June/July Films

I love film. Over the years I have watched thousands, much aided by the introduction of video, then DVD and now Bluray. My film watching is lower in June, July and August because of cricket watching. These are the films I watched and enjoyed in June and July. This is broken into three categories:

1. Arty films, usually dramas, often foreign language;
2. Drama/Thriller, English language;
3. Entertaining films, science fiction and fantasy, rainy Sunday afternoon films, put your brain in a box films.

ARTY FILMS

"Tree of Life". For me, Terence Mallick is one of the greatest film directors of the late 20th/early 21st centuries. I loved this film, I was hooked after ten seconds. The story is of the relationship of a strict, disciplinarian father played by Brad Pitt and his eldest son, Hunter McCracken, growing up in fifties' Texas. Sean Penn plays the son as an adult. A beautiful film, fantastic acting from the two main characters, lovely camerawork. Not a film for everyone, but worth the effort.

"Princess of Montpensier" French with English subtitles. 16th century drama, the kind of costume drama the French do really well. I liked it very much.

DRAMA/THRILLER

"The Guard". A small scale Irish film, very funny, good twists. Brendan Gleason plays a police sergeant on the West coast of Ireland, the kind that outsiders regard as a country numpty, backwards, stuck in the old ways, but you know this is going to backfire on them. Very well supported by Liam Cunningham and Mark Strong as the big city baddies and Don Cheadle is an FBI agent.

"The Help". Racial tension in sixteis' Southern USA. A big surprise. I watched this because my favourite critics said it was great and they were right.

ENTERTAINMENT

"The Troll Hunter", in Norwegian with English subtitles. A delightful shock, a group of students, 20ft trolls escaping from their reserve, a hunter to track them down. All very silly but very convincing. Well acted.

"Cowboys and Aliens", science fiction/western.

"Horrible Bosses". A brain in the box film, entertaining, funny but predictable plotline, good performances from the bosses, Kevin Spacey, Jennifer Aniston and Colin Farrell.

"Gone Baby Gone", thriller

"Fair Game", thriller.

In preparation for the new Batman film, we watched the two previous performances of Christian Bale.

And finally, a film I recorded from Film4, "Million Dollar Baby", directed by and staring Clint Eastwood as an old boxing coach, with Hilary Swank as the boxer he reluctantly takes under his wing. Another great film from Eastwood, I do not like his politics but I do admire his directorial skills.