Do I have any right to be disappointed that the story of Lee Miller is book ended by her role and failures as a mother?
Continue readingLee (2023)
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Poor Things (2023)
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Such a relief! I thought this latest English language feature by Yorgos Lanthimos might have his incisive gaze diminished by Hollywood capitalism but it is on par with some of his early gems, albeit with a more inspiring, less bleak ending.
Continue readingDay 17: My favourite film franchise
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The Hunger Games (2012-15)
Responding to this prompt has taught me that I don’t really like film franchises. Some are diverting but run out of puff after a few films – Bourne Identity, Die Hard, Terminator, Alien, Shrek and so on. Some are great but then are flogged to within an inch of their lives – Star Wars, Lord of the Rings, Batman, Harry Potter.
Continue readingDay 7: My favourite black and white film
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Image via thegirlinrowk.wordpress.com
A Girl Walks Home Alone at Night (2014)
There are so many B&W films that I love but this Iranian feminist vampire Western is pitch perfect for me. The debut of British-born Ana Lily Amirpour, it has a killer soundtrack, haunting visuals and an understated narrative of love and redemption in an Iranian ghost town. The soundtrack is perfect for late night long distance driving.
Read about it here on IMDb and, if you have a Kanopy account, it’s currently available to stream.
What’s your favourite black and white film? Is it a classic like The Philadelphia Story (1940) or something more contemporary?
Posted as part of the 30-Day Fillums Challenge, created by me. If you want to see what’s coming up, have a look at my post here and feel free to join in by commenting each day with your own choice.
Coming Next: Day 8: Your favourite animation feature film
Day 6: A sequel that’s as good as the original
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Image via ianfarrington.wordpress.com
Aliens (1986)
No surprises with this one, although it was a toss up with Terminator 2 and Mad Max 2. All three were successful first films, improved by a higher budget for their sequel and let down by each next film as a revolving door of directors tried in vain to capture what made them great.
I love the original Alien (1979) with all its low-budget suspense and scares. Ripley (Sigourney Weaver) is a strong heroine in a world of men although it was the 70s so director Ridley Scott had to have her menaced whilst wearing skimpy underwear. With Aliens, James Cameron allowed her to unapologetically take charge and, although it was as the ferocious mother trope, it was (and still is) exhilarating for this twenty-something year old to watch.
Posted as part of the 30-Day Fillums Challenge, created by me. If you want to see what’s coming up, have a look at my post here and feel free to join in by commenting each day with your own choice.
Coming Next: Day 7: Your favourite black and white film
Negar (2017)
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Image via filcin.com
Introduced by the director of the Iranian Film Festival Australia (IFFA) as a rare example of an Iranian action film, I expected a touch of Hollywood and a breakneck pace but Negar was much more. Better described as a subdued psychological thriller, Negar weaves a fragmented but compelling story as the eponymous heroine struggles to understand her father’s apparent suicide. Continue reading
Shame (1988)
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Although, in the telling, this pivotal 1988 movie about rural rape culture seems extreme, it unfortunately has not lost its resonance today. Continue reading
Wonder Woman (2017)
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Image via http://www.hollywoodreporter.com
This groundbreaking superhero movie says a lot about the agency of women in what it contains and what it omits. My eyes welled with unshed tears of pride every time Diana (Gal Gadot) unleashed her fury and my heart sank at her high heeled boots and impractical, ‘designed for the male gaze’ outfit. Continue reading
Bad-ass Women: Tomb Raider vs Resident Evil
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Image via http://www.leviathyn.com
Who makes the best action hero, Lara Croft (Angelina Jolie) in Lara Croft: Tomb Raider (2001) or Alice (Mila Jovovich) in Resident Evil (2002)? Made a year apart and both based on female protagonists in popular video games, this week we watched both for some vicarious bad-ass women thrills. Continue reading
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