Sunday 25 December 2011

Another List!!!

Mother Duck has gone supersize on the films I have to see. We've quintupled plus one. Argh!!!

Wednesday 16 November 2011

LoveFilm

Have bitten the bullet (sort of) and signed up for LoveFilm. I say sort of because I'm only signed up for the £4.99 package that gives you two films a month. Softly softly catchy monkey.

Sunday 13 November 2011

Red Riding Hood

I started watching this the other day but got bored of Amanda Seyfried's face appearing on the screen. Urgh, just look at it, look at her stupid face. Not arsed for her at all. Would have carried on watching if it hadn't been for that so now I don't like her for two reasons: she's alive; she made me miss out on a film. Oh and she's a homewrecker. So that's three reasons. 

Saturday 12 November 2011

Murder by Death

I'm just about to watch this. Can tell by the box that it's going to be a corker! Guy at work who has lent it to me has said it's a bit like Clue, and I LOVE Clue, and also set in a time when it was ok to be racist so I'm prepared for some fairly, oh Jesus as I type we have Peter Sellers on the screen portraying a Chinese man. This is going to be interesting!!





Thursday 10 November 2011

The Killer Inside Me

Jesus! You know when a film is not all what you were expecting. I thought his was going to be your run of the mill psychological thriller. No no no. Pretty brutal. Not sure how my love for Casey Affleck will fare from hereon in now. Sob. 

Monday 31 October 2011

Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy

This was another Hebden Bridge Picture House job which was just as enjoyable as the first one. Perfect tea, perfect popcorn and delicious chewits! Nommity nom nom.


Will write a bit about it soon, I've just smeared my chilli fingers over my top lip and it is frigging HOT!!!

The Adventures of Tintin - The Secret of the Unicorn

Ok, so anyone who knows me knows that I love Tintin. He's my guilty pleasure. If I'm ever having a lazy Sunday or can't get to sleep on a night, out comes Tintin. 



In lieu of a fellow fan to go and see it with I managed to convince Jen to accompany me, which was nice of her because it she was not interested in it. 


I'm not sure how I felt about it to be honest. I think I might have built it up too much in my head. For starters there were children in the cinema. I don't like children. Fact. I almost lost it when Tintin came on the screen and one of the little grebs screeched "who's thaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaat?" "It's Tintin you knobhead, now shut up or get the hell out", is what i wanted  to yell. But I didn't.


So, yes, anyway, as I was saying, I don't know how I felt about it. Loved the opening sequence. The motion capture stuff was amazing, albeit creepy, and the iconic bits of scenery such as when Tintin and Haddock arrive in the desert and when they are on their camels arriving in whichever city it is, they are brilliant and I was really excited to see them played out. But it wasn't like the cartoons, which while funny in places remained serious. No the film had more of a slapstick approach in places which I presume was to appeal to children now but for me, it took away from the enjoyment. Although it didn't take away from the enjoyment as much as the entirely made-up stuff did!! When did Sakharine have a falcon?! And when did Castafiore sing for a sultan and break bulletproof glass with her voice?! NEVER is when. Never. 


I hold out more hope for the next one, which will be a combination of The Seven Crystal Balls (one of my favourites) and The Prisoners of the Sun. I'm going to give it an 8.5/10 - I only wish it were higher.

Despicable Me

OH MY GOD WHAT A BRILLIANT FILM!!!!!! I had never heard of this and when it was suggested as a DVD to watch one evening I'll admit I wasn't particularly interested in it. But I was swayed almost immediately!! I love Gru's voice, any kind of accent like that makes me chuckle and I just want to hear more and more and more of it, fortunately he's chatter chatter chattering away all the way through.


Premise of the film is that Gru is a super-villain who is being outvillained (made up word there) by a fresh new super-villain called Vector. Elsewhere three girls are up for adoption and Gru ends up taking them on so that he can use them against Vector. It's pretty much about him not wanting them around but then obviously growing to love them.


We have not one but TWO favourite bits. Number one is this - he's so fluffy I'm gonna die!!!! He's so FLUFFY! I see a little of myself in that small child. Especially as what reminded me to write about this film was posting on a friend's Facebook that their baby was so cute that I might die. Number two is this scene - bad video like but it's the only one I could find. It's so lovely. All the girls wanted was a dad to kiss them goodnight. Waaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaahhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh I could weep. 


WATCH THIS FILM NOW. BUY IT IF YOU DON'T OWN IT. I AM NOT ON COMMISSION, I AM JUST IN LOVE.


10/10 from the Higgmeister General

Sunday 2 October 2011

Obsessive Compulsive Denominations

I've gone blogging crazy today. Four posts. However, I like five and multiples thereof so I insert this pointless post to satisfy my inner-oddities. 

You are my one true friend, always my one true friend

My mum told me the other day that this is hers and my dad's song. I think it's lovely...

Crazy, Stupid, Love

The hoosemate and I decided that we would have a little cinema trip the other week. We'd both rather enjoyed the trailer for this because Ryan Gosling was funny in it and so we opted to see it. I managed to push past my extreme dislike for Steve Carell and dare I say that at one point in the film I actually found him attractive, although when I said to Jen "did you find Steve Carell oddly good-looking in that" she said "no" to which I meekly said "yeah, me neither". 


Film was enjoyable. Nice, easy Friday night viewing. There were quite a few points when I laughed out loud (or LOL'd for those of you who can only communicate laughter by that vile, yes vile, acronym) and one point when I nearly cried. Again. I'm such a cry baby these days. Wah! 


As with James Franco, I found a new love for Ryan Gosling. The reason for my enjoyment of him was slightly more material being solely down to his fine tailored suits and his back. I wasn't particularly enjoying him without his top off until I saw his back in dim lighting. Man I love a toned back. Back back back. 

Can't say I'll be rushing out to buy it on DVD when it comes out but if it were on the telly I would probably give it a Sky+

Rachy rating - solid 6/10 

Rise of the Planet of the Apes

We had a little cinema trip to Hebden Bridge Picture House on Tuesday night after work. My first venture to the often talked about independent cinema and I must say that I thoroughly enjoyed both the venue and the film. Upon arrival I had already had a couple of G&Ts and some wine so thought I'd slow things down with a cup of tea. No lie when I say the best cuppa I have made in a loooooooooooooooooooooong time. Appear to have lost the knack for making good brews of late, and didn't have many hopes for this when the woman behind the counter handed the metaphorical baton over to me to complete the tea-making process. Did not disappoint though. Neither did the popcorn, or fruit salad flavour Chewits. And it all came in at just over £10. BARGAIN compared to Pue and Shittyworld. 

Planet of the Apes - went in with little knowledge of the premise of the plot. I knew there were apes. I was vaguely aware of a planet. But what of the background behind it all? Well, I found the film to be a right little charmer. No doubt about it, I need to have a monkey/ape in my life. One that hasn't flipped though like Caesar did in this. Although he didn't really flip I suppose, he was just standing up for his buddies. Nearly cried, or wept rather, at two points: when John Lithgow dies in his sleep; when Caesar draws his "window" on the wall of his cell. Heart. Wrenching. In fact, all scenes between Will and Caesar were touching. You'd have to be made of stone not to melt just a little bit.

New man of the moment - James Franco. Always thought he was pretty fit but this really put the nail in the bed. Tips to win me over - love a monkey and cry. Done. 

Fright Night - Scre4m

ARGH! Had a couple of friends round tonight for what was meant to be a scary movie marathon. Unfortunately we spent too much time stuffing our faces with fajitas, the BEST food in the world, and only had time for one. Although in hindsight I don't think I could have handled more than one scary film seeing as I'm pretty much typing a sentence and then having a quick scan of the room to make sure no mentalists are approaching. None so far. Phew. 

I was quite obsessed with Scre4m this year. I was too young to see the other three at the cinema when they were out and there hasn't really been anything of that genre out since, or nothing of that genre that has appealed at least. Closest I've had at the cinema was Cabin Fever and let's face it that was about an aggressive skin infection, not a serial killer. Anyway, when Fright Night was set up I suggested Scre4m cos I saw it when it came out and thoroughly enjoyed it. I saw it in Edinburgh when we went up for a Bank Holiday weekend. I had the pleasure of staying in the hoosemate's mum's room, which has what has to be THE comfiest bed in the world. Absolutely amazing. Soft bedding, firm but fluffy pillows and oooooooooooh a delightful mattress. Back's never felt more teenaged. However, all the other bedrooms are upstairs and that one is off in its own little wing of the house. Needles to say I was shitting my pants when we got back from seeing it. Not helped by the fact that everyone else was sleeping upstairs and they took great joy in informing me that if someone did come to get us, I would be the first to go due to my isolation *quick scan of room. Think it took me a good hour to pluck up the courage to venture into the bathroom, which gave my Kegel muscles a great workout so not a total loss. Gotta keep things toit. Luckily I had my laptop with me so 4oD'd a couple of episodes of The Inbetweeners and all was well and good in the world again. Fast forward to this evening. My fellow Fright Nighters have gone home and my housemate is in the motherland until Monday so I am sat on the sofa with my mind working overtime. Have come across Sex and the City on the telly so something light to bring me down again but I'm still a bit edgy. I know, I know. Pathetic. But it's the mask you see. Oh god, the mask. Frigging hate it. Scares the b'jesus out of me. Gonna give myself til 2 to get a grip and then simply must go to bed. Frigging knackered! 

Fright Night success rating - 10 on 10. 

Sunday 25 September 2011

Today

This week I have had the best sleeps I've had in months, no waking up in the middle of the night and have been getting up at 630 so's I can get the early train to start work at 830 and finish at 400. The other day I was home at 520. It was grrrrrreat!! Last night was another successful sleep, in spite of music from both sides of the flat. I plugged in Ricky Gervais Season 5 audiobook and wrapped my pillow around my head and off I went. Today I am full o' beans. Have had breakfast, had a dance, done a bit of a tidy up and put the washing on. This rarely happens. Sunday's for me are usually spent wallowing in bed desperately trying to fight off a disgusting hangover. It's refreshing to be alert.

Despite being fully alert, I don't intend to be on the go all day. I'm having a lunchtime break now and have popped on The Departed, which I remember really enjoying at the cinema, and have a lovely coffee waiting to be consumed. Perfect. Day.

Bridesmaids

Watched this last weekend. I went in with NO expectations because I thought it was going to be wank. Here's the thing you see, I don't like women. They annoy me. Bitchy, whiny, always crying. Even worse is a woman who thinks she's funny. Top of the list for me is Gina Yashere. I mean, have you seen those shit comedy shorts she does on Comedy Central. They're absolute bollocks!!!!! And that link is a tiny part of it, it gets worse. The day I laugh at anything she says is the day that such act is my only reprieve from being hung, drawn and quartered. 

Anyway, I digress. Much as I hate the ladies, this was actually an alright film. Kristen Wiig was pretty funny in it and Chris O'Dowd, well I'd love him even if he was the one doing the aforementioned hanging drawing and quartering. I'd say the main issue for me, and it's a fairly superficial issue, was Kristen's hair. Were we meant to believe that this just happened? That she just woke up with it all lovely and wavy and natural looking? Well, the bastards didn't fool me. Course there'd been some tongs put in there. No one gets that without trying. No one. And if they do, I hate them for that is my aim in life. Perfectly wavy but casual looking hair. 

Sunday 4 September 2011

Consenting adult

I have decided to end my first vegetative weekend in a long time by watching the mind-numbing ridiculousness that will be Final Destination III. Yes, I pressed the record button last night. Yes, I am actively choosing to watch it. Deal. With. It.

I just took pictures

Giving the Sky+ a bit of a clear out and am in the midst of watching One Hour Photo right now. Seen it before and the first thing that comes to mind is how creepy and sinister it is but then every time I watch I feel more sad than I do creeped out. Poor Sy. He's so shy and awkward and lonely. Of course he's a little bit mentile but there's no way you couldn't feel something towards him.  He just needs a little bit of love. Although, having said that, I don't think I'd want a Sy in my life. Or watching it. Especially as he's just picked up a hunting knife and is off to teach Will the cheater a lesson. Argh!!

What do we learn from this? Print your own photos folks, it'll cost you your money instead of your life! 

Saturday 3 September 2011

Bank Holiday viewings

I went to Edinburgh for the Bank Holiday and while there watched The Terminal, which I had already seen and simply love love LOVE, and Iron Man, which I had not seen. Iron Man was ok. Not much happened in it though. Robert Downey Jr simply spent his time pissing about trying to make his suit. He seemed very much to be like Batman - rich man using his money to try and be a hero. No superpower. The fight between Tony and Jeff Bridges was shit. No two ways about it. I'm holding out more hope for Iron Man II, but not too much, I don't cope well with disappointment.

I'm going to cut this short because I am tired and getting a wee bit of a behind the eye headache from looking at the screen, which only means one thing - impending migraine. I shall leave with one of my fave bits of The Terminal - I'm not a massive Tom Hanks fan but if he, nay anyone, asked me to go for eat to bite...cantelloni? I would be there!!! SO cute! 

Submarine

I was excited about this. I'd had the soundtrack on pre-order as soon as I found out it was Alex Turner doing it so that was an immediate draw for me. You should get it if you don't have it. Only five songs, but five great songs. I heart them all. I linked to Hiding Tonight in the previous post, here's another one for your aural pleasure.

It had other good things going for it too - Richard Ayoade directing, Craig Roberts who had just won me over in Being Human/Becoming Human was the lead and Paddy Considine who I just want to hug, not in a fancying way but in a Dermot way, was also in it. Ahhhhh. How did it live up to expectations then? I enjoyed it. Nice easy watch - perfect for The Battle of Ironing Mountain. I loved that Oliver was trying to be the best boyfriend in the world and one of the bits I really had a good chuckle at was when Jordana found out that her mum had a brain tumour. Of course, this is not a funny thing to happen but his response to it was genius. He read that the loss of a pet helped a person deal with the death of a loved one and so he decided that he would have to poison her dog so that she didn't get emotional if her mum died. Brilliant! I won't go into any further detail about that bit, don't want to ruin shiz now do I? 

I can't really comment on much else, while it was fun to watch and I did enjoy it, it didn't require any concentration and didn't have any particular impact. Don't think it would be something to watch again.

Tell you summat though, it made me want something. A duffle coat. I got a duffle cape from Topshop last year but it made me look like a small child so it got sent back again. I look childlike enough what with my small stature and baby face. The duffle cape did not help. So while the idea was reignited inside of me I think I have to accept that a full-length bit of duffleage just will not work. Sigh.

Change

Just a little note to say that I am not enjoying the new Blogger dashboard. Having a right mare trying to navigate it. Wah.

Domestic goddess

Two weeks ago I had the most monstrous pile of ironing to do. Honestly, I don't think there has ever been anyone in the world who had quite as much to do as I did then. And it had been sat on the dining table for a good two weeks too so as my need for fresh delicates got greater I knew something had to be done. Now, I'm not one for ironing for the fun of it like some crazy bastards out there are, I need some mental stimulation along the way, and my sudden realisation had come at a time when there was nothing on the telly and no DVDs I fancied watching. Bummer. No stimuli. It was going to be a boring late night session listening to the heavy and repetitive thud of "Drew" (the neighbour I have yet to see) and his shit music next door - which I should have counted my blessings for actually as a week later it was the heavy and repetitive thud of something a little more amorous that I had to endure - that link is actually NO exaggeration as to what I was subjected to, utterly horrific. So as I was sat singing Hiding Tonight to myself and contemplating how best to tackle the pile I remembered the whole being able to rent films thing and thought it was time to conquer the film with the song itself in, Submarine. If it's good enough for Alex Turner to put his voice to, it's good enough for old Rachy Roo to watch. 

Saturday 20 August 2011

And now for something completely different...

I love this. Hated it when I was a tiny tot. My mum used to take me to work with her, instead of setting me free at nursery or anything, and I remember this song. In between teaching me the alphabet, making me read out number plates and leaving me outside sandwich shops while she went back to work she played this over and over and over again and it drove me mad - even though I was only three or four at the time. Anyhoo, I heart it now because I think it is a bee you ti full song, from the opening line "I had this perfect dream, this dream was me and you" - what woman doesn't want to be told that eh - to about 2.40 onwards when it's building up to le crescendo. It make a me tingle. Fact.

Like a monkey with a miniature cymbal

Okay, so I am finding that The List had become a bit of a burden. I'm not one to be constrained and that is what it is doing. If I set out to watch something I immediately think "oh it has to be off The List" and then I look at The List and think that there's nothing that's appealing to what I'm in the mood for and end up not watching anything. So. What we (I) are (am) going to do is continue to do films from The List BUT slot other ones in as and when they come into my life. If I want to watch some shit critically unacclaimed film then I bastarding well will do. You hear me?! 

That is all.

Saturday 13 August 2011

Living in the past

This popped up halfway through the DVD. Double-sided disc! Had to get up and turn it over. Retro.

26 GoodFellas

Phoo, what a corker. Those Fellas kill any poor bastard that comes into sight!! I don't know what the body count was in this but it surely must have topped 50, most of those coming courtesy of Joe Pesci. The man was unstoppable. Woah woah woah, hold up for just a wee second. Have Googled "goodfellas body count" - well I actually searched for "goodfellas body cunt" but the clever people at Google saw my error and kindly displayed the alternative results - and ShortList has it coming in at a mere 10. NO WAY!!!! There were folk dying left, right and centre. Some even from the diagonal. Well I'm not planning on watching again to do my own tally so will have to accept that as gospel.

Cue some thoughts - I right enjoyed it. Is this how things really went down back in the day? It must have been cos it's based on a true story. Shocking. Henry Hill decided at an early age that he wanted to be a gangster and that was that. You wouldn't think it was the wisest career move, and it turned out not to be in the end, but for the better part of his time as a GoodFella it was pretty damn lucrative.

My growing love for De Niro meant I was enjoying his wee role but I think the best was the aforementioned Joe Pesci. The man was insane! Tiny little man with a funny voice just shooting anyone and everyone - which is why I'm surprised by the low body count. Obviously they all had some anger issues but Pesci was off the Richter!! 

List placement - from what I have viewed so far, which I notice is not much, I'm gonna say this was Top 20 material. And new crush alert...Ray Liotta (early gangster days). 

Friday 12 August 2011

Bad boys

Just put on no.26 Goodfellas. Opening scene with the guy in the boot - grim. I believe that to be a tamer part though, who knows what else is in store. Also note there's a Paulie in it. There was a Paulie in The Godfather, what little of it I saw. Wonder if it's a gangster name or somefink. Will research.

Thursday 28 July 2011

Low expectations

Today I was given two books from people at work. I say given, they have been loaned to me. First up it's Dracula from fellow tea-break lover and Northern Fail hater, Sally. I am assured that this is a good book, bordering on trashy, and has a few sexy bits in. If this is true I am sure I will be handing it back to her in a condition worthy of the description "well-thumbed", love a good old bit of raunch. Second, Great Expectations. This is on The List (hence the bloggin') which means that this venture has TAKEN ON A WHOLE NEW DIMENSION -  I can compare and contrast! Awoooooooooooooooooooo! However, in spite of this brief moment of excitement - honestly it's like living the life of a Jack Russell sometimes, bouncing off the walls over the slightest thing - it is from the same guy who put The Last of the Mohican's my way, which was pants. I raised this concern today but have been told that it has everything: "drama, romance, suspense,  intrigue...". It better have. It better be the best book since sliced bread because it is long and the writing is tiny, which only serves to make it longer. Hopefully will add another angle to the film anyway so all won't be lost if it is terd

Saturday 23 July 2011

35 Withnail & I

Ha, how good is this?! So funny. I've had a great time chortling away at all the deliciously weird delights it threw up. Never really liked Richard E Grant but he is firmly on the radar now, and all he had to do was portray an absurd drunk. I'm far too easily won over. 


Best bit by far was Monty trying to bugger I stating that he had to have him "even if it must be burglary". Brilliant scenes. 

Too many great lines to quote, or even remember, but these were two of my favourites:


"Even a stopped clock gives the right time twice a day" - I just liked this because it's true.


"The carrot has mystery. Flowers are essentially tarts, prostitutes for the bees" - all flowers are sluts. 'Nuff said.

My god I'm practically giddy. Time for coffee and eggy bread, see if we can't get young Rach back on an even keel. 

Friday 22 July 2011

Speaking of creatures of the deep...

Who the fuck is this abomination of a person?! Harsh but jeez, well deserved. 

36 Jaws

This was crossed off The List a long long time ago. I still have the memories of watching it with ma grand frères. Think there's a photo somewhere of us all sat in front of the box watching it. Ahhhhhhh, you can't go back.

I came across it on ITV4 during some mid-evening channel surfing and, in the absence of one shark-fearing housemate, I thought it would be a nostalgic hoot to tune in. The film is 124 mins long and I'd say I was consistently shitting myself, metaphorically of course this is a rented non-leather sofa, for about 90 mins of it. Argh so tense!!!! Let's face it, Jaws is looking pretty tired when compared to the likes of Bruce (yes he's animated but still gives me the willies) - in particular the close up bits like when the oxygen tank gets launched into his cakehole and he eats that poor skipper - and I reckon if you eliminated the background noise you'd hear the tell-tale "tssssh tsssssh" of the WD40 being liberally sprayed but in spite of that and while you know that everything is going to be ok in the end it's still shouting at the tv while dipping your head under the throw scary! Wah. No frigging way you'd get me down there in a cage. And if you did, I wouldn't be dropping my pointy stabby stick like that Hooper dude. What an idiot. He deserved to get eaten just for being stupid but alas he lives.

I note that Jaws 2 is on now. No thanks, you can keep it. During the aforementioned mid-evening channel surfing I spotted Blade Runner on BBC2. Have set that to record so it's time to brew up and tune in. Huzzah, The List is underway again!!! 

Sunday 3 July 2011

Motherfudger

Ah eff it, no sooner have I written it than I check iTunes and it's not there, not even to buy. Bozwollocks. In fact, a quick search throws up the result that none of the foreign films are on there. I give up. Will hunt down a new film tomorrow.

Half a story

Started on No.100 Jurassic Park last night and fell asleep halfway through. This was not due to boredom however, I was enjoying it, but rather sheer exhaustion after a looooooooooooooooong day of activity at Alton Towers. Never been so tired. I woke up at points while it was on and saw the end of it but fear I may have to watch it again all the way through in order to do a legitimate strike out on The List. What with that and The Interrupted Godfather my progress has been somewhat hampered. Will try and get those finished off this week and maybe have a bumper film bonanza at some point over die wochenende. Speaking of (in) German, been thinking I might get Nosferatu out of the way. I keep saying "Nosferatu" in my head in a tone not dissimilar to that of the polar bear in the Bird's Eye ads. I'm not quite sure why, perhaps I have some sort of mental disorder. Anyway it will be subtitled so perfect for loud trainage to and from work tomorrow. Delightful. 

Tuesday 28 June 2011

I'd like to begin by thanking BSB for its outstanding contribution to the cause...

Restoring the balance

In order to cancel out my foolishness of watching a non-List flicker show I am going to crack on with No.10 The Godfather. I realise this is a Top 10 film and I was saving those ones but it's on the Sky+ and I can't be bothered going through the DVDs I've collected to pick a different one. I've basically made myself an offer I can't refuse. BOO YA!

The Shawshank Redemption

Eeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeerm, why the eff have I just watched The Shawshank Redemption when it's not even on The List?! To say I'm pretty cheesed off would be an understatement! Argh!


However, despite my mini-gripe I really really enjoyed it. An amazing bit of filmage. If you ask me, and of course you are asking me, it belongs on The List. Funny, poignant and uplifting. Naturally there were some fairly brutal bits, it was all about a man's prison, but the aforementioned descriptors far outweighed any grim parts. I lost count of how many times I welled up let alone shed a tear especially the bit when Brooks gets parole, I could barely bear to watch it because I knew what was coming. But I can be forgiven for being overemotional, I am a girl after all.

I leave you with this... 
Some birds aren't meant to be caged, their feathers are just too bright and when they fly away, the part of you that knows it was a sin to lock them up does rejoice, but still, the place you live in is that much more drab and empty that they're gone. I guess I just miss my friend. Sob.

Monday 27 June 2011

43 Terminator II - Judgment Day

Here we are at Nr.43 Terminator II - please note German abbreviation for "number", that one's for you Schwarzles. This is one of those that I saw with the bro's when I was a young whippersnapper (days which are too far gone for my liking) but can't really remember what the flip went on. I knew that Arnie was good in it - good as in not evil, I was too young to form a reasoned opinion as to how good his acting capabilities were - and erm, yeah, that was about it.

I must say, that Austrian beefcake sure does know how to open a film doesn't he?! Phewee. I had to pause right away to have a cold shower. Unfortunately that was soon over and we moved on to Sarah Connor doing pull-ups in her crazy cell. No stirrings to be had.

Not really sure how I felt about this. While it was a cracking action flick I just don't think that there was enough grrrrrrrroomph (spellcheck) behind it. I blame Sarah. She was far too emotional, really brought it down. Or maybe it wasn't even that. Maybe it was quite simply that she was the most irritating character to ever grace the television screen? Even more annoying than Steve Carell in The Office: An American Workplace but perhaps less annoying than Russell Brand in every waking moment of his life. She was banging on about everyone dying on August 29, 1997, while doing everything in her power to eradicate all in her presence with second-hand smoke, trying to kill the friendly Terminator and just being a General Knob.

Enough of the bad point, let's get some positivity flowing. The end was aces. I don't really know much about special effects and all that jazz but T-1000 and his liquid metal transforming was a-mazing! That would without question be my numero one choice of body material after flesh. And the ability to transform into an exact replica of someone else... I know which Spanish senorita I'd be morphing into for improper purposes

Oestrogen overload over. The end of the film. Fab. How selfless was The Terminator? Made for evil but going out in an act of heroism. "I know now why you cry but it's something I could never do". Heavens, I was on the brink. And then Sarah came along and ruined the moment with her knowitall last couple of lines. Knoberation. Verdict - well placed at 43.

Final point - best line of the film. 

Friday 24 June 2011

The Notebook

Now I know how to add photos (it's really very easy, you just press "add photo") here's The Notebook - front and back. Pretty pretty.

Thursday 23 June 2011

Tension - UPDATED

Started watching On the Waterfront on the train yesterday morning, couldn't hear it properly so started playing a new game, Tiny Wings, and now I'm addicted to the game and have got no further with the film. Gonna have to squeeze it in tonight before it expires at around 0817 tomorrow. Booooooo. 


On the brightside, I was listening to a Ricky Gervais audiobook/podcast yesterday and he made reference to Nosferatu!!! I know what this is!!!!!!!!!!! Woooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooo. The List is paying off in SO many ways. Awooga. 


Now I must watch the black and white mob film. So sleepy. Zzzzzzzzzzzz.

UPDATE - I made an executive decision at 00.30 to go to sleep and get up at 07.00 to watch the rest before it expired. I did wake up but turned the alarm off. I'm annoyed about this. Bloody iTunes (because it's their fault not mine) should let you rent them for at least seven days. Herumph. Was turning out to be a good film too! Ah well, onwards and upwards. 



Tuesday 21 June 2011

Happy Birthday!!!

I had planned to tackle No.50 Blade Runner next but as it is my dad's birthday today I thought it might be nice to watch a film from his year of birth, 1953. However, having gone through The List, yes the entire list has been Googled, the only film from 1953 is No.82 Tokyo Story, which is not on iTunes and which I have no other means of obtaining right now. It sounds pretty depressing so quite pleased about that in a way! 

So, instead I shall go for a 1954 film and that film will be... No.63 - On the Waterfront - a black and white film it would appear and my first experience of Marlon Brando. I'll confess right now I thought he was a serial killer. Turns out that's Charles Manson. Live and learn eh. 

17 Annie Hall

Hmmm, what can I say about Annie Hall? Very enjoyable film. Pleasant. Was nice easy watching on the commute and required less concentration that the previous films that have graced my 3.5inch (diagonal) widescreen multi-touch display. I had previously thought that Woody Allen was a doddering old fool, mainly because I hadn't heard him speak or seen him do anything and to look at him I think my misguidance could be forgiven. Funny guy. Or maybe witty would be more apt. I can definitely see the attraction, which is odd considering he is not what you'd call an attractive person. Think maybe his voice helps for I am in LOVE with it, got that stereotypical Brooklyn twang that I thought was only spoken by Sex and the City's Steve "let women the world over down by cheating on Miranda" Brady.
-
To begin with I thought that Diane Keaton was Julianne Moore but I was soon corrected, after I had a quick squizz at Wikipedia to see who else was in it. I ended up really liking her. Scatter-brained and bouncing off the walls with a fairly natty sense of dress to boot.


I don't know what kind of set up the film was but I liked it. Seemed clean and simple. Annie and Alvie did a few bits to camera and off in their own thoughts. Kept me interested. I don't know where this is in The List. Hang on while I have a look... no.17. Hmmmm. I'd say that was a fair placement. Perhaps a little generous. I'd have maybe popped it up in the late 20s to mid 30s.

PS - young Jeff Goldblum cameo continues the confusingly attractive young actor theme that is present in The List. 

Monday 20 June 2011

Up to date...

Ah, that feels better. All films watched so far have had something said about them. Maybe too much. Must keep more on top of things and learn to be more concise. Look at me, I'm growing as a person.

84 Festen (The Celebration)

Now, this one I really got into. When it started and I realised it was in what I thought was French I got to Googling. Turned out it was Danish. But this was not just any Danish film, this was the first Dogme film, Dogme #1 to be precise. I learned this was a movement created by the director of Festen, Thomas Vinterberg, and some other guy, that was pretty much championing a back to basics approach to films. No built sets, no special effects, no fancy shit whatsoever. There's one scene where Christian, the protagonist, faints and apparently he held the camera himself when he fell to the floor and to make a dizzy noise another cameraman whoosed a microphone around in the air. Definitely not fancy. Knowing all this I was really able to appreciate it within the film.


I don't think a synopsis type thing would be appropriate here. I've done that with the others, I really should look up the definition of "review" because I am clearly not doing that, more rambling my way through the plot, and I think this one definitely needs to be watched. It's funny, moving, delightfully weird and well worthy of your time. It's definitely the best film from The List so far and, as with Taxi Driver, it should be higher placed fo' sho. 

42 Blue Velvet (v 2.0)

I went in blind on this one. The only thing I knew about it was that Bobby Vinton sang the title song. I love that song. I remember it was on my brother's "This Is Cult Fiction" album that I tried on numerous occasions to steal but have to this day been unsuccessful. Now, whenever it comes on my iPod I have a sway to it whether my location be private or public. Hell, I'm swaying right now. 


Into the plot. Very dark. And another confusingly attractive young actor, Kyle MacLachlan - honestly both he and Robert De Niro have never done anything for me but both have appealed in their earlier films. It's a mystery film which begins with Kyle (can't remember character name, maybe Geoffrey?) finds a severed ear in a field. He bags it and proudly delivers it to the local detective. I think he'd have preferred a nice Sub of the Day but pah, beggars can't be choosers. Young Kyle decides to play detective along with the detectives retro-haired daughter, Sandy. 

All sounds pretty tame but then Dennis Hopper and Isabella Rosellini got involved in things. He's a mental masochist and she's nothing short of a psychologist's wet dream. Even her interpretation of the word "Velvet" in Blue Velvet is crazy. Vel-veeeet. All about the "e" at the end. I'd say it more with a short "i" sound. Like pit but velvit. Geddit? Anyway, that annoyed me. Fortunately her "singing" was intermittent. How many " " have gone into this paragraph? "Pheweeee". 

While we're on music, there's a wonderfully bizarre scene with Roy Orbison's "In Dreams". Beautiful song and I was delighted to find this in my iTunes - god bless my dad's love for Roy making into my collection. This seems to be Dennis Hopper's trigger, sending him into a depressive rage, if there is such a thing. 


Great film. It definitely had a tension about it, I was on edge on many occasions throughout. My first liaison with David Lynch too, I've seen a bit of Mulholland Drive but in typical fashion I haven't seen all of it. Gar! I will now though, at some point in the near future.

Progress

I've been somewhat lax in the reviewing so far. I have been making my way through The List though. Last week I did Taxi Driver, Blue Velvet and No.84 Festen or "The Celebration" for the non-Danes out there. I started watching No.17 Annie Hall this morning and have collected together a few DVDs from the rents house as well as Sky+ing The Godfather and Shawshank during some late night TV guide perusing. We're well underway.

62 Taxi Driver

I'll admit I was feeling a smidge apprehensive about watching this. For years I've caught glances of the DVD cover and thought "Jesus, he actually looks insane" and then there's the description about him being a mentally unstable war veteran working as a night-time taxi driver. So sinister, so thought-provoking. I thought it was going to be two hours of gratuitous physical torture and elaborate murder. Don't get me wrong, I'm all for a bit of torture and murder but I like mine milky with two sugars a la Midsomer Murders.


However, I was pleasantly surprised to find it was not like that at all. I found two taglines: "On every street in every city, there's a nobody who dreams of being a somebody"; "He's a lonely forgotten man desperate to prove that he's alive" - I think the second fits better. I immediately felt pangs of empathy for the young and confusingly attractive Robert De Niro, or "Travis" as he preferred to be called here. All he wanted was to go out with Betsy, lovely sweet Betsy. But he went about it the wrong way. After a brief stint of daylight taxi stalking he approached her and she said she'd go for coffee with him. Understandable. He had a clumsy charm about him. Coffee went well. She said she'd go see a film with him. And that's where it all went wrong. He took her to see a bluie. No, Travis. Just no. Cue his mental demise - writing in his diary surrounded by the long dead flowers, the smell of which make him feel sick, that have failed to win Betsy over. He buys some guns, cobbles together a rather nifty gun-to-hand device that fits in his sleeve and starts holding his arm over a gas ring - the logic of which is lost on me. He takes it upon himself to save Iris, a teenage prostitute, from a ridiculously attired Harvey Keitel after she is wrestled out of his taxi one night. The rest of the film is pretty much him strapping guns to his body, poncing around in the mirror and standing around in crowds unsuccessfully attempting to shoot a politician. 


Argh! Robert where has your hair gone?! So we're at the end of the film. A big shoot-out in the brothel where Iris does her business. Travis has already killed Harvey on his stoop outside. Or has he? Travis goes inside to save the day and rescue Iris. He shoots the first person he sees and then BANG, Harvey's only gone and bloody survived and managed to shoot Travis in the neck. That's it. His number is up. No. Twist alert. There's loads of shooting by loads of men and at the end Travis is sat on a sofa, Iris bawling in a corner, and he looks at the police who have arrived, points a hand gun (gun shape made with his hand, not a gun gun) at his temple and "shoots" it. Then his eyes roll backwards and we are left thinking he's dead. But wait. There's seven more minutes of the film left. What's going on? Well, he isn't dead. He survives and is hailed a hero by the media. Iris has gone back to her rents and they send him a letter thanking him for what he did. 

There's some chat that the end isn't real. That he is in fact dead and it's his dying dream to have been portrayed in that way. Perfectly feasible, except apparently they're making a sequel. Unless it's going to be about him shooting his way through the Pearly Gates, I think there's a good chance he lived. I'm not sure how I feel about a sequel. Especially as I don't think there'll be a demise, he's just going to be highly strung the whole way through. Perhaps it is the sequel that will deliver on the fear I was feeling before watching this. Some things are best left alone, I believe this to be one of those things. It was perfect as it was. Eight on ten rating from this little lady.

Tuesday 14 June 2011

Coming soon...

Taxi Driver has been viewed! No "review" of it just yet though, I can't muster the energy right now.


I do have enough time to say that the next film is downloading right now and it is going to be *drumroll 


No.42 - Blue Velvet.

Monday 13 June 2011

Next up...

I was going to go for Vertigo but that's in the Top 10 and I'm trying to save those because there's only six in there that I haven't seen. Instead I am going to go for...


No.62 - Taxi Driver - I understand this quite a heavy film, perhaps not one for the morning commute.

22 The Breakfast Club

Right then, here we go...


I rented The Breakfast Club from iTunes for £2.95. It's valid for 30 days but once you start watching you have to watch it within 48 hours. I thought this was a good idea because I have a tendency to start a film, pause it while I make a coffee or go to the loo, and then never press play again and put something else on. Now that I'm spending my hard-earned cash it's a whole different kettle of fish.

Do we all know the plot for The Breakfast Club? Five teens (Jock, Stoner, Weird, Princess, Geek) end up in detention on Saturday for reasons that we do not find out until later in the film. In the end they realise that despite being from different social backgrounds and hanging around in different cliques at school they're actually pretty similar. Aahhhhhhh.


My thoughts? It was alright. Felt like a lot of it was just recycling the material throughout the 90 minutes. Fender would get angry, Claire would tell him to shut up, Fender would call her a bitch, Andy would tell him to leave her alone - rinse and repeat as required. By far my favourite character was Brian, he very much brought the humour to the library table. When they got the weed out of Fender's locker and he turned to the weird girl (whose name I forget, gosh, am Claire?!) and said "do you approve of this?" in a manner that was just funny. Made me chuckle. If I'm honest, I don't really have much more to say for it than that. The tunes that played throughout were classic, and I now get the relevance of Simple Minds "Don't You Forget About Me" in all those coming of age American teen movies such as American Pie and - not a movie but - an episode of Family Guy when Peter goes undercover at Meg's school. I think my final point will be the library. Oh my God, what a library!! I think I'd have been a harder worker if I could have spent my time in one like that, advanced beyond its years. And, had an a/c system that somehow filtered out the smell of weed instantaneously. Not that I smoke weed, or have, but if I did, I would be doing it in that library. 


So, not the best review in the world but hey, I never claimed to be Barry Norman did I?

Sunday 12 June 2011

So far...

I've just been through The List and struck out the ones that I have watched, or at least the ones that I have watched properly. Pulp Fiction, for example, I've seen bits of it here and there when it's been on the telly but not the whole thing in one sitting. The Matrix, again, have seen bits but not all of it - the blame for this one lies solely with Alex Valentine. We were watching it in English in Year 8 or 9 and he chose that particular class to debut his remote control watch. Cue discussion about the wonders of the advancement of technology and the appeal of watching Keanu Reeves have some worm thing put in his stomach (or taken out, I can't remember which. Was there even a worm?) went right out the window. 

Anyhoo, I digress. In order to do this properly I am going to make sure I watch these all the way through. Not sure how I'm going to watch them, I can get hold of the DVDs for some but what to do for the rest. Do I go on a frenzy on Zavvi and Play to get them? Or do I try iTunes and get them so I can watch them on the train to work on a morning? Ah, decisions decisions. I suspect I will do a mixture of the two, in case you couldn't bear the suspense of not having a definitive answer.

Not sure which to start with. A guy at work lent me The Last of the Mohicans a while ago, which I thought I would watch and cross off The List but alas it hasn't even made it on there!!!!! Something which I shall relay to him tomorrow morning cos he thinks that film is the shit. The shit in a good way, not the bad fecal way. 

First film is going to be...Number 22 - The Breakfast Club. Hopefully have a review (I use this term loosely) or opinion of it in the next couple of days!!

Saturday 11 June 2011

The List

100 - Jurassic Park 2.7.11
99 - La Belle et la Bete

98 - My Fair Lady
97 - Point Break
96 - Lost In Translation 12.6.11
95 - Grand Hotel
94 - The Towering Inferno
93 - Cool Hand Luke
92 - A Bout de Souffle
91 - Short Cuts

90 - Trainspotting 12.6.11
89 - Touch of Evil
88 - Wild Strawberries
87 - Silence of the Lambs 2014

86 - Nosferatu
85 - Dog Day Afternoon
84 - Festen 17.6.11
83 - Spartacus
82 - Chungking Express
81 - North By Northwest

80 - Tokyo Story

79 - Deliverance
78 - The Lady Eve
77 - The April Trilogy
76 - Blazing Saddles
75 - The Good, The Bad and The Ugly
74 - Rosemary's Baby
73 - Great Expectations
72 - Days of Heaven
71 - This Is Spinal Tap

70 - The Conversation

69 - Hidden
68 - The Maltese Falcon
67 - The Piano
66 - Toy Story 12.6.11
65 - The Thin Blue Line
64 - Do The Right Thing
63 - On The Waterfront - 40 mins left 22.6.11
62 - Taxi Driver 14.6.11
61 - Rashomon

60 - The Crying Game

59 - Pulp Fiction 1.2.15

58 - Dr Zhivago
57 - Raging Bull
56 - Whisky Galore
55 - The Matrix
54 - LA Confidential 12.6.11
53 - Mildred Pierce
52 - La Dolce Vita
51 - Cabaret

50 - Blade Runner

49 - High Society
48 - Shoah
47 - Fargo 12.6.11
46 - All About Eve
45 - Life and Death of Colonel Blinip
44 - A Streetcar Named Desire
43 - Terminator II 27.6.11
42 - Blue Velvet 16.5.11
41 - A Star Is Born

40 - The Life of Brian

39 - The Graduate 12.6.11
38 - Rear Window
37 - Beau Travail
36 - Jaws 12.6.11 & 22.7.11
35 - Withnail & I 23.7.11
34 - The Man Who Shot Liberty
33 - One Flew Over A Cuckoo's Nest 12.6.11
32 - The Empire Strikes Back
31 - His Girl Friday

30 - Rebel Without A Cause

29 - Duck Soup
28 - Gone With The Wind
27 - A Clockwork Orange
26 - Goodfellas 12.8.11
25 - Picnic at Hanging Rock
24 - Philadelphia Story
23 - Some Like It Hot
22 - The Breakfast Club 13.6.11
21 - Bonnie & Clyde

20 - Wizard of Oz

19 - The Exorcist
18 - Don't Look Now
17 - Annie Hall 21.6.11
16 - Metropolis
15 - Apocolypse Now
14 - Jungle Book 12.6.11
13 - 2001 A Space Odyssey
12 - Alien
11 - Sound of Music

10 - The Godfather

9 - Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind 12.6.11
8 - Sunset Blvd
7 - Kes 12.6.11
6 - Vertigo
5 - The Shining 28.2.15
4 - Chinatown
3 - ET 12.6.11
2 - There Will Be Blood
1 - Casablanca