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December 11, 2012

Cinematic Advent Calendar #11 – Toy Story

When I heard about this film, I have to admit I didn’t think it would be my cup of tea. A computer generated cartoon, why would I go and see that?

Well how wrong I was, Pixar’s Toy Story was a wonderful creation, amusing, moving and a really great story. You know when it’s a good story when you forget it is a computer created film and focus on the characters and the plot. True in the first part of the film for the first time you look in awe at the work of those digital artists. Remember when this came out, there were very few computer animated films, it was incredible the amount of work that had gone into it. But in the end it was the story that made Toy Story a great film, not the animation. It’s a pity that not all film makers have realised that.

The characters of Woody and Buzz really made the film, but often it was the characterisation of “famous” toys such as Barbie and Etch-a-Sketch that made the film and provided many of the best moments. Despite the fact it was based in America, many of the toys were familiar to us in the UK, so not too alien for British audiences.

The story is quite simple, two toys who are initially rivals, but through adversity and adventures become friends. The story is dark in places, people often forget that though this is a film about toys, it was certificated PG and certainly some aspects are not suitable for very young children. However there is an appeal to children who may have always wondered if their toys came alive when they left the room or went to sleep, probably a similar appeal to adults who had similar wondering when they young. The film is also amusing on two levels, simple physical comedy, but also a layer of comic timing and jokes that will appeal to adults. it is a very clever film and I really enjoyed the story, the humour and I have to say the cleverness of the digital artists.

I also enjoyed the sequels and it’s not often that film makes can repeat the magic they created with their first films.

Download Toy Story from iTunes.

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December 10, 2012December 8, 2019

Cinematic Advent Calendar #10 – The Shawshank Redemption

The Shawshank Redemption was a film that when released didn’t do too well in the cinema. When you consider the outline story it is understandable why. This is a story of a bloke who gets imprisoned, spends time in prison, it’s not very nice in there, there is violence and corruption… well would you go and see a film about that?

The thing about The Shawshank Redemption is that it isn’t a story about prison, or even the brutality of prison life, it’s a story about hope and friendship. That is what makes it such a powerful film and compelling to watch through to the end. Superb direction by Frank Darabont makes this a great film.

This was the film that introduced me to Morgan Freeman, his powerful performance is one of the highlights of the film.

Download The Shawshank Redemption from iTunes.

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December 9, 2012December 8, 2019

Cinematic Advent Calendar #09 – Saving Private Ryan

The first twenty minutes or so of Saving Private Ryan
is a raw horrific introduction what “modern” warfare is all about. This is no glorified Hollywood war film, this is what, according to many veterans, war is really like.

That opening sequence was brutal and extremely shocking. it is shocking as the violence is sudden, brutal and non-discriminating. You get to see not just the immediate impact of war, but also the brutal impact it has on individuals.

It has to be said that though the rest of the film is not as powerful, not that, that is a bad thing, two hours of intense warfare would not make a good film. As a result there was a fair bit of criticism of the pace of the rest of the film. I actually think that the change in pace adds to the story.

I was very impressed with the way in which Spielberg shot and processed the film, very evocative of the colour films of the era of the movie. The beach sequence is very powerful, but I also think that the final scenes in the French village are also well done. The ruined buildings, which were all purpose built for the film and then “destroyed” to represent bombing and artillery really do look the part. If you look at photographs of the Normandy campaign you will see buildings in a similar destroyed state.

I remember first seeing Tom Hanks in Big and, apart from his more recent stuff have enjoyed his films. He certainly has played a diverse range of characters, think of Hanks, and you can think of Sleepless in Seattle, Toy Story, Apollo 13. I think he does a great job in Saving Private Ryan. He is well supported by an excellent cast.

As might be expected from a film that won five academy awards, what followed were many films in a similar vein, I did think that Clint Eastwood’s Flags of our Fathers & Letters from Iwo Jima were good films, not quite as good as Saving Private Ryan, but certainly well worth watching. Spielberg and Hanks of course went to TV with Band of Brothers (and more recently The Pacific). I didn’t get very far when I originally watched Band of Brothers on the TV, I think I saw two episodes. More recently I borrowed the DVD boxed set from a friend and watched the whole series. I did enjoy that though it was very similar in style to Ryan.

Many years ago I was tasked with testing some projectors for work, so I connected it to a VCR and played Saving Private Ryan against a blank wall. I was very impressed watching that opening sequence on my own big screen!

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December 8, 2012December 8, 2019

Cinematic Advent Calendar #08 – Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade

Indiana Jones is a film series which for many reasons should have failed. It was based on the 1930s adventure serials that were shown in the cinema at that time and into the 1950s. It was a retro adventure film, why would it have appealed to a modern audience? In many ways, despite the story, the quality of the filming and action sequences; I am sure the main reason that initially the film was successful was down to George Lucas, Steven Spielberg and Harrison Ford.

George Lucas was well known for Star Wars, and had huge success. Steven Spielberg had made Jaws and Close Encounters and Harrison Ford had been the real star of Star Wars. This combination was going to attract an audience regardless of what the film was about. Raiders of the Lost Ark was a hit in 1981, it was obvious that there would be a sequel and The Temple of Doom followed in 1984. The Last Crusade came five years later in 1989.

This film choice was a bit of a tough one, in many ways the first Indiana Jones film, Raiders of the Lost Ark is a much more significant film, and really in some aspects probably a better film. However out of the first three Indiana Jones’ films, the one I like the most is the third one.

It’s probably for a range of reasons: I like the opening sequence from when Indy was a young lad. It’s nice to gain a better understanding of the motivations of the character and the origins of his trademark hat, whip and fear of snakes. There is Sean Connery playing Jones Senior. I do like films with Sean Connery and the relationship between dad and junior adds a fair bit of humour to the film.

There is a scene in Venice and that is one of my favourite places in the world. It also features Petra and I really quite like that part of the story (no spoilers here).

Like a lot of people I wasn’t too impressed with the recent fourth Indy film, but I certainly didn’t hate it as some did. It’s an enjoyable romp, but is nowhere near the quality of the films from the 1980s.

I wonder with the purchase of Lucasfilms by Disney whether they will take the risk and do something with the franchise. Unlike Star Wars, the real draw these days with Indiana Jones is Harrison Ford, he is getting older and I don’t think he can play the part in the same way he did with the original three films. It will be a risk if they recast, but it could work. What do you think?

Get Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade at iTunes.

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December 7, 2012December 8, 2019

Cinematic Advent Calendar #07 – The Eagle has Landed

There are quite a few films in this advent calendar that have significant memories over and above the film itself. Queuing for Star Wars was significant for example. With The Eagle has Landed I went to see it at the Aldeburgh cinema with my grandparents.

Looking back I was seven (maybe eight) when I went to see it, which when you consider the current certification of 15 was way too young! What I do remember was that whenever there was a scene with blood, my grandparents would say to me, that’s tomato ketchup! I think because I saw this film at the cinema that it is one of my favourite films and in this list.

The film covers an attack by German paratroopers on Winston Churchill. From the initial planning of the attack this film is a fast paced adventure.

There is a great cast, Michael Caine plays the lead role Colonel Steiner, and Donald Sutherland is perfect as the smooth talking Devlin.

I remember reading the book many years later, this as you may expect has much more detail than the film. What I did like about the book was the way in which it was written as though it was based on true accounts.

Unlike some other films of that era, I think this still stands up and is an enjoyable film despite the age.

Download The Eagle has Landed from iTunes.

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December 6, 2012

Cinematic Advent Calendar #06 – Pulp Fiction

I am sure that most people who went to see Pulp Fiction had probably seen Reservoir Dogs first. I didn’t. I did see it after seeing Pulp Fiction and out of all of Quentin Tarantino’s films, the one i like the most is Pulp Fiction, much more so than Dogs or to be honest any of the stuff he has done later.

I love the storytelling approach that Tarantino takes with Pulp Fiction, it was extremely clever to intertwine the various stories in the way that he does. What I think was innovative was the way that the stories don’t follow a linear path. Before Pulp Fiction this would have been done through the flashback, what Tarantino does is to just tell the stories and ignores the fact that the stories aren’t told in order or in a linear fashion. This could be somewhat confusing, and in many ways a second viewing does help, but due to though the stories intertwine they are really individual isolated stories.

Pulp Fiction doesn’t hold back the punches, there is violence, there are drugs. This does however make it a very powerful film and at times uncomfortable to watch. I certainly feel that it doesn’t glorify the use of drugs, or even violence, it is shocking and I think it works well on that level.

In terms of cast, it is full of stars. At the time many of them were on a downward track, this is the film that helped many of them to be reinvented or refreshed.

Another facet I like about Pulp Fiction has to be the soundtrack and I suspect that this was a contributing factor to the success of the film.

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December 5, 2012January 1, 2020

Cinematic Advent Calendar #05 – Leon

I have found when watching films there are a few that really showcase a director or an actor, as a result I make an effort to seek out other work they have done. To give you an example, after watching the Shawshank Redemption I did go our of my way to find films starring Morgan Freeman. Likewise Devil in a Blue Dress was the film that made me appreciate Denzel Washington as an actor.

Leon was awash with great actors, and Luc Besson is briilant as both director and writer. This was the film that made me find other films by Luc Besson and others starring Jean Reno. It was the also the film that made me appreciate what an excellent and versatile actor Gary Oldman is.

Leon is a hard violent film, but is also a very powerful story with a fair few amusing and thought provoking scenes. Jean Reno is in many ways typically Jean Reno, from his facial expressions, to the way he portrays the cold calculating killer, who over time is softened into a fatherly figure by Natalie Portman’s character.

Beautifully filmed, the film’s story is one of revenge and the cost that it has on people’s lives.

Download Leon from iTunes.

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December 4, 2012December 4, 2020

Cinematic Advent Calendar #04 – Star Trek VI

“Guess who’s coming to dinner…”

There have been a fair few Star Trek films, out of all of them the one I like best is number six. It tells the story of the thawing of relations between the Federation and the Klingon Empire. With overtones of the Cold War, this story about an old starship crew (making no apologies for the ageing cast) been put into a situation that isn’t what they are use to or expect is gripping and humourous at the same time.

I do think it was the best of the “old cast” films, I did like IV with the whales and time travel, but at the end of the day, of all of them VI wins out. I do like how Sulu now has his own ship. There is a great supporting cast too with Christopher Plummer and David Warner playing the Klingons with great effect.

It’s hard to believe, but the film is over twenty years old now. So is this one of your favourites, or is it one of other films?

Download Star Trek VI: The Undiscovered Country from iTunes.

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December 3, 2012

Cinematic Advent Calendar #03 – Star Wars, A New Hope

As a young kid I didn’t go to the cinema very often, but one film I did go and see, and had to queue all around the market square in Cambridge for, was Star Wars.

I didn’t go to the cinema very often when i was young, but I never remember really long queues for films, the queue for Star Wars was unprecedented, it was huge. I have never seen anything like this again.

Star Wars was, and still is, an amazing piece of cinema. When you read the back story you realise that when they were making the film, they had no idea how big it was going to be, many of the cast and crew thought it might be a flop. There were disasters on set, including massively destructive sand storms in Tunisia.

The story was simple in many respects, but this is a true cinematic film. That opening sequence with the never ending huge Star Destroyer set the tone for the rest of the movie. I really loved the retro feel of the technology and this slightly worn, aged tech look was used again many times by other films and television series. Battlestar Galactica is an example of copying the feel and style of Star Wars tech, so much so, there was a court case about it.

There were spaceships, battles in space, jedi mysticism, sword fights (well light sabre fights), monsters, aliens and a authoritarian empire bent on destruction.

The one thing that you can say about Star Wars was the impact it had on science fiction films and television, it made them mainstream. It was only a couple of years later and we had Star Trek films, there was also a range of science fiction mainstream television series too, as well as the aforementioned Battlestar Galactica, there was Buck Rogers. Some were good and some were downright awful.

Of course Star Wars became so much more than the one film from 1977, three years later there was the Empire Strikes Back (which I didn’t see at the cinema, but many say is a better film than the original) and then in 1982 we saw Return of the Jedi. I did see that at the cinema, but there wasn’t the queues there was in 1977 and in many ways was nowhere near as good as the original film. I remember going to see the “enhanced” versions in the 1990s before the release of the prequels and I did enjoy watching those films again in the cinema. There is something very different about the cinema experience over watching something on the telly or an iPad. I remember really enjoy Empire Strikes Back at the cinema.

I’ll be honest I was not that impressed with the prequels, they didn’t have the magic that we saw in the original three films and the use of CGI did not improve the movies, many of the effects shots were too “clever” and didn’t progress the story, whilst I thought many of the CGI sets looked rather fake. For me they weren’t Star Wars, they were another science fiction film.

Get Star Wars at Amazon.

December 2, 2012

Cinematic Advent Calendar #02 – When Harry met Sally…

Last year I did a musical advent calendar that I posted to Google+ and a final summary on this blog. This year on a similar theme I will be posting a cinematic advent calendar of twenty four films. It is in no particular order and I make no apologies for the films that I am posting. These are films that I really like and have enjoyed at the cinema. Some have been sheer enjoyment and others have had more of an impact.

My second choice for the calendar is When Harry met Sally… Can men ever be friends with women? This very funny film explores that very question with Billy Crystal and Meg Ryan. Set over a fair few years from when they first met on a road trip to New York through chance encounters, this take of two friends is both amusing and sentimental. It is also quite funny. It is one of the few films I probably watch every year and enjoy it every time. There are also strong performances from Carrie Fisher and Bruno Kirby as friends of Harry and Sally.

I have considered going to New York based on this film alone, but of course the New York now is very different to that one back in 1989. The film certainly doesn’t show the hustle and bustle of the New York that you see in many films, there is a calmer and more hip version of New York. Reminds me of Clifton in Bristol when I watch.

If you like romantic comedies then you probably have seen this, made in an era of similar films, this was a little sharper and tougher than the types we have seen in the last ten years.

I nearly put City Slickers into this list of films, but recalled it was When Harry met Sally which introduced me to Billy Crystal, so if you do watch When Harry met Sally and enjoy it, take a look at City Slickers too.

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