Film Flash: Movie Recommendations and Reviews for November!

Often on this blog I'll do individual reviews of films but I've decided to start writing shorter posts on several films that I've watched recently and would recommend. If anything it's just to be efficient. It means that I can put several reviews in one place and work on them throughout the month.

So here is a quick post with recommendations of a few films I've watched in the month of November. I'll try to keep everything relatively spoiler free for you. I hope you enjoyed these movies or, if you've not seen them, that you go check them out:

Legend

I recently watched this cult classic for the first time. I was utterly prepared to hate the film but, strangely enough, I came to learn why it's considered a classic to some. Of course it's full of cheesy moments but it's a decent enough attempt at a dark, Gothic fairytale. I actually enjoyed it quite a bit.

If you enjoyed films like Labyrinth, The Dark Crystal, The Princess Bride, etc then I'm sure this is a film you'll probably also find yourself enjoying. Tim Curry gives an excellent and villainous performance as the Darkness.

Up In The Air

I watched this film simply because it was on. I had previously known absolutely nothing about the film other than the fact that Anna Kendrick stars in the movie.

It had a really fresh, interesting vibe. It perfectly captured the different and very human responses people go through when they lose their jobs. George Clooney gives a characteristically slick performance. For a film about a man who has flown thousands of miles it reminds us sometimes that, in life, we're not actually travelling anywhere at all. This is a feel-good film that makes you reflect on your life and the important people and things within it.


The Great Gatsby

OK, so I saw the film earlier this year but I recently bought the DVD and watched the film for a second time. I cannot recall a film that has come along and so strongly captured my heart and admiration. I wanted to sit down again and further discuss why I appreciate this movie so much. One thing I love about The Great Gatsby is that there are moments of overlapping dialogue where people talk over each other which lends a more natural touch to the piece. It feels a little less scripted and somehow more natural. I think Luhrmann really outdid himself with this movie. There are, of course, changes from the novel but there are other places where the film literally takes lines directly from the book. It adds to the original text nicely in a way I really appreciate, particularly as a reader and fan of the book. I loved the novel and I love all the subtle on screen changes. The Great Gatsby is quite a short novel and I therefore feel that the Baz Luhrmann touch is exactly what it needed. I know not everyone does, but I certainly do. I love the idea of the film starting after the events of the book with Nick Carraway being made to write down what has happened in an effort to cope with his emotions and the aftermath of it all. Everything is perfect from the Valley of Ashes to the mixture of contemporary and classic music styles. It so wonderfully showcases Luhrmann's own signature style. I think he makes a lot of bold, stylistic choices and is very creative with his vivid brand of film making. The film is a visual feast that still captures a lot of heart whilst keeping elements of the social commentary and criticism found within the novel. It's always an ambitious and dangerous task. DiCaprio did such an amazing job of portraying such an iconic character: I'd avoided the DiCaprio craze having never fallen for him in any previous roles, but I totally fell for him in this film simply in his portrayal of Jay Gatsby. He's stern and mysterious but captures a real essence of the hope that Gatsby just exudes. I normally don't like romantic films, they rarely bring any real feeling from me, but The Great Gatsby certainly did.

The Great Gatsby, as a film, is a real triumph and a perfect marriage of style and substance.
To anyone who disagrees...

Oh yes!
I'm also really happy that they kept the character of the strange man met in the library, fondly known as "Owl Eyes", because I love to indulge in the theory that Owl Eyes is, in fact, T.J Eckleburg.

28 Days

No zombies in this film.
This is 28 Days, not 28 Days Later. It's a film about a pill-popping, alcoholic journalist who is sent to rehab after ruining a wedding. This is a film that I think fans of Girl, Interrupted or Orange Is The New Black would appreciate this film. It boasts Sandra Bullock in the lead role and Viggo Mortensen as a hunky supporting character. This film is written by a women, directed by a woman and focuses on a female lead.
Sandra Bullock delivers a fairly emotional performance. It's a film about addiction and it's a film about healing.
It's a film that inspires you to take a moment to check in with yourself and has a few feel-good moments.




In Their Skin

In an age where we already converse with people less often, resorting to internet communications, perhaps the last thing we need is a film that will make us nervous about interacting with our neighbours. In Their Skin is a home invasion thriller. It's definitely not a film to watch it, like me, you can't stand horror films when a family pet is killed off. When there's ever a dog in a horror film I instantly worry for the canine character. When I initially read the synopsis I was thinking the film would be a bit like the Lars Von Trier film AntiChrist but it's actually a lot more like The Strangers. The film features some really uncomfortable and potentially triggering sex scenes. This film has a strong enough opening but kinda flopped. This film is almost instantly forgettable.