Film Recommendations

Since there is a topic about cinema releases, I also thought one about films which are NOT in cinemas (anymore) would fit.

So if you want to write a review, use this sheet to add as much valuable information as possible!

[b]Title of the movie[/b]
[b]Genre:[/b]
[b]Director/Writer:[/b]
[b]Cast:[/b]
[b]Summary:[/b]
[b]Youtube trailer:[/b]
[b]Opinion:[/b]

Because I wanted to tell you all to watch The Boat That Rocked! I saw it two weeks ago and I bought it straight away!

Title of the movie The Boat that Rocked

Genre: Comedy, music, drama, romance

Director/Writer: Richard Curtis/Richard Curtis

Cast: This is another film by Richard Curtis (maker of Notting Hill, Four Weddings and a Funeral and Love actually). It is obvious that Curtis has his actor preferences, because he always brings back the same team of entertainers. This time, it’s Bill Nighy (Rufus Scrimgeour in HP), Rhys Ifans (who is starring in Mr. Nice with David Thewlis – also a nice fact is that David and Ifans are often mixed up by the public), Philip Seymour Hoffman (Who was in The Big Lebowski) and Nick Frost (you might know him from Hot Fuzz and Shaun of the Dead).

Summary: The film is about the pirate boat of ‘Radio Rock’ which lays in the North Sea and broadcasted 24/7 rock and pop music in the 60s. While they life their simple and relaxed lives at sea, the government is doing everything to close the pirate radio group down. But Radio Rock fights back, rebelling against the government by continuing to broadcast even after the government has prohibited pirate radio.

The movie starts when Carl comes on board. He is expelled from school and his mother sends him to his godfather (who owns the boat)to think of his life. Carl is young and inexperienced and it soon becomes his goal to lose his virginity. The DJ’s of the boat often try to ‘help by hooking him up with girls. Sadly, young Carl fails 9/10 times.

Youtube trailer: here

Opinion: If you are a fan of good music (and with ‘good’, I mean music that has a history – and not when you think popular music of today is good taste for music but when you do - you clearly haven’t), you should definitely see this movie. You might even surprise your parents (if you watch this with them) by singing along some of the songs. The person (adult – 30 year-old) with who I watched this was so surprised I knew a lot of this music. It keeps the spirits high and make you want to see more of the movie (simply because it has good music)

Don’t be disturbed by the amount of sex-talk in it. The people on the Boat are really controversial of how the average person was in that time (it’s set in the 60s). It is not meant in a way to disturb, but simply on ‘how it really was’.

Really go and see this movie. It's a great laugh and it has lots of 'old' (music is never old in my opinion) pop and rock music in it. (LOT of music of the Who). And if you're a fan of the British-Curtis movies - this is a must see!

Title of the movie: London Boulevard
Genre: Crime, romance
Director/Writer: William Monahan
Cast: Colin Farrell, Keira Knighty,Davind Thewlis, Anna Friel, Ray Winston
Summary: "London Boulevard" is the story of a man newly released from prison who falls in love with a reclusive young movie star and finds himself in a duel with a vicious gangster.
Youtube trailer: here
Opinion/review: The question was of course: ‘How much David will there be in this movie’. I’ll answer it straightforwardly and are pleased to say that he’s in it a lot. More than we had expected! And his part is an important one (so he’s not just an extra!)

A small summary:

After Mitchell is released from prison, his best mate Billy is trying to get him back into the criminal circuit. Mitchell is not planning on going to jail again and therefore takes on a job as a ‘handy man/bodyguard’ for famous actress Charlotte who is being stalked by the paparazzi and is therefore afraid to leave her house. She has resorted to painting after she left a film set in Italy after being abused.

When a homeless man, a friend of Mitchell’s is killed by two 16-year old boys, Mitchell only wants revenge. But his time in prison has changed him. Can he find and kill a 16-year old kid who still has to live his life?

But his best buddy Billy get him involved with notorious gangster boss Gant who would be really pleased to have Mitchell working for him. At first, Gant gives him information about one of the 16-year-olds who murderd his friend. But by bribing and committing murders, he forces Mitchell to join up with him. And yet, Mitchell still refuses and therefore fears his own and his crack sniffing, alcohol consuming sister Briony’s safety.

While working for Charlotte, he falls in love with her and they secretly start a relationship while trying to hide it from the paparazzi. But Gant has his ways and will use their relationship to still try to get Mitchell to join him.

Mitchell flees from his flat (which is ‘owned’ by Gant – while the original house owner still tries to sneak into [i/]his house and try to collect some of his possessions) and moves into the shed in Charlotte’s back garden.

While Charlotte takes on a role in LA, Mitchell knows he won’t be able to rest until Gant and his associates are dead. Therefore he asks Jordan, Charlotte’s opiate using brother and agent for help and together they ‘take care’ of London’s most dangerous gangsters.[/i]

A complicated plot, but a good one. Although this movie can be seen as a ‘gangster film’, it is nothing we’re used to see. Unlike other films, it contains less action scenes and more dialogues. Therefore this movie can be rather ‘dull’ to the person who prefers action over plot. Not everyone will like this, but I certainly did.

Next to that, I loved the music in this movie. A lot of music from the 70s/80s was used and it really gave the movie this ‘London gangster’ idea. Also, the way the movie was edited made it seem as if it was rather vintage.

David:‘Did you fuck Penny? Since you met her I’d think you had. She’s fucked everyone she met. Except for Jordan here.’

David’s part is absolutely the best in the movie! The audience laughed about his lines and his character and I felt proud to hear everyone laugh.

His character is an odd one. He is Charlotte’s brother and agent (although a sexual relationship is being mentioned in the beginning of the film) and lives with her. Apart from that, he’s an opiate using hippy. He seems a bit slow (probably brain damage from using too much?) and this aspect was really amusing the audience. Mitchell and Jordan made a good team during the end of the movie and it was amusing to see how they were ‘taking out the trash’

And maybe even the best thing is that Jordan is the last character to be on screen, even when the end credits have started! His ending is rather amusing and still a mystery. Maybe a ‘London Boulevard: The Jordan Cronicles’ after this? We can’t be sure!

This movie is a must see for David fans!

Title of the movie: A Single Man

Genre: Drama

Director/Writer: Directed by Tom Ford; Screenplay by Tom Ford & David Scearce based on the novel by Christopher Isherwood

Cast: Colin Firth, Julianne Moore, Nicholas Hoult, Matthew Goode, & Jon Kortajarena

Summary: 'A Single Man' is based on the novel of the same name by Christopher Isherwood. Set in Los Angeles in 1962, at the height of the Cuban missile crisis, it is the story of a British college professor (Colin Firth) who is struggling to find meaning to his life after the death of his long time partner. The story is a romantic tale of love interrupted, the isolation that is an inherent part of the human condition, and ultimately the importance of the seemingly smaller moments in life.

Youtube trailer: Here

Opinion: A Single Man. Where to start. There's so many beautiful things about this film, so perfect and flawless, that I don't know what I should praise first.

For the most part, most movie fans know Colin Firth as Darcy, from the 1995 BBC adaptation of Pride and Prejudice - at least, they know that it was that role that catapulted him into the public eye. He's been a number of films since then, a lot of romantic comedies, some period pieces, some drama thrillers and what not. But, in my personal opinion, we see Colin Firth a whole different light. We see him in a role that allows him to shine and to display his talents in a way we've never seen before. He is George Falconer, a closeted gay man struggling to live day-to-day after the death of his longtime partner. Everything about his performance is absolutely amazing and perfect and just so heartbreaking that it's flawless. Right from the beginning, you're reaching for tissues to dry your eyes - the helpless and broken expression on his face as he wakes up, knowing he has to go through another day alone pulls at your heartstrings. You can't help but feel for the man who is surrounded by people but is nevertheless, still alone. From beginning to end, you can't help but be drawn in by this man, by his emotions, and in the end, you can't help but cry. Just like The King's Speech, this film owns my soul with it's beauty, raw emotion and view of the gay experience that has nothing to do with sex.

Now, for the cinematography nerds (like me) out there: I haven't found a single flaw with the camera work. I fastidiously study the cinematography of all the films I watch and everything about it is just so gorgeous. It's hard to believe that this film was (fashion-designer turned film director) Tom Ford's directing debut with his stunning cinematography and his natural ability to use the camera to create a vivid but tasteful setting. His ability to frame the actors and actresses in way that nothing is wasted; nothing looks horrendous or ugly speaks so much about his attention to detail. And well, it doesn't hurt that the cast is just absolutely beautiful and gorgeous.

Overall, this film tells a beautiful and poignant story about a man just trying to 'get through the goddamn day'. Regardless of my love for Colin Firth, this film comes highly recommended. If you're not moved by the end of it, then I don't know what to tell you.

A few times in my life I've had moments of absolute clarity, when for a few brief seconds the silence drowns out the noise and I can feel rather than think, and things seem so sharp and the world seems so fresh. I can never make these moments last. I cling to them, but like everything, they fade. I have lived my life on these moments. They pull me back to the present, and I realize that everything is exactly the way it was meant to be.
-George Falconer