Film Reviews by CW

I chose this movie to see Marion Cotillard again for she has been brilliant in other films. This one....flat. It was like watching dreams filmed. Disjointed, at times interesting and times just bewildering. Marion Cotillard’s role was just to look either sad or silly. There were some very interesting moments and had the film been edited down to just over an hour it might have been good.

I was actually surprised to find this as good as it was. I thought it would drag but it did not. I was quite impressed with the acting by Bradley Cooper and Lady Gaga (though I wish she would use her own name). What really amazed me was that Charlie Chaplin like - Bradley Cooper co wrote, co produced, co wrote music, did his own singing as well as starred in the movie. There really was great chemistry between Cooper and Gaga. Sam Elliott was good as always. Now I want to go back and see the 2 earlier versions of the story to compare them. I didn’t like the colour of Ally’s orange dye job but that is not important. Believable story. Cooper was excellent. Gorgeous too.

Oh too bad. I thought this was going to be a “fun” western with Barbara Stanwyck as the high mucky muck, fastest rider, best shot, biggest land owner, head of a gang, fearless, strong woman. Not at all believable. Actors mostly sleep walking through their roles. I got bored and started watching on fast forward. Would stop when it looked interesting, but it wasn’t. Watched the end and was disappointed that she has now lost everything but yawn, that is okay, because now she is in love and as the stupid ballad in movie says...she is just a woman. Oh puhleeese. Give this a miss.

This is the story of a long time married couple who are facing some of the many problems with aging. He was a university professor and now has at times severe memory loss. She is often his care giver. Their grown children are planning a birthday party for their father. The son arrives to find that his parents have run away in their camper van called The Leiisure Seeker. They are headed from home in Massachusetts to Key West to visit Hemingway’s home. When he is clear headed they laugh and have fun in the moment and talk about their life together. Other times he cannot remember her name nor where he is. Meanwhile we learn that she is dying of cancer. When he wanders off she tells him “we must not be separated because we don’t have much time left”. At times the acting is good as Mirren and Sutherland portray the couple. Other times it doesn’t work because she is supposed to be from the south and is not able to nail the accent. It is not a happily ever after story because it confronts some of the sad realities and choices and lack of choices with aging. Worth seeing but not great.

Sometimes laugh out loud funny, sometimes a bit of a yawn. Still, there are moments - jokes and phrases- that we use today without perhaps recognising the source. Glad to have seen it again after all these years but would not watch again. Moments of brilliance.

I totally agree with the glowing reviews. Days later I am still thinking about The Source. A few months ago I saw Insyriated which scorched through my mind. I thought the role of the fierce mother who would do anything to save her fairy was brilliantly played by the actress Hiam Abbas so I wanted to see her again. In The Source she plays a mother who does not like her daughter in law because the young woman questions the old traditions that make the women subservient to their husbands. The issue is water that the women have to haul each day from the pipe to the village. She starts a love strike so the story is a bit of an homage to Lysistratta ( spelling?). Scenery harsh and beautiful. The women singing and dancing is mesmerising. The young woman who can read also questions the misinterpretation of the Koran by the Inman. Powerful, poignant, heart wrenching.

What were they thinking? Totally lame production. Zero chemistry between the couples especially Doris Day and Frank Sinatra. Women’s clothing form the 50’s was so incredibly flattering but not the costumes in this movie. Hair and makeup and script also bad. The only good thing was watching Frank Sinatra and listening to him sing without Doris Day. Was glad when movie ended.

I am in total agreement with the rave reviews. Brilliant, at times gasp or laugh out loud good. Each short story was compelling. Script, direction, acting, casting, sets all perfect. I do love reading short stories and this movie made 4 stories come to life. Yes, one to recommend to friends.

Okay, the story is sweet, predictable, a bit contrived BUT it stars some of the best UK actors and is a showcase for not so young actors. All of the leads are actors I throughly enjoy watching. Basic message is love and friendship. Good sorbet movie between heavy fare.

Waste of poor Albert Brooks. Lame, boring, waste of money producing this movie. Pointless. Sappy. Hard to think of anything positive to say about it.

Ftrances McDormand plays the Greek Tragedy huge part of a woman totally consumed with grief, guilt, shock, horror and on a relentless quest to find who tortured and killed her teenage daughter. Nothing else matters. When the killer is not found, she risks everything to have the case solved. She tries to shame and badger the police because she feels that they have just given up. She focuses on the sheriff played by Woody Harrellson. He is a kind. patient man who adores his wife and children and shines his light on others. He is forgiving and non.judgemental. Sam Rockwell plays a mean stupid racist policeman. Through his love the sheriff changes people. This is a tragedy. No Hollywood happy ending. It is set in Missouri but could be in several US states. The anguish of the mother is universal.

Script and acting could have been phoned in. Zero chemistry. I will have to pad review to get to required 100 years. Cast selected because they are attractive. Good to see Candice Bergen though, the only cast member per who was believable.

This is an excellent documentary of John Curry’s life and performances. You learn about his childhood, friends, supporters, choreographers, his skating company and the skaters he worked with. You learn about how he created and developed his style. You hear reading of some of the letters he sent to his friends and to his mother. You watch part of his Afternoon of a Faun which is absolutely sublime. I held my breath. Ballet on ice. Though he could execute perfect jumps, series of them in his flawless routines, his was a style of skating I greatly miss where the emphasis was on style and beauty rather than just the number of jumps. The special features where you learn about the orchestra used to create the score was also most interesting. This is so good I am keeping it for a few more days to watch again. I highly recommend to all who love John Curry’s skating, and lovers of dance. He was the first openly gay skater. I think he will remain the greatest skater of all time.

Absolutely mesmerising. You enter the paintings. Remarkably well done. I recommend to all who love Van Gogh’s work.

If this were not a true story I would have thought no, way over top. Great casting. The best role for Hugh Grant. He was absolutely marvellous in the role of Jeremy Thorpe. Other members of the cast excellent too so it was all very believable. At times hilarious, at times so sad. I enjoyed all of the scenes - the early romance, the falling apart, the career ending disaster that ensued. I liked the glimpses into Parliament watching Hugh Grant as the MP with such a grand career. Later, plotting and the Roman Comedy of the attempted murder. Well thought out sets so you felt as though watching a real court room scene. Great screenplay, directing, casting, acting and attention to detail. I think that Hugh Grant deserved top awards for his performance. Throughly enjoyable.