Favourite Films

[Graham Breeze]

I finally watched Death of Stalin last night, which I had been looking forward to for a while. I had very mixed feelings. Although there were some moments when I felt the film captured the absurdity of the situation, most of the time I was just appalled by the senseless brutality of it all. Overall I felt it fell between two stools of telling the story, which is horrific; and making satire.

One highlight for me were the scenes focused on Michael Palin's character. Always striving to walk the fine line between personal feelings and the need to be in agreement with the party line.

I saw it in the cinema.Obviously

I thought it straddled the two stools and I was pleased I had made the effort although I doubt if I would want to watch it repeatedly.

[mr brightside]

Big trouble in little China- where was that this consumermas? That and Highlander.

[Fellbeast]

Big trouble in little China- where was that this consumermas? That and Highlander.

You can rent both on Amazon Prime if that’s any good

[Flem]

Although the title of this thread is 'Favourite Films', I think the content has evolved such that we don't have to limit ourselves to just our 'favourite'.

Given all that's going on with the antics of a self-obsessed, narcissistic, obnoxious, conspiracy theorist, I thought I could do with a bit of humour so I re-watched The Damned United. I love that introduction to Bremner, Hunter, Giles, et al. And Bremner's dive for the penalty could almost be archive footage. And Jim Broadbent is always worth watching. (That's a cue for someone to point out that he had a bit-part in some god-awful third-rate thriller from the early 70s or something.)

But back to the self-obsessed, narcissistic, obnoxious, conspiracy theorist. Whatever happens now the newspapers will be full of his 'words of wisdom'. If Spurs win in April all we'll hear is his uniquely-irritating blend of gloating, whinging, moaning, and victim-blaming, and repeated reminders of how many cups 'he' has won. If Spurs lose it will be pretty much the same except less of the gloating and even more of all the rest.

[noel]

I thought I could do with a bit of humour so I re-watched The Damned United.

I loved that. Michael Sheen is fantastic in most things, and this was no exception. He captured Clough's cocky genius very well.

[Fellbeast]

I loved that. Michael Sheen is fantastic in most things, and this was no exception. He captured Clough's cocky genius very well.

It also nailed Leeds the city itself* and the dour Revie system of Leeds United at that time. And the dark and dingy board rooms, pretty naff training facilities and the fact that most of the team smoked fags too 😊

*As a full time ‘suvvener’ until 1997, the first time I actually visited Leeds was in the early 1980’s for a couple of days for work and it was grim as heck then and most likely grimmer still in the 70’s. It’s now quite suave and sophisticated by comparison....

[noel]

It’s now quite suave and sophisticated by comparison....

Yes, no doubt there are some people complaining about gentrification.

And on the subject of great performances. I watched Phantom Thread starring Daniel Day Lewis. Again, on iPlayer now if anyone's interested.

It's like all the other Daniel Day Lewis films, in that he's nothing like any of the characters in any of the other Daniel Day Lewis films! Yet again, he comes across as a completely natural character playing himself. The story is entertaining, and kept my attention despite not being my usual fare (no car chases, zombies, etc ).

[Flem]

I loved that. Michael Sheen is fantastic in most things, and this was no exception. He captured Clough's cocky genius very well.

Sheen is very good in it. I think I read somewhere that the Clough family weren't happy when the film came out, and that they were actually quite upset at how Clough came over in the film. But I think Sheen's portrayal of him makes him seem really quite likeable and human - vulnerable, even. I can imagine how the families of some of the other people portrayed in the film might feel upset, but I think Clough came out of it very well.

[Flem]

the fact that most of the team smoked fags too 😊

That first image of Bremner with a fag in his hand in the film is excellent.

[Graham Breeze]

And Jim Broadbent is always worth watching. (That's a cue for someone to point out that he had a bit-part in some god-awful third-rate thriller from the early 70s or something.)*

* Well since you asked: apparently he was an uncredited cricket match spectator in The Go-Between (1971). But that wasn't the role he won his Oscar for, nor his various Golden Globes,...