Movies

I'm not sure you want to be posting pictures of yourself dressed as a Nazi on the net (winky thing).

As long as he's not running for Congress it should be fine...

Watching Ghostbusters for the first time. No idea why I never watched this in the 80s or 90s.

Stone cold classic.

I watched Before Sunrise last night for the first time. Lovely movie.

They had sold out in the Cromwell Cinema in Huntingdon when I went, but they let me sit in the aisle. It was one of my favourite movie experiences.

Bugonia was well worth seeing.

Watched the remake of all quiet on the western front. Thought it was really good.

I watched The Fantastic 4: First Steps at the weekend. It was fine. Design aesthetic was very good, actors all very likeable, Vanessa Kirby as hot as ever. Story was very Marvel-by-numbers though, and I don't find myself desperate to know what comes next.

Also watched Bohemian Rhapsody. Queen were the first band I ever got into and I love the music but I'm not some kind of obsessive superfan who's going to get offended by the movie taking creative liberties with the truth, so it was perfectly pitched for me and the actors were all perfectly cast.

Frankenstein. Beautifully shot, as you would expect from del Toro, and terrific acting from the leads. It didn't need to be two and a half hours long though, the run time felt indulgent and at times the script was very clunky. I realise it's perhaps difficult to take a story that's so well known and make something fresh and surprising from it, but even still some of the lines were almost insulting to the audience.

If you somehow don't know the story then it's brilliant, and by far the best one ever made.

Reminds me of this

Nuremberg is compelling despite Rami Malik. Almost like a documentary of now in some respects. Crowe is superb as are Shannon and Grant who in a brief time on screen nearly steals it.

But fuck me, Malik is a piss poor actor with the dynamic range of Tofu and should never be let near anything serious ever again.

So on the flights to and from Vegas, I watched Ballerina starring the lovely Ana De Armas. Pity the film (which is in the John Wick universe) was absolute bobbins. Even though it was violent and full of action, I found it to be tedious with precious little story. John Wick doesn't have too much of a story but is generally ace. This was just dull. Maybe it was because I had seen it all before? Anyway, no flying lizards....

28 Years later. I wanted to like it. Completely different vibe from the other two films. Not a bad thing really but it didn't grab me as much as I wanted it to. Not sure what was missing as the acting was excellent and the dispatchment of non essential characters was fun but maybe it wasnt convincing like the two films before it. it also could end up being a bit "The Prisoner tv show", with some weird elements coming into play. Ralph fiennes was excellent as always. Not sure if he is going to be featured in the upcoming sequel. Cillian Murphy is though. Might be a different tone.

It was a surprisingly un-Danny Boyle film. Wish i could have liked it like Psychobel did but alas I thought it was okay...

Back at home:

Splitsville starring two of the most attractive women in the world (sorry Tricky) Adria Arjona (Andor, hitman) and Dakota Johnson is a fun movie about swinging, jealousy and relationships. I watched the film because of the two female leads in the film (you got me) and stayed because it was decent. Good lord, the things we do for love. Or the fucked up people in this world. you decide.... Lots of flying fit birds....

sovereign. Starring the incredible Nick Offerman. He really is a chameleon. For someone who cut his mustard being a comedic actor, he really came to the fore in the Last of Us which featured him showing another side of his talents in one of the best episodes of television. In this film which has great potential but has something missing, he plays a libertarian who doesn't want the government in his life. It unfortunately leads to ruin for not just him but his son. His acting is terrific though and he is very convincing as a con man who fools himself into thinking that he is above the law because the law doesn't apply to him. Not going to upend your life but tremendous acting. Some flying birds.

Chicago: All over the place.

Given it's subtitled "The Bone Temple", hard to see that he won't be.

Started re-reading The Da Vinci Code while we were away a few weeks ago and, after finishing it, decided to watch the Tom Hanks film version again as well.

I'd forgotten how shit that is. Book's not a bad page-turner.

I think "a bad page-turner" is a pretty succinct description.