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clivehodges
Reviews
The Bookshop (2017)
Touches the emotions with an ending that's bittersweet
In 1959, Florence Green (Emily Mortimer) buys the dilapidated 'Old House' in the small coastal town of Hardborough, East Anglia, takes over the unsold stock of a business in London that has closed, and opens a bookshop.
Reading is not a past-time that's widely popular in Hardborough. The townsfolk are convinced that the bookshop of kind-hearted Mrs Green, widowed during World War II, will fail - not for economic reasons or lack of readers but because the formidable, ruthless and vindictive Mrs Violet Gamart (Patricia Clarkson), self-appointed patroness of all public activities in the town, wants 'Old House' to be an Arts and Cultural Centre.
Florence does have supporters. There's young Christine (Honor Kneafsey), worldly beyond her years, who helps out after school; and Edmund Brundish (Bill Nighy), the local squire, a voracious reader and Florence's best customer.
The film moves at a leisurely pace. A pace that allows us time to appreciate whatever is on the screen, be it conflict, embarrassment, unresolved tension or moments of reflection. A pace that allows time for the cinematographer (Jean-Claude Larrieu) to linger on water, trees, fields and tall grass wavering in the wind.
Isabel Coixet, the director, wrote the screenplay which she based on a novel by Penelope Fitzgerald. The movie - filmed in County Down, Northern Ireland and Barcelona, Spain - won three of Spain's Goya Awards (best film; best director; best adapted screenplay) earlier this year.
The cast performs magnificently. Florence: naïve, courageous, and trusting; Christine: precocious and determined; Edmund: reclusive and supportive; Violet: persuasive, highly motivated, and effective.
This painfully tender movie - rigorously unsentimental - wormed its way into my affections. It's a film that touches the emotions with an ending that's bitter-sweet.
The Party (2017)
Highly entertaining
Janet is hosting an intimate gathering at home to celebrate her promotion to Shadow Minister of Health. This dark comedy will not appeal to all. It has received a mixed reception from movie critics.
Filmed in black-and-white, the running time is short - just over an hour. The emphasis is on the characters and the dialogue with less-than-realistic home-and-garden scenery straight from an Agatha Christie stage play.
The invitees know each other so well that the sharp wit does not offend too deeply. Eccentricity is rife with characters behaving outrageously and the ensemble of seven actors over-acting like crazy.
I found it highly entertaining and thoroughly enjoyed it.
The Guernsey Literary and Potato Peel Pie Society (2018)
A London writer forms a bond with the members of a book club on the island of Guernsey
British and French troops fighting Nazi Germany suffer a stunning defeat in May 1940 on mainland Europe. Germany invades the Channel Islands, livestock is impounded and a night curfew imposed.
Late one night, Elizabeth (Jessica Brown Findlay) Eben (Tom Courtenay) Isola (Katherine Parkinson) and Dawsey (Michiel Huisman) are noisily making their way home after feasting on a roasted pig that Amelia (Penelope Wilton) has hidden from the invaders. A blinding headlight terrifies the friends and a group of soldiers wielding machine guns prepare to arrest the group for being out after dark.
Quick-thinking Elizabeth offers the suggestion that they are merely returning home from a meeting of their book club. She fumbles around for a name ... and The Guernsey Literary and Potato Peel Pie Society is born.
The islanders eagerly take the opportunity to meet regularly to discuss whatever books they can lay their hands on.
The meetings continue after the war. The friends wish to add to their library and Dawsey writes to Juliet Ashton (Lily James) a name he's found inside a book by Charles Lamb, requesting the name of a London book shop that might stock further books by that author.
Juliet, a successful writer with a bestseller recently published, is struggling to find inspiration for her next book. She's intrigued by the curiously named Guernsey Literary & Potato Pie Peel Society and - as one does on the spur of the moment - flies off to Guernsey to meet its members.
The film is based on a novel by Mary Ann Shaffer and Annie Burrows that sold 7.5 million copies worldwide. Eben, in the film, is an amalgam of three characters in the book: the fisherman, the postmaster and the islander who thought up the recipe for the very first potato peel pie.
The Guernsey Literary & Potato Peel Pie Society is a charming, feel-good romantic drama. There's much to admire: a good story-line, excellent acting, unobtrusive music, a mystery to unravel, touches of humour and a few emotional, teary, tissue-dabbing moments. It's also predictable, minimises the blood and gore from the aircraft attacks in the re-enactments and, at just over two hours, overstays its welcome.
Dunkirk (2017)
excellent cinematography, riveting story-line and appropriate music
Quite a few of the professional film critics use the word 'immersion' meaning engrossed; absorbed completely when reviewing this movie. That's exactly what happened to me. One hour 46 minutes later, I came up for air.
It's important to remember, though, that the director covers events three times: on the land; on the sea; and in the air.
The action is often repeated. We see some episodes from the air, then from the viewpoint of those in the rescue boats, and sometimes, through the eyes of those on the land. If you're not aware of this before you see the movie, the continuity could be confusing.
Excellent cinematography, riveting story-line; and appropriate music.
The Beguiled (2017)
Restrained direction and strong performances
Definition of beguile: to charm, often in a deceptive way. That's exactly what the corporal set out to do
for his own benefit.
I appreciated Sofia Coppola's restrained touch and admired the strong performances by the cast. The cinematography was superb; the candle-lit scenes particularly sublime. The slow pace was in keeping with the story being told. The sexual tension of the two adults and the naïveté of the teenage student were well handled.
Some critics have compared this film with the 1971 version directed by Don Siegel and concluded Coppola's movie lacks grit. I disagree. If 'grit' is indomitable courage, toughness, resolution
the occupants of the boarding school had grit. They also had determination, doggedness, fortitude, gameness and guts ... as well as mettle, nerve, perseverance, pluck and tenacity.
Some critics have said this film is bland. Again, I disagree. It is restrained
yes. It is beautiful, languid, finely crafted but far, far from bland. Sofia's interpretation of Thomas Cullinan's novel is no way inferior to Don Siegel's. Both are creative artists; both interpretations are equally relevant. Comparison is offensive.
Churchill (2017)
Brian Cox is impressive in the title role
The director and screenwriter have courageously created a movie that shows Winston Churchill during one of his periods of deep depression. Brian Cox is impressive in the title role and the rest of the cast: excellent.
The cars of the period were beautifully polished and prominent but the number of times we saw VIPs getting in and out of these beautifully polished vehicles could've been cut back.
Although I'd question the historical accuracy of the film, the 105 minutes were great theatre. Unlike quite a few films nowadays, the actors' diction was clear – many in the cast were trained for the stage.
One of the best scenes is when Churchill finally realises his place in history is to use his skill as orator to maintain British morale and not to inhibit the work of the war generals and strategists. The final speech – after the troops had landed on the beaches of France - is truly uplifting.
The Sense of an Ending (2017)
A tale of memory, guilt and regret
The movie, adapted from a slim novel by Julian Barnes, is a tale of memory, guilt and regret. At the centre of the story is Tom, a divorced man in his late 60s, who leads a life of oppressive sameness. He receives a letter from a solicitor and Tom's routine is interrupted.
From flashbacks to the 1960s, we learn he was involved with a lass called Veronica and met Adrian, a charismatic student. A thoughtless act leads to, or may not have led to, tragedy.
How much of Tom's history (shown in the flashbacks) is true and how much is a distortion of his memory, is open to question.
Meanwhile, Tom's life in the present continues. His daughter is close to giving birth which means regular meetings with his former wife. This gives Tom an opportunity to discuss the past. By staying alert and listening in to the conversations closely and watching the flashbacks carefully, clues emerge for us to discern the truth.
Six fellow film fans and I saw the movie together and met for lunch afterwards. Our interpretations differed. An indication that we'd seen an exceptional film.
There were things we agreed on: the ensemble cast was outstanding; the editing was first-rate; the music unobtrusive; and the director's touch admirable.
Various actions of the major characters and possible actions not actually shown on screen were raised and analysed with the results agreed to by some, rejected by others.
It's not a film for everyone
but for those who enjoy a movie where clues are given but interpretations are left to the viewer, this one's for you.
It's a movie that stays with you for days.
Don't Tell (2017)
Sara West - an Oscar-winning performance
Don't Tell: Sara West gives an Oscar-winning performance as Lyndal who was sexually abused when she was 11 years old by her housemaster at a boarding school in Toowoomba, Australia. She courageously brings an action for damages against the Anglican Church in 2001. Clearly suffering from PTSD, this 22-year-old ploughed on refusing to compromise.
Professional film reviewers have suggested the film is 'static', 'polite', 'lacking sizzle', 'too cautious' and 'earnest'. I disagree. There was no need for flamboyance or extravagant camera angles.
Lyndal's story was the focus point and Tori Garrett, the director, obviously understood that.
There was anger simmering below the surface, glances between the characters that needed no words. There were attempts of holding back incriminating evidence by the school authorities and pressure to bully the plaintive into accepting piddling damages.
Lyndal stood firm but justice can be elusive and the jury's verdict unpredictable.
The pacing was just right, the editing unobtrusive, the acting excellent and the director's decisions spot on. The movie held my attention to the very last frame.