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Reviews
Wildfire (2020)
A realistic downbeat interesting exploration of an often forgotten side of the fall out still happening many years later from The Troubles
It's a bit slow...but I like slow, and the film leads, the two sisters, are excellently acted. The film is quite refreshing in that it explores territory taking place well after the Troubles are over, and some time after the peace accord. At first I didn't really care for the character Lauren, but then as the story begins to unfold and you discover what she has experienced you can understand why her character isn't very likeable to begin with. I only began to realise how interesting and complex this film is once it had finished. The film kept me thinking for a few days afterwards, particularly of the characters surrounding both sisters and their insistence on remembering things their way to suit them and to shield them themselves from the unpalatable truths, and not be considerate of the sisters feelings and what they have gone through. The story may be a bit slow to some watching, but it's an interesting slow reveal, Contrary to what I've read, I feel that there is some reward towards the end. It's not sewn up nice and tight with a happy ribbon to suit the happy clappy audience type. It's a slice of life with it's warts and all. A very enjoyable if sad film. I felt a lot of sympathy for both sisters at the end of the film and thought 'there but for the grace of God go I'.
Apollo: The Forgotten Films (2019)
Never mind all the rest, this is the best of the bunch!
I don't often come across something that really stands out, but this is so good. I have seen the new Apollo 11 footage that has been restored for the Apollo 11 film due to come out in the UK on blu ray, it's already out in the states. It's good, and it's great to see that they have matched up audio to film footage not seen before. The launch was extra special and I'm really looking forward to the blu ray to blast my ears out! Now then, this having watched both is even better than the Apollo 11 film on so many levels. The amount of unseen footage is stunning, I say again...stunning. I also own the spacecraft film version of Apollo 11 material, but even that does not compare to this. It's like someone has taken the best bits ever filmed, and added a score and voice which elevates the whole Apollo 11 experience way beyond what I saw when I was a kid. If you have never seen the Apollo 11 footage because you were too young at the time and you have recently become curious then this is also for you. You will come away with such a proud feeling of belonging to the human race. I'm a Brit but I'm so proud of what you Yanks did, I just sometimes wish I was American.
If I Leave Here Tomorrow: A Film About Lynyrd Skynyrd (2018)
Great to see footage I hadn't seen before....not just a regurgitation which sad to say is more than I can say for The Doors output.
I was not exactly looking forward to watching this thinking that it would just be a retread of the same 'ol stuff. Well you can't change the timeline of what happened but you can give it new life. I thoroughly enjoyed watching clips of the band playing in the early days with Ed King that I'd never seen before. Details from the rest of the Honkettes regarding Cassie. Images of the band I'd never seen before, and that's saying something. Although I didn't exactly learn a lot of new things and there was a bit of retread catering for younger viewers to the band there were a few nuggets that I didn't know before. Bob Burns was a bit more fleshed out than what I knew about him from other documentaries on the band. Ed King had more to say than I'd heard previously. It was nice to see Ronnie's younger brother having a laugh with Gary, but for me it seemed to amplify the sadness of what these guys AND girls had all been through and were still experiencing. Even Artimus who became a bit of an outsider at one point to the rest of the band and took a lot of flak, innuendo and rumour seemed to be extremely sincere regarding the feelings he expressed. There was a lot about Artimus that I didn't know and I have a new found respect for him because of it. Credit where credit is due, everyone was given a bit of limelight. It was great to hear from Rickey Medlocke who was jovial and honest, again new found respect. This is not a film that covers the original Skynrd, the Rossington Collins and the new Skynyrd lineup, just the original band lineups in the early days up to the fateful crash. However it does bring into relief the recent issues regarding the yankee flag from Gary's perspective. I do agree that the music was too loud and drowned out the interviewees, but I soon forgot about that either because it corrected itself or I got swept up in the story of this fine but tragic band once again.The time just flew by watching this and it was certainly well worth watching. Would I watch it again, certainly would. Would I buy it, yes I would to add to my collection. I've docked one star purely because of the sound issues, but don't let that bother you too much. Dammit I've got some grit in my eye again...sob sob!
God's Pocket (2014)
Maybe I'm easily pleased, but then so's a lot of other people!
I was brought up thinking that a book had to have a story line packed full of memorable incidents, poems had to rhyme, and films were supposed to be full of action to be appreciated. I'm glad to say that I grew out of that 'please me quick' attitude. Yes if I'm in the mood for a dose of that I can gladly take it, but these days you are likely to overdose on that. I tend to seek films like this these days and I'm not at all disappointed. God's Pocket has been explained a few times already so I won't bother to do that. I'm just here to try and encourage others to enjoy this film for what it is, a great little offbeat film with tremendous characters, an everyday story of working people that takes a few twists and turns here and there, with a lovely dark streak running right through it. I for one loved it.
Salt (2010)
Pretty good action flick
Why so many haters of this film, what are you expecting? I'm pretty cynical and critical but I know when NOT to take a movie so seriously. Lighten up all you factual geeks...so Russia isn't like that these days (isn't it??? oh yeah Putin is such a nice chappie eh?), or in real life this wouldn't happen and that wouldn't happen!!! For Gawds sake it's an action movie like those before me have already said...it's mean't to take you out of your miserable mundane existence...took me out of mine for a few minutes...what more do you want? I'm asking myself if my IQ has dropped down a cliff overnight...nope...you haters must all have HUOWGE IQs is all I can think!?!? Or maybe you just take life too seriously. I've seen some pretty bad movies in my time and this isn't one of those where I wish I could have my time back please and thankyou! No sirree...ticks all my boxes and I love really serious thrillers too...I knew from the start I wasn't watching All The Presidents Men!!
Yongseoneun eupda (2010)
Brilliant film, rates with the best!!!!
I went into this film cold. I knew nothing except that it did well in Korea. I had watched 'The Children' earlier in the week and it took me a few days to dry my eyes out over that one...the Koreans are so damned good at making films to genuinely tug on the heart strings. I won't give this very intelligent film a synopsis, I'll leave that to others. I've just finished watching this at home in the dark on my own, and that's how I like it. Good Korean films need to be savoured and enjoyed with no detail missed. No one else in my household appreciates these films other than the usual home made fodder and that suits me fine. This is a tense and sad film with a decent enough story line that gradually builds to one hell of an ending. It kept me on the edge of my seat from about 30 minutes in. I had to leave it 20 minutes in for a few hours as I kept getting interrupted first time around. Then I almost decided to not bother with it and to watch something else. Whoa! What the heck was I thinking!!! My patience paid off big time. That ending is the best I've seen in ages...but I seem to say this more often when watching Korean films these days. Beautifully done guys....fantastic film...shall I call it a masterpiece...yep along with several others I've recently seen. Someone gave it 3/10 are you nuts?!?!?
Fifty Dead Men Walking (2008)
NOT a masterpiece but a damn fine film
I read the book going by the same name many years ago when it first came out and it left quite an impression on me. I felt very sympathetic to Mr McGartland's predicament, so I for one am glad that his story can largely be told in this medium. Read the book to iron out the odd discrepancy and to get the time-line correct. The director of this film bravely attempted to show 'The Troubles' as viewed from both sides in the short time the film allows. Although not all of the events are true, the film does realistically portray the truly chilling times. It is violent, nasty and tense, and I congratulate the director on not pulling any punches and showing the sort of menace that haunted the streets in the province. The makers of the film did state: 'The screenplay to the film is INSPIRED by the book. Although many aspects and characters have been changed the screenplay was not written or approved by the writers of the book and is not a reproduction or adaptation of the book or any substantial part of it' at the end of the film. I would suggest that wording was inserted to cover themselves. Certainly, Mr McGartland was not happy with the film to begin with as it showed him to be present at deaths that took place, to which he claimed he was not. Obviously, there are faults with the film then. But the main thrust of the book/film for me was that Mr McGartland was young, naive but also courageous, he was used by both sides and yet eventually couldn't trust either side. Although the peace treaty has been signed and to 'all intents and purposes' the Troubles are over 'as we knew them', it is a well known fact that the IRA never forget those that cross them. So the film is a reminder to many that this man gave up his life as he knew it for very little in return and to be forever on the run. This is not your typical Hollywood fare and is all the better for it. A job well done!