
Monday, 10 December 2012
The Muppet Christmas Carol

Sunday, 9 December 2012
The Kid

Production began in 1919 just ten days after the death of
Chaplin’s baby son Norman. Chaplin, who had been struggling creatively, was
instantly hit with an idea that was to become The Kid. As his Tramp character Chaplin finds a baby who has been
abandoned by a poor single mother (Edna Purviance). The Tramp ends up raising
the child alone and when he is around six or seven the child (Jackie Coogan)
helps his adoptive father in his window repair business. The father follows the
boy around town as the boy breaks windows. Soon after being smashed, the man
turns up to repair them. All is well until the boy falls sick and a Doctor
realises the Tramp is not the natural father. Soon after Social Services arrive
to take the boy from the man in what is one of the most gut wrenchingly moving scenes
in cinema history.
Labels:
10/10,
1921,
Carl Miller,
Charlie Chaplin,
Comedy,
Edna Purviance,
Henry Bergman,
Jackie Coogan,
Lita Grey,
Silent,
Silent Comedy,
The Kid,
Tom Wilson
Seven Psychopaths

I’ve been looking forward to Seven Psychopaths for a long time and when I first saw the trailer
a few months back I instantly watched it again because I loved it so much. It’s
with a heavy heart then that now having seen the film I have to report that
it’s a bit, average. There are some clever ideas in there and some great little
vignettes but on the whole there is far too much going on. Several times I
thought to myself “That would make a good movie” but then it was dropped
instantly. Despite several good performances, some great direction and a few
funny moments I left feeling underwhelmed.
Saturday, 8 December 2012
Die Hard

Thursday, 6 December 2012
Pan's Labyrinth

In Fascist Spain a young girl called Ofelia (Ivana Baquero) is forced to leave her home and move to the countryside where he mother’s new husband is beating into submission the remnants of the anti-Fascist rebels. The girl has an affinity for fairytales and soon meets a fairy who takes her into a labyrinth. There she meets a goat like creature called a Fawn who tells her that she is a long lost Princess and must complete three tasks in order to be united with her Royal father. The fairytale is set against the backdrop of a vicious new regime made real by Ofelia’s new stepfather Captain Vidal (Sergi Lopez).
Labels:
2006,
7/10,
Doug Jones,
Drama,
Fantasy,
Guillermo del Toro,
Ivana Baquero,
Maribel Verdu,
Pan's Labyrinth,
Sergi Lopez,
Spanish,
War
Rear Window

I’ve only seen around half a dozen of Hitchcock’s films but
I’ve found that my favourites are those which I have heard nothing about. I was
a little bit disappointed by North by Northwest but loved Rope and Shadow of a Doubt. Rear Window falls somewhere in between. I can certainly see why it
is considered so great but there are films in the Director’s extensive cannon
which are just as if not more impressive.
Wednesday, 5 December 2012
A Day's Pleasure
Although often regarded as Chaplin’s least funny First National film, A Day’s Pleasure is a
simple but effective two reel comedy which considering the circumstances behind
its creation, is something of a triumph. While Chaplin was busy working on his
first great film, The Kid, the studio
were growing impatient with his lack of output so he hastily put together A Day’s Pleasure, a seventeen minute
romp set around a family outing aboard a boat. While the film lacks the sort of
story and romance of the films Chaplin was capable of producing at the time, it
does feature some clever slapstick and laugh out loud moments.
The movie is notable for two brief cameos. The first is a
shot of The Chaplin Studios, seen in the background of the opening scene.
Although only briefly glimpsed, you can clearly see its isolation, allowing one
to note how L.A has grown over the last ninety years. The second cameo comes
from Jackie Coogan, the boy made famous by his heartfelt performance in Chaplin’s
next film, The Kid. Coogan is barely
seen though and has no role other than to sit in a car and get carried onto the
boat by his father. The only other actor to have much of a part is Tom Wilson,
a man who appeared in four of Chaplin’s films as well as D.W. Griffith’s Intolerance
and Birth of a Nation as well as over two-hundred more. Wilson plays a man with whom Charlie fights
following a spousal mix-up. Even Edna Purviance goes without character here,
perhaps going to show how rushed the production was.
Crash

I’ve never felt an urge to watch Crash and only really did so as part of my Best Picture Series. While
it isn’t a bad film, I’m more than a little surprised it won film’s top award
in 2005. Unusually for me I’ve only actually seen one more of the Best Picture
nominees from that year, Capote,
which itself was fine but not what I’d consider film of the year quality. Crash’s win may come down to the fact
that 2004 was a poor year for film as it is one of the weakest Oscar winners I’ve
seen so far.
Tuesday, 4 December 2012
The Return of the King

While Frodo, Sam and Gollum edge ever closer to Mordor,
Gondor’s capital Minas Tirith comes under attack from an even larger Orc force
than was present at the battle of Helms Deep. Gandalf sends word to Rohan and
an old alliance is rekindled as the two nations of men stand side by side one
final time. Even with help, Gondor looks set to fall unless Aragorn is able to
muster fresh troops and Frodo is able to destroy the Ring.
Monday, 3 December 2012
The Two Towers

Much like The Fellowship
I loved The Two Towers when I first
saw it but as my enjoyment of the first has diminished over time, the same can
be said for its sequel, only more so. In terms of how much I enjoy the trilogy,
this middle part is my least favourite, though not by much. This instalment
also has themes which stretch beyond the reach of Middle Earth such as
industrialisation and ecology. It also features a battle which lasts close to
forty minutes and is considered by many to be one of the greatest ever
committed to the big screen.
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