Going to the Pictures (VI)

Here we are again. It’s been an odd few months, in which I’ve watched a few movies more than once. On we go with reviews then:

The Shining (31st October 2017)

It was Hallowe’en - of course we were going to see this; the fact that it was on a local screen also helped. So what do I say about this film that’s not already been said? I still loved it and although a few ‘youths’ decided it wasn’t scary at all, I still find it very creepy in a cool way.

Verdict: 9/10. It just doesn’t wear off.

The Snowman (2nd November 2017)

Michael Fassbender is a copper out in Norway, getting tangled up in some weird goings-on with a serial killer. It’s all a bit long-winded and by the end I didn’t really care. Once good thing: Val Kilmer is back from his health-related absence. Although he looks like he’s been through the ringer and survived (yay!), they saw fit to dub his few lines. I guess that could have had something to do with the rumours that it was throat cancer, but I was just relieved to see him working again.

Verdict: 5/10; would not recommend.

Murder on the Orient Express (7th November 2017)

Beautifully shot, clever dialogue and witty repartee made this a joy to watch. As with the book there’s no real sense of urgency, but here that’s caused by relaxed editing and the backdrop of snow drifts and actors all working so well together. Sharp, funny in places, yet serious and meaningful, it certainly does the job. My fears of Kenneth Branagh not being a proper Poirot were also quashed effortlessly. Nice job all round.

Verdict: 8/10; would recommend.

The Predator (9th November 2017)

Ah, another classic. This turned 30 just now, so we had to see it again on the big screen. Still doesn’t disappoint! And the legion of young male fans who turned up in GET TO DA CHOPPA! hoodies and knew all the lines only enhanced the fun experience.

Verdict: Still great! 8.5/10; would recommend!

Professor Marston and the Wonder Women (14th November 2017)

Although billed as the circumstances surrounding the invention of Wonder Woman, this film is a lot more than that. It follows the true story of Professor William Moulton Marston and his wife who is not happy with the status quo and how women are treated in the 1940s. Add in a capable young professor’s assistant who falls first for Mrs Marston and then for her husband too and you have a power threesome who forge a new way to live. However, the decades and society in them are not as kind to the happy three as they should have been, and out of a profound need to educate and also make money to support them and their children, Professor Marston takes to writing a new kind of comic book. Whether banned and consequently burnt or deified, the comic book stirred up tremendous feeling back in the day, and shows us how history treats those who seek to repress new ways of thinking. A very interesting, very poignant look at ‘the well to-do’ and how quickly they can fall if they are not seen to conform.

Verdict: 8.5/10; would recommend! Also, pay attention to the end credits to see what happened to the real family. You may be pleasantly surprised.

Only the Brave (16th November 2017)

No disrespect to the real firefighters this was based on, but this dragged and I felt although they tried to put minutiae in that would make you like and care about the onscreen versions, it was just not enthralling. But hey - Taylor Kitsch (call me shallow)!

Verdict: 5/10; a Sunday movie if you can’t be arsed to get up or also have cleaning to do.

Justice League (16th November 2017)

Possibly the last major release until Star Wars, right? I was expecting this to be pretty shit, to be honest. I was less than impressed with the dreary, emo-laden Man of Steel, Suicide Squad was weird, chopped up stories that barely meshed and had no point other than to clear up its own mess, and the less said about Batman vs Superman the better. So going into the theatre for this I was understandably worried.

However, this was by far the best DC film since Wonder Woman. I didn't care for two of the characters and sometimes it could have been less obvious but there’s nothing wrong with Battfleck, and Wonder Woman was ace, being at the front as she should be. It brought everyone together in a credible way and wasn’t all emotional torture and bleak emo-ing out, so it gets a thumbs-up from me. I don't believe it needs a three-hour Snyder release; this one did the job without making everyone’s arses numb from sitting too long, and included what we needed to know. Seeing as everyone who hasn't already had an origin story is going to get one soon, the film did well enough without having to explain everything all the time.

I appreciated the attempts at humour and the different, less bleak and depressing tone to it all. It wasn’t full-blown comedy but it was enough to lighten the whole heart of the film to a normal level - which means it’s pretty high for a DC movie. The CGI may have been a bit cheap in places (seriously, Henry Cavill’s moustache being airbrushed out must have been the worst bit of CGI I’ve seen since the space rockets flying against a backdrop in Flash Gordon) and the replacement people (to save on physical sets and stuntmen?) weren’t always convincing, but in the end the film was pretty good. And that’s a lot for a DC movie.

Verdict: 8/10; would recommend as a good, disposable action flick that doesn’t drag you down.

And that’s it for now - the next three movies we saw were repeats, so we’re sorted. Believe it or not, I’m taking this week off and staying in for a change, but I’m sure I’ll be back soon with another update.

Soopytwist.