Thursday 6 November 2014

OCTOBER FILMS AND TV

I managed to squeeze in a decent month's viewing during October, though as it common a lot of months, we seem to start a few films but never finish them - tiredness overtakes us as opposed to any dissatisfaction with the quality of what's in front of us.

THE GREAT BRITISH BAKE-OFF
TV - though it seems an awfully long time ago, The Great British Bake-Off concluded with our family favourite - Nancy triumphing.


SECRETS AND LIES
Aussie Crime Drama - Secrets and Lies, finished. Didn't see the culprit until close to the end, by that time I had nearly hung, drawn and quartered all of the cast by then, unsuccessfully trying to guess the murderer. Our main character and number one suspect, Ben was a bit irritating and on several occasions I wanted to punch him. His wife I really didn't like, and was hoping she did it.......alas she hadn't. The policeman was particularly odious and unlikeable - so in the end I warmed to him. Perhaps could have been condensed to four episodes rather than six and it did seem to drag for a while. Overall a really good drama though.

Another episode or three of my new favourite BBC show New Tricks was watched. I do like all the actors who comprise the retired cold case cops. Shame the series has now ended.
NEW TRICKS

Fargo - working through it slowly, though I managed to upset my son by deleting the episodes we watched. How was I supposed to know he was interested in it?
FARGO



FILMS - started  but not yet finished. SIDEWAYS and PULP FICTION.
The first is a bit slow and gently paced and has its moments. Humorous throughout, I'll watch the conclusion just to see where we end up. Pulp Fiction - seen several times before but I do like Samuel L. Jackson and John Travolta. Throw in some Bruce Willis and Harvey Keitel and it's a winner.

























Two more Robin Williams watched, introducing my daughter to DEAD POET'S SOCIETY and GOOD MORNING VIETNAM. I preferred the former, but both were entertaining.


I was kind of surprised as first time around I preferred Williams as the manic DJ, as opposed to the spirited, inspirational lecturer.









BLOOD SIMPLE - Coen brothers movie. My wife was convinced we had seen it before, I wasn't sure until near the end when my memory lapse cured itself. She was right! I do like Frances McDormand though.





ORDINARY DECENT CRIMINAL - I picked this up a few month's ago thinking it was a film of a Canadian book by Michael Van Rooy with a very similar title. Well it wasn't. It was a Dublin crime drama from 2000 with a young looking Kevin Spacey and Peter Mullan. Funny throughout - glad to have watched it, albeit in error.




My daughter - the ROM-COM queen selected a couple of others that I had never heard of but quite liked.

CELESTE AND JESS FOREVER - starring Adam Samberg from Brooklyn Nine Nine. I only have to see his face and I start cracking up with laughter.

Rashida Jones is great. I'm sure I have seen her in other things, but again memory deserts me.
The other was SAFETY NOT GUARANTEED which had a bit of a quirky sci-fi bent at the end. I didn't know a lot of the cast though Nick from New Girl was in it and I kind of like him anyway. Not the best film ever, but not the worst.


To confirm my memory is failing we started watching SMOKIN' ACES but I was told to turn it off as we have seen it before. Me I'm not 100% convinced, but seeing as I can't remember what I had for my tea yesterday, I will bow to superior knowledge - probably wise to!


12 comments:

  1. Col - Nice variety of film and TV. I have to say that Good Morning Vietnam is one of my top Robin Williams roles; glad you renewed your acquaintance with that one. And I do like the Coen brothers' movies...

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    1. Margot, my youngest was a massive Robin Williams fan and was extremely upset at his passing. Her favourite film of all time is Mrs Doubtfire, as it has special memories for her from watching it (weekly - ok slight exaggeration, regularly) with her granddad - who's no longer with us. It's was as enjoyable watching her see these other Robin Williams films for the first time and react to them as it is seeing them for a second time myself.

      Like you I'm a big Coen brothers fan also!

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  2. Sounds like a busy month watching TV and movies. We have seen Pulp Fiction and I liked it. Same for Blood Simple, except I don't think I wanted to watch it again. I would like to see Fargo, but we have so much backlog to watch now, it will be awhile.

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    1. Tracy, I thought you would be into Fargo seeing as Martin Freeman stars. Billy Bob Thornton is hilarious in it. I know what you mean about a backlog - its not quite as bad as the books but almost - Justified, The Wire, Breaking Bad....all are waiting for me.

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    2. Col, has Tracy ever recommended to you the movie "Wild Target"? If not, I will do that now. Not only does it have Martin Freeman but also the highly watchable Emily Blunt.

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    3. Glen, cheers. I think she mentioned it last month. I've looked it up and I like the look of it. I did like SUNSHINE CLEANING which had Emily Blunt in it.

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  3. Col, I didn't care for "Pulp Fiction" but I liked Robin Williams in "Dead Poets Society" and "Good Morning Vietnam," both of which I have seen more than once. As an aside, have you seen "Renaissance Man"? Worth watching for Danny DeVito whose character is out of job and lands a temporary one teaching English Lit., especially Shakespeare, to a bunch of US army students at a training camp.

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    1. No not seen or heard of Renaissance Man. I will look it up. I quite like Danny DeVito. One of our family favourites is the children's film Matilda. I can still recall him in the US series - Taxi

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    2. Col, I like Danny DeVito, too. A very talented actor whom I really liked in "Renaissance Man" as well as "Ruthless People" opposite Bette Midler. Both are nice families movies.

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    3. I think I would struggle to name 5 films he has been in, but I do like him.

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  4. Very varied selection there! As we have discussed, right with you on Bake-Off and cheering when Nancy won. Is that only a month ago - feels as though it was right back in the summer....
    New Tricks is very popular in this house, but not with me, my husband and son like to watch it together. It's ages since we have all sat down to a family film and we should do so - the Criminal Library family puts us to shame!

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    1. Another one last night - with my two daughters, only a bit of a horror thing with INSIDIOUS 2.....I have had better nights! I thought you would like NEW TRICKS, but never mind.

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