As Boris Johnson spent his Easter weekend watching The Lord of the Rings in hospital, here is the next seven days of viewing.
Fri. 10th April : David Brent: Life on the Road (2016)
Netflix.
Gone is Stephen Merchant, Martin Freeman and Mackenzie Crook, but Ricky Gervais' David Brent remains, working again in an office for a cleaning company. Directing, producing, writing and of course starring, this is Gervais' film through and through, recreating the cringe-inducing comedy that can be found in any workplace. Brent wants to tour the UK with his band, consisting of musicians who cannot tolerate the continuously verbal and naive lead singer. It falls short of the comedic heights of the show, but Gervais is phenomenal with emotion and finding humanity. This film is a secret tribute to the people in your life who you can't stand to be around but don't have the heart to tell it to their face. And, ultimately, you realise that when they aren't around you, life seems a little more boring. We need Brents in the world.
Also check out : After Life (2019-)
Sat. 11th : Crocodile Dundee (1986)
Netflix.
A cult classic Australian film, Crocodile Dundee is considerably fun. It is a story of fish out of water: the first half dealing with urban based New York reporter Sue going deep into the sparse Northern Territory to meet local hero and bushman Michael 'Crocodile' Dundee (Paul Hogan) and the second half seeing Dundee coming back to New York with Sue. The politics are gloriously outdated; Dundee grabs two people's crotches to determine their gender after learning about transsexuals, whilst also asking a black cab driver which tribe he is from. But seeing as the film does a great job setting up the isolation in the remote parts of Australia, without television and international news it makes sense that Dundee would be so politically backwards. It is also important that none of it is to the detriment of his character; he is friendly and calm, embodying the spirit of the Australian people in a way that crippled me with gap year nostalgia. The inevitable love story between the Western reporter and the local Australia does work thanks to the shared feeling of being out of depth in the others' homeland. Quintessential Friday night viewing.
Also check out : The Adventures of Priscilla: Queen of the Desert (1994)
Easter Sun. 12th : Ben-hur (1959)
DVD.
You know something is wrong with the world when you are allowed to watch a film in the morning of Easter Sunday. And what better film to see then the almighty Ben-hur. The biblical epic is best known for two things: its record breaking 11 Oscar wins and its titanic, nine minute chariot chase. It is an epic in every way; a near four hour run time, more extras than a chewing gum company and rousing action. It does take a while before Charlton Heston gets on the galleys, but the film really picks up with the brutal rowing sequences and an awesome naval collision between Romans and pirates. Ballistas and catapults sling flaming projectiles in the air whilst hulls are rammed and ships are sunk. Accomplished with miniatures, it only alludes to the forthcoming spectacle. When the chariot chase comes it truly is as fantastic as it is made out to be. It boils down to nine laps around an oval, but the fusion of meticulous stunt work, hair raising action and the dramatic power of the character rivalry makes for a sequence that is surely the apotheosis of classical filmmaking. Ben-hur may be overwhelmingly long and at times tedious, but as a vital piece of cinematic history it is worth the watch.
Also check out : Star Wars Episode I: The Phantom Menace (1999) for the influence of the chariot chase.
Mon. 13th : The Robe (1953)
BBC 2.
Another biblical film for the long weekend (not that you could tell it was a bank holiday); Richard Burton is Marcellus Gallio, the Roman tasked with the crucifixion of Christ. Afterwards. Marcellus wins Jesus' robe but is haunted by what he did. This kick-starts a journey to Palestine in order to find out more about the man he killed. More concerned with character than spectacle, The Robe is still a handsome production gleaming with lavish costumes and impressive sets. Released in the early 1950s, it is impossible to remove this film from the anti-communism that was so entrenched at the time: switch the Romans to capitalists and the followers of Jesus to communists and there is a wonderful dismantling of American culture. Indeed one of the writers, Albert Maltz, was on the Hollywood blacklist for his supposed connections to the Communist Party. An entertaining and illuminating film, this is a worthy watch.
Also check out : The Ten Commandments (1956)
Tue. 14th : The Hunt for Red October (1990)
DVD.
Sean Connery may not be a great actor, but he is always consistent in a prolific ouevre of films. He is terrific here as Ramius, a Russian submarine captain in charge of the Red October, a sub with the capability to travel undetected. On his way to the USA, both the Russians and the Americans have to work out if he intends to attack or defect. A very young and near unrecognisable Alec Baldwin plays Jack Ryan, the American who believes Ramius to be defecting and has to prove it before nuclear war can break out. The supporting cast is filled out with James Earl Jones, Tim Curry, Stellan Skarsgaard and Sam Neill. The atmosphere in submarine films is profound; a genius mix of claustrophobia, distrust and constant danger. Being confined in an inescapable box with potential mutineers would give anyone enough anxiety, but add the gigantic rock labyrinths that have to be negotiated, the threat of torpedoes and the failure of any part of the ship and you can reduce the men to nervous wrecks. But not Connery. With a resolve of steel and absolute faith in himself, he is a superb lead. The tiny details, logistics and technical know-how in submarine films makes them uniquely intelligent films despite the simplicity of their narratives. A sweaty palm watch.
Also check out : Crimson Tide (1995)
Wed. 15th : As Good As It Gets (1997)
DVD.
Jack Nicholson won his third Best Actor Oscar for playing Melvin, a bigoted man with crippling OCD. We have all met someone like him; talking to himself and refusing to walk on the lines of a sidewalk (pavement, the American just slipped out). His neighbour is a homosexual artist with a tiny dog and Melvin's favourite waiter is Carol who has a very sick son. Melvin has to look after the dog, falling in love with it and unaware its presence has altered his precious routine. The three take a road trip together and it soon falls into a rom-com of sorts which was surprising; Melvin and Carol I thought worked better as friends than lovers. But I guess the outcome of the film paints that Hollywood notion that there is hope for everyone no matter your mental condition. It is sporadically chuckle-inducing but heads into vanilla territory as the film goes on. A very three star film.
Also check out : One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest (1975)
Thu. 16th : Porco Rosso (1992)
Netflix.
For all my problems with it, Netflix made a very smart move in putting nearly all of the Studio Ghibli films up. Expensive to buy on DVD and hard to see anywhere else, this is easily accessible and allows Japanese filmography to permeate Western culture even more. Porco Rosso trots in at a brisk 90 minutes and tells the story of an anthropomorphic pig who flies his sea plane around the Adriatic Sea, defending boats from pirates and bounty hunters. Yes it is supremely odd (also odd that this is the first Ghibli film I have seen with a definitive setting and time) but it is captivating in its beautifully created dogfights, smart humour, gentle feminism and an intriguing eponym.
Also check out : Castle in the Sky (1986)
TV Round Up:
Stranger Things Season 1 (2016)
Netflix.
It took a while but I finally caught up with this 80s era phenomenon. It is essentially an eight hour film, set over a few days with the episodes flowing instantly into the next. A year before It: Chapter One took kids horror to the cinema, this show bred The Goonies, E.T and The Thing and birthed this sci-fi horror. In true 80s fashion there is the quiet town, no crimes or murders and run by a policeman who has very little to do. When young Will goes missing, the cop, Jim, is spurred into action. But he isn't the only one; Will's mum goes through a tedious and conventional 'crazy but not crazy' story; Will's three friends Mike, Dustin and Lucas search for their friend and encounter the mysterious and extremely powerful 11; and Mike's sister Nancy and Will's brother Jonathon also team up to do some detective work. It inevitably culminates with them all working together, before offering up largely satisfying endings to all of the characters. The story is engrossing and the characters are certainly likable, but the show is a little too in love with nostalgia and synths. There are some nitpicks too: the ability to spray paint a raised cinema sign in broad daylight seems ridiculous, the two handed child CPR is ridiculous, the monster is rapid in taking down government agents but takes its time walking towards the main characters. Dustin can also be insufferable. And does this show really need 11 executive producers? It might have overplayed its hand setting up a season 2, but I suppose I will have to watch it to see if its justified.
Westworld Season 3, Episode 5
Sky Atlantic.
After the barnstorming fourth episode, the fifth takes a tumble. Aaron Paul is drugged, and there are some creative choices to show the five phases of the substance during what I believe is the first driver-less car chase I have seen. The audio mix is often overwhelming but the music choices are still spot on. There is now a growing worry that it is repeating Thrones' season 7/8's mistake of having shorter episodes to allow higher budget, and then to spend it on nice visuals and fail to accommodate the genius writing that made the show a hit to begin with. There are scenes where the bad guys 'bullets just hit anything apart from our protagonists, whilst the bullets needed to kill them can be counted on one hand. I pray this was bad direction and not in the script, because if the action is going to take over from smooth dialogues and philosophy, then at least make it good.
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