40 Films

[helogale]

My New Year's Resolution is to go and see 40 films at the cinema this year.

First one of the year is 'Australia'.

It's totally and uttterly absurd. It's a western-epic-romance-war-clash of cultures-story with every single cliche and stereotype in the book - stampede, cattle rustling, camp fire sing alongs, cute kid, poisoned water holes, desert crossing, posh aristocrat falls in love with macho 'bit of rough', Japanese bombing raid, mistaken identity, rescuing of orphans, will they or won't they make the last truck outta there? evacuation scene, heroic but point less death of sidekicks, swelling orchestral score during the 'emotional' bits, evil cattle barron, make-over 'you shall go to the ball' scene, love scene through gauzy curtains, mystic mutterings by shamanistic old person and even a crocodile attack.

But despite that, I didn't really notice the time go by, even though I couldn't help sniggering at some of the worst plot lines and dialogue, so I was entertained and I think that is in large part due to the fact that it's quite clearly been made with a great deal of love.



39 to go.

[Booglebox]

Fee, your resolution will actually be very useful to me (and I'm sure several others). Thanks for the review, and those coming!

[In the Rain]

I heard a review on "Front Row" which tried really hard to be polite but ultimately failed... It seemed that they had tried to fit in the whole history of Australia in the 20th century plus deal with the complex issue of the mis-treatment of mixed-race children all within a romantic feel-good movie.

You can't fault the level of ambition!

[stargazer]

Che seems to be interesting and since there is a sequel you get two in a row.

[helogale]

Originally Posted by Booglebox

Fee, your resolution will actually be very useful to me (and I'm sure several others). Thanks for the review, and those coming!

You're very welcome!

Originally Posted by In the Rain

It seemed that they had tried to fit in the whole history of Australia in the 20th century plus deal with the complex issue of the mis-treatment of mixed-race children all within a romantic feel-good movie.

You can't fault the level of ambition!

It's weird, because I think the mis-treatment of mixed-race children is supposed to be the main issue of the film but it seems like a sub plot most of the time. Not a patch, in terms of addressing the issue of the forced segregation of children, on 'Rabbit Proof Fence', which I think is one of the best films ever to come out of Australia.

Originally Posted by stargazer

Che seems to be interesting and since there is a sequel you get two in a row.

It's on my list - hopefully next week!

BTW - any recommendations from anyone are most definitely welcome!

Anyway, here's number two...

Frost/Nixon

The plot centres around the taping of a series of interviews between David Frost and former President, Richard Nixon, three years after the Watergate affair and Nixon's resignation, in which David Frost, seen as a bit of a lightweight chat show host rather than a politically astute interviewer, especially by the US Press at the time, manages to get the nearest thing to a confession of guilt out of Richard Nixon over his actions.

It started life as a play, written by Peter Morgan (The Queen, The Last King of Scotland), and was performed first at the Donmar, a tiny arts theatre in London, then moved to the west end, then Broadway, then filmed.

As you might imagine it is very heavy on dialogue and character, rather than action, but it is beautifully written and so well paced that your attention never flags and even though you know what happens in the actual interviews, it's enthralling to watch how the events unfold and how these two very different characters spark off one another.

It is directed by Ron Howard (Apollo 13, A Beautiful Mind) who creates the moods, colours and claustrophobic settings within which the events takes place – hotel rooms, private offices, book lined libraries - quite beautifully and effectively, to capture the tension of setting up the interviews and the interviews themselves, leading up to the 'gotcha' moment when Nixon finally seems to lay his soul bare.

I say 'seems' because there is much discusion about whether Frost did get a confession from him, but what Frost understood, and the political interviewers of the time didn't, is that, with TV close ups, an audience can see what a person is thinking as well as hear what is being said, and they can choose which is telling the truth - the words or the expression. Howard seems to have relished the opportunity to do such a character driven piece after so many big Hollywood dramas. There are obvious analogies to the Adminstration of George W Bush but wisely both director and writer steer well clear of labouring the point.

The real master stroke, though, is the two leads. Michael Sheen (The Queen), taking a break from playing Tony Blair, and Frank Langella, played the parts during the theatre runs of the original play and their familiarity with the material and the chemistry they've developed during that time come across clearly – they are superb as David Frost and Richard Nixon respectively.

A great film and hugely enjoyable one as well. And don't worry if you don't really know anything about Watergate. It's all explained at the beginning.




2/40

[Booglebox]

What I don't get is why they put -gate on the ends of things to make them scandalous. Might as well start calling this place Oddgate.

Originally Posted by Simon

You can't fault the level of ambition!

...that's what she said?

[In the Rain]

Originally Posted by helogale

Anyway, here's number two...
Frost/Nixon

So now I'm confused - they were running trailers for this at my gym this lunchtime, and it says "In cinemas from 23rd Jan". So did you go to some uber-cool preview event that you are underplaying in a typically Oddies blasé fashion?

[Booglebox]

Fee is a pirate, fee is a pirate

[stargazer]

Originally Posted by Booglebox

What I don't get is why they put -gate on the ends of things to make them scandalous. Might as well start calling this place Oddgate.



...that's what she said?

The place really was called Watergate - hence the habit of tagging gate onto the scene of other scandalous revelations.

[Booglebox]

Aaaaaaaaaaah.