24 July 2017

Dunkirk, 2017 - ★★★★½

It grabs you from the opening moments and never lets go, building tension throughout to create a powerful and visceral experience quite unlike anything else. I'd argue that it perhaps lacks the heart, mystery or intelligence of Nolan's other films but there is something else there that more than substitutes for this. With most of Nolan's other films I've immediately wanted to see them again but didn't feel this way about Dunkirk. I do wonder if there is more to appreciate by fully understanding the time structure of the film (which I was slow to work out and hadn't understood the captions), although that didn't stop me from being amazed at the way they all come together with the drowning scene.

I may go and see the 35mm version but more because I'm lucky enough to be able to do so than from wanting to see it again.

July 24, 2017 at 03:24PM

War for the Planet of the Apes, 2017 - ★★★

Perhaps the biggest problem here is that less than a week later I'm struggling to remember much about the film including how much I liked it. There's not much war, but the titles of the rest of the series didn't make much sense either. Caesar is a wonderful creation but does all the time spent marvelling at the animation mean the story isn't that engaging? The non human performances are all great but I thought Bad Ape was one of many tonal shifts that often felt out of place. The ending is ridiculous and unbelievable and really brings everything down to a disappointing climax.

July 24, 2017 at 03:02PM

18 July 2017

What We Do in the Shadows, 2014 - ★★★★½

Fourth viewing, first on the small screen and some of the familiarity meant it didn't seem quite as special but it's still an incredible enjoyable film and it was good to introduce it to new people.

July 18, 2017 at 10:28PM

Despicable Me 3, 2017 - ★★★

The Minions remain the highlight (so it's weird I still haven't seen their solo outing) but they're also absent for a lot of this. The main story is better than the 2nd film so it all works out about right.

July 18, 2017 at 10:25PM

14 July 2017

Spider-Man: Homecoming, 2017 - ★★★★

I think this may be the best written Marvel film, certainly for the first two thirds anyway. It seems inevitable now that there will be final third problems with things falling/crashing into cities and CGI characters hitting each other. At least here it's done fairly well and kept brief. The rest of the film is just fun, relaxed and refreshing and ultimately very enjoyable.

July 14, 2017 at 09:22AM

08 July 2017

Okja, 2017 - ★★★★

The biggest problem remains that this is a cinematic film and hardly anybody can see it in a cinema. It's a worrying precedent and I hope somebody (Scorsese?) will fight it before it's too late.

I expected I'd like Okja and I wasn't really disappointed. It's beautiful, charming, slightly crazy and manages to get a message across. I enjoyed the chases much more than those in Baby Driver. The later New York section is a bit disappointing and it's strange that there is so much out of place and unnecessary swearing.

July 08, 2017 at 11:37PM

03 July 2017

Baby Driver, 2017 - ★★★½

Mixed feelings going into this one; a new Edgar Wright film with an awful trailer but lots of positive feedback. Were my expectations too high, too low or just right? Probably slightly too high. I didn't think it was great and kept waiting for it to become the film everybody had been raving about. It has lots of great moments: the opening chase, getting coffee and every rhythmic shootout but it never came together as a whole for me. Perhaps it was the songs, largely unfamiliar to me, would it have worked better if I'd known more of the music?

Still it's great to have another mainstream musical in cinemas.

July 03, 2017 at 10:09PM

01 July 2017

Withnail & I, 1987 - ★★★★½

I was only going to stay and watch Johnny Depp, Bruce Robinson and Julien Temple introduce the film but it seemed foolish not to stay and I'm glad I did. Sat in a field with a bottle of wine, surrounded by like-minded people (and vintage cars) is a pretty great way to see the film which is just as good as I remember even if I can't remember when that was.

July 01, 2017 at 10:37AM

Rogue One: A Star Wars Story, 2016 - ★★★★

Enjoyed this more on a second viewing even though I had a massive pillar obstructing part of my view. The obstructed view was less distracting than the 3D I'd originally seen but still think I need to see this again properly to fully appreciate it.

July 01, 2017 at 10:28AM

The Libertine, 2004 - ★★★

This seemed like a strange film to show but it seems that both Julien Temple and Johnny Depp think it is massively under appreciated. Perhaps it is, I certainly didn't have any fond memories (or even a certainty that I saw it), it starts like so many period pieces and very much a vehicle for Depp's proper acting but deteriorates into something much more interesting.

Disclaimer: I was slightly drunk, not paying full attention and drifted in and out for food.

July 01, 2017 at 10:08AM

La Strada, 1954 - ★★★

A strange film really, made only stranger by seeing it in the middle of the day at Glastonbury.

Nice venue though, wish I'd gone back to see more.

July 01, 2017 at 10:00AM