Decent Films to Watch This Week (25/03/13)

Monday

The Godfather Part 2 (1974) FILM4 9pm

The greatest film of all time? Possibly. The greatest Godfather movie of all time? Possibly. The fact that a series of films can have two genuine shouts for the supreme title of ‘greatest film of all time’ is a supreme testament to Francis Ford Coppola – and further condemnation to the series’ ugly duckling ‘Part 3’ (what did happen with that?!). The film balances two members of the same family rise to power. Firstly we have Michael Corleone (Al Pacino) who has inherited the family business following the demise of his father, Vito Corleone (Marlon Brando in the original Godfather). And then the film shows how Vito rose to prominence in the first place – this time played by Bobby De Niro. To call the film a masterpiece would be predictable, yet 100% accurate – the film is littered with so many great moments - the kiss of death, the boat ride…anything with De Niro. Yes I am a bit stuck for time so I can’t do too many recommendations tonight, but to be honest there is few films that can compete with this… except maybe its forbearer.

Or…

Road House (1989) CH5 10pm

Patrick Swayze. As the world’s hardest bouncer. In the world’s tightest jeans. Literally about as far as you can get from Godfather in tone, it’s still stupidly enjoyable… with a very high emphasis on the word ‘stupid’.

Margin Call (2011) Sky Indie 10pm

I recommended this a couple of weeks ago, but for those who still haven’t seen it, make sure you record it. Very accomplished film with an outstandingly assured cast – it follows the early days of the recession localised in an investment bank. Fascinating stuff.

Tuesday

Spirited Away (2001) FILM4 6.30pm

This really is one of my favourite films of all time. The creator of this film is called Hayao Miyazaki, and he is widely regarded as the Walt Disney of Japan. When you take this film into consideration it’s easy to see why – the film is tremendously beautiful while balancing moments of heart felt tenderness and other moments which are wonderfully funny and will have adults and children laughing a like. The film follows a young girl who is separated from her family when she is trapped in a magical bath house and her attempts to get back home with her parents. I cannot recommend this film highly enough and it is essential viewing for everyone.

Wednesday

The Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Rings (2001) FILM4 9pm

Number 4 on Chris Malin’s “greatest film of all time list”, this is a film that me and a lot of my friends have a very personal connection with. “Why?” might you ask. And rightly so. Have we gone on a hunt for a magic ring? No. Have we had many dealings with hobbits? No. Have we had anything to do with any of the subject matter presented in this film? Erm... no. So why, God, why do I/we care so much? Cause the film makes us care - it’s just so fucking beautiful. Every aspect of it. Like a fine piece of art, or your favourite song -  it evokes a myriad of emotions out of you that make you care. From the wonderfully created land of middle earth to the well formed characters you genuinely have interest in. From the breath taking action sequences to the more tender moments which can evoke tears from grown men... every aspect of this film is created with such attention to detail and in such a sensitive manner that you fall in love with every piece of this film. You feel a sense of warmth and comfort when Gandalf is on the screen, you cheer on the fellowship as they battle against impossible odds... I’m getting tingles just thinking about the film now. I must watch this film at least once every couple of months or so and I know plenty who do the same (Cobra and DFB being notable shout outs), and I will 100% be watching this tonight as well. A perfectly formed film that knows exactly what it wants to do. Entertain the fucking bejesus out of you. Classic.
Princess Mononoke (1997) FILM4+1 7.05pm

After Spirited Away yesterday we now have this offering from Studio Ghibli... another classic from one of the most prolific animation studios of all time. If I could sit down with everyone I know and make them watch this film tonight I really would cause it’s just a different level of film making to most stuff you see – The films follows a young prince who has a cursed arm. Naturally for a cursed arm it has a habit of doing ‘bad things’. The prince goes on a journey through a magical land to search for cure for the curse. This brings him into contact with a whole host of characters – including the mysterious Princess Mononoke. The animation is astonishing, making everything come to life on screen to offer thrills and spills around every corner. First class film making from one of the few studios to rival Pixar in terms of quality.

Pan’s Labyrinth (2006) FILM4 12.25am

Good Lord FILM4 is knocking it out the park tonight – this completes the hat trick for them. Perfectly following on from the previous two films sense of awe and wonderment from wonderfully fantastical worlds – this is the film that is perhaps most grounded in reality and as such provides the scariest and terrifying fairy tale of them all. Set against the back drop of the Spanish Civil War, the film follows a young girl, Ofelia who is going to start a new life when her Mother marries an evil army officer. Amongst all the chaos, Ofelia escapes into a fantasy world where she must go on a quest for an magical Faun... Even though this is a fairy tale, this is a film very much for adults only, the horror that often pops on screen can be graphic and very scary – including one of the most tense scenes of all movie history when Ofelia must venture into a monster’s lair... Just as amazing as the other two efforts tonight, I cannot offer enough superlatives and hyperbole to tell you just how good this film is, but I’ll – Fucking bloody fantastic.

And just to boot...

Pulp Fiction (1994) Sky Movie Greats 11.35pm

Thursday

Whoops… was a TGI’s, sorry

 

Friday

Battle Royale (2000) FILM4 12.20am

Set your recorders for this fellow film geeks – tis not to be missed. Anyone wondering what The Hunger Games would be like if it was an 18 certificate wonder no more – this Japanese film puts a class of school children on an island with a loads of weapons and says ‘last one alive wins’. It’s as shocking as you would imagine it to be and will have you on the edge of your chair throughout. Not to be missed.

Winter’s Bone (2010) BBC2 10.45pm

Talking of Hunger Games – here we have Jennifer Lawrence’s breakout performance. It’s a very bleak, very dirty, very unglamorous film about one girls search to find her errant father within a morally dubious mountain settlement in the US. Fun it ain’t, but it’s certainly a harrowing and haunting watch which is full of quality.

The Lord of the Rings Return of the King (2003) FILM4 9pm

Can’t get much epic that this – thrilling conclusion to one of the greatest trilogies of all time.

The Amazing Spider-Man (2012) Sky Premier 8pm

I liked it, y’know, hence the recommendation. Andrew Garfield takes up the reigns of everyone’s favourite friendly neighbourhood Spider-Man from Toby Maguire in a very entertaining re-boot of one of Marvel’s most famous characters. (500) Days of Summer’s director Marc Webb takes over from Sam Raimi in order to ramp up the teen angst and he does so admirably. It doesn’t hit every beat but a worthy watch nevertheless.

The Fly (1986) Sky Greats 9.40pm

Tenuous link from arachnid to insect aside, this is a classic horror film. Jeff Goldblum is the scientist Seth Brundle, who is trying his hand at teleportation when it all goes wrong when his DNA is spliced with that of, yep you guessed it, a fly. Seth then starts his transformation into The Fly and we as an audience have to try very hard to keep our collective dinners down. Not for the feint hearted.

No Country for Old Men (2007) MORE4 10pm

Quite simply a modern classic. The Coen brothers take us on a thrill ride of a film as one man stumbles across a failed drug deal and steals the money he finds at the scene. He is then pursued by a seemingly unstoppable killer who is hell bent on recovering the money. Incredibly acted – this film oozes quality and is achingly tense – you have to watch this film.