Jimi: All Is by My Side (2013)

Forgot to log this one.

Totally unofficial. No Hendrix music, even his Fender guitars were clones (slightly different headstock, no logo). Funnily, at one point our Jimi plays a Gibson Flying V and I'm pretty sure this was the real thing. It's nice to see that old rivalry is still going strong. Loved the editing.

Not bad at all.

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Terry Pratchett: Back in Black (2017)

Excellent. Loved Dennis Pennis as Pratchett. Many tears were shed.

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Best and Most Beautiful Things (2016)

A young, blind, aspie woman's search for her identity as an independent adult. Michelle sold the whole film and is open and extremely likeable.

A few things that stood out:

• After Michelle explains to a teacher why she felt patronised by her: "It's not you, it's your autism speaking". What a witch!
• The sensory-overload of the basketball game.
• The scene when Michelle tries to chat to another woman in a bar during a Pride fest, only for the woman to turn her back to her was heartbreaking!
• What a great mother and boyfriend!
• Cool socks!

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Cool Runnings (1993)

A fun film that fills the time.

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John Peel’s Record Box (2005)

Interesting documentary but you do have to put up with the likes of Paul Morley and Elton John every now and then. Get a hankie ready at the end.

"More of the same unpleasant and disorientating racket on tomorrow night's programme. Until then, from me John Peel, goodnight and good riddance."

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The Fall: The Wonderful and Frightening World of Mark E. Smith (2005)

The egotistical, crunchy, intelligent, vindictive, contrary, petty, abrasive, sharp, grumpy, charming, stupid, nasty, repetitive and utterly brilliant world of Mark E. Smith. A wonderful arsehole and this documentary has reminded me that I really need to replace my Fall records.

"I don't know whether he's killing them or what?" -- John Peel, on the large number of past Fall members

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The Lost Honour of Christopher Jefferies (2014)

Eccentric man charged with young woman's death. A damning indictment of the police, the media and, more to the point, us. It was nice to see the Sun, Mail and Express (he "Loved culture, poetry") featured prominently and, considering what's happening today, it's worthwhile remembering that not everything the newspapers, both tabloid and broadsheet, print is true and that they do have their own agendas and vested interests. Read the sources, make up your own mind and vote with your heart led by your head. Just don't take the fuckers at face value! This may be a little late, but you never know.

I really didn't mean to write a review but today's pretty important.

I know it's a little old, but John Cooper Clarke's poem "You Never See a Nipple in the Daily Express" still rings true. Take it away Johnny Clarke!

A fragile book that has been broken at the spine.

Letterboxd Review

127 Hours (2010)

I've had this Blu-Ray since it came out and still hadn't watched it, even though it features climbing and I'm a bit of a climber. Time to put that right.

An ill equipped man trapped by his own stupidity, looses his arm in a beautifully shot canyon.

James Franco plays Aron Ralston, a Sisyphus like "Xtreme" sports man-child driven by his own arrogance to spend a week pushing at a boulder. Therein lies the problem for me; I really dislike that particular portrayal of climbing and the outdoors life. Self-absorbed, baggy clothes wearing, techno-listening, photo-opportunists taking stupid risks just to grab a sponsorship deal and look cool.

I got that the film was using his near death experience show Ralston what a shallow and lonely person he had been and that he needed to change to survive. This could very well be the reason that he stupidly told no one of his trek - he had no one to tell, and for this I feel truly sorry for the man. I sincerely hoped that he took this experience and became a more humble and grounded person... but no, the first thing he does when free is to take a fucking selfie! Then onward to the speaking tours, publishing deals and, of course, this film. In fact the most telling sequence in the film is of Ralston pretending/hallucinating being on a talk-show as the special guest.

Enough of my moaning, how was the film itself? I found the photography, while beautiful, was a little too kinetic and hyperactive for me. Split-screen, dropped frames, sped-up film. This is everything I want to leave behind when climbing (although really, this is more scrambling than climbing). Give me focus and peace any day.

James Franco's performance is great, flawless really. It's just that I don't like the person he's playing.

The plot? Like all films that rely on an impressive set-piece at the end, it must have enough substance during the journey to keep you interested. Personally, I don't think 127 Hours had that - a few flashbacks doesn't make a story. I was either bored or irritated for the majority of the film.

One shot that really did annoy me for it's cheapness was of Ralston preparing for his trek and searching on a high shelf for his Swiss Army knife. His hand flaps to either side trying to find the elusive knife before he gives up and decides to go without it.

As for the soundtrack. Playing Lovely Day over Ralston struggling against his bolder does not make you clever. It's the sort of simplistic cinematic shorthand that I hate.

What should have been an interesting film about the dichotomy between temporary pain and long term survival ended up with me wanting him to cut his throat and not his arm.

So, what did we learn? If you're going trekking, climbing, skiing, diving, hunting or whatever; tell someone where you are going and when you'll be back and just remember kids: perfect planning prevents piss poor performance.

Style over substance and my least favourite Danny Boyle film.

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The World's Fastest Indian (2005)

A magical film set in the 1950s about an old Kiwi with heart issues, determined to break the land-speed record for sub-1000cc motorbikes on Bonneville Salt Flats on a home-brewed bike, based on a old 1920 Indian Scout (originally designed to run at a max of 54mph).

Burt Munro is simple man, bemused by the complexity and bureaucracy of life, but with a supreme belief in himself, his bike and humanity. Burt makes his own piston-heads with reforged Chevy parts and his own slicks with a carving knife. Burt starts his bike with a jump-cable connected to his boot and by covering the air-intake with the palm of his hand. Burt is really, really funny. Burt is everyone's grandpa rolled into one big loveable lump. Burt is fucking awesome!

I'm not a huge fan of Anthony Hopkins, although I adore his performance in Remains of the Day, but his Burt is so perfectly and beautifully constructed that I believe every single word that comes out of his mouth and, more to the point, believe he can break any record he wants to. If Burt said he was going to the moon, I'd ask if I could pack a lunch for him. Sure, his accent is more mummerset than antipodean but I'll forgive that.

The film is as much about Burt's effect on the people he meets as much as the journey and the record attempt itself. Everyone seems changed for the better after meeting this genial old man and this, in my opinion at least, makes The World's Fastest Indian the greatest "feel-good" film ever produced.

Then there's the record attempt itself - a totally gripping finish that'll have you on the edge of your seat shouting "Woo Hoo!".

A lovely film about belief, determination and spirit. Do yourself a favour and watch The World's Fastest Indian... oh, and buy yourself a fucking shed!

Letterboxd Review

Until the Light Takes Us (2008)

An interesting documentary about the Norwegian Black Metal scene: its early days; the church burning, murder and suicide and the resultant media outrage; and where it's heading nowadays.

Anti-church, anti-globalisation, anti-american, anti-homogenisation, anti-christ and unfortunately nationalistic, homophobic and racist. Black Metal is a movement that on the surface has a left-leaning libertarian stance but dig a little deeper and an extreme right-wing tendency rears its ugly head.

If only they could have separated their hatred of christian dogma from christian art, maybe the beautiful stave churches would still be standing.

Original letterboxd review

Anton Corbijn Inside Out (2012)

March Around The World 2015 Challenge - Netherlands

I've seen Control, which I love, The American, which i almost loved and have grown up seeing his stunning music videos (sometimes a lot better than the actual music) and his photographs of bands and musicians on the front page of the NME. It'll be nice to find out a little more about the Dutch photographer turned film-maker.

The one thing I can see in Corbijn's photographs is how the famous figures are isolated. Even singers reaching down and touching fingers with the audience are still separated by the barrier of the stage and by fences. This feel for isolation is carried through into his films about Ian Curtis, the singer of Joy Division, and Jack the friendless assassin, hiding out in a lonely Italian village. So is Corbijn isolated? Lonely? Well, he's certainly quiet, a man apart even. As for lonely; through necessity he seems to have learned to be content in with own company.

A seemingly workman like documentary with some beautifully subtle touches that enhances Corbijn's isolation perfectly. It does indeed tell us about Corbijn's background, his methodology, motivation and inspiration but it also has a very contemplative, almost sad undercurrent running through it. Excellent, and I'd like to be his friend :)

Standout scene: towards the end there is a heartbreaking conversation between Anton and his mother.

WARNING: Bono appears! I even hate looking at his smug, chewing a wasp face. Please don't talk, please! Bollocks, he spoke. Five minutes of suffering later he finally shuts up and fucks off and we can get back to Corbijn. Can we ban this self-important twat from being a talking head? Please? While we're talking about his holiness, I'd like to straighten something out. In another review or list I'd made a comment that I like Bonios; I was referring to the dog biscuits and not the son of god! I like Bonios and I have my very own Bonio dog :)

Original letterboxd review

Pride (2014)

March Around The World 2015 Challenge - United Kingdom. A replacement for Colin.

As we come marching, marching in the beauty of the day,
A million darkened kitchens, a thousand mill lofts gray,
Are touched with all the radiance that a sudden sun discloses,
For the people hear us singing: "Bread and roses! Bread and roses!"

-- James Oppenheim

A film about two, superficially at least, disparate and oppressed communities working together in the face of adversity.

If there's one thing I hate it's looking back at the 80's with rose-tinted glasses. The 80's were, to me at least, a time of inequity, unemployment, hate, section 28, the privatisation of national resources, fascism and Margaret fucking Thatcher, but from the opening scene I'm swept away in a stream of nostalgia, authenticity and solidarity. Pride is funny, moving, accurate and fearless. The next time the firefighters, nurses and teachers are portrayed as greedy and selfish, every time the working class are demonised by the government, media and your mates down the pub, and if your son or daughter comes out to you, think of Pride and do the right thing.

Remember, every person has the right to withhold their labour in protest to injustice. Had Pride been released in the late eighties it would have been banned from cinemas across the country due to Section 28.

Pride contains outstanding performances by a great ensemble cast (Joe Gilgun is awesome yet again)! Even Bill Nighy pulls his usual act back several notches.

Further reading:
Another reason to hate The Sun
The 1985 Gay Pride march

Pride is the dog's bollocks and many tears were shed!

This government had an idea
The Parliament made it law
Seems like it's illegal
To fight for the Union any more

And which side are you on, boys?
Which side are you on?
Which side are you on, boys?
Which side are you on?

We set out to join the picket lines
For together we cannot fail
We got stopped by police at the county line
They said, "Go home, boys or you're going to jail"

And which side are you on, boys?
Which side are you on?
Which side are you on, boys?
Which side are you on?

Well, it's hard to explain to a crying child
Why her Daddy won't go back
So the family suffer but it hurts me more
To hear a scab say, Sod you, Jack

Which side are you on, boys?
Which side are you on?
Which side are you on, boys
Which side are you on?

Well, I'm bound to follow my conscience
And I'll do whatever I can
But it'll take much more than the Union law
To knock the fight out of a working man

And which side are you on, boys?
Which side are you on?
Which side are you on, boys?
Which side are you on?

-- Florence Reece

Original letterboxd review

Michael H – Profession: Director (2013)

March Around The World 2015 Challenge - Austria

Good news, I've woken up a bit after my disastrous viewing of The Living Dead at Manchester Morgue last night, but I have an admission... I have only seen two Haneke films; Funny Games and Caché. This is something I know I need to remedy. Why then did I decide to watch a documentary of a director I know nothing about? Who knows. As Michael Haneke himself might say - make your own minds up.

The documentary opens with Michael Haneke seemingly staring in a Michael Haneke film which looks like it's filmed on the set of his film, Amour. Very meta. Through interviews, illustrated with excerpts from his films, we learn that Haneke is the very antitheses of Spielberg in that he doesn't manipulate, he just documents, displays situations. There is no director's chair; he directs from the front and is a hard taskmaster. Haneke doesn't like to give his films meaning, that is up to the audience. Haneke documents and all else depends on the observer. We learn why he makes films. We learn how he makes films. We do not learn about him. That would be boring and not relevant.

A documentary is, I guess, the perfect form to portray a director who sees his job as a documenter, although any conclusions drawn are for us to decide upon. Haneke would never try to make us understand him as a director.

At times it seems like a high quality DVD extra but an extremely interesting extra none the less.

A highlight: a little girl playing air guitar to Haneke, whilst da-da-da'ing Smoke on the Water :)

Original letterboxd review

Bettie Page Reveals All (2012)

The following may be a little biased as I was a member of the official Bettie Page fan club.

A terrific little biog of the beautiful Bettie Page. Great archive footage mixed with interviews with Bettie's friends, collegues and even with the queen of pinups herself (voice only as she always refused cameras as she wanted people to remember her the way she was back in the day).

We are taken through Bettie's life from her childhood in Nashville with an abusive father and a mother who abandoned her, through to California and New York modeling days, and finally to her treatment in a psychiatric hospital.

Bye bye Bettie :(

Original letterboxd review

Bones Brigade: An Autobiography (2012)

Stacy Peralta's followup to Dogtown and the Z Boys. I love the first doc so much as it reminds me of when I started skating back in the 70's when we made our own boards from planks and Flyer rollerskates.

This doc, whilst really good, didn't seem to have the focus of the first film. It did capture the personalities in the Bones Brigade skate team though with Rodney Mullen and Lance Mountain shining though. Alva makes a few brief and welcome appearances and unfortunately so does Fred Durst. Covers the movement from skateparks to half-pipes and the new tricks this enabled.

If you're into skating and was either there in the 80's or wanted to know what the superstar skate scene was like back then you really shouldn't miss this.

Original letterboxd review

The Punk Singer (2013)

A terrific, honest and lively biog of Kathleen Hanna, singer of Bikini Kill, feminist activist and all round good-egg. Made with Kathleen's full cooperation and it shows; unlike so many biogs this one is choc full of current interviews with the subject about many subjects including her bands, feminism, the riot grrrl movement and, at the weepiest part, Lime disease and how Kathleen coped with not performing for many years.

Other contributors include: Joan Jett, Carrie Brownstein, Adam Horovitz, Kim Gordon, Kathi Wilcox and Jennifer Baumgardner.

I sat down and watched this with my 13 year old daughter and she loved it. I think it's important for girls to have great positive role models and who, in this age when girls look up to women like Beyonce and Rihanna, could be better than Kathleen Hanna?

Girls to the front!

Original letterboxd review

Saving Mr. Banks (2013)

Well, that wasn't what I expected. I was expecting a bit of a biog and what I got was a story of forgiveness via the proxy of Walt Disney. Yes the film was manipulative but which films aren't. The flashback sequences worked very well. Tom Hanks was perfect as Disney but Emma Thompson shone as P.L Travers.

Sad, joyfully and light hearted in the right places. Put it this way; my wife has only one film that she has enjoyed watching more than once (Withnail & I) but even she said she'd like to see this again!

Original letterboxd review

The Notorious Bettie Page (2005)

A pretty decent attempt at a biog of Miss Bettie Page. Yes it focuses on the early part of her career - understandable as the court case is pretty intriguing and a great story to hang her story on.

BTW I became a member of the Bettie Page fan club years back and still have my membership card, photos etc. Sadly this was one of Betties only sources of income in her later years. She always seemed like a real sweetheart.

Oh and Gretchen Mol is excellent.

Original letterboxd review