Wild Target

 

Wild Target 2010

• Director: Jonathan Lynn
• Seen by this director: My Cousin Vinny
• Based on a book: no
• Cast: Bill Nighy, Emily Blunt, Rupert Grint, Morgan Freeman, Rupert Evert, Eileen Atkins
• Personal “oh yeah him/her” reaction, i.e. have seen this actor in:
• All of them - many
• Why?  The cast.
• Seen:  22 October 2024 

Victor (Nighy) is a professional hit man, like his father before him, with a mother (Atkins) who nags at him to get married at the age of 55, start a family and live up to the family heritage.

Rose (Blunt) deals in fake copies of classical art, for example Rembrandt.

Her latest, very unhappy customer (Evert) hires Victor to kill her. How much do you want to bet that they fall in love?

Of course it’s nonsense but it’s Nighy, Blunt, Grint, Freeman, Atkins and Evert, so how can it be anything but great wacky fun? And it’s in London. 

4* of 5

 

 

Decoding Annie Parker

 

Decoding Annie Parker 2013

• Director: Stephen Bernstein
• Based on a true story: yes
• Cast: Samantha Morton, Helen Hunt, Aaron Paul, Rashida Jones, Ben Mackenzie, Kate Macucci
• Personal “oh yeah him/her” reaction, i.e. have seen this actor in:
• Samantha Morton – Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them, In America, Elizabeth the Golden Age, The Libertine, Morvern Callar
• Helen Hunt – Then She Found Me, Bobby, Cast Away, Pay It Forward, Twister, As Good As It Gets, Peggy Sue Got Married
• Aaron Paul – Eye in the Sky, A Long Way Down, Breaking Bad
• Rashida Jones – Social Network
• Ben Mackenzie – Gotham, Junebug
• Kate Macucci – The Big Bang Theory
• Why?  The cast.
• Seen:  20 October 2024 

Doctor Mary Claire King (Hunt) is an early researcher into genetically linked breast cancer in families. Everyone says she’s wrong but she perseveres.

Annie Parker (Morton) lost her mother and aunt to breast cancer in the 60’s, her sister in the 70’s and a few years later she herself gets breast cancer. She becomes obsessed in researching why her family is so unfortunate. Her previously devoted husband Paul (Paul) is driven away by her obsession and her illness.

Two remarkable women, brilliantly portrayed by Hunt and Morton. It’s a fascinating mix of science history, family drama and driven determination.

When is Mary Claire King going to get the Nobel Prize in Medicine? 

4 ½ * of 5

 

 

A Thousand Times Good Night

 

A Thousand Times Good Night

• Director: Erik Poppe
• Seen by this director: Utöye, Hawaii Oslo
• Based on Book: no
• Cast: Juliette Binoche, Nikolaj Coster-Waldau, Lauren Canny
• Personal “oh yeah him/her” reaction, i.e. have seen this actor/actress in:
• Juliette Binoche – Many
• Nikolaj Coster-Waldau – Game of Thrones, Kingdom of Heaven
• Why? Sounds good
• Seen: 18 October 2024 

Rebecca (Binoche) is a renowned photo journalist. The film opens with her taking photos of a young woman preparing herself to be a suicide bomber, following her as far as Kabul. She tries to warn to people in the street but the bomb goes off, killing many and injuring Rebecca seriously.

Next we see her in hospital, husband Marcus (Coster-Waldau) at her bedside, then reunited with their two daughters in Ireland. He tells her he can no longer live with her and his anxiety over waiting for the time she doesn’t survive. She tells him she will quit. He doesn’t believe her.

It’s an emotionally charged family drama, dealing with important domestic and world conflicts. Very well acted and beautifully filmed, with no easy answers. 

5* of 5

 

 

 

 

 

Mary

 

Mary 2019

• Director: Michael Goi
• Based on Book: no
• Cast: Gary Oldman, Emily Mortimer
• Personal “oh yeah him/her” reaction, i.e. have seen this actor/actress in:
• Gary Oldman – many including Rosencrantz and Guildenstern Are Dead
• Emily Mortimer – Relic, The Bookshop, Hugo, Shutter Island, Lars and the Real Girl, Paris je t’aime, Bright Young Things, Young Adam, The 51^st State, Love’s Labour’s Lost, Notting Hill, Elizabeth
• Why? Gary Oldman
• Seen: 16 October 2024 

Gary Oldman can play absolutely anything. Even a normal type guy like David, a loser fishing guide in Georgia, USA. He buys an abandoned half-wrecked ship called Mary. His wife Sarah (Mortimer) is not happy about it but she forgives him and they and their two daughters enthusiastically renovate and launch it.

But scary things happen on it and it becomes a scary movie.

It got a lot of bad reviews and it’s certainly no masterpiece – one wonders why Oldman and Mortimer accepted roles in it. With that said, they both give it a good shot and bring a certain amount of credibility to this many times told story, and make it worth watching. It startled me several times, which almost never happens with scary movies. 

3* of 5

 

 

 

 

 

 

Fugue

 

Fugue 2018

• Director: Agniezka Smoczynska
• Based on Book: no
• Cast: Gabriela Muskala, Lucasz Simlat
• Personal “oh yeah him/her” reaction, i.e. have seen this actor/actress in:
• Neither of them
• Why? Possibly good
• Seen: 15 October 2024 

Alicja (Muskala) has been in a Polish mental hospital for two years, suffering from complete amnesia. Her doctor arranges for a TV sending ‘Do you know this person?’ Her father recognizes her and she’s reunited with her family, including her husband (Simlat) and son. She does not want to live with them but she has no other choice.

Does she remember? Doesn’t she? Whatever. It’s a kind of a low-key psychological thriller but it’s only somewhat interesting and doesn’t seem to be going anywhere, which it does eventually but not convincingly. Still, nice photography. 

2 ½ * of 5

 

 

 

 

In America

 

In America 2002

• Director: Jim Sheridan
• Seen by this director: The Boxer, In the Name of the Father, My Left Foot
• Based on Book: no
• Cast: Samantha Morton, Paddy Considine, Djimon Hounsou, Sarah & Emma Bolger (sisters IRL)
• Personal “oh yeah him/her” reaction, i.e. have seen this actor/actress in:
• Samantha Morton – Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them, Elizabeth the Golden Age, The Libertine, Morvern Callar
• Paddy Considine – Journeyman, The Girl with All the Gifts, Macbeth, Pride, The World’s End, Red Riding, Hot Fuzz, My Summer of Love, 24 Hour Party People, Born Romantic
• Djimon Hounsou – The Tempest, Blood Diamond, Gladiator, Amistad
• Why? I liked it the first time.
• Seen: Once before. Now 14 October 2024 

Johnny (Considine) and Sarah (Morton) drive into New York City as illegal immigrants with their small daughters (Bolger&Bolger). They move into a slum flat with druggie and/or crazy neighbours. Johnny auditions for acting roles then drives a night cab. Sarah works in a café across the street.

Money problems, extreme heat, missing Ireland, trying hard with laughter and love but

grieving for the loss of little Frankie.

                      The little girls make friends with their neighbor, a reclusive, troubled Nigerian artist Mateo (Hounsou) and family feelings become turbulent.

                      It’s a sad and lovely film, a little gem.

4* of 5

 

 

 

 

The Woodsman

 

The Woodsman 2004

• Director: Nicole Kassell
• Seen by this director: Leftovers
• Based on Book: no
• Cast: Kevin Bacon, Kyra Sedgwick, Yasliin Bey (Mos Def), Michael Shannon
• Personal “oh yeah him/her” reaction, i.e. have seen this actor/actress in:
• Kevin Bacon – Tremors, Crazy Stupid Love, X-Men First Class, Frost/Nixon, Mystic River, JFK, Footloose
• Kyra Sedgwick – The Edge of Seventeen, Born on the Fourth of July
• Yasliin Bey – Cadillac Records, Be Kind Rewind, 16 Blocks, The Hitchhiker’s Guide to the Galaxy, Monster’s Ball
• Michael Shannon  – Amsterdam, Knives Out, The Shape of Water, Man of Steel, The Ice Man, Take Shelter, The Runaways
• Why? Might be good
• Seen: 13 October 2024 

Walter (Bacon) is paroled after twelve years in prison for molesting little girls. He gets work in a lumber yard, talks to his shrink, is befriended by damaged but feisty Vickie (Sedgwick), fights against watching and following little girls. Will he be able to resist doing what he knows is sick and wrong?

It’s a serious and thoughtful film about a complex and difficult subject. Would I want to work with a convicted paedophile? Would I believe he could be cured?

Kevin Bacon gives a powerful performance in this most unpleasant but well done film.

 

3* of 5