July cinema

Well life got a bit busy and I got out of the way of watching films on my own.

But I came back and had a lovely Disney binge!

I do love a cartoon and retirement gives me the chance to catch up on lots I haven't seen, this one wad new to me but I loved it, great story strong female characters, great stuff. 

This is an oldie, while i dont think its up with the best it was still a good watch.

The original Snow piercer film. I loved the series so wanted so see the film it was based on. Fantastic film, a hard watch at times but brilliantly done.

Oh this one was a cracker! Loved it, apparently Disney got flack for having a guy character 🙄 seriously  what century are we in ...

Another oldie, absolutely adored it!

I felt like some Alien/Terminator type film and this fitted the bill, well done good story clipped along nicely. 

It's nice to get back into the film groove, I missed it.

April cinema

 I've been busy watching films in April! I'm not going out much, don't want to catch anything before my trip to Nantes! So I'm storming through the Planet of the Apes franchise.

First up Beneath the planet of the Apes- loved it, classic 70s Sci fi, moved at a cracking pace , still git the discordant sound track but hey its the 70s after all!

Next up Escape from the planet of the apes. 

I hated this, the only saving grace was Ricardo Montalban. Otherwise it was clichéd and soooooooo dated.

The franchise redeemed itself with the next one - Conquest of the planet of the apes

Still clichéd but more action and more Ricardo Montalban. Sets the scene nicely for the final installment of the 70s run of planet of the apes, not bad - Battle for the planet of the Apes, definitely better than Escape which way my least favourite. Still seems naieve now looking back but hindsight is a wonderful thing ...

So now we are up to the 2000s and Tim Burtons re imagining. Whilst I didn't actively dislike it, it felt out of place somehow. Enjoyable though but Helena Nonham Carter was miscast IMHO.

So fast forward to 2011 and Rise of the planet of the Apes

Yes OK I get it but almost 2 hours is spent setting up the premise, enjoyable but is the longest trailer ever. Good effects and James Franco manages not to be annoying which is good. 

Now this is more like it! "Rise of the Planet of the Apes" cracking film. I haven't seen it before but loved it, great story fab action and despite being over 2 hours long it didn't drag. Good story but not too much heavy handed and obvious moralising which did characterise some of the others in the franchise, one more film to go and I'll be up to date!

Well there was a hiatus while I was in Nantes so this was my last film  of April, Journey to the centre of the earth, great fun, slightly wonky special effects but still great fun.

March cinema

so March was very quiet on the cinema front! But I think that is more down to the better weather being here plus also spending a week in bed with the (non CV) lurgy!

I do like Orlando bloom but this one - Kingdom of Heaven was a bit Meh, not bad as such but just not that great, the story was a bit disjointed and yup, not one to revisit.

The only other one (my criteria for this is ones I watch during the day on my own 😊 during the times I would have been working!) is this - Planet of the Apes:

Yes what to say? Has it aged? Not really sure, I am sure the ideas behind it (tolerance, anti racism, feminism) were laudable but have they aged well? not really for me to judge, enjoyable though apart from the awful 70 soundtrack of jarring discordant techno  music, sheesh I hated it back, then and still do!

February cinema

Oh my! there hasnt been much film action in February, but thats fine, I will have been doing other stuff! I do love the Msuketeers though! and the 80s versions are my absolute favourite, Roy Kinnear as Planchet - perfect! But I had forgotten how reflective of their time they are, its often challenging to watch cinema from that era with modern day sensibilities but they were still damn good fun. Lovely Raquel Welch too. A very firm 8/10 for this.

Speaking about sublime just how amazing does Elizabeth Taylor look! and OMG that hat!

Bitching it up a storm with Kim Novak!

Rock Hudson, always a safe bet in a film.

I was torn about Angela Lansbury as Miss Marple, I think the make up to age her didn't help she was OK in the role but not perfect, but still a solid 7/10 for the Mirror Cracked.

January Cinema 2023

 For January I decided to binge some dystopian Sci fi! It didn't quite go to plan but mostly 😊Quatermass experiment

Ooohhhh the big alien blob! A warning to future humanity ... a solid 7/10

Robin Hood

Felt in need of some comfort viewing a bit of swashbuckling 🤣 has to be 10/10

Pale blue eye

A solid 7/10 For this one, I'm trying to work through my wish list etc and this was on it. I love anything with Toby Jones and he didn't fail, Christian Bale was good too, story was just a bit leaden.

Awwww bit of comfort watching! Hurt my back and leg so sat on the sofa watching Kung Fo Panda 3, it's considered the least of the king fu Panda films but I think it holds its own. Made me smile anyway! A firm 8/10

I had deemed January "dystopian Sci Fi" month for films. So I thought I had better end with a classic "Soylent green" I read the book it was based on "make room make room" th film takes huge liberties with the plot and does insert some eye watering 70s misogyny which wasn't in the book but the film is still a classic if you can look beyond the flaws. I also do not like Charlton Heston either his political views or as an actor (over rated ...) but for me this film belongs to Edward G Robinson, his last performance and its a belter. So for him and him alone this gets 9/10

Cinema December 2022

 This is going to be a belter of a month, first retired December- bring it on!

I'm still binging a free trial so next up is Evil under the sun, sublime cast, Maggie Smith again and of course Peter Ustinov as Poirot but oh my the racism 😬😬😬 I still love these films but oh my they were of their time.

Murder on the orient express, Finney was never my favourite Poirot but this was at least faithful to the story ....

I had a seven day free trial so binge watched a lot with it. The thin blue line, fab film precursor to Dixon of Dock green which was must view when I was young 😊 Dirk Bogarde playing the baddie, I adored Dirk Bogarde

Hobsons choice, utterly utterly sublime.john Mills was perfect in this, as was everyone to be honest. Charles Laughton was magnificent as was the actress who played Maggie.

Awww Raymond Massey! What a star, this is the Shape of things to come by Alexander Korda based on the HG Wells story, I thought it might be a nice Sci fi film to rewatch but blimey I had forgotten how prescient it is. A world.war followed by world qide pestilence, shortage of medicines and.foods, gas attacks and masks.which are sub par and not fit for purpose 😳 hmmmmmm even had a tin pot dictator beautifully played by Ralph Richardson

 All too close for comfort!