gang who beat and crippled his best friend.

       Men’s violence, society’s indiffernce, and people with the courage to stand up to it.

       It’s a strong film.       

 

4* of 5  

 

 

 

Mr & Mrs Smith

 

Mr & Mrs Smith 2005

• Director: Doug Liman
• Seen by this director: Edge of Tomorrow, Jumper
• Based on the book: no
• Cast: Brad Pitt, Angelina Jolie
• Personal “oh yeah him/her” reaction, i.e. have seen this actor in:
• Brad Pitt - Many
• Angelina Jolie – Many
• Why? Curious
• Seen:  26 May 2024 

       You probably know the story. Jane (Jolie) and John (Pitt) fall in love and get married. After a few years the glow has faded and they seek help from a marriage counsellor. What neither of them knows is that the other is a professional assassin.

       It’s clever and entertaining, especially if you like the stars. There’s no doubt that there’s chemistry between them.

       If you don’t think too hard about it, it’s enjoyable until it goes on far too long with way too much shooting. 

2 ½ * of 5  

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Richard II Globe version

 

Richard II Globe version 2015

• Director: Simon Godwin
• Based on the play by William Shakespeare
• Cast: Charles Edwards, David Sturzaker, Anneika Rose
• Personal “oh yeah him/her” reaction, i.e. have seen this actor in:
• Charles Edwards – The Crown, Sherlock, Philomena, Longitude
• David Sturzaker – The Merchant of Venice
• Anneika Rose – Line of Duty
• Why? Shakespeare
• Seen:  25 May 2024 

       In London recently I saw Ian McKellan as Falstaff in a 4-hour production combining Henry IV Parts One & Two. My addiction to Shakespeare was re-ignited, especially the History Plays, which start with Richard II. If you don’t know the story, Google it.

       I have not seen the Globe version. I love the Globe. I do not always love their productions. How will they deal with this one?

       It is no easy task to make Act One interesting and comprehensible (sorry, Shakespeare) and sadly this production does not succeed. If I hadn’t read the plays several times and seen several film versions I would not have a clue. Very hammy, as well.

       And thus it continues. Mostly one-note melodrama with plenty of shouting. There are moments of genuine emotion, mostly from Edwards, but I’m sorry to say that this production does not move me.

 

3 * of 5