#135 / 365 – ‘Groundhog Day’ (1993) – 101 mins
IMDb Challenge #82 / 250 – Ranked #162 – Via DVD Collection
Phil (Bill Murray), a TV weatherman working for a local station in Pennsylvania but convinced that national news stardom is in his grasp. Phil displays a charm and wit on camera that evaporates the moment the red light goes off; he is bitter, appallingly self-centered, and treats his co-workers with contempt, especially his producer Rita (Andie MacDowell) and cameraman Larry (Chris Elliot). On February 2, 1992, Phil, Rita, and Larry are sent on an assignment that Phil especially loathes: the annual Groundhog Day festivities in Punxsutawney, PA, where the citizens await the appearance of Punxsutawney Phil, the groundhog who will supposedly determine the length of winter by his ability to see his own shadow.
Boasting a very fine performance from Bill Murray, if not the finest of his career, it is the premise that is so simple you do question why no-one had thought of it before the nineties. Saying that though in parts Groundhog Day is the flip side to Frank Capra’s – ‘It’s a Wonderful Life’ – a man forced to learn from his life’s mistakes in order to become a better person.
Yet its not all fun laughter in this quirky comedy, as Murray’s fellow ghostbuster Harold Ramis crafts some brilliant direction with a perfect sprinkling of heart and emotion – this is one movie you won’t mind reliving over and over again.
After a bank robbery gone wrong, the violent, criminal Koffin Brothers head for home, only to discover that their mother lost the house in a foreclosure. The new owners are having a birthday party, but they soon become hostages to the sadistic brothers. When their mother and sister arrive, it becomes clear that Mother (Rebecca De Mornay) will do absolutely anything to protect her boys. As Mother takes control of the situation and begins to plan her sons’ escape, the hostages realise they’re up against an almost unbelievably evil adversary.
Rebecca De Mornay returns on blistering form as a terrifying matriarch, to match her iconic role as ‘The Hand That Rocks the Cradle’ nanny-from-hell. Director Darren Lynn Bousman of Saw II, III and IV fame does show moments of brutalness but doesn’t commit to full-on nastiness that is required by the plot and elects to spend the overlong screen time displaying too many unbelievable situations between its characters and an ending you’ll never see coming because quite frankly its ridiculous.
Whilst this very dysfunctional family shows some great loyalty amongst themselves, your loyalty towards this movie quickly evaporates and if you want more creepy and tension filled home invasion flicks, seek out – ‘The Strangers’.
#132 / 365 – ‘Amores Perros’ – 154 mins
IMDb Challenge #80 / 250 – Ranked #165 – Via DVD Collection
Three interconnected stories about the different strata of life in Mexico City all resolve with a fatal car accident. Octavio is trying to raise enough money to run away with his sister-in-law, and decides to enter his dog Cofi into the world of dogfighting. After a dogfight goes bad, Octavio flees in his car, running a red light and causing the accident. Daniel and Valeria’s new-found bliss is prematurely ended when she loses her leg in the accident. El Chivo is a homeless man who cares for stray dogs and is there to witness the collision.
Director Alejandro González Iñárritu seems to have a thing for intertwining stories (’21 Grams’,’Babel’) albeit this was his debut feature for the subject. The problem is that I found only one of these three stories in Amores Perros was actually any good. First up is Octavio’s tale which provides far more interesting basis because there are more complicated and complex elements at work within its characters as they must deal with difficult situations in interesting ways. It also provides the darkest and hardest story to watch due to its violence, and its dogfighting scenes are sure to shock.
Stories two and three are a bit too straightforward , simple and less engaging. Daniel and Valeria’s affair didn’t have enough twists and turns and became repetitive to sustain any length. Likewise El Chivo’s “I’m a living ghost” story to his family, whilst a bit more involving also follows the same repetitive route.
When comparing films similar of this nature, Amores Perros is not impressive as ‘Magnolia’ which does a much finer job at crafting its series of inter-related stories which are consistently engaging and compelling. Although for its many flaws in its middle to final segments, Amores Perros is still recommended viewing and with its title translating to “Loves a Bitch” don’t go expecting a cheerful movie.
#133 / 365 – ‘The Graduate’ – 106 mins
IMDb Challenge #81 / 250 – Ranked #163 – Via DVD Collection
After successfully completing college, Benjamin Braddock (Dustin Hoffman) returns home to California. He gets a hero’s welcome from his parents but Ben isn’t quite sure what to do with the rest of his life. He is soon seduced by Mrs. Robinson (Anne Bancroft), the wife of his father’s partner, who methodically pursues the inexperienced young man. Soon, they are meeting regularly in hotel rooms. Warned by her to stay away from her daughter Elaine (Katherine Ross), his father goads him into taking her out on a date. He finds he quite likes Elaine but when she learns he’s been having an affair with her own mother, she’ll have nothing to do with him. He’s smitten however and pursues her.
In many ways the casting was a stroke of good fortune for Dustin Hoffman, given that Robert Redford, Warren Beatty and Charles Grodin were first and respective choices for the role of twenty-one year old Benjamin, before director Mike Nichols (‘Closer’) settled on Hoffman, who at that time was an unknown 29-year-old off-Broadway character actor.
Benjamin’s evolution throughout the film, from fumbling virgin in the humorous “Mrs Robinson, you are trying to seduce me. Aren’t you?” scene, to self-possessed leading man is cleverly conceived. But it’s the final shot of Benjamin and Elaine on the bus after they have jolted away from her wedding, that remains the most memorable because of the wave of emotions on their faces – from their initial joy which gives way to doubt and insecurity about what they have done and what the future holds, all in one single shot.
Featuring timeless songs from Simon And Garfunkel, ‘The Sounds of Silence’ which perfectly set the films mood – The Graduate is a bittersweet comedy that remains in a class of its own.
Annie’s (Kristen Wiig) life has become a bit of a mess. With a failed bakery business behind her, she now has a job in a jewellery shop. The only people she can confide in are her mother (Jill Clayburgh) and best friend, Lilian (Maya Rudolph). But now Lilian has announced that she’s marrying her boyfriend and Annie simply must be the maid of honour. Suddenly, our miserable, emotionally needy heroine finds herself in charge of four new friends – Disney-loving Becca (Ellie Kemper), drunken housewife Rita (Wendi McLendon-Covey), overweight motormouth Megan (Melissa McCarthy) and wealthy perfectionist Helen (Rose Byrne), who’s determined to be Maid of Honour herself.
All credit goes to its rising star here Kristen Wiig with some amazing facial expressions, for crafting a refreshing pin-sharp script of comedy gold, that features one of the best gross-out toilet humour gags of recent years. Bridesmaids can’t maintain such a high level of humour over its course of 125 minutes, but when its game is on, it explosively happens, you should have heard the guy behind us, I didn’t know it was possible for one person to make very humorous sounds like that.
Whilst the trailer portrays Bridesmaids as being the female version of the Hangover, it isn’t – queue the predictable romantic subplot ‘Mr. Nice Guy’ played by the brilliant Chris O’Dowd. But in terms of the antics these bridesmaids prove they aren’t all frilly girlie and can get down just as dirty as the boys, which makes this comedy with a soft heart, the second best of the year – it’s just damn funny. Like, really funny.
This story charts the monumental life and tragic death of legendary Brazilian motor-racing Champion, Ayrton Senna. Spanning the decade from his arrival in Formula One in the mid 80’s, the film follows Senna’s struggles both on track against his nemesis, French World Champion Alain Prost, and off it, against the politics which infest the sport. Privately, he is humble, almost shy, and fiercely patriotic, donating millions to his native Brasil and contemplating a life beyond motor-racing.
Being an avid fan of Formula One and to say I was looking forward this watching documentary film of arguably the greatest motor racing driver ever to grace the sport, Ayrton Senna, was an understatement and due to its limited release and huge popularity film club members finally got to watch it after three failed attempts.
With the rivalry between Senna and Alain Prost is the motor of the film, it never vilifies Prost but instead shows his ability to play the political game, and how excellent he was at it. However the real success of the documentary, is the tremendous amount of footage, some 15000 hours which includes drivers’ briefings, home movies and driver cameras that London film-maker Asif Kapadia has painstakingly trawled through and masterfully stitched together so that everything is running seamlessly in bringing this remarkable story to screen.
The final segment of the film brings you onto the blackest weekend in the history of the sport at Imola, San Marino, it’s here the pace of the film changes and so rightfully it should, as it is highly emotional and leaves you with a sense of numbness. It is hoped one day we will be able to enjoy the unedited version of this riveting story, as quite simply you can’t include everything here.
Senna is a flawless, emotive and compelling documentary on a legend who had the drive, passion and natural ability unlike anyone else and demands to be seen wherever you are a fan of the sport or not.
Hal Jordan (Ryan Reynolds) is a cocky test pilot with the US Air Force. But his destiny lies beyond the earthly realm. For millennia, the Green Lantern Corps has championed the cause of intergalactic peace and justice. Each member of the brotherhood wears a ring that grants him superpowers. But now a deadly new enemy has emerged. Known as Parallax, it threatens to disrupt the balance of the universe. The squadron has never had much respect for humans, but this time they have no choice. As their first-ever human recruit, Hal finds the future of the earth itself is in his hands. With the support of his fellow pilot and childhood sweetheart Carol Ferris (Blake Lively), he sets about mastering his amazing new powers and embarks on a road that will see him become the greatest Green Lantern of them all.
Where its chief rival, Marvel Comics has an endless supply of superheroes for movie adaptations (Spider-Man, Iron Man, The Hulk, Captain America, and Thor) DC Comics only has two true super-hero icons, Superman and Batman, after that they only have Wonder Woman, The Flash and, yes, the Green Lantern left to offer the viewer, whose only superpower comes from a power ring that he posses which allows him to create anything he can think of out of green light — a car, guns, hammer, the possibilities are endless. Alas what this ring is not able to do, is create a good movie.
Green Lantern, which is credited to four screenwriters where they abandon everything that is creative storytelling. and in the end feels like the ultimate cut and paste job from other movies, most notably Superman – remember how a helicopter was used in introducing our hero to the world, and then he flies to a balcony to try and steam things up with his true love – yes there all in here.
The CGI, even if they do have a video game feel to them, employed in Green Lantern to bring it to life are modertly decent, but overall they are certainly not worth the colossal $200m that was thrown at the movie.
If it is the brightest day, in the blackest night, don’t worry too much if Green Lantern slips your sight this summer, because it suffers the same fate as the other Green (Hornet) super-hero released this year – by becoming one of movies ultimate time wasters.
#128 / 365 – ‘The Best Years of Our Lives’ – 172 mins
IMDb Challenge #79 / 250 – Ranked #169 – Via DVD Collection
It’s the hope that sustains the spirit of every GI: the dream of the day when he will finally return home. For three WWII veterans, the day has arrived. But for each man, the dream is about to become a nightmare. Captain Fred Derry (Dana Andrews) is returning to a loveless marriage; Sergeant Al Stephenson (Fredric March) is a stranger to a family that’s grown up without him; and young sailor Homer Parrish (Harold Russell) is tormented by the loss of his hands. Can these three men find the courage to rebuild their world? Or are the best years of their lives a thing of the past?
War has always been a popular genre for film. However whilst most war films in circulation are only interested in portraying the battles and fighting on the front lines, ‘The Best Years of Our Lives’ is an understanding of what happens when the war is over and the servicemen are sent back home to their loved ones and try to re-adjust to civilian life, never an easy task.
Nominated for eight Oscars, it took home seven including Best Picture (beating an all-time favourite of mine ‘It’s A Wonderful Life’) and Best Director for William Wyler who later went on to achieve outstanding success with ‘Ben-Hur’.
There’s no real plot sustaining the film, its purely a character driven piece, where there’s no dazzling “epic” scenes, such as flashing back to explosive war scenes and it doesn’t need any, it’s almost that William Wyler as plunked down a camera amongst its strong ensemble cast to explore their intertwining stories – to make it the hallmark of great and unforgettable drama. There is one heart-breaking scene where Homer (played by real-life amputee, Harold Russell) shows his girlfriend what life would be like if she stayed with him, by getting her to undress him and put his prosthetic arms on, very moving.
This was my first viewing of ‘The Best Years of Our Lives’ and in all truthfulness because you become utterly involved in these chracters for whom you deeply care for and the warmth and satisfaction that you get that accompanies its conclusion, I could have easily watched it again – straight away.
#127 / 365 – ‘Gandhi’ – 188 mins
IMDb Challenge #78 / 250 – Ranked #184 – Via DVD Collection
Mohandas K Gandhi (Sir Ben Kingsley), an Indian lawyer working in South Africa, returns home to the conclusion that the British have made his countrymen second class citizens. He begins non-violent protests, becomes the leader of the nation, and leads his people to freedom.
Winner of eight Academy Awards in 1982 (including best film, best director and best actor) Richard Attenborough’s epic biopic of Mohandas Karamchand Gandhi is painted on a sweeping beautiful canvas that I pretty much hold in the same light as David Leans, ‘Lawrence of Arabia’ and the grand cinematography is none more evident when at Gandhi’s funeral (following the opening assassination sequence) scene where 300,000 extras were used to create this one sumptuous shot.
Sir Ben Kingsley excels in his performance has the unassuming hero set across five decades and its a role he absorbs so greatly, the film will always deserve to be seen for this alone. Whilst Gandhi is an informative and enjoyable movie and watching it is certainly an education on the great man of peace himself, it is not without its flaws – many of them down to the poor explanation of its secondary characters, which I guess Attenborough simply had no time for full development because he had his hands full on bringing such an epic political tale to life, which he started digesting twenty years before in 1962.
#126 / 365 – ‘The Bourne Ultimatum’ – 115 mins
IMDb Challenge #77 / 250 – Ranked #167 – Via DVD Collection
When Jason Bourne (Matt Damon) contacts the British reporter of The Guardian Simon Ross (Paddy Considine)that he is researching Operation Blackbriar that superseded the Treadstone Project to find out a clue to lead to his true and dark identity, he is chased though Moscow, Paris, Madrid, London and Tangier by CIA Deputy Director Noah Vosen (David Strathairn), who wants to eliminate him.
It has often been said, rarely in a trilogy does each movie improve on its predecessor however in this case they really saved the very best until last. There’s no time to analyse the plot as Paul Greengrass propels you straight into the film and then continues to take you on this high-octane ride throughout.
The films standout sequence which is dazzling executed, occurs when Bourne directs Simon Ross through a crowd of pursuing agents in Waterloo station, couple this with some blistering choreography fight scenes in which Bourne displays an array of hand-to-hand combat skills that even Bruce Lee would drool over. Then before you can say I’ve got memory back, comes the cherry on top car chase, where Bourne knows how stylishly wreck an Audi. The Bourne Ultimatum brings arguably one of the best trilogies off all time to a fitting climax making it a tour-de-force to be reckoned with – move over Bond this is real spy stuff.
Meet Elizabeth Halsey (Cameron Diaz). She’s single-handedly redefining the word ‘inappropriate’. Scantily dressed, swearing like the proverbial trooper and frequently hungover, she’s the worst role model imaginable for her class of teenagers. But Elizabeth doesn’t give a fig, because she’s about to marry her sugar-daddy and will never need to work again. Alas, her plans are thrown into disarray when he dumps her. Enter handsome, wealthy new substitute teacher Scott Delacorte (Justin Timberlake). Unfortunately, he’s already dating Elizabeth’s colleague Amy Squirrel (Lucy Punch). But when our scheming anti-heroine discovers that his previous girlfriend was especially well-proportioned, she concludes that the way to win his heart is with expensive breast implants. Luckily, there’s a bonus on offer to the teacher whose pupils score the highest class average. And Elizabeth’s chief rival is – you guessed it! – Amy.
Cameron Diaz gets a C for her efforts playing the lazy and permanently stoned Miss Halsey, but it is Brit Lucy Punch who takes home a distinction as the always perky goody-two-shoes and mad-happy faced Miss Squirrel. Whilst it does have some crude fun in places the proof is that comedy really is in the timing, means this Bad Teacher doesn’t quite make the grade and if you want school themed comedies that are top of their class – stick with ‘School of Rock’
The Life of a Film Obsessive 