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Very Nice, Very Nice (1961)
Very Nice, Very Nice
This is quite a feat of editing as it pulls together a fairly quick-fired montage of still images of faces and places coupled with some very short snippets of video tape to illustrate an urban landscape that consists of all forms of humanity. Happy, sad, young, old, joyous and loads and loads of yawning. It's peppered with seemingly random sound bites but by the end you might get a sense of it's purpose? Are we all now just pre-occupied with convenience and our own small world? Like a society of ants only not remotely collaborative? It's not really a film, more a photographic exhibition with a point - but it's still worth a watch.
Surogat (1961)
Surogat
A character arrives at the beach and thanks to his air pump, creates loads of useful inflatable things to make his day enjoyable. He has a tent, a table, chair and even a barbecue. He makes his own fish, then a fishing rod then after supper - complete with wine, he creates his own lady friend. She's not so keen on him though and when she runs off with an equally blown up lifeguard to a nearby island, he must pursue and thwart their ardour. You just know what's going to happen at the end, but even if the style of animation is a bit basic, the build up to that denouement is quite entertaining. Quirky, and worth ten minutes, I'd say.
Onegin (1999)
Onegin
Directed by his sister (Martha), Ralph Fiennes portrays the unfulfilled, philandering, "Onegin" who has just inherited a large estate from his uncle. Shortly after he arrives at his new stately pile, he meets his neighbour "Lensky" (Toby Stephens) and is also introduced to "Tatiana" (Liv Tyler). Now she falls a bit hook, line and sinker for him but he doesn't really reciprocate. His character seems incapable of deep thinking, or emotions or just about anything beyond the superficiality of his wealthy but empty existence. The thing is, that's about the height of this rather good looking but sterile drama. It's based on Pushkin's cleverly observational poem and it does look every inch the opulent and grand piece of cinema, but the characterisations here are remarkably under-developed and shallow and the plot dances all over the place as if it were doing the polka too. At times, it's as if I was watching through a thick pane of glass looking at something that has very little real about it. A fairy tale, almost. The film does present us with a glimpse of the almost feudal system that still prevailed in Czar Alexander's vast and contrasting Russia, with millions of people living in twig-built lean-tos whilst the brightly coloured palaces offered the wealthy and privileged an altogether different life, and it was good to see a few brief appearances from Irene Worth ("Princess Alina") but I felt by the end just as uninvolved in these characterisations as "Onegin" had been at the start. It's all just a bit too chilly.
Gekijôban Spy x Family Code: White (2023)
Spy x Family Code: White
"Loid" is a top secret operative working on "Operation Strix" - and that requires him to establish the credentials offered by a fake family. To that end he is married to the nimble "Yor" and they both bring up their telepathic daughter "Anya" and mind their dog "Bond". So far, it's a bit like "Mr & Mrs Smith" as neither parent knows of the perilous activities of the other. Now her school principal likes a pudding, and so when a school competition encouraging pupils to cook something for him is announced, the family decide to travel to a small town where "meremere" is prepared (looks like a sort of meringue). Along the way, the curious "Anya" discovers a locked casket on a train which she easily opens to discover it contains a chocolate sweet. Yep, you've guessed - but wait! This delicacy turns out to contain a secret microfilm the is being sought by folks who would use it to undermine the peace between east and west and start a war. Now the story rather turns into "Sky Captain" (2004) and their search for the ingredient of their cake - and secret his mission - takes them into the skies and into a series of combative escapades that sees bullets, bombs and even experimental guided missiles flying about all over the place. I'd never heard of the original television series and was a little reluctant to see this in a cinema as so often these films just build on characters about whom I know little. That's not the case here. This is a solid stand-alone story that doesn't requite prior knowledge of anyone to get into it, and that serves it well. The animation is quickly paced and each character (even the dog) has a role to play as the adventure hots up. The plot is not exactly original, no, but there's some fun to be had as these characters deliver an adventure that avoids repetitive combat scenes and after a slow start is well worth a cinema outing.
Date with Disaster (1957)
Date with Disaster
This is an odd film - the cast don't gel at all. The story is the usual run-of-the-mill stuff as a gang carry out a robbery but soon discover, with the police on their tail, that one of their number isn't reliable so turn this case of robbery into one of murder. William Hartnell's "Tracey" is the henchman who holds this together but "Sue" (Shirley Eaton) and "Miles" (Tom Drake - presumably drafted in to bolster US box office attendance) have all the chemistry of yesterday's scrambled eggs. The photography is basic and the production standards are decent enough but the ending is just a bit too bit hammy.
Echo of Diana (1963)
Echo of Diana
This is quite an enthralling little low budget British thriller as "Joan" (Betty McDowell) starts to investigate the suspicious death of her husband in a plane crash on the Turkish border. Was he a spy? We set out to discover with the help of journalists "Pam" (Clare Owen) and "Bill" (Vincent Ball) what exactly happened - is he actually dead? Ernest Morris was an old hand at keeping these moving along a-pace and does so adequately here, too, with plenty of double-crosses to keep it interesting. The jungle-drums music is of the time, and no less annoying for that - it is no substitute for taut writing.
Butterfly Tale (2023)
Butterfly Tale
"Patrick" is a butterfly with a problem. One of his wings is a bit stunted so he cannot fly. When it comes to their annual migration, this means that he and best pal "Marty" - an enthusiastic caterpillar yet to mature, must stay behind guarding the milkweed. Meantime, "Jennifer" is to be tasked with pulling their emergency supply of this fodder as they travel and the two to be left behind decide to stowaway! Of course they are soon discovered, as is an altitude problem for poor old "Jennifer" too, but not before their journey has begun in earnest and the flutter is way more concerned with getting to the "Orange Forest" without getting munched upon by three marauding and very peckish birds. I quite enjoyed this. The animation is colourful and vibrant; the likeable characters - maybe not so much the occasionally annoying caterpillar - offer us the usual qualities of perseverance, loyalty and teamwork while their pursuing nemeses offer up an excuse for some lightly comedic writing and slapstick with some silk and a bin lorry. I quite liked their own team boffin "Cornelius" too - and though it's perhaps a little bit long, it's a perfectly watchable family feature with a few engaging characters.
Rapito (2023)
Kidnapped
Based on a bizarre true story, this follows the tale of the young Edgardo Sala who was living quite happily with his Jewish parents and siblings in Bologna until an official arrives one evening to tell them he is to be removed from their care. Why? It appears that many years earlier when he was in his cradle, he has been baptised and so must therefore be looked after by the church. Despite their appeals and protestations, he is swiftly taken to Rome where he is enrolled in a Catholic school where his is pretty thoroughly indoctrinated into the ways of his new Church - even becoming of special interest to Pope Pius IX (Paolo Pierobon). The story really centres around the trial many year later of the Papal Officer Feletti (Fabrizio Gifuni) after the city had become part of the Italian Kingdom, and those proceedings are used to fill in some of the backstory and to test the theories of responsibility of actions done in the name of the State. Perhaps unsurprisingly, the young man grows up to become conflicted - his love of Jesus struggles with his love of family and of the Talmud that was so important to him as a child. What I didn't really understand was just why the Pope would ever been at all interested in the fate of a small Jewish lad when the Papal States were in permanent decline, but Marco Bellochio uses a solid cast and a sparing, but frequently impassioned, amount of dialogue to deliver a stylishly made intrigue that show the last vestiges of the once all-powerful Papacy and of the inconsequential hopes of a family and a small boy.
Ordinary Angels (2024)
Ordinary Angels
Hilary Swank turns in quite a strong performance here as Sharon Stevens. She's an hairdresser with a penchant for the bottle - and for denial - who just happens upon a rather sad newspaper article whilst buying her morning six-pack. The headline features the story of the young girl Michelle (Emily Mitchell) who has just lost her mother and whose father is having to come to terms with her own impending liver failure. After many years of medical treatment, the family are over $400,000 in debt and with the vultures closing in on them, she decides to raise some money to help them out. Father Ed (Alan Ritchson) is a proud man. Not stubborn, just determined that he will keep his family and his home together, so he slightly resents Sharon's self-appointment in his affairs. Luckily his mother (Nancy Travis) sees the sense in her activities and together they all work to raise the funds - and sort out the logistics - so they can secure a transplant for the youngster. Swank reminded me of Jane Fonda for much of this drama, and at times her characterisation of a woman with demons of her own is quite effectively annoying as she interferes at will. Ritchson also delivers potently and the young Mitchell evokes a combination of spiritedness and determination that provides this true story is quite a decent validation of just what can be achieved against formidable odds when driven by a can-do attitude, some human decency and an helicopter.
Teeth (2007)
Teeth
"Dawn" (Jess Wiexler) is your pure as the driven snow American girl who has sworn a vow of chastity until her wedding night. That might not happen for a few years but at the moment the prime candidate is her fellow virgin "Tobey" (Hale Appleman). With their teenage hormones raging, can they hold out? Well a trip to the lake for some swimming then a blanket-huddle in cave afterwards would suggest not - though almost immediately poor old "Tobey" wishes he'd kept his pants on and she is heading to the doctor to find out just what happened. When the doctor also ends up on the operating table we are faced with the indisputable truth. She has been landed with an ancient Egyptian or Persian or Roman curse that is going to make sex a very dangerous thing for the bloke! Rather entertainingly, though, she decides that this could actually be put to good use - and her obnoxious brother "Brad" (John Hensley) might just get a taste of her newly found medicine. Aside from watching it with your legs crossed - regardless of which sex you are - this is mildly entertaining in a squirmy sort of fashion. Weixler is clearly having some fun and it's nice to see the men doing all the hysterical screaming for a change. I doubt I'd ever bother watching it again, but I didn't hate it, and neither did the dog!
Mortal Engines (2018)
Mortal Engines
From the team that brought us everything from Middle Earth comes this great to look at, but highly derivative fantasy adventure that regurgitates a hybrid of stories and spits them out pretty unremarkably. To be fair, there is charisma between the two leads - both attractive, young, and ballsy - Hera Hilmar ("Hester)' and Robert Sheehan ("Tom") as they try to thwart the maniacal ambitions of "Thaddeus Valentine" (a suitably dramatic, "Elrond" like, Hugo Weaving) who is charged with providing an uninterruptible power source for the marauding mechanical city of London. The visual effects are super, as you might expect, and the score certainly has something of the Howard Shore about it, but the relentlessness of the out of the frying pan into the fire scenarios against impossible odds just recycle themselves once too often and the ending, though impressive to appreciate creatively, has all the jeopardy of night following day. Money has clearly been spent on this, but not on the script nor the plot. It's fine, but nothing more...
La migliore offerta (2013)
Deception
"Oldman" (Geoffrey Rush) is a successful, if rather fastidious, fine art auctioneer who lives his life in a meticulously planned fashion, frequently wearing gloves from his extensive collection to avoid contact with things or people. Nearing the end of his career, he is asked by the enigmatic "Miss Ibbetson" (Sylvia Hicks) to value an extensive collection from her villa. She is very reluctant to meet him in person and initially this makes him want to abandon the process, but his interest in some rusting cogs and wheels he finds on the floor and the valuable collection itself makes him persevere, hoping to gradually improve the relationship. As to the metalwork, he turns to his friend "Robert" (Jim Sturgess) and together they discover that it might be part of an early mechanical man - and worth a fortune! As the story progresses, both he and her have to face challenges to their unique, solitary, ways of living and a peculiar sort of romance ensues that could ultimately fulfil both of their lives. Then there's the twist - and it's quite a twist too. This is really a vehicle for Rush, with the occasional contribution from Strugess and from Donald Sutherland as his slightly dubious friend "Billy", and he delivers really quite well. The portrayal of his almost clinically self-controlled character morphing into that which we see towards the end is really well crafted and Giuseppe Tornatore builds the tension cleverly and disarmingly with a sting in the tail that left me feeling just a little sad.
The Revenant (2015)
The Revenant
There is something gloriously brutal about this film - not in an especially violent, nor gory manner - but just in the combination of the best and worst of human traits (resilience, determination, betrayal, desertion, lust etc.) coupled with a truly magnificent depiction of the harshness of a wild Missouri winter. Leonardo DiCaprio is "Glass", who when out hunting with his team is savagely attacked by a bear. He is then for dead by his colleagues. To stay alive, he must use his innate skills to survive the environment and the hostile natives to get back to civilisation - all fuelled by his overwhelming desire for revenge on those who abandoned him to the elements. Iñárritu directs this adventure with considerable skill; you are immersed into the struggle "Glass" has for his very life and then into his vengeful hunt for Tom Hardy "Fitzgerald" whom he blames for his predicament. It may be that the director is trying to draw parallels between man's treatment of each other and of their treatment of nature - and of how there is little difference in the consideration afforded to either; but that's tangential in my view. This is an hugely enjoyable, character-driven, gritty film that builds slowly and relentlessly to a fitting denouement and left me looking for a cardigan.
Plynace wiezowce (2013)
Floating Skyscrapers
"Kuba" (Mateusz Banasiuk) is a young man living with his girlfriend "Sylwia" (Marta Nieradkiewicz) at his mum's house. Their existence is pretty claustrophobic, but for his swimming regimen, which introduces him to some of the extra-curricular activities in the toilets. Whilst out with her one night, he gets bored at an art gallery reception where he shares a joint with the handsome "Michal" (Bartosz Gelner). He quickly becomes infatuated with him, and gradually pushes his boundaries with the young man who is, also, dealing with issues at home. Will "Kuba" make a choice, or settle for something else, safer, more familiar? It is painfully slow at times, loads of lingering photography and "Kuba" being pensive, which grate after a while. The ending is truly horrific - from just about every imaginable perspective and rendered, I felt, the preceding 90-odd minutes almost pointless. What we could have assumed we knew about the main character, and any sympathy we might have felt goes straight under the bus. A real shame, this could have delivered something more poignant and enduring - but it didn't!
Girl, Interrupted (1999)
Girl, Interrupted
Winona Ryder is on great form here in this rather brutally frank look at a girl struggling with mental health issues. "Susanna" had been rushed to hospital by her worried parents after an apparent attempt at suicide. Diagnosed with a potential personality disorder, she is admitted to the "Claymoore" facility under the care of "Dr. Wick" (Vanessa Redgrave) and nurse "Valerie" (Whoopi Goldberg). As you'd expect, this place has a multitude of characters inside and she (and we) are introduced to a mixture ranging from the pathological liar to the anorexic, the sociopath to the schizophrenic. Some are friendlier to her, others ignore her altogether. It's "Lisa" (Angelina Jolie) whom she seems to relate to her best. She is a controlling character who swings between munificence and malevolence at the drop of an hat whilst giving the staff a constant stream of headaches. On the outside, her recently drafted boyfriend "Tobias" (Jared Leto) is trying to coax her to return to the outside world, but she seems to thrive on the institutionalised nature of her new life, addicted to it even. Gradually, though she begins to appreciate that "Lisa" is a toxic influence on her life - evidenced by a tragedy that really brings things home to her. The ensemble of patients - Clea Duvall, Brittany Murphy and Elizabeth Moss all work well with the sparingly appearing Goldberg and Redgrave to create a really affecting atmosphere here, but it's Jolie who delivers best with a career-defining effort as a creature that it's impossible to like but equally difficult not to feel sympathy for too. It's intensely scripted, occasionally funny and pretty perfectly paced and though not a easy watch, is certainly a powerful one.
Se7en (1995)
Se7en
Morgan Freeman is the veteran detective "Somerset" who is saddled with the newly married rookie "Mills" (Brad Pitt) and sent to investigate quite possibly the most ghastly murder scene cinema has ever produced. A man has been force-fed beans until he, quite literally, burst! A missing slither of kitchen floor lino suggests the fridge had recently been moved and behind that they find a clue - one that suggests this man had committed one of the deadly sins (gluttony) and therefore it's reasonable to assume that six more, equally heinous, killings may follow. Indeed when they start to doc just that, both detectives must hastily learn to work together - despite their contrasting approaches to police work - if they are to piece together the evidence. What makes matters worse for the pair, is that they begin to suspect that they are the metaphorical ball of wool for the killer's cat. They get closer and closer, but are always just that little bit late as this self-appointed weapon of god seems to be being wielded with every more horrific killing. David Fincher allows both actors here to develop this mystery compellingly, with a sparing but potent dialogue and an almost perfectly paced and scored progress as we all know what must come last - but never will we anticipate just how the coup de gras will be delivered. This is one of these superior crime dramas that leaves a little more to think about each time I watch it. Really good.
Revenge of the Pink Panther (1978)
Revenge of the Pink Panther
I suppose the writing was on the wall for this Sellers/Edwards production right from the start with the rearranged Henri Mancini theme tune. Thereafter, we introduce "Clouseau" (Peter Sellers) to the (more lucrative?) American market as he is targeted by the Paris branch of the New York mob. Philippe Douvier (Robbert Webber) leads the local team and is under pressure to demonstrate that he still has what it takes. They decide some proof is needed, and what better way than to beump-eouf France's most acclaimed detective. This result might also give the long-suffering "Dreyfus" (Herbert Lom) a chance to reclaim his job, sanity and the limelight. Of course, nothing goes to plan and soon the bumbling policeman is causing havoc across the city trying to find out who wanted him pushing up the daisies. It's Lom who steals the scenes for me - his sessions with his psychiatrist (Ferdy Mayne) and his increasingly nervous twitches and paranoid behaviour when even the name of his nemesis is mentioned is really all that remains that's funny now. Sellers does just enough, but the plot is thin, the writing has lost much of it's originality and it struggles to find things worthy of the usual standard of parody as even "Cato" becomes embroiled in something akin to "Mister Wong". They ought to stop now.
Doubles vies (2018)
Non-Fiction
This film starts off quite strongly with an interesting dialogue between the characters "Alain" (Guillaume Canet) and "Selena" (Juliette Binoche) on the future consumption of the written word - long/short form; digital, books, blogs etc - indeed does it have a future a all? Sadly, though, it soon descends into a rather monotonous and predictable exercise in wife swapping, middle-aged crises and never really goes anywhere new. It's wordy and rather flat for most of the last hour, and for me, the end of the rather drearily introspective story of people too obsessed with themselves didn't come a moment too soon.
The Return of the Pink Panther (1975)
The Return of the Pink Panther
After being quite successfully stitched up for the theft of the priceless "Pink Panther" diamond four years earlier, it falls to "Insp. Clouseau" (Peter Sellers) to find out just who has stolen it again now! He reckons it must be his nemesis "Sir Charles Litton" (this time Christopher Plummer) because his trademark glove has been left behind, but we know that that former jewel thief is also just as perplexed by the thieving since he didn't leave his poolside. Curious, he decides that he, too, is going to investigate just what is going on and that provides us with the template for this amiable comedy. He goes to where the robbery took place while "Clouseau" comes to where he lives - and meets his wife "Claudine" (Catherine Schell) in Switzerland. It's here he reckons he could be on the trail of the thief! Loads of daft slapstick ensues as his increasingly frustrated boss "Dreyfus" struggles to keep him under control and "Cato" (Burt Kwouk) provides the death-defying gymnastics. It's quite watchable, but the theme is becoming a little bit threadbare now. Plummer isn't really on screen enough to make much difference and Schell looks more like she's really wondering why she's not beck in a "Bond" movie. It's fun, and Sellers still has the expert timing and delivery to raise a smile, but they are running out of steam with the characters now.
Carry on Spying (1964)
Carry On Spying
The world is at the mercy of "STENCH" - a criminal entity set up to rid the world of something or other. Scraping the bottom of his agency barrel, the chief of MI6 must depend on the hapless "Simkins" (Kenneth Williams) to retrieve the situation and so together with his triplet of inexperienced trainees, they have to thwart the evil intentions of the menacing "Dr. Crow" (think of a larger version of Rosa Klebb). As you'd expect, the rest of this parodies just about everything from the "Man from U. N. C. L. E." to "007" via "The Third Man" - we even have some zithering! Along the way, a bit of romance blossoms as "Crump" (Bernard Cribbins) falls head over heels for "Honeybutt" (a first outing for Barbara Windsor) - she has a photographic memory too! Finally, a denouement in Vienna is going to test the mettle of the team as the formula for "Hydroformulin" is about to fall into the wrong hands! It's all fairly standard "Carry On" fayre this and I thought it was refreshing not to have the phnaa phnaa humour of Sid James for a change. It's far too long, and the jokes recycle themselves once too often, but everyone has a go and look like they are having fun, so that helps too. Not the best of the franchise, but the writing is OK and it passes the time fine if forgettably.
The Happiest Days of Your Life (1950)
The Happiest Days of Your Life
"Wetherby Pond" (Alastair Sim) is the headmaster of a boy's school who really just wants a peaceable life with his miscreant pupils at "Nutbourne" school. It's the war, though, and the useless mandarins at Whitehall decide that he is going to have to share his premises with another school. Thing is, they get all caught up in their own red tape and next thing he finds the intimidating "Miss Whitchurch" on his doorstep, armed with hundreds of girls, luggage, hockey sticks - you name it. They are there and there to stay. Before he can blink, "Pond" and his staff have been outmanoeuvred and his shirts are now in the filing cabinet! A sort of truce breaks out, cemented a little more when they realise that their charges have pens and paper and stamps. Letters to the parents about sharing send shivers down their spines. They must collaborate. A sudden inspection spells disaster for both of their careers unless they can institute some facility sharing legerdemain in double quick time. Will it work? Can it? Well we spend much of the rest of this amiable comedy demonstrating a degree of precision the would have made the D-Day landings blush. Sim and Rutherford both had super comedy timing and Frank Launder and John Dighton have adapted the latter man's play to ensure they get ample opportunity to demonstrate that to us. A solid supporting cast including the always entertaining Joyce Grenfell help keep this eighty minutes of mischief and mayhem working well.
Dawn of the Mummy (1981)
Dawn of the Mummy
Having just sat through five hours of Steven Soderbergh's "Che", I thought a little light relief might be in order. OK, well maybe not quite this light. It's all about a group of bimbettes and their photographer who are filming in the Egyptian desert and discover a long lost tomb. Seeking treasures, all they find is trouble as their desecration awakens some critters who haven't had a snack since King Tut was but an apple in his mother's eye. The first ten minutes and the last ten minutes are where the action is, the rest is a shocking waste of videotape where director Frank Agrama has concluded that women screaming hysterically and a lack of stage lighting will do all that's required to convey a sense of peril. Personally, I felt sorry for the indigestion facing these mummies who really did deserve something altogether meatier after their millennia long nap. George Peck stands out as "Rick" - acting like this, well you just don't see to every day and I think it ought to be savoured. Appreciated even - for exactly what it is. Terrible. It isn't really fair to single him out, they are all just as bad as each other and in no world could I ever recommend this - even if you do, like me, like the genre. Neither Boris Karloff nor Christopher Lee have anything to worry about.
I'm All Right Jack (1959)
I'm All Right Jack
Poor old "Windrush" (Ian Carmichael) finds himself cleverly manipulated by his uncle "Tracepurcel" (Dennis Price) into taking a job at the family factory. Not in the management, you understand, but on the shop floor. After about ten seconds, his arrival has provoked the animosity of shop steward "Kite" (Peter Sellers) who can't quite decide whether he is annoyed that this man has been employed without union consultation or because he might be summarily fired because they complain to the management (Terry-Thomas). To strike or not to strike? Well that's really the gist of this entertaining satire that pokes fun at the bloody-mindedness of a union organisation that is hostile to just about everything, and at a management that cares only about lining it's own pockets. It's this latter aspect that's well played out by Price and Richard Attenborough who's character owns a rival desperate to poach a lucrative £1.5 millions contract from the esteemed "Mr. Mohammed" (Marne Maitland). A delightful ensemble of the great and the good from British cinema lights up the rest of this - Margaret Rutherford, Miles Malleson (usually entirely déshabillé), Liz Fraser and the no-nonsense Irene Handl all get in on the act and help this send up the ridiculousness of the dogmatic as well as the outdated family business practices that enabled the bosses to basically inherit their jobs! Sellers, Price and Carmichael are on great form here depicting the sublime to the ridiculousness of British industrial relations in the 1950s and it's a good example of satire that even now, almost sixty five years later, might still ring just a little bit true and certainly merits a watch.
Becky Sharp (1935)
Becky Sharp
Whilst Napoleon is conquering Europe, "Becky" (Miriam Hopkins) is doing a bit of that for herself. Determined to improve on her lot as the daughter of a family of travelling performers, she uses each gullible man she meets as a stepping stone to the next. She doesn't care about any of the collateral baggage she leaves behind - including her soldier husband "Crawley" (Alan Mowbray) but maybe she finally meets her match in the wealthy "Marquis of Steyn" (Sir Cedric Hardwicke) who has seen her game playing before, and - well he's just a lot better at it than she. It's also, just as she sees the epitome of her aspirations within her grasp, that maybe, just maybe, she realises that she does have some room for affection in her life - but is it all too late for that? The film is usually only noted for it's feats of colour photography but I think that's a little unfair on both Hopkins and Sir Cedric. The former plays the ambitious and venal creature quite compellingly - indeed, she creates quite a thoroughly detestable character whilst the latter plays the shrewd and dastardly peer with some skill that also gets under your fingernails, too. The plot itself is well trammelled and the story isn't new either, but a solid ensemble of the likes of Nigel Bruce, Frances Dee and Billy Burke keep it moving noisily along for eighty minutes.
The Others (2001)
The Others
"Grace" (Nicole Kidman) lives in her almost blacked-out stately pile on Jersey where her two children "Nicholas" (James Bentley) and "Anne" (Alakina Mann) are hyper-sensitive to light. When her staff mysteriously abscond, she has to employ a new housekeeper "Mrs. Mills" (Fionnula Flanagan), and together they must ensure that the children are always locked into a room with no access to any windows that are not shrouded by thick curtains. The suddenly she hears a noise. Maybe a voice, even? She searches in vain but these odd occurrences start to multiply. Their usually fastidious household routines start to unwind, doors are left unlocked and the children start telling their mother of people moving around the house - folks that she cannot see! Just what's going on? Are these happenings connected with "Mills" and the new staff? Great news when husband "Charles" (Christopher Eccleston) returns from the War - shellshocked and distant, or then again - does he actually return at all? "Grace" is becoming increasingly paranoid. She can't tell what's real and what's not - and her children are only fuelling her fears! Although way darker and more sinister, this actually reminded me a little of the "Amazing Mr. Blunden"! A ghostly story that uses children as a conduit between what might have been, or is, or may yet to be. The young Bentley and Mann deliver effectively here as director Alejandro Amenábar uses the dark and creaky house, extensive and frequently misty grounds and a creative sound effects mixer to create a genuine sense of menace. It's very hard to be innovate with this genre, there's just so much we have all seen before, but Kidman paces herself well here delivering a story that's not so predictable as we might have expected.