I have been off this blog for sometime, hiding away from the supposed social way to communicate. Hoping against hope that there is people out there that were becoming dismayed by internet chit-chat. That and also, i decided to try a new thing called live the life i write. Quite difficult to do when the world is only communicating through electronic devices.

So today I did the movie thing, don’t get me wrong i have been doing the movie thing while in hiatus, just didn’t wish to write. Lost my Mojo.

So Girl on the train. I was apprehensive about seeing this, the book gets such good reviews. and when its made into a movie only a few can carry that sort of weight. A few things were a miss about the movie but honestly i was amazed by Emily Blunts attempt at drama. i tank she truly proved herself in this film, she can actually act, and very well at that.She could hold her own up against what hollywood deem the A -listers. Or is she an A- lister? who knows these days way too many people think they are due to the magic of video live.. so this is s short and sweet blog, Go see Girl On A Train. Few boring moments, but the twists in the film are fab. Not set the sae as the book. but a full 10/10 for Miss Blunt.

Mr Theroux can play bad guys all day long very well also. better than the weepy pathetic due on tv.is it the missing or the returned are they just the same tv prog with different names?

Trumbo

Trumbo

The true story of Dalton Trumbo a Hollywood screen writer who is found to have communist beliefs and a member of the American communist party. He is Put in front of the American state congress to answer questions that he and another nine writers put their communist views into their movies. He was put in jail for doing so, however when he goes in his daughter is blonde, on his release she is two feet taller and a red head hmm! we see the toll it has taken or how much he has aged being inside however he has changed he becomes harsh and very focused to make his way back into the Hollywood elite. His family are made into couriers to stop anyone thinking that Dalton is back writing for any film company. He has taken on rewrites of bad scripts under pseudonyms.

Under one of the names he wrote Roman Holiday a huge success and even an Oscar came his way which obviously he didn’t get to accept it. For his name was mud.

So struggling on and on he wrote the brave one. Under the name Robert Rich The film again was up for the awards. And won. Then along came kirk Douglas asking Trumbo to fix his script and with a huge Hollywood cast. Spartacus was rewritten. Hollywood comes knocking at the door with director Otto Preminger at the end of the knocker. Asking for Dalton to write Exodus. With the President J.F.K endorsing the film there was only one way this movie was going to end. That being with Trumbo back in the heart of Hollywood. And able to rebuild his career. The black list was becoming more grey.

In a speech finally accepting and Oscar Dalton Trumbo speaks of being victimised how sticking to his principles lost jobs and homes and those who chose to compromise on theirs.

With big names like Brian Cranston one of my favourite actors not for breaking bad but for Malcom in the middle and Helen Mirren sorry didn’t think she was all that good but its Helen, The film and these two will be on the awards list for sure, but this year I feel there is nothing standing out. When the academy put The Martian into the comedy section and best movie category I was shocked and saddened, so who knows what will happen this year, for there are no fantastic films only ok to good ones.

 

 

 

ROOM

At first I was not wishing to see this film, thought it would be boring. But it was far from it, truly. On the back of what has been happening in this world over the years where girls who are now women were abducted at young ages. And finding a way to freedom.

Abductors like ariel castro, wolfgang přiklopil and joseph fritzl. Just to name a few.

So Room was long in the making.

Room is the story of JOY now 24 who had been abducted at the age of seventeen. During that time, she had a son jack the child of the abductor only known as old nick and JOY. Jack knew nothing outside of Room for he had been in captivity his whole five years, joy had been in Room for seven. JOY never fully told the truth to jack about life outside of room, whether it was fear or just the thought that they will never leave. Until something clicked inside her and she decided it was time start thinking up ways to get out. For only way on was a locked door with a key pad.

JOY, finally chooses to escape. She starts to think of ways to get out. But didn’t think of what life would be like now outside, how her family unit had changed. Brining the child of rape into the fold and making it work. JOY tried so hard to protect her son she forgot about herself, she finally broke and tried to kill herself. But her one strength being that of jack her son. During the time joy is away trying to deal with the trauma she had to endure, Jack relationship with his grandmother grows.

As much as we get to see the abductor, we thankfully do not need to connect with him too much and only get a small taste of what. JOY had to go through. Its only when she talks about certain incidents do we get insight into what she truly went through, that path is left to viewers.

There should be a few Nomination come awards season.

The Danish Girl

Todays movie experience was that of the Danish girl. The audience was a mix of young and old straight people. Something I was actually surprised at. My bad I know. But such a mixed crowd. Would like to see the stats guys fig that one out.

Anyway the movie is based on the true story of Einar Wegener and his struggle in the early 1900’s Denmark to admit to himself and to others that he was transgender and having to undergo break through surgery of gender reassignment.

I know Eddie Redmayne has possibly won the Oscar for this role, but I truly feel that Alicia Vikander who played his supportive and understanding wife Gerda. Should be up for nomination also. I am not sure I felt sympathetic towards Eddie as Lily, for all I could see was that as much as she was born into male body, she was very selfish and hurtful person towards Gerda. She gave him everything, yet got nothing back, once Lily had been freed. She started to look for that support elsewhere, only after finding out the man she married had actually been kissing other men. But Einer compartmentalized this for she didn’t think she was cheating as lily and therefor not she was not married.

Gerda and Einer were artists that had met at college. Einer was the toast of the town for his landscape paintings, his wife of six years mainly painted portraits. They lived in Copenhagen (can’t help but want to break into song) they had a wonderful studio/apartment and a very adorable jack Russell, almost as cute as uggy. (see who gets that).

Once Lily takes over and blossoming, Gerda begins to paint her. But its through not passion but something else. These paintings get her work and she is asked to show her works in Paris. Where they both go living on the wage of Gerda, since Lily does not wish to paint any more as this is tied with Einer. Lily just wants to be a woman (which I feel is slightly over acted in places) So asking for help Gerda meets an old friend of Einer. A dealer in painting, Hans is a very striking male figure and they become, well friends and he at points gives her the supportive male role that she obviously is seeking.

So after being told that he has mental health issues by a few doctors and possibly schizophrenic. Lily goes to see one last doctor in the hope that Einer will be no more. He tells Lily about the surgery of gender reassignment. Lily decides she is going through with it. With no thought for his wife. Lily doesn’t want Gerda there but in the end needs her there. For inn the end they were sort of sole mates.

As for the surgery well lets just say back then it would have been gruesome back then. For it was the first time it had been tried ever.

Anyway cutting story short, felt film could have cut few wee bits out here and there, and wished the woman sitting behind me to stop coughing. Slightly agitated at that. Lily endures next step of surgery quite earlier than expected and is popping pills also the surgery would be the final step that of female genitals.

One thing I found quite interesting is that Einer suffered monthly bleeds from his nose and headaches. I couldn’t quite figure out if we were to believe this was the way we were being told Einer had a female period every month or was this sympathetic to what Gerda was going through? So if this is not an Oscar winner be surprised but not my favourite film so far. I would give Alicia Supporting Actress. Eddie will probably win unless there is someone better. Please let there be.

 

 

Joy

 

The woman who invented the wonder mop, who ever would of thought this would have made such a good film, yes, good film with some of the cast from silver lining play book, was it going to be as good, answer yes! Apart from Mr De’Niro sorry just couldn’t fig out his part in this movie, Oh I know played her dad… But just too similar to silver linings, his character quite selfish and aggressive. This time just no football shirt or the o.c.d on game day.

Jennifer Lawrence plays joy, the valedictorian with a head for business but didn’t seem to have followed any of her dreams, with two children and living in a house with her ex husband who is a club singer living in the basement and an agoraphobic mother who is obsessed with an old American soap (not a bar of but a t.v show), Joy seems near breaking point at times. Joy has a flare to invent things. She had so many ideas as a child that eventually did actually make it into the world. Just not by her, for her mother didn’t do anything with regards to the things joy had come up with.

So joy invents the wonder mop, but the film is her story and struggle to have it produced and how she went about getting it sold. And lets just say, with flare! Joy finally gets a break when she meets Mr blues eyes, not Sinatra but Mr Cooper, Bradley Cooper. His role in this film is small, wonder if he got paid more than Jen for this film????

He runs a channel on the cable network, Q.V.C. This gives Joy all she could ask for. But with a few twists we finally have the happy ending.

So Would I recommend “Joy” to watch, yes indeed. Fab story even if it seems dull subject matter, it makes a fabulous film.

 

 

Star Wars :The force Awakens

Star Wars, My force was truly awakened.

I have waited quite a few years to see the next instalment of the saga, and I was not disappointed. With JJ Abrahams ( king of syfy) at the helm I thought he should do it justice, for I was slightly anticipating a disappointment due to the Disney takeover.

I don’t wish to give any of the story line away, esp. for those who have not actually been yet. Can I just say don’t get tickets to the movie on the 2nd row. My neck and and eyes are killing me. I missed probably a bit of the film due to having to look all over the screen for parts of the story. But that wasn’t the movies fault that was mine for going that far down front when its the only seats available, what can one do.

I will say is its like Empire strikes back the best of the movies. JJ got rid of all the CGI thankfully and went back to the old style syfy shooting fully on set. With small amounts of fake thrown in. You could handle this though. Also no jar jar phew! The new love of the movie has to be that of BB-8 the new droid, very cheeky and very loveable from the start. With remnants from the first movie new hope where we see R2 carrying a secret to be taken to the resistance it’s the same scenario for BB-8, he has to get to rebels and give them a piece of a missing puzzle. We get bits of what is to come and have wee bits of what has been. Seeing the Millenium Falcon for the first time is funny and was a fantastic way to bring that machine back into the story. Also Fin wearing the jacket Paul gave up but that i think was really Luke’s old flying jacket from the New hope. Yes i did notice it.

I would go back again and see this film, in fact I am going to go see it again.

Krampus

Well, the week before christmas and it was as usual a very wet day, scotland never seem to be catching a break with this weather, rain rain rain.

Anyway, i digress. So having dried off and purchased the traditional mixed sweet and salty popcorn. Since i was early the young man dealing with me was so helpful, he painstakingly made sure my popcorn was evenly spread of the right mix of sweet to salt ratio. so thank you!

I was not too sure about this movie, i try not to read reviews but the bad ones were catching my eye. I actually thought hey, give to a shot. there are certainly really bad xmas movies that get ok reviews and they should be the straight to dvd..The audience however also had me slightly worried, quite a lot of single males. If only i was interested in middle aged bald men.

Krampus, himself i was slightly on edge over.It was not the name that freaked me, it was the make up, or the special effects of Krampus. It looked worse than that of jaws flying through the water or that of Cheryl on X factor trying to hide the fact she is not eating. Please go eat a pie.

Krampus was a half goat ( rather large one) and man with a weird face and large horns. His face really was not right people, badly done.

I loved the story, thought was interesting enough kept my attention. The one liners were fast and witty, the gingerbread men made me chuckle. Especially when they grab the nail gun. Yes gingerbread men with a nail gun.

So if you like a xmas movie with a twist, bit fun, bit scary. Oh the jack in a box thing. Yup, forgot about that..horrid!

Then go see krampus if you just like your xmas movies all fluffy and white etc. watch it anyway. just close your eyes at the bad make up and the jack in a box. Give your kids something to think about on xmas eve.

 

https://youtu.be/h6cVyoMH4QE

 

 

 

 

 

Carol

Definitely a Sunday movie. Not really a movie for a first date. well mainly not for heterosexuals I would say as a first date. Lesbians could go for it unless there was no vava voom. Then it could be awkward. it would be a good conversational point after I guess. The subject matter being that of lesbian life in 1940′s America. Or more to the point a married woman living a lie. It made me think of my own life and how hiding being gay is a way of life at times. Young gay and lesbian people today, truly do not know the pain endured by those before them. So they can walk hand in hand. I digress

The lead in this film being none other than Cate Blanchet. A rather sophisticated and slightly older lady. With a slight predatory aura about her.

I must admit I struggled with Cate playing a lesbian. I don’t know what it was, but something was a miss. I truly did not find her believable. Don’t get me wrong the actual story I was interested in. Kate Winslet, yes, believable in this type of role, Jennifer Lawrence, hmm yup probably Emily Blunt yes. Angelina, well that is always a winner. But Cate. AS a gay woman. I struggled. And the young Rooney Mara I just could not see the connection between the two. Maybe that was what they wanted, maybe, I was supposed to believe they were not really connecting like most people do when they first meet. Or is that just the online dating thing.

But it should be like that spark that you get where you can not be apart, you know that fabulous tingle but all I sensed was an A9 battery type tingle. You know the one where you lick both ends of the battery but it is more an annoying tingle on your tongue and actually can’t stop.

I guess for the women of that time, being gay, would have been difficult. You have the people telling you its wrong the press telling you you religion telling you. So acting on that wow factor would have been quite hard.

After all, it was only a few years after having the vote, and supposedly having rights to their children. Not sure what Americas time line was on that, maybe should have googled it before writing this. We come to the sex scene, well a sort of slight sex scene. Yes, Cate got naked but no we don’t see her fully it’s the side way profile shot. Rooney on the other hand obviously drawing the shorter straw and hade to do full nudity clause written in. Let’s face it no way they would tell cate that she was doing it nude. So, there is some skin on skin titillation. Hmm wee (scots for small) bit. After that night wow, what a night it must of been for they seemed so loving and well just together. I didn’t see that happen on screen, well just a tiny bit. Oh I know that’s how you would be if it was someone you truly wanted to be with.

https://youtu.be/EH3zcuRQXNo

Carols husband knows that she is into the ladies, however he doesn’t cope very well with it, even though they are no longer together. It is the old chestnut of, “If I can’t have you, I will do something to screw you over” scenario. Carol has had e previous female relationship which os why he is defensive. He feels threatened his man hood not able to cope with the fact this stunning woman does not get her boat floated by him. So when carol meets Therese, he knows he has to play dirty.

Therese is the very young, shop assistant she admits she doesn’t have her own thoughts, her choices are all of others. At first glance of seeing Carol from across the room we are lead to believe it was love at first sight. So after a couple of rather ill timed short visits they go away for a few weeks. Carol running from her issues asks Therese to join her.

So when Carol is threatened with having her child taken away from her. She freaks out. This is actually due to fact her husband had her followed and bugged, not with actual bugs, but the F.B.I way. He had their one night of passion recorded. He wants to prove she is an unfit mother and lacking in morals. She leaves Therese without actually telling her. She wakes up with Abby watching over her and they return home.

Carol is having a really bad time, where we are led to believe she is attending therapy. The reason for her visiting a therapist is never spoken of. But we can guess by the nature of the story that it is not for true mental health issues but to treat her gayness. After all, so many people were tortured and placed into asylums for being gay. I must say I am quite glad that was never on the table for me. And I am fully appreciative of what has gone before me to allow my freedom.

Therese does not hear or see from carol, she is lost. However, her career takes a jolt and she is working for the times paper and now has a career. Going cold turkey on not speaking to someone you love or loved, is quite hard. Trust me. so Therese tries once to call, but carol does not say anything on the phone. We then are taken to the pre court meetings with regards to the daughter. Carol get brave and can no longer deny her inner self. Telling her husband, he can take custody, for Carol knows she has lost her child. But she begs him to stop trying to hurt her and him. She states she wants full visitation. And walks out.

She decides to go in search of Therese, finding her she begs for her to meet, Therese makes it difficult at first, but then agrees to meet. Carol tell her she loves her wants her to move in and they can have it all. However, Therese who was always eager to please. Is now found her inner voice. Carol disappointed by being rejected goes on her way. However, while at a party Therese can see she does not belong there and goes back to carol. Film ends with a I found you smile.

The Hunger Games. The Mockingjay part 2

Writing after what seems like a pint of baileys should be fun. I want to say it was amazing and everything i had been anticipating. Sadly no, I was disappointed, in the mail part of story and the ending. But it’s The Hunger Games, I only ever wanted to watch the films due to fact I hated Twilight, yes thats right. The acting in those films was terrible, so I never watched The Hunger Games until around two years after first was made.

I was never a Twilight fan till the last one where I actually felt the cast moulded together. And the characters become believable.  In hunger games I felt it was the opposite, cast seemed so well rehearsed and believable. It seemed to make sense, maybe it was the fact it was strong female cast in the role as leader, or the action which I seem to love. But The Hunger Games gave me what i wanted as a viewer. Till the last one. Maybe the author, could not longer face the fact they had started something which just could not maintain or like me started drinking baileys. But that just it, it had to have all the answers to the lack of action was always going to be the victim.

But the movie a stand alone film will work , not full of action as first two. We get a small taste of it when the Mockingjay and crew enter the city of Panem.

I was slightly disappointed but glad in the end, that katnis made a decision between the triangle she created of Gale and Peta. katnis acts like a mother around those that are injured and weak, constantly feeling the need to help and comfort.

The shock was when Prim, Katnip’s sister died and it changed everything. Also Gale becomes the hardened warrior. Whether change by the war or changed by the fact the woman he loved does not reciprocate his admiration. That and he was the one that allowed the bombs to be dropped that killed katnis sister.

So after a couple of twists , which you sort of see coming. We then know katnis is going to choose Peta, after all he always had her back he seemed weak but really has more strength that Gale.

Film ends very similar to Twilight, in the future where she is in her meadow with two children and Peta by her side.

Suffragette

Today, I didn’t go to see the new james Bond movie, I went to see Suffragette. Now this movie to many will not be worth watching. However, I think it should be shown in every school and college all over the world. If women today could fully see what their counterparts only 70 years ago had to endure for the right to put a cross on a piece of white paper. Then maybe, just maybe the female race would appreciate what has gone before them. For i feel today too many women do not vote, it maybe a right, but when you see full footage of women being dragged through streets ,kicked, punched ,raped and incarcerated, force fed due to hunger strikes. The press being told what to write by the government,( not much changed there) not once was there a true reflection of what was going on in Britain at the time in any of the press. It takes one women walking calmly onto a race course being run down by the Kings horse Anmer ,for it to make a difference. This story is amazing, the cinematography however was quite poor in places. I get they wished to make the audience see what would of been chaotic moments in time, but it just was blurred and unwatchable at times. This happens quite a bit during the movie.
Carey Mulgrew was slowly fitting into the role of a women wronged by men. We are lead to believe she has been raped from age 12 in the laundry where she works by her boss. Who seems to take what he wants, after all he is man. We then find her slowly loosing her husband, he is embarrassed by the women that stand up for themselves. As she learns that women truly have been dealt a bad hand. she is incarcerated purely for being there when a fight breaks out at a government vote she attends with a fellow work mate.
She meets the leader of the Suffragettes, Mrs Pankhurst a very militant woman who lead her foot soldiers into achieving the right for women to vote. After this very brief meeting, Carey’s character Maud Watts looses her family, not from war or death. Her husband ashamed by what his wife has done in being arrested, throws her from the house, she has no rights to see her son and is destitute. She sleeps rough in the safe haven of a church with only a blanket and a candle.
What else can this woman loose, she has lost it all, Then at her sons birthday she finds her husband giving her son away. Broken, Maud finds new wind and helps her fellow suffragettes to gain more ground. She is again incarcerated and is force fed as she goes on hunger strike along with most of the women in the prison, for most at that time were political prisoners and they did not wish to make any of them Martyts ( something again no one hears about due to government dictating what we read).
They decide to do something big and go to a race day, where king George will attend, and the world watches. On this day, it s they day that changes the women’s fight for ever.
After a failed attempt to get King George’s attention the women then follow Emily Davidson a militant suffragette jailed on nine occasions, towards the race track. She turns to Maud and states “keep up the fight” And walks onto the track where she is killed outright by the Kings horse coming round the track. This lady was force fed FOTRTY NINE times. I feel the need to make that a point.The government did not want anyone dying in their care so they would get them to the brink of death and release them. Then arrest for the most petty of things. Then it would start all over again. They knew if any of the women died in prison They knew it would be start of the end.

We see all the suffragettes preparing themselves for Emily’s funeral. As they leave and taken into the street the actual footage of Emily Wilding Davidsons funeral the streets lined with people.where thousands of suffragettes followed the coffin. Quite a poignant moment, when scrolling writing starts giving dates countries age women the vote. Going from 1918 all the way to today women in other countries still waiting to vote. On reading about this film and the characters, it has amazed me that although Maud was fictional most of those surrounding her were not. And the things she endured during this film were actually carried out on her fellow suffragettes.

I do not wish to get political, but i have today been in awe of the women from my past who fought with such courage to have allowed me the privilege of sitting where i am writing this. With the knowledge i can vote choose what I want to do where I wish to go, without asking permission and sadly we still do not have equal pay but there are not enough women like those mentioned above to stand up for what is right.
History may be our past, but it is certainly part of our future.