The topic of films is shortly to be banned between my boyfriend and I, mostly because I'm sick and tired of the phrase "oh my God! you haven't seen..." shortly followed by "and you call yourself a film buff?" I can't imagine anybody in the world dropping "by the way, I don't know if you're aware that I'm a film buff," and if there's anybody that does, I bet he's a tosser.
I for one certainly do not claim to be an expert in films, merely a bit of a snob - two completely different types of arse.
Part of my film snobbery is to claim that there are few films I like pre Drop Dead Fred (1991) but, in the hope of becoming more open-movie-minded I have started on the 'oh my God you haven't seen' list. First on the list was his Die Hard box set which sent me running for anything else I could possibly find. Cue a late night showing of the '70s Mods and Rockers film Quadrophenia.
All I can say after watching it is that I now know what an Eastenders audition tape consists of (oh and what Ray Winstone's willy looked like 30 years ago). This isn't to say that I didn't enjoy it, it instantly reminded me of This is England with its 'snapshot' style, showing a portion of a life as opposed to a beginning, middle and end, you feel that nothing much happened yet come away with a new opinion on life way back when we were mere twinkles in our parents' eyes.
Thursday 28 January 2010
Thursday 21 January 2010
Wossy's Bucks Fizz moment is finally upon us
Jonathan Ross is what some might call a 'British institution', taking his place on Friday night television for as long as we can remember and hosting his popular Radio 2 show. But alas it was recently announced that he is leaving the Beeb following one pay-cut too many, prompting the question 'what will he do next?'
In their reporting, the papers would suggest that Friday Night with Jonathan Ross, Film 2010 with Jonathan Ross and his Radio 2 show will be neatly bundled up and taken with him to his next home but I fear that in the move much will be lost.
Because in reality Ross has a great eye for film (I realise this is quite the contentious statement, feel free to disagree) there is no other TV show which provides in-depth analysis and features like Film 2010 and in fact this is the only time that I can stand to watch the man.
Always portrayed as the comedian, Ross is actually not that funny. Yes I said it. He can get a giggle out of an audience at a push but every time he cracks a joke anybody who's seen a Ricky Gervais DVD screams 'heard it!' at the TV.
My point here isn't to lay into poor Wossy, the guy's talented and has made a lot of money doing what he does but I just think we're all missing out on his best quality which is as a serious movie reviewer. I don't know, maybe I'll start a facebook group or something, but the last thing we need is another inane chat show, give us what we need, an intelligent weekly overview of the film industry... Please!
In their reporting, the papers would suggest that Friday Night with Jonathan Ross, Film 2010 with Jonathan Ross and his Radio 2 show will be neatly bundled up and taken with him to his next home but I fear that in the move much will be lost.
Because in reality Ross has a great eye for film (I realise this is quite the contentious statement, feel free to disagree) there is no other TV show which provides in-depth analysis and features like Film 2010 and in fact this is the only time that I can stand to watch the man.
Always portrayed as the comedian, Ross is actually not that funny. Yes I said it. He can get a giggle out of an audience at a push but every time he cracks a joke anybody who's seen a Ricky Gervais DVD screams 'heard it!' at the TV.
My point here isn't to lay into poor Wossy, the guy's talented and has made a lot of money doing what he does but I just think we're all missing out on his best quality which is as a serious movie reviewer. I don't know, maybe I'll start a facebook group or something, but the last thing we need is another inane chat show, give us what we need, an intelligent weekly overview of the film industry... Please!
Monday 18 January 2010
Guido! GUIDO!
I have to admit from the outset that, although I would describe myself as a lover of realist cinema, I have a guilty pleasure. I never crave chocolate and gave up smoking with relative ease, but I just can't go a fortnight without watching a musical.
To date I have to say that my favourite is still the ridiculously cheesy 'Hairspray' (2007) although now Nine, Chicago director Rob Marshall's Italian-set musical is coming in a close second thanks to the central character, troubled screenwriter Guido Contini.
I don't know what it is about a man singing and dancing that makes me melt but when Daniel Day-Lewis (much like the love of my life Zac Efron) glided across the screen in 'Guido's Song' I was his in a second. I really enjoy seeing a man dance effortlessly and Day-Lewis had the cheeky rogue Guido down to a tee, seemingly making no real effort whilst knowing he had the heart of every woman in the room. Don't get me wrong if I were to see a man dancing like that in the street I would probably cross the road quite quickly, but in the movies it's more than OK with me!
Perhaps my love of musicals stems from my equal passion for the realist film - many are suprised to hear me recommend 'Mamma Mia' and Gus Van Sant's 2003 masterpiece 'Elephant' in the same breath - but it's so important to balance things out, a lot of these 'indie' films leave you reaching for the sleeping pills so why not have a singalong to perk yourself up?
Although maybe a little long (by the time the film was halfway through I found myself wishing the film was called six, or seven at a push) Nine showcases some real hidden talents from the likes of Kate Hudson as the racy Stephanie and Marion Cotillard as Guido's long-suffering wife Luisa with each of the nine ladies having a song each.
I couldn't end this blog without a special mention to Penelope Cruz, the Spanish beauty with the loveliest bum I've seen in a film for a very long time.
To date I have to say that my favourite is still the ridiculously cheesy 'Hairspray' (2007) although now Nine, Chicago director Rob Marshall's Italian-set musical is coming in a close second thanks to the central character, troubled screenwriter Guido Contini.
I don't know what it is about a man singing and dancing that makes me melt but when Daniel Day-Lewis (much like the love of my life Zac Efron) glided across the screen in 'Guido's Song' I was his in a second. I really enjoy seeing a man dance effortlessly and Day-Lewis had the cheeky rogue Guido down to a tee, seemingly making no real effort whilst knowing he had the heart of every woman in the room. Don't get me wrong if I were to see a man dancing like that in the street I would probably cross the road quite quickly, but in the movies it's more than OK with me!
Perhaps my love of musicals stems from my equal passion for the realist film - many are suprised to hear me recommend 'Mamma Mia' and Gus Van Sant's 2003 masterpiece 'Elephant' in the same breath - but it's so important to balance things out, a lot of these 'indie' films leave you reaching for the sleeping pills so why not have a singalong to perk yourself up?
Although maybe a little long (by the time the film was halfway through I found myself wishing the film was called six, or seven at a push) Nine showcases some real hidden talents from the likes of Kate Hudson as the racy Stephanie and Marion Cotillard as Guido's long-suffering wife Luisa with each of the nine ladies having a song each.
I couldn't end this blog without a special mention to Penelope Cruz, the Spanish beauty with the loveliest bum I've seen in a film for a very long time.
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