Films

Guidance: A middle-aged Swedish guy is depressed and exaggerating a back injury to avoid going to work. His wife forces him to go on an alternative healing programme with some strange younger man (who has his own issues). Picturesque locations and the odd hint of tension didn't make up for the fact that I couldn't give a stuff about any of the characters.
 
Seven Minutes In Heaven: Captivating and spiritual film about a woman who was seriously injured and lost her boyfriend in a terrorist bus explosion in Jerusalem. Galia is trying to piece together what happened on the day, understand where a mysterious necklace came from and how it is all linked to her destiny. I don't want to say too much, I'd rather recommend that you watch it.
 
Never even heard of the Oz film we watched tonight: The Proposition, starring Guy Pearce, John Hurt, Ray Winstone and Emily Watson, 2004. Brill acting, with John Hurt doing a bit of an "English Bob" as a fraffly English bounty hunter (if considerably more louche and dishevelled). Flies took a starring role, too - millions of the little buggers humming and buzzing throughout, but considering how much the actors were sweating cobblers, no wonder. 'A period revenge drama' is how it was described - plenty of gore and brutality, strangely downbeat ending. Guy Pearce infinitely watchable, if not so fanciable this time, as fitted with rotting teeth beyond the skills of orthodontistry.
 
The Times 100 best films of the Noughties

http://tinyurl.com/yfzcnwf

Thoughts? Enjoyed Caché, a real actors film. But I thought Auteuil was better in 36 with Depardieu. Pleased to see Bourne at number 2 - not the sort of film(s) that would normally be high up in a list like this. Surprised City of God is so low and Borat is so high (much prefer from a comedy standpoint something like Shaun of the Dead.)

The Lives of Others would be my table topper.
 
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There are some god-awful films in there, which makes Caché an all the more surprising choice. These things are always subjective but:

3. No Country?
5. Team America????
Anchorman ahead of City of God???????
 
Le fabuleux destin d'Amélie Poulain - not in the top 100...

Nice to see a mention for Consequences of Love. One of my favourite films.
 
Harry Brown: I think this is going to generate some column inches; it is a while since violence in a film made me sit up and take note. Perhaps because it wasn't "action" violence, more your simple, calculating, clinical, life-ending variety. Definitely one to watch at the cinema for maximum impact. The audience applauded on a couple of occasions. Caine still rocks.

Violence isn't clever. It can be effective though.
 
Slovenian Girl: A nice piece of film-making about a poor student from the Slovenian countryside, who moves to Ljubljana and takes up prostitution part-time to fund the lifestyle that she never could have had back home. Unsurprisingly, prostitution has its pros and cons. A good film with and ending that does justification to the meaning of the film, if slightly disappointing me as I was hoping for a different outcome. Worth watching.

Can Go Through Skin: Dark, gritty Dutch film about a woman who is brutally assaulted and then her slow mental recovery. Very intense. Great lead acting. Not particularly pleasurable viewing.
 
betsmate said:
Le fabuleux destin d'Amélie Poulain - not in the top 100...

Nice to see a mention for Consequences of Love. One of my favourite films.
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What a great movie! I need to buy the DVD (in Fopp of course!) when I get back to London. I need to check out the Director and main actor and see what else they've been in.
 
They both did a film called The Apartment. Audrey's role was smaller but it's a good film. The lead actor was the guy who was in The Beat that my Heart Skipped. Good actor.
 
Hamm said:
What a great movie! I need to buy the DVD (in Fopp of course!) when I get back to London. I need to check out the Director and main actor and see what else they've been in.
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Or if you are talking about CoL...

The main actor is Tony Servillo - who is amazing - I've seen him in Gomorrah and Il Divo since. The Director is Paulo Sorrentino. He did A Family Friend (only ok imo) and Il Divo.
 
I've taken to watching DVDs with the director's commentary.

Listening to Nora Ephron talk us through You've Got Mail was a real education. I always liked this film - it might even be better than the original The Shop Around The Corner - but the more I watch it the more I like it and Nora Ephron's commentary makes me appreciate it all the more.
 
Just back from watching Nativity with my two youngest. Very sweet, if somewhat implausible, Xmas family feel-good number - with some quality (and hilarious) performances from the nippers.

Pick the bones out of that, BM. :D
 
Nowhere Boy is outstanding. Wonderfully paced with superb performances (most especially Kirsten Sciott Thomas) that are pitched perfectly. Great sense of time and place too. But not least it is very very moving with no sentinmentality and often very funny. Some interesting indicators of lennons charcter formation too (Mimis caustic wit for instance)The fbirth of the beatles (Mccartney is perfectly played) is also handled expertly

Not saying much perhaps but easily best British film for years. A great film either way
 
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