slydon13 Reviews

Rose's War (2023)

not sure

[5/10 · 29 March 2024]

I had heard all my life about this person, Rose Dugdale, a member of the British Aristocracy who fought against those people and I was curious about her story. She was an anomaly in Irish history that we never fully understood.

The film raised the question of her anger against her people / class but never attempted to answer it. Other people fight for causes - the Spanish Civil War, Palestinian freedom but English people fighting for any body the English have oppressed is very shocking.

Certainly Imogen Potts did a good job and the movie brought the 1970s back to life.

The film was well shot except for a couple of errors that might have been made for stylistic reasons or because the makers were too young (NOBODY in Ireland had green nail polish in the 70s and colour televisions were rare in the early 1970s. The only way people in a squat could have one, was if it was stolen)

The trail of thought in the film was choppy and I was less committed to staying to the end of the film than I might have been because I didn't fully see what her (or the films goal was). Was it to explain HER? Or that period in her life? It didn't seem to do either. Tom Vaughan-Lawlor had a surprisingly small role.

Madame Web (2024)

The problem is the FEMALE energy

[7/10 · 5 March 2024]

I came to this film expecting to leave within minutes but I realized early on why so many of the regular 'Marvel' fans don't like this

(1) there is a very female energy. When the lead is in a car chase, right from the start, she doesn't lead a path of destruction through the city. She is calm and collected which for me was refreshing but for men this must be disconcerting

(2) Through out the film she doesn't want her super powers. While most male action 'heros' seek out powers, she is very reluctant about them. She wanted her old life back and that also must bother these men

(3) Granted the scrip is dire in parts but there have been other Marvel scripts , just as bad. In fact , most of them are dire.

(4) I LOVE when she just drives around in a crashed Yellow cab, like nobody would notice. Other marvel heros would turn that into a full movie of its own.

(5) the baby shower scene - FINALLY a scene in a marvel movie I could relate to. Those 'girly' gigs are worse than the dentist - I would choose the dentist over a baby shower and Webb is a woman like me in that respect

(6) I think the male movie goes just don't like all the women ganging up on that one man who wanted the regular global domination with super powers yada yada yada. Once again, made them uncomfortable. However as a female movie goer, I'm tired of the same old ding dong in movies. While the script and made teenage girls even more tedious than in Mean Girls, it was better than multi universe too many character BDE film.

Anyone But You (2023)

ANYTHING BUTT THIS

[1/10 · 10 February 2024]

Its been a while since the cinema had a romcom / chic flic and since this has been in for a while I thought it could be good - after all Glen Powell is hot ....

This was clearly constructed without any writers or anybody who had expenced any romance or comedy in their lives.

Even the LAWYERS who had to have reviewed the script should have identified 'inserting a digit into somebody's anus without consent' should perhaps not be considered acceptable to ANYBODY. Perhaps the writers had (unknown to themselves) missed something in their lives . That Hollywood released this movie without noticing this, says more about Hollywood !!

People clearly laughed at the cinema because they were nervous and uncomfortable. They stayed 'cos the cast were hot and it was polite.

The pretty people and the beautiful scenes cannot save this unmitigated disaster ! Even the Koala !Writing lines stolen from a much better writer in the sand didn't help this script. No actor on the planet could have made any of this believable.

I know some of the cast can act - I've seen most of them before. The problem here is the script, the lack of romance and lack of comedy.

Why didn't anybody tell the people who assembled this that romance is different? Is it possible that the Tinder generation have now skipped over romance to go right to 7th base??

Thankfully, I had a free ticket so I didn't spend 15 on this drivvel? Codswollap? And since I left when all that rear end expoloration finished, I didn't loose more than an hour .

There was more romance and comedy in SaltBurn !

The film version of Much Ado About Nothing (1993) has a great script, cast and score. Watch that instead !!

The Beekeeper (2024)

Sweet Mother of Jesus and the Little Donkey ....

[1/10 · 21 January 2024]

When you see the opening credits - Minnie Driver, Jeremy Irons and Phylicia Rashad - the possiblity exists that this could be worth watching. Ms Driver only had the 2 scenes so she didn't have to be paid as much to surrender her dignity to keep a straight face . Jeremy Irons had to work much harder.

The target audience is presumably teenage boys who don't expect or need a script. I presume the 3 actors named above where offered ridiculous money to be part of this enterprise. They are the comprobable film to the Hallmark Christmas movie (with everything pretty much similar to the cookie cutter used for all the previous examples )

Presumably they had X number of required explosions , Y in the stunt crew, calculated Z as the number of scenes with a few gaps for words (lets not call it a script)

The industry needs these kind of 'Expendeble' wholy forgettable flic to fill in.

I only went to see this because I had a free ticket and if I had actually PAID money to see this, I'd likely be angry at my choice or disappointed.

There are lots of better old films from the 30s, 40s, 50 etc . This was a waste of time but my autistic nephew loves going to the cinema and I'm part of his 'entertainment team'.

Stolen (II) (2023)

Life in Ireland as a woman in Ireland

[10/10 · 10 November 2023]

This is a documentary film about the what life was like for women in Ireland for much of the 20th century.

For a woman to be pregnant and unmarried , was a crime and how she was impregnated wasn't considered. Women were disappeared into institutions and often never seen again, or not even talked about by family. Children were born and they were also disappeared. The death rate for illegitimate children was much higher than for children cared for outside these institutions.

Like many crimes against women, they have catastrophic effects on a woman's life, for the rest of her life. To be a rape victim, imprisoned and punished for somebody's crime, for him to go on to have a positive life in the community, while his victim is imprisoned without a finite term. Even if she escaped or was eventually released, she was shunned by the only community she knew and left without resources, vulnerable, unskilled and alone.

This documentary looks at what it was like and then in recent years, how the establishment have continued, even after 2020 to silence the women. The recent horror that after all their stories were gathered and then to be denied any form of justice, was evidence to the women of Ireland that the establishment still wants to whitewash away their sins.

There is poetry, social and political analysis and the true accounting by these women and their children.

This is the true face of catholic Ireland.

The Miracle Club (2023)

what a total waste of time and resources

[3/10 · 16 October 2023]

It had a decent cast but the problem was clearly the writing. They attempted to write a charming, movie about the biggest tragedy in these women's' lives, and finish with a happy ending (cos its set in Ireland where everything is bouncy and happy)

Maggie Smith, Kathy Bates and Laura Linney were better able portray Irish women better than the 3 male writers (Jimmy Smalhorne, Timothy Prager and Joshua Maurer , who couldn't possibly be Irish) who struggled with writing about these women. None of them are Taylor Sheridan but they have 'delusions of grandeur '.

Moving past the wanna be nostalgia for Dublin in the late 60s (on this street there were relatively small families of 3-8 children) , it was clear the writers hadn't even watched 'Reeling In the Years'.

The story was disjointed. It attempted to deal with betrayal, teen pregnancy in a time when this was catastrophic, need for forgiveness for the unforgivable, our own mortality, grief, death of a parent, death of a child in tragic circumstances

Its clear that none of these men has ever struggled with an unwanted pregnancy, lived in a country where you imagine your options, risked death to terminate the pregnancy, lost family because of the shame. Ireland was a country where it was illegal to be unmarried and pregnant - those were the strict elements of the crime. How that girl / woman was impregnated was irrelevant.

A better movie on the topic of unwanted pregnancy in Ireland is 'Ann' but of course there is no happy trip to France in that film.

The sets and costumers were fine and colourful but nothing could polish this. I had a free ticket but it was a total waste of 90 minutes of my life. At least Maggie Smith is saved the horror of watching it.

I don't know what possessed Joshua D. Maurer , Alixandre Witlin, Chris Curling, Jimmy Smalhorne, Timothy Prager and Joshua Maurer to think that their combined efforts didn't need any woman and limited Irish experience in a project about the female Irish experience.

No doubt their next project focuses on the life of an African American LTBTQI person in Alabama !

Brothers by Blood (2020)

Well its not Bridgerton

[6/10 · 26 January 2021]

It captured the essence of the city better than other movies and I enjoy that. Most movies set in Philly spend time at City Hall etc - where we bring tourists. I can't imagine Matthias Schoenaerts in a car chase - he is more Michael Corleone than Pacino.

Sure its was a slow burn but it was more realistic than most crime movies.

The story isn't original but the resolution at the end is more true to life.

I've wasted 2 hours on worse films

100 Vaginas (2019 TV Movie)

Totally needed

[9/10 · 7 July 2020]

As a woman - the 'secret life of women' needs to be discussed and revealled.

we are 51% of the population but our lives are not discussed and this leads to ignorance.

Most politicians and decision makers are men and they are ignorant about women . Until 51% of politicians and decision makers are women, we need to educate men - physicians and parenters alike.

Women protect men from the various areas of our lives because our lives are difficult and men choose not to know - its time for a reveal and education

Mamma Mia! Here We Go Again (2018)

A Great Show

[10/10 · 23 July 2018]

Obviously if you don't like Abba, there is no point in going to see this.

If you DO like ABBA, they go looking for the hidden jems, the less well known but still perfectly gorgeous songs like 'Why did it have to be me?' and 'Andante Andante'.

There was never any hope of finding a young fella who looked like a singing /dancing Remington Steel or any of the other 'fathers' but there is lots of eye candy.

'Chiquitita' kept echoing through the score and I expected a number but it didn't materalize. We even waited to the end of the credits to see if there was another number but no.

Reality has no place in this and so Cher being Merlys mother, Andy Garcia being her father are strange casting choices.

Bring the hankys if you're a sensitive soul like most of the women at the showing I went to, and there is no harm in going again and again and again (Singing and Dancing at each one)

Dunkirk (2017)

A WW2 movie with a new ambiance

[8/10 · 25 July 2017]

The basic story need not be recounted. The movie trys to capture the reality of the situation, in the same way 'Saving Private Ryan' brought the carnage in Normandy to the screens. It was very different to the old Ealing films.

The silence on the long strand, the desperation of those taking any chance to escape is done well in the 110 minutes allocated.

While I only watch drama's where women earn 50% of the money, I made an exception for this film.

The German air-force don't come out of this well, bombing hospital ships etc.

Perhaps the UK needs this, with the upcoming Brexit drama.

The young actors were exceptional, particularly Barry Keoghan and Jack Lowden. To stand out in this cast was commendable. Harry Styles seems to have a disproportionate number of lines but judging from the cinema, no One Direction fans followed him to buy tickets.

Certainly Winston Churhill wrote the best lines in the movie and possibly, most of them!

Table 19 (2017)

Breakfast Club (but at a wedding)

[10/10 · 7 April 2017]

I confess I find weddings tedious at the best of times but we always go with a sense of optimism.

Anna Kendrick's character was clearly on the fence about attending but decided to be brave and attend. She is seated at the table of people who were surprised to get an invitation and we learn that she is the best man's ex-girlfriend and former Maid of Honour for this event.

Nobody beautiful, rich or influential is at table 19. It turns out they are all at a turning point in their lives and the story evolves about their various crisis.

These people are all amazing in their on right and their stories are interesting (far more interesting than any the beautiful people have).#

The soundtrack is well chosen and the spark of sensuality provided when Huck and Eloise dance is well done.

The wedding isn't dressed up as a great event - its an ordinary American wedding and thankfully, there is a limited amount of it.

I can't recommend it highly enough, in a time when films have no script at all

Miss Sloane (2016)

Movies staring women are not promoted

[9/10 · 25 January 2017]

This is the first big movie about lobbiests I've come across. Jessica Chastain plays a tough part but unfortunately her personality isn't examined in depth during the 2 hours. The film explores the ways men are treated differently from women. For example she hires a male escort and while men would overlook this in a male lobbyist ('cos it would be far from the worst thing they do), for a woman it would end her socially. The escort is the perfect combination of sleazy and possibly entertaining.

I don't imagine the notion that background checks before the purchase of a firearm is a seriously debatable point and so the film doesn't get into some pointless debate. Perhaps the proposed 'Registry of Muslims' is to allow crazy WASP's buy a surface to air missile but prevent sane Muslims from buying a 22.

This movie was under promoted, like most films staring women. If you look at the posters for 'Arrival' you'll see that the female star got the same billing as her male co-stars who have a fraction of the lines.

This was a movie about a strong woman, not unwilling to be disliked by men. Its funny at the start when the NRA man who thinks women are best spending time in the kitchen, is nervous about meeting her. He doesn't know if he should shake hands with a woman in the business world.

Political movies where good triumphs (such as 'The Ides of March') didn't don't get much support despite the great cast and script. Instead tragic films like the new 'King Kong' or the recently lame 'Jurassic Park'offering are the only things in the cinema.

My totally biased opinion is that some stupid men (like the committee Ms Chastain refers to) make choices about movies. They make testosterone fueled choices and go for expensive pointless non- scripts like 'Gods of Egypt' instead of low budget films that have a genuine script.

Obviously - I'm with Her!

Alone in Berlin (2016)

Hidden Gem

[9/10 · 18 January 2017]

The story of Otto and Anna Quangel is unfortunately, new to me. In a time when there are so few movies with fresh stories, it is disappointing this didn't get a larger promotional budget.

They were an ordinary, working class couple with one child who died in action, early in WW2. While not members of the Nazi party and personally opposed to Hitler regime, they did nothing until their only child died. In their grief and anger, they could remain silent nolonger but tried to voice their opposition in a way that would not get them killed.

Their characters have quiet dignity and while the 'speaking with a German accent' is strange both Thompson and Gleeson are great. I can't help compare but 'Live by Night' with this film and the one with the large advertising budget suffers. Even the violence in this film is better because it is understated and more threatening.

Daniel Brühl plays the police officer charged with the capture of the person responsible for the messages. While his character is less defined, his role in the story is interesting.

There is a cast of supporting older actors who add great texture to the story as neighbours, co-workers and each contribute fresh layers of tragedy.

The films release, just before the inauguration of Trump, reminds us of the consequences of silence.

Arrival (II) (2016)

A quiet triumph

[9/10 · 14 November 2016]

I've watched Amy Adams since 'Junebug' and once again, she gives a great performance.

Its a quiet sc-fi and I didn't know the story before hand, beyond the very basics. If we needed further proof that a good script makes spending on CGI unnecessary - this is it.

For some strange reason Amy Adams didn't get top billing, with her supporting cast listed further down or in smaller font. What does a woman have to do to get top billing? Be the only face on screen for the duration of the film??

Sure there are twists in the story, but they happen quietly, without Dolby Surround Sound or 3D glasses.

It was 2 hours well spent and no doubt I'll catch it again.

I can't recommend it highly enough - although I have no respect for the movie or advertising executives (presumably men) who think that a woman doesn't deserve top billing.

I don't pay to see films where men hog the script / budget dollars. If women are 51% of the planet - we deserve to be 51% of actors with 51% of the lines and 51% of the budget.

If movie executives want my money - they'll have to learn to respect women.

The Siege of Jadotville (2016)

A Ireland / UN Story that needed to be told !

[9/10 · 9 October 2016]

The Irish army is often discounted because of its unusual rules (for example, soldiers volunteer to serve abroad) and small budget. This is a story of one of the many UN actions the Irish army were involved in and perhaps the most dramatic.

The story has echos of 'Zulu' but with a different outcome.

The cast are good looking, but not too good looking to pass as Irish lads.

Irish people mock Tom Cruise for his 'worst accent of all time' but Jamie Doran was persuaded to try a Kerry accent and it didn't work out. I'm not sure many people would have noticed what county the CO was from. Mark Strong managed well as Conor Cruise.

Conor Cruise O'Brien, who was never far from the media for the rest of his life, is no doubt in his grave arguing that he has been misrepresented as the bad guy. I confess I never knew he had been a civil servant with the Dept. of Foreign Affairs or with the UN.

Like most dramas based on a book, much was omitted and I recommend the book and the film.

That Gal... Who Was in That Thing: That Guy 2 (2015)

How did I miss the first one? Up with this sort of thing!

[10/10 · 3 May 2016]

I saw this in Nextflix (which has a limited service in Ireland but charges the same money) and am surprised to learn I missed the first film.

Thanks to the ladies for telling the truth and putting it on film. I've tweeted and posted on FB that people should watch this.

I guess, its easy to assume that beautiful people have it easy and that's not necessarily the case. (A casting director would perhaps class me as straight woman who looks like an Irish lesbian nun). Excellent point about tax deductions wrt beauty treatments! Why hasn't SAG lobbied for that??

I'm a lawyer and we get type cast as well. Women often do property and probate which is the tougher work, involving client hand holding but also suject to ups and downs. While men often do litigation, which has a longer time frame and more stable. Most lawyers nowadays are women but those running the firms are men. There is nothing creepier than a man who encourages the younger, female staff to massage his ego (ok there are some things creepier but not in an open office). If I'm tough, people call me a 'bitch' but if a male colleague is tough 'he's negotiating'.

In politics, getting women to vote for women is hard work and we need to encourage all women to jump the rail. Why don't we support women? Women do most of the work on this planet and have little of the power.

When it comes to the money I spend, I try to target women - even my mechanic is a woman (in business with her brother). Books by female writers. Music by female artists. The radio and TV I catch, I only listen to female hosts.

As women, we have a responsibility to say 'I will support other women with every dollar I spend'. Then women will have 54% of the roles!

The Hollow Crown (2012–2016)

Can Shakespeare get any better?

[10/10 · 30 March 2016]

If my father was alive I think he would be giddy to see this because he enjoyed Shakespeare and WW2 movies almost equally. Few household include Shakespeare plays as everyday topics, Marc Anthony's speech when drying dishes and we were fortunate. When Shakespeare questions are asked on 'University Challenge' I find myself screaming at the confused teenagers who were not so lucky.

Granted, 'Coriolanus' was a favorite, but almost all of Shakespeare plays have blood pumping through them and deserve the full treatment of location, mud, costume and conflict so we can absorb the poetry of the script.

This production is likely to open the door to Shakespeare for people who were not given a friendly introduction. As with Opera, some experiences open a door to appreciation and understanding. (mine was the £5 ticket to Covent Garden in 1996 because you only understand what the fuss is about when experiencing a quality, live performance)

To the original audiences, the death of a king was a shocking as the JFK assassination is to us. They enjoyed the glamor, the insight and the drama inherent in power struggles, ambition, just as we do today.

Season 1 - looks at how Henry IV took power, his difficulties with his son and how his son (Henry V) adjusted. Is there anything more timeless than one generation attempting to guide and train the younger? Youthful rejection of everything offered? Recognition too late that the parent was heroic and worthy of admiration?

For some reason, the character of Sir John, penetrated my understanding more when watching this, than ever before. This is likely as a result of my deeper understand as a result of the passage of time.

Season 2 - The third generation (Henry VI) raised without paternal guidance, struggles to keep the crown. The War of the Roses leading to bloody battle. Richard III, was to say the least, ambitious.

The Hollow Crown has an excellent cast.

A Perfect Day (I) (2015)

Last of the Summer Wine in Bosnia

[8/10 · 18 January 2016]

Benicio del Torro and Tim Robbins are two long time aid workers in post war Bosnia. On this day they are joined by a bright eyed first timer and an experience woman (who is also an old flame of Del Torros).

Along with their interpreter and a young boy, the main goal on this day is to remove a body from a well. To achieve this they must over come practice and organisational hurdles.

In a country where the natives have lost so much, it must be difficult for the volunteers to stick to it but the comedy is tender and refreshing.

Whoever chose the music has great taste and it lightens the mood at times. This isn't a film for people waiting for the next superhero flic. It deals with a topic nobody is in a rush to examine.

45 Years (2015)

Smoke gets in your eyes

[4 January 2016]

Charlotte Rampling and Tom Courtenay play a retired husband and wife who lead a quiet life with their dog and friends.

Katya died, falling into a ficher in the Swiss mountains in 1962 as they spent 6-7 weeks exploring in their late 20s, living in various houses. Her body has just been discovered, frozen in the ice. Kate married Jeff in 1970 and they are about to celebrate with a large party.

Most marriages have the ghosts of earlier relationships at the start but we expect those to fade over time. Jeff mentioned the relationship once while they were courting but clearly it wasn't fully discussed, partly because for Kate it was too painful to hear. A wise husband will never mention anything about previous relationships and wives assume that all ex-girlfriends have been beaten. In this relationship, we come to realise that it is Kate who cares most.

Much of the film is spent watching Kate digest the new truths about her husband and come to a new truth about the relationship on which her life is based.

Kate + Jeff had no children and you wonder about that dynamic, how Kate's life was changed by that one accident.

The Big Short (2015)

Nothing scarier than the truth !

[9/10 · 3 January 2016]

The story is simple - a few guys knew the housing market and banks were going to crash and each wondered how to profit from this information before the market reacted.

Christian Bale plays the mathematician who figured it out first and over time others caught wind of his research.

The financial instruments and definitions are explained outside the story with humour. Some parts of the story (like the trip to Florida) are made more shocking because of the casual nature of those involved.

In fairness - if you have money invested in the stock market, after watching this you may seriously consider digging a hole in the garden to bury your treasure or investing in something you understand and control more.

I honestly didn't recognise Brad Pitt until his final scene, he was so transformed. Rafe Spall, who seems to be everywhere all of a sudden, has a decent American accent. Marisa Tomei, who is great in everything she does, could have had a bigger part rather than all of the Steve Carell energy.

It has a great script and directing but the acting was not extraordinary, perhaps because the story is so gripping. It isn't a thriller in the way 'Margin Call' was because the badie here is the system, 'going along to get along' and a lack of consequences.

I suspect more than one person will buy seeds after seeing this film!!

Versailles (2015–2018)

More than just your average costume drama

[9/10 · 29 December 2015]

This drama is about the rise of Louis xiv, the Sun King, Louis the Great, who moved the executive from Paris, the centre of the known world to Versailles, a great bog.

With his father long dead, his mother recently dead, he was alone except for his brother and those he trusted. His political marriage to a Spanish princess was not happy.

He is primarily concerned with how to rule a growing French Empire. This French court evolved into something strange - where dancing and etiquette were critical politically.

This is made in English (to ease it commercially) but by the French so it is made with taste. There are attractive actors, lavish costumes, special effects (to pretend it was shot in the Palace itself) and of course scenes of violence and sex. After all, its good to be the King.

Looking forward to Season 2 !

Trumbo (2015)

If my father was alive, I'd see this movie with him

[9/10 · 28 December 2015]

This film is about a period in modern history when ignorance triumphed and fears about 'Redz under Bedz' took hold and people were tried, convicted and sentenced to be excluded from society based on their political convictions, often by people with little understanding of politics.

The Committee investigating 'Un American Activities' was not the only organisation judging people for their political beliefs but it was the most infamous. Living in the US, it is still scary how few people know the difference between communism, socialism and circumstances leading to the development of both in the 20th Century. I'm not sure many will understand the story or the implications today.

This story is about one blacklisted screen writer and his friends. Bryan Cranston relishes the role. Diane Lane is gifted but always gets cast as the housewife. John Goodman once again is larger than life in a supporting role, only he can do justice to. Dean O'Gorman is perhaps hotter than Kirk Douglas was but without the jawline. Louis CK plays Arnel Hird, the Jimminey Cricket to Trumbo's scheming. Helen Mirren, for once, plays somebody few can like.

The story is one of injustice but injected with humour and humanity. The scriptwriters had some fun and I often found myself clapping at a joke nobody else in the room got (not for the first time). Ronald Reagan began his political career, destroying the lives of others and when people say that LooLaa was a good President I always feel tempted to begin a debate on the spot.

The obvious parallel in today's US is that ignorant people want to judge based on religious beliefs. Trump is in the running for the White House and if it was the 1950 or 1960's, he'd be ranting about Redz, not Muslims.

Unfortunately, one film is just a drop in the ocean. What is really needed is education because, everybody's vote has equal weight, even Trump supporters.

Spotlight (I) (2015)

In the tradition of 'All the Presidents Men'

[9/10 · 24 December 2015]

The story begins when a new editor, who isn't Boston Catholic, joins the Boston Globe and suggests looking deeper into one case of child rape. Indeed he is reading up the Red Sox, which is perhaps the second religious organisation in Boston. The culture is not to question authority figures - not the Church, not the lawyers who colluded, not judges who helped suppress information, not the police who didn't resist and the journalists hesitate to make enemies. The intimidation is sinister because these men have been confident in their seat of power.

'Spotlight' is the title of a 4 person team of investigative reporters in the Globe and perhaps beyond the basic story, the movie underlines the importance of the Fourth Estate. If all reporting was based on Twitter or Instagram, important news that people want under the carpet will never see the light of day. This kind of reporting is expensive but is a social good we NEED.

Once the team began to really investigate, the scale of the problem was slowly revealed. 6% of priests abuse children. People who knew (nurses, physicians, police etc) kept their families safe but it was the children of innocent parents, who couldn't imagine depravity, who suffered. The story looks at the pathology and the system the church employed.

These characters are not fleshed out, partly because there are 6+ while we felt we knew Woodsein and Ben Bradley after 'All the Presidents Men'. The story also addresses how the journalists might rebuild relationships with friends, family, their church, their confidence as professionals, having missed the story for so long. Stanley Tucci has perhaps the best lines 'The Church thinks in centuries' and that's right. In Ireland the even argued they were in the right, based on Cannon Law !!!

Richard O'Rourke has a small but significant role as a shockingly, disturbed and creepy priest. Great casting! He takes his few lines and turns them into gold, demonstrating the horror, without actual graphics.

This movie is not a thriller - there are no meetings in garages, no fear that the CIA or FBI would take them out (although there is a concern about other papers getting a scoop). The church didn't need to resort to those excesses. They knew the threats to reputations and financial security carried weight.

The Catholic Church has establishments all over the world and what happened in Boston was one of hundreds of stories. 'Mea Culpa' is the documentary that looks deeper into the Vatican. Nobody is fooled - these priests are now in Haiti and other countries where children are vulnerable.

The Danish Girl (2015)

A beautiful film about a difficult subject

[8/10 · 23 December 2015]

The story is based on a husband and wife, both of whom paint. Einar does landscapes and Gerda, portraits.

They seem to have a happy life together in their 20s but Einar begins to explore his sexuality. At first Gerda goes along with it for entertainment but is shocked to find her husband is attracted to men. Enter the very busy, Ben Whishaw. His new persona, Lilly, takes over quickly and Gerda is as supportive as a spouse could be.

It is shocking how cruel the medical profession were - almost as though torturing somebody would create a positive change?! but it was really punishment, thinly veiled.

In fairness to Eddie R., few men can pull it off but his features are not so broad and masculine. He begins to become Lily, who favours sensual fabrics, like silk and velvet.

Looking for a more understanding society, they move to Paris where her portraits of Lilly bring Gerda success, which she enjoys. Enter Matthias Schoenaerts as a friend to both.

This film was beautifully shot and didn't need special effects or a huge cast to be engaging.

The Hateful Eight (2015)

More Overhype - QT is running on empty

[4/10 · 22 December 2015]

Is it necessary for Tarantino to write his own scripts?

He has jumped on the 'Frontier' bandwagon and seems to have taken '8 little n*****s' up a mountain. Why does he have to use that word so often? and he bought fake blood in barrels. I almost long for the subtle violence of 'Reservior Dogs'.

It has been years since I've been able to make it to the end of one of his films (probably Kill Bill) and I guess we're just lucky he hasn't cast Depp, to make the experience worse.

The best part of the film is the Roy Orbison song 'There Won't be Many' at the very end.

Where did the $60m go?? At least 'The Revenant' had an excuse but there was one set in use for most of the show here.

QT had a great cast and lord knows what he used to tempt them - fulfilling childhood fantasies of dressing in cowboy outfits? (those hats stayed on much longer than necessary). I had the feeling that they were barely containing their laughter when the camera was recording, and why should they take it seriously?

Anyway - QT has joined M Night S(whatever his name was). He'd be better of not wasting our time with more of this but if he is compelled, make it the minimum 90 minutes.