The Holiday

(TA will update this shortly... ...or apparently not!)

I really didn't think this film was that good, funny in places, but not hilarious. A meagre 1.5 stars.

Down At Fraggle Rock!!!

I saw this and thought of John! Enjoy!

Pan's Labyrinth

Wow.

On Wednesday evening (it's getting a little predictable this isn't it?) TA and I met up at the Picturehouse for Pan's Labyrinth.

TA got there for 6pm, which was just as well because I was late due to traffic, and the tickets were selling like hot cakes! We got two tickets with the Orange Wednesday code, but we were sat to one side of the screen, not bad seats, but I prefer a more central view!

When I arrived the place was heaving, and TA said that they had been shouting to the crowd that Pan's Labyrinth was sold out, but apparently, as is the British way - no one listens! More disappointingly, there were no freebies this week. :-(

Now, let me summarise the film - (a trailer for which is on my blog here.) - The premise is about a Princess who lives in an underworld kingdom, and is forbidden from coming up to the surface, but she sneaks out, and her memory is wiped by the blinding sunlight. It was prophesised that her soul would return to the kingdom one day, through a mortal child - Ofelia.

There are two essential strands in the film - the first follows a Captain in the Spanish Army who is trying to root out the dissidents in the hills, who oppose Franco. He wants to see Ofelia's mother give birth to his baby boy at any cost. But can he trust those who work for him? Can he kill the dissidents? Can he protect his son?

The second strand follows Ofelia after she meets a Faun in the Labyrinth near to the Captains rural camp. The faun (Pan) sets her three challenges to complete in order for her to return to her kingdom. The first sees her pit herself against a toad, the second a pits her against temptation, but will she sacrifice an innocent in the third task to return to her kingdom?

The film is fantastic, brilliantly filmed, although a little horrific in places, but tantalisingly thrilling in all the right ways. Although TA won't admit it - I have a feeling she'll be watching it on DVD - even the gory bits!!! Five stars!

I will indeedy be watching it again but I will NOT be watching the gory bits (I will be sat with my eyes closed & fingers in my ears, much similar to how I was in the cinema!) I don't know what it is about the film that's so great, it just is. In fact I would go so far as to say one of the best films I have seen this year if not ever. It was just beautifully made, not over the top, believable even (which given that we encounter fairies, fauns, a giant toad and a child-eating beast in a hidden world is saying something!) An amazing film. TA x

Oh i forget - FREEBIES!!

On a happy plus point we got a little goody bag before the screening with a minature Tia Maria liquer, a mini can of Coke and a branded Tia Maria Highball Glass. Nice!

What the f...............??!!

Last week John and I didn't go to the cinema (or any where else for that matter) I was having a bit of a crisis of a day and really didn't feel like going anywhere other than home to bed.

This week however Orange Wednesday's was back on and we headed to see "Little Children" at the Picture House. Now I had read one or two bits about the film, bits that includes things like "Extraordinary, sharply intelligent and affecting." and "Best film I've seen all year." As for what it was all about I was aware that there was Kate Winslet as Sarah, a stay-at-home Mum who gets it on with Patrick Wilson's character Brad, a stay-at-home Dad. Beyond that I hadn't heard anything else so naively thought it would be based around Sarah & Brad's budding affair, hiding it from the family and friends, how they all interacted, the repercussions if people find out; you know, normal mind numbing American crap! What we got was not quite that though.....

For starters there is a REALLY annoying voice over in the style of Babe (you know, the kids film about a pig?!) This went on throughout the film and was totally pointless from my point of view.

Then there was the random peadophile storyline - Ronnie has moved back with his mother after serving time for indecent exposure against a child and people are not happy. One bloke in particular runs a hate campaign against him and his mother. Now you could argue that this adds another dimention to the story but my point is Why?! It makes the film way longer than necessary and doesn't seem to have any great effect on the two lead characters and their story. In all honestly it could've been a whole different film. And an unnecessary, but predictable, penis chopping off at the end of the film just seemed like to much to me (and this is coming from someone who has had close experience of the effect peadophiles on people)

On another point there was WAY too much unnecessary wanking taking place! Do we really need this in a film where it is totally unnecessary? First there is Sarah's husband banging one out in his office whilst flicking through porno photos on the net. Then there is Sarah's husband (yes, again!) very disturbingly sitting with USED panties on his face and looking at the same pictures. Then there was Ronnie the Peadophile commiting another act of sexual devience sat in the passenger seat of his blind dates car while they are parked outside a kids playpark. This particular scene really bugged me - in an earlier scene Ronnie's date had admitted to being abused as a child and assulted later in life on a bus or train or similar. I don't think it added anything to the film other than to highlight that Ronnie wasn't 'cured' but the audience already knew that from seeing him turn up at a busy swimming pool. I personally just felt it was a definate step too far.

On the only high point is that I could imagine that had the film stuck to following Sarah and Brad, focusing on their relationship and all it entailed we could have ended up with a watchable, all be it predictable, film. The chemistry between Winslet and Wilson was wonderful (as was Wilsons body ;-) !) There were elements of the story that could've been built on with out veering into the extreme side lines.

In summing up the phrase that sprung to mind as we left the screening was "What the fuck?" and I think that says it all, don't you?

It's a bit odd, too long, with an annoying voiceover! It sort of makes you think, so, one star. I'll say no more. John.