A Cock and Bull Story

 I had thought of going to see this, when it was released in the cinema 20 odd years ago. It is still current but I am not sure that is a good thing. Steve Coogan and Rob Brydon are playing themselves in a film about the making of a film of the novel Tristram Shandy. Which I should go and read

Brydon mocks Coogan, and his work throughout. There are numerous references to Alan Partridge

There are a lot of the mainstays of the British comedy scene of the 00s, Fry, Walliams, Ronnie Aconda, Dylan Moran- as well as Byrdon and Coogan.

Coogan's wilder sex life is referenced. This is a warts and all portrayal of Coogan. He is vain, oversex, and anxious about being upstaged. We are treated to Gillian Anderson-who seems to be playing an early version of Thatcher We are treated to a glimpse of Keely Hawes bottom 

There is a lot about the reality of making a film. Having to be driven to and from the set. The costumer feeling of the strain of the constant demands of the stars. 

Mark Williams playing a film historian is having a lot of fun-despite the frustrations

I was intrigued by Uncle Toby in this novel. Is he the first war gamer? He has apparently recreated an accurate model of the Seige of Namur. Is this the first LARP

The novel takes place during the clash between Dr's and Midwives. There is some medical equipment

I liked it, I am glad I saw it. I should just read the novel

The 39 Steps

 Now this is a great film

It is almost 100 years old. I found a lot to enjoy here

I loved the dialogue. This is a great banter film, People asking about horse races, and dog racing. Mick the Miller, and Mae West get name checked. There is a dig at Chelsea FC-indeed Hammersmith is mentioned so there is a local lad in the writing staff somewhere  The underwear salesmen on the train to Edinbrugh, sharing dirty limericks. The crowd asking about Derby winners. The punch up!

People eat a lot of fish in old movies, it is all haddock and herring here

Hey it's Frazer from Dad's army playing a Wee Free. I did like his wife Margeret's description of Sauciehall and Argyle street

Is that an early helicopter searching for our protagonists in the glens? This film is nearly 100 years old. There is an Air Ministry- No car radios. Telegraphs, and the Professor does not cause alarm showing someone a pistol in company 

Kudos to the land  lady of the hotel, her scene where she shoes the spies away-believing they are chasing a  newly married couple - is a little gem. 

A great movie- I did hear a bit of Mr Chumley Warner in Donat's voice. Hey if your going to steal, steal from the best. I am glad I watched this

QPR v Middlesbrough

A thrashing 

 

Gladiator 2

 Yes, they didn't need to make a sequel  It is notable the Derek Jacobi spends his last moments in this film looking confused before he died. 

It starts with Romans or really North Africans with clothes pegs and goes downhill from there. There are Great White Sharks in the arena. We hear a lot of names, Caracalla and Geta- who seem based on Edward 2 and his lover in Braveheart. Jurgatha and Numidia, Thrax but these are not the historical characters. There are constant scenes of archers using bows like rifles There are constant hydrocarbon created fires. 

Thrax seems to spend his time hanging out in bar- does Geta has syphilis ? People keep saying vae victis, some one has tamed a rhino. 

This should be forgotten in another time it would have been straight to video

Pedro Pascal probably thought the St Sebastain death was subversive 

The Housemaid

 Sidney Sweeney is so very pretty. I liked watching her. It is amazing how she can play dowdy. She seems to be able to change her entire body language. 

 I  have liked  Amanda Seinfeld since Mean Girls . I was pleased to see her again. 

 I had forgotten I had seen this film until I saw it, in my history on VLC. So unlike in my usual posts where I post my thoughts without having seen a review. This is perhaps a more considered version

The film is apparently becoming a franchise

What I remember about this film 

The husband seems to be a mesh of one Hemsworth brothers, and Chris Evans. I see 5 O Clock shadow is now de rigeur in Hollywood

Everyone played two parts in this film. This is a mild spoiler, everyone is playing an insane and vanila version of their character. So well done 

The film is set nowhere in particular. A white exurban house, gated community. It could be Wisteria avenue. I did wonder about how safe a house with three floors of nearly unprotected staircase would be safe for a child

I don't think Sidney Sweeney would be left unmolested sleeping rough

Grosse Point Blank

 Speaking of forgotten movies. I read the review of this in Loaded magazine. John Cusack is now more likely to be ranting on X or bluesky than headling a film,

I was never really keen on Minnie Driver 

I am surprised this has been forgotten or not revived as a piece of 90s nostalgia

John Cusack leads as a hitman, who skipped out on his prom 10 years ago- leaving a girl behind in Detroit The fact that Detroit is even a location for a film, is nostalgia. From a location in Magnum P.I , to Home Improvement, to memes about forgotten cities Detroit  is one place that vanished from Hollywood's radar

How old are Martin's parents? We see the mother in an old folks home, but if she had him at 38 she's just 66.  Can a high school furnace burn a body?

Hey that's Hank Azaria- Homer Simpson and Mr Trick from Buffy- did I tell you 1990s this was.

I might sound terribly sexist here, but I think the music loving gf- is a 1990 trope

So, Cusack is seeing a therapist. This film predates the Sopranos, and indeed prempts it. Martin Blanc terrifies his therapist. Who unlike Lorraine Branco He actually tries to stop him from commiting crimes, and mayhem

Grocer- Dan Akyroid quotes the bible while trying to kill Cusack- Ala Pulp Fiction. Also one of the mooks is wearing leisurewear

I wonder if this film was slightly ahead of it's time. If it had come out a decade later- when at least Britain was in the height of the school reunion social media phase then, perhaps it would have had a better audience. I enjoyed it- I would'nt object to seeing it remade or rebooted though

Bonnie and Clyde

 Yes I can understand why this has been forgotten somewhat. It looks great, Faye Dunaway is one of the most beautiful women who ever lived. Warren Beaty is dapper and dashing-but whose idea was to make the lead impotent?

It feels like the Dukes of Hazard, more of that later. It is two people driving about dodging the law.   I think the film doesn't do enough with it's historical setting you see a white farmer, and his black labourer taking one long look at a farm before being evicted. You would'nt know that prohibtion has happened. Though that ends off screen. We see the moving pictures, and an armoured car...

Gene Hackman and Gene Wilder have roles. Wilder stars as a passer by caught up in the gang's misadventures, Hackman is the older brother of Clyde. Which I wondered about, would Hackman really take orders from Beatty in real life

Miri, Michael Pollard stars- hey who remembers Hannibal Brooks, but that is it. The film is well shot, the cast are strong but fundamentally this didn't grab me 

Oh they drink Dr Pepper nice!