Films you've seen lately

[Nick Armstrong]

I'd really like to recommend God's Pocket which I saw this afternoon.

It's Philip Seymour Hoffman, Christina Hendricks (who I didn't know) and John Turturro. The reviews have been mixed/ordinary but I thought it was really splendid, very funny, quite vulgar and unpredictable. It has something painful to say about provincial neighbourhoods. It won't be at the pictures for long so go quick.

I was already eyeing the schedule at the local Everyman for a suitable viewing. Looks v good, and what a cast (inc another recent sad loss, PSH )

[amateur51]

I was already eyeing the schedule at the local Everyman for a suitable viewing. Looks v good, and what a cast (inc another recent sad loss, PSH )

Thanks Blotto & agreed Cali

[jayne lee wilson]

Oh god, how wonderful was that? Just came here to share & recover from watching HER for the second time. Before it deletes at 2300.

Cool, sleek, beautiful, and deep. Wow Samantha. Wow.

[johncorrigan]

Went to see 'Pride' last night. It's not perfect but it was a most enjoyable and interesting film with some terrific performances. Set during the Miners' Strike of 84/85, a group of Lesbians/Gays decide to raise money to support the miners eventually building a relationship with a Welsh pit village. Imelda Staunton was excellent, Andrew Scott has such a strong screen presence, and Ben Schnetzer playing the young leader of 'Lesbians and Gays support the miners' was a terrific mixture of gentleness and defiance, and there were plenty moments of laughter and tears. Well worth the price of admission we reckoned.

[Flosshilde]

I intend going top to see Pride, but it will be odd to see a fictionalised account of something I was involved in & also to see a film with a moderately (I assume) high budget & on general release, when in the 1980s & 90s films about similar subjects tended to be documentary, produced on a very low budget & shown in just a couple of independent cinemas in London.

[johncorrigan]

I intend going top to see Pride, but it will be odd to see a fictionalised account of something I was involved in & also to see a film with a moderately (I assume) high budget & on general release, when in the 1980s & 90s films about similar subjects tended to be documentary, produced on a very low budget & shown in just a couple of independent cinemas in London.

While I'm sure it's not entirely factual Flossie as far as I can gather this did happen and the actors do play real characters in the film. Also it seems it's the director's first film and I think he's done a great job. There is a short film made at the time that he used as a source apparently though I imagine, having watched 10 minutes of it, it's best to see 'Pride' first.

[jayne lee wilson]

Don't miss HER! It's wonderful!

[Nick Armstrong]

I intend going top to see Pride

[Nick Armstrong]

Has anybody here seen The Grand Budapest Hotel with Ralph Fiennes et al. ?

[johncorrigan]

Has anybody here seen The Grand Budapest Hotel with Ralph Fiennes et al. ?

I thought it was great, Cal - nicely bonkers - I also really enjoyed Wes Anderson's previous film 'Moonrise Kingdom'. It had one of the best soundtracks of a film mixing Britten's 'The Young Person's Guide to the Orchestra', Hank Williams and Francoise Hardy as I recall...so wonderfully unusual, I thought.

[Nick Armstrong]

I thought it was great, Cal - nicely bonkers - I also really enjoyed Wes Anderson's previous film 'Moonrise Kingdom'. It had one of the best soundtracks of a film mixing Britten's 'The Young Person's Guide to the Orchestra', Hank Williams and Francoise Hardy as I recall...so wonderfully unusual, I thought.

Thank you John, hadn't heard of the earlier one.

Now the nights are drawing in... &c. &c...

[Honoured Guest]

Pride - a hugely enjoyable and rewarding popular British "true fiction" tale of communities in crisis and their mutual support and activism, with individuals contributing to the greater good and developing personally in the process. I was almost dissuaded from seeing the film by the trailer, which highlights the broad comedy stereotypes, but was surprised to find that the actual film is so much richer than that, and struck me as being quite true to the life of the time (only thirty years ago, but absolutely "another time, another place"). It's a shame that it's somehow acquired a "15" BBFC classification because it would serve as an entertaining portrayal of recent British history for younger people.

[amateur51]

Has anybody here seen The Grand Budapest Hotel with Ralph Fiennes et al. ?

Smashing mad-cap entertainment of the sort I thought had died out with It's A Mad Mad etc World and Those Magnificent Men but more knowing and thus more interesting than either. Ralph Fiennes as you've never seen him and a glorious cast, particularly the hotel

I wonder what Stefan Zweig would make of it

[Tevot]

I thought it was great, Cal - nicely bonkers - I also really enjoyed Wes Anderson's previous film 'Moonrise Kingdom'. It had one of the best soundtracks of a film mixing Britten's 'The Young Person's Guide to the Orchestra', Hank Williams and Francoise Hardy as I recall...so wonderfully unusual, I thought.

Hello there,

I certainly will endorse Moonrise Kingdom. A lovely, captivating film - brightly coloured and with a wonderful soundtrack. Britten's Friday Afternoons also features.

The Grand Budapest Hotel on the other hand I'll need to reserve judgement on. Saw it on a flight from the UK to China in the Summer. It could have been fatigue, stress or whatever but I couldn't get into the film nor understand the hype surrounding it.

Granted I enjoyed Jeff Goldblum's role.

I'll have to watch it again - on land and fully compos mentis

Not sure whether these two films have been mentioned already - but I'd recommend David O Russell's Silver Lining's Playbook and American Hustle. Both feature Jennifer Lawrence - but in the latter film I was taken by Amy Adams (Oh ... if only !!)

Both are well made, well acted, entertaining films. Highly recommended.

http://www.rottentomatoes.com/m/silver_linings_playbook/

http://www.rottentomatoes.com/m/american_hustle/

Best Wishes,

Tevot

[amateur51]

Pride - a hugely enjoyable and rewarding popular British "true fiction" tale of communities in crisis and their mutual support and activism, with individuals contributing to the greater good and developing personally in the process. I was almost dissuaded from seeing the film by the trailer, which highlights the broad comedy stereotypes, but was surprised to find that the actual film is so much richer than that, and struck me as being quite true to the life of the time (only thirty years ago, but absolutely "another time, another place"). It's a shame that it's somehow acquired a "15" BBFC classification because it would serve as an entertaining portrayal of recent British history for younger people.

Agreed HG a lovely film, I hooted with laughter and blubbed away throughout. I need to see it again soon & I think make a DVD purchase in due course. Much to my surprise Bill Nighy was superb & rather moving. :poot: