The Dark Is Rising

The Dark Is Rising

• Director: David L Cunningham
• Based on the book by Susan Cooper
• Cast: Alexander Ludwig, Ian McShane, Christopher Eccleston, Frances Conroy, James Cosmo
• Personal “oh yeah him/her” reaction, i.e. have seen this actor in:
• Alexander Ludwig – The Hunger Games
• Ian McShane – Game of Thrones, John Wick, Jack the Giant Slayer, Pirates of the Caribbean, The Pillars of the Earth, Case 39
• Christopher Eccleston – The Leftovers, Doctor Who, Legend, Fortitude, A Song for Marion, 28 Days Later, The Others, eXistenZ, Elizabeth, Jude, Shallow Grave
• Frances Conroy – Joker, Shelter, Six Feet Under, Broken Flowers, Sleepless in Seattle, Billy Bathgate
• James Cosmo - many
• Why? It’s included in a double DVD
• Seen: 1 July 2024      

       Harry Potter it isn’t but it sure is a wannabe. The books it’s based on came long before HP but this film borrows (ahem) so many images and ideas from the films that it’s a wonder they weren’t sued for plagiarism.

       The main problem is that they chose Alexander Ludwig, who has zero charisma, to play the teen-age hero Will, an American kid relocated with his American family to an English village. Maybe so people wouldn’t mix it up with HP.

       No risk.

       This film is charmless, humourless and pointless. The book is no doubt better, Susan Cooper is a good author. She must hate the film.

       The presence of Frances Conroy and several good British actors, especially Christopher Eccleston lift it somewhat but what were they thinking? The kitten gives it ½ * 

1 ½ * of 5.

 

  

The World's End update 2024

 The World’s End 2013 update 2024

• Director: Edgar Wright
• Based on novel: no
• Cast: Simon Pegg, Nick Frost, Martin Freeman, Paddy Considine, Eddy Marsan, Rosamund Pike, Pierce Brosnan, David Bradley, Michael Smiley, Mark Heap, Bill Nighy (voice)
• Personal “oh yeah him/her” reaction, i.e. have seen this actor in: I’ve seen them all in many more films since this
• Simon Pegg  – Shaun of the Dead, 24 Hour Party People
• Nick Frost – The Boat that Rocked, Kinky Boots, Shaun of the Dead
• Martin Freeman – Breaking and Entering, The Hitchhiker’s Guide to the Galaxy, Shaun of the Dead, Love Actually, Black Books
• Paddy Considine – My Summer of Love, In America, 24 Hour Party People, Born Romantic
• Eddy Marsan – Sherlock Holmes: A Game of Shadows, Merlin (voice of Manticore), Sherlock Holmes, Happy Go Lucky, V for Vendetta, Vera Drake, 21 Grams, Gangs of New York
• Rosamund Pike – An Education, The Libertine
• Pierce Brosnan - The Ghost Writer, Mamma Mia, Seraphim Falls, Dante’s Peak, Mars Attacks!, GoldenEye
• David Bradley – the Harry Potter films, Another Year, Our Mutual Friend, Prick Up Your Ears
• Michael Smiley – The Other Boleyn Girl, Much Ado About Nothing (retold)
• Mark Heap – Friday Night Dinner, Good Omens (radio, so voice only), Stardust, Charlie and the Chocolate Factory, About a Boy
• Bill Nighy –  it was only his voice and to tell the truth I didn’t recognise it so I won’t include a list of his film here
• Why?  The title
• Seen:  March 7, 2015 and now 30 June 2024

 

Five middle-aged lads return to their hometown to complete the twelve-pub round they had never managed to complete as teenagers.  The last pub is the World’s End. Four of these men are somewhat successful, with jobs and families. The fifth, Gary King, is still the drunken, lost, wild, free spirit that he always was.

It starts out rather calmly.  But they soon discover that their hometown has been taken over by blue-blooded (literally blue) robots.

And the fun begins.

It’s quite an endearing film really.  Like Shaun of the Dead it’s ridiculous but I find myself clutching the arms of my chair in the excitement and caring what happens to these poor sods.

And the human race, while I’m at it.

 

3* of 5 

Now, 2024:

 4* of 5

Hot Fuzz update 2024

 

Hot Fuzz 2007 update 2024

 

• Director: Edgar Wright
• Based on novel: no
• Cast: Simon Pegg, Nick Frost, Martin Freeman, Paddy Considine, Bill Nighy, Billie Whitelaw, Peter Wight, Bill Bailey, Timothy Dalton, Jim Broadbent, Rafe Spall, Karl Johnson, Ron Cook, David Bradley
• Personal “oh yeah him/her” reaction, i.e. have seen this actor in: (I’ve seen them all in many more films since writing this)
• Simon Pegg – Shaun of the Dead, 24 Hour Party People, The World’s End
• Nick Frost – The Boat that Rocked, Kinky Boots, Shaun of the Dead, The World’s End,
• Martin Freeman – Fargo, Breaking and Entering, The Hitchhiker’s Guide to the Galaxy, Shaun of the Dead, Love Actually, Black Books, the World’s End
• Paddy Considine – My Summer of Love, In America, 24 Hour Party People, Born Romantic, The World’s End
• Bill Bailey – Hustle, Black Books
• Billie Whitelaw – Wasn’t she in Sex, Chips and Rock’n’Roll?
• Bill Nighy –  The Second Best Exotic Hotel Marigold, The Best Exotic Hotel Marigold The Harry Potter, Love Actually, Pirates of the Caribbean, The Girl in the Café, The Boat that Rocked, Shaun of the Dead, The Constant Gardener, Hitchhiker’s Guide to the Galaxy, Auf Wiedersehn Pet, Kiss Me Kate, Longitude, Fairy Tale a True Story
• Timothy Dalton – The Tourist, The Lion in Winter, The Living Daylights
• Jim Broadbent – the Harry Potter films, Filth, Another Year, The Young Victoria, Vera Drake, Gangs of New York, Moulin Rouge, Bridget Jones’s Diary, Topsy- Turvy, Little Voice, Smilla’s Sense of Snow, Richard III, The Crying Game, Enchanted April, Life Is Sweet, Black Adder, Brazil
• Rafe Spall – The Life of Pi, Prometheus, A Good Tear, Shaun of the Dead
• Karl Johnson – Mr Turner, The Deep Blue Sea, Merlin, Copying Beethoven, Prick Up Your Ears, The Tempest
• Ron Cook – The Merchant of Venice, The Other Boleyn Girl, 24 Hour Party People, Chocolat, Topsy-Turvy, Secrets and Lies, Black Adder, Richard III, Henry VI Parts 1, 2 and 3, The Merry Wives of Windsor
• David Bradley - Another Year, Harry Potter, Nicholas Nickleby, Our Mutual Friend, Prick Up Your Ears, A Family at War
• Why?  Simon Pegg and Nick Frost and the rest
• Seen: 11 July 2015 and now 29 June 2024 

       You never know what to expect from this gang but you can count on weird humour.

       Supercop Simon Pegg makes all of his London colleagues look bad so he’s transferred to a lovely village in…the country! Oh horrors! I can definitely commiserate with him in this.

       He arrives. He’s a stickler for rules and regulations. This extremely village-y village is not. They are friendly, gossipy and a bit stupid.

       But oh! What lurks below the idyllic surface?

       Murder most foul.  At last a case for the very capable sergeant. But other crimes, the indifference, downright hostility and ridicule of some of his colleagues, interfere.

       Until the Grim Reaper strikes again. And again.

       It’s a spoof, yes, but it’s funny and quite exciting. The cast is so appealing that it’s even touching at times.

       I’ve always known that village life is bad for you. 

3* of 5 first time

4* of 5 second time

 

 

 

Shaun of the Dead update 2024

Shaun of the Dead 2004 update

• Director: Edgar Wright
• Based on novel: no
• Cast: Simon Pegg, Nick Frost, Kate Ashfield, Lucy David, Dylan Moran, Rafe Spall, Bill Nighy, Penelope Wilton, Jessica Hynes, Martin Freeman, Tamsin Grieg, Matt Lucas (the last three about 2 seconds each)
• Personal “oh yeah him/her” reaction, i.e. have seen this actor in:
• Simon Pegg – Star Wars the Force Awakens, Absolutely Anything, The World’s End, Hot Fuzz, Doctor Who, Black Books, 24 Hour Party People
• Nick Frost – Doctor Who, The World’s End, Attack the Block, The Boat that Rocked, Hot Fuzz, Kinky Boots, Black Books
• Kate Ashfield – United, The Kid, Late Night Shopping
• Lucy Davis – Wonder Woman, Black Books, The Office
• Dylan Moran – Good Vibrations, The Decoy Bride, Tristram Shandy, Black Books, Notting Hill
• Rafe Spall – What If, The World’s End, The Life of Pi, Prometheus, Hot Fuzz, A Good Year
• Bill Nighy – Their Finest, Hotel Marigold 1 & 2, About Time, The World’s End, Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows, Doctor Who, The Boat that Rock, Valkyrie, Pirates of the Caribbean, Hot Fuzz, Notes on a Scandal, Gideon’s Daughter, The Constant Gardener, The Girl in the Café, The Hitchhiker’s Guide to the Galaxy, , Love Actually, Auf Wiedersehen Pet, Kiss Me Kate
• Penelope Wilton – Downton Abbey, Hotel Marigold 1&2, South Riding, Doctor Who, The Calendar Girls, Clockwise, King Lear, Othello
• Jessica Hynes – Doctor Who, Learners, Son of Rambow, Black Books, Born Romantic, Swing Kids
• Martin Freeman – Black Panther, Shylock, Fargo, The Hobbit etc, The World’s End, Hot Fuzz, Breaking and Entering, The Hitchhiker’s Guide to the Galaxy, The Office, Love Actually, Black Books
• Tamsin Grieg – Friday Night Dinner, Hotel Marigold 2, Black Books, Neverwhere
• Matt Lucas – Doctor Who, Little Britain
• Why?  Surprisingly good film
• Seen:  Once or twice before. Now the day after Halloween 2019. Now June 2024 

Shaun (Pegg) and Liz (Ashfield) are having relationship problems and their friends David (Moran) and Di (Davis) aren’t really helping. Nor is Ed (Frost) who lives with Shaun and is an obnoxious, messy slob. Everyone hates him but Shaun, who has a dreadful job as TV shop manager, a troublesome stepdad (Nighy) and doting mother (Wilton).

Life is not great.

Meanwhile London is having a zombie epidemic.

It’s exciting, scary, laugh-out-loud funny, gory, sad, sweet, poignant and it has an amazing cast, a dozen or so of my favourite actors. Good music, too.

But, after all, it’s just a zombie film and it can’t really get 5*. Still, don’t tell anybody but my secret ambition is to play a zombie in a zombie film. So, anyone out there planning one, contact me ASAP.

4* of 5

 

June 2024:

PS Of course it can be a 5*

 

https://rubyjandsfilmblog.blogspot.com/2019/11/shaun-of-dead.html

How I Won the War

How I Won the War 1967

• Director: Richard Lester
• Seen by this director: Superman, Robin and Marion, Petulia, Help!, The Knack, A Hard Day’s Night
• Based on the book by Patrick Ryan
• Cast: Michael Crawford, Roy Kinnear, Jack MacGowran, Michael Horden, John Lennon, Sheila Hancock
• Personal “oh yeah him/her” reaction, i.e. have seen this actor in:
• Michael Creawford – The Knack
• Roy Kinnear – Help!
• Michael Horden – many including Cymbeline and King Lear
• John Lennon - Help!, A Hard Day’s Night
• Sheila Hancock – Edie, Unforgotten, Hustle, The Boy in the Striped Pyjamas
• Why? John Lennon
• Seen: Twice before. Now 26 June 2024      

       It was a shock to me when in the midst of my Beatlemania I was reached by the news that John Lennon was going to be in a film! Without the others! Oh no! Were they breaking up???

       Nevertheless I saw it at the cinema with my then boyfriend. I slept through most of it.

       Years later, Hal and I saw it on television. I slept through most of it.

       This time I’m really going to try to stay awake.

       It’s a comedy about WWII via an idiot commander Goodbody (Crawford), a spoof, a satire, ridiculing war and the military. I’m for all that.

       It’s more or less incomprehensible (like war), full of absurdities (like war) and surprisingly amusing (unlike war). Its silliness reminds me of A Hard Day’s Night and Help!, which isn’t so odd. After all, Richard Lester directed them too.

       This time I’m actually staying awake. It does go on, though. It’s fine with me if it sends soon.

 3 ½ * of 5.

 

  

Mr Right

 

Mr Right 2015

• Director: Paco Cabezas
• Based on the book: no
• Cast: Sam Rockwell, Tim Roth, Anna Kendrick
• Personal “oh yeah him/her” reaction, i.e. have seen this actor in:
• Sam Rockwell – Many
• Tim Roth – many including Rosencrantz and Guildenstern Are Dead
• Anna Kendrick – Into the Woods, Pitch Perfect, End of Watch, Scott Pilgrim vs the World, Twilight
• Why? Tim Roth and Sam Rockwell
• Seen: 25 June 2024      

       Ditzy Martha (Kendricks) is unlucky in love. Ditzy Mr Right (Rockwell) is an internationally renowned hit man. They meet and fall in love. FBI/CIA/mafia boss/something Hopper (Roth) is out to get Mr Right and some gun-happy hoodlums are out to get pretty much everybody, including each other. I think.

       Generally I’m not keen on Kendricks or rom coms but this is not your everyday rom-com and Kendricks does ditzy quite well. The film is so zany that it’s good, 80% thanks to Rockwell, who once again comes to the rescue, with 20% thanks to Roth, though in a small role. As always he’s brilliant.

       Of course it’s ludicrous.                  

 4 * of 5.

 

Babette's Feast

 

Babette’s Feast 1987

• Director: Gabriel Axel
• Seen by this directior: Prince of Jutland
• Based on the book by Karin Blixen
• Cast: Stephane Audran, Bodil Kjer, Birgitte Federspel
• Personal “oh yeah him/her” reaction, i.e. have seen this actor in:
• None of them
• Why? I remember liking it
• Seen: Once before. Now 22 June 2024      

       Two aging sisters, daughters of the late priest in a remote village in 19^th century Denmark, carry on with his religious meetings. One rainy night Babette (Audran ) appears, fleeing from war in France. With them she finds a new home.

       She charms the villagers but their feuds and fanatical puritanism continue. When she wins the lottery Babette decides to do something about it.

       To be honest, I don’t know why I liked it so much the first time I saw it. It’s nice enough but not very interesting this time. 

2½ * of 5