Friday 1 December 2017

December 2017 – My Favourite Films of 2017 (So Far), The Man Who Invented Christmas, Ferdinand, Jumanji: Welcome to the Jungle, and Star Wars: The Last Jedi.

Hi Everyone,

First things first: Hearty congratulations to Prince Harry and Meghan Markle on their recent engagement. I wish them every happiness and trust that their wedding in the Spring of 2018 will be a glorious occasion.



It's been a really good year for movies – apart from the Summer – which was perhaps a little light on blockbusters around August time. But, overall, there have been many films I very much enjoyed. So, with just a few weeks to go before the end of the year, here is a little list of my favourite films of 2017 thus far. The list is in alphabetical order – but I can tell you my absolute favourite film was Beauty and the Beast – which I went to see an incredible 27 times. Never done that before (and probably won't ever do that again). lol. Perhaps, objectively speaking, the best film of the year (bearing in mind I haven't seen the December releases yet) is Logan. What a fantastic movie!


Mal's Favourite 25 films of 2017

But first, of the films eligible for last year's Oscars (that I also saw in 2017), my favourites include:- Hidden Figures, La La Land, Lion, Rogue One: A Star Wars Story and Sully.

Of the films released since then, here are my 25 personal favourites (the top eight being in bold type):-

  • Battle of the Sexes
  • Beauty and the Beast
  • Blade Runner 2049
  • Borg vs McEnroe
  • Brimstone
  • Detroit
  • Dunkirk
  • Everything, Everything
  • Film Stars Don't Die in Liverpool
  • Free Fire
  • Gifted
  • Happy Death Day!
  • Kong: Skull Island
  • Logan
  • Loving Vincent
  • Miss Sloane
  • My Cousin Rachel
  • Paddington 2
  • Patti Cake$
  • Professor Marston and the Wonder Women
  • The Beguiled
  • The Death of Stalin
  • The Florida Project
  • Wonder Woman
  • Victoria & Abdul

Honorable mentions that didn't quite make the top 25 include:- American Made, Atomic Blonde, Baby Driver, Baahabuli: The Conclusion, Breathe, Churchill, Get Out!, Girl's Trip, Goodbye Christopher Robin, Justice League, King Arthur: Legend of the Sword, Logan Lucky, mother!, Only the Brave, Split, The Big Sick, The Light Between Oceans, Thor: Ragnarok, Viceroy's House, and War for the Planet of the Apes.


The big films released in the UK in December 2017 include The Man Who Invented Christmas, Ferdinand, Jumanji: Welcome to the Jungle, and Star Wars: The Last Jedi. Here's a picture from each of those movies to whet your appetite:-


The Man Who Invented Christmas © 2017 Thunderbird Releasing. All Rights Reserved.



Ferdinand © 2017 Twentieth Century Fox. All Rights Reserved.



Jumanji: Welcome to the Jungle © 2017 CTMG Inc. All Rights Reserved.



Star Wars (Episode VIII) The Last Jedi © 2017 Disney Studios/Lucasfilm Ltd./Industrial Light & Magic. All Rights Reserved.


Here's a comprehensive run down of the December 2017 new releases:-

The major films are: Better Watch Out, Blade of the Immortal, Brigsby Bear, Ferdinand, Jumanji: Welcome to the Jungle, Love is Thicker than Water, Pitch Perfect 3, Star Wars: Episode VIII – The Last Jedi, Stronger, The Disaster Artist, The Greatest Showman, The Man Who Invented Christmas, and Wonder.

Limited or “key cities” releases include: Dolores, Human Flow, Love Cecil, Les Hommes Du Feu, Lu over the Wall, Menashe, Mountains May Depart, Padmavati, Sanctuary, The Prince of Nothingwood, and Tiger Zinda Hai.

Other limited releases given their “own spot” in the newsletter are: Happy End, Mountain, Shot Caller, and The Dinner.

In addition to all of the above, the classic movies A Matter of Life and Death (1946) and The Muppet Christmas Carol (1992) both get an airing in one or more venues in December 2017.

A number of other movies which haven't been noted in the December magazine are: Bingo: The King of the Mornings, Bleeding Steel, Fukrey Returns, Son of Granite, The Unseen, and Youth.

Also not included in the magazine are this month's “Event Cinema” entertainmentsmost of which are listed below. As usual, information sometimes differs when comparing various sources, so please take the details below with a large pinch of salt and do some further investigation if you are interested in attending any of these events:-

  • 1st December 2017 – Nutcracker Ballet – Royal Opera House 2017/18 (Royal Opera House)

  • 1st December 2017 – Young Marx – NT Live 2017 (Trafalgar Releasing)
  • 3rd December 2017 – Nutcracker Ballet – Bolshoi 2017 (Trafalgar Releasing)

  • 28th December 2017 – Andrea Chenier [Opera?] (Thunderbird Releasing)

(In addition, don't forget to look out for “Secret Cinema” presentations if these are of interest to you). https://www.secretcinema.org/


Here is the link to my last newsletter (which is a download of approximately 70MB):-




Well, whatever your religion or faith (or none); seasons greetings to you! If you are having time off work, I hope you have a wonderful vacation. And, if you're going to the pictures - I hope you have a whale of a time seeing some great movies. Happy viewing!

(Trailers for most of the major films mentioned above will appear here tomorrow or in a few days time.)

Wednesday 1 November 2017

November 2017 – Harvey Weinstein, Paddington 2, Justice League, Murder on the Orient Express, and The Star

Hi Everyone,

No film blog, however non-political, could fail to mention the Weinstein affair. It seems that (long known about in Hollywood circles and even the subject of quips at Oscar Ceremonies) alleged sexual harassment by Harvey Weinstein is finally being openly talked about. Dozens of women – including some of the film industry's most successful actresses – have come forward accusing the former Miramax producer of sexually assaulting them; abusing his power by offering roles in return for sexual favours.

Above: Harvey Weinstein pictured with Gwyneth Paltrow (one of the actresses to have spoken out)

You will need to look elsewhere for a history of Hollywood's notorious “casting couch”. Here, I just want to agree with those who assert that thankfully a “tipping point” has been reached. It is now easier for victims to come forward and tell their stories - whether their complaints be against Weinstein, Bill Cosby, or others in the film and TV world. Furthermore, it seems that victims (both male and female) are now speaking out in greater numbers about abuse and harassment in all walks of life – not just the media world. Of course, we don't want a “witch-hunt”, and each case must be looked at on its own merits. But, a tipping point has definitely been reached, and more and more victims are bravely speaking out. May the fight for equality and justice continue.

Finally, here is the url of a recent video on the subject:-
https://youtu.be/tkoxDivqsXY


The big films released in the UK in November 2017 include Justice League, Paddington 2, Murder on the Orient Express, and The Star. Here's a picture from each of those movies to whet your appetite:-


Justice League. © 2017 Warner Bros. Ent. Inc. & Ratpac-Dune Ent LLC. All Rights Reserved. Image courtesy of Warner Bros. Pictures/ TM & © DC Comics



Paddington 2. © 2017 Image courtesy of Studiocanal. All Rights Reserved.



Murder on the Orient Express. Image courtesy of Twentieth Century Fox. All Rights Reserved.



The Star. © 2017 Image courtesy of CTMG, Inc. All Rights Reserved.


Here's a comprehensive run down of the November 2017 new releases:-

The major films are: A Bad Moms Christmas, Battle of the Sexes, Daddy's Home 2, Film Stars Don't Die in Liverpool, Fireworks, Ingrid Goes West, Justice League, Murder on the Orient Express, Only the Brave, Paddington 2, Professor Marston and the Wonder Women, Suburbicon, The Florida Project, The Son of Bigfoot, and The Star.

Limited or “key cities” releases include: A Caribbean Dream, Beach Rats, De Plus Belle, Félicité, Heartstone, Ittefaq, Lost in Paris, Strangled, Thelma, Trophy, and Wet Women in the Wind.

Other limited releases given their “own spot” in the newsletter are: 78/52, Brakes, Ferrari: Race to Immortality, Good Time, Jane, Kaleidoscope, Manifesto, Marie Curie: The Courage of Knowledge, and Marjorie Prime.

In addition to all of the above, the classic movies In a Lonely Place (1950), Predator: 30th Anniversary Release (1987), Sorcerer: 40th Anniversary Release (1977), The Big Heat (1953), and The Silence of the Lambs (1991) all get an airing in one or more venues in November 2017.

A number of other movies which haven't been noted in the November magazine (or appear only in the Stop Press section) are: Antiporno, Conor McGregor: Notorious, Gaugin, Hi-Lo Joe, Kenny, Mudbound, No Stone Unturned, Problemos, The Pat Tate Story: Rise of the Footsoldier 3, Starvecrow, The School of Life, The Stolen, and Villain.

Also not included in the magazine are this month's “Event Cinema” entertainmentsmost of which are listed below. As usual, information sometimes differs when comparing various sources, so please take the details below with a large pinch of salt and do some further investigation if you are interested in attending any of these events:-

  • 8th November 2017 – Bill Viola: The Road to St. Paul's (Picturehouse Docs)

  • 10th November 2017 – Follies - NT Live 2017 (Trafalgar Releasing)
  • 10th November 2017 – Taming of the Shrew – Bolshoi 2018 (Trafalgar Releasing)

  • 15th November 2017 – Manifesto: Special Screening from Tate Modern (More2Screen)
  • 18th November 2017 – Exterminating Angel – Met Opera 2017 
    (Trafalgar Releasing)
  • 21st November 2017 – Exhibition on Screen: David Hockney at the 
     Royal Academy of Arts (Seventh Art Distribution)

(In addition, don't forget to look out for “Secret Cinema” presentations if these are of interest to you). https://www.secretcinema.org/


Here is the link to my latest newsletter (which is a download of approximately 84MB):-




Well, it was great fun seeing Thor: Ragnarok last week. Not a perfect movie, but a very enjoyable one. For me, even more anticipated than Ragnarok, is the long awaited Justice League; which opens on 17th November in the UK. Before that, we have Murder on the Orient Express (on 3rd Nov) and Paddington 2 (on 10th Nov). Whatever type of film is your bag – I wish you a great time at the movies this month. Happy viewing!


Trailers for most of the major films mentioned above appear below:-



 A Bad Moms Christmas



Battle of the Sexes



Daddy's Home 2



Film Stars Don't Die in Liverpool



Fireworks



Good Time



In a Lonely Place



Ingrid Goes West



Justice League



Marie Curie: The Courage of Knowledge



Marjorie Prime



Murder on the orient Express



Only the Brave



Paddington 2



Predator (30th Anniversary)



Professor Marston and the Wonder Women



Sorcerer (40th Anniversary)



Suburbicon



The Big Heat



The Florida Project



The Killing of a Sacred Deer



The Silence of the Lambs



The Son of Bigfoot


The Star