JUNE FILMS AND TV

I've not watched an awful lot of TV or many films in June, in addition to not reading a bundle either.

Films that were watched were enjoyed.

Full Metal Jacket, probably the third time I have watched this and I never fail to be entertained, horrified, tickled, amused and outraged in equal measures by it. Hard to believe it is sooooo long (1987) since I first watched it. It has lines throughout that have resonated and stayed with me, and that have entered into everyday Keane family-speak - that would be totally baffling to anyone outside the clan over-hearing them. My children, the oldest of which was born 8 years after the film's initial release, now have some context when they hear me tell their mother.....Me love you long time!

Sgt. Pile

One of my favourite films of all time and if it was on again next week, I'd kick myself if I missed it!
Fascinating seeing a young Vincent D'Onofrio as Sgt. Pile. I loved him in later life in Law and Order.

I'm also amazed that most, if not all of the war scenes were actually filmed in and around London.

I'm not a massive film aficionado, but of the limited number of Kubrick films I have seen; Clockwork Orange, The Shining, Spartacus, 2001; A Space Odyssey - this is by far my favourite.

Dirty Dancing - another film that I must have seen more times than I can remember. I can probably skip over the first hour and a half of the film and pretty much just fast forward to the hypnotic dance scene at the end..........cue husky vocals...........Now I've had the time of my life.......totally entrancing.

Patrick in him pomp!

I have to say, I'm still saddened by Patrick Swayze's passing a few years ago. I always enjoyed watching him, Point Break, Roadhouse and Ghost are what I remember seeing him in most, though no doubt there were a lot of others.

Very, very handsome and thankfully I've not had my illusions shattered by reading any dirt on him afterwards, which often seems to be the case when famous people pass.
Maybe he was a genuinely nice guy - I'd like to think so anyway.

The second last film from this month, or possibly even watched in May was Black Pond starring Chris Langham.


Langham's had his recent troubles, but he's interesting to watch when on screen. A bit of a quirky one this, but enjoyable nonetheless.

Hard to describe really........ An ordinary British family and their Japanese friend are accused of murder when a stranger dies at their dinner table!

The World Cup and the tennis from Paris and Wimbledon have dominated the small screen in our house and will continue to do so at least until the middle of July. England again disappointed, but I wasn't too beaten up over it, as my heart is Irish and we didn't qualify. Hopefully Andy Murray can go far this time around, but it would be a big ask expecting him to win it again, but good luck to him.

Last bit of television was something so bad it was almost good, so awful, I found myself closing the book and watching unable to tear myself away and absolutely hating myself for it..........Sex and the City DVD box set........ that's what happens in a household of 3 females and a son who works weekends - you end up watching stuff like this.

Do I really want to hear about 4 women in New York, discussing relationships and orgasms? No, but I couldn't help it!


Last film watched before the end of the month - The Tailor of Panama. I had an aborted attempt at watching this a month or two ago because my DVD was region 1. I tracked down a cheap copy that played and settled down with my wife last Friday evening. Loved it!

I've not read LeCarre's book yet, but I intend to. The film was amusing and interesting and entertaining without setting my world alight. Pierce Brosnan is very watchable. Geoffrey Rush is amazing. Jamie Lee Curtis is pretty good. Brendan Gleeson also appears as does a very young Daniel Radcliffe. I don't know if the book has the same humourous undertones as the film, but in places it was laugh out loud funny. I kind of viewed it as a long con movie as much as a spy-type thriller with political undertones.